Keep Calm About the Laudate Si Encyclical

Even before the release (or the leaked release) of Pope Francis' eco-encyclical, people from all corners were speculating, voicing fears, and even condemning the pontiff's motivations. I surely won't lie and say I didn't share some of those misgivings - especially for those of us who look at the global cooling, global warming, climate change issue as an unadulterated hoax - perpetuated by ecological hypocrites.

I also have to admit guilt in allowing myself to be riled up by the misreporting concerning this pope. I guess I wasn't as cyber-connected when there were tales being wagged around about the other two popes during my adulthood - Benedict XVI and Saint John Paul II. There were a couple of times I got my dander up when they were misquoted, but I 'got' them. Pope Francis and his way of thinking are, admittedly, a bit foreign to me. 

The youth-loving attitude of Saint JPII was at the heart of the time in my life when our children attended World Youth Day in Colorado. As a German myself, Papa Benny spoke to my heart and to my soul. His logical, professorial way of leading/teaching his flock appealed to me on a personal level. He was my spiritual Opa.

Pope Francis is different. He's far from reserved - a German trait to which I ordinarily relate - and displays a tendency to dismiss ceremony, which speaks to my intellect as well as my pedantic side. So I'm often challenged to understand just what he is saying/doing.

I do want to reiterate that, while we owe allegiance and respect to the words Pope Francis has shared with his flock, we are under no obligation to take it as infallible. As in many other circumstances, we are to make a sincere effort to digest the words but are free to pattern our behavior in relation to them with our own, informed conscience.

In the mean time, as the world digests the words of our Holy Father, let's keep calm and rely on grace, guidance from the Holy Spirit, and an (continuing) informed conscience.

Sources about the Laudate Si Encyclical

Laudate Si (Blessed Are You), the much anticipated encyclical by Pope Francis was released this morning. It's said that the name takes inspiration from the Canticle of the Sun by Saint Francis. 

Rather than ramble on about my own take (I honestly have only read parts of it), I share with you 11 Things You Probably Won’t Hear about Pope Francis’ Encyclical, from The Stream.

1. Creation has a Creator, and is more than just “nature-plus-evolution”:

(75) A spirituality which forgets God as all-powerful and Creator is not acceptable [...]

(77) “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Ps 33:6). [...]

2. Human ecology means recognizing and valuing the difference between masculinity and femininity:

(155) Human ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment. [...]

3.  Jesus sanctifies human work:

(98) Jesus worked with his hands, in daily contact with the matter created by God, to which he gave form by his craftsmanship. [...]

4. Look up from your phones and encounter each other:

(47) When media and the digital world become omnipresent, their influence can stop people from learning how to live wisely, to think deeply and to love generously. [...]

5. Save the baby humans:

(120) Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. [...]

(136) [I]t is troubling that, when some ecological movements defend the integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to human life. [...]

(91) A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. [...]

6. Helping the poor requires more than just handouts:

(128) We were created with a vocation to work. The goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. [...]

7. Overpopulation is not the problem:

(50) Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate. [...]

8. True ecology requires true anthropology and respect for human dignity:

(118) There can be no renewal of our relationship with nature without a renewal of humanity itself. [...]

(65) The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). [...]

9. Real change requires a change in culture, not just politics:

(123) We should not think that political efforts or the force of law will be sufficient to prevent actions which affect the environment because, when the culture itself is corrupt and objective truth and universally valid principles are no longer upheld, then laws can only be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided.

(211) The existence of laws and regulations is insufficient in the long run to curb bad conduct, even when effective means of enforcement are present. [...]

10. The Church does not presume to settle scientific questions, and we need an honest and open debate:

(60) Finally, we need to acknowledge that different approaches and lines of thought have emerged regarding this situation and its possible solutions. [...]

(188) There are certain environmental issues where it is not easy to achieve a broad consensus. [...]

11. Stop with the cynicism, secularism and immorality:

(229) We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it. [...]

A link to the official text of the Laudate Si Encyclical can be found HERE

To watch a video about the intitial impression of Laudate Si, go to Papal Encyclical: A First Look

More insight can also be found at Good news about the new encyclical Laudato si’ – #PopeForPlanet and Pope Francis: Climate Change and Abortion Are ‘Interrelated’

Keep Calm and Rely on Sound Doctrine

The times, they are a-changin'.

It can arguably be said that we are in a moral crisis mode unequalled in history. Certainly, there have been depraved and godless societies before us - even to the extent of the sexual perversion and idolatry of riches (and power) rampant today. But what we haven't seen in times past is the "higher proportion of collaborators with the new reigning ideology" to be found "among the ranks of the clergy". This according to Bishop Anthanasius Schneider of Astana, Kazakhstan.

He and two collaborators have authored a new book, Preferential Option for the Family — 100 Questions and Answers Relating to the Synod. In it, the understandable confusion surrounding the upcoming Synod on the Family is addressed.

In our frenzied, cyber-fed world we are inundated with a constant barrage of debauchery. Men seeking to become women, unfettered abortion, unnatural attempts of 'marriage' by same sex attracted people, and more. Our children are being force-fed sexual propaganda as early as kindergarten - through school and scouting – even as parental rights teeter on the brink of extinction. Fueling this dire situation is a false sense of tolerance and an abhorrence of righteous judgment.

Popular memes tell us that we should act according to the simple path of giving in to feelings. Our hearts can become softened with a false sense of love when we fail to adhere to the hard and fast truths taught by Holy Mother Church, consistently and unchanged, for over two thousand years.

As Catholic Christians we are taught to be tolerant (and loving) of everyone – regardless of our differences. What is being foisted on us, however, is a demanded acceptance and even celebration of evil acts. That crosses the line of right judgment – the ability to judge an action as morally disordered according to Natural Law. Although only God can judge the condition of another’s soul, scripture tells us that we are to shine the light of Truth onto the darkness of sinful acts. Admonishing the sinner is, after all, a Corporal Work of Mercy.

Society as a whole, and an unfortunate majority of Catholics, are acquiescing to many of these disordered, theologically unsound worldviews. Even as Jesus begs us to pick up our cross (unpopular as it is) and follow Him, many walk away. It’s simply easier to take the well-worn path of societal acceptance under the premise of ‘live and let live’. The danger in this way of thinking, however, is that right and wrong can’t (and shouldn't) be based on feelings. Truth is Truth – as difficult as it may be to employ.

All of this would seem unbearably alarming, were we not to avail ourselves of our beautiful faith! Instead of panicking we can stay calm and rely on sound doctrine -  as we stand for Truth. In this way we will be armed with the Armor of God. There are bountiful opportunities to strengthen us on our journey toward Eternal Life and to help others along the way.

As Archbishop Salvatore J Cordileone of the Archdioces of San Francisco recently noted, the proper way to respond to attempts at same-sex 'marriage' (and other moral ills) must be done with “truth and compassion”.

To shore up our resolve and act with moral certainty we need the help of the Magisterium. We have Holy Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, writings of the Church Fathers, and Sacred Tradition to guide us in this unwavering path.

Of course we also have the strengthening power of the sacraments to see us through. Frequent confession and the nurturing Eucharist are the mainstay to remaining firm when facing adversity. 

I can do all these things in Him Who strengtheneth me. ~ Philippians 4:13

Abundant and fervent prayer, on the part of the faithful, is also essential. Both the laity and their shepherds are in desperate need for guidance, strength, and grace. All this, and more, is at our disposal if only we open ourselves up to the divine guidance through the Church founded by Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.

"Catholics should say many and flaming prayers so that bishops may be protected against the temptation to adapt to the world and so that they may be strengthened in their apostolic courage to confess their Faith." Bishop Schneider

MORE INFORMATION

Copies of the ‘Preferential Option for the Family’ booklet can be obtained by emailing supplicafiliale@gmail.com

Don't Get Caught Up in Being Left Behind

Guest Post by Nicholas Hardesty

Question:

What does Jesus mean when he says that, when the “Son of man” comes, “two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left” (Mt 24:40-41)?

Answer:

Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind books popularized the notion that this passage is a reference to “the rapture,” the taking up into the air of all true Christians before the tribulation takes place so that they can dwell in a parallel kingdom in heaven while the rest of us hapless souls struggle against the anti-Christ on earth. But, this is not Catholic teaching, and I think there is another interpretation that fits better.

Immediately before the passage cited above, Jesus makes a reference to Noah and what took place when God drowned the whole world with a flood. In many ways, that was an end-times event for everyone alive at that time. Jesus compares that event to what will take place upon the Second Coming. He says:

“As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.” (Mt 24: 37-39)

Four Horsemen of Apocalypse by Viktor Vasnetsov, 1887

These words of Jesus provide the context for what he says next, when he says, “two men will be the field,one is taken and one is left,” and so on. This means that, just as the wicked in Noah’s time were “swept away,” one will be “taken,” and just as Noah’s family was spared, the other will be “left.” This passage you are asking about does not refer to some being raptured and others being “left behind.” Instead, it means that, when Jesus comes, some will have their life taken from them, and others will live. This is the effect of the General Judgment, which the Church says all men will experience when the Son of Man finally comes again.

This passage also means that our day, our time here, does not always come when we expect it. God may call us home even amid the mundane chores of every day life (working in the field, grinding at the mill, etc.). Jesus’ words remind us that we must always be ready, for “of that day and hour no one knows” (Mt 24:36).

As with every difficult Scripture passage, it is important to utilize the context of the passage, and to always read Scripture with the mind of the Church. Let’s make sure that we are making ourselves ready so that on “the day of Christ Jesus,” we will be found fit to live forever with Him.


More work from Nicholas Hardesty, aka "phatcatholic" can be seen on his blog at, phat catholic apologetics.

The 12 Days of Christmas - The Twelve Articles of the Apostle's Creed

The 12th Day of Christmas

Deuteronomy 11:18-21You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.

By the time we get to the 'Twelve Drummers Drumming' in the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' we pretty much feel like we know this song. Repetition has a way of doing that. It's why we teach our children to parrot 'Please' and 'Thank you' when they are young. Not because we are raising our children to be parrots, but because we are raising them to be civil, and have such actions become second nature to them.

It was the same for ancient Israel, God's first born, who was called to image God to the other nations. He had to hammer away at the basic truths of the covenant He made with his people, so that his children would have it encoded in their hearts and souls, and the faith would not be a one-generation wonder, but rather a heritage for all times and all peoples and all places.

For the same reason, the Church drums into us the Twelve Articles of the Apostle's Creed so that it will be second nature to us and so that, when we are gone, our children will carry the torch of faith to their children and their children's children until King Jesus returns. May the Christ-child enter our hearts anew to prepare us to walk through the death of Good Friday to the Life of the Resurrection!

You may also enjoy:

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 1 Through Day 8

The 12 Days of Christmas - The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The 12 Days of Christmas - The Ten Commandments

The 12 of Christmas - The Eleven Apostles

Note: I am blessed to be receiving one of these reflections, from a deacon friend, each day. He tells me he doesn't know their source but makes simple edits as he deems necessary. Do you know the original source? Please share if you do.

The Twelve Days of Christmas - The Eleven Apostles

The 11th Day of Christmas

Matthew 11:16-19But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates, 'We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.

  

If we see the faithful Apostles in the eleven pipers piping, we can begin to enter into the true rhythm of life that is our faith; a faith for which the height and breadth and depth has no limits, being 'in Christ'. G. K. Chesterton once observed that if you see something condemned loudly for being too tall and too short, too black and too white, too round and too square, too fat and too thin, you may be sure that it is very good.

The Catholic faith comes in for a great deal of this sort of criticism, and it always has and will continue to do so until the King returns. 

Beginning with the Pharisees who complained that Jesus was too gluttonous and John the Baptist too ascetic, the Church has been attacked for every contradictory reason imaginable. It's too liberal/conservative, too masculine/feminine, too spiritual/earthbound, too flexible/inflexible. It refuses to change and it's constantly changing; it idolizes/despises Scripture; etc. etc. etc.

What these critics fail to grasp is that the eleven Apostles who saw the Resurrection were piping a tune that answered exactly to the rhythm of life, not laying out a neat diagram that fits the theories of ideologues. The Church, as a result, is always at cross-purposes with the best laid plans of men. Yet her wisdom eventually and certainly prevails, for it is the wisdom of the Spirit who indwells her!

You may also enjoy:

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 1 Through Day 8

The 9th Day of Christmas - 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit 

 The 12 Days of Christmas - The Ten Commandments

Note: I am blessed to be receiving one of these reflections, from a deacon friend, each day. He tells me he doesn't know their source but makes simple edits as he deems necessary. Do you know the original source? Please share if you do. 
 

Pope Slaps Back Pro-Choice Hopes

Today, the hopes of those, who were somehow foolish enough to think Pope Francis was a fan of abortion, were dashed. The day after a controversial, misrepresented interview, he set the record straight.

According to Life Site News, "In a meeting with Catholic gynaecologists this morning Pope Francis strongly condemned abortion as a manifestation of a “throwaway culture.”
"Every unborn child, though unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of the Lord, who even before his birth, and then as soon as he was born, experienced the rejection of the world," the pope said".

I created this meme to make sure that everyone could rest at ease. The Pope is still Catholic! To share from Facebook, click here.

Veiling Revisited - Is It Mandatory?

Just over a year ago I ventured into the hot topic of veiling. As I quickly found, there was/is quite the cyber skirmish going on concerning this topic as well as the issue of what constitutes modesty. As with many devotions and other disciplines, discussion can get quite contentious. In my post, Lifting the Veil...Onto My Head, I shared with readers over on Catholic Sistas what had precipitated my decision to veil. In my research, I found many differing views expressed by other writers and had to do some digging to answer the first burning question.

Is Veiling Still *Required* of Catholic Women?

The short and long of it was thoroughly addressed by checking out a bit of Canon Law. The requirement that women wear head coverings at Mass was part of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which provided (emphasis mine):

     Canon 1262
1. It is desirable that, consistent with ancient discipline, women be separated from men in church.

2. Men, in a church or outside a church, while they are assisting at sacred rites, shall be bare-headed, unless the approved mores of the people or peculiar circumstances of things determine otherwise; women, however, shall have a covered head and be modestly dressed, especially when they approach the table of the Lord.

When the 1983 Code of Canon Law was promulgated this canon was not re-issued; indeed, canon 6, 1, abrogated it, along with every other canon of the 1917 Code not intentionally incorporated into the new legislation.

     Canon 61

When this Code goes into effect, the following are abrogated: 

(1) the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1917;
(2) other universal or particular laws contrary to the prescriptions of this Code, unless particular laws are otherwise expressly provided for;
(3) any universal or particular penal laws whatsoever issued by the Apostolic See, unless they are contained in this Code;
(4) other universal disciplinary laws dealing with a matter which is regulated ex integro by this Code.

Thus, there was no longer any canonical obligation for women to wear a head-covering, since laws which had been part of the 1917 Code, including canon 1262, had lost their force and their legal requirement was officially ended. You may further notice that veiling in particular was never specified - just a general covering of the head and modest dress.

Is Veiling Still *Desired* for Catholic Women?

So, finally, after searching and reading multiple sources, I concluded that veiling is a discipline (not Dogma) and therefore optional. Something interesting resulted from my searching, however. There seemed to be a trend of admiration and even encouragement for veiling on the part of many in the clergy. I saw this repeated in my own experience as well as anecdotally from others. Take the visiting priest from India who, due to a bit of a language barrier simply pointed to my veil after Mass and gave me a smiling thumbs up. Another favorite comment came from a deacon who had read my original post. He wrote about his thoughts that "in a culture in deep decline, and after having discussed this with a variety of priest friends, I have come to believe that the veil is one of very few symbols that manages to say something good and positive about the dignity of the Christian woman (and girl). It really warms my heart".

To those who fear that veiling is sort of a 'look at me' exhibitionism, let me just share my experience with you. As only one of two women who veil at my small rural parish (my grown daughter being the other), I can assure you that this practice is more humbling than it is a practice of conceit. Further I don't veil for exterior motives - I veil for the interior. For me veiling is about getting my mind focused on unity with Jesus. It's about showing Him that I have come to be His as He is mine. Veiling gives me a curtain, so to speak, allowing a certain amount of intimacy that closes out the busyness surrounding me at the Novus Ordo parish we attend. Along with resting my face in my hands after Holy Communion, it gives me a private place to commune with the Savior Who I have just received. Check out this post for more reasons women veil.

What Do Respected Catholic Sources Say about Veiling?

Of course, there is much differing opinion and even reporting of the meaning of the Canon Law cited above. In order to solidify the topic in my own mind, I went to sources known to be solid in their grasp of Catholicity. In his post, Do Women Need to Wear Head Coverings at Mass, Jimmy Akin pointed out, for example, that "given the natural expectations of many people at Extraordinary Form Masses, one can see a certain appropriateness to wearing them in that context". For emphasis he references a letter written by Cardinal Burke addressing this very topic. Since he is often asked about veiling Fr. Zuhlsdorf commented, "I think this is a good custom. It recommends itself on many levels, some of which are, frankly, obvious". In another post, he continues, "My view is that this custom should be revived. According to the Church’s present law, women are not obliged to cover their heads in church. I would be pleased if they did, but… hey…" In an effort to get out of the lively conversation that ensues after the topic of veiling is raised, Fr. Z promptly linked to a post from Conversion Diary about a woman's first experience with veiling.

So What's the Bottom Line on Veiling?

From what research has shown, and my own discernment, I have come to conclusion that veiling is a beautiful practice for those of us who feel called to it. That veiling is optional should quell any feelings of inadequacy or pressure on those who are not so inclined. I have personally found a peace and deeper ability to quiet my mind for prayer when I veil - but that is my own experience. Others may not have the same inclination or result. All in all, the Lord wants our undivided attention. He wants our respect and love. The manner in which we can best give Him the worship, praise and adoration due Him, will no doubt lead to a more fulfilling faith life. There are many black and white issues concerning Church teaching - Dogma - we are obligated to follow. Veiling, however, is not Dogma but an optional discipline. As our faith evolves we may change these optional practices from time to time. After all, a faith standing still is a faith in decline. So I leave you with this thought: veil if you feel called and don't worry about the perception of others. If you don't feel called to veil, also don't worry about the perception of others. Veiling is a practice that is, at its best, a call that we willingly answer - all with our own reasons and inspiration. To God the glory!

You might be interested in another veiling post I wrote last year - Veil Through the Joyful Mysteries.