The Synod on the Family: Primacy of Conscience and Willful Ignorance

Disquieting words are dripping out of the leaky sieve that surrounds the Synod on the Family. We're hearing things like papal delegate Archbishop Blase Cupich's statement that people need to 'come to a decision in good conscience' when it comes to giving Holy Communion to those who are divorced and civilly remarried. He further adds that the Church has the job to 'help them move forward and to respect that'. Past comments by German Cardinal Kasper, are also making the rounds. To the dismay of many, he has advocated for hot button topics ranging from homosexual lifestyles and communion for those civilly remarried, to acceptance of contraception.

Ignorance and Presumption

When hearing these statements attributed to various participants and observers of the synod one has to wonder what happened to the admonition for continued spiritual formation throughout one's life. Continuing catechesis is the only way to fully seek holiness and to become the saints God wants us to be. Willful ignorance is no excuse, since we have the ability and means to finely hone our consciences.

All care should be taken to refrain from the sin of Presumption, either relying on our own capacities or presuming God's almighty power and His mercy. Hoping to obtain His forgiveness, without allowing for the conversion of our souls or seeking glory without merit, will be of no benefit when it comes to the destiny of our immortal souls. CCC 2092

Is the Devil in the Details?

Sowing confusion among the faithful is further evidence that the devil must surely be in some of the details surrounding the Synod on the Family. Whether the source is those making the statements or those reporting (misreporting) what was said, we may never know. Therein lies the rub. Do we take these reported sentiments at face value and fear for the demise of the Church or is this where an unflinching faith in the Church, founded by Jesus Himself, comes to the rescue? Jesus has given us the answer.

And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

Hope, Faith, Love

Lest we allow our faith in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church to succumb to hopelessness, let's give credence to the good also being shared.

Former head of Congregation for Divine Worship, Francis Cardinal Arinze said in a recent interview, "Marriage comes from God, not from human beings so human beings cannot reinvent or redefine it." Speaking of the indissolubility of marriage he continued, "Not even the authority of the Church can break it," he noted. Affirming that “the Eucharist is not something we possess”, Cardinal Arinze further said that “We must look for a way to help the divorced who are remarried, [but] we don’t help them by saying, “Come and receive Holy Communion.”

In his speech to the synod, Robert Cardinal Sarah, spoke of the need to Proclaim and serve the beauty of Monogamy and the Family. In order to accomplish this he said that we must “first promote all that represents a true Christian Initiation of adults, for the marriage crisis is essentially a crisis of God, but also a crisis of faith, and this is an infantile Christian initiation”. Lack of catechesis continues to be problematic for many baptized Catholics. Then discernment of “those realities that the Holy Spirit is already raising up to reveal” will show “the Truth of the Family as an intimate communion in diversity (man and woman) that is generous in the gift of life” – Robert Cardinal Sarah

While acknowledging the nefarious activities of some, it's comforting to know that many of the faithful are still staunchly defending Truth! We must also show love for those who may be straying from the righteous path. In all charity there must be fervent and sincere prayer for all involved.

Truth Will Win

A statement by Father Athanasius Schneider, one of the authors of Preferential Option for THE FAMILY: 100 Questions and Answers relating to the Synod, offers a call to action for those who fear the outcome.

“… Cardinals, bishops, priests, Catholic families, Catholic young people have to say to themselves: I refuse to conform to the neo-pagan spirit of this world, even when this spirit is spread by some bishops and cardinals; I will not accept their fallacious and perverse use of holy Divine mercy and the “new Pentecost”; I refuse to throw grains of incense before the statue of the idol of the gender ideology, before the idol of second marriages, of the concubinage, even if my bishop would do so, I will not do so; with the grace of God I will choose to suffer rather than betray the whole truth of Christ on human sexuality and on marriage."

What Will the Synod Bring?

In conclusion one thing stands out for us to remember about the Synod on the Family. The Catholic Church is not a democracy, nor is she subject to change through the whims of those who purport to speak for her. Jesus founded her; He alone gives the structure of her beliefs.

As Saint Pope John Paul II said in Evangelium Vitae, “No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the Law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church.”

In a presentation to thirty-five American Archbishops (Rome, in March, 1989), Pope John Paul II firmly stated, "We are the guardians of something given, and given to the Church universal; something which is not the result of reflection, however competent, on cultural and social questions of the day, and is not merely the best path among many, but the one and only path to salvation." How pertinent to the issues at hand today!

Keep the Faith

Above all keep the Faith. As Australia’s Cardinal Pell responded to recent questions of apprehension, “One of my concerns is for doctrine, and the Pope has said the doctrine will not be touched.”

Sister Lucia of Fatima offers hope as well. “The final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid…because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue…however, Our Lady has already crushed its head. Sister Lucia dos Santos, of Fatima – in an interview with Cardinal Caffara of Bologna.

Our faith and trust lies in Jesus, through His Church, alone. No mere mortal can upend what we know through His Truth. Pray for those participating in the Synod on the Family, those reporting, and those who live in irregular life circumstances. The narrow path of Jesus' followers isn't always easy, it isn't always straight, but it does always lead to the reward of Heaven.

Connecting the Sodomy Dots - Disney and Campbell's

Screenshot from Campbell's Star Wars/gay parent ad

Well, it didn't take long to get here - we can now connect the sodomy dots. Disney has bought the rights to Star Wars and a new Campbell's soup ad features Johnny and his 2 fathers - both of them saying, "I am your father". This, of course, is an almost universally known line from Star Wars.

Time to Chuck Out the Campbell's Soup and Star Wars?

My husband and I first saw the commercial two or three nights ago. We looked at each other and he said, "it's time to throw out the soup". That might seem like a knee-jerk reaction but let's take a closer look.

• We've already established that the minority of sodomite rights activists are in our schools, through Planned Parenthood, which is largely in charge of sex education. 

• Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have both acquiesced to active homosexuality as well. 

• Let's not forget that the Supreme Court of the United States of America has made sodomite 'marriage' a right - against the will of the vast majority of the people and state laws. 

• Books encouraging same sex experimentation at worst and acceptance of homosexual behavior at best, are commonly sponsored by libraries and schools. This is true from kindergarten on.

• Characters in long-standing comics, children's shows, and animations are 'coming out'.

• Sadly, even a homosexual faction of deviant shepherds of the Church are making their perverted preferences known, in the wake of the Synod on the Family.

Little by little, the carefully crafted parental barriers protecting the morality and immortal souls of our children are being destroyed. Connecting the dots is becoming more and more simple. With a government that insinuates its morally bankrupt views into even how parents raise their children, we are quickly reaching the edge of the moral cliff. 

How Is This Happening?

Wringing our hands and crying, 'the sky is falling' will not net appreciable results. It's well past time to get up and do something. Put on the Armor of God. Beseech Saint Michael the Archangel for protection, and take command of the moral direction your family will take.

It's no longer an option to stand idly by and think that your kids won't notice. Marketing doesn't work that way. The immoral minority knows that too. They know that the way to drastically change societal thinking is to attract the children. The ease with which this can be done should be evident to any parent who has ever heard even their youngest children request toys, meals, or clothing by brand name. It's easy for our children to connect the dots - we must make it our duty to connect them first.

Ever popular movies, like Star Wars, have had lasting appeal for generations - with fans both young and old. Once a child is conditioned to desire collections of memorabilia and other Star Wars products, they are owned by the brand. When they see their beloved characters associated with sodomy or any other form of immoral behavior, they will begin to tolerate the deviant message. Before long, tolerance is followed by acceptance, and eventually the deviant behavior will become normal.

What to Do?

This is where proactive parenting comes in. Be ever vigilant. As parents, we all know that the little souls in our charge are like thirsty sponges. They absorb whatever they are exposed to. Think about the many ways they mimic our worst moments of speech or action. Do you really want to take a chance on something so much worse being absorbed by them as well?

Let's do something! Don't buy into the consumerism that distorts our wants into needs. That happy meal or soup or cereal or clothing you buy for your children speaks to them - and to everyone they encounter. Our actions and appearance are sometimes the only evangelization someone receives. We should be a part of the solution instead of joining the conspiracy to normalize the sinful. Refrain from collaborating with those who spell death for the souls which have been entrusted to us.

Let's pray for each other; let's pray for the children.

Author's Note: I was asked a great question in one of my Facebook blogging groups. It's shared below, with my answer. Feel free to chime in - we're in this together!

• Question: I saw this commercial and I quickly told my husband to shut it off because my children were in the room. We can boycott Campbells and Star Wars. We can get rid of TV. What can we do to stop this?

  Like · Reply · 2 mins
• • 

    Birgit Atherton Jones The answer is for all parents to do what you are doing - be aware. The answer lies within each domestic church - the family. In addition share the information, write to the offending companies to express your concern, and pray mightily. This has gone too far for us to stop this on our own. With God, however, all things are possible.

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’

Homosexual Madness - Is It Affecting the Church?

Campaigns supporting the homosexual lifestyle and 'rights' seem to be all the rage these days. In a world gone mad, this biologically and morally repugnant type of 'relationship' is being touted as just another type of loving union. Yet we, of the Catholic faith, have always had an unbroken line of teachings that prompt us to love the sinner but hate the sin. We are encouraged to make judgments, every day, about actions - all the while not judging the souls of others. So what's going on with some prominent figures in the Catholic landscape?

It has just been announced that the LGBT crowd will be allowed to march under a banner, for the first time in the 250 year history of the St. Patrick's Day parade in NYC. Although these groups have never been prevented from marching, the fact that they are now able to further, and ever more obviously, flaunt their deviant lifestyle is abhorrent. It's small comfort that pro-life groups will also be allowed to march under a banner as well. Yet Catholic League's Bill Donohue seems blasé.

"Never in the history of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade have homosexuals been barred from marching, anymore than pro-life Catholics have, but in both cases they were not permitted to have their own unit. I have been assured that the rules have been formally changed to allow both of these groups, as well as others, to march under their own banner. That being the case, there should be no controversy. One would hope that all the new entries will conduct themselves in a manner that honors St. Patrick, lest another round of controversy emerges."

Since when are the LGBT advocates and pro-life champions of equal moral heft?

Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York appears to be unconcerned as well. He will carry out his plans to act as Grand Marshall of the parade.

I found encouragement, however, from the reaction of Monsignor Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington. He penned quite the post on the diocesan website, concerning both the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner. Sadly, and rather discouraging, his piece was promptly taken down. It was fortunate that he had given LifeSiteNews permission to share his piece as well. Along with a screenshot of the original entry, BuzzFeed also shared his words. And faithful words they were!

Concerning the Al Smith Dinner he lamented, “...we are being asked to raise toasts and to enjoy a night of frivolity with those who think it is acceptable to abort children by the millions each year, with those who think anal sex is to be celebrated as an expression of love …”

He added, ‘...the St. Patrick’s Parade is becoming of parade of disorder, chaos, and fake unity. Let’s be honest: St. Patrick’s Day nationally has become a disgraceful display of drunkenness and foolishness in the middle of Lent that more often embarrasses the memory of Patrick than honors it.’

His admonition to 'cancel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner and all the other “Catholic” traditions that have been hijacked by the world’ is sound on the face of what they have become.

Catholics, faithful to the teachings of Holy Mother Church gain sound advice as he added, "Enough now, back to Church! Wear the purple of Lent and if there is going to be a procession, let it be Eucharistic and penitential for the sins of this age."

What we appear to have here, is a failure to communicate Christ's true teachings, on the part of some, and the silencing of those who seek to uphold it. Perhaps I'll wear purple this Lent - especially on Saint Patrick's day. It's only right to offer reparation for the sins of this mad, hypersexualized world.

As Msgr. Pope ended his thoughts, "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!"

UPDATE: Msgr. Charles Pope addresses the question,  What happened to the St. Patricks Parade Post?

Screenshot and quotes from Msgr. Pope's article.

The Grammys, Sex, and Satan - For God's Sake, Just Buy a CD!

Watching an Amish documentary last Sunday, I heard the following exchange:

One individual of a busload of visitors to Amish Country addressed an Amish gentleman, "So what's the difference between you Amish and us 'English'?"

The Amish gentleman replied, "How many of you own televisions?" The hands of all tourists went up.

He then added, "How many of you are distressed with what is often seen on television?" Again all hands up.

Next he asked, "How many of you will go home and get rid of your televisions?" No hands went up.

His final comment was, "That's the difference between the Amish and the English!"

This simple, painful observation was made even more relevant when reports of the 2014 Grammys surfaced. Apparently this year's Grammys featured 1) a mass wedding ceremony performed - including both gay and straight couples - by Queen Latifah, a performer.  2) a risque duet by Beyonce and Jay-Z and 3) a Satanic performance by Katy Perry. Remind me again why anyone watches an orgy of perversion such as this? An answer might be revealed in Matthew Kelly's, Rediscover Catholicism, “Our culture places a very high premium on self-expression, but is relatively disinterested in producing "selves" that are worth expressing.” 

So, many do watch - repeatedly - even as the performances sink to ever lower levels. Sadly, members of these faithful audiences are enablers. Because these train wrecks (disguised as entertainment) continue to be watched, they will persist in their downward spiral. For God's sake, buy a CD or something! Why continue to expose ourselves to filth, in an effort to see a small bit of entertainment?

My late mother used to tell a story about a mom, worried about her older children's movie viewing habits. Each time she voiced her objections to some of the vile content in their movie selections, the kids would say, "There's only a little bit of (language, sex, or gratuitous violence) in them; the rest of the movie is really good. Undaunted, she made brownies for the next movie night. After everyone had heartily eaten the delicious confection, the mother announced that one of the ingredients was dog poo. Outraged, the children exclaimed, 'how could you feed us such a thing?' to which she replied, 'but there was only a little bit of dog poo in them, the rest of the ingredients were top quality and delicious".  Point made! No?

In a recent Tweet, Pope Francis shared some thoughts as well, "Young people, let us not be satisfied w/mediocre life. Be amazed by what is true, beautiful, what is of God". 

pic.twitter.com/uLCi9XJRtX

A part of the problem seems to lie with each individual's mistaken impression that personal actions have no impact on the larger picture. There is a deficit of those willing to hold out for the exceptional – of not settling for the mediocre or worse. In truth, each of us makes a huge difference - one person at a time. And what we do has a ripple effect - for good or for evil. There are consequences in either case. Support these intrinsic evil acts by visual support and others follow. The titillation of shock and outraged discussions will fuel the curious and innocent alike – resulting in patronage of these lowest of entertaining elements. 

On the other hand, those who resist the temptation will have a positive impact. One of my friends had set her DVR for later viewing of the Grammys – planning to fast-forward to only those artists of whom she was a fan. After some discussion, she honored her husband's request, erasing the entire recording. As a couple, they came to the realization that most of the content was an open attack on conservative and Christian values. Allowing even a portion of The Grammys was not a compromise they were willing to make on their deeply held beliefs. Here was an example of one couple, sharing their discernment on Facebook and having a positive impact. 

Realizations such as this may be coming to more and more people (we pray). In reference to the Grammys, former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron Tweeted to his followers, “Is it just me or are some of the Grammy performances so far…really demonic?? Looks like there is a lot of evil in the world…” Yes, indeed, and isn't it time we all took notice?

The Grammys, Sex, and Satan - For God's Sake, Just Buy a CD! was first published at Catholic Stand.

Hey Scarlet, Don’t Play Games With Your Soul

You know those little games we tend to play in everyday life? Like when the van is running on fumes because we were tired and had already been to the grocery and the mall and t-ball and Mass and the drug store and we just couldn't bear to pull up to that pump? So we play the ‘can we make it home and back to the pump’ game and most of the time we make it. There are many similar ways that we sometimes often play games in life – at least that’s how I roll. Many of us have those Scarlet O’Hara moments when we resolve to take care of x, y, z – just as long as we can wait until tomorrow. But is playing these waiting games a good idea when it comes to our souls?

I made a little visit to Jesus today. Having taken a long list of intentions from friends and family, I settled in for some time before the Blessed Lord in the Eucharist. As providence would have it, I was the only one there and was blessed with total silence. No clicking Rosaries or rustling pages or squeaking kneelers, no fidgeting teens, and no whispering tots – just Jesus and me! What a treat it was – especially once I realized that I could pray the Rosary and speak those intentions out loud. It felt like such a blessing to have this conversation – not internally, but audibly. And so I communed with Our Lord and let the needs of all of my family and friends flow freely from my lips.

As I was heading home, still basking in the glow, I ruminated about the goings on in our country (and world) these days. Flagrant glee for the murder of innocent babies in the womb, rabid pontificating about deviant lifestyles, upheaval at the Vatican, a government and society quite literally gone mad – all of this is weighing down on the faithful. Questions resonate: But where shall we go? To Whom shall we turn? As the apostles realized, we too have a tangible option. We need not flee in fear nor hide our heads in the sand as if these atrocities don’t exist. Our Lord Jesus Christ is listening. He is biding His time – waiting for us to come to Him with our trepidations, failures, and hopes for a better tomorrow. For now, we have this option, but some day it will be too late. We mustn't toy with this reality.

How blessed are we to be Catholic! Everything we need is at our disposal. All we need to do is repent,

confess, adore, and receive. What a wonderful gift we have been given! The only caveat is that no one will (or can) do it for us. There will be no substitutions or pinch hitters. When tumult hits our world and our souls are in turmoil, all we have to do is make sure we're not running on fumes – doing the bare minimum. Let’s not allow our inner Scarlet O’Hara to put off for tomorrow what needs to be done today. Tomorrow may be too late and this isn't a game we can afford to lose. Let’s use the Sacraments. Jesus is waiting in the confessional to hear the repentance of our sins and offer forgiveness. He waits in the Eucharist for us to spend time with and to consume Him - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Face it; we need to fuel up our souls by worthily receiving the Eucharist often – not running on fumes. If we run on empty, the evils prowling the world seeking souls to ruin will have easy prey. Let’s fuel up our souls and make it all the way Home!

Eucharist as Perjury

This past Sunday, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron put forward that Catholics who receive Communion while advocating gay marriage would "logically bring shame for a double-dealing that is not unlike perjury".  Likewise, Detroit Canon Lawyer, Dr.Edward Peters, says that "Catholics who promote 'same-sex marriage' act contrary to Church law "and should not approach for holy Communion". Adding that, "they also risk having holy Communion withheld from them ... being rebuked and/or being sanctioned". Not unlike the admonishment that politicians who publicly support and work for abortion rights, this goes to the heart of what Catholics believe - have always believed.

Let's take a closer look

The Catholic Church has a special set of beliefs that encompass acts that are intrinsically evil. According to the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):

"There are some things we must never do, as individuals or as a society, because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. These intrinsically evil acts must always be rejected and never supported. A preeminent example is the intentional taking of human life through abortion."

Other intrinsic evils include euthanasia, human cloning, destructive research on human embryos, and homosexual marriage. These beliefs are a part of the Dogma of the Catholic Church. According to the CCC  the "Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these". Unlike discipline - a practice that can be changed (think abstaining from meat on all Fridays of the year) - dogma is definitive and can never change.

So what are we to take away from all of this? Since these intrinsic evils are not subject to change, individuals who perpetrate or formally cooperate in them are making a statement to themselves, the Church and society as a whole. In essence they are saying, "we, with full knowledge of our willful disobedience, stand squarely against a dogma of the Church to which we proclaim to belong". While going through the motions of being in full unity with the Church, they publicly fly in the face of her most deeply held teachings.

What Eucharist Is

To understand the gravity of the situation one must examine exactly what Holy Eucharist (Communion) is, when referring to its fullest definition according to the Catholic faith. When Jesus said, "truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you", He wasn't speaking symbolically. This hard truth, the Eucharist as Christ's true Body, even caused some of His disciples to turn away from Him. Had he been speaking only symbolically, there would have been no reason for protest. His clear intent was the institution of the Eucharist, "the source and summit of the Christian life". Thus we know that "the other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself".1324  When we allow ourselves to acknowledge the full impact of everything this means, it is no longer possible to treat the Eucharist lightly. Holy Eucharist (Communion) is our unity with Jesus Christ Himself and through Him, with each and every one of our Catholic brethren - for we become what we consume, the Body of Christ.

What Eucharist Says

Once we recognize the miraculous reality that is Eucharist, we must acknowledge what partaking of Him through this sacrament says about us. If we strive to know (accept) Him and His gift to us, we must also cooperate in the intent of this giving of Christ of Himself. The Catholic Church has always been very clear about the disposition of those who present themselves to receive Him in Holy Eucharist. They are to be free from serious moral impediments and must be in full communion with the teachings of Holy Mother Church - that is, that we are to present ourselves for reception only if we are loyal to and aware of that which the Church (through Jesus) holds as Truth. So when we go forward to receive Him - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - we are making a public statement that we know Who the Eucharist is and that we fully support His laws.

Eucharist as Perjury

The common name for the Eucharistic sacrament is Holy Communion - as in communion defined as 'solidarity or concord'.  This is a telling indication of what is expected of those who seek to participate in such an intimate way with Jesus and His Church. The act of receiving is a pledge to have a common faith, an intimate fellowship, with everything presented to the Body of Christ which is His Church. Along with the Communion of Saints, we are bound to each other through Him Who binds us. So the act of receiving is a public pronouncement of unity. If one stands up, publicly, to contradict a firmly held belief and yet publicly presents himself as in communion with the Church, that action is a lie - perjury of the highest degree in the court of God. St. Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 that we are to present ourselves worthily or we "eateth and drinketh damnation" to ourselves. It is no stretch, then, to surmise that receiving unworthily - especially in public, causing scandal - is akin to perjury. Because it is an oath not kept - a lie given in action.

As much as it might appear desirable to see the sanction of those who perpetrate this scandalous perjury, it would be far more beneficial to all concerned to have the desecration of the Eucharist come to an end. These actions may likely give aid to a persistent lack of belief in the True Presence and could lead others astray. What is needed is a renewal of faith - both in understanding and action. Unfortunately faith in the reality that is Eucharist is at an all time low. As members of the Body of Christ, this impacts us all, for as 1 Corinthians tells us, "if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it; or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it". Let us join in communion with one another for the good of the whole. May God have mercy on us all - sinners that we are!