Frequently Asked Questions about St. Mary Parish
answered by Fr. Greg J. Markey, Pastor

Questions relating to the Liturgy Questions relating to current issues and events

For answers to common questions regarding Catholicism in general, rather than St. Mary Parish in particular, see sites such as Catholic Answers and Catholic Pages.

Why is the liturgy a top priority for St. Mary Church?

Part I:  Doing the liturgy well is a top priority here at St. Mary Church and I encourage people to attend the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form of the Mass at least a few times each year.   To begin to understand why, perhaps it is best to ask a question: How many Catholics today even realize that there is a liturgical crisis currently going on in the Church? 
            Many parishes during the post-Vatican II era fell into irregular liturgical practices to such an extent that Pope John Paul II needed to commission a juridical document in 2004 for the universal Church in order to address the issue: “It is not possible to be silent about the abuses, even quite grave ones, against the nature of the liturgy and the sacraments as well as the tradition and authority of the Church, which in our day not infrequently plague liturgical celebrations in one ecclesial environment or another.  In some places the perpetuation of liturgical abuses has become habitual” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 4).
            Habitual abuse means that neither the clergy nor the laity at Mass even realizes that the Sacred Mass, that which offers true worship to God and forms Catholic identity like no other act, is being deformed.  Such ignorance of the nature of the liturgy prompted Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to write in 2000: “Liturgical education today, of both priests and laity, is deficient to a deplorable extent.  Much remains to be done here.”  Sadly these attempts by Rome to correct liturgical abuse seem to have been virtually ignored by much of the Church at the parish level.
             Since I arrived here at St. Mary Church in 2003 I have tried to address these issues and as everyone knows, I have made the renewal of the liturgy a priority for the parish. The first thing I did as pastor was to simply bring St. Mary Church into conformity with the norms of the Church.  In the following years, I introduced singing the Latin Mass parts into all of the Masses, depending on the Mass and the occasion, as the documents require: “...steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 54).  Thirdly I reserved altar serving to boys alone in order promote vocations to the priesthood.   Finally, I have tried to imbue the liturgy here with a sacred spirit, avoiding profane greetings and actions, and I sought to build a sacred music program that would truly reflect our rich and ancient heritage.
            Most importantly, I have attempted to educate everyone about why I was doing all of this.  I have held numerous evening classes on the liturgy over the years, given homilies and written bulletin columns, trying to explain the proper spirit of the liturgy, and the authentic liturgical norms of the Church.
            Many Catholics, who have been rightly offended by the profanation of the sacred over the years, joyfully embraced these changes.  Some while not familiar with liturgical theology, have grown to understand better why a reverent liturgy is a more prayerful experience, and have also supported the changes. 
            Nonetheless the decisions I have made have been hard for others, and there have been not a few complaints.  I am sometimes saddened by the brazen words of people who come to me and criticize a St. Mary’s priest for actually prayerfully offering the Mass according to the liturgical norms.   To me, the person’s comment is symbolic of the current liturgical crisis: many years of a more casual liturgy, and even habitual liturgical abuse, are hard to overcome.  Furthermore, the fact that so few parishes are implementing what the Magisterium is asking us to do makes the changes at St. Mary Church appear even more strange.  
            Yet how many Catholics truly understand what the Mass is: the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Christ’s crucifixion to God the Father? (Catechism #1367) Some people are still coming to Sunday Mass expecting liturgical abuses or to be entertained by the priest, rather than the real reason we come – to worship God, offering this perfect sacrifice according to the means handed down to us by Mother Church. 
            If only more people understood that novelties and priestly creativity in the Mass take away from this transcendent reality, and suddenly the sacred act is profaned, taking on the mere personality of the priest.  No!  As Padre Pio says, at Mass we are to humbly pray like St. John and Our Lady at the foot of the cross.  Would that more people’s comments to me about the Mass reflected this understanding.

            Part II: Yet beyond the lack of fidelity to the Vatican II liturgical norms there is still a deeper question which has only now begun to be addressed by Pope Benedict XVI: whether the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council that we have today was what the Fathers of the Council intended.  Addressing the discontinuity between the Council’s idea of liturgical renewal and the final form of the Vatican II Mass, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote: “(I)n the place of liturgy as the fruit of development came fabricated liturgy.  We abandoned the organic, living process of growth and development over centuries, and replaced it –as in a manufacturing process- with a fabrication, a banal on-the-spot product.”
            For example, today much of what Catholics think is the Second Vatican Council liturgical reform did not in fact come from the Council: “To the ordinary churchgoer,” wrote Cardinal Ratzinger, “the two most obvious effects of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council seem to be the disappearance of Latin and the turning of the altars towards the people.  Those who read the relevant texts will be astonished to learn that neither is in fact found in the decrees of the Council.”   There is a long list of other changes as well that are simply not in the Vatican II documents either: removing altar rails, Communion in the hand, altar girls, etc.   
             For this reason Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to liberalize the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) is essential to reconnecting us with our lost tradition, and understanding what authentic worship of God is all about.  This Mass was the Mass of our forefathers, of countless saints, and which in its essence dates back to the earliest Church. 
            Inspired by the Holy Father, I began the Extraordinary Form at the parish every Sunday over a year ago.  As your Pastor I wish more people in the parish would understand that we have been given a treasure here at St. Mary’s with this Extraordinary Form, and while the Mass is definitely growing, it is still a disappointment that more people do not recognize what this is all about.   
            If we look at the full array of Masses here at St. Mary’s, we see that there is a progressive solemnity to each of the liturgies on Sunday, with the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form representing the fullness of our liturgical patrimony.   The Ordinary Form at 4:00 pm, 7:00 pm, and the 8:00 am are done reverently, and has the fixed parts of the Mass (Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei...) sung in Latin during Advent and Lent.  The Spanish 1:15 Mass has a beautiful choir which sings the Latin Mass parts all year round.  The 11:30 am Ordinary Form of the Mass has the largest volunteer choir, with the Gloria, Credo, and Pater chanted in Latin every Sunday, and at least once a month the entire Mass is done in Latin, ad orientem (facing East).  Finally, once again as the fullness of our liturgical patrimony, we have the Solemn High Extraordinary Form of the Mass, with a professional schola singing the Mass parts in Gregorian chant and renaissance polyphony, and a full set of servers.  
            I encourage people to come and attend the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form so that they will experience what is in my opinion is the fullness of Catholic worship, and which communicates the Sacred to a higher degree than the other forms.  The Ordinary Mass is a simpler version of this more ancient form, yet points to this fuller expression of worship.
            I ask you to attend a few times because it sometimes takes a little while to appreciate its subtly, beauty and order.  Even if you prefer the Ordinary Form of the Mass, your attendance at the Extraordinary Form will at least help you understand our history and the Ordinary Form better. 
            With all of the liturgical growth here at the parish over the past five years I hope that these two Pastor’s columns would help people to understand the big picture of why I am making these decisions.  It is not my own personal whim which motivates me, but my desire to have our parish think and worship with the mind and heart of the Church. 
            Furthermore I think it more than a coincidence that the crisis in the liturgy over the past forty years coincided with so many other ecclesial crises:  the radical decline in priestly and religious vocations, the shrinking and closing of Catholic schools, the breakdown of the family and the growth of the culture of death, the painful clergy scandals, etc.   The Mass is the heart and source of our faith.  If is the Mass is deformed and weak, then so is the rest of the body.  As Pope Benedict XVI has written, “I am convinced that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is, to a large extent, due to the disintegration of the liturgy.” 
            In conclusion, nothing will affect a renewal in the Church and in the culture more than a renewal in the liturgy.   The Mass not only expresses what we believe, it shapes what we believe.  Come, open yourself to what the Holy Spirit is doing at this point in history, and worship our Lord in the coming year in spirit and truth.

Why does St. Mary Church have the Traditional Latin Mass?

            When Pope Benedict XVI came to the United States in April 2008, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released some telling statistics about the state of Catholicism in the United States which in many ways reflects the demographic changes within Norwalk.  "No other major faith in the U.S. has experienced greater net losses over the last few decades as a result of changes in religious affiliation than the Catholic Church," the Pew report notes. Citing the extensive survey the Pew Forum explains that "roughly one-third of those who were raised Catholic have left the church, and approximately one-in-ten American adults are former Catholics."
            Nonetheless despite the wholesale exodus of "cradle Catholics," the Catholic proportion of America’s overall population has remains constant, according to the report, thanks to the large number of Catholic immigrants, primarily from Mexico. Hispanics now account for 29% of the Catholics in the US, and nearly half of those under the age of 40.  This is clearly reflected here in Norwalk and at St. Mary Church.
            While we are pleased to help Catholic immigrants, the decline of American Catholics is disheartening.  For example, a Gallup poll showed that in 1958 three out of four American Catholics attended Sunday Mass regularly; by 2000 the figure was closer to one out of four.  These are only a small portion of the painful statistics that show a Church in dramatic decline.  While we are still seeking to implement the authentic documents of the Second Vatican Council, it is clear that Vatican II has yet to bear the fruit that so many had optimistically prophesied.
            So what happened to the Catholic Church in the United States of the past few decades?  The writings of Pope Benedict XVI indicate that he is very much aware of the crisis if faith and I will summarize what I think are some of his most important observations.
            Firstly, Pope Benedict XVI is arguing for a “hermeneutic of continuity” with the Second Vatican Council, an interpretation of the Council which sees its implementation rooted in the Tradition of the Church.  Pope Benedict states that any essential break or discontinuity with the Church’s doctrine would be contrary to the intentions of Pope John XXIII, who called the Council, and contrary to the Faith.
            Secondly one can reflect on the issue that has perhaps defined Pope Benedict’s papacy more than any other up to this point: his motu propio Summorum Pontificum.   Pope Benedict made the Traditional Latin Mass (what he calls the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite) acceptable in the main stream Catholic Church practically overnight in one of the few dramatic papal initiatives since the Second Vatican Council.  Pope Benedict has become convinced of the Extraordinary Form’s enduring beauty as well as the necessity of restoring authentic Catholic worship.  As he wrote, “I am convinced that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is, to a large extent, due to the disintegration of the liturgy.”            
            We are very blessed to have the Solemn High Traditional Latin Mass here at St. Mary Church every Sunday at 9:30 am.   We offer the Low Mass every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm in St. Patrick Chapel.  Personally, I would like to say that one of the greatest graces I have received from the Lord since my ordination was to learn the Extraordinary Form.  To me it expresses both the mystery and fullness of the Catholic Faith like nothing else, and I would like to share this grace with as many people as possible. 
            In order to help people understand the Mass I have included a stuffer in the bulletin on the Extraordinary Form.  (You can see a copy of it here.)  Please take some time to read it.  Like many treasures in life, this Mass takes time to appreciate and understand, but is well worth the effort.  Furthermore I recommend a recently published book on the topic as a good introduction: Sacred Then and Sacred Now by Thomas Woods. 
            Some may find it strange that we have the Extraordinary Form of the Mass here when so few other parishes have it, but St. Mary Church is the “Mother Church of Norwalk”, with a history of leadership in the community.  Having this Mass is another opportunity for us to show leadership.  I am proud to be the Pastor of a parish that has taken the writings of Pope Benedict to heart, truly implementing his ideas of reform.

Q: "Why does St. Mary's reserve altar serving to boys alone?"
 
          

Perhaps the most serious practical problem facing the Catholic Church in the United States today is the lack of priestly vocations. Without priests we do not have the Sacraments, and without the Sacraments, our salvation is in jeopardy.
           It is God who mysteriously calls young men to be priests, and then the surrounding culture, most specifically good Catholic families, bring that seed to fruition. Outside of the family, one of the most important cultural influences that promotes priestly vocations is to serve as an altar boy.
           For thousands of years serving as an altar boy has been an apprenticeship for priesthood, even before the Church had seminaries. Boys were taught the details of the Mass, why the priest does what he does, and a fraternal bond of trust grew between the boys and the priest. The result was that many a priest discovered his calling while serving as an altar boy.
           In 1994 Rome allowed girls to serve as altar servers for the first time. The document states that priests are not compelled to have altar girls, but may have them "for specific local reasons." As we know most parishes here in the U.S. decided to have altar girls in order to get them involved, or to show the Church's openness to "equal opportunity."
           Nonetheless there were some unforeseen results to this permission that have caused many priests to now question the wisdom of this decision. While equal opportunity is a noble sentiment, the bond between priest and the boys has now been lessened. A strong fraternity of altar boys in close association with the priest is indispensable in inviting young men to meaningful consideration of a priestly vocation. There is also a certain awkwardness in teaching girls to take pride in a job that will never come to fruition, since they will never be able to become priests.
           When I went back and read the document I noticed that it also made numerous statements supporting the continued use of altar boys: "At the same time, however, the Holy See wishes to recall that it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar. As is well known, this has led to a reassuring development of priestly vocations. Thus the obligation to support such groups of altar boys will always continue."
           Pope John Paul II in 2004 accordingly encouraged priests to show a special concern for altar boys, saying that they "represent a kind of 'garden' of priestly vocations. and that their service at the altar can be "a valuable experience of Christian education and become a kind of pre-seminary."
           Therefore after much prayer, reading and discussion, I have decided that in the future I will only be inviting boys to serve as altar servers for my Masses, for the primary reason of promoting priestly vocations.   The other priests have also agreed to the same policy.  Those girls who are currently serving are welcome to continue serving as long as they like. Finally, so as to encourage the participation of the girls in the parish, I will be starting a group called the Handmaids of the Altar, who will help with the flowers, the linens, and the sacristy. As Sister Eileen and Sr. Rita pointed out, both of them discerned their vocations to the sisterhood by belonging to this type of club.
           For some this is a decision which will be difficult to understand. Certainly the spirit of the society in which we live will not accept this. Yet this has nothing to do with equal rights. Men and women are equal in the eyes of God, and each has different gifts which should be allowed to develop in their proper environment.
           Experience has shown that women generally do not need as much encouragement to be involved in the Church. All you have to do is look at Sunday Mass attendance, the religious education teachers, or parish volunteers, and one will easily notice that the majority of people active in parish life are women.
           However, I think that boys and men need special encouragement to help them develop a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church. Therefore having a group of boys set apart will help develop that bond with the Church, preparing them for their vocation, whatever it may be.
           If anyone has difficulty with this decision I ask you to reflect on what I have written here and to pray about it. You are welcome to write or visit me to voice your concerns. You can also contact Deacon Steve Genovese who is in charge of the altar servers. My motivation here is to try to do what is right for the Church.
           May our Lady, whose son is the eternal high priest, pray for the boys of St. Mary Church, that we may all be here one day to witness of the first Mass of one of our altar boys.

Q: Why Should I consider receiving Communion on the tongue?

            The beginning of each year is often a time of “New Year Resolutions”, and a wonderful resolution for 2009 would be to start exercising the option of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue in Mass.  Let me explain why.
            This past summer Catholics were horrified when a professor at the University of
Minnesota willfully desecrated the Eucharist.  On the internet Professor Paul Zachary Myers invited anyone to obtain for him a consecrated Host from a Catholic Church so that he could desecrate It.   Another man read about the request and took a Host from the London Oratory, videotaping Himself taking It from the Mass.  He then sent the Host to Professor Myers and posted the video on the internet.   Professor Myer then proceeded to drive a rusty nail through the Host in order to show the “absurdity” of the Catholic belief in the True Presence, and posted photos of the event on his website.   Unfortunately the event set off a series of copycat crimes, and these desecrations are all over the internet.    What can be behind so much hatred?  Even a child understands that it is not right to mock what others hold to be sacred.  I have offered Mass in reparation for this sacrilege, and I know that many good Catholics have also done forms of prayer and penance in order to console the wounded heart of Our Lord.
            Do you remember last year here at St. Mary’s when we found a Host under one of the pews in the church?  I know from other priests that this happens every once in a while in other parishes as well.  These incidents remind us that it would certainly be more difficult for people to take the Host improperly if everyone were receiving Holy Communion on the tongue.   As the Catholic Church teaches, “If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 92).  
            Many people born prior to the Second Vatican Council will remember when everyone received Holy Communion on the tongue and kneeling.  This has been the long held practice for thousands of years (although during certain periods of the early Church it did allow Communion in the hand). While many think that it was Vatican II that called for this change, it is important to note: Vatican II never called for Communion in the hand.   Communion in the hand was the result of disobedience which forced the hand of the Church (no pun intended!).
            After the Second Vatican Council some dioceses in the world started to make their own rules about receiving the Communion in the hand, disobeying the laws of the universal Church.  Witnessing this practice without approval, the Vatican stated that it feared that this disobedience would lead to “...both the possibility of a lessening of reverence toward the august sacrament of the altar, its profanation, and the watering down of the true doctrine of the Eucharist” (Memoriale Domini).  
            Therefore in 1968 Pope Paul VI graciously sent out a questionnaire to all the bishops of the world asking if there should be a prudent change in the Church’s practice on how Communion would be distributed.  The poll numbers came back overwhelming against Communion in the hand.  Hence the Vatican concluded: “The answers given show that by far the greater number of bishops think that the discipline currently in force should not be changed.  And if it were to be changed, it would be an offense to the sensibilities and spiritual outlook of these bishops and a great many of the faithful” (Memoriale Domini).
            Nonetheless the disobedience continued and some of these dioceses petitioned Rome to officially permit Communion in the hand.  A year later, in 1969, Pope Paul VI gave an indult to the French bishops permitting each bishop to decide the question in his own diocese (En réponse a la Demande).  An indult is a special permission for a particular situation, rather than a universal norm.  Nonetheless eventually the majority of dioceses in the world took advantage of the indult and simply permitted the practice.
            Why did the Pope allow it?  Perhaps it can be best summed up by the words of Our Lord about why divorce was allowed in the Old Testament: “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives” (Matthew 19:8).  Their disobedience had reached such a point that it would have been difficult to have them return to the traditional practice.
            Nonetheless some countries like Sri Lanka did not use the indult, and maintained the long held tradition of receiving only on the tongue.  Recently there have also been dioceses around the world such San Luis, Argentina and Lima, Peru that have returned to the traditional practice and no longer permit Communion in the hand.   This is an option fully supported by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. 
            Furthermore, if one does receive Communion on the hand, there is always the danger that particles may be remain in the hand.  The Council of Trent infallibly teaches that Our Blessed Lord is truly present even in the particles as well: “If anyone denies that in the venerable sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Christ is contained under each form and under every part of each form when separated, let him be anathema” (Chapter VIII, Canon 3).   For this reason the priest always purifies his hands of particles at the end of Mass, and uses a corporal (a small white cloth meant to catch the corpus, or body, of Our Lord).
            Finally another major event occurred this past year when Pope Benedict XVI asked that from now on, all who receive Holy Communion from him must receive It on the tongue and kneeling.    I am sure that by insisting on this ancient practice the Pope is trying to foster a deeper respect for the Eucharist as well.
             When Rome did give the indult to the French bishops in 1969 it stated, “The new manner of giving Communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice.”  Therefore Communion is on the tongue is still the common practice for the universal Church. While both practices are permitted in most dioceses, I encourage parishioners to give prayerful consideration to following Pope Benedict XVI’s lead by receiving Holy Communion on the tongue in the new year. 

 

 
Q: "Why do we use Incense in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?"
 

This  article can be obtained in a pamphlet format in bulk by contacting the parish office

I. Introduction

          When incense is used in the Sunday Mass at the local parish, few realize how there is a rich tradition in Scripture for using incense. For example, St. Zechariah was offering incense in the temple when the Archangel Gabriel told him about the birth of St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:9), and the baby Jesus received incense from the Magi in the stable at Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). By examining a few of the important passages in Scripture on incense, the rising cloud of sweet fragrance during the Mass takes on a new and more profound meaning.

II. Prayers of the faithful - rising up to God

        The most commonly understood meaning of incense in Mass is that it represents the prayers of the faithful rising up to God. "and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God" (Revelation 8:4). This dates back to the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament, when the Lord gave specific directions for the priest on how to make the incense (Exodus 30: 34 - 36), and then when to burn it. "And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on (the lamp); every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations" (Exodus 30:7-8).
        In addition, it was important for the Levitical priests to have "burnt offerings" of grains or animals as part of their sacrifice, so as to produce "..a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord" (Leviticus 1: 9-10). King David also echoed this idea in his own prayers. "I call upon thee, O Lord; make haste to help me! Give ear to my voice, when I call to thee! Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice" (Psalm 140: 1- 2).

III. The smoke filling the sanctuary symbolizes the glory of God:

         The notion that the glory of God is represented by a cloud of smoke also dates back to the book of Exodus, when Moses and the Israelites were trying to flee from Egypt. Right after they crossed the Red Sea, a mysterious presence was seen by the Israelites: "Then the angel of God who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them" (Exodus 14:19). Although the Israelites did not understand at first, this "cloud" was glory of the Lord guiding them through the desert. "And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud" (Exodus 16:10).
         The Lord made it very clear to Moses that this cloud was his presence, "And the Lord said to Moses, "Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever" (Exodus 19:9). Rabbis would later call this cloud the shekinah. Furthermore, at crucial moments in the development of the holy covenant, the Lord's "glory" appeared in a cloud. For example, before giving Moses the two tablets of the Covenant, the Lord called him up on Mt. Sinai, where, "the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord filled Mt. Sinai" (Exodus 24:15).
         Another case was when Solomon finished building the Temple in Jerusalem. When the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant, and placed it in the Holy of Holies, "a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord" (1 Kings 8:10).
         Even in the time of Christ the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud. At the Transfiguration, the Jesus took Sts. Peter, John and James up on Mt. Tabor. "A cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!" (Luke 9:34 - 35). All this shows that the Heavenly Father reveals His glory in a cloud. Finally, in the eternal banquet of God's throne in heaven, all the faithful will see His Temple "filled with the glory of God" (Revelation 15:8).

IV. Incense as a form of exorcism

         Although not commonly understood this way, incense can also be used as a way to drive out evil spirits. In the book of Tobit, the Archangel Raphael catches a fish, and has young Tobias burn a mixture of incense made from the fish in order to drive out a demon that has haunted Sarah. Before having relations with his new wife, Tobias, "took the live ashes of incense and put the heart and liver of the fish upon them and made a smoke. And when the demon smelled the odor he fled to the remotest parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him" (Tobit 8:2-3).
         The smoke which help free the Isrealites during the Exodus is also a sign of the exorcising power of incense. "And in the morning watch, the Lord in the pillar of fire and of the cloud, looked down upon the host of Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel; for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:24 - 25).

V. Conclusion

         The cloud of fragrant incense represents the prayers of the faithful rising to God, the glory of the Lord guiding His people, and of form of protection against the devil. It is therefore easy to understand the importance of using incense in Mass, why the Scriptures say: "They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud." (Psalm 99:6-7)

 
Q: "How can St. Padre Pio help us better understand the Mass?"
 

This article first appeared in Homiletics and Pastoral Review, October 2003.

         With every saint that is canonized, the Lord gives the Church another charism of holiness to understand and imitate. The canonization of St. Padre Pio last year could not have come at a better time in the Church's history, because of what his life can teach the Church concerning the liturgical crisis that it is currently facing. The Catholic Mass is set apart from any other form of Christian worship by its sacrificial nature. The Mass is a re-presentation of the Son of God at Calvary - bloody, bruised and beaten - to God the Father, for the conversion of the sinners, and the salvation of souls. This sacrificial reality of the Mass was never so clear in the 20th Century as in the Mass of St. Padre Pio.
         As many know, St. Pio was the first priest in the history of the Church to bear the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. As awesome as this may sound, whenever this friar offered the Mass, he mystically re-enacted the passion of Christ on the cross, making his participation in the Mass powerfully different than any other priests. A fascinating little book written by Fr. Tarcisio of Cervinara entitled, Padre Pio's Mass, has a series of interviews with St. Padre Pio, revealing his understanding of what is actually happening during the Mass. In this age of liturgical innovations, with scholars struggling to understand what "good liturgy" is, this book provides invaluable insight into the reality of the Mass.
        When Padre speaks of the Mass, he says, "I should like to shed, not a few tears, but torrents of tears when faced with the mystery of a God Victim. We priests are the butchers of Jesus during the Mass, while all of Paradise reverently descends on the altar. (p. 45). In a revealing interview with the author, Padre Pio also explains the nature of his own suffering when he offers this diving sacrifice:

Fr. Tarcisio: At what hour of the day, Padre, do you suffer most?
St. Pio: During the celebration of the Mass.
Fr. Tarcisio: At what moment of the divine Sacrifice do you suffer most?
St. Pio: Always and increasingly.
Fr. Tarcisio: During the celebration of Mass, at what moment do you suffer most?
St. Pio: From the Consecration to Communion.
Fr. Tarcisio: At what part of the Mass are you scourged?
St. Pio: From beginning to end, but more intensely after the Consecration.
Fr. Tarcisio: During Mass are the pricks of the crown of thorns and the wounds of the scourging real?
St. Pio: What do you mean? The results are the same.

        The book is filled with blunt anecdotes such as this, giving a detailed view of just how the Mass is truly a mystical re-presentation of the brutal sacrifice of Christ offered to the Father. When one meditates on this, it becomes evermore clear how the Mass could never be anything less than a solemn and sacred event. It is hard to imagine liturgical dance, waving of hands, or cheering going at one of Padre Pio's Masses. Reverent silence and prayer seem to be the only proper response at his Mass, and therefore at every Mass.
         Some liturgists will make the claim that Vatican II called for these more enthusiastic and entertaining Masses as a means of "celebrating community". However, Sacrosanctum Concilium mentions the sacrificial nature of the Mass six times, including here: "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages until he should come again." (#47)
         It is also worth noting that Sacrosanctum Concilium supports the beautiful doctrinal teachings of the Council of Trent, which articulated the Mass as sacrifice: "The dogmatic principles which were laid down by the Council of Trent (remain) intact." (#55) The most common argument for a more active role by the laity in the Mass is the famous passage advocating "full and active participation" by all the people in the liturgy. Although St. Padre Pio died in 1968, and therefore never offered the Novus Ordo Mass, it is interesting how he would understand this teaching of Vatican II:

Fr. Tarcisio: What should we do during Mass?
St. Pio: Repent and love.
Fr. Tarcisio: Padre, how should we hear Mass?
St. Pio: In the same way that the Most Holy Virgin and the holy women assisted. In the same way St. John assisted at the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sanguinary one of the Cross.
Fr. Tarcisio: What benefits do we receive on hearing it?
St. Pio: It is not possible to number them. You will see them in Paradise.

          For Padre Pio, "full and active participation" means imitating the example the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John at the foot of the cross. Is it possible to imagine Our Lady and St. John doing anything but weeping and mourning, as they meditated on the immense love of their Savior? St. Padre Pio is saying that people should participate in the Mass through prayer and meditation, rather than random forms of self-expression, or having a role to play.
          Still, opponents of a more solemn Mass try to emphasize the horizontal aspect of the Mass (one's relationship with the community), rather than the vertical aspect (one's relationship with God). Sacrosanctum Concilium clearly states, however, that the vertical aspect takes precedence over the horizontal: In the Mass, "the human is directed toward, and subordinated to, the divine, the visible to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, the object of our quest." (#2, emphasis added)
          Pope John Paul II has also stated that in our own time, the horizontal aspect of the faith has been overemphasized: "The temptation today is to reduce Christianity to merely human wisdom, a pseudo-science of well being. In our heavily secularized world a "gradual secularization of salvation has taken place, so that people strive for the good of man, but man who is truncated, reduced to his merely horizontal dimension. We know however, that Jesus came to bring integral salvation, one which embraces the whole person and all mankind, and opens up the wondrous prospect of divine filiation." (Redemptoris Missio, #11) Certainly this reduction, as the Pope calls it, has been felt in the liturgy of the modern Church, making it more difficult for the average Catholic to find reverence and solemnity in their Sunday Mass.
           God has given the Church a miraculous glimpse into the solemn and sacrificial nature of the Mass in the example of St. Padre Pio. May this new holy man of God intercede for the Church and help bring about an authentic renewal in the liturgy. (Padre Pio's Mass, by Fr. Tarcisio of Cervinara, can be purchased from the National Center for Padre Pio in Barto, PA at (610) 845-3000)

How Should you dress for Mass in the Summer?

           With the hot weather it is a good time to remember the importance of dressing appropriately for church.  Sometimes during the summer people forget that they are going to the Lord’s house for worship, and confuse it with a trip to the beach.  Therefore I would like to remind everyone about the virtue of modesty.
            Modesty is part of the virtue of purity.  Modesty may vary from one culture to another, but there is nonetheless a universal intuition which seeks to respect the dignity proper to every person.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of it this way: “Modesty protects the intimate center of the person.  It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden...It inspires one’s choice of clothing.”
            Every person is made in the image and likeness of God, and the human body reflects this mystery.  Although there is not much cultural support for this view, parents need to teach their children that their body is not something to be exposed for the world’s voyeuristic explorations.  As the Catechism states, “Teaching modesty to children and adolescents means awakening in them respect for the human person.”  And if parents fail to teach their children how to dress with dignity, it is highly unlikely that anyone else will.
            I read that Muhammad Ali explained it to his daughter this way: “Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected.  Where do you find pearls? Deep down at he bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell.  Where do you find gold?  Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock.  You’ve got to work hard to get to them...Your body is sacred.  You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”
            While mothers need to teach their daughters the art of being attractive without compromising their dignity, fathers need to teach their sons how to be gentlemen.  Gentlemen do not wear shorts to church, or hats inside church.  Furthermore fathers need to speak to their sons about how to appreciate the gift of a woman without reducing her to a mere object of pleasure.  For example if a woman fails to dress appropriately the necessity of practicing custody of the eyes.  Our Lord has warned us, “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
            All of this makes clear that dressing immodestly is offensive to God.  It is a sin.  In one of his homilies St. John Vianney warned mothers who fostered their daughter’s vanity and failed to teach their daughter’s how to dress properly:  “Soon the girl’s one aim will be to attract.  Her extravagant and indecent dress proclaims her to be a tool by means of which hell seeks the ruin of souls.  Only at the judgment seat of God will such a one know the number of crimes of which she has been the cause.” 
            Fr. Albert Dolan, founder of the Little Flower Society of the United States had an interview in 1926 with St. Therese’s older sister Pauline, Mother Agnes.  It was the year after St. Therese’s canonization.  Mother Agnes was the “second mother” to St. Therese and had the greatest influence in her formation.  Fr. Dolan asked her for a message for the people of the United States and after some thought Mother Agnes replied, “Tell the ladies of the Little Flower Society of America that if they would please the Little Flower and win her favor, they must not follow the fashion when the fashion demands immodest or indecent dress.”
            Much more could be said on all of this, but the most important point is that if we wish to be pleasing to God we must dress with dignity and teach our children to do the same.   Not only will this affect our earthly happiness, but it will affect our eternal happiness as well.

Cardinal George and Liturgical Reform

This article first appeared in Homiletics and Pastoral Review, February 2006, accompanied by numerous footnotes.

         In honor of the 40th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, Francis Cardinal George spoke at a Vatican conference sponsored by the Congregation for Divine Worship evaluating the reforms of the Mass of Pope Paul VI. While discussing certain cultural and philosophical influences on the liturgical structure, he called for further study into the epistemology of the Mass: "How does man, who believes, know divine realities as communicated in the Liturgy?" He stated that this investigation is "urgently needed in order to be in a better position to address contemporary questions of liturgical reform."
         Cardinal George's question is very important here in the United States because there are many reasons to believe that the divine realities in the Mass are simply not being communicated to the people in the pews. For example, statistics show that a large percentage of Catholics do no believe in the True Presence, and there is a general lack of reverence in the churches (arriving late, leaving early, casual and immodest dress, etc). Does this have to do with the way that the holy sacrifice of the Mass is currently being offered?
          Some basic epistemological points from St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John of the Cross about how man comes to know divine realities are useful in answering Cardinal George's question.
          For example, St. Thomas Aquinas makes an important point right at the beginning of the Summa about man's capacity to know God: knowing that God exists is different than saying that man can know God's essence. St. Thomas' five proofs at the beginning of the Summa only demonstrate the truth of the proposition "God exists", and do not prove that man can know God's essence. In fact, after the five proofs he immediately states: "We cannot know what God is".
         This is certainly true of the Mass. The essential reality of the Mass, its sacrificial nature and Christ's sacramental presence, is not immediately apparent to the person watching it. These truths are hidden, as if under a veil. St. Thomas' devotion, Adoro te Devote, beautifully describes this mystery: "Devoutly I adore You, hidden Deity, Under these appearances concealed Sight and touch and taste here fail. Hearing only can be believed."
          So how does man come to penetrate these divine mysteries of the Mass? It comes through God's grace in a process which is traditionally called infused contemplation. Infused contemplation does not necessarily involve mystical experiences, but instead a process by which a person becomes docile to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. St. John of the Cross defines it as "nothing else than a secret and peaceful and loving inflow of God, which if not hampered, fires the soul in the spirit of love." Through infused contemplation the Holy Spirit helps the believer grow in virtue, and reveals to him the central mysteries of the faith, such as a belief and understanding of the inner life of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and in particular, the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
          The premise of this article is that the rubrics of the Mass should reflect St. Thomas' epistemological principle: the essence of the divine mysteries in the Mass will not be immediately grasped by the faithful simply by presenting them in a clear manner. Rather, the atmosphere of the Mass must be one in which infused contemplation can become possible so that the truths of the faith will be comprehended by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reform of the Second Vatican Council
          In its call for a reform of the rubrics of the Mass the Second Vatican Council states, "In this restoration both texts and rites should be drawn up so as to express more clearly the holy things they signify. The Christian people, as far as is possible, should be able to understand them with ease and take part in them fully, actively, and as a community."
          More specifically, the Council Fathers directed that, "The rites should be distinguished by noble simplicity. They should be short, clear, and free from useless repetitions. They should be within the people's powers of comprehension, and normally should not require much explanation."
         The Mass of Pope Paul VI embodies this principle of "noble simplicity" in a number of ways. It reduced the number of genuflections and multiple signs of the cross, it simplified or eliminated prayers, and almost all of the Mass is said out-loud. Furthermore, the Mass is now almost always said in the vernacular, and offered facing the people.
         With these changes, do people now have a better understanding of the divine realities of the Mass? At first one would be tempted to answer in the affirmative because the people in the pews can see and hear for themselves exactly what is happening. However, according to St. Thomas, divine realities cannot be directly grasped by the senses. Isn't the Mass now offered in opposition to this principle? Perhaps lifting the veil for all to see so plainly has in fact had the opposite effect of what the Council Fathers intended: when the sacred mysteries are presented in such a plain fashion, the average person no longer understands the truths they represent.
         In his talk on the anniversary of the Sacrosanctum Concilium, Cardinal George expands on the idea that simplicity is not necessarily the best way of communicating the sacred:          Similarly, 40 years after the Council, many would now argue that the Mass has become too "understandable", so much so that as a rite that it has lost the sense of mystery and transcendence. James Hitchcock put it this way:          Pope John Paul II was also concerned that the Mass was becoming too verbal, not allowing for symbols and silence to have their proper effect on the soul. In an address in 1998 to some of the United States' bishops he stated:          With his background in the writings of St. John of the Cross, Pope John Paul II is referring to the need for contemplation within the Mass. Exterior participation in the Mass through activity and verbal dialogue are only effective to the extent that it increases interior participation; as the Lord states: "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20). Surely the people should understand what his happening in the Mass, but if there is too much exterior participation, interior participation is no longer even possible.
St. John of the Cross and Infused Contemplation
          According to St. John of the Cross, infused contemplation occurs when man is first purged from his senses, creating a void into which the God can infuse His gifts and communicate His presence. The fruit of this outpouring of grace brings not only an increase in virtue, but as sacred Scripture makes clear, the gift of supernatural knowledge: "For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). This infusion is how man comes to know divine realities. Christ makes clear to the unbelieving crowds in the bread of life discourse that a supernatural outpouring from the Father is necessary for them to believe in His sacramental presence in the Mass: "It is written, "And they shall all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me." (John 6:45)
         The infusion is by its very nature secret and mysterious, which can be fostered by devotional and ascetical practices, but which ultimately can only be accomplished by God. St. John, building on St. Thomas' epistemology, clarifies man's limitations in this process. "No creature or knowledge comprehensible to the intellect can serve it as a proximate means for divine union with God." Therefore within the Mass, the people will not simply enter into this union and understand the divine mysteries because they plainly see and hear all that is happening.
         Comprehension of the divine mysteries, St. John of the Cross maintains, will only come through less direct methods of communication:                                                                                  Applied to the epistemology of the Mass, this principle means that there must be a certain kind of distance or detachment between what the priest is doing, and what the people are sensing. These divine mysteries should be "less distinct" for the people in order to better dispose them to receive this grace.
         Cardinal George articulates how the use of symbols within liturgy indirectly communicates the sacred:         Mother Church must instruct her priests through the rubrics how to make the divine realities "less distinct" and "opaque", so that there can be greater opportunities for prayer and contemplation. For example, certain options should be encouraged such as using more Latin, offering the Mass versus absidem, and avoiding jokes or mundane greetings which only profane the sacred.
       Furthermore, Cardinal George's reference to beauty, both in music and architecture, cannot be underestimated. As Jacques Maritain points out, beauty is a window into the divine which is a means of communicating God’s transcendent presence within the temporal order. Therefore forms of beauty which have traditionally proven to help people enter into prayer should be given priority, such as Gregorian chant and polyphony.
       This human desire to be touched by a profound interior Spirit must be regarded as an important reason why there is a growing love for the Mass according to the 1962 Missal, especially among a younger generation of Catholics. More people are attending this Mass not because there are more people with antiquarianist tendencies, but because they find that the 1962 Missal allows for infused contemplation, touching that subconscious level in their hearts, and communicates the sacred to a higher degree than the current state of Paul VI's Mass.
Conclusion
        Now that 40 years have passed since the Council, Cardinal George and others are giving these healthy critiques which would not have been possible at the time of the Council. He notes that many studies are now recognizing that the roots of 20th Century liturgical reforms lie in the Enlightenment: a liturgical rationalism which emphasized verbal monologues rather than symbolic gestures and silence, thereby demystifing the rite of its visual splendor. Furthermore, one wonders whether those who implemented Sacrosantum Concilium were aware of the symbolic value of every gesture within the Mass, as articulated by theologians such as St. Thomas Aquinas.
        Recognizing these limitations of the Vatican II liturgical reform, Cardinal George points out:          In conclusion, when it comes to liturgical reform, it would be good to remember the story of how the prophet Elijah encountered the Lord's presence when he climbed Mount Horeb. Elijah did not find the Lord in the strong destructive wind, nor in the earthquake, nor the in the fire, but in "a still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12). The Lord's Spirit is communicated in the holy sacrifice of the Mass in the same way: not in explicit manifestations, but in a still small voice.
 
Q: Why don't we use extraordinary(Eucharistic) ministers very often here at St. Mary's?"
 
           This past month the Vatican clarified the Church’s position that lay people are not permitted to purify the vessels (i.e. chalice, ciborium, etc.) after Mass. Evidently some parishes permit this practice. The Vatican stated that this sacred service is reserved to the clergy.
          This decision allows me the opportunity to explain why we do not make more use of “Eucharistic ministers” here at St. Mary’s, since sometimes people ask me this question. The Vatican’s decision and our parish policy are based on the Church’s teaching concerning the common priesthood of believers, and the ministerial priesthood.
           All of the baptized are members of the common priesthood: those who have a call to holiness, and who offer their lives as spiritual sacrifices. Christ also instituted the ministerial priesthood which is at the service of the common priesthood: these are the bishops, priests and deacons. The Church teaches that the ministerial priesthood “differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful.” This is made evident in the ordination rite: the man’s hands are anointed with holy oil in order to handle sacred things. The clergy therefore become the ordinary ministers of the Most Holy Eucharist at Mass.
           After Vatican II the Church permitted the common priesthood to give out Holy Communion, but “only when there are no ordained ministers present”, or where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful so that time would be “excessively prolonged”. These would be extraordinary circumstances, and therefore their proper name is “extraordinary ministers”.
           Furthermore the Vatican has stated that “the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass”, is to be, “avoided and eliminated”. In recent years there have been times when teams of extraordinary ministers regularly enter the sanctuary to distribute the Sacred Species. However, as one can see, this is not the mind of the Church. We are very blessed to have three priests and a deacon here at St. Mary’s who are almost always available to give out Holy Communion, so we are able to more closely follow these guidelines set up by the Magisterium.
           Some struggle with this teaching and have told me that being an extraordinary minister helps them to feel closer to God by entering the sanctuary and doing something during Mass. However, the purpose of extraordinary ministers is not to get people involved. As the Church states, “Such recourse (to extraordinary ministers) is not intended for the sake of fuller participation of the laity but rather, by its very nature, supplementary.” The most important participation in the Mass comes not from “doing something”, but from an internal participation, contemplating the mysterious event happening on the altar.
           A practical benefit of having the clergy give out Holy Communion is that it allows the priests to minister to his people “one on one”. For most of the parishioners, Sunday Mass will be the only time that I will see them during the week, so this gives me the opportunity to have some contact with them and to provide them with their spiritual nourishment.
           One should keep in mind that this understanding of ordinary ministers also helps promote vocations to the priesthood. We all need to be very attentive to this growing need in the Church. As the Vatican has stated, “There can be no substitute whatsoever for the ministerial priesthood. For if a priest is lacking in the community, then the community lacks the exercise and sacramental function of the Christ the Head and Shepherd, which belongs to the essence of its very life.”
 
Q: "What does the Church have to say about the current immigration discussion?"
 
          The immigration issue has been generating plenty of discussion this past month, and I am very thankful to President Bush for having the courage to address it. There is no quick solution to the challenge, but the fact that more and more people are presenting their views is an important first step. As with all issues, it is important that we pray for President Bush and our Senators/Representatives, that they would be given God.s wisdom in plotting a direction for the nation. What they end up deciding will affect our nation.s future, as well as the lives of many of our parishioners.
         The Church has much to say on immigration. Bishops not only from the United States but from Central and South America have been speaking on the widespread immigration (or emigration) to the U.S. for years. The first thing to note is that the Catholic Church sees this issue from the perspective of one united continent. The Americas are looked at as one organic unit, with a common European heritage, and a future intimately united.
          Secondly, the Church will always have a preferential option for the poor. It is the Church.s responsibility to look with compassion on those who are aliens and strangers. Christ himself was an alien in Egypt with His mother and father, and He commends us to welcome the stranger: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Matthew 25:35). The Church proclaims that the value of any nation will ultimately be judged by the way it treats the most vulnerable among us.
          Most Hispanic immigrants are coming to the U.S. not because they desire to be involved in illegal activities, but because they want to provide for their families. This is a noble desire, and their integrity is proven by the way they work many jobs with long hours. There are few economic opportunities in their countries, widespread institutional corruption, and many are coming to escape persecution. The Bishops therefore point to the countries from which these people come, stating that, "the root causes of migration poverty, injustice, religious intolerance, armed conflicts must be addressed so that migrants can remain in their homeland and support their families."
          The reality of the situation today is that there are already millions of illegal immigrants here in the United States. The Bishops have stated that they have a, "desire for a more orderly system that accommodates the reality of migration and promotes just application of civil law." While this policy should address those who are not paying taxes, or who have broken civil laws, it is hoped that the policy which the United States adopts will take into account the basic desire of so many who simply want to provide for their families.
          Finally, the Church recognizes that every nation has the right to defend and regulate its borders.   Therefore the desire to guard the inflow of immigrants on the border with Mexico is not something contrary to our values.  Yet the Bishops have also stated that the Church, "rejects such control when it is exerted merely for the purpose of acquiring additional wealth. More powerful economic nations, which have the ability to protect and feed residents, have a stronger obligation to accommodate migration flow."
         We hope and pray that our nation which has long history of openness to immigrants will be able to develop a just system which gives a fair opportunity to those who want to work hard and assimilate to our country. As history proves, immigrants who are assimilated into our nation's culture have become assets, rather than liabilities, to our future.
 
Q: "Why does God allow all the recent terrorism and natural disasters?"
 
           With the terrorism acts like 9/11 and the natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina our nation has been going through a difficult time.   These are major events in our nation's history which cause us to reflect on evil in the world, and why God, who is a good God, allows such events to take place.
           At the heart of evil and violence is the effect of Original Sin on all of creation. When our first parents radically rebelled against our Heavenly Father, a punishment was given that would be transmitted to all of their descendents, as well as nature itself. In the case of 9/11, these terrorists had the effect of Original Sin in their very being, which clouded their intellects and weakened their wills. Nonetheless, they still possessed free will, and they chose terror and murder to resolve their problems. Now they have to answer to God for their destructive choices.
           In the case of natural disasters, nature itself can be chaotic, "subjected to futility" (Romans 8:20), says St. Paul. He goes on to write, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves" (Romans 8:22). Although there is beauty and order within creation, it can also wreak havoc on us in this valley of tears.
           With all of this destruction the question is being asked whether God is punishing our nation for our sins. It is difficult to know a definitive answer but Scripture can help shed light on the issue. In a passage that is remarkably similar to the fall of the Twin Towers, Christ states, "Those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:4-5) Christ makes the point that the individuals who were killed in these disasters were not singled out for their sins, but that when disasters like this occur, it should cause each one of to examine our consciences and repent.
           Nonetheless Scripture is also filled with examples where God punishes entire nations and regions for their collective sins. For example, God used Israel's enemies numerous times in the Old Testament to punish Israel whenever it became very sinful and rebellious. Also, in the book of Revelation, God judges different cities, and rewards or punishes them according their behavior (Revelation 2 - 3).  The Bible states that the Lord can use natural disasters for their punishment: “There are winds that have been created for vengeance, and in their anger they scourge heavily; in the time of consummation they will pour out their strength and calm the anger of their Maker.  Fire and hail and famine and pestilence, all these have been created for vengeance” (Sirach 39:28-29).
           In the end there is great hope for believers in the face of these evils because of our redemption in Jesus Christ: "For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). No matter what happens, it will all be for our benefit and sanctification: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him." (Romans 8:28) God can make good come out of evil. He always does for those who love Him, says St. Paul. We know that the resurrection came out of Good Friday. In the same way, these events cause us to suffer, but there will be great fruit, some of which is already being seen: the community is uniting, and there are many, many heroes.
           Let us pray that as we look at these horrors, each of would repent where we need to change our lives, and that as a nation, we would seek with greater fervor to build a civilization of love, and a culture of life.
 
Q: "How should Catholics approach the political process and voting?"
 
          

In a document called Faithful Citizenship:  A Catholic Call to Political Responsability, the Bishops of the United States encourage all Catholics to be involved in the political process. While Catholics cannot endorse politicians or political parties (doing so would endanger the Church's tax exempt status), Catholics have the right and responsibility to endorse issues. In fact they are morally obliged to do this by voting, and voting according to a well-formed Christian conscience.
          When considering the many issues present in elections, the Church teaches that they are not all equal. Pope John Paul II has clearly stated that the attack against innocent life is the pre-eminent issue of our day. In Christifideles Laici he writes: "Above all, the common outcry which is justly made on behalf of human rights for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with the maximum determination." This would include the legalization of abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, and human cloning; and for Catholics, anyone who would deny the immorality of these acts would "no longer be in full communion with the Catholic Church."
          It is certainly true that those running for election may have persuasive ideas on the pressing social issues of the day, such as health care, poverty, economics or education, but if they do not protect the basic right to life, they have already compromised the common good.
          Furthermore, the Church gives Catholics the freedom to disagree on these other social issues, as long as certain truths are respected: "For the Church does not propose economic and political systems or programs, nor does she show preference for one of the other, provided that human dignity is properly respected and promoted, and provided she herself is allowed the room she needs to exercise her ministry in the world."
         The Vatican is also calling Catholics to pay close attention to the legalization of same-sex unions. In 2003 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated, "There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family. Under no circumstances can they be approved."
         More specifically, Catholics are placing their eternal salvation in jeopardy if they support such a law: "The Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favor of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral."
         Therefore protecting the family should be a priority for Catholics. "A family policy," writes Pope John Paul II, "must be the basis of all social policies." In parish life there are other moral issues which parishioners raise as well, such as the war on terrorism, or the legalization of capital punishment, and whether they carry the same weight for the Catholic in the voting booth as these other family issues. The Church has stated that they do not.
         For example, the criteria for applying the Church's "just war" doctrine falls mainly on the civil leaders of the country because they are the only ones who bear the full responsibility to defend the nation, and only they are completely aware of all the intelligence and factors involved. The Catechism states: "The evaluation of these conditions for the moral legitimacy (of a "just war") belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good." Certainly the Pope and the bishops have a role to play in promoting the common good in public policy, and Catholics should respect and strongly consider what their religious leaders have to say about the war on terror. Nonetheless Catholics are not obliged in conscience in the same way as they would for the life and marriage issues mentioned above. Finally, even if, for example, the Iraq war were intrinsically evil, which is still a debatable topic, it can not outweigh the millions of innocent babies killed each year in the United States through abortion.
         Similarly capital punishment is not an issue that is binding on the Catholic conscience in the same way as the other life issues are. The death penalty differs from abortion because the latter deals with innocent human life, whereas capital punishment deals with how the civil authority protects the common good of society. Traditionally the Church does not exclude the government's right to exercise capital punishment when "this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against an unjust aggressor." Nonetheless, as the Pope has indicated, these cases today "are very rare, if not practically non-existent." Therefore it falls to the civil authority to make that judgment. Hence, Cardinal Avery Dulles states that while the prudential judgment of the Pope and bishops against capital punishment is to be respected, "it is not a matter of binding Catholic doctrine. To differ from such a judgment, therefore, is not to dissent from Church teaching."
          Pope Benedict XVI summarizes these issues by stating, "While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia." (emphasis added)
          The Church dutifully provides her children with these guidelines as a way of helping form their consciences. In this way each citizen is able to contribute in building a free and virtuous society.

What about all these Marian Apparitions?

            God is a mystery.  Although we can know that there is a God by use of our reason, and observe the laws which He has written upon nature, His substance is nonetheless beyond our understanding.  The Lord therefore comes down to our level and reveals Himself in order to help us understand both His nature, and how we are to get to heaven.   The fullness of this self-communication came in the person of Jesus Christ.  “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).
            All of God’s self-communication to mankind is called “revelation”, God revealing Himself to us.  Revelation can be divided into “public” revelation, and “private” revelation.  Public revelation is the Bible, which the Church grasps gradually, over time, in order to understand its full significance.  We should expect no further public revelation until the second coming of Christ.
            Private revelation is made up of instances of God’s self-communication to a particular person, meant to spur people to greater holiness.  Although it is a rare occurrence a person may receive a specific message, a vision or locution, directly from God.   Some recent saints who have received these private revelations would include St. Faustina and Padre Pio.   Approved visions of Our Lady would include Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes, and Fatima.   
            In recent years there have been many claims about private revelations around the world.  The Church is always slow to make a judgment about such alleged apparitions, and sometimes it never does.  For example in May of this year 2008 the Vatican approved an apparition of Our Lady to a shepherdess in Laus, France from the 17th century.  With the decision coming over 300 years after the apparition we can see how the Church is very careful in these judgments.  In these approved apparitions the Vatican always states that while they are worthy of belief, they are not necessary for salvation.  Other times it will condemn apparitions as being contrary to the faith, and not worthy of belief.
            The Church is cautious with private revelation because it knows that these messages could be completely delusional and subjective, or if it is truly supernatural in origin, it could be from the devil.  As St. Paul writes, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).   If, for example, the private revelation contradicted any public revelation it would be a sure sign that it is not from God.  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a Gospel contrary to that which we preached to you,” writes St. Paul, “let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).  Our Blessed Lord warned us that even the faithful could be fooled by these signs: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).
            For example, an alleged series of apparitions in Bayside, New York during the 1970’s and 80’s was officially condemned in 1986 by the then Bishop of Brooklyn, John Mugavero.  He stated that, “No credibility can be given to the so-called ‘apparitions’ reported by Veronica Lueken and her followers....The ‘messages’ and other related propaganda contain statements which, among other things, are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”  This Bayside group continues today, however, and goes by the name, St. Michael’s World Apostolate. 
            There is also another alleged apparition occurring in Ohio called Holy Love Ministries.  The people associated with this ministry are no longer submitting to their local bishop in the Diocese of Cleveland and the diocese therefore recently issued this statement for the faithful: “We would caution anyone considering support of such a venture to realize that this organization has no approval or support from the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.  In a meeting held with diocesan officials, leaders of ‘Holy Love Ministries’ made it clear that although they encourage Catholic practices, the ministry is ecumenical, and therefore not subject to the authority of the Catholic Church.  Recent publicity regarding reported apparitions and messages makes it necessary to urge extreme caution in giving credence to such claims.”   I think it best for parishioners to stay clear of Holy Love Ministries until they are able to work with their bishop once again.
            Because fliers from St. Michael’s World Apostolate and Holy Love Ministries sometimes show up here at St. Mary Church, perhaps with good intention, I need to clarify that I have not endorsed these papers, and I gently ask that they no longer be passed around the parish.  Thank you for respecting my wishes.
            One of the more popular apparitions today that still appears open to debate is Medjugorje.  In 1981 Our Lady allegedly began to appear to six children in this Croatian village, and since then there have been millions of people around the world who have visited the sight.  I too visited Medjugorje in 1993, just as I was entering seminary, and I had a very positive experience.  Although there are questionable aspects to these alleged apparitions, to the best of my knowledge the Church has yet to declare that they are false apparitions or contrary to the faith. However the Vatican did ask that pilgrimages should not be organized to Medjugorje on the parish or diocesan level. 
            The Vatican announced in June of 2008 that it will form a commission to investigate the alleged apparitions of Medjugorje.  The fact that the Vatican has become directly involved shows the influence of Medjugorje, and the Vatican’s final decision will surely be watched all over the world.  We should pray for wisdom to enlighten those are involved in this investigation, and of course we should humbly submit to their conclusions when they are finally released.  
            While private revelations can be inspiring and intriguing to read, the sure and safe path to heaven is the Scriptures, the authoritative teachings of Mother Church, and the lives of the saints.  The Lord has promised us that with these we will have all the necessary knowledge and means in order to get to heaven. 

 
Q: "What about the women who recently claimed to have been ordained priests?"
 
           This past month twelve women made national news by allegedly going through with the Rite of Ordination to the deaconate and priesthood on a riverboat within the Diocese of Pittsburgh. As the Diocese noted, not only was the ordination invalid, but those involved excommunicated themselves.
            This issue makes headlines from time to time, but Rome has always declared that the Church "does not consider herself authorized to admit women to priestly ordination." The reason being that according to the Sacred Scriptures, Christ only chose men to be His Apostles, the first priests, and the Church must be faithful to His example.
            Then the question becomes "Why did Christ only choose men?" Firstly, it did not have anything to do with the cultural norms of His time because Christ broke many of the social norms concerning women; for example He traveled with women (Luke 8:2), He talked with a Samaritan woman in a public setting (John 4), and He allowed a woman to wash his feet in public (Mark 14:3f). There were also Gnostic religions in the Asia Minor region during the 1st and 2nd century which had priestesses. Therefore it was not the social norms which prevented women from becoming Catholic priests.
           In response to this question a few years ago Cardinal George of Chicago answered that Christ only chose men because of the priest acting in the person of Christ. He stated that those who desire women ordinations are confusing functionalism with symbolism. Could a woman function as a priest? Yes: just as women today successfully function in the professional world, so could a women perform the work of a priest. However, could a woman symbolically be a priest? As difficult as some may find it, the answer is no.
          Throughout the Old Testament, God is portrayed as a man courting his wife, the Israelites. (Hosea 2:19f, Isaiah 54:6f, Ezekiel 16:6f, Song of Songs) When our Blessed Lord became incarnate, He came as a man, symbolizing this Old Testament relationship of the bridegroom courting his bride (Mark 2:19f, John 3:29f). Finally St. Paul writes that Jesus loves His Church as a man loves his wife (Ephesians 5:22f); and St. John writes that the final coming of Kingdom of Heaven will be a marriage feast between the Lamb and His people (Revelation 19). An ordained priest continues to symbolically act in the person of Christ who sanctifies His bride, the Church.
          However, this does not mean that men are somehow superior to women. Men and women are equal in God's eyes, and women have an irreplaceable role within the Body of Christ. Furthermore, it is essential that women become aware of the greatness of their mission. The "feminine genius", as Pope John II called it, must be cultivated because women "are the holy martyrs, virgins, and mothers of families, who bravely bore witness to their faith and passed on the Church's faith and tradition by bringing up their children in the spirit of the Gospel."
          Finally there is the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, who did not receive the priestly ministry, thereby showing that a woman's role in the Body of Christ has tremendous dignity. Unfortunately there are people who wrongly interpret the movements of the Holy Spirit, and proclaim that the Catholic Church will eventually admit women to the priesthood. The Magisterium has clearly stated that an all male priesthood is an infallible teaching, one that will never change. Therefore, a male priesthood is nothing for which we ought to apologize, but rather it is a teaching that we should seek to understand with the wisdom that comes from God.
 
Q: "Is living together before marriage good for my future?"
 

This  article can be obtained in a pamphlet format in bulk by contacting the parish office

          In the past 30 years, the number of couples who cohabitate in a sexually active relationship prior to marriage has risen enormously. It is said that almost half the couples who come to talk to a priest about marriage in the Catholic Church are living together. What about you, is cohabitation right for your future? If you are currently living together, it is important to be aware of the many different aspects of this decision, and its implications for your future.

Questions to Ask Yourself
1) Why did you choose to live together (e.g. fear of permanent commitment, testing your relationship, convenience, need for companionship, financial reasons, escape from home)?
2) What have you learned from living together? How has it affected your relationship?
3) What is causing you to commit yourself to marriage at this time? Is there outside pressure?
4) Was there a previous reluctance to marry? If so, why? What has changed?
5) Why are you approaching the Catholic Church at this time, as opposed to another church, or Justice of the Peace? 6) What does marriage as a sacrament mean to you?
7) How do you see your faith in God as being an essential part of your marriage?

Most people know that the Catholic Church teaches that living together before marriage is a "sin", but few understand why. There are three important areas for considering why the Church disapproves of cohabitation: 1) it is contrary to God's law, 2) the resulting lack of communication between the couple, and 3) it is bad for the community.

God's Law
         Marriage is a covenant between three people: a man, woman, and God. However, Scripture says that sex outside of marriage offends God. "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous." (Hebrews 13:4) Cohabitation does not involve God because no commitment has been exchanged before God. By starting life without God, the couple sets a dangerous precedent of not involving God in their relationship. According to Catholic teaching, pre-marital sex is a grave immoral act, which deprives a person of grace. Therefore a cohabitating couple in particular should not receive the Sacraments of the Eucharist or Reconciliation until they resolve to stop the sexual activity.
          In addition to this, unless the couple receives the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to the marriage, they will not be blessed with all the graces that come from the Sacrament of Matrimony. However, if the couple decides to stop the sexual activity, they can then return to the Sacraments. Sexual activity between a married couple is one of God's greatest gifts. It is not dirty nor meant to cause guilt. Yet a cohabitating couple who understands the Church's teaching is likely to have feelings of guilt. This can give the wrong sense of sex, and even cause mixed feelings of guilt after the marriage takes place. A couple that does not have pre-marital sex, or stops having it, is bound to have a better honeymoon, and a more fruitful understanding of sex later in marriage.
Communication
           Marriage is a serious commitment. A person must take time to talk, think, and pray about it calmly and clearly. If the couple is living a life of chastity, i.e. abstaining from pre-marital sex, each person is able to think about the commitment with more objectivity, without being overly influenced by mere sexual attraction. Communication is not the same between those who are living together, and those who are not. Sex can become a "quick fix" to settling problems early on in the relationship, when in reality, a discussion is what is needed.
           A time of abstinence from sex allows the couple to become aware of the need for emotional intimacy, not just genital intimacy. The relationship can then properly grow into a relationship of respect, friendship, and ultimately trust. To fully commit to another person is to become transparent and vulnerable. When this occurs in a spirit of loving trust, the couple is then ready to make a lifetime commitment before God, and finally to enjoy sexual intimacy with one another.

Your Community
          When planning a wedding, it quickly becomes apparent to the couple that their marriage involves more than just the two of them. It involves their parents, family, friends, and the entire Christian community. The Church expects all its members to be chaste before marriage (to abstain from all pre-marital sex). If the couple cohabitates prior to marriage, the situation can be both confusing to the community, and scandalous.
          It can be confusing because people will question whether the Church has changed its teaching on pre-marital sex. It can be scandalous because it sets an example to the younger members of the community (younger brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews) that this is proper behavior for a Christian. A decision not to cohabitate gives a sign to the community that the couple is serious about their marriage, and their relationship with God.
          It is also important to mention that most parents would rather have their children not live together prior to marriage. Finally, a decision not to cohabitate is an example to their future children and grandchildren that the couple respects God and the Church.
Statistics
Although no person likes to be considered a statistic, we can learn a great deal about couples who have tried cohabitation, and what they have learned.

The evidence of these statistics clearly indicates that those who are looking forward to a long and healthy marriage should not live together prior to marriage. All of this information provides the reasons why the Catholic Church has always taught that cohabitation is a sin, and bad for a couple's marriage. Therefore a sincere and honest person will realize that cohabitation is not right for his or her future.
(1) P.A. Guarting-Gibbs, "The Institutionalization of Pre-Marital Cohabitation: Estimates from marriage license applications, 1970 - 1980," Journal of Marriage and the Family 48 (1986) : 423 - 433. (2) University of Chicago and University of Michigan 23 year study by socioligists William G. Axinn and Arnold Thorton. (3) R. Forste and K. Tanfer, "Sexual Exclusivity among Dating, Cohabitating and Married women," Journal of Marriage and the Family 58 (1996) : 33 - 47. (4) Elizabeth Thomson and Colella Thomson, "Cohabitation and Marriage Stability: Quality or Commitment?," Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54 (1992) : 259 - 267.

Q: "Is Jesus Christ the only savior of the world?"

            The question regarding the absoluteness of Jesus Christ as the one true savior of the world is briefly laid out in the Catechism, sections 846 - 848, but for a fuller understanding, it is best to refer to the 2000 document from the Congregation on the Doctrine of the Faith entitled Dominus Jesus: On the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and the Church.
          After discussing a few erroneous opinions about whether Jesus Christ is one savior among others, the document states: "One can and must say that Jesus Christ has a significance and a value for the human race and its history which are unique and singular, proper to him alone, exclusive, universal and absolute. Jesus is, in fact, the Word of God made man for the salvation of the all." (Dominus Jesus, 15)
          This exclusivity is based on the teachings from Sacred Scripture. For example, the passages "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12); "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6); "There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5); "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13).
           At the same time, there are people in other religions in the world, and God wants to save them as well (1 Timothy 2:4). They may have certain dignified practices, such as fasting and daily prayer, which are good as long as they do not fall into the evil of idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). As the Second Vatican Council stated, "The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions" (Nostra Aetate, 2).
           Yet at the same time these other religions, "acquire meaning and value only from Christ.s own mediation, and they cannot be understood as parallel or complimentary to his" (Dominus Jesus, 14). Members of other religions who sincerely pursue Truth may receive grace, and even be saved, but it is ultimately through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross that they receive it.
          Finally, the Church states, "If is true that the followers of other religions can receive grace, it is also certain that objectively speaking, they are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation." (Dominus Jesus, 22) The Seven Sacraments and the teachings of the Catholic Church give us the fullness of the means of salvation which these other religions are lacking. For fear that we as Catholics should sin through pride, we should remember that we are Catholic by no merit of our own, but only by the grace of God, and that "Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required." (Luke 12:48)

Did the Catholic Church Recently Eliminate Limbo?

       In  April of 2007 the International Theological Commission (ITC), an advisory body to the Vatican, released a document called, The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized about the issue of original sin, baptism, salvation, and limbo.  Following the release of the document there was considerable confusion in the press, much of which implied that the Church had done away with the idea of limbo. 
            The document was trying to discuss the difficult question of what happens to babies who die without Baptism, which is particularly relevant because of the deplorable practice of abortion.  The Catechism already teaches two important truths about this topic.  Firstly, “The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:5)...The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude.”  (1257) 
            Secondly, “As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them.  Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved...allows us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without baptism.”  (1261)
            In the history of the Church saints, popes, and theologians have held the opinion that infants who die without being cleansed of original sin by Baptism are deprived of the beatific vision; while they suffer this loss of the beatific vision, it is not the torments of hell, and they now enjoy a "natural happiness."  This state of natural happiness is called limbo.   However, this opinion was never officially endorsed by the Church as a definitive teaching.
            The ITC document clarified why the Church feels it is possible to hope that a way of salvation is open for infants who die without Baptism.  However the document does not go so far as to declare that unbaptized infants are definitely saved.  It simply indicates that given our understanding of God’s mercy and the plan of salvation, we can dare to hope that these infants will be saved by some extra-sacramental gift of Christ.
            Summarizing its conclusion, the document states "...besides the theory of Limbo (which remains a possible theological option), there can be other ways to integrate and safeguard the principles of faith outlined in Scripture."  Therefore, contrary to many of the press reports, the Church did not do away with limbo.   Catholic theologians are free to hold that limbo exists, but they are also free to argue for some other extra-sacramental means of salvation.  This is one of those mysteries in life that we will never know for sure. 
           Finally the ITC once again affirmed the Church’s teaching that because the ordinary means of salvation is Baptism, infants should be baptized.  Catholic parents therefore have a serious obligation to have their babies baptized within weeks after their birth in order to assure their children of God’s grace.   Any baby that does die after Baptism is assured of heaven, and that is something the Church can state with confidence. 

           
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