Recently in Pope Category

The Pope explores it today, via the saints:

Recalling some saints whose memory is celebrated in the weeks to come, Benedict XVI affirmed that they are witness to a "Christian humanism" that differs deeply from an "atheistic humanism".

The Saints - the pope cited in particular the martyrs Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein - are indeed witnesses of "an antithesis which spans history, but at the end of the second millennium, with the contemporary nihilism, we have come to a crucial point, as major writers and thinkers have perceived, and as events have amply demonstrated. "

Edith Stein - explained the pope - was "born in the Jewish faith and was won over by Christ in adulthood, she became a Carmelite nun and sealed her life with martyrdom", St. Maximilian Kolbe, is a "son of Poland and St. Francis of Assisi, a great apostle of Mary Immaculate". Both are martyrs killed in Auschwitz.  

"The Nazi concentration camp - he added - as every death camp, can be considered an extreme symbol of evil, of the hell that comes to earth when man forgets God, and when He is replaced, usurping from Him the right to decide what is good and what is evil, to give life and or to take life. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not confined to the death camp. It is rather the culmination of an extensive and widespread reality of often nebulous boundaries. "

This reality is precisely the antithesis that became clear at the end of the second millennium, "the opposition between atheistic humanism and Christian humanism, between holiness and nihilism".  

"On the one hand - continued the pope - there are philosophies and ideologies, but also on an increasing scale ways of thinking and acting, which extol the freedom of man as the only principle, as an alternative to God, and thus transform man into a god, whose system behaviour is of an arbitrary nature. On the other hand, we note the saints, who, practicing the gospel of love, make reason of their hope, they show the true face of God who is Love, and at the same time, the true face of man, created in image and likeness of God. "

The text is here.

Preparatory reading Populorum Progressio, Paul VI's 1967 encyclical, which is a primary reference point in this one.

I have to say right out that I am never sure what the ultimate point and effect of an encyclical like this is. It is a mix between analysis of very specific global situations ranging from the financial crisis to migration to unions to the welfare state and some quite wonderful, clearly Benedict-written passages about the nature of human life, especially human life in community.

I wonder if arguments about the former - about the accuracy of the analysis, the sufficiency of the evidence and data - will overwhelm the latter, which is really what we should be looking to a Pope for. Don't think I'm saying religious figures - Popes included - shook stick to the "purely religious" stuff - whatever that means. I am just not sure if contemporary Catholic pronouncements touching on current issues have quite mastered the task of effectively bringing the Gospel into the fray while at the same time acknowledging the limitations of received data and analysis. This encyclical actually does better than some in its attempt to look at every side of issues and the prevalence of original sin and the law of unintended consequences. But I wonder if the detail and specificity it contains is necessary.

There are lots of interesting observations about the current global situation here. Lots to chew on and bounce off of and get people thinking and talking.

In particular, what should not be ignored is Benedict's constant challenge to consistency. He never fails to point out ironies and contradictions in contemporary ways of thinking and action. Rights-obsessed cultures that ignore the rights of the unborn and the otherwise dependent and helpleless. The call to respect nature that ignore  the natural shape of human ecology in terms of sexuality and family relations. The law of unintended consequences. He doesn't let us rest easy with lazy thinking.

I am going to just say a few things now, then more later. You folks, please discuss.

Benedict has several points to make. The focus of the encyclical is development. As he tends to do Benedict begins by setting the previous encyclical in context, and emphasizing its continuity with previous Catholic teaching. Also consistent with his intellectual and spiritual priorities, Benedict emphasizes truth, God's communion with human beings as the origin of our communion with one another, and the limitations and even dangers of human institutions that lose sight of God and authentic human dignity.

Some passages and phrases that struck me particularly:

Love -- caritas -- is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. It is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth. Each person finds his good by adherence to God's plan for him, in order to realize it fully: in this plan, he finds his truth, and through adherence to this truth he becomes free

He emphasizes quite strongly the role of Truth in guiding our acts of charity and justice - and economic and civic life in general. This is pointed:

Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality. Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way. In a culture without truth, this is the fatal risk facing love. It falls prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions, the word "love" is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite. Truth frees charity from the constraints of an emotionalism that deprives it of relational and social content, and of a fideism that deprives it of human and universal breathing-space. In the truth, charity reflects the personal yet public dimension of faith in the God of the Bible, who is both Agápe and Lógos: Charity and Truth, Love and Word.
4. Because it is filled with truth, charity can be understood in the abundance of its values, it can be shared and communicated. Truth, in fact, is lógos which creates diá-logos, and hence communication and communion. Truth, by enabling men and women to let go of their subjective opinions and impressions, allows them to move beyond cultural and historical limitations and to come together in the assessment of the value and substance of things...A Christianity of charity without truth would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance. In other words, there would no longer be any real place for God in the world. Without truth, charity is confined to a narrow field devoid of relations. It is excluded from the plans and processes of promoting human development of universal range, in dialogue between knowledge and praxis.
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"Breathing space" is a phrase he uses three times in this encyclical.

He emphasizes "gratuitousness" as well (using it or a form 13 times)  - that is a sense of giving and sharing, rooted in the way that God gives to his children. When you read Benedict, this "chain" if you will, is very strong. God's love is real - not a concept or notion, but real. When we are in communion with God, God's love fills us, and it's that love - that specific, real love of God - that we share.

The earthly city is promoted not merely by relationships of rights and duties, but to an even greater and more fundamental extent by relationships of gratuitousness, mercy and communion.

The great challenge before us, accentuated by the problems of development in this global era and made even more urgent by the economic and financial crisis, is to demonstrate, in thinking and behaviour, not only that traditional principles of social ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility cannot be ignored or attenuated, but also that in commercial relationships the principle of gratuitousness and the logic of gift as an expression of fraternity can and must find their place within normal economic activity. This is a human demand at the present time, but it is also demanded by economic logic. It is a demand both of charity and of truth.

Indeed, what Benedict says about "gratuitousness" is one of the more striking and provocative elements of this encyclical.

As is frequently the case, Benedict's thinking and language reaches a high point at the end of the document. This isn't the last line, but it's one that stuck with me. Not just in terms of development, but in terms of every aspect of life. It is our vocation. It is who we are in this world:

. Development needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer......

In the end, I think it woud be most interesting to consider this encyclical as a work of evangelization - a strong call to turn to Jesus Christ, the One in whom we all find meaning - specifically Jesus Christ, in specific communion with Him -  a call which I hope can be heard.

In case you've missed it, what Pope Benedict is talking about these days...and some interesting notes on JON, Part II:

• First, going back to last Wednesday, the GA talk on John Scotus. Much talk, of course, about faith and reason. This sentence stopped me cold and challenged me to think for a good, long, time:

This arduous path, demanding and exciting, made up of continuous conquests and relativations of human knowledge, brings the intelligent creature toward the threshold of the divine Mystery, where all notions verify their own weakness and incapableness and lead, therefore, to going beyond -- with the simple, free and sweet force of the truth -- all that is continuously reached. The adoring and silent recognition of the Mystery, which flows into unifying communion, is revealed therefore as the only path for a relationship with the truth that is at the same time the most intimate possible and the most scrupulously respectful of the otherness.

What does this mean? I am not quite sure, but it speaks to me of the deepest paradox of the necessity and goodness of our human pursuit for truth and its ultimate inadequacy - which renders it, paradoxically, again, not pointless, but poignantly beautiful and hopeful.

 

• The Angelus address for Corpus Christi (can't find the homily yet in English)

 

In a unique and peculiar way, this feast speaks to us of divine love, of what it is and what it does. It tells us, for example, that it regenerates itself in giving itself, it receives itself in giving itself, it does not run out and is not used up; thus we hear in a hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas: "nec sumptus consumitur" (it is not used up in being consumed).

Love transforms every thing, and so we understand that the mystery of transubstantiation, the sign of Jesus-Charity, which transforms the world, is at the center of today's feast of "Corpus Domini." Looking upon him and worshiping him, we say: Yes, love exists, and since it exists, things can change for the better and we can hope. It is the hope that comes from Christ's love that gives us the strength to live and to face every difficulty. This is why we sing while we carry the most Blessed Sacrament in procession; we sing and praise God, who reveals himself hidden in the sign of broken bread. We all have need of this bread, because the road to freedom, justice and peace is long and wearisome.

 

• An address on social doctrine:

I am happy to see that you have especially examined the interdependency between institutions, society and the market, beginning -- in accord with the encyclical "Centesimus Annus" of my venerable predecessor John Paul II -- from the reflection according to which the market economy, understood as "an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic sector" (No. 42), can only be recognized as a way of economic and civil progress if it is oriented to the common good (cf. No. 43). Such a vision, however, must also be accompanied by another reflection according to which freedom in the economic sector must situate itself "within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality," a responsible freedom "the core of which is ethical and religious" (No. 42). This encyclical opportunely affirms that: "The person fully realizes himself in the free gift of self, so too ownership morally justifies itself in the creation, at the proper time and in the proper way, of opportunities for work and human growth for all" (No. 43).

I hope the research developed by your work, inspired by the eternal principles of the Gospel, will elaborate a vision of the modern economy that is respectful of the needy and of the rights of the weak. As you know, my encyclical on the vast theme of economics and labor will soon be published: It will highlight what, for us Christians, are the objectives to be pursued and the values to be promoted and tirelessly defended, with the purpose of realizing a truly free and solidary human coexistence.

 

• Now, on Jesus of Nazareth, via Teresa Benedetta, who offers this translation of an article from La Repubblica:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday is ridiculous.

Meet with lawyer, sign will, etc., some other stuff.

Give talk to a parish woman's group (agreed to six months ago).

Take Katie to (I hope) get her Learner's Permit (yes, she's 17 and yes, we're late on this, but there have been reasons related mostly to her busy life, but I tell you that I think have 1 1/2 less years of biting my fingernails with worry every time she hits the road has been not a bad thing.) - but now's the time.

Miscellaneous other matters, including getting ready for a bit of travel. More on that as it unfolds. A bit of a surprise travelogue coming.

I did the worst thing ever today - something I swore I would never do, something that was never even a temptation before - bought a portable DVD player for the car. With the amount of driving we're about to do, having one adult busy driving and one teenager to deal with two little boys in the back seat...I couldn't even fathom it. So I relented, and I 'm sure they thought God has for some reason given them a new Mommy when I walked in with the box this afternoon.

Of course it will probably break 30 minutes into the first viewing of Star Wars, so that will be that.

So to tide you over - here's some Pope reading. I've got to get my Eschatology post up before this trip - I really loved the book and want to share it with you, as well as write about The Rite. I hope I can get to that Thursday night, as well as an another ruminating (is "ruminous" a word? Should be) post. Non-grief related. I think. Although in the end, it probably will be.

So back to the Pope.

Here's his homily from last Sunday, in Cassino:

(I will say this about that - much of what absorbed me in Eschatology is condensed in this homily.)

In Christ ascended into heaven, man has entered in a new and unheard of way into the intimacy of God; man now finds space in God forever. "Heaven" does not indicate a place beyond the stars but something more bold and sublime: it indicates Christ himself, the divine Person that completely and forever takes on humanity, he in whom God and man are united forever. And we draw near to heaven, indeed, we enter into heaven, to the extent that we draw near to Jesus and enter into communion with him. For this reason, today's Solemnity of the Ascension invites us to a profound communion with Jesus dead and risen, invisibly present in the life of each of us.

There are several places you can go for this:

Cathy Grossman at USAToday has enlisted Joseph Lawler (2008 ND grad), Msgr. Francis Maniscalco, Sr. Joan Chittister and Michael Sean Winters to liveblog Obama's speech.

John Norton of OSV is there and will be liveblogging here and Twittering here

Jill Stanek is there and liveblogging.

Contratorrentem is also Twittering onsite.

If anyone knows anyone else who is *there* and live reporting, please let me know, and I'll post it here.

I probably won't be watching the speech live. I tend not to watch speeches live. I find it much more efficient to read the speech after it's given - and I have no doubt this will be one that, like Bush's speeches at Catholic insitutions, carefully picks and chooses from appropriate Catholic themes and utilizes Catholic vocabulary provided by the Catholic advisors in the know. Predicted themes: Gratitude for the good work of Notre Dame; detailed attention to the contributions of the Catholic Church to American history, particularly health care, education and care for the poor. Proclamation that we are in a new era now, and the opportunities for us to work together to fix these problems has never been greater - nor has the need been greater. We may differ on some points, but one of the things we can work together is to reduce the number of abortions in this country,and to do so by ensuring that all have access to health care, that no one is left without a safety net in a way that the venerable and worthy ideals of Catholic Social Teaching call us to. Common ground will be mentioned.

Benedict left the Holy Land today. The schedule, via The Blog:Jerusalem07.30 - Private Mass in the Chapel of the Apostolic Delegation to Jerusalem 09.15 - Ecumenical meeting in the Throne Hall of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem 10.15 -...

From the Benedict in Israel blog:10.00 - Holy Mass on the Mount of Precipice in Nazareth 12.30 - Luncheon with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land, the Franciscan community and the Papal Entourage in the Franciscan convent of Nazareth 15.50...

The schedule: 09.00 - Visit to the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount in Jerusalem Courtesy visit to the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem at the Mount of the Temple 10.00 - Visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem 10.45...

I'm fairly tired tonight, but will be back tomorrow. Just remember for all the news from today's day in Jerusalem, including texts and the story today's controversies, head to Benedict in Israel.The text of Benedict's words at Yad Vashem:"I will...

The schedule:10.00 - Holy Mass celebrated at the Amman International Stadium Recitation of the Regina Cæli at the Amman International Stadium 12.45 - Luncheon with Patriarchs, Bishops and Papal Entourage at the Latin Vicariate of Amman 17.30 - Visit to...

On Saturday, the Pope attended and preached at Vespers in the Greek-Melkite Cathedral of Saint-George in Amman. Here's the video (90 minutes long - the good chanting starts at about  30 minutes in. So ancient, simple, rich and organic. ) ...

Today's schedule, via Benedict in Israel Blog:07.15 - Private Mass in the Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature of Amman, Jordan 09.15 - Visit to the ancient Basilica of the Memorial of Moses on Mount Nebo 10.30 - Blessing of the...

The Pope has arrived in Jordan. There is, of course, no lack of coverage.The Vatican page for the visit, which is not updated with texts nearly as quickly as news sitesVatican Information Service provides summaries of events, but not necessarily...

Today at the GA, Pope Benedict spoke of St. John Damascene.He quoted heavily from the saint's writings, focusing on John's opposition to iconoclasm:Damascene wrote: "In other times, God had never been represented in an image, being incorporeal and without a...

On the recommendation of several people, I am reading Ratzinger's Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life. I also have N.T. Wright's Surprised By Hope, recommended to me by many as well. I had started the Wright, but then thought...no, let's start with...

Today at the General Audience, the Pope spoke of St. Germanus.There's a Zenit translation here, but I find it stilted, so I'm going to quote from Theresa Benedetta's translation at PRF instead:Germanus was Patriarch of Constantinople during a portion of...

It's that time of year, dreaded by DRE's everywhere.Well, it's just the way it is - First Communion brings almost as many family demands and expectations as a wedding, with many times the participants, which means many times the demands.How's...

I just wanted to highlight the Pope in Abruzzo post, in case you missed it - do read the Pope's prayer. It's beautiful and comforting, no matter what earthquake you have recently suffered....

A report from VIS: "I am well aware that, despite the solidarity forthcoming from all sides, there are many daily discomforts involved in living outside your homes, in cars or tents, especially because of the cold and rain. ... My...

A friend sent me this amusing account of her experience at the General Audience on April 15. It's been edited to protect her identity! She snagged some tickets in the "special section" and had some artwork to present to the...

(Photo source and credit: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (ITALY RELIGION))I'd invite you take a look at some of the other photos from this gathering today - I was a little worried because the Pope seemed really tired last weekend, but he...

The Pope's message:From the depths of my heart, I wish all of you a blessed Easter. To quote Saint Augustine, "Resurrectio Domini, spes nostra - the resurrection of the Lord is our hope" (Sermon 261:1). With these words, the great...

The Pope's homily from tonight: Saint Mark tells us in his Gospel that as the disciples came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration, they were discussing among themselves what "rising from the dead" could mean (cf. Mk 9:10). A...

And now the homily for the Mass of the Lord's Supper:(Here's your catechesis on Eucharist for your catechumens and candidates, confirmation candidates...yourself. Myself.)He begins by discussing some aspects of the Roman Canon, and continues:There is another aspect of the institution...

The Pope's homily from the Chrism Mass is online, thanks, as often is the case, to Vatican Radio.  The Mass of the Lord's Supper is (was) this evening. He begins by looking at Jesus' prayer, "For their sake, I consecrate...

Last night, I journeyed out west - to Tuscaloosa, for the first time. Accompanied by my trusty assistants (because their assistant had a play rehearsal), we hopped on 459, then 20 and made our way to a place called Mugshots...

At today's General Audience, Pope Benedict offered a succinct and beautiful catechesis on Holy Week. The official text is not online, but Theresa Benedetta, dependable unofficial translator to the Holy See, is on it: In the afternoon Mass, called 'in...

Every year, the "Vatican's" Station of the Cross are held in the Coliseum. When a Pope is healthy enough, he leads the way round the circuit, but of late, the Pope might lead one or two stations, then participate in...

Yesterday, Pope Benedict presided at the Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square. This Mass has another particular focus: youth. It is a "World Youth Day" of sorts, in which, this year, the WYD cross was passed on from Australia...

I heard the Pope went to Africa couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure what happened, but I think it involved condoms and people who wanted to use them, but then got mad at the Pope for not letting...

I am on the road, and writing on a strange computer with annoying monitor resolution that I can't seem to fix, so I'll just gather up a few links here. I hope tonight, I'll be able to pull some coherent...

The Vatican has posted the Pope's itinerary for his visit to the Holy Land in May. It's in Italian at this moment (I'll post an English link later when the VIS notice comes out) - but here it is. Update: ...

One of Beliefnet's other Catholic bloggers - David Gibson - posts on the Pope's homily in Africa, taking on the issue of supersition:As I pull together some thoughts on this theme, I am wondering if there is an easy definition...

Pope Benedict XVI's homily today at Mass with religious in Angola:(That single sentence, bolded below, struck me. It is the opposite of making idols of what is not God. Making God subject to us.) As we have just heard, the...

As we continue to be bored with the bleating of the ideological and misinformed (because it's one thing to disagree with another person, including the Pope, but it's another thing altogether to just be silly about it), the Pope just...

Yesterday, Pope Benedict began his journey to Africa, for a visit to two countries: Cameroon and Angola. The visit continues until Monday. The journey is going to be busy but a relatively quiet one - that it, not marked by...

Much has been made, since the remission of the SSPX episcopal excommunications, of the Vatican's communications issues.In fact I have made much of it myself. (Check this post, in which I run down some problems from the past as well.)There's...

Or at least before I attempt lengthy posts on Benedict XVI and Vatican II.Because I'd discover that Edward T.  Oakes, SJ had done the heavy lifting over there: I sincerely hope that Benedict's frank examination will lead to a similar...

All right, let's get back to Pope Benedict. Back to the letter he penned to the world's bishops about this SSPX business, reminding them that no, he's not turning back Vatican II, and everyone needs to just calm down, forget...

I'm just going to go through the letter and offer some reflections.Even though many Bishops and members of the faithful were disposed in principle to take a positive view of the Pope's concern for reconciliation, the question remained whether such...

Today, the Vatican released a text of a letter written by the Pope to the world's bishops - the text was leaked yesterday, but here's the official text from the Vatican website.  Why did the Pope write a letter? Simply...

...now has official versions in German, as well as Italian (perhaps Benedict originally wrote it in German, who knows.) Teresa Benedetta has done an unofficial translation, and it is here. Another unofficial translation, on a link a little easier to...

Here's the schedule of celebrations over which the Pope will preside in the next few months, as well as beatifications that will be performed around the world. OCTOBER - Sunday, 21: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pastoral visit to Naples....

Today's General Audience: In a fresh appeal for Christian unity, in particular between Catholics and Orthodox was made by Benedict XVI today, who at the end of his general audience asked the faithful to pray for the successful outcome of the...

In between the fiction, I'm currently reading God and the World, the third interview book then-Cardinal Ratzinger did with Peter Seewald. I was inspired to read it by a citation from the book that someone quoted on a blog post...

...all over the place, it's from Marini to Marini: Il Santo Padre ha nominato Maestro delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche Pontificie il Rev.do Don Guido Marini, del clero dell’Arcidiocesi di Genova and Il Papa ha nominato Presidente del Pontificio Comitato per i...

Today, the Pope visited the diocese of Villetri-Segni, of which he was titular bishop when he was at the CDF.  Various articles about the visit are at PRF: At 8:45 this morning, the Holy Father Benedict XVI left the Apostolic...

Today, at the GA, a Venetian gondolier met with the Pope - but it's more than just a photo op: The 143-mile pilgrimage by water, sponsored by the Patriarchate of Venice and the M. Baschirotto foundation, was undertaken to raise...

At today's General Audience, Benedict returned to his discussion of the Early Church Fathers, turning to St. John Chrysostom. Vatican text is here, in Italian, except for the small section in which the Holy Father spoke in English. A...

Deacon Greg Kandra takes us back to Pope John Paul's General Audience on September 12, 2001: I cannot begin this audience without expressing my profound sorrow at the terrorist attacks which yesterday brought death and destruction to America, causing thousands...

The Pope's homily from today's Mass in Vienna: Of course, if we listen to today’s Gospel, if we listen to what the Lord is saying to us, it frightens us: “Whoever of you does not renounce all that he has...

For now - I mean for now  - we're going to ignore the whole Amazing Technicolor Vestments issue. And the Pikachu ball. (?!) And we'll meditate on the homily. Okay? (Remember, this is Saturday's outdoor Mass, the feast of the...

One of the Pope's last activities today in Austria was a visit to the Heiligenkreuz Abbey - the oldest continuously active Cistercian Abbey in the world. Here's the official site in English. (Cistercians are a reformed, more severe observance of...

The Pope's speech today, to members of the Austrian government, and the diplomatic corps: The “European home”, as we readily refer to the community of this continent, will be a good place to live for everyone only if it is...

Looks like Vatican Radio is the go-to spot for quick translations today. At the airport: Mariazell does not only represent 850 years of history, but shows us on the basis of that history – as reflected in the statue of...

Yes, our 80-year old Pope is off to Austria on Friday. Here's the official page on the visit from the Vatican. He will arrive at around 11:30 am. Get up a little after 5 Eastern and check out the EWTN...

Thomas at American Papist separates fact from media hype on the Pope's ecological references in today's homily, with this fantastic pickup from Reuter's (but of course!): Pope Benedict, leading the Catholic Church's first 'eco-friendly' youth rally, on Sunday told up to...

From Loreto, via PRF: Jesus Christ, God made man, took on our flesh in Mary, took part in our life, and shared our history. To realize this new alliance, God looked for a young heart and found it in the...

The Pope's address to the young people this evening, via PRF. What an amazing spectacle of young and engaged faith we are living tonight! Tonight Loreto has become, thanks to you, the spiritual capital of the youth - the center...

The next week will be a busy one for the Pope. There are two journeys on the calendar. Tomorrow and Sunday, he will be in Loreto, in northern Italy, for a gathering of youth called the "Agora." Here is...