An Unusual, Controversial Catholic Subject-Celibacy in Marriage Mark Three Repost

Monday, 16 January 2012

An Unusual, Controversial Catholic Subject-Celibacy in Marriage

Now, I am not married, but I live a celibate life-style. However, I have an increasing number of friends, traditional Catholics, who have opted for celibacy in their marriages. This is not a new ideal in the Church, and although Christ wants most married couples to be fruitful and multiply, that is, to have the wonderful children God desires them to have, there have been and are couples, who for the sake of the kingdom, have chosen a different way. Of course, the norm, having children as God gives, creates saints, such as Blessed Louis and  Blessed Zelie Martin, Blessed Karl and Empress Zita, SS. Joachim and Anna, SS. Isidore and Maria (who vowed abstinence later in their marriage), and so on. This is not an exhaustive list.

However, the emphasis on celibacy should be rare, but seen as a call within a call. I also think there has to be good reason for not having children. The grand example are two of my favorite Catholics, Jacques and Raissa Maritain, who on the Isle of Wight, as Benedictine Oblates, took a vow of celibacy "for the sake of the Kingdom". Raissa writes in her diary, which I practically have memorized, that it was difficult for her, but she could see that Jacques was called to be in the world and she was his prayer backup, companion in holiness, and confidant, as well as best-friend. They shared philosophy, theology, and the dedication to bringing the Gospel into the workplace in the extreme. God called them to this.

I first met celibate married couples about twenty-five years ago. The first couple I met were in their forties and had a close relationship with the Church and the priest who was the pastor. They were very active in the Church, but did not have normal marital relations. They had chosen that way and had married later in life. The man had been in the Jesuit seminary for years, but left, as he did not think he had a priestly vocation. He found a wife who would support him in his spiritual walk. The second couple I met were in their early sixties. They had decided that past child-bearing age, they would make a celibate commitment. Since then, I have met another couple who have decided the same thing. Their "extra" time is spent in good works, praying and fasting. Obviously, these couples have spiritual directors. This call within a call is, also, obviously, by mutual consent.

Those with a worldly mindset and even some good Catholics may find this call repelling or unnatural. I would say that this call is rare, but not unnatural. I think that those who decide to live in the world, or are called so by God to remain among the laity, can exhibit a variety of calls "for the sake of the Kingdom". And, to be in a relationship which is celibate may be a sign of contradiction to the world as well as giving two people the necessary, daily support a brother and sister in Christ may give to each other. Intimacy has many faces, and the physical side of intimacy is only one aspect of relationship. I have written this to support my friends who have chosen this way and to encourage those who feel the need for companionship without sex to be comforted in that they are not alone. We are all called to be saints, and there are many ways, in Christ, through Mary, to be saints.

In addition, God did not intend people to live all alone. The fact that there are so many single, lonely individuals needs to be addressed by the Church. Those who for whatever reason cannot be a priest or nun or sister, have some options, but loneliness should not be the norm. Church communities have failed, especially in America, to support their singles. Many Catholics are singles for many reasons. There exists a judgmental attitude, which excludes those singles from the larger interaction in the Church. And, for those who desire celibacy in the world, that is an option, but it does not have to equal loneliness. I am very fortunate, as I do not experience the gnawing type of loneliness some do. I may miss my dear friends when apart from them, but that is different than the vague experience of loneliness many feel. We all need to reach out to those who feel this need, pray for them, and include them in our busy lives. To do otherwise is not to be Christian.

To Whom Are You Called?

^{Revelation 3:14-22}

^{Douay Rheims}

¹⁴ And to the angel of the church of Laodicea, write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God:

¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot.

¹⁶ But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.

¹⁷ Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

¹⁸ I counsel thee to buy of me gold fire tried, that thou mayest be made rich; and mayest be clothed in white garments, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

¹⁹ Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore, and do penance.

²⁰ Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

²¹ To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

²² He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Events_of_Revelation

Each person is called to do something in the world as a lay person.

Each one of us has a particular role to play in the world.

The world is made up of large and small worlds.

Iowa is a small world. The Midwest is a small world of provincialism which has wonderful points of goodness and areas of not-so-goodness. Some people are called to the Midwest world. It is a great place to raise a family.

Many people over the years have left Iowa. Iowans raise highly intelligent children who move away.

Interesting.

Fr. Z is a Midwesterner who has been called to the larger world of the entire globe. He is truly an international star, even though his roots came out of the Midwest.

Now, one does not have to be a "star" but one has to fulfill one's vocation in the small or the large.

Some of us work better in the large and some of us work better in the small.

God called His saints to the large and to the small worlds.

Some think Our Blessed Virgin had a small world. She did not. She not only had to travel to Egypt and back again, but to Bethlehem, to Jerusalem and finally out of the Holy Land entirely to Ephesus.

St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, was called to the large, and St. Faustina was called to the small.

There is no "good" or "bad" about the small and the large.

One of my best friends has only lived in two places in her entire life. She has been called to the small. She is a gem.

Another one of my friends travels yearly to Europe. She has been called to the large. She is a gem.

We are all called to do something and somewhere. Pray for guidance in your own vocation. God created you to do something special and it may be quietly in the small or quietly in the large, or loudly in the small and loudly in the large.

What is to be avoided is settling for the mediocre. Christ calls us out on this one.

Be-In-g The World

Matthew 10:16

Douay-Rheims

¹⁶ Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.

An insight into the call of the laity consoled me greatly today. We are not priests who work with the converted. They are the shepherds. We have to leave the sheepfold. We leave and come back and leave and come back.

We are gifts given to the world. When I was in Tyburn, I heard God clearly say He was sending back out into the world, I was saddened to leave the beauty and silence of the monastery. I still have great love for those nuns.

I wanted the life of the rhythm of prayer and work, work and prayer.

But, in front of the Monstrance, in front of the Presence of Christ, I heard clearly, twice, "I am sending you out to pray and to write."

But, God is revealing more than that to me slowly, but surely. Be a layperson is not about doing only but about being. be-ing in the world.

The laity, including little old me, are wonderfully made gifts to the world, which is starving for beauty, rational discourse, the Truth of the Catholic Church. Some have communities, and some have Catholic families. Some do not.

But, we are not merely called to our families. This is a grave error in the thinking of many Catholics. In fact, we are most likely not called to evangelize our families, if they need conversion, as most family members are closed to their own relatives regarding change.

We are called to catechize our children, of course, and lead our spouses to heaven, if we are in a marriage.

That is the main job of the lay life, but not the only.

Those who are single by choice or by accident absolutely must be in the world, bringing Christ to the world

To be called into the world is not to have, what I use to call in my first blog, "moat mentality".

"Put the alligator in the moat and pull up the drawbridge!"-No, no,no.

We carry Christ into the world. And, more than ever, the world needs each one of us desperately.

Be leaven, be in the world but not of the world. Do not hide. If you are not strong enough, surround yourselves with strong Catholics.

God will lead you.

Looking with The Eyes of Christ

1 Corinthians 2:16

Douay-Rheims 

¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

We are given grace in baptism and confirmation to think like Catholics. We are challenge to conform our minds to the mind of Christ, which is the mind of the Church.

We are asked to "put on the mind of Christ" as Catholics. This means thinking like Him and seeing the world like He does.

Looking with the Eyes of Christ would be an entirely different experience than looking at people, events, things, places with our own eyes.

If you have been fortunate enough to have been in love with someone, you will know what I mean by seeing with the eyes of love.

A friend said to me one time about a woman friend who married someone, "I just can't see what she sees in him."

Well, one cannot always answer such questions, but I usually point out the good characteristics, such as "Well, he is a kind and gentleman."

To see with the eyes of Christ may seem impossible to some people.

I actually know people who do not like animals. Some Midwesterners do not want animals in the house. Dogs and cats "belong outside". But, if one loves a pet, one sees things others do not about that animal.

How much more so with humans, the epitome of God's creation?

Seeing with the Eyes of Christ absolutely means not seeing someone for selfish reasons, merely as an extension of our own needs.

Seeing with the Eyes of Christ also does not mean glossing over faults. God loves us even while we are still daily sinners.

However, Christ sees beyond the sin, to His own triumph over sin and death.

As a teacher, I also look for the potential, the hidden characteristics which may not have been seen by others.

Sometimes, parents have been surprised when their children blossom in other situations in school or in the community.

Parents should be happily surprised by the accomplishments of their children which happen after they leave home.

Christ is not surprised by those who grow in grace and the spiritual life. He knew from all time who would respond to His call.

We do not know, but if we try and see with the Eyes of Christ, we are giving people a chance to repent, accept redemption, even come into the Church.

There is no such thing as a person who can be "written off", which is a sign of pride when one thinks like that.

Pray to see others as Christ sees them. You might be "happily surprised" by the person you see.

Repost on St. Catherine of Siena on Self-Will

Friday, 8 February 2013

Doctors of the Church Series-Part Five on the dangers of spiritual self-will

Posted by Supertradmum

This is the fifth part of the series on the Doctors of the Church. I have covered two out of the thirty-five.

I shall cover all of them from the point of view of my perfection series.

I shall include those honoured by both the East and the West. Seventeen who were declared as such before the great schism are to be included, of course. I have done Ephraim and John of Avila.

As there are only four women, my next set will cover them: SS. Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux and Hildegard of Bingen.

I am concentrating on their holiness and some of the writings. The reason a person is declared a Doctor of the Church is sort of like an honorary PhD. in holiness and excellence in writing. They have also shown that they are completely orthodox and true in doctrine.

One cannot, cannot be holy or find perfection outside of orthodoxy.

If a person insists on having areas where he or she is in disagreement with the Church in any way which is doctrinal, one is not on the way to holiness, but stuck in sin.

St. Catherine of Siena provides a perfect of example of obedience and clarity of mind. God gave her discernment, a gift which is part of prudence. Her dates are 1347-1380.

Her writings reflect deep prayer and a deep relationship with the Trinity.

Several days ago, I quoted her in depth on priests and holiness. Her she is again, from her Treatise on Prayer: 

"For, if the soul truly have light, she will wish to arrive at perfection. In this second perfect light are to be found two kinds of perfection; for they may be called perfect who have abandoned the general way of living of the world.

"One perfection is that of those who give themselves up wholly to the castigation of the body, doing great and severe penance. These, in order that their sensuality may not rebel against their reason, have placed their desire rather in the mortification of the body than in the destruction of their self-will, as I have explained to you in another place. These feed their souls at the table of penance, and are good and perfect, if their penance be illuminated by discretion, and founded on Me, if, that is to say, they act with true knowledge of themselves and of Me, with great humility, and wholly conformed to the judgment of My Will, and not to that of the will of man.

"But, if they were not thus clothed with My Will, in true humility, they would often offend against their own perfection, esteeming themselves the judges of those who do not walk in the same path. Do you know why this would happen to them? Because they have placed all their labor and desire in the mortification of the body, rather than in the destruction of their own will.

"Such as these wish always to choose their own times, and places, and consolations, after their own fashion, and also the persecutions of the world and of the Devil, as I have narrated to you in speaking of the second state of perfection.

"They say, cheating themselves with the delusion of their own self-will, which I have already called their spiritual self-will, 'I wish to have that consolation, and not these battles, or these temptations of the Devil, not, indeed, for my own pleasure, but in order to please God the more, and in order to retain Him the more in my soul through grace; because it seems to me that I should possess Him more, and serve Him better in that way than in this.' And this is the way the soul often fails into trouble, and becomes tedious and insupportable to herself; thus injuring her own perfection; yet she does not perceive it, nor that, within her, lurks the stench of pride, and there she lies.

" Now, if the soul were not in this condition, but were truly humble and not presumptuous, she would be illuminated to see that I, the Primary and Sweet Truth, grant condition, and time, and place, and consolations, and tribulations as they may be needed for your salvation, and to complete the perfection to which I have elected the soul.

"And she would see that I give everything through love, and that therefore, with love and reverence, should she receive everything, which is what the souls in the second state do, and, by doing so, arrive at the third state. Of whom I will now speak to you, explaining to you the nature of these two states which stand in the most perfect light." 

What Catherine is warning against is the great temptation to pride which happens in the Illuminative State. Here is the place where people become heretics or schismatics  insisting on their own insights or directions and separating themselves from Rome.

I believe that such men as Calvin and Knox became very holy before falling into certain ideas which carried them away from the Church and away from holiness. 

How many times have you witnessed a person who is charismatic, a leader in the Church and very pious suddenly fall away over one thing?

I have seen marriages break up when a pillar of the Church commits adultery or supports a child in a homosexual relationship, or who changes his mind about women priests and holds an opposite opinion.

The road to perfection STOPS and the soul slides back into darkness.

It happens too easily.

The experience of love and light make these men and women confident in God, but the temptation to be overly confident in themselves leads to sin.

They fall into self-deception and Catherine saw this happening in the Church. The Illuminative State brings love and power. But, humility must accompany this state or the temptations of pride creep into the soul.

After the active and passive purification, comes more enlightenment, as there are stages in the Illuminative State.

God prepares the soul for His Love. We must have our hearts and minds ready with no hindrances for that Love.

More from St. Catherine of Siena, A Lay Person

Most of the Doctors of the Church are clergy. Not this lady....

How the truly obedient receive a hundredfold for one, and also eternal lift; and what is meant by this one, and this hundredfold.

“In them is fulfilled the saying of the sweet and amorous Word, My only-begotten Son, in the gospel when He replied to Peter’s demand, ’Master, we have left everything for your love’s sake, and have followed You, what will you give us?’ My Truth replied, ’I will give you a hundredfold for one, and you shall possess eternal life.’ As if My Truth had wished to say, ‘You have done well, Peter, for in no other way could you follow Me. And I, in this life, will give you a hundredfold for one.’ And what is this hundredfold, beloved daughter, besides which the apostle obtained eternal life? To what did My Truth refer? To temporal substance?

“Properly speaking, no. Do I not, however, often cause one who gives alms to multiply in temporal goods? In return for what do I this? In return for the gift of his own will. This is the one for which I repay him a hundredfold. What is the meaning of the number a hundred? A hundred is a perfect number, and cannot be added to except by recommencing from the first. So charity is the most perfect of all the virtues, so perfect that no higher virtue can be attained except by recommencing at the beginning of self-knowledge, and thus increasing many hundredfold in merit; but you always necessarily arrive at the number one hundred. This is that hundredfold which is given to those who have given Me the unit of their own will, both in general obedience, and in the particular obedience of the religious life. And in addition to this hundred you also possess eternal life, for charity alone enters into eternal life, like a mistress bringing with her the fruit of all the other virtues, while they remain outside, bringing their fruit, I say, into Me, the eternal life, in whom the obedient taste eternal life. It is not by faith that they taste eternal life, for they experience in its essence that which they have believed through faith; nor by hope, for they possess that for which they had hoped, and so with all the other virtues, Queen Charity alone enters and possesses Me, her possessor. See, therefore, that these little ones receive a hundredfold for one, and also eternal life, for here they receive the fire of divine charity figured by the number of a hundred (as has been said). And because they have received this hundredfold from Me, they possess a wonderful and hearty joy, for there is no sadness in charity, but the joy of it makes the heart large and generous, not narrow or double. A soul wounded by this sweet arrow does not appear one thing in face and tongue while her heart is different. She does not serve, or act towards her neighbor with dissembling and ambition, because charity is an open book to be read by all. Wherefore the soul who possesses charity never falls into trouble, or the affliction of sadness, or jars with obedience, remains obedient until death.”

Again, on Being Lay

Many times, I have written on the role of the laity in the Church.

Too many trads are not acting like lay people, but acting like clerics.

We do not have the same call, the same vocation, as the priests or bishops.

We do not have the same work to do. Our work is to make holy the workplace, the home, the public sphere.

Our job is not to meddle with things which are not our responsibilities.

I am convinced that one reason why the Church is weak is that the laity want to act like priests and do priestly work instead of lay work. This not only reveals the sin of pride, but a denial of the necessity of the lay life.

One reason why there is so much evil in the world is that the laity has not gone out and evangelized. Instead of taking the Gospel into the world, beginning with the domestic church, people want to change things which are not their responsibilities.

Two areas come to my mind immediately as areas where the laity is not letting go of issue which are none of their business, but the business of bishops and priests.

One is the issue of the so-called dedication of Russia to the Immaculate Heart, and the second is the decision regarding Medjugorje.

These are decisions for the hierarchy. The Pope and the bishops decide and act on such things, not us.

While too many people are writing and doing work to push certain aspects of these topics, the real work of the laity suffers.

When is the last time you spoke of Christ and His Church to someone at work?

When was the last time you invited someone to attend Mass with you or with your family?

When was the last time you tried to get a lay community going in your parish?

When was the last time you prayed at home with your family and made time for your spouse to pray daily?

Are you tithing?

Are you going to daily Mass and weekly Adoration?

When was the last time you took part in faith formation for the laity in your parish?

The work of the laity is strenuous and demanding.

Let the priests and clergy do their work, and do your work. If the laity were really doing the work God has called us all to do, the Church would be stronger.

Good Timing: Catholic Birth Control

I have written on this here and on a long comment on another blog. Michael is absolutely correct here.  As one trained in NFP and having taught NFP, I know that the Church's teaching and intent is that it is a temporary need and only to be used in serious circumstances.

Interesting that this topic has come up of late quite a bit.

Thanks, Michael, for holding up the truth. NFP is Catholic birth-control-it is control of conception.

Dr. Jay Boyd is another source for good teaching.

http://philotheaonphire.blogspot.ie/2013_09_01_archive.html

  And, a good website

http://www.ccli.org/

and from that site...

Top 10 myths about NFP

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about NFP and the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage and sexuality. Do you recognize any of the myths below? Read on to get the “straight scoop!”

Myth #1: I’m not Catholic, so the teaching against contraception really doesn’t apply to me.

Myth #2: NFP spoils spontaneity—its charts make marital relations a clinical exercise.

Myth #3: NFP harms marriage through a lack of physical intimacy.

Myth #4: NFP users have large families because the method doesn’t work.

Myth #5: If you practice NFP you should use barrier methods during the fertile time “just to be sure.”

Myth #6: NFP is only for good marriages.

Myth #7: Popes have no firsthand experience with sex, and therefore should not be considered “authorities” on the subject.

Myth #8: Doesn’t the Church teach that every sex act should have procreation as a goal, and thus a couple must have as many children as they physically can?

Myth #9: NFP is too hard to learn.

Myth #10: NFP is the same as contraception.

On Catholic Identity Again

From experience and reflection, I want to share some thoughts on what Catholic identity is and is NOT.

Bear with me while I outline a few ideas here. This is not an exhaustive list and much is repetition  However, one cannot say these things too often.

My mom used this and so did I and there was another one for Lent and Easter.

Firstly, remember that I am old enough to remember what Catholic identity was in the 1950s and 1960s. I have a few posts on the old days of organized community and parish life which most people have never experienced. These ideals can be reinvigorated.

I used this all the time

Everyone knew everyone in the 12% of Catholics in our city of 80% Lutherans and a few Presbyterians.

The Catholic community was not only strong, but vigorous before Vatican II.

Choirs, charities, youth groups, adult study groups, (yes, including Bible study), women and men's groups all happened before the seventies.

Secondly, Catholic identity starts in the home. This identity takes work. Sadly, so many converts who have never experienced mothers baking special cakes for holy days, or name days (saints' days) or having small home devotions do not know what this entails. Christmas customs have been largely lost, as well as Easter ones.

In the 1950s, the parish priest went from home to home and consecrated the families and house to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Usually, there were pictures on the wall bought for this occasion  one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and one of the pierced heart of Mary. Because of the number of priests, the parish priests could visit houses for sick calls as well. We would meet the priest at the door with lit candles as he brought the Eucharist to the sick person. Every house had a sick call set, and I did as well.

The family rosary was said in our house when I was young in October and May. This custom dwindled later on, but I remember this, and my son remembers his parents praying the rosary out loud at night when he was a baby.

Catholic identity meant studying and my parents did this as well in parish groups. I remember the first meetings which involved using the St. John's Collegeville bible series (some are not so good, and some are). To say that Catholics did not read the Bible is a huge overstated lie.

Fourthly, Catholic identity involved modesty, about which I have many posts, and also a decorum, about which I have written as well on this blog. Catholic children learned to be ladies and gentlemen. We were counter-cultural in our behavior. This was all part and still should be part of the life of the virtues for the formation of children.

A 1950s girls' Catholic choir

Fifthly, Catholic identity meant going to Confession regularly as a family on Saturdays. Daily Mass, if possible, and the awareness that the sanctifying grace of the sacraments was necessary for supernatural life was passed down from mom and dad.

Sixthly, Catholic identity did NOT include dissent, but solemn questioning and examining and finally, conformity with the teaching of the Church at the adult level. It also involved missionary activity with the realization that we had to convert the world, as Jesus commanded. This was not seen as a option or non-politically correct attitude.

From The Mission

What Catholic identity is NOT are these few points.

Firstly, Catholic identity is not part time, but full time. One does not have a split personality of being Catholic at home and secular at work, for example.

Secondly, Catholic identity is not an identity of negativity or argumentation. In other words, it is being for the Church and not merely against the prevailing culture or other religions. A person who identities themselves in negativity or argument will never grow spiritually.

Thirdly, Catholic identity is not the proliferation of devotions, visionaries, medals or statues one collects, but a conforming of the mind to the mind of the Church. Too many people here in England (and some in Malta) think that in order to be Catholic one has to believe any new so-called revelations. Absolutely not.

Even the writings of the visionaries who are saints are not infallible.

Fourthly, Catholic identity is NOT automatic, simply because one's family is Catholic or one's surroundings. It is an interior disposition to holiness and putting  on the Mind of Christ, which is the mind of the Church. As an Irish priest reminded me not too long ago, the Irish loss of faith was a long time happening owing to the lack of adult appropriation of the faith-no study and no effort leads to secular attitudes.

Nuns passing guards on the way to see Pope Pius XII’s body. Photograph by Mark Kauffman. Rome, Italy, October 1958.

Lastly, Catholic identity is NOT being more Catholic than Rome. Extremist groups on both the left and right cannot be truly Catholic, as the Church is one, holy, true and apostolic, and therefore solidly balanced. To fall into liberal camps, such as being a socialist, which one cannot be and be Catholic, or to fall into far-right camps which add teachings to those of the Church, such as cultic dress or following false seers, are not part of Catholic identity but errors of modernism and gnosticism.

I could add more points, but most of these things I have discussed here on this blog in the past. I shall only add that Catholic identity means teaching your children the Faith in season and out of season.

More on Obedience for the Laity-Four

Alas, minor orders no more...

A few more areas where the laity must be obedient are these:

1) when your confessor gives you absolution, you must obey;

2) if your local diocese or the council of bishops in your country declares a holy day of obligation or rules of abstinence and fasting particular to your diocese and/or country, you must obey.

3) of course, if your bishop asks all teachers in the Catholic schools to take the oath and promise of fidelity, you must obey, as that was a directive from Rome which the bishops can enforce;

4) if a bishop demands that all women who have been excommunicated for abortion, or anyone aiding or abetting an abortion needs to see him personally for the lifting of that, one must obey.

There are most likely more, but these were added by a smart seminarian who reads my blog.

Obedience Three

II. THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.⁸²

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.⁸³

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.⁸⁴

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.⁸⁵

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.⁸⁶

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.⁸⁷

Obedience Two

Here are some helpful quotations from the CCC on our duties as laity: (my boldface type).

.

 I. MORAL LIFE AND THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE CHURCH

2032 The Church, the "pillar and bulwark of the truth," "has received this solemn command of Christ from the apostles to announce the saving truth."⁷⁴ "To the Church belongs the right always and everywhere to announce moral principles, including those pertaining to the social order, and to make judgments on any human affairs to the extent that they are required by the fundamental rights of the human person or the salvation of souls."⁷⁵

2033 The Magisterium of the Pastors of the Church in moral matters is ordinarily exercised in catechesis and preaching, with the help of the works of theologians and spiritual authors. Thus from generation to generation, under the aegis and vigilance of the pastors, the "deposit" of Christian moral teaching has been handed on, a deposit composed of a characteristic body of rules, commandments, and virtues proceeding from faith in Christ and animated by charity. Alongside the Creed and the Our Father, the basis for this catechesis has traditionally been the Decalogue which sets out the principles of moral life valid for all men.

2034 The Roman Pontiff and the bishops are "authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to the people entrusted to them, the faith to be believed and put into practice."⁷⁶ The ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him teach the faithful the truth to believe, the charity to practice, the beatitude to hope for.

2035 The supreme degree of participation in the authority of Christ is ensured by the charism of infallibility. This infallibility extends as far as does the deposit of divine Revelation; it also extends to all those elements of doctrine, including morals, without which the saving truths of the faith cannot be preserved, explained, or observed.⁷⁷

2036 The authority of the Magisterium extends also to the specific precepts of the natural law, because their observance, demanded by the Creator, is necessary for salvation. In recalling the prescriptions of the natural law, the Magisterium of the Church exercises an essential part of its prophetic office of proclaiming to men what they truly are and reminding them of what they should be before God.⁷⁸

2037 The law of God entrusted to the Church is taught to the faithful as the way of life and truth. The faithful therefore have the right to be instructed in the divine saving precepts that purify judgment and, with grace, heal wounded human reason.⁷⁹ They have the duty of observing the constitutions and decrees conveyed by the legitimate authority of the Church. Even if they concern disciplinary matters, these determinations call for docility in charity.

2038 In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the contribution of all Christians and men of good will. Faith and the practice of the Gospel provide each person with an experience of life "in Christ," who enlightens him and makes him able to evaluate the divine and human realities according to the Spirit of God.⁸⁰ Thus the Holy Spirit can use the humblest to enlighten the learned and those in the highest positions.

2039 Ministries should be exercised in a spirit of fraternal service and dedication to the Church, in the name of the Lord.⁸¹ At the same time the conscience of each person should avoid confining itself to individualistic considerations in its moral judgments of the person's own acts. As far as possible conscience should take account of the good of all, as expressed in the moral law, natural and revealed, and consequently in the law of the Church and in the authoritative teaching of the Magisterium on moral questions. Personal conscience and reason should not be set in opposition to the moral law or the Magisterium of the Church.

2040 Thus a true filial spirit toward the Church can develop among Christians. It is the normal flowering of the baptismal grace which has begotten us in the womb of the Church and made us members of the Body of Christ. In her motherly care, the Church grants us the mercy of God which prevails over all our sins and is especially at work in the sacrament of reconciliation. With a mother's foresight, she also lavishes on us day after day in her liturgy the nourishment of the Word and Eucharist of the Lord.

Obedience and the Hierarchy of the Church

A quick post. There seems to be among the laity, confusion as to the meaning of the obedience we owe the hierarchy of the Church.

Firstly, we are not under vows of obedience as are religious and orders of priests, or secular priests. We do not make vows of obedience to an abbot or mother as laity.




Secondly, we are adults, not children in the faith and, therefore have a duty to form our consciences in line with the mind of the Church.

Thirdly, we owe respect to all members of the hierarchy.

However, as to being obedient, we are obedient in Faith and Morals, to the doctrines and dogmas which come from the Chair of Peter. Contraception falls under this category.  We are also obedient to statements from the USCCB or the other country or national conferences of bishops if they are in keeping with the Teaching Magisterium of the Church, such as statements on abortion or marriage. So far, so good.

We must be obedient to the Laws of the Church regarding holy days of obligation, fast and abstinence days, financially supporting the Church and so on. See the list below.

A recent example would be the re-institution of the Friday fast in Great Britain. We laity are bound by that reaffirmation of no meat on Friday.

Period.

As adults, we must learn the Faith and keep our Baptismal promises. We must evangelize, as Christ told us to do.

Those are duties.

Following the rules of the Church are part of our duty as well. Many people do not know these. We laity are bound by these.

These are listed in the CCC. Here is a list of those from an earlier catechism. It is a convenient list of the same rules.

The chief commandments, or laws, of the Church are these six:

1. To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation.
2. To fast and to abstain on the days appointed.
3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
4. To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.
5. To contribute to the support of the Church.
6. To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage. (this includes raising the children and educating them as Catholics)
   

But, we have another duty to learn what is the Truth and hold to that as explained and defined not only in Scripture, but by Mother Church. We cannot be disobedient to the Creed, or to doctrines, for example. This includes Canon Law which applies to the laity (as some Canons apply only to priests, for example).

We do not owe obedience in actions of the Pope or cardinals or bishops or priests which are not in keeping with the teaching of the Church. For example, we do not have to agree with Assisi, 1986, nor go to like services. We can respectfully discuss such events as WYD.

As long as conversations are based on rational discourse and not feeling, people may make comments here on all topics. I expect adult-level comments. And, I demand respectful ones. Most commentators have been excellent.

As laity, we have a bit more freedom to discuss things than the clergy. But, all discussions are in keeping with the above knowledge.

To be continued....

On Getting Past the Past

In the long discussions on the blog on the single life, I have had several comments from people who had to leave religious communities for one reason or another. I must honestly say the pain and suffering of these people moves me and calls for prayer. However, what is clear is that emotional suffering and psychological suffering interfere with our ability to see God clearly and to see what He is doing in our lives clearly. To be able to love demands that we accept Love. We can only love through Christ, in the Trinity, not of ourselves. But, sometimes, this process takes years. We also have to forgive ourselves for mistakes, failures, sin.

For the child who has never known the love of parents, especially a father, this would take Divine Intervention and grace to overcome.

For an abused person, of any age, forgiveness is necessary for healing.

For a person who has been betrayed and abandoned in marriage, the same--forgiveness and healing.

We see through a glass darkly, states St. Paul, not only because of our own sin, but the sin we endure from others. Some of us have experienced great hurt. Some of us forgave and still forgive, as we are forgiven.

As to having bad experiences in religious communities, I can personally state I understand, having been in a lay community for seven years as a young person, and having experienced rejection and selfishness by authorities in my life at the time.And yet, I regret none of my good decisions, which were made for God and did not involve sin.  Forgiveness is the key to healing. God wastes nothing we have experienced.

If one has tried a vocation and for whatever reason this path has ended up in failure, that is a real cross, again, as I know personally. However, those of us who did that made choices and tried to follow a vocation. We are not in the indecisive, non-committing group, which the statistics in several posts of the past week show, and as we see daily in the lives of lost youth. Being open, following a vocation, having that interrupted, is just plain suffering. That, too, can be a sign of dysfunction in our society. God has a plan.

God bless you all.

But, the Cross of Christ always leads to life, always. Golgotha was not the last word. The Resurrection is.

I repeat the rule that no anonymous commenting will be published, and I also do not publish references to the Church or the Pope which I consider rude or blasphemous. If I feel others would not accept or be able to read a comment calmly, or with love, I do not publish those either. I pray for my readers and commentators. God has a plan for all of us. Be hopeful, have courage.

Whose says martyrs can't be feisty?

Sts. Justa and Rufina Feast Day — July 19

Justa and Rufina were sisters who lived in Seville, Spain about two hundred years after Jesus’ life, death, Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. We believe that they became Christians after hearing missionaries preach about Christ. They were devout members of the Church and tried to live as faithful disciples of Jesus.

The sisters supported themselves by making and selling beautiful clay pots. They always gave some of their earnings to people in need. Like many other merchants, they sold their pottery from booths set up out of doors in the village where people could see them.

People who were celebrating a pagan festival honoring the Roman gods came to the sisters’ booth. They wanted to buy pots to use in their worship services. Justa and Rufina refused, explaining that they were followers of Christ and did not believe in false gods.  The worshippers became angry. They broke all of the Justa’s and Rufina’s pottery, smashing everything to the ground. The sisters responded to this by breaking an image of Venus, one of the pagan gods. They were arrested immediately.

The sisters were brought before the governor. He demanded that they give up their faith. They refused. He ordered the women to be jailed. The governor gave Justa and Rufina one last chance to speak out against Christ . They refused again.

Justa and Rufina died as martyrs for our faith. Their lives teach us what it means to follow the First Commandment: I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.

all from http://rclweb.com/resources/2009/07/19/sts-justa-and-rufina-feast-day-%E2%80%94-july-19/

On the Order of Widows

Anna, the Widow and Prophetess

In Old and New Testament studies among both Catholic and Protestant scholars, a resurgence in the interest of the history of widows has happened. Now, some of the Protestant interpretations, usually, of course, based entirely on Scripture, reveal, as do the Catholic studies, the plight of the widow in the time of Christ. This post is not a history of the widow either in the Old or New Testament, but a discussion of what is sometimes called The Order of Widows.

Starting in the years following the World Wars, there emerged an interest in Europe to acknowledge the needs of widow both physically and spiritually. France seems to be the earliest example of the post-war re-institution of an Order of Widows. According to Elizabeth Rees, in the most complete article I have seen on this, the French Bishop of Paris had a blessing for widows approved by the CDW for a specific group attached to an order of nuns.

There are several groups in America, none of which have the approval of the Vatican at this time. Some live in communities, and some have non-communal affiliations. I do not mention them by name, as these are not approved, and in some cases, somewhat liberal. I would only recommend approved orders at this time.

However, in some European countries, but not in America, a few individual consecrated widows have made private vows to their bishops. These widows do not live in communities.

In the early Church, the Order of Widows may be connected to what is written in 1 Timothy 1-16. The criteria are that the widow must be truly one, of one husband; that she is over 60, (nice, assuming a woman younger may get married again), not gossipy or taken to wine, with an excellent reputation in helping the poor and other members of the Church.

One of the interesting notes is that it is the family who is to take care of the widow if she has one and not the Church. This is specifically stated. Those poor widows without families, of whom we can assume there were many, needed Church protection and funds.

Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband  Douay Rheims 1 Timothy 5:9

The Widow's Mite

Now, St. Paul uses the word "enrolled" or "chosen", and with the above list of set and clear criteria, the Church has concluded that this was some sort of "Order" with a rule.

That the Vatican has taken such a long time on revising this means that the CDW wants to get it right, clear, and in accordance with Scripture and Tradition.

At this time, for those women who are interested, I suggest you talk first with your spiritual director, then your bishop, and then, possibly write to Rome. If Rome had many letters requesting a renewal of this group, it may happen faster. In the meantime, a widow could make private vows, as least in Europe.

By the way, a widow is not a divorcee and an annulled woman. I did check that out with a priest who is involved with such a group. God bless all widows.

The Mystical Marriage of the Consecrated Virgin

St. Catherine of Siena's Mystical Marriage

To you, young people, I say: if you hear the Lord's call, do not reject it! Dare to become part of the great movements of holiness which renowned saints have launched in their following of Christ. Cultivate the ideals proper to your age, but readily accept God's plan for you if he invites you to seek holiness in the consecrated life. Admire all God's works in the world, but be ready to fix your eyes on the things destined never to pass away.
The Third Millennium awaits the contribution of the faith and creativity of great numbers of young consecrated persons, that the world may be made more peaceful and able to welcome God and, in him, all his sons and daughters. Blessed John Paul II


This quotation is from the Apostolic Letter Vita Consecrata explained below.


I write this for my English friends, and some young people in Malta, who had not heard of the life of the Consecrated Virgin. Starting with this excellent website, I shall merely list a few points on the vocation. Personally, I know two and both woman work for the Church in various capacities. Both are professional women and wonderful lights in the world. I highly suggest that some of the single persons who are women look into this as a possible call from God. The beauty of this life involves several levels of holiness-poverty, celibacy and obedience. One becomes a "sign of contradiction in the world".

Let me start with the Vatican document on the consecrated life. On March 25th, 1996, Blessed John Paul II promulgated the apostolic letter Vita Consecrata. Blessed John Paul II began this letter referring to love and the Mystery of the Transfiguration. His description of the call of virgins to this rule is sublime. One can click on the name and follow the text. Here are a few sections from this beautiful letter:

Consecrated persons, who embrace the evangelical counsels, receive a new and special consecration which, without being sacramental, commits them to making their own — in chastity, poverty and obedience — the way of life practised personally by Jesus and proposed by him to his disciples. Although these different categories are a manifestation of the one mystery of Christ, the lay faithful have as their specific but not exclusive characteristic, activity in the world; the clergy, ministry; consecrated men and women, special conformity to Christ, chaste, poor and obedient.
.....


The Institutes of Consecrated Life, through the profession of the evangelical counsels, must be conscious of their special mission in today's Church, and we must encourage them in that mission".The Fathers of the Ninth Assembly of the Synod of Bishops echoed this conviction: "Throughout the Church's history, consecrated life has been a living presence of the Spirit's work, a kind of privileged milieu for absolute love of God and of neighbour, for witness to the divine plan of gathering all humanity into the civilization of love, the great family of the children of God".The Church has always seen in the profession of the evangelical counsels a special path to holiness. The very expressions used to describe it — the school of the Lord's service, the school of love and holiness, the way or state of perfection — indicate the effectiveness and the wealth of means which are proper to this form of evangelical life, and the particular commitment made by those who embrace it.It is not by chance that there have been so many consecrated persons down the centuries who have left behind eloquent testimonies of holiness and have undertaken particularly generous and demanding works of evangelization and service.
......


Consecrated persons are asked to be true experts of communion and to practise the spirituality of communionas "witnesses and architects of the plan for unity which is the crowning point of human history in God's design".The sense of ecclesial communion, developing into aspirituality of communion, promotes a way of thinking, speaking and acting which enables the Church to grow in depth and extension. The life of communion in fact "becomes a signfor all the world and a compelling force that leads people to faith in Christ ... In this way communion leads to mission, and itself becomes mission"; indeed, "communion begets communion: in essence it is a communion that is missionary". In founders and foundresseswe see a constant and lively sense of the Church, which they manifest by their full participation in all aspects of the Church's life, and in their ready obedience to the Bishops and especially to the Roman Pontiff. Against this background of love towards Holy Church, "the pillar and bulwark of the truth" (1 Tim 3:15), we readily understand the devotion of Saint Francis of Assisi for "the Lord Pope",the daughterly outspokenness of Saint Catherine of Siena towards the one whom she called "sweet Christ on earth",the apostolic obedience and the sentire cum Ecclesia of Saint Ignatius Loyola,and the joyful profession of faith made by Saint Teresa of Avila: "I am a daughter of the Church".We can also understand the deep desire of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus: "In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love".These testimonies are representative of the full ecclesial communion which the Saints, founders and foundresses, have shared in diverse and often difficult times and circumstances. They are examples which consecrated persons need constantly to recall if they are to resist the particularly strong centrifugal and disruptive forces at work today.

.......


The prophetic task of the consecrated life is brought into play by three major challenges addressed to the Church herself: they are the same challenges as ever, posed in new ways, and perhaps more radically, by contemporary society, at least in some parts of the world. These challenges relate directly to the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, impelling the Church, and consecrated persons in particular, to clarify and testify to the profound anthropological significance of the counsels. The decision to follow the counsels, far from involving an impoverishment of truly human values, leads instead to their transformation. The evangelical counsels should not be considered as a denial of the values inherent in sexuality, in the legitimate desire to possess material goods or to make decisions for oneself. Insofar as these inclinations are based on nature, they are good in themselves. Human beings, however, weakened as they are by original sin, run the risk of acting on them in a way which transgresses the moral norms. The profession of chastity, poverty and obedience is a warning not to underestimate the wound of original sin and, while affirming the value of created goods, it relativizes them by pointing to God as the absolute good. Thus, while those who follow the evangelical counsels seek holiness for themselves, they propose, so to speak, a spiritual "therapy" for humanity, because they reject the idolatry of anything created and in a certain way they make visible the living God. The consecrated life, especially in difficult times, is a blessing for human life and for the life of the Church.


Realizing this is a long post already, I would like to add the following from the website above. This list will help clarify the call. This call involves a commitment, and is a vocation. These women do not, obviously, belong to those groups of singles who do not commit themselves to anything. I would read and ponder this lovely detailed examination. I am so happy Blessed John Paul II re-organized this life-style. I hope readers understand that to make a decision for Christ should involve a relationship with the Church in a formal way, as we were not meant to be alone in the world, tossed and turned by circumstances, without focus.


From the Code of Canon Law:
• The virgin is consecrated to God by the diocesan Bishop according to a rite approved by the church. [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 922-924]
• She is betrothed mystically to Christ and dedicated to the service of the church.
• She enters a public state of consecrated life in the Church.
• She lives her life individually, under the direction of the diocesan Bishop.

From the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity:
• The consecrated virgin is constituted a sacred person in the Church. [Introduction, No. 1]
• No particular service or spirituality is imposed; the consecrated virgin's time is spent in works of penance and of mercy, in apostolic activity, and in prayer, in accord with her state of life and spiritual gifts. [No. 2]
• She is strongly advised to recite the Liturgy of the Hours daily, and is committed to praying Morning and Evening Prayer. [No.2]
• Her life is one of perpetual virginity. [No.5]

Secular State:
The consecrated virgin remains in the secular state, providing completely for her own material needs, medical care, and retirement. At no time is the diocese financially responsible for her. [Sr. Sharon Holland, Consecrated Virgins for Today's Church, 1998, as printed in Consecrated Life, Vol. 24, No.2, pp. 257-75]

The consecrated virgin does not wear habit or veil, nor use the title "Sister," nor write "OCV" after her name. She witnesses subtly, but publicly and powerfully, by her virginal life given exclusively to Jesus Christ. Consecrated virgins today wear their ring, but their comportment, modesty in dress, simplicity in lifestyle all betoken their living of the evangelical counsels. [from Archbishop Burke, Questions and Answers in "Preparation Process," USACV Information Packet, revised August 2009]

I was going to post this tomorrow, but some readers wanted to know more about this. God bless you all. Tomorrow I shall write on the Order of Widows, which does not exist at this time, but did. There are some in Europe and the Vatican is working on a Rite.