Mary Immaculate

MARY IMMACULATE

The feast of the Immaculate Conception is normally on December 8.  Because December 8 falls on the Second Sunday of Advent the feast will be celebrated on December 9 

One of the foundational teachings of the Church is the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  She who would bear the Son of God was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular  grace and privilege of Almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (Pius IX, 1854)  It was necessary that Mary  be free from  even Original Sin so that she would be able to give free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation... (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #490) Mary’s Immaculate Conception was a preparation by God that would allow her to bring forth, in human flesh, the Word of God. 

 Free from Original Sin, Mary would also remain a virgin in perpetuam.  She was a virgin before and after Jesus is conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, and she remained a virgin for the rest of her life.   The fact of Mary’s perpetual virginity is as necessary to our understanding of the Incarnation as is the fact of her Immaculate Conception.  Just as Mary could not be stained even with Original Sin because the vessel that would hold the Holy of Holies must be the purest of pure, so, too, once having held the very personification of God, she must forever more remain unstained and her womb unused for anything except the divine.  In her womb she housed the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.  How could this womb ever hold anything of common origin?  She is for all eternity a sacred vessel.

In our care to preserve the Sacredness of the Blessed Sacrament, the Church has proposed a discipline on the use of the Eucharistic vessels.  Once a chalice, patten or ciborium has been used in the liturgy it cannot be used for anything else.  It has held the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and is forever reserved for this use.  How much more must womb that nourished and housed the Body and Blood of Christ for the first nine months of his earthly existence for ever remain unused for any  other purpose.  Just as once the Body and Blood of Christ has filled the chalice and ciborium they are forever sanctified, so too, once the womb of the Blessed Virgin has held the person of Jesus it is forever sanctified and set apart. 

This doctrine causes concern for some who read of the brothers and sisters of Jesus in the Gospels.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary.  In fact James and Joseph, “brothers of Jesus,” are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls “the other Mary.”  They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.  (CCC #500) If, indeed, Mary had other sons it would not have been necessary or appropriate for Jesus to entrust her to the care of the Beloved Disciple as he hung dying on the cross.  Her other children would have cared for her.  But Jesus gave her to John and in so doing gave her as mother to us all. 

Prepared from all eternity as the one singularly graced by God through her Immaculate Conception so she could bear God’s Son, Mary remained a virgin her entire life.  She remained pure of her own free will and lived her life in obedience to God’s will.  First among the disciples of her Divine Son she now shares his glory.  Elevated body and soul into heaven at the conclusion of her journey on earth, she now lives the fullness of the Resurrection with God who is her Father, her Spouse and her Son.   Chosen from among the children of God she now embraces each of us with a mother’s love.  Radiant in the rays of God’s glory she intercedes for her children with her Son, Jesus Christ.

 Deacon Ed

A Culture of Life Part 3 - Euthanasia and Suicide

A CULTURE OF LIFE

Euthanasia/Suicide

"Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable." CCC#2277 "Suicide is always as morally objectionable as murder." GL #66

Suicide and euthanasia are always, in all circumstances, wrong and a grave matter. We are often torn by the sufferings of those we love and are tempted to think that so called "mercy killing" is a loving act. Yet, as John Paul II states: "Even when not motivated by a selfish refusal to be burdened with the life of someone who is suffering, euthanasia must be called a false mercy, and indeed a disturbing 'perversion' of mercy." GL #66 Clarity is needed here in our definition of euthanasia.  It is the direct taking of a life for reasons of sickness or disability. Care of the sick is an obligation of all and must not become a matter of judging life by arbitrary standards such as "quality of life." In the case of the terminally ill, it is not necessary to use extraordinary means to prolong life.  Ordinary care, such as nourishment and hydration, must always be provided, but invasive procedures, or so called aggressive medical treatments, can be refused. Even the administration of pain killers that may possibly hasten death can be administered if the intention is not to cause death but to reduce suffering. End of life issues are complex and often distorted by emotion.  To decide, the case of the terminally ill or someone who is being kept alive by artificial means, to discontinue these aggressive measures, so long as nourishment and hydration is continued, is in keeping the dignity of human life. "To forgo extraordinary or disproportionate means is not the equivalent of suicide or euthanasia; it rather expresses acceptance of the human condition in the face of death." GL#65

"Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of Life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of." CCC#2280

A Culture Of Life Part Two

A CULTURE OF LIFE

Abortion

"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured  abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law." (CCC #2271)

Before any other life issue is considered, the fundamental right to life of the unborn takes prominence. At the earliest stages of life we are the most vulnerable, depended upon the care and love of another. To consider that the value of this life at its most precious and fragile state is dependant solely on the affections of another, even his or her mother, is to deny completely the value of any life. How can we possibly talk about the value of human life at any stage if we can deny it at its earliest. If our value is dependent upon the views of others than we have no intrinsic value at all.  If, because we can, because we have the ability to decide if this life is of value, we can decide to end life, how can we decry the actions of the powerful over the weak in situations of tyranny, of government abuses, even of murder itself. As John Paul II says: "Looking at the situation from this point of view, it is possible to speak in a certain sense of a war of the powerful against the weak: a life which would require greater acceptance, love and care is considered useless, or held to be an intolerable burden, and is therefore rejected in one way or another.  A person who, because of illness, handicap or, more simply, just by existing, compromises the well-being or life-style of those who are more favored tends to be looked upon as an enemy to be resisted or eliminated." (GL #12)

So serious is the offense of abortion that the Church imparts the severest penalty for those who obtain abortions and those who cooperate in the process. "Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life." (CCC #2272).  While the Church recognizes that many factors lead to the decision to end a pregnancy in abortion, the graveness of the action nonetheless requires the most serious response.  The mercy of God allows for release from this penalty of excommunication upon repentance and the reception of Sacramental Absolution. Great sympathy must be offered to those women who choose abortion because of the moral ambiguity our society is mired in and the feeling of desperation that often occurs with unwanted pregnancies. Forgiveness and redemption are the hoped for outcome for all who sin, especially those who do so out of fear, confusion, and desperation. This sad state of affairs is further complicated by a society that not only sees crimes against life as acceptable but even an individual's "right." "It is not only that in generalized opinion these attacks tend no longer to be considered as 'crimes'; paradoxically they assume the nature of 'rights', to the point that the State is called to give them legal recognition and to make them available through the free services of health-care personnel." (GL #11) The right to life is the preeminent right which supersedes all other rights.

A CULTURE OF LIFE

A CULTURE OF LIFE

I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.  Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

Over the next few blogs I will be discussing Church Teaching concerning creating a culture of life, the teachings about life issues from the very beginning of life to the very end and the various concerns in-between. My main references for this discussion will be The Catechism of the Catholic Church, abbreviated as CCC, and Blessed John Paul II's encyclical EVANGELIUM VITAE, THE GOSPEL OF LIFE, abbreviated as GL.

John Paul begins his encyclical by saying: "The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus' message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as 'good news' to the people of every culture." GL #1 This is a call to make known the message of the Gospel that all life is sacred and must be protected and respected. This message of life is the foundation of all communities and governments. Without this fundamental recognition of the sacredness of all life communities are undermined and governments loose legitimacy. The sacredness of all life must be protected and respected from its very beginning at conception to it natural end. This fundamental teaching encompasses a myriad issues that give it its full  expression. Recalling the Second Vatican Council's condemnation of crimes against the sacredness of life the Pope echoes its teaching: "Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or willful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself, whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where people are treated as mere instruments of gain rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others like them are infamies indeed. They poison human society, and they do more harm to those who practice them that to those who suffer from injury. Moreover, they are a supreme dishonor to the Creator." GL #3. Not only are these things still increasing throughout the world, but in our culture crimes against life are being justified as "rights".

Referring to the story of Cain and Able, John Paul quotes the scripture: "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil." Genesis 4:10 Recognizing then that we are all our brothers' and sisters' keepers, we are called to "preach with dauntless fidelity" the Gospel of life and be about the work of creating a culture of life out of the present culture of death.

SOLIDARITY

THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING #6

SOLIDARITY

"Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all." (Sollicitdto rei Sociallis #38, John Paul II 1987)

The theme of Solidarity reminds us that we are our brother's and sister's keepers, where ever they may be in the world.  Our actions must be viewed not only in how they affect those nearest to us, but also how they affect our brothers and sisters around the globe. We are all interdependent upon each other. How we conduct our economy here in North America affects those in distant countries. John Paul continues: "Interdependence must be transformed into solidarity, based upon the principle that the goods of creation are meant for all.  That which human industry produces through the processing of raw materials, with the contribution of work, must serve equally for the good of all. (#39) This has important implications for those of us who live in the richer nations. How much of the world's resources we consume and how it affects others in poorer nations must be part of our discussion and part of our decision making process.  If others are hungry because we control access to the food available to them, we are at fault and responsible for their hunger. The Gospels, and the Church echoing them, call us to stand in solidarity most especially with the poor and the oppressed. We do not own the resources of the world simply because we are able to purchase them. As brothers and sisters in the Lord we are responsible for one another most importantly where those resources that enable others to live lives that are free of hunger and poverty are not kept from them by the purchasing power of the wealthy.

As Pope Benedict says: "It is good for people to realize that purchasing is always a moral - and not simply economic - act. Hence the consumer has specific social responsibility, which goes hand-in-hand with the social responsibility of the enterprise. Consumers should be continually educated regarding their daily role, which can be exercised with respect for moral principles without diminishing the intrinsic economic rationality of the act of purchasing...I can be helpful to promote new ways of marketing products from deprived areas of the world, so as to guarantee their producers a decent return. (Caritas in Veritate, #66)

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

SOCIAL TEACHING THEME 5

THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS

On the occasion of the 100 year anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarum (1891), Pope John Paul II wrote his own encyclical on the Social Teachings of the Church, "Centesimus Annus."  In that encyclical the pope reaffirms Leo's call for the protection of the dignity of work and the rights of workers; "The obligation to earn one's bread by the sweat of one's brow also presumes the right to do so. A society in which this right is systematically denied, in which economic policies do not allow workers to reach satisfactory levels of employment, cannot be justified from an ethical point of view, nor can that society attain social peace." (#43)

The rights of workers and the dignity of labor are fundamental to the health of any society. Workers must never be seen as mere commodities nor treated as available capital. More than just a means to earn a living, work is a participation by men and women in furthering God's creation. The rights and safety of all workers must be stringently protected. Excessive hours of labor, harsh, unsafe  and unsanitary conditions, and low wages, all violate the rights of the workers. The Church also reminds us that the Sabbath rest is still an obligation for Catholics and must be protected by society not only for the health of workers but to ensure the freedom to worship. While some jobs require Sunday employment, unnecessary work on Sunday still violates the first Precept of the Church: "You shall attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor." (CCC #2042)

Included in this theme of Social Teaching is the right to private property and to economic initiative. There is also the right to join unions and other associations. The dignity and value of each person is, thus, the goal of all social and economic activity. The poverty that results from low wages or underemployment is a violation of this right. As Pope Benedict writes: "In many cases, poverty results from a violation of the dignity of human work, either because work opportunities are limited (through unemployment of underemployment), or because a low value is put on work and the rights of that flow from it, especially the right to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family." (Caritas in Veritate #63)

THE RESURRECTION

As we continue our Easter celebration, I thought it might be a good time to revisit the Resurrection as an event.  How do we know it happened?  What is the evidence we look for, and what are theologians saying about it?

Over the past few years I have read many articles and books on the Resurrection of Jesus.  Some simply state the Resurrection as fact and talk about its significance.  Others question the historical reality of the Resurrection.  Was it just an expression of the faith of the apostles?  Would anyone else have been able to see Jesus?  Did it really happen?

St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians: "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is void and your faith is empty, too. Indeed, we should then be exposed as false witnesses of God, for we have borne witness before him that he raised up Christ; but he certainly did not raise him up if the dead are not raised.  Why? Because if the dead are not raised , then Christ was not raised; and if Christ was not raised, your faith is worthless.  You are still in your sins, and those who have fallen asleep in Christ are the deadest of the dead.  If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of all men."  (I Cor. 15:14-19)

So the Resurrection is a fact.  But what was Jesus like after the Resurrection?  Was he just a ghost or did he have bodily form?

To answer some of these questions let's look at the evidence.  First is the empty tomb.  The fact that the tomb of Jesus was empty does not in itself prove anything.  There can be other explanations for the empty tomb.  One is that the disciples of Jesus came in the night a stole his body.  This is what the Sanhedrin feared would happen and why they insisted that Pilot place guards at the tomb.  What the empty tomb can tell us is that the Resurrection, if it happened, was a bodily Resurrection.  In other words, Jesus was risen in his body. His body no longer lays in the tomb but is resurrected.  He was not a ghost when he appeared to his disciples.

The fact that Jesus first appeared to women is another piece of the evidentiary puzzle.  Women, at the time of Christ, had no real rights.  Their testimony could not be used as evidence in court.  If the Resurrection was a faith experience, or a fabrication by the apostles, they would not have had him appear first to the women at the
tomb.  In fact, the apostles themselves did not believe the testimony of the women.  Why should they expect anyone else to?  The women were the first to see Jesus and, therefore, the first to proclaim the Resurrection.  A thing that was simply not part of the cultural experience of the times.

It is the post Resurrection appearances that give us the most data about the historical reality of the event and what the nature of the resurrected Jesus was.  Recall that when Jesus first appeared to the disciples that first Easter night, they thought they were seeing a ghost.  Jesus assured them, using the evidence of his hands and feet, that it was he and that he was not a ghost.  He upbraided them for not believing the women.  He would appear to them at least two more times, as well as appearing to others.

The nature of these appearances and the activity Jesus is involved in during them shed some light on his own resurrected nature.  Jesus eats with the disciples.  He allows them to touch his wounds.  He cooks for
them.  All this indicate that Jesus rose in bodily form.  It was the same body he had before the resurrection.  But is was also very different.  Jesus was no longer confined by space and time.  He could appear suddenly through locked doors.  He could disappear just as suddenly as he did with the disciples in Emmaus.  Clearly he was not
bound by the human condition they way we still are and the way he was before his resurrection.  Jesus still had the same body he had before but his body was now glorified.  His is a resurrected body, not simply a resuscitated one.  His body was now free from all human defect and was no longer bound by natural law.  But it still was a physical body that could be seen by the doubting disciples and could still perform such human activities as eating and touching.

As the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH states: "Given all these testimonies, Christ's Resurrection can not be interpreted as something outside the physical order, and it is impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact."  CCC#643

Jesus rose from the dead, body and soul, a  physical event that can be verified empirically. The apostles saw him and retold the stories of his presence among them after his Resurrection.  His body, the same one he had before his Resurrection was no longer bound the laws of nature but still retained his wounds of crucifixion.  As Christians, the historical accuracy of the Resurrection is central to our belief.

As St. Paul says, "If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is worthless."

Keeping The Triduum

HOLY WEEK

Keeping The Paschal Triduum

(All quotes and directives are taken from the Sacramentary)

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the days we call Holy Week which culminate in the "Triduum", the Latin word for "three days." These Three Days embody the whole meaning of Christian life. We process in with palms to welcome our King. The Passion narrative stirs up a multitude of feelings: shame for sin, guilt for our betrayals, joy in the gift of Eucharist, gratitude for the mystery of redemption. Life demands death; love requires self-donation; mercy necessitates divine compassion.
HOLY THURSDAY - EVENING MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Holy Thursday is the day that God’s love is ritualized in a unique way. Jesus not only shares the intimacy of a meal, a last meal with his disciples, but he gives them a simple, clear example of what discipleship is all about: service. Washing one another’s feet, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked—here is the core of the Eucharist, our great miracle of love. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is traditionally the only Mass celebrated in the parishes on this day. (The Chrism Mass, when celebrated on Holy Thursday is celebrated at the Cathedral) The Mass takes place in the evening with the "full participation of the whole local community and with all priests and clergy exercising their ministry." During the singing of the Gloria the church bells ring and then remain silent until the Easter Vigil. It is appropriate also for all but the most necessary musical accompaniment be refrained from during this time. After Communion the Eucharist for Good Friday is left in the ciborium on the altar. At the conclusion of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession through the church, accompanied by a cross bearer, candles and incense, to the place of repository. After the repository is closed the altar is stripped and crosses removed or covered. The faithful are encouraged to spend some time in adoration which should conclude by eleven o’clock.
GOOD FRIDAY
"According to the Church’s ancient tradition, the sacraments are not celebrated today or tomorrow." Good Friday’s readings portray what the day is all about the death of the king whose destiny is being fulfilled and whose hour of glory is the cross. In reading the account of the mystery of redemption, our faith is put to the test. Salvation coming through the cross? Life recovered through death? Our God crucified? The veneration of the cross is a powerful part of today’s ritual. It is a sign of love; of triumph; of our daily struggles to live this life of Christ. The altar is bare and without cross or candles. The celebration of the Lord’s Passion normally takes place in the afternoon. After the solemn reading of the Lord’s Passion, the deacon carries the cross from the door of the church, stopping three times to sing "this is the wood of the cross...." The cross and candles are placed in the entrance of the sanctuary for veneration. Holy Communion follows the veneration of the cross. All depart in silence.
HOLY SATURDAY AND THE EASTER VIGIL
On Holy Saturday, the Church waits in silent vigil at the Lord’s Tomb. Communion may be given only as Viaticum. "The Easter Vigil is arranged in four parts: a) a brief service of light; b) the Liturgy of the Word when the Church meditates on all the wonderful things God has done for his people from the beginning; c) the Liturgy of Baptism, when new members of the Church are reborn as the day of resurrection approaches; d) the Liturgy of the Eucharist..." The celebration of Easter Vigil ("the mother of all vigils") takes place at night - after nightfall and before daybreak. ‘Candles should be prepared for all who take part in the Vigil.’ Holy Saturday is the day we have been leading up to for all of Lent. The Church is darkened; a fire is kindled, the Easter candle is carried in procession into the darkness and our candles are lit. Our attention is focused on the readings that tell of our roots. At this liturgy, we celebrate new life in Christ in age-old symbols: new fire, new light, new water and biblical words about creation and recreation. Easter is a celebration of the Lord’s resurrection and ours. It is a feast of you and me, the baptized, in union with Him who gives us life. We welcome the new members into this wonderful Church of ours. Christ is the Light of the world. We must arise and go with the risen Lord toward the fullness of light and peace.
EASTER SUNDAY
Easter Sunday is the feast, which recognizes that Jesus’ gift of self to the Father was received, and that He and the Father are one. It is an acknowledgment that God is gathering those who share in the bread and the cup. It is a kingdom feast. We renew our baptismal promises and say: Yes, I believe, help my unbelief.
For Catholics, these are the "High Holy Days" of our faith. Little unnecessary work should be done during the Triduum. We wait in silence as the Divine Mysteries unfold for us through these Liturgies. It is recommended that all the faith attend the services of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, so that come Easter morning we may truly rejoice in the fulfillment of Salvation History.

Option For The Poor And Vulnerable

OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE

Themes of Catholic Social Teaching #4

It is clear throughout Scripture that God commands us to have a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. It is clear in the law handed down through Moses in Exodus and Leviticus.  It is pronounced over and over again by the prophets and it is clear in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. "I assure you, as often as you neglected to do it to one of these least ones, you neglected to do it to me." (Matt. 25:45) It is a fundamental moral test of a society how it treats its most vulnerable members. Each Pope since Leo XIII has had at least one Encyclical repeating this teaching. So core to our call as disciples of Christ that St. John tells us that the love of God cannot reside in anyone who turns his back on the poor. "I ask you, how can God's love survive in a man who has enough of this world's goods yet closes his heart to his brother when he sees him in need." (1John 3:17)

The Second Vatican Council makes clear our duty as Catholic Christians to those in need. "Therefore everyone has the right to possess a sufficient amount of the earth's goods for themselves and their family. this has been the opinion of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, who taught that people are bound to come to the aid of the poor and to do so not merely out of their superfluous goods. Persons in extreme necessity are entitled to take what they need from the riches of others.

Faced with a world today where so many people are suffering from want, the Council asks individuals and governments to remember the saying of the Fathers: 'Feed the people dying of hunger, because if you do not feed them you are killing them,' and it urges them according to their ability to share and dispose of their goods to help others, above all by giving them aid which will enable them to help and develop themselves." (The Church In The Modern World #69)

Simply put, if we are not helping the poor and vulnerable we are not living a life of true discipleship because "One who has no love for the brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen." (1John 4:20)

Rights and Responsibilities

THEMES OF SOCIAL TEACHING #3 - RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Beginning with the right to life, which is "the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights," (Christifideles Laici #38 , John Paul II), each person has certain rights that must be safe guarded.  Among these are the basic needs for a life that recognizes the dignity of each peach person. "We must speak of man's rights. Man has the right to live. He has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services." (Pacem in Terris #11, John XXIII). Thus the right to life extends to the right to those things that are required to  ensure a life of human decency, including health care and adequate living conditions.  Only when these rights are ensured and protected can our society realize its fullest potential. When these rights are in jeopardy it is the responsibility of each person and the state to see that they are provided. This is especially true for those who are ill, elderly or unemployed through no fault of their own. These rights, then, come with corresponding duties to protect the same rights for others. Our right to food, for instance, demands of us the duty to see that the way we eat and the access we have to the abundance of food in our culture does not hinder the access to food for others, particularly the poor and those in developing countries. "Hence, to claim one's rights and ignore one's duties, or only half fulfill them, is like building a house with one hand and tearing it down with the other." (Pacem in Terris #30, John XXIII)

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

Themes of Catholic Social Teaching #2 - Call to Family, Community and Participation         

Each individual is not only a sacred person, but also a social being. We see this very early on with infants and early childhood. Those children who receive love and attention develop more completely than those who do not. The central institution of any society is the family which is composed of husband, wife and children. The mutual gift of husband and wife creates an environment where children can grow to their potential as sacred persons. The very strength of society is dependent on how the family is supported and strengthened. "Economic and social policies as well as organization of the work world should be continually evaluated in light of their impact on the strength and stability of family life." (Economic Justice For All #93) The structure of our economy and the requirements of labor, along with adequate compensation, must be moderated in a way that aids in the relationships between spouses and between parents and their children.

While the primary "community" is the family, we are also called to be active in the wider social order. Care needs to be taken that societal structures do not hinder community participation but encourage and empower it. As followers of Christ we are called to be His witnesses in our communities by active participation in promoting the common good. While carrying out the corporal works of mercy; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming the stranger, is the call of all disciples of Jesus, active participation in politics is a moral obligation for Catholics. "It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person...As far as possible citizens should take an active role in public life." (Catechism of the Catholic Church  #1913-1915)

Life And The Dignity Of The Human Person.

Themes of Catholic Social Teachings - #1 Life and Dignity of the Human Person

The foundation of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church is the sacredness and dignity of human life. Every other teaching begins with this principle. From abortion and euthanasia to capital punishment and war, this foundational principle is under attack in our society.  Abortion is always wrong and a grave attack against the sacredness of life.  Euthanasia, too, represents a denial of the sacredness of human life. ( we will deal with end of life issues in a future blog)  As Pope John Paul II says, "As explicitly formulated, the precept 'You shall not kill' is strongly negative: it indicates the extreme limit which can never be exceeded. Implicitly, however, it encourages a positive attitude of absolute respect for life; it leads to the promotion of life and to progress along the way of love which gives, receives and serves." (Evangelium vitae #54) The Catechism of the Catholic Church allows for legitimate self-defense, even if a life is taken in that defense, however, the intent must be defense of life and not the taking of life. (CCC#2263) On the issue of capital punishment the Catechism rules out the death penalty in virtually all cases  stating: "Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibility which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitively taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically non-existent." (CCC #2267) In the case of national defense, war must be avoided if at all possible, however, the legitimate defense against an unjust aggressor is allowed under the restrictions of the Just War principles. Terrorist attacks and the targeting of noncombatants is always wrong.

This  respect for the life goes beyond the issues of life and death to issues that affect the  dignity of human life. "Whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. (Gaudium et Spes #27, Second Vatican Council)

Care of God's Creation

THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

# 7 - Care of God's Creation

There are seven major themes in Catholic Social Teaching.  The Seventh theme is "Care For God's Creation."  Catholic Social Teaching is not a option of Catholic Teaching that can be ignored any more than Catholic Moral Teaching is an option that can be ignored. To be faithful Catholics we must be faithful to all the Church's teachings.  That means first that we need to know what the Church teaches, especially on modern issues that affect our lifestyle. I will present the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching in this blog over the next few weeks.

 I am beginning with the Seventh Theme of Catholic Social Teaching, Care of God's Creation, because of a special Lenten project that I will explain below. It is interesting to me that The Catechism of the Catholic Church includes the Social Teaching Themes within the Section on the Ten Commandments. The Seventh Theme is included in the discussion of the Seventh Commandment: Thou Shall Not Steal. (CCC #2401-2463) The Care of God's Creation is summed up with the statement: "The dominion granted by the Creator over mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be separated from respect for moral obligations, including those towards generations to come." (CCC #2456). Therefore, care for the environment is a moral obligation for all Catholics. How we use our natural resources, how we handle our waste products, how we treat the vegetable and animal life around us, all have moral implications for us. Pope Benedict XVI states in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, "The environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards the future generations and towards humanity as a whole."

At St. James in Johnson City, NY, the parish where I am a deacon on staff, has come up with a project for Lent that reminds us of these obligations and give us practical ways to fulfill them. The project is titled LENTEN CARBON FAST 2013. We are called to fast during Lent as a reminder of our need for repentance and sacrifice. A carbon fast brings these virtues together with our obligations toward the care of God's creation. The project lists a different fast for each day of Lent. For Ash Wednesday, for instance, the fast calls for the removal of one light bulb from your home and asks us to live without this light for all of Lent. This will not only decrease the amount of electricity we use but also remind us of our Carbon Fast. For Friday, March 1, the Fast calls for us to pick up a piece of litter when we are out walking and dispose of it properly. These suggestions are easy to do and remind us of our call as stewards of creation. They will also, collectively, reduce our Carbon footprint and help to preserve God's creation.

If you would like a copy of the Lenten Carbon Fast 2013 send me your email and I will forward it as an attachment.

For more information of Catholic Social Teaching go to:United States Catholic Conference - Environment

http://www.nccbuscc.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/environment/index.cfm

Deacon Ed

Catholic Funerals

As a person who takes part in, even presiding at, a good number of funerals I have a bit of advice for all, especially Catholics.  Take some time to plan your funeral. This may sound strange at first but I have been involved in funerals where either the family doesn't know what the deceased wanted or are at odds with each other over what the deceased wanted. It is a simple thing to do.  Questions to ask your self: Do I want one or two wakes? Do I want a funeral Mass or is a simple service fine? Where do I want to be buried? What Funeral Home do I want? (You can arrange things with your choice of Funeral Homes, even prepaying for you funeral.) What songs do I want at the funeral? Do I want certain person involved in the service? Once you have planned your funeral, you can leave your instructions with the person you have chosen as executor of your estate, your pastor, your Funeral Director or all of the above. Taking time to make these arrangements will save your family stress and may prevent unnecessary arguments

Deacon Ed.

Beginnings

One of the struggles we have as Catholic Christians is living our faith in our daily lives. I am beginning this blog to discuss ways to bring our faith more fully into our day to day activities. Issues that come up occasionally and issues that come up over and over again will be discussed; from gun control and violence in our culture, abortion, feeding the hungry, and the impact of our lifestyle on world poverty, living the Gospels from day to day will be the goal of my posts and I hope the posts of all.