On Language and Filioque

Reflections on the filioque and language from Fr. Hunwicke, courtesy of Josephus Flavius of Byzantine, Texas. Not a new argument, but something to keep in mind as we observe current developments with other groups:

I do not intend to explain what this is all about ab initio to those who do not already know the general outlines. Just to add some facts which those who do know may not be familiar with.

In 1995 the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity published a learned and interesting paper which suggested that a lack of correlation between the Greek (ekporeuesthai) and Latin (procedere) terms for "proceedeth" is part of the problem. ekporeuesthai refers to the origin of the Holy Spirit within the eternal and glorious economy of the Holy Trinity. And, since the Father is the Source (pege, aitia) of the being of the other two Persons, clearly the Spirit ekporeuetai from the Father alone. To suggest that he might ekporeuesthai from the Son as well is to posit two sources of Divinity and thus, in effect, to believe in two Gods.

Procedere, on the other hand, is a broader term. As well as sharing the meaning of ekporeuesthai, it also encompasses the Sending, within time, of the Spirit by the Son. When the Western Church was battling against Arianism, it seemed important to safeguard the full divinity of the Son by incorporating into the Creed His authentic Missio of the Spirit.

So you could argue that Filioque with ekporeuesthai is gravely erroneous because it is tantamount to polytheism, while procedere without the Filioque is dangerously suggestive of Arianism.

Read the rest of Fr. Hunwicke's reflection.

Sunday of Orthodoxy in Houston

Houston Orthodox priest Fr. Joseph Huneycutt (of the Houston blog ORTHODIXIE) has a report on his blog about the Sunday of Orthodoxy in Houston. Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers was spent this year at Holy Forty Martyrs Mission (Antiochian Orthodox) here in Sugar Land.

Batman in Santa Barbara

One of the best scenes in motion picture history was filmed at Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara in the late 1960's:


"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!"

Your favorite "Lost" character?

Mine happens to be the age-defying Richard Alpert, the mysterious second-in-command of The Others:

Richard Alpert is an inhabitant of The Island and is the second-in-command of The Others, a group known to the DHARMA Initiative as the "Hostiles." From his first appearance in 1954 to current events on the Island, Richard perpetually appeared to be in his 30s or 40s (making him over 80 years old), though his hairstyle and manner of dress change depending on the circumstances on or off the Island.

Or, in the language of The Others (the "language of the enlightened"), Ricardus Alpert. He's the most comfortable in his own skin.

Called to Communion: Reformation meets Rome

Taylor Marshall reports on a new blog:

I've been in touch with a number of Catholics who were once Reformed and we've launched a new site that will examine Reformed/Calvinist theology from a Catholic point of view: Called to Communion. Obviously, our goal is to draw Reformed Christians toward the Catholic Church (ut unum sint), but we aim to avoid theological snobbery.

Check it out: Called to Communion.

On Theological Complementarity

I was recently thinking back to a very intense conversation I once had about seven years ago with an Eastern Catholic concerning the Eastern understanding of original sin. My curiosity was couched in the question of why Eastern Catholics didn't seem to have many of the same theological hang-ups as the Eastern Orthodox with respect to teachings such as the Immaculate Conception. Since an Eastern theology of original sin does not equate original sin with original, hereditary guilt (cf. Augustine), how does the Immaculate Conception even make sense theologically to an Eastern Christian?

Admittedly, however, St. Augustine aside, the Western articulation is not necessarily monolithic, as Fr. Al Kimel discusses here. And our recent Catechism treads very carefully in discussing it (CCC 400-405), leaving some room for diversity in interpretation:

How did the sin of Adam become the sin of all his descendants? The whole human race is in Adam “as one body of one man”. By this “unity of the human race” all men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as all are implicated in Christ’s justice. Still, the transmission of original sin is a mystery that we cannot fully understand.

All of that notwithstanding, this Eastern fellow simply explained to me that while the Immaculate Conception as it is commonly understood wouldn't necessarily make sense from an Eastern approach, Eastern Christians in union with the Church of Rome accept the Immaculate Conception fundamentally as it is articulated using a Western theology of original sin. This approach reflects a mutual, theological complementarity between East and West - truly one that breathes with both lungs.

It actually took me some time to embrace this understanding. Many Catholics and Orthodox see such ideas as always being in tension or competition. But this need not be so. And thus has the Church taught, especially in Unitatis Redintegratio from the Second Vatican Council:

What has just been said about the lawful variety that can exist in the Church must also be taken to apply to the differences in theological expression of doctrine. In the study of revelation East and West have followed different methods, and have developed differently their understanding and confession of God's truth. It is hardly surprising, then, if from time to time one tradition has come nearer to a full appreciation of some aspects of a mystery of revelation than the other, or has expressed it to better advantage. In such cases, these various theological expressions are to be considered often as mutually complementary rather than conflicting. Where the authentic theological traditions of the Eastern Church are concerned, we must recognize the admirable way in which they have their roots in Holy Scripture, and how they are nurtured and given expression in the life of the liturgy. They derive their strength too from the living tradition of the apostles and from the works of the Fathers and spiritual writers of the Eastern Churches. Thus they promote the right ordering of Christian life and, indeed, pave the way to a full vision of Christian truth.

And moreover, the Church at the Second Vatican Council affirmed that this approach is truly and authentically Catholic:

All this heritage of spirituality and liturgy, of discipline and theology, in its various traditions, this holy synod declares to belong to the full Catholic and apostolic character of the Church. We thank God that many Eastern children of the Catholic Church, who preserve this heritage, and wish to express it more faithfully and completely in their lives, are already living in full communion with their brethren who follow the tradition of the West.

Amen to that. This Holy Lent, please join me in praying for Christian unity, particularly among the apostolic churches. Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.

Orthodox in Faith and Catholic in Love

From an interesting (and very brief) interview between Eastern Orthodox author Frederica Mathewes-Green and Fr. Stephen Wojcichowsky, a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and director of the Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky Institute for Eastern Christian Studies in Ottawa, Ontaria, Canada. Fr. Stephen discusses (quite generously) the Eastern Catholic approach as it stands between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy:

I grew up Ukrainian Catholic and it’s a matter of fact that much of our worship had been laden with Latin elements. But over the course of time, and thanks to our great leadership in our church, we have learned where we have come from. I like the way one of our patriarchs put it, he said “We are Orthodox in Faith and Catholic in love.” In the sense that we are in full communion with the Church in Rome, but at the same time, our faith, our liturgy, the whole ethos of our church is Orthodox. And one priest in Ukraine I asked, “What do you call our church over here?” I was thinking of something else, but he came back and said, “Oh, that’s a very straightforward thing. We’re the Catholic Orthodox. They’re the Orthodox, and we’re the Catholic Orthodox.” And I thought, that really does explain who we are.

Certainly, this is a very simple articulation. The history behind this relationship is much more deep and, in some cases, quite divisive within Eastern Catholicism itself. I often reflect on my many discussions with Eastern Catholics from various backgrounds. Very eye-opening. Very hopeful yet disconcerting at the same time.

Listen to the interview on Ancient Faith Radio.

Lent and BBQ Championships

I confess that I would prefer it if Houston didn't choose to signal the beginning of its annual Rodeo with the World's Championship Bar-B-Que contest, which always happens to be placed right after Lent is in full swing. But they do it every year. One of our neighbors is on a cooking team, and he was able to get some tickets for us a couple of years ago. We waited until Saturday morning to go down, but I'm told Friday night is the best. Not for Lenten Catholics!

How the Dominicans came to Santa Sabina

How the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) came to be at the ancient Church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill in Rome.

From the Dominican History blog:

From an interview on Vatican Radio, Feb 24, 2009 with Fr. Robert Ombres, O.P., who tells how the Dominicans came to Santa Sabina and why the Pope visits this Dominican Church on Ash Wednesday. Fr. Robert Ombres, O.P., a son of the English Province, is presently Procurator General of the Order of Preachers, and lives at the Priory of Santa Sabina in Rome.

The Pope at Santa Sabina

New Liturgical Movement describes Ash Wednesday with the Holy Father at the Dominican Church of Santa Sabina in Rome.

Church Fathers Lenten Reading Plan

If you are still looking for something special to do this Lent to improve your spiritual life, why not undertake a reading plan based on writings from the Fathers of the Church. Here's some ideas. Perhaps you can begin each day with a selection from the New Testament.

You've Got The Time Houston

Houston Catholics Begin Audio Bible Listening:

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, recently urged Catholic leaders to get involved in a city-wide Bible listening campaign called You've Got The Time Houston.

Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, is coordinating this effort to reach every Houstonian with God’s Word in audio.

Morgan Jackson, international director for Faith Comes By Hearing, says the initial response has been remarkable.

So far more than 50 different parishes have signed up to listen through the entire New Testament, which represents more than 160,000 Catholics.

“The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has planned an extensive Bible engagement effort for 2009 called Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. Faith Comes By Hearing’s 40-day Bible listening is a big component of their outreach,” said Jackson.

“I believe Cardinal DiNardo’s support of this Bible listening program is an invigorating demonstration of his leadership to Pope Benedict’s declaration of 2009 as The Year of God’s Word,” said Jackson. “His active encouragement of this program is giving many Catholics new opportunities to study the sacred Scriptures, deepen their faith and increase their knowledge of God’s Word.”

“His endorsement is an additional encouragement to many leaders from other denominations,” said Jackson.

Already, leaders from more than 100 other Houston congregations from over a dozen denominations have signed up their churches to listen through the New Testament.

Jackson expects that more than one-third of the 3,000 Houston area churches will participate in this Bible engagement outreach.

Preparing Athonite Prosphora

Sylvia at Adventures of an Orthodox Mom describes how to bake prosphora (bread used for Orthodox liturgies) as it is made at Mount Athos and the Athonite monasteries.

We use something called "prozimi" instead of yeast to make the bread rise. Prozimi itself is a miracle. On either September 14 (Exaltation of the Precious Cross) or on Holy Friday a bowl containing only water and flour is taken into the altar during the Gospel reading. The priest then blesses it. Afterwards our Gerondissa takes it into the kitchen and places it in the oven (the oven is not on) and leaves it there overnight. The next morning the bowl is overflowing with this "yeast". It is then separated and refrigerated in airtight containers and is used each time prosphoro is made. Every time you make a new batch of dough you tear a small piece off and set aside for next time.

Check out the full recipe, complete with pictures. Almost reminds me of my Eucharistic bread recipe adventures from a few years ago.

(H/T Byzantine, Texas)

Let's Reinstate Communal Confession

Now, for a little levity and satire... The Onion Dome has it down:

After his earlier attempts at raising the level of spiritual life in his parish, Catechumen Vasileos (formerly Vasily, aka William, aka Guillaume, etc) wondered what more he could do to eliminate the "rampant heathenry" that he found in his parish. In his intense studies of Church history, including A Beginner's Guide to the Orthodox Church and The Early Church for Dummies, Catechumen Vasileos discovered yet another thing in his parish which didn't match up with the early church: Private confession.

"Private confession is so obviously a heretical papist latinist pan-hereticalist innovation," said Catechumen Vasileos in a recent interview, "And obviously, we can't have that!"

Thus, having identified himself as the only real true Orthodox believe in this parish of "ignorant, uneducated heathens," Catechumen Vasileos decided to heed the advice of 6th century Elder Pharmaxananos who said, "The man who can condemn sin is by far the most blessed," and help his fellow parishioners on the way to true, non-papist repentance...

To start, Catechumen Vasileos distributed information in his parish about the practice of the early Church, in which everyone confessed to each other, rather than just to the priest. He even set a date for everyone to come and confess to each other. However, when that day came, he was quite saddened to discover that no one showed up.

"Clearly, no one at my parish really cares about Orthodoxy. They don't care about repentance, they are too busy at 6pm on Wednesday evening to come to the real confession, to busy doing useless worldly things like caring for their children, working, or something stupid like that. Really, these people just have no idea what the spiritual life is like."

Catechumen Vasileos decided to take it a step further: He decided that the best way to "convict the heathens of their sins" was to do what Elder Pharmaxananos advised, and show them. And since all sins are public, he reasoned, everyone should know! Thus, Catechumen Vasileos compiled a list of sins for everyone in the parish to pass out before liturgy.

What was on the list? To quote just two items:

* Alicia was spotted on July 13th at a Roman Catholic soup kitchen, helping make food for the homeless. This is clearly in violation of Canon 422 of the Synaxalion Council of Bypraxia in 1332, which forbids any contact with heretics. This woman is surely straight on the path to eternal damnation in the 13th hell, reserved for Romanist sympathizers, which we know about from the Revelation to St Phylergia of 18th century Calamaria.

* Zossimas was seen eating at restaurant with his mistress on a Wednesday eating meat during Lent! First off, it's Wednesday, what is he doing eating meat?? Second, it's Lent, why is he engaging in worldly activities like eating at restaurants? This man seriously needs some help with following the canons. This is just such a blatant violation, like seriously. People really need to conduct themselves in a more canonical way when on dates with their mistresses. His wife is such a pious woman too, I am sure she will be filled with godly rage when she hears that her husband was not keeping the holy fasts of the Church.

After having passed out his lists after Divine Liturgy last Sunday, no comment could be obtained as to the success of his efforts at bringing the parish to repentance, as Catechumen Vasileos is in the hospital with mysterious cane-shaped bruises all over his body, and an interesting loss of hearing, possibly caused by being exposed to prolonged, high-volume screaming at the hands of elderly Calamarian women.

I think I've seen this guy's twin in Catholic circles as well ;)

Aquinas vs. Intelligent Design

The eminent Francis Beckwith points us to a very good essay by Professor Michael W. Tkacz, published last year by This Rock magazine, entitled Aquinas vs. Intelligent Design. Tkacz makes a number of good points with respect to a Thomistic point of view, some points which I have been attempting to articulate (lacking background, skill, credibility, experience, etc) for some time:

Both Darwinism, with its secular challenge to the unity of faith and reason, as well as the attempt of ID theorists to disprove evolutionary theory vindicate Pope Leo’s selection of Aquinas as the model for Catholic intellectuals. Thomism has something useful and corrective to say on both sides of the debate. At the same time, Thomism does not replace the natural sciences, or perhaps to put it better, a Thomistic intellectual synthesis includes precisely the sort of research found in the modern natural sciences that have produced so much understanding of nature. In the Thomistic view, the teachings of the faith are fully compatible with what we learn of nature through scientific research, provided we both understand those divine teachings correctly and we do our scientific research consistently and rigorously. The truth or falsity of the claim that the diversity of living species is due to some sort of evolutionary process is a matter to be settled through biological research. Whatever the outcome of this research, it can never replace the need to explain the existence of the natural world in terms of a creation ex nihilo according to God’s divine design.

What does this mean for Intelligent Design? He continues (emphasis mine):

Clearly, the secular claims associated with modern Darwinism require the sort of corrective provided by Thomism. Does this mean, then, that Catholics should make common cause with ID advocates? Insofar as ID theory represents a "god of the gaps" view, then it is inconsistent with the Catholic intellectual tradition. Thanks to the insights of Aquinas and his many followers throughout the ages, Catholics have available to them a clearer and more consistent understanding of Creation. If Catholics avail themselves of this Thomistic tradition, they will have no need to resort to "god of the gaps" arguments to defend the teachings of the faith. They will also have a more complete and harmonious understanding of the relationship of the Catholic faith to scientific reason.

I, too, think this approach is best when we are dealing with the abiding secularism and, indeed, atheism that is rampant in the modern, scientific world.

Gregorian Chant Workshop in Sugar Land

The New Liturgical Movement blog mentions my parish in Sugar Land and the Gregorian Chant workshop held there this weekend. On Friday evening, my parish schola sang William Byrd's Mass for Four Voices, one of my favorites. My wife is a member of the schola, and I know it took quite a lot of preparation to sing, but they did a very good job. I couldn't attend the actual workshop, but my wife tells me it was intense. I did get the opportunity to have dinner with a few of the folks after Friday's concert, including Scott Turkington of the Church Music Association of America who led the workshop. Lots of smart people!

The Great Entrance

From the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The prayer of the priest at the Great Entrance, prayed in low voice while the people sing the Cherubic Hymn:

No one bound by worldly desires and pleasures is worthy to approach, draw near or minister to You, the King of glory. To serve You is great and awesome even for the heavenly powers. But because of Your ineffable and immeasurable love for us, You became man without alteration or change. You have served as our High Priest, and as Lord of all, and have entrusted to us the celebration of this liturgical sacrifice without the shedding of blood. For You alone, Lord our God, rule over all things in heaven and on earth. You are seated on the throne of the Cherubim, the Lord of the Seraphim and the King of Israel. You alone are holy and dwell among Your saints. You alone are good and ready to hear. Therefore, I implore You, look upon me, Your sinful and unworthy servant, and cleanse my soul and heart from evil consciousness. Enable me by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that, vested with the grace of priesthood, I may stand before Your holy Table and celebrate the mystery of Your holy and pure Body and Your precious Blood. To You I come with bowed head and pray: do not turn Your face away from me or reject me from among Your children, but make me, Your sinful and unworthy servant, worthy to offer to You these gifts. For You, Christ our God, are the Offerer and the Offered, the One who receives and is distributed, and to You we give glory, together with Your eternal Father and Your holy, good and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Retraite dans la Ville

Ad spot for the Dominican Province of France's online Lenten Retreat: Retraite dans la Ville:


Take the time...

(Courtesy of the Dominican House of Studies, Washington D.C.)

Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare

The Dominican motto Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare (to praise, to bless, to preach) actually derives from the Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Dominican Missal, as shown for the Feast of the Assumption below:

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum salutare: Nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere, Domine, sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus. Et te in Assumptione beatae Maria semper Virginis exultantibus animis *** laudare, benedicere, et praedicare ***. Quae et unigenitum tuum Sancti Spiritus obumbratione concepit, et virginitatis gloria permanente, mundo lumen aeternum effudit, Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem maiestatem tuam laudant angeli, adorant dominationes, tremunt potestates: caeli caelorumque virtutes ac beata seraphim socia exultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti iubeas, deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, etc...

Fr. Augustine Thompson O.P., a Dominican Rite scholar, notes on Lauren's blog that the Dominican preface is a medieval, northern French variation on the Roman, which uses collaudare.

The same phrase can also be found in the Preface for the Prophet Elias in the Carmelite Missal:

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus: Et te in Solemnitate (Veneratione) beati Eliae, Prophetae tui et Patris nostri, exsultantibus animis *** laudare, benedicere et praedicare ***...

Most likely from a similar variant of the Roman missal. Anyone know the history behind the Carmelite preface?

Conference on Biological Evolution

This is a couple of days old, but from VIS:

In the Holy See Press Office this morning, the presentation took place of an international conference entitled: "Biological Evolution: Facts and Theories. A critical appraisal 150 years after 'The Origin of Species'". The event is due to take place in Rome from 3 to 7 March.

A more detailed description of the event:

Archbishop Ravasi pointed out that the forthcoming congress responds to the need "to re-establish dialogue between science and faith, because neither of them can fully resolve the mystery of human beings and the universe".

For his part Fr. Leclerc explained that the congress will be divided into nine sessions, focusing on "the essential facts upon which the theory of evolution rests, facts associated with palaeontology and molecular biology; ... the scientific study of the mechanisms of evolution, ... and what science has to say about the origin of human beings". Attention will also be given to "the great anthropological questions concerning evolution, ... and the rational implications of the theory for the epistemological and metaphysical fields and for the philosophy of nature". Finally, he said, "there will be two theological sessions to study evolution from the point of view of Christian faith, on the basis of a correct exegesis of the biblical texts that mention the creation, and of the reception of the theory of evolution by the Church".

Saverio Forastiero observed that "the relative fluidity of contemporary evolutionary theory is largely due to a series of discoveries made in the last quarter of a century, discoveries which require the synthetic theory to be reconfigured and could lead to a theory of evolution of the third generation".

"It is my view", he went on, "that this congress represents an opportunity, neither propagandistic nor apologetic, for scientists, philosophers and theologians to meet and discuss the fundamental questions raised by biological evolution - which is assumed and discussed as a fact beyond all reasonable doubt - in order to examine its manifestations and causal mechanisms, and to analyse the impact and quality of the explanatory theories thus far proposed".

How awesome!! The contemporary debate illustrates quite well the tension as well as the synergy of faith and reason in the public sphere. Atheism, which would deny faith, would have us misapply important, scientific theories in a way that would attempt to exclude God (an unscientific claim). Meanwhile, a dangerous fundamentalism, which would deny the applicability of reason, would seek to jerk it in the other direction in a way that would attempt to reject the plausibility of simple, scientific observations and theories about what they indicate. Both positions are extremely dangerous. The Catholic christian would instead look at the evidence and what it tells us (and, what it doesn't tell us) and still ask: What is this based on? How can what we know and don't know about biological evolution be subject to what we understand about God, the Creator of the universe? For the Christian, the foundation is still the same.

Greek Orthodox in Santa Barbara

Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Santa Barbara, California
Saint Barbara's is one of my all-time favorite churches in Santa Barbara. For some reason, I was reflecting on the place tonight. The photo above was taken at (Orthodox) Easter, 2003. I visited this church for the first time back in November 1997 with Bill for an Environmental Symposium the church hosted for the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. I was a greenhorn Catholic back then, and at the time, I'm not sure that I was able to fully appreciate the significance of the event, but I was glad I went. One unique feature of the church is that they have available for veneration a holy relic of St. Barbara given to them as a gift from Pope John Paul II back in 1987.

The value of a Catholic Education...

... is not a matter of being taught math and history by priests and nuns, as some mistakenly think it is. It's really about forming the mind simultaneously with the soul, at least in principle.

I've been meaning to post about this for a few months. The following is from the principal's column in my high school's October newsletter concerning Catholic schools:

Catholic schools have traditionally provided excellent college preparatory training, and routinely produce some of the top students in the country each year...

Catholic schools, because they are usually smaller and can better individualize the educational experience for their students, are sometimes viewed (especially in urban areas) as safer environments in which to receive an education. If you have chosen St. Joseph High School for any of these reasons, I am sorry to say you have chosen it for the wrong reason.

Get that? And now it gets interesting:

The mission of Catholic education is unique, and the call to ministry in Catholic schools sets teachers and staff members apart from those who work in other places. Catholic Bishops regard Catholic schools as “an essential ministry of the Catholic Church”, so when the Archdiocese of Los Angeles decided to start a Catholic high school in the Santa Maria Valley, it did so to enhance the spiritual enlightenment of our students through the teaching of Catholic doctrine and not for any other reasons. Fr. Ed often reminds our students that “it doesn’t matter if you get in to Harvard if you don’t get in to heaven.” Similarly, it doesn’t matter if you get a full ride football scholarship to USC, if you don’t know right from wrong. If you are content in languishing in the safety and security of a school like St. Joseph, but you haven’t opened your heart enough to concern yourself with the health and well-being of the rest of humankind, then your education has failed you.

When it comes to helping students to develop their spirituality and to building closer faith relationships with God, certainly not all of our students “get it” right away. But we as Catholic educators are about the business of planting spiritual seeds, seeds that may take a long time to germinate, but seeds that will grow and flower sometimes long after we are gone. It is that potential to develop young people who will become better human beings sooner or maybe later, that is the reason that Catholic schools exist. This is what Archbishop Oscar Romero was saying when he wrote,

“We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work... We plant seeds that will one day grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise… We may never see the end results… We are prophets of a future not our own.”

I am hoping this is the reason that you chose St. Joseph High School for your child. We know that St. Joseph provides its students with a great education in a fun-filled and safe environment, but we also know that is not the reason we exist, and it is our collective job to remind others what is the real reason.

I was very happy to see this. My experience at St. Joseph was instrumental in my embrace of the Catholic Faith. It had its share of problems, but I constantly thank God for my time there. The extent of what I received there is still being realized even today.

After I graduated, the school went downhill fast with severe administration problems and, I'm sorry to say, really bad hiring decisions. However, over the last few years, they have made a decent comeback and have really attempted to assert their Christian identity in the community. The current principal's attitude is further proof of that renewed attitude.

The Mass Stipend

Hugo, who blogs over at Seventh-day Adventist to Roman Catholic, responds to the question: The Mass "Stipend": Is it Wrong? Check it out.

Is there still room for God?

In my days at the university, and also in my current profession, I have often encountered ridicule of Christian assertions or beliefs about the role of Faith and its pertinence to Science. Typically, this was done by the false assertion that the role of faith was only useful to explain what could not presently be explained by science. The "God of the gaps" argument. Wikipedia has a nice summary:

The God of the gaps refers to a view of God deriving from a theistic position in which anything that can be explained by human knowledge is not in the domain of God, so the role of God is therefore confined to the 'gaps' in scientific explanations of nature. The concept involves an interaction of religious explanations of nature with those derived from science. Within the traditional theistic view of God as existing in a realm "beyond nature," as science progresses to explain more and more, the perceived scope of the role of God tends to shrink as a result.

I have known a lot of Christians who felt painted into a corner over this. Yet, science, per se, is not an enemy to faith.

I argue that an authentically Catholic approach must reject such a "God of the gaps" argument. Why? Because it isn't Catholic. God is not a God beyond nature. God is a God of nature, of Creation. After all, it was the very Catholic articulation of the balance between faith and reason that inspired some of the greatest scientific contributions in western civilization, many made by Catholic priests. Mendel and genetics, Clavius and the calendar, Grimaldi and optics, LeMaître and the Big Bang, Copernicus and heliocentrism, and yes, even Galileo. We love science - honest science - and the scientific method.

Contrary to the notion of a stop-gap God, for whom there remains little or no room, the Catholic holds up the exact opposite: the Creator who upholds the universe. For the believer, our comprehension of science only further demonstrates His existence because creation is imbued with intelligibility. The universe is rational. It is reasonable, spoken into existence by the very Word of our Creator. And reason, balanced with faith, is a gift that has been given to us.

Pope Benedict XVI recently said of Galileo:

The great Galileo said that God wrote the book of nature in the form of the language of mathematics. He was convinced that God has given us two books: the book of Sacred Scripture and the book of nature. And the language of nature – this was his conviction – is mathematics, so it is a language of God, a language of the Creator.

In his book, Chance or Purpose: Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, O.P. summarizes it thusly in the chapter titled, He upholds the universe by his word of power (Heb. 1:3):

A great deal that was previously incomprehensible in natural processes, because we did not know how to explain it, can be explained today through scientific research and has thereby become comprehensible... The more that is explained, the less there remains that is inexplicable. Is the "room" for God becoming steadily "smaller"? It is no wonder that Der Spiegel closes the article ["God versus Darwin: a religious war over evolution"] with the words, "It's becoming cramped for the creator."

Yet belief in the Creator does not begin at the point where we do not yet know something, but precisely where we do know very well. The proper approach is to look at what we already know today. That, thank God, is a great deal. We are not looking where there is still something unexplained to see if there is still room for God, but looking at what we know and asking, "What is this based on?"

Indeed, that is the question we should be asking. And this is why it is false to assert that only science and reason alone are enough or sufficient for man or for civilization. After all, science can also be used to justify extraordinary horrors and offenses against the dignity of the human person.

I held not a broom...

Today, we observed the World Day of Consecrated Life. I found myself this morning back at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston for Sunday mass celebrated by Cardinal DiNardo. The mass also served to honor those who have given themselves to God in consecrated life. I was there primarily under an invitation given to our group of Dominican Laity to support our religious promoter, who had been invited to preach the homily. Later in the afternoon, I met with my Lay Dominican group for an extraordinary and very necessary meeting.

The homily started and ended around the humble example of St. Martin de Porres, as particularly exhibited by a statue in the courtyard of Holy Rosary parish in Houston. In the statue, Martin clutches, with one hand, the crucifix of Our Lord close to his heart, and in his other hand, he holds a broom -- the broom of his service as keeper of the priory. For Martin, all work was sacred, however menial. Martin's embrace of poverty and his embrace of the dignity of work (both seemingly counter cultural today) were essential to his vocation and his witness, not only as a religious cooperator brother for those in consecrated life, but to all who witness in the world today. It is in this dignity of holy work, offered to God in humility and transformed by Him, that we witness the extraordinary grace at work within ordinary life. Martin held a broom in one hand and preached Christ and Him Crucified from his heart. Martin's work, and indeed his very life, preached Christ.

Some of us are called to professions that may not include a broom, but let us still strive to cling to that Cross, holding it always to our hearts, as we go about our work and our daily activities -- living out that grace in the good works God has prepared for us to live. If we do that, our work, our very lives, will indeed preach, just as Martin's did.

Anniversary of Deceased Parents

According to the Dominican Calendar, today is the Anniversarium Patrum et Matrum Defunctorum: the Anniversary of Deceased Parents. As such, then, Dominicans observe a day of prayer for our deceased parents. From the Dominican Ordo:

In this celebration we remember our parents who have preceded us with the sign of faith and rest in peace. The Dominican Family joins together to honor our deceased parents with the same affection we showed them in life, for in Christ they gave us birth and from the crib they showed us what it means to be followers of Christ.

I would probably include grandparents in the group. I would suggest we take some pause to reflect on our parents today, living and deceased, and thank God for them. While the Calendar marks this with a special day of remembrance, certainly we are not to be discouraged from remembering them each and every day.

In the Office of Readings today (Dominican supplement), St. Catherine of Siena cries out in a letter to her mother:

Mater mea carissima in Christo dulci Iesu!

My dearest mother in Christ, sweet Jesus! She continues:

Your unworthy and abject daughter Catherine consoles you in the precious blood of the Son of God. I have greatly desired to consider you the true mother, not only of my body but also of my soul. For you know that, if you have loved my soul more than my body, all untoward love in you will die and my bodily absence will be no great burden for you. Rather it will be a joy and you will wish to bear all difficulties for the honor of God, with the intention that God may be honored. The honor of God is the increase of grace and virtue in my soul. Thus you, my sweetest mother, who love my soul more than my body, may be filled with joy and not be left desolate.

Catherine then brings to her mother the example of Mary:

I wish that you may learn from sweet mother Mary, who for the honor of God and the salvation of us all, gave us her Son who died on the wood of the most holy cross. Only Mary remained behind with the holy disciples after Christ’s ascension into heaven. Don’t you think that to have lived together would have brought great consolation to Mary and the disciples, while their departure brought grief? Nevertheless, for the praise and glory of her Son and for the salvation of all, she permits and wills that they should leave her. She chooses rather the burden of their departure than the consolation of their presence, so moved is she by the love of God’s honor and of the salvation of our souls.

Catherine ends her letter with an exhortation:

Abide in the holy and sweet love of God. Sweet Jesus, Jesus love!

Let us learn from that example.

JPII's Theology of Communication

The OP Eastern Province Vocations blog reports that Georges Cardinal Cottier, O.P., theologian emeritus of the Pontifical Household under Pope John Paul II, spoke at a recent symposium about what he calls Pope John Paul II’s "theology of communication." This is the subject of a new book: John Paul II: Development of a Theology of Communication.

Zenit reports:

A retired theologian of the Pontifical Household says Pope John Paul II can be credited with innovating yet another type of theology: a theology of communication.

Cardinal Georges Cottier spoke Wednesday on this topic at the launch of the book, “John Paul II: Development of a Theology of Communications,” published by the Vatican publishing house...

Cardinal Cottier stated that the Pope emphasized the role of Jesus Christ in communication, as he is the creator of words and the Word himself.

The authors of the book, Sister Marie Gannon and Christine Mugridge, appeared at the symposium along with journalist Joanna Bogle.

A press release stated that the participants of the symposium “agreed that while the seeds of such a theology have always existed throughout Church history, its development only began to bear fruit during Pope John Paul II’s pontificate.”

Bogle affirmed, “There is indeed a theology of communication, and I am not sure we have really grasped its fullness yet.”

Gannon noted that the work of John Paul II drew on secular communications as well as the Church’s teaching. She explained, “This was possible, because parallel criteria for principles and methodology in both the ecclesial and the secular field were used for the analysis of material from both fields that are apropos for speaking of a theology of communication.”

The press release stated that Catholic Word, an American consortium of publishers, will distribute the new book in English.

Catholic Word president Carolyn Klika affirmed, “The theology of communication can assist every bishop and parish priest in more effectively reaching his faithful, every teacher in connecting with students, every media outlet in conveying their message, and even impact every human relationship.”

Interesting. You can find more information about John Paul II: Development of a Theology of Communication at Sacred Arts Communications.

Trying something new...

So I'm trying out a new template. If you use wordpress, you may recognize it. I have made a few of my own tweaks and will probably keep playing with it for a while...

My last format was the same basic one I've used since 2003. I thought it was time for something different.

Glossary of Maronite Terms

Josephus Flavius of Byzantine, Texas, points us to an online Glossary of Maronite Terms, which is actually the appendix of the book Captivated by Your Teaching: A Resource Book for Adult Maronite Catholics. A cool resource!

The Miracle of the Sun

I thought this was fairly well put together:



It does, however, feature a photo alleged to be of the sun during the event, but I believe the authenticity of the photo is disputed. You get the idea, anyhow.

Wikipedia summarizes the event fairly well along with witness statements.

The Miracle of the Sun is an alleged miraculous event witnessed by as many as 100,000 people on 13 October 1917 in the Cova da Iria fields near Fátima, Portugal. Those in attendance had assembled to observe what the Portuguese secular newspapers had been ridiculing for months as the absurd claim of three shepherd children that a miracle was going to occur at high-noon in the Cova da Iria on October 13, 1917.

According to many witness statements, after a downfall of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disk in the sky. It was said to be significantly less bright than normal, and cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the shadows on the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The sun was then reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern, frightening some of those present who thought it meant the end of the world. Some witnesses reported that their previously wet clothes became "suddenly and completely dry."

Estimates of the number of witnesses range from 30,000-40,000 by Avelino de Almeida, writing for the Portuguese newspaper O Século, to 100,000, estimated by Dr. Joseph Garrett, professor of natural sciences at the University of Coimbra, both of whom were present that day.

The miracle was attributed by believers to Our Lady of Fátima, an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three young shepherd children in 1917, as having been predicted by the three children on 13 July, 19 August, and 13 September 1917. The children reported that the Lady had promised them that she would on 13 October reveal her identity to them and provide a miracle "so that all may believe."

According to these reports, the miracle of the sun lasted approximately ten minutes...

Bonniwell's History of the Dominican Liturgy

Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P of the Dominican Liturgy blog has announced that he has posted a downloadable PDF of Fr. William Bonniwell, O.P.'s History of the Dominican Liturgy, 1215-1945, 2d. rev. ed. (New York: Wagner, 1945).

The book is a gem that I have been trying to find for some time. As Fr. Thompson notes:

This book is the only history ever completed in English for the liturgical tradition of the Dominican Order. Father Bonniwell covers both the Mass and the Office.

RIP Michael Dubruiel

Please pray for Amy Welborn and her family as well as for the repose of the soul of her husband, Michael Dubruiel. From Amy's blog:

Michael collapsed this morning at the gym and was not able to be revived despite the efforts of EMTs and hospital personnel.

We are devastated and beg your prayers.

Bad News

The folks at the Santa Maria Times in my home town of Santa Maria, California don't always get things right when it comes to abortion and Roe v. Wade. Today I saw this photo caption from the paper:

La Purisima Catholic Church, in Lompoc, has marked the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case with the church’s annual protest display of white crosses. This year’s 375 crosses, tied with pink and blue ribbons on the church lawn, represent the estimated 135,000 abortions since the court decision in 1973 that made abortion legal nationwide. A bulletin board at the front of the church shows more information.

Only 135,000 abortions since 1973? Really? Funny how everything else seems to point to more like 50,000,000 abortions since 1973. I wonder if they meant to indicate that 135,000 abortions have been done in Lompoc.

Later in the day, a commentator named Dottie posted this:

Thanks for acknowledging the too many unwanted children saved from agony of not being loved and wanted. Better to have children who are truly wanted and truly loved. The foster care system is already loaded with these unwanted children whom they can barely accommodate.

Get that? Unwanted children are better off dead (err, I mean saved). Where does one start?

Third Order of St. Dominic

Last Sunday, I was admitted into candidacy (aka "novitiate") for the Third Order of St. Dominic (Dominican Laity) while on retreat in southern Louisiana (near Ponchatoula, north of New Orleans). So this makes me an official member of the Order of Preachers, though I have not yet made profession. It was an extraordinary experience, and I met a lot of folks from the New Orleans region as well as from the lay provincial council for the Dominican Laity of the Southern Province.

The Lay Dominicans I have met are quite a diverse group: male and female, young and (yes) old, doctors, restaurant owners, nurses, teachers, moms and dads. It's natural to expect different perspectives on various things, and in engaging them myself, it was quite nice to see the Dominican approach to study and revealed truth play itself out. Participating in Holy Mass together, praying the Liturgy of the Hours in community, as well as the Dominican rosary -- very valuable.

49,551,703 Total Abortions since 1973

Today is the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision which, along with Doe v. Bolton, legalized abortion on demand across the United States. My wife reflects on the meaning of the day:

Every week, a collection of young people move through my classroom. Every year is different. Every class is different. Every period is different.

I play a sort of game with myself every year. It's more of a challenge, really. I challenge myself to learn one unique (and positive) thing about each student. It does not matter what, exactly. Some of these positive traits are easy to see. Some are bizarre. Doing this helps me to appreciate my students a little better, and reminds me to treat them with care and respect to the best of my ability. I also find that in those moments when they drive me nuts it helps me to be a little more fair.

What is interesting is what happens when someone is absent. The empty desk changes the room somehow. There is a piece missing. There is a gap where a vibrant (or at least quietly scintillating) personality usually sits. Even when one of my quieter pupils is missing, the difference is noticeable. The classroom feels incomplete somehow.

There are nearly 50 million empty desks out there right now in our schools, in our workplaces. How many gaps are there in our world that someone should have filled? How many of those singles on e-harmony are looking for a soul-mate who never given a chance at life? How many of our friends, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews have been lost to abortion?

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"