David Ancell / Tuesday, January 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
As promised, I have posted more, including a story about my own experience in school, on separation of faith and life.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, January 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
I have finally read the new Doctrinal note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in Political Life. The full text can be found here, and there is more to this than I can possibly quote. Here are the excerpts that I found particularly enlightening:
. . . citizens claim complete autonomy with regard to their moral choices, and lawmakers maintain that they are respecting this freedom of choice by enacting laws which ignore the principles of natural ethics and yield to ephemeral cultural and moral trends, as if every possible outlook on life were of equal value. At the same time, the value of tolerance is disingenuously invoked when a large number of citizens, Catholics among them, are asked not to base their contribution to society and political life – through the legitimate means available to everyone in a democracy – on their particular understanding of the human person and the common good.
and . . .
While a plurality of methodologies reflective of different sensibilities and cultures can be legitimate in approaching such questions, no Catholic can appeal to the principle of pluralism or to the autonomy of lay involvement in political life to support policies affecting the common good which compromise or undermine fundamental ethical requirements. This is not a question of ®confessional values¯ per se, because such ethical precepts are rooted in human nature itself and belong to the natural moral law. They do not require from those who defend them the profession of the Christian faith, although the Church’s teaching confirms and defends them always and everywhere as part of her service to the truth about man and about the common good of civil society. . . . .
. . . . In democratic societies, all proposals are freely discussed and examined. Those who, on the basis of respect for individual conscience, would view the moral duty of Christians to act according to their conscience as something that disqualifies them from political life, denying the legitimacy of their political involvement following from their convictions about the common good, would be guilty of a form of intolerant secularism.
In other words, should we fail to do what is good just because the Church happens to teach it? Ironically, those who would oppose Catholic views in public life in the name of tolerance are themselves intolerant of Catholicism.
Now, for a lesson for John Kerry, who will never get my vote for anything:
It is a question of the lay Catholic’s duty to be morally coherent, found within one’s conscience, which is one and indivisible. ®There cannot be two parallel lives in their existence: on the one hand, the so-called `spiritual life’, with its values and demands; and on the other, the so-called `secular’ life, that is, life in a family, at work, in social responsibilities, in the responsibilities of public life and in culture.
Simply put, we are Catholic Christians first. Everything else is secondary. I’ll post more on this in Spiritual Pyromania, as there is a story to tell from my pharmacy school days.
The document clearly states that there are often several morally acceptable solutions to a particular problem. The Church is not interested in developing a coherent political strategy. However, if what the Church is teaching is true, then it is true in all areas of life. The document states our clear obligation to oppose laws violating the sanctity of life, to safeguard and promote the family based on “monogamous marriage between a man and a woman,” to protect minors from “modern forms of slavery” such as drug abuse and prostitution, to protect the right to religious freedom, and to develop an economy that is “at the service of the human person and of the common good.” All of these are and have been clear Church teaching. In other words, the document never should have been necessary, but it is because of the “legacy” of John F. Kennedy invoked by Sen. John Kerry.
The only thing that I do not understand is what the term “anathema” has fallen out of use. It could strengthen a document like this (though it would expose it to more ridicule). However, our lawmakers have now been warned. If they reject this teaching and then never repent, then they get to stand before Almighty God and explain themselves. I don’t envy them, and I believe that we need to pray for them every day so that they will not damn their souls and the souls of those whom they lead.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Monday, January 20, 2003 / Comments(0)
I haven’t read the new Vatican statement yet on Catholic politicians, but I hope to soon. Here are some interesting reactions (see this article for details):
[R. Scott Appleby] “Catholics who attempt to follow both the church’s teachings on pro-life issues as well as the church’s teachings on economic justice are politically homeless,”
Well, no political party is going to be perfect. However, it is impossible to talk about economic justice when we can’t even decided that everyone has a right to live. Let’s relegate this to the bullhockey of “abortion is just one issue.”
“It’s good advice,” said Dario Franceschini, a center-left member of [the Italian] Parliament who is Catholic, referring to the new Vatican document. “But it would be a mistake to look at it as an obligation.”
Yeah, you think it’s good advice even though you aren’t going to follow it. Oh, and by the way, did anyone ever tell you that, yes, you are obligated to obey Church teaching?
Also of interest is the following:
The guidelines, intended for Catholics worldwide, do not threaten Catholics who disregard them with any kind of punishment.
Well, the punishment may very well be eternal hellfire. I do think that, for at least some of these politicians, excommunication would be a remedy that may save their souls. Something needs to be done.
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David Ancell / Monday, January 20, 2003 / Comments(0)
Today I called my bank to use the automated system. Wouldn’t you know it? I was put on hold for the automated system!!! No, I’m serious. It seems that a bank that can afford to put in a holding system for automation could put more lines into the automated system.
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David Ancell / Sunday, January 19, 2003 / Comments(0)
I went to confession yesterday, and the priest asked how I was doing. He then said that, since I was in confession, I must be fair to midling. I had a funny thought that I was glad that he didn’t start by asking “What have you been up to?”
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David Ancell / Saturday, January 18, 2003 / Comments(0)
I posted my regulatory rant on how it is getting too complicated just to live, on Spiritual Pyromania.
I’ve also done some updates to the blog. It is no longer a Moveable Type blog. I think this blog will stay with Moveable Type for now. It’s big enough to use the features.
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David Ancell / Saturday, January 18, 2003 / Comments(0)
A court has ruled that Network Associates cannot require people who buy software to ask permission before publishing reviews. Let’s see, if they could enforce that, then they could sue anyone who wrote a bad review of their product. Well, not only has the court decided that they couldn’t enforce it, they are going to find the company for even putting that in the agreement.
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David Ancell / Friday, January 17, 2003 / Comments(0)
You probably already know this by now, but there is a new document on Participation of Catholics in Political Life by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the Vatican web site. Here is an exerpt. The full text can be found here. I want to read up on this and comment.
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
I found out on Michelle’s blog, And Then?, that St. Blog’s has a new blog reviewer. Our reviewer has done the second post on none other than my last post. I’m quite honored to be next in line behind Mark Shea. If only our reviewer had a comments section . . . .
The reviewed post was inspired by a friend of mine who was impressed with Fr. Ernie’s work because he didn’t know churches that were built to more modern specifications would actually go back the other way. The problem with the chairs is not only that they were ugly orange, but that they had no kneelers. Our Cathedral has some chairs that are placed in the back for special events, but they have kneelers.
Regarding the tabernacle, the GIRM does require that it be in a prominent location. If you need a sign to tell you where it is, then it probably isn’t where it needs to be.
However, one must be aware that the law is only the minimum. Just because one isn’t breaking any laws doesn’t mean that one has exercised good judgement. It may not be illegal to wear jeans to a fancy restaurant, but you will surely get some funny looks.
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
Speaking of church restoration, there is some of that going on in Memphis. Take a look at this photo of Church of the Resurrection. It doesn’t look much like a church. I went to Mass there when Fr. Ernie DeBlasio first arrived as pastor. There was no tabernacle in the sanctuary. There were no pews; there were orange (yes, orange) chairs with no kneelers. The crucifix was a Christ suspended in midair against the wall.
Last December, I went to an Advent conference with Tim Staples (previously blogged about). The building hasn’t been completely turned into a Gothic church, but dramatic improvement has been made. The building has a real crucifix, a tabernacle, and pews. Statues of Mary were erected in the area. A Divine Mercy picture was in the back of the church.
This isn’t the only place in Memphis that has been renovated. I mention this one with reservation because I would never recommend going to Mass there because of their awful liturgy. St. Patrick’s Church downtown has undergone a restoration, by the Paulists of all people. I haven’t seen it except in pictures, but it looks like a great improvement. During the 1960’s, apparently in an effort to help people see Christ in one another, the stained glass windows were covered with mirrors. I guess they were planning to have an evening of reflection. The windows are now in the process of restoration. The Church doesn’t have a lot of money, but they are doing what they can.
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