Word from Father Robert Barron

For the Octave of the Feast of

Christ, King of the Universe

Courtsey of Word on Fire:
From the Homily for November 23, the Feast of Christ, King of the Universe:
The feast of Christ the King should compel us to ask: Are we with him or against him?

Most observers of the current situation will acknowledge that the Catholic Church in the United States will be entering a very difficult time. Remembering that Christ is King of this all, we recognize that these trials come in some way from him. This tribulation of the Church also becomes a test for us: Are we with him or against him?

God bless!
Persevere!

Worth a Look

Volition (n)- The act of making a choice. Sometimes the choice of inaction has consequences stronger than we could ever imagine. Throughout history, men have been faced with difficult choices in a world that makes it easy for them to conform. This film explores the hope that lies behind every decision made in the face of adversity; the hope that is buried in the heart of those that look beyond themselves and see something bigger worth fighting for.

The video would not load, so here is the link: Volition - a film of Hope by Tim and Matthew Morgan

Doorpost Film Project: Doorpost Film Project is an online community of independent filmakers existing to encourage truth-seeking visionaries by honoring their creativity as filmmakers, serving them in the context of building community and sharing their discoveries with the world so that others may have hope.

I have only watched this one video, and found it disturbing -- in the parallels that it draws between three different historical events. This was disturbing in a good-way though, since it draws out a truth about what is happening among us now. Violence and graphic content are not found in this film, but hopefully a different way of seeing and assessing the world.

Wisconsin Thanksgiving in Rome

Even though we are Rome, the men of the Pontifical North American College still enjoy a fine traditional Thanksgiving.

Just like how everyone has a day of vacation from work, Thanksgiving is one of the few days that we are officially allowed to cut class. Most of us take advantage of this to sleep in, and so did I. For me this mean I slept until the incredibly late hour of 6:00 AM. I honestly could not sleep any later! This is very different from my university days! I decided to spend the morning by going to Saint Peter in the Vatican. While it is always beautiful to visit, this holy sight of Christendom is especially prayerful before the tour groups start arriving at 9:00 AM. I prayed for the Pope and our bishops, our nation and her president-elect, and I prayed for my own family.

Cooking breakfast in the corridor. This is "scraple." One great thing about corridor breakfast is that we welcome back our priests alumni, this year Rev. Fr. Nick Dudo (on the far left) and Rev. Fr. Joe Freddy (on the center). In the far right is my next door neighbor, Deacon Jesse Burish of the diocese of La Crosse. Keep him especially in your prayers since he is preparing for his ordination to the priesthood this upcoming summer.

Returning to my corridor I found preparations for breakfast well on the way. Each corridor prepares its own big “American-style” breakfast. It is almost as much of a highlight as the turkey dinner later in the day. My corridor enjoyed Virginian-fried apples, egg-bake, Southern biscuits and gravy, and most especially the Philadelphian specialty of “scraple.” We make out own, and I inherited the recipe, so next year I will be continuing the tradition. This breakfast is really a welcoming event for all the first year men, since it feels so much like home.

"New Men," Brian Romportl of the diocese of Green Bay is looking at the turkey and stuffing with hungry eyes.

We celebrate a beautiful Mass, and after Mass we enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. We have everything you could expect: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pasta, and cranberries. Well maybe the pasta is not traditionally a Thanksgiving dish, but in Italy they just cannot imagine a formal meal without pasta. This is followed by the Ambassador to the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon, reads President Bush’s Proclamation of Thanksgiving, and than there is the long awaited presentation of the pumpkin pies. They are usually paraded out an original comical-musical-number.

"New Men," Jacob Strand from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is enjoying a great pumpkin pie!

The great thing about Thanksgiving at the Pontifical North American College is that so much effort is put forth by our employees to help us feel at home. It shows that they consider us family, and this helps us to remember the family and friends that we miss back in the United States and Australia. It is also a time that the College really demonstrates its generosity, as the refectory (dining room) is over-filled with Americans from all over Rome. If it was not for the College, most of these Americans would not be able to celebrate the holiday.

Thanksgiving dinner with all the traditional trimmings!

Well each of us misses our family and friends during these holidays that focus so much on spending time with family and friends, it is also a time to call to mind what we are thankful. There is much to be thankful for. It is a great opportunity to live, study and pray in Rome. It is great to be called to the priesthood. Each day I become more and more thankful for being called to this holy vocation. Hopefully each of use have given thanks to God for the vocation we have received, whether it is to be a spouse, a parent, a child, a doctor, a teacher, whatever, since each of our vocations is the way that God calls us to holiness and happiness.

I hope that each of you had a blessed holiday.

Catherine of Alexandria: Liberated by Christ, Liberated for Christ

Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, by Giuseppe Ribera, 1648. Catherine is kissing the infant Jesus as He sits on the lap of His mother Mary. Saints Joseph and Anne are in the background.

Catherine was the most fair and most wise of all the maidens of Alexandria. She had her choice of any man that she wanted, and decided that she would take only a man that surpassed her in beauty and wisdom. But even the son of the emperor matched these standards, so she remained unmarried. She was a Christian, and she choose virginity for life. What did this mean for a woman of the Roman-Egypt? It meant liberation, since at that time women were dominated by their fathers and then by their husbands. The women that were called to virginity were liberated from this domination, and became "lights on a hill" announcing to the world the words of Saint Paul, "There is no more Jew or Greek, slave or free, man or woman, but all are one in Christ," the radical teaching Christ that all people are created with dignity.

The ancient world could not tolerate this liberation, and attempted to subject the fair maiden and wise philosopheress to their own worldly wisdom, but she refuted them all. For this she was tortured and beheaded. Her last words were, "I am a bride of Christ."

While she died many years ago, the wisdom of Catherine still holds lessons for our world. The most important is the fundamental teaching of Christian morals that all innocent human life is sacred. This has been constant, but we stand in need of remembering it. The second is a better understanding of freedom. Catherine was freed by the love of Christ for her, and her love for Him. All Christians, and all men of good will are called to this freedom. Catherine in her life also shows that real freedom though does not consist of a radical self-willing, it is not a philosophy of "I do what I want to do, when I want to do," but rather a radical freedom for Christ. Freedom is the ability to live as Christ has called us to live.

Saint Catherine...

...Pray for Us

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions: the "persecuted Church"

The martrydom of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, martyr and faithful witness, received into the bosom of Christ on this day in 1839

Christ was persecuted during his life on earth, and so the body that extends the life of Christ on earth, the Catholic Church, must also experience persecution. This has happened from the crucifixion, through the stoning of St. Stephan, through the killing of Christians in Rome, from those times up through our own times. One only needs to look at the persecuted Christians in Iraq, the Holy Land, India, and China to make this point clear.

Today’s saint highlights the witness that Christians make to the radical newness and the radical change that Christ brought to the world. Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions provided the ultimate witness to the truth of about Christ before their fellow country-men between the years of 1820 and 1862. They were among some of the first Catholics in Vietnam. These martyr-witnesses includes the namesake of this feast, a priest by the name of Andrew Dung-Lac, but families, normal men and women (even a nine year old girl) who gave the ultimate to be faithful to Christ.

As the United States bishops stated after a visit to the Church in Vietnam in January of 1989:

The Church in Vietnam is alive and vigorous, blessed with strong and faithful bishops, dedicated religious, and courageous and committed laypeople.... The Church in Vietnam is living out the gospel in a difficult and complex situation with remarkable persistence and strength.

The Church is feed by the blood of martyrs as the early Fathers used to say, and so She is still feed by Her martyrs as the vigor of the Church in Vietnam bears witness to in these days.

Let us take strength from the courageous example that Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and his companions showed in the face of persecutions. Let us bear faithful witness as Christians in our public life, so that we too can bring new life and renewed vigor to the Church in the United States. What we can be the blessing of courageous and committed lay people, helping the Church live out the gospel in the complex times we live in.

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions...

…Pray for Us!

Mary, Queen of All Martyrs…

…Pray for Us!

Christ, King of All!

Christ the King, from an altar in Ghent, artist: Jan van Eyck

It has been an "open-secret" that when Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925 in the Encyclical, Quas Primas, he was doing so for very political reasons. He wanted to illustrate to points: (1) to provide a vivid example of proper government, and (2) to show that government had necessary limits that it could not step beyond. He was not endorsing one political system over another, nor was he endorsing one candidate over another. He was simply highlighting the role of government in relation to other intermediate powers.

The historical context of Quas Primas is Europe between the two world wars. In Russia Papa Pio is seeing the rapid transformation of the Soviet Union into the world’s first totalitarian state under the dictatorship of Josef Stalin. In Germany he can see the incompetence of the Wiemer Republic. In Italy he faces the rise of Mussolini. In many places in the world he is seeing the expansion of atheistic communism and totalitarian-fascism.

Christ the King as depicted in the Cathedral of Wheeling in West Virginia

Neither of these two systems were good forms of government. They subjected their people from their proper roles as citizens, to the subservient role of servants to the powers of the state. Papa Pio accurately fore-told that this would lead to a rapid erosion of personal and human rights, and also to some the catastrophe of Western Civilization we now call World War II and the Holocaust.

These consequences were inevitable, since they denied the basic truths about man: (1) that each person has an inherent dignity that ought not to be violated, (2) that the rights of each person are inherent, especially life – liberty – and the pursuit of happiness, and they cannot be dissolved by the state, and (3) that these ends are to be promoted by the state. In short the state properly exists to promote the temporal and moral well-being of humanity, and both communism and fascism reverses, reducing man to an instrument of the greatness of the state.

Papa Pio wished to counter this by the example of Christ as King. As Saint Irenaeus writes, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” The Kingship of Christ was meant to glorify man and prepare him for eternal life. Papa Pio wished that this serve as an analogous model for the “kingdom of the world” that there glory be found in supporting the full dignity of its citizens.

Support, in word and deed, the dignity of human life

Column by Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, D.D., Bishop of Fargo

My own emphasis is done in red, and my own comments are always put in brackets [] and bolded, otherwise the article is reprinted in its entirity.

Most Rev. Samuel Joseph Aquila, Bishop of Fargo and author of this colum, visiting with seminarians at the North American College

I. Why a Catholic neccessarily is Pro-life:

On Nov. 4, 2008, the United States witnessed an historic event in the election of the first African-American president. With his election as president we have seen our nation take great strides forward in the civil rights movement and the rights for all peoples regardless of race. I congratulate President-elect Barack Obama and assure him of my prayers and the prayers of the faithful of the Diocese of Fargo in the immense responsibilities that he will undertake as president. One of those prayers will be for the conversion of his heart and mind to recognize the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death and the truth that no government has the right to legalize abortion.

In his acceptance speech on Nov. 4, President-elect Obama stated, “I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.” I pray that President-elect Obama will listen when it comes to the question of the unborn and not impose the intrinsic evil of abortion on the consciences of so many who know the truth that abortion is the destruction of a unique innocent human being. The President-elect in his voting record and his speeches has revealed that he is one of the strongest supporters of legalized abortion, as well as the “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA). In this he directly opposes the divine law of God concerning the dignity of each human life, and so he strongly disagrees with the position of the Catholic Church. On a purely political level, he even disagrees with the majority of Americans, who at least want some limits on abortion. The Church, and most especially bishops and priests, will need to make the teaching of the Church known to every Catholic.

The Catholic Church teaches throughout her history the truth of the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death [this is what is meant by the sense of the faithful]. This truth was recognized by our country until 1973 with the decision of Roe v. Wade. Today this truth is known even more clearly through reason and science. Every one of our lives began at the same moment: when an egg and sperm came together in our mother’s womb, formed one cell, and began to divide. It is truly marvelous and beautiful when you observe the truth through the technology of modern science. [It is not the Church that tries to force this issue, but science that agrees, life begins at conception].

Throughout the last several months I have been surprised and saddened at how little some Catholics know and accept the teaching of the Church on the matter of abortion. As a bishop I have received mail from Catholics with diverse complaints. Some state that I haven’t spoken forcefully enough and that it is my fault that the truth about abortion is not clearly taught in parishes. Others write and state that they are Catholic and prochoice, and see themselves as faithful to Christ and the Church. Catholics need to promote the Gospel of Life and understand, as Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessors have made definitive and clear, that the question of the moral legality of abortion is nonnegotiable. It is always and everywhere wrong, and this moral truth must be enshrined in law in every civil society. [See post from Nov. 16, "From a letter that Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop of Washing, D.C.]


I want to look at misunderstandings in Catholic teaching that I have encountered over the last several months. Most know that since the Church defends each human life, she must teach against abortion. However, some believe that it is possible to be a faithful Catholic and be pro-choice. This is impossible. Abortion is an intrinsic evil, which means that in no circumstance is it permitted nor may it ever be supported, even as a means to a good end. No Catholic can be faithful to Jesus Christ and the Church and support an intrinsic evil. The Catechism of the Catholic Church names several intrinsic evils or disorders, and I urge all Catholics to study these [find a better study partner than Nancy Pelosi, her Meet the Press Interview indicates she did not study very well]. Certainly the most serious is the destruction of innocent human life, such as abortion (CCC 2270-72), euthanasia (CCC 2277), the intentional killing of non-combatants in war and genocide (CCC 2313). Catholics must come to understand that every intrinsic evil undermines the dignity of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God and must never be condoned or supported. [There can be no social justice without the protection of innocent life, since there is nothing more unjust than taking innocent life].

Another misunderstanding among some Catholics is that abortion is just one issue among many issues. They will say “I am not a one issue person.” It is true that all Catholics must be concerned about the just ordering of society, which means concern for the economy, immigration, the war in Iraq, health care, taxes, etc. All of these impact the dignity of the human person and the flourishing of society. Different prudential judgments may be made about how to prioritize and address these matters in light of the teaching of the Church. Nevertheless, there are fundamental rights that no civil society may take away. The fundamental right to life is essential to all other rights (CCC 2273). Therefore the right to life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is the first among all rights and the first issue that must be taken into consideration, acted upon and protected. The Bishops of the United States spoke of this in their 2007 document on faith and public life, “The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many” (Faithful Citizenship 28) [seems pretty clear to me, I do not know where the confusion comes in].

The Second Vatican Council taught, “For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care, while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes” (Guadium et Spes 51). Our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, taught “Abortion and euthanasia are thus crimes which no human law can claim to legitimize. There is no obligation in conscience to obey such laws; instead there is a grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. …the apostolic preaching reminded Christians of their duty to obey legitimately constituted public authorities (cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-14), but at the same time it firmly warned that ‘we must obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29)…In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law, or vote for it’” (emphasis added by Bishop Aquila, EV 73).

Catholics, regardless of their affiliation with a political party, must always support the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death, and they must enact good laws which do so. Thus Catholics, be they judges, politicians, or voters, who support Roe v. Wade or “assisted suicide” by any type of legislation or candidate, place themselves outside of the law of God and the Church each time they vote in support of so-called abortion rights or rights to die. Each Catholic who is a member, works for or donates to a political party has the ability and obligation to transform party platforms, to put forward candidates who respect life, and to avoid cooperation in advocating abortion through either platform policies or candidates who oppose life.

II. Role of Religion in Public life:

A grave misunderstanding concerns the relationship between the distinct missions of the Church and the State and what it means to live one’s faith in the world. The Second Vatican Council lamented that “[the] split between the faith which many profess and their daily lives deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age” (GS 43). In many ways this dichotomy has increased regrettably in the past forty years through the removal of religious and moral values from the public square. Indeed the mission of the Church and the task of the State are distinct, but they are never completely separate. The constitutional distinction between Church and State is found in the non-establishment of a state religion. However, this is not the denial of the entry of God or moral convictions into the public square.

The misinterpretation of the separation of Church and State as the denial of the entry of God or moral convictions into the public square reveals the reality that the religion predominately lived today is that of secular atheism [hey don't force your secular-atheism onto me], the denial of God, whether directly through the works of Richard Dawkins and modern academia, or more subtly through practical atheism, living day-to-day life as if God didn’t exist. Some Catholics in the separation of their faith from decisions in the political order abandon God and embrace secular atheism. Secular atheism goes hand in hand with secular humanism, namely, the idea that man alone can order society and the common life of the human race and that God has no part in this order. Secular humanism can never flourish, because the moment society abandons God’s law it also abandons humanity [look at the history of all secular-atheistic states: Revolutionary France, Soviet Empire, Third Reich, Pol-Pot, China's "Red Revolt" - all were brutally inhumane]. Abandoning the truth is directly opposed both to our ideals as Christians and to the founding principles of our country as seen in the Declaration of Independence which acknowledges the “laws of nature’s God” and “the Creator.”

President George Washington declared in his farewell speech in 1796, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them.” Our forefathers had no concept of a civil and democratic society separated from belief. They knew that such a society would either never survive or, if it survived, would seriously undermine the rights and true freedom of peoples, particularly the freedom to practice religion.

Every faithful Catholic has a responsibility to promote the teachings of the Church in the world and to live them out. The Second Vatican Council in Lumen Gentium reminded the laity that “…by their very vocation, [they] seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God….They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven” (LG 31). Being faithful to the call and mission given to us by God can never be limited to Sunday worship, but requires the surrender of our complete and entire lives. If we are faithful Catholics, everything we do will be influenced by our relationship with God, his truth, his love and his constant inspiration. If we withhold the beauty and truths about human life from our nation’s laws, we diminish our society [we are the best at being American when we are the best at being Catholic].

Over the next several months, Catholics will be called upon to witness to the preservation of the fundamental right to life from the moment of conception until natural death. As Pope John Paul II reminded Catholics in 1988, “ the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination . . . everyone has the mission and responsibility of acknowledging the personal dignity of every human being and of defending the right to life, some lay faithful are given particular title to this task: such as parents, teachers,
health workers and the many who hold economic and political power” (Christifideles Laici 38). In his recent visit to the United States, Pope Benedict reminded us that “[Christian truths] alone can guarantee respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our world—including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother’s womb” (Benedict XVI, Homily at Mass in Yankee Stadium, April 20, 2008).

Over the next several months and years I invite you to join me and continue to work diligently to promote the Gospel of Life. I encourage all of the clergy and laity of the Diocese of Fargo to work toward this goal and foundational truth. Regardless of which political party a Catholic belongs to, he or she must work tirelessly for life and the protection of the unborn child.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let each one of us give thanks to God for the gift of our own life, the gift of our Catholic faith, and the gift of our country. I give thanks to God for the blessing of being a bishop and for being able to serve the faithful of the Church of Fargo. My fervent prayer for this Thanksgiving is that every Catholic and every person of good will might come to know the truth of the dignity of human life from conception to natural death and support this truth both in word and deed.

Printed in the November 2008 issue of New Earth, the newspaper for the Diocese of Fargo

I believe this has been placed in the common domain, if it will be removed to respect copyrights.

From a letter that Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop of Washing, D.C.

Pope Benedict XVI reaches out to bless a baby at the end of his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 18, 2008.

…Presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion should be a conscious decision, based on a reasoned judgment regarding one’s worthiness to do so, according to the Church’s objective criteria, asking such questions as: "Am I in full communion with the Catholic Church? Am I guilty of grave sin? Have I incurred a penalty (e.g. excommunication, interdict) that forbids me to receive Holy Communion? Have I prepared myself by fasting for at least an hour?" The practice of indiscriminately presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion, merely as a consequence of being present at Mass, is an abuse that must be corrected (cf. Instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum," nos. 81, 83).

The Church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorize or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a "grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. [...] In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to 'take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it’" (no. 73). Christians have a "grave obligation of conscience not to cooperate formally in practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God’s law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. [...] This cooperation can never be justified either by invoking respect for the freedom of others or by appealing to the fact that civil law permits it or requires it" (no. 74).

Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Sr. Nirmala, a sister of Mother Theresa's community, the Missionaries of Charity, in Sri Lanka, January 2005.

Apart from an individual's judgment about his worthiness to present himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion may find himself in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone, such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin (cf. can. 915).

Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Declaration "Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics" [2002], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin…

In Caritate Non Ficta -- A blog I would highly suggest

Here is just the summary and back-story: On October 15, 2008, after two years as an officer in the Navy, my life changed when I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Putting my concerns in the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary and my trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that I may be faithful to the Holy Catholic Faith and serve the Church for the rest of my life.

Through this blog, Philip Gerard Johnson, intends to share his faith with us. A faith that is under trial through the disease he battles. This intimate sharing should inspire all of us to a deeper faith.

Three names rarely put together: Darwin, Albert the Great, Gregor Mendel...

This past Saturday was the Feast of Saint Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus), who was one of the great scholars of the Church. His life continues to bear testimony to this day that there is no contradiction between the knowledge gained through science and the divine insight provided through faith. This has always been the teaching of the Church, in fact many historians today even acknowledge that with out the "Christian Revolution" of 316 A.D. (the date of the Constantine's triumph at the Milvian bridge, and the Edict of Milan) there would have been no Scientific revolution of 1543 (the date of the publication of Nicolaus Copernicus's On the revolutions of celestial spheres).

Scopes Monkey Trial

This probably sounds odd to our ears. When we put the words "science" and "faith" together in the same sentence the idea of the trial of Galileo Galilei (a topic that would require its own essay), advocacy of the "creationist" view of the origins of the world, and the Scopes Monkey trial. It seems as though the basic claim of the major religions, that God created the universe, and the claims of various scientific theories, including Darwinian evolution, modern genetics, and the "big bang" theory, are in constant conflict. This unfortunate circumstance is not truly a conflict of knowledge claims -- the apparent contradictions between both the claims are inevitably resolved through further study, inquire, and reflection. Sometimes it takes centuries for this to happen, for example the 500 years between the trial of Galileo and the Church officially offering an apology, most often though this is just not the case. The conflict between certain Christians and Prof. Scopes who wished to teach evolution was the result of a fundamentalist reading of scripture, a type of interpretation that the Catholic Church does not support, a confusion of what both faith and science claim in this, and Prof. Scopes makind philosophical and metaphysical claims that extended beyond the realm of the empirical sciences. The very claims of the "big bang" theory are beyond the grasp of the empirical sciences. They move from the realm of inquiry about physics, to the realm of inquiry about metaphysics, when they propose a theory about the origin of everything. In the end no apparent contradiction between science and faith persist.

S. Albertus Magnus, Doctor of the Church and teacher of S. Thomas d'Aquinas (another Doctor of the Church)

Today's saint, Albert the Great, is an example of the peaceful and even benefical coexistence of the science of theology and the natural empirical sciences. He is regarded as one of the greatest theologians to ever write, with his achievments including being one of the first to apply the works of Aristotle to Christian thought. This basic, and at that time controversial move, served as a significant influence on his most famous student, Saint Thomas Aquinas. He was a prolific writing, with his collected writings compiled into 38 volumes. These cover all topics from logic, theology, botany, georgraphy, astronomy, chemistry, and zoology. His intellectual authority was considered to equal that of Plato's and Aristotle's. In his thought there is no possibility of a true contradiction existing between science and theology, since all was made by God, so there must be a harmony among all branches of knowledge. As he writes, we are created in "the image of God," and this image is found primarily in our ability to reason. So the reason that we share in, is the same Reason (LOGOS) that shaped, formed, and crafted all of creation.

Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, Archbishop of Vienna, spiritual brother of Albertus Magnus, and stiff defender of the positive relationship between faith and science

The project of Albertus Magnus continues to this day. This is seen in some of the great thinkers of the Catholic intellectual tradition of today, including Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and Christoph Cardinal Schonborn. Schonborn writes:

I see no difficulty in joining belief in the Creator with the theory of evolution, but under the prerequisite that the borders of scientific theory are maintained.

and

When science adheres to its own method, it cannot come into conflict with faith. But perhaps one finds it difficult to stay within one's territory, for we are, after all, not simply scientists but also human beings, with feelings, who struggle with faith, human beings, who seek the meaning of life. And thus as natural scientists we are constantly and inevitably bringing in questions reflecting world views....I am thankful for the immense work of the natural sciences. Their furthering of our knowledge boggles the mind. They do not restrict faith in the creation; they strengthen me in my belief in the Creator and in how wisely and wonderfully He has made all things.

(both citations from Purpose or Chance?, Cardinal Schonborn)

One of the oldest mechanical clocks in the world, located at Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague -- an early product of the cooperation between religious and scientifica authorities

But I do not just maintain that there exist no real contridiction between faith and science, but that without the development of the Christian world view, there would have been no Scientific revolution. Simply put ideas have consequences. Before Christianity the most prominent idea about the universe was the heavens, what we now call outer space, was the domain of gods. It did not follow the same physical laws that applied on earth. There was a divide between the capacity of reason and the world. This view was shattered by the advent of Christianity. It introduced the idea that all was governed by reason, which was seen as a reflection of the mind of God (see Benedict XVI's Regensberg Address). So the human mind could discern the reason and rythmn of the stars, the world, and even the human mind. Without this shift in ideas, there could have been no discernment of universal laws of nature and motion, there would have been no intellectual basis for rational experimention (which developed into the scientific method -- it is interesting to note that Aristotle is not known to have ever conducted a single experiment -- despite the volumes he writes on the natural sciences). Science is just not possible without the Christian world-view.

This is demonstrated from the earliest period of the scientific age. It should come as no surprise that the oldest mechanical clocks are found in Catholic cathedrals (see the picture of the clock at Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague, above), that the most reliable medical care in the medieval period was found at monasteries, that the first modern observatories usually shared tower space with Church bells, and the oldest blast furance is found at Fountain Abbey in England (this furance was destroyed by the forces of Henry VIII during the dissolution of monasteries in 1536 -- delaying the Industrial revolution by centuries).

Even such modern ideas as genetics, the "big band" theory were first developed by Catholic priests; Gregor Mendel and Georges Lemaître , respectively.

This work of scientific exploration continues through the work of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The Church will always support scientific exploration since this type of exploration has shown that it is a way of discovering the truth, of increasing human knowledge, bettering the human condition in many practical ways, and diving deeper into the mystery of creation. She is confident that there will never be a persistent contradiction between the truths of science and the Truth of Faith, since there is only one Truth. At the same time She also recoginizes that at times there seemed to be apparent contridictions between science and faith, but often this has been the result of the disciplines of science and theology being unfaithful to their respective methods. Only when scientist halt from making metaphysical and ethical claims about the empirical knowledge that they discern, and only when theologians refrain from making claims in the hard science beyond their field, will these contridictions be resolved.

Suggested Reading: Fides et Ratio

Suggested website: http://www.intelligentproject.net/

In the beginning, there was the creative word. In the beginning, the creative word -- this word created everything and created this intelligent project that is the cosmos -- is also love.

Deus Caritas Est, Benedict XVI

Today in the Eastern Church

Saint John Chysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople. Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, saith the Lord (Antiphon from the Benedictus on the Feast of Saint John Chyrsostom).

Today in the Eastern Church is the Feast of Saint John Chrysostom. He was a noted preacher, who was fearless in preaching the Gospel. This included preaching against the many abuses and extragences of the imperial court. His preaching ultimately lead to violent reactions from the imperial court. He was disposed twice. The second time he was exhiled, and as a result died due to ill treatment.

He was exhiled for preaching the Truth in season and out of season.

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in a friendly embrace with Benedict XVI, Supreme Pontiff

As the our bishops gather in Baltimore, let us pray for them, that through the intercession of Saint John Chrysostom, they too will have the fortitude to preach the Truth of the Gospel of Life. Let us pray too that through the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, this message of the Truth will take root in the hearts of our new regime, and they may heed the words of Moses, "This day I call Heaven and Earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that your children may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

O Lord, who didst vouchsafe to illúmine thy Church with the wondrous righteousness and doctrine of thy blessed Confessor and Bishop Saint Chrysostom: grant, we beseech thee; that the bounty of thy heavenly grace may evermore increase and multiply the same. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen

Master it is good for us to be here...

Jesus took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.

Luke 9:28-36

An image of the Transfiguration, apparently Saints Dominic and Catherine of Siena were there too!

Returning from Chinese food, Brian and were walking in through Firmum Est, and as we entered the corridor on zero-level we could look up through the big windowns and see the dome of Saint Peters illuminated and sort of hoovering over the college. At that moment I thought, "Wow - it is good for us to be here..." And I really do mean that -- last year was very difficult, but -- it's good for us to be here. Even in the difficulties I can say -- wow, it was good that I was here. This brought me to reflect on the Transfiguration of the Lord. Since the disciples -- Peter, James, and John said, "It is good for us to be here..." They were invited to see the Lord Transfigured before there eyes, and the vision was so amazing that they wanted to remain in it. This was not the Lord's mission though. He lived in the glory as bright as flashing lightning, even if it was hidden while here on earth. His mission was that each of us should live in that same glory, for as Paul writes, "He predestined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ." And we were adopted through the Blood of the Cross. This is why Jesus was discussion the fulfillment of his departure in Jerusalem with Moses and Elijah, and this is why they could not stay up on the mountain.

Mosiac representation of the Transfiguration from the apse of the church at Mouth Tabor, traditional location of the Transfiguration

We follow the same path as the Lord. We will be glorified like him, as bright as flashing lightening. This Transfiguration is given a name in among our brothers of the Eastern Christians, deification -- in other words: becoming God like. This starts here and now. For me being in the seminary is a big part of this transformation. I can see how I have been transformed during this past year. It has been great. But this "way of transfiguration" must follow the same way that the Lord took, and this is the "Way of the Cross." This means suffering. There is much suffering in the world, and in our own lives, so I am not saying seek out to suffer more. What I am saying is seek out to let this suffering be a gift -- yes a gift -- a gift to the Lord. He has the power to Transfigure this suffering into our glory -- this is the promise that Easter holds.

Poland-Slovak river boating

I am from the country, but Rome is a big city. So any time that I get to enjoy the country-side, I take full advantage of it. This is why I probably seek up places to go hiking, like Cinque-Terre and Norcia when I have time for travelling.

In Poland this past summer I was able to enjoy the beautiful Tatras Mountains on the Polish-Slovak border.

After starting the day out with a long bus ride out into the country – we celebrated Mass at an ancient wooden church. It is really humbling to mediate on the faith that makes these little village churches possible. These villagers do not have a theological education, yet I bet that I would be awed at the faith they possess. They would have to after enduring decades of Communist occupation, and before that generations of foreign domination. It is a demonstration of God’s great ability to provide for the needs of all his children – He gives us what we need to know Him and to love Him.

After Mass we headed to the boats. From what I could gather this was a national park of sorts that is shared with Slovakia, since the river meanders over the border back and forth.

Last year I fell in love with the mountains of Italy. I do not have any mountains near my home in the United States, so I always look to see the mountains where ever I go. Each mountain range has a unique personality, the southern Alps of Pedimont are different than Umbria, and the Tatras provide another variation.This simple river trip provided time to relax with my Tertio Millenio friends, and also to enjoy some genuine leisure and re-creation. Perhaps this is a clue to enjoy a more balanced life now that I am back in Italy.

Enjoy the scenery, and God bless!

One of God's little saints...

Yesterday I mentioned the basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Holy Cross in Jerusalem) as the church close to Saint John Lateran where the pieces of the True Cross and other instruments of the Passion of Christ are kept. If you come to Rome make sure to pay a visit to this church and while there visit the shrine and tomb of Antonietta Meo (Nennolina). She is not yet a saint, but it looks like one day (soon) she will be declared one. Her story of courage in the face of intense suffering at a very young age is an inspiration about the dignity of life, and a tonic to the poison of the "culture of death."

Nennolina at age six in her first communion gown.

Nennolina may very well be the youngest saint the church has ever recognized. At the age of six she fell while playing at school. She broke her leg. There is nothing unusual about this. It took a long time to heal, and it was discovered that this delay in healing was because she had bone cancer. She spent the next year of her life, her last year suffering greatly from this pain. Yet she was always noted for her joy and how she often talked about Jesus and His Mother as if they were her friends and playmates.

She started writing letters to them and leaving them at the foot of the crucifix in her room. It is from these letters that we know this little girl was a mystic of the highest degree, having visions of the saints and carrying on conversation with the Lord. Through the intution of faith she knew that she could join her suffering to the suffering of the Lord on the cross as a sacrifice. She did this often.

After her death, Nennolina appeared to her mother in a glorified body. Her cause for sainthood is currently being pursued, and she has already been declared to have exercised heroic virtues, and it looks like one miracle has already been attributed to her.

This little girl was filled with Wisdom much beyond what her age would allow. This is not Wisdom that she knew, but rather it was given to her by God. It could not have come from anywhere else. This teaches us that God gives each person the tools and gifts that they need to be holy, happy, and healthy in this world and in the next. Through her couragous suffering she teaches us that suffering has a value that is much needed in this world, and that to suffer well can paradoxically be a source of deep and lasting joy.

Please pray to Venerable Servant of God, Antonietta Meo, for the graces that my cousine Stephanie needs as she raises her son, Owen, suffers with similar health issues.

FOLLOW-UP: Dedication of Saint John Lateran, B-XVI's Angelus Message

Cathedra of the diocese of Rome

Dear Brothers and Sisters!


Today the liturgy celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, called “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world.” In fact, this basilica was the first to be built after Emperor Constantine’s edict, in 313, granted Christians freedom to practice their religion.The emperor himself gave Pope Miltiades the ancient palace of the Laterani family, and the basilica, the baptistery, and the patriarchate, that is, the Bishop of Rome’s residence -- where the Popes lived until the Avignon period -- were all built there. The basilica’s dedication was celebrated by Pope Sylvester around 324 and was named Most Holy Savior; only after the 6th century were the names of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist added, and now is typically denominated by these latter.

Altar of the Blessed Sacrament, where the table from the Last Supper is kept. Notice the golden columns, these were given by the temple of Jupiter by Emperor Constantine to symbolize that the king of the Roman gods was now replaced by the One True Living God,

May His Kingdom Come!

Initially the observance of this feast was confined to the city of Rome; then, beginning in 1565, it was extended to all the Churches of the Roman rite. The honoring of this sacred edifice was a way of expressing love and veneration for the Roman Church, which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch says, “presides in charity” over the whole Catholic communion (Letter to the Romans, 1:1).On this solemnity the Word of God recalls an essential truth: the temple of stones is a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community, which in their letters the Apostles Peter and Paul already understood as a “spiritual edifice,” built by God with “living stones,” namely, Christians themselves, upon the one foundation of Jesus Christ, who is called the “cornerstone” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20-22). “Brothers, you are God’s building,” St. Paul wrote, and added: “holy is God’s temple, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:9c, 17).

These doors are from the Roman Senate House to symbolize that now all power in the world must be subordinate to the power of God -- for all societies and governments that ignore the natural will fall by the natural law -- which is the law of God.

The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human being, limited and sinful, to convert to form a “cosmos,” a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the “ecclesia,” that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God.

Dear friends, today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love.

Pope Benedict conversing with the chief rabbi of the East Park Synagogue in N.Y.C. during His Apostolic Visit to the United States.

[After the Angelus the Pope greeted the pilgrims in various languages. In Italian he said:]

Today is the 70th anniversary of that sad event, which occurred during the nights of Nov. 9-10, 1938, when Nazi fury was unleashed against the Jews in Germany. Shops, offices, dwellings and synagogues were attacked and many people were also killed, initiating the systematic and violent persecution of German Jews, which ended with the Shoah. Today I still feel pain over what happened in those tragic circumstances. The memory of these things must serve to prevent similar horrors from ever happening again and must lead us to dedicate ourselves, at every level, to fight against every form of anti-Semitism and discrimination, educating the younger generations in respect and reciprocal acceptance. I invite you to pray for the victims of that time and to join with me in manifesting a deep solidarity with the Jewish world.
Troubling news continues to come from the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bloody armed skirmishes and systematic atrocities have caused and continue to cause many casualties among innocent civilians; destruction, looting and violence of every type have forced tens of thousands of persons to abandon even what little they had to survive. The number of refugees is estimated at more than 1 and a half million. To all and to each one I desire to express my special nearness, as I encourage and bless those who are working to alleviate their sufferings, among whom are the pastoral workers of the Church of that region. To families and their loved ones I offer my condolences and assure my prayers. Finally, fervently call upon all to work together to restore peace, respect for law and the dignity of every person to that land, for too long martyred.

In Italy today the Day of Thanksgiving is celebrated. This year’s theme is: “I was hungry and you gave me to eat.” I join my voice to that of the Italian bishops who, guided by these words of Jesus, draw attention to the grave and complex problem of hunger, which has become more dramatic due to price increases on staple foods. The Church, re-proposing the basic ethical principle of the universal destination of goods, following the example of the Lord Jesus, puts this principle into practice with multiple initiatives. I pray for farmers, especially for small farmers in developing countries. I encourage and bless those who work to make sure that no one lacks healthy and adequate food: whoever gives succor to the poor gives succor to Christ himself.

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

[In English, he said]

I greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims who are here today, especially the groups from Billingham in England, Heulen in the Netherlands and Los Angeles, California. Today we celebrate the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Mother Church of all the churches throughout the world. Let us rejoice in this great sign of our unity in faith and love, and let us resolve to become living stones, constantly growing into a holy Temple in the Lord. May God bless you all!

Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran in Rome

This is the full and somewhat imposing title of Saint John Lateran:

Arch-basilica of the Most Holy Savior, and Saint John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, Ecumenical Mother Church of the Whole Inhabited World

Facade of Saint John Lateran, in the orange building next door is the office for the cause of the canonization of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, if you stop in they will give you great holy cards

This probably seems like an excessively grand title, since this church on the far side of Rome is often skipped by religious tourists. When you come to Rome though please pay it a visit. The significance of this church is that it was the first church dedicated in the whole world. Before this Christians were forced to worship in their homes due to persecutions. At times they might have been able to build a hall for worship, but never before this a church.

The interior of Saint John Lateran, the table of the Last Supper can be found to the left of the main altar, the skull of Saint Paul is in the canopy above the main altar, the bapistry can be found by exiting through the door to the right of the main altar and walking to the octangal building to your left, and the most precious treasure of them all can be found half-way down the farthest left aisle (the Blessed Sacrament chapel)

As such this church is actually much higher ranking than Saint Peter in the Vatican and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It is the “parish church” of the Pope since this is where He fulfills His function as the Bishop of Rome. Since He is the Universal Pastor, in many ways this church can serve as a parish church for all Catholics and all Christians. Here you will find the table used at the Last Supper, the head of Saint Paul, and the baptismal font where Constantine was baptized. Near by you can climb the “Sante Scale,” the stairs that Christ climbed in Pontius Pilates house (usually you climb on your knees), and down the viale you will find the church of the Holy Cross where the instruments of Christ’s passion are kept.

Holy pilgrims climbing the Sante Scale to have a bodily reminder so that their hearts may be closer to the heart of the Lord.

Come for a visit, and hopefully you find here a spiritual home – a place where all Christians can be gathered to pray to the one God.

Saint Augustine of Hippo preaching

What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love (St. Augustine, Sermon 36).

Render unto Cesar...

What am I do make of the fact that the canidate that I did not support won the election? As Saint Paul writes: Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God, Romans 13:1.

Saint Paul writing the Epistles

I am a citizen of America. I am a citizen of a democracy. This means that when it comes to elections I will sometimes be disappointed. This disappointment does not allow me to withdraw from the democratic process, nor does it even allow me to be a faithful Catholic while at the same time not respecting the prospective regime.

This does not mean that I submit myself totaly to it. A democracy supports my freedom, the most important of these is a freedom of a well-formed conscience. So while I will pray for B. Hussein Obama everyday, like I did for George W. Bush, I cannot endorse his policies that oppose the moral values of the Catholic Church which I uphold. So my prayers are also for the change of his heart, that he may come to see the value and dignity of every person, whether they are in the womb or fully grown, and that he may than protect this dignity. I pray that comes to see that the many different calls for new "rights" are false, since as our own declaration of independance states: We hold these rights to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. Rights cannot be created, but slowly discerned. So there is not right to gay "marriage," there is not right to abortion, there is not right to expect that government to provide a safety-net of public assistance.

At a personal level I look at the Catholic preaches during the upcoming regime of B. Hussein. He does not seem to be a champion of the free exercise of religion where it seems to conflict with these newly created false-rights. This will provide a challenge in Catholic schools, in Catholic hospitals, to my parishioners who will be health-care workers and teachers. So while I submit to his proper authority, I also look at the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.,* and acknowledge that any law that is unjust is not really a law, and hence does not bind me.

If he supports laws that limit the rights of doctors refuse to provide services on the grounds of the objection of their conscience, if he supports laws that limit the rights of parents to determine the best education for their children and limits the rights of teachers to refuse to teach what they morally object to, if he supports laws that would but Catholic hospitals and other direct social outreaches in direct conflict with the moral principles of the Catholic Church, I will still give him that honor that is due to him, but I also recognize that my king is not Mr. Hussein Obama, but Christ who is the way, the life, and the Truth. As far as all these laws are unjust, they are not laws, so they do not need to be obeyed.

The ruins of Trajan's markets, where very likely Apostle Paul preached.

Saint Paul saw this conflict, and was willing to die for the Truth of the Gospel. I am reminded of this every day as I walk to school and look down into the markets of Trajan. Most likely Paul walked through these markets while he was in Rome. Trajan was the emperor that Paul was executed under.

Prayer for all the preachers of Truth, that they and I may persevere in defending this Truth.

God bless.

*Dr. King in fact gets this doctrine from Thomas Aquinas

What makes a person a member of a society?

There is a synopsis between three areas of study this semester: Pauline Epistles and Theology, Ecclesiology (the study of the Church) and Canon Law (the well-ordering of the earthly side of the institution that bridges between heaven and earth, which is called the Church). This corresponds will with my strong interest in Social Philosophy, the basic question being what makes a society.

The first observation: When we look at any society, whether it be the most basic and natural society of a marriage and family, or a more derived society like a Church, the classical polis, or a nation, our language will naturally refer to it as one.

First question: What makes it a unity?

Lady Thatcher, making history as the first female Prime Minister of the U.K., and helping to end the Cold War, yet some what lacking in a proper understanding of social ontology.

At first this may seem like an overly basic question -- we all now that well a club like the Lions are one club because the individual members are all in the same club. Well may be it is not so clear after all. It is this obscurity that I think underlies the following statement of Lady* Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the U.K., "There are no societies, just individuals." Well at first this seems like a solution to the obscurity, upon further reflection, it just does not sit well -- it is a reality that when we refer to a society of people we are referring to something that is above and beyond the individuals. Their is a real unity to the Lions club.

So then a reality of the club must surely be able to be explained by how we describe a crowd or a queue. There seems to be a unity there. Not so fast -- this is also an unsatisfactory answer. There is nothing uniting the crowd or queue besides the incidental qualities of being in the same place at the same time, while there is more to the unity of a club or society than the incidental qualities. I person is still a member of a club, a society, a marriage, a family, a nation, even if they are separated from these societies by incidental factors. When a man stays home while his wife is on a business trip, they do not stop being husband and wife because of the geographical separation. If marriage, and all types of societies were like a crowd or a queue, than just like when you leave a crowd you stop being a member of a that crowd, the geographical separation of spouses would dissolve that marriage. This is clearly an absurd conclusion.

Waiting in the line at the D.M.V., so de-humanizing that these people have grown rabbit ears!

In addition there is a difference in dignity between the members of a crowd and the members of a society. This is not meant by any means to refer objective dignity that each man, woman, child, and fetus has, but to the feeling of being dignified or non-dignified. Imagine waiting in line at the D.M.V., there is something de-humanizing about that. To recover that momentary and relatively insignificant loss of dignity a person would seek out a society, usually the society of friendship.

While this is a very nice pile of sand, clearly this falls very short of what is meant by a society. There are more than individuals, if this was not the case than a nation would be nothing more than a pile of people.

So the reality of the unity of a society is not explicit, in the same way that a person is naturally referred to as one, nor is it an aggregation like a crowd, a queue or a pile of sand. There is more to the unity of a society, the unity of a marriage, and the unity of a nation than the unity of a pile of sand.

There is a third option. This is proposing again the classical and hence timeless concept of a unity of order. There is no tangible object of a society that one can point to and say there is that society, rather to determine a society we look at what are the principles of order that make that cohesive -- united.

Saint Paul preaching in Athens, the wisdom of Aristotle is meeting the knowledge of the faith of Paul.

In his Epistles, Paul writes about this when he writes, "the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body" (1 Corinthians 12:12). Just like the parts or members of a society are diverse, so the parts of a body are diverse (I am not all arms or all legs, but I have arms and legs and many other parts), the body though only functions when their parts have some sort of order between them. When this order is seriously disrupted by injury or disease the whole body suffers. This is an analogy that Paul uses to describe the society of the Church, that she is rich because of the diversity of her members, but she can only function because of the order that they all share in. Reflecting on successful marriages, families, clubs, etc., it becomes evident that these societies are successful because while respecting the dignity of the diverse members there are principles of order that allow these diverse members to be and to act cohesively. If you do not like the word "order," the idea of a strong sense of cooperation can suffice some-what.

Members of these societies must cooperate with these principles of order, as these are the only principles that hold a society together. These principles of order become enshrined in many different ways. In a nation a system of laws, values, and even culture institution develop as buttresses to these underlying principles of order. In the Church these are often discussed in terms of the "four C's": Creed, Cult, and Code. In other words, the principles of order for the Church are the beliefs of the Church, the worship of the Church, and the Canons or laws of the Church. In a family, the routine of a family often enshrines this order. Remember when you were a kid and for no apparent reason everyone always sat at the same spot at the kitchen table? By doing that, sub-consciously the individual members were re-enforcing the strength of the family by honoring the order of it.

Far from being oppressive, upon reflection, it is found that these principles of order actually serve to elevate individuals. I am a better man because of the family I come from. I am a better believer through the order provided by the Church. I am a better citizen, because of the order provided by politics (hence the duty to respect our leaders, as outlined by Paul in Romans 13:3). If I wanted to improve my ability at the piano or singing, I would do well to join a piano club or an orchestra.

Aristotle, philosopher and scientist extraordinare

If the glory of God is man fully alive, I can say that I am fully alive because I am immersed in a matrix of different types of societies. This is why Aristotle writes that man is essentially a social creature. An individual cannot even approach his full potential and glory if he remains just an individual. To be draw up into greatness he must enter into an order of cooperation, a society.

*I do not mean this in any sort of sexist term, in the sense of "her there little lady...", but rather a recognition of the title she bears granted to her by her Queen, H.R.H. Elizabeth II (or if you prefer: E. Alexandra Windsor-Montbatten).