Last Saturday I had the privilege of consecrating the restored church of Old St. Patrick. This is the oldest existing Catholic church in Kansas City. It will serve as the Oratory for the Latin Mass community which first began here under Bishop John Sullivan, and for many years has shared the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows.
One of the beauties of the Traditional Latin High Mass that I celebrated is that it highlights a most profound aspect of the Mass, namely our participation with the Communion of Saints. The high altar, multiple candles, incense and Gregorian chant, collectively give us a striking image of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is our ultimate home. Every Mass celebrates this reality, but I must admit that the traditional Mass captured this magnificent expression of the ultimate hope and goal of Christians in a powerful way. We should reflect on this often, because the ultimate goal of everything we do is to get ourselves to heaven and bring with us as many as we can.
The month of November begins with the two great celebrations: All Saints day (November 1) and the Commemoration of All Souls (November 2). These feasts celebrate our communion with the “Church triumphant” in heaven, and the “Church suffering” in purgatory. Today I would like to share a few brief comments about what we have sometimes called the “Church militant,” the Church here on earth.
We, the Church on earth, have a very special challenge as participants in the grace and life of Jesus Christ to “fight” against the enemies of Christ’s justice and truth and light and life. We must be attentive to the demands of this daily “battle” in a peaceable but serious manner.
I am sometimes amazed at the casual manner with which Christians, Catholics included, take up our life within what Pope John Paul II rightly called the “culture of death.” The Church, by comparison, reminds us that we are engaged – by reason of our Baptism and Confirmation – in a battle, “not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities and powers, with the rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in heaven.” (Eph 6:12) Jesus Christ has won the ultimate battle, but we, in the course of our human life must make our choice, determining on whose side we will live and die. Whose side will you choose?!
What is at stake in this battle is our immortal soul, our salvation. My responsibility as bishop is with the eternal destiny of those entrusted to my care. My total energies must be directed to the well being of those who otherwise may come under the spell of a radically flawed and fundamentally distorted moral sense, at odds with what our Mother the Church teaches. There are objective and transcendent truths. There is such a thing as right and wrong. There is a legitimate hierarchy of moral evils, and the direct willful destruction of human life can never be justified; it can never be supported. Do you believe this firm teaching of the Church?
Did you know that in Canada priests and Christian ministers have already been brought before tribunals for preaching and teaching in support of marriage? They are charged with “hate speech” against homosexuality. In light of the tyranny of choice growing each day in our own beloved country, we ought to be ready for similar attacks on religious freedom. We must not fail to preach the Gospel. We can not withhold the truth of our faith. That is why I will never be silent about human life. It is why I am proud of so many others – bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity – who are not afraid to speak out about the values that matter most. What about you?!
Our Lord told His apostles that they would be hated by the world, just as He was. Nearly all of them died a martyr’s death. As warriors in the Church militant, we must never resort to violence. But we must stand up fearlessly against the agents of death, the enemies of human life. Human beings are not Satan, but we know too well that they can come under his spell. They can become willing agents of death, numbed and poisoned in this culture of death. What about you?!
As we begin this month of November, the month of the Church, let us call upon the Saints to inspire us, befriend us, and pray for us. Let us offer many prayers and sacrifices for the poor souls who have gone before us. They need our meritorious suffrages to help them reach heaven.
And let us resolve to be warriors of the Church militant; warriors with our eyes fixed on heaven. Let us ask God’s mercy and strength to persevere in our call – individual and collective – to holiness. Mary, Mother of the Church, Pray for us! [source]
9 comments
Great post. thanks.
These last few years I have been much closer to the Church, in ways that I could not have anticipated a while back. One of these is really reflecting on teachings and reasonings behind what the Church believes. I have reconciled my former very-misguided support of abortion (and absolutely feel the weight of that poorly thought out position on my part), and have become more vocal, much, in my everyday life about abortion, among other things.
It doesn’t win you friends, that’s for sure.
I’ve literally shocked friends of mine and now several won’t discuss “politics” with me. Looking back, I can’t say I was unsmooth in bringing things up. I happen to have to negotiate for a living so being a complete jerk in conversation usually doesn’t happen. But I think at least several times they (various people who consider it a forgone conclusion, legally, morally, and ethically) were completely offended by my bringing it up at all. Like I was being impolite. Sometimes I do think I overstep (or at least I notice I couldn have seen the shock coming). Each time I press the life issue, I rely on our founding documents as examples of our guarantee to life, and how a whole group has been denied it. I bring up the Civil War, and how our Country, at great expense (human and otherwise) already fought each other over the value of a human life. We’ve been here before. Nevermind how Roe v Wade circumvented the legislative process and made law that people did not have their elected representatives work on.
I find that speaking about a Church teaching is not enough. So many people have bailed on organized religion (though I am happy to see what I consider a renaissance in the Church these days), that even using the reasoning posited by the Church is considered outdated. Nevermind that pretty often the Church’s teachings on morality have been the underpinning of the rights we enjoy today! It’s hard to make a point when people think your a “creationist” for being religious at all, so using the religious arguments that have been put forward is very hard with a non-religious person.
About a week ago I was particularly down in the dumps about no fewer than four friend who I no longer hear from, and another few that are keeping distance during this election season (and hopefully not beyond). I live in NYC so it’s normal to be outnumbered as a conservative independent. I deal with people everyday who have a different view than me. But if you divert from the going thought that abortion is an okay choice, or not good for me but good for thee, you’re a pariah. Anyway, that same night I was down in the dumps, I was reading Forward Movement, an Anglican booklet that is nice as a nightly focus and an interpretation of readings in the Bible. I’m a happy Catholic but I branch out and like to partake and see what’s written elsewhere. Anyway, that same night in the little booklet was this: from Thursday, Oct 16:
Paul was rejected, ridiculed, persecuted, and even imprisoned for his faith…
…Through the changing winds of circumstance that bluster through your life, stay firmly anchored to Jesus, who remains the same, yesterday, today, and forever. “
There was more in the middle of those two quotes that talked about giving thanks even in bad moments.
Your post is important because it reminds us it isn’t always easy to stick to the right answer. Aborting 1.3-1.8M human lives a year, in the US alone, is absolutely unacceptable. And when I think of how many blacks are aborted each year, I am amazed at how dumb humans can be. For all the talk about racism, being mean to poor people, etc., and the near absolute ignoring of abortion hurting that community, I’m left speechless. I just don’t understand how this can rank lower than other issues and how blacks vote so consistently democratic, what with their voting record to preserve abortion at all costs. Anyway, it was the prefect thing to read at a low moment, and it snapped me out of my self-pity in a hurray.
Among the over 110 bishops who have spoken out in this election in defense of Church teaching are 69 ordinaries (bishops who head dioceses).
That’s over one-third of the 197 dioceses and archdioceses in the United States.
WOW… oh… WOW… is all I can say! One third of the Bishops here in the United States have spoken out! Maybe when we hit the 50 million abortions mark… maybe when most of the Catholic hospitals have shut down… maybe when every state has to euthanize it’s sick and elderly and every state has to recognize same sex marriage…
Maybe then, we can climb from one third up to “forty” percent. These may be the most courageous and brave group of “teachers” ever assembled in the history of the world.
If it weren’t so very sickening and disgraceful we could have a good laugh about it. What a joke! What a tragedy! Don’t you just know how sick Our Lord is over all of this?
When will they have the spine of “talk the talk and WALK THE WALK” to… bomb the murderers nest (USA Congress), via PUBLIC excommunication (Rome’s Law) of lawmakers direct-formal cooperators of abortion?
Guillermo,
Whether your observations are valid or not, your tone and your focus on the faults of the bishops is neither charitable nor helpful. What do you hope to accomplish?
Bashing the bishops will probably not inspire them to stand and speak. (Thankfulness for those who have stood and spoken up firmly for the unborn, however, has merit.) Inciting anger and mistrust towards the bishops doesn’t help the Church, and surely will not help the cause of the unborn.
Additionally, I think you may be hurting your own soul by obsessing over the perceived faults of others. I know that I afflict myself when I get caught up in anger and disappointment.
Have you tried praying the Psalms when you are deeply discouraged? They are very helpful to me when I am tempted to despair.
Let’s continue to pray that more shepherds will lead with courage, and that more sheep will follow when they are directed to truth.
Joanne:
“Your tone and your focus on the faults of the bishops is neither charitable nor helpful”.
Sorry to disagree. Just review the example of MANY saints in history. Charity is TRUTH not falseness, or… being complicit with in this case, GROOS negligence (and that is a kind word) regarding CONSENTED genocidal lawmakers.
Cordially
It is with great sadness that I read this.
Here is my position. As a negotiator, I hope you will recognize its merit.
To convince an individual, it is of no value to simply state your position as the opposite of that person and repeat it again and again. This is the dialogue that I feel is far too easy a digression in today’s discourse.
Instead, the most valuable and most successful route would be to find those areas where you agree and then push them in your discussion.
There is a reason Emily Post said that it is impolite to discuss religion and politics. It encourages zealotry, and becomes the enemy of any interaction outside of the church. Our faith is our faith and must be central to our lives. It must inform our decisions, and guide us in our hopes.
That said, it does nothing to help your faith or the faiths of others by participating in this kind of combative response. If invited, then discuss. If moved to passion, then display.
But, while forcing your opinions on others may make you feel you are trying to advance the cause, your return on investment is negligible. You will exhaust yourself, your friends and your colleagues and gain little ground.
There is a reason Emily Post said that it is impolite to discuss religion and politics. It encourages zealotry, and becomes the enemy of any interaction outside of the church.
And Chesterton said the only things worth talking about are religion and politics, because one is about our relationship with God, and the other is about our relationship with people. So your point is??
But, while forcing your opinions on others may make you feel you are trying to advance the cause, your return on investment is negligible. You will exhaust yourself, your friends and your colleagues and gain little ground.
Yeah, if Jesus only didn’t force his “opinions” on people, He wouldn’t have been crucified and then He could have married Mary Magdalene and settled down to a quiet life in France. And Christianity would have gone the way of the dodo and we’d all be Muslim. How nice.
[sarc/ off]
No one is forcing “opinions” here, Christopher. The bishop is stating revealed Truth. A negotiator will die a thousand deaths, but a martyr only one.
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