September 2007 Archives

September 27th is St. Vincent de Paul’s feast day. Vincent was a great priest in a difficult time. France was torn apart by incessant war in the 17th century and he spent much of his time helping those affected by those wars. Today he’s known throughout the world for his help to those in material need mainly thanks to the society that was named after him, the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Society was established by Blessed Frederic Ozanam (feast day: September 9th) who, like Vincent, sought to help the destitute of Paris in the 19th century. In this day and age where Social Justice is so fashionable, these facts make these men heroes. But would they be so popular if they were alive today?

Facts that are less known about these men, but are as true as their commitment to helping those in material need, is that they were men of great faith and zeal for Catholicism. Blessed Frederic Ozanam did much apologetic work for the faith as a professor throughout his whole life, and starting the St. Vincent de Paul Society was part of that apologetic work. He wanted to show the secular atheists that it really did matter whether or not one believed in the Church. Our faith will have an affect on society.

St. Vincent de Paul was the same way. The Church in France during his times was in need of much reform, so he began a new order, the Congregation of the Mission (CM). He formed this order for the proper formation of priests, so they could evangelize especially to the poor. It was never in his mind to help the poor only to meet their temporal needs. Meeting their temporal needs was a necessary step to meet their spiritual needs. These men were able to do their good works because of their adherence to orthodoxy in the faith. They didn’t see a separation between orthopraxis and orthodoxy like many do today in the field of Social Justice.

I’m not so sure these men in heaven are too happy with the direction the St. Vincent de Paul Society is heading in the U.S. It is looking more and more like a collection of Goodwill Thrift Stores with a vague notion of “spirituality” rather than a Catholic organization founded by devoutly Catholic men who had evangelization as their main focus in life. While meeting the material needs of the poor is a good thing, it is cruel to see that as an end in itself. True mercy is doing what these men worked endlessly for: allowing Grace to work in us so we can meet the material and spiritual needs of our neighbor, with the spiritual need (as understood by the Church) as the greatest and final end.
St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederic Ozanam, pray for us.

Peace,
Daniel

Just wanted to mention this week's Catholic Carnival is up here. It's focused on what children teach parents, so it's a little different than most, but worth checking out (as always).

God bless,
Jay

September 21st is the feast day of St. Matthew the Apostle, who is traditionally regarded as the author of one of the four Gospels in the New Testament. Though the probability that the Apostle wrote the Gospel is doubtful because for the most part it is based on the Gospel according to Mark. It isn’t likely that a companion of Jesus would have followed so closely an account that came from one who admittedly never had such an association, rather than rely on his own memories. But to follow ancient tradition and for the sake of simplicity, we attribute the authorship of the first Gospel to St. Matthew, the Apostle.

The main aim of this Gospel is apologetic, specifically towards the Jews; he doesn’t explain Jewish customs, like the other Gospels do for their Greek and Latin audiences, and he assumes the readers are acquainted with the geographical area of Palestine. He wanted to show them, whether they were converts or still unbelieving Jews, that in Jesus the ancient prophecies had been realized in their entirety.
As a side note, this is why there are some differences in the four Gospels. The reality was that when the authors wrote them, they had a particular audience in mind, so they emphasized different things, depending on the particular problems their audiences were experiencing. This can be confusing to a modern reader who compares them to each other but does not know this. (I know it was for me).

Finally, the place of the Gospel of Matthew as the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament reflects the early Church view that it was the first to be written. Also, it was highly esteemed in the Church; no other was so frequently quoted in the noncanonical literature of early Christianity. As the New American Bible introduction to this Gospel states: “The reason for [this high esteem] becomes clear upon study of the way in which Matthew presents the story of Jesus, the demands of Christian discipleship, and the breaking-in of the new and final age through the ministry, but particularly through the death and resurrection of Jesus.”

St. Matthew pray for us, and may your writings continue to be ever greater channels of Grace for us.

God bless,
Daniel

Even though she likes Ohio State (we have to be forgiving), we have to suggest that you check out this week's Catholic Carnival here. It features a "Game Day" sports theme that's great - and perfect for the season. So forgive her odd taste in bad teams and check out the Catholic Carnival. ;-)

God bless,
Jay

This is an excellent article by the man who owns Sophia Press:

Not long ago, one of my adult children spent hours pummeling me and the Church. The waves of her anger struck repeatedly, tossing me like a small boat in a storm.

With the bitterness of a woman betrayed, she recited the sins of bad priests we knew, and catalogued the failings of Catholic laymen and bishops we trusted.

"I believed," she cried.

"I believed, while those bastards lied and sneaked about, doing the very things they preached against!"

What could I say?

I won't defend the indefensible.

So, like Peter in that boat tossed by an earlier storm, I kept myself focused on Jesus.

"They betrayed us," I agreed. "But they betrayed Jesus more.

"He condemned these sins centuries ago.

If you thought He was wrong about that, you wouldn't be upset today. Your anger shows that even when priests violate them, you think Christ's teachings --- the Church's teachings --- are right."

That just made her angrier.

You know, when I entered the Church as an adult, I had a profound admiration for priests.

I believed so completely that I founded Sophia Institute Press to bring back into print the fine Catholic books that had won me to the Faith, and that --- I was sure --- would convert others, too.

Now, at last count, five of the priests I've admired for their orthodoxy have been implicated in the sex scandals, and one is deep in jail.

That fact didn't make it easy for me to answer my daughter's charges.

Like Peter, I was left only with Jesus.

Jesus gave sinful Peter the power to walk on water.

Jesus keeps us from drowning when the world attacks us and assails our wounded Church.

And Jesus guarantees that, despite the sins of Her members, the Church Herself is perfect.

Fr. Ronald Knox explains how in a remarkable little book, The Church on Earth, which we published a couple of years ago.

There he notes that, unlike the Protestant churches, the Catholic Church is not a system that men, after earnest prayer and thoughtful deliberation, devised as the best scheme that they could think of for perpetuating the work of their Master, Jesus.

The Catholic Church is directly God's handiwork: in the New Testament Jesus Himself instituted the Sacraments and established the Church, placing Peter at its head

Since God Himself established our Church, we must believe that it is perfectly designed to lead souls to perfection; and that it does so when they abide by Her teachings and partake of the graces She affords them.

Had I remembered just this one point from Msgr. Knox's slim book, the conversation with my daughter -- and with others who assail the Church for the sins of her members -- would have gone much better.

It's a beautiful story - and I recommend The Church on Earth as well. One important point: Sophia Press is in dire need of money. If you can spare a dollar, please donate here to help save them. Or purchase The Church on Earth here.

God bless,
Jay

Please take a moment today to pray for the souls of those who died on 9/11. May God have mercy on them.

Our thoughts are also with their friends and families. And pray for those who think this type of violence is warranted as well.

God bless,
Jay

Some would like to think so. The new book “Come Be My Light” by Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, a proponent of her sainthood, collects into one place her letters about her private, inner conflicts written to confessors and superiors. In a video clip by ABC News, an atheist was shown saying that her long-lasting doubting thoughts are proof that people don’t need faith to do extraordinary things like she did.

I have not read the book, but my first reaction to that logic is: if she did lose her faith, why did she not leave the consecrated life and continue doing the good work as an atheist? A person committed to doing so much good would have had to be honest with herself and discontinue being a nun if she did not believe in it. But those who seek God and have been given the gift of faith know that she did not lose it. We know that those who are very close to God, like Mother Teresa, sometimes experience a “dark night of the soul” as St. John of the Cross would say. Hers lasted many years. Through suffering, doubts, and temptation, God draws us deeper in His Love. Because she was such a force of good in this world, I’m sure she also suffered much from the attacks of the devil. It would have been a nice victory for him if he could have tempted her into some scandal or disbelief. Fortunately, that was not the case.

It is truly inspirational to know that Mother Teresa tirelessly served the poor and fought for the pre-born with such passion and conviction, in spite of these doubts that plagued her mind. Because of these sufferings, she will be that much more of a powerful intercessor for those of us who suffer from doubts as she did.
May her example continue to inspire all, believers and non-believers alike.

Pax et Bonum,
Daniel