Canon Law, Confession, Faculties, and Validity

Recently, an email was sent to Marek Bozek inquiring about a St Stanislaus bulletin article (PDF file) regarding "Communal Penance Services" to be held March 31. The bulletin stated that several priests would be available to hear confession.

Noting this curiosity of several priests helping out at a schismatic church with an excommunicated priest as the 'hired' pastor, Bozek was asked if these would be Roman Catholic priests from the archdiocese with the necessary faculties to hear confessions and grant absolution. Certainly, no archdiocesan priest would be so foolish as to venture into the territory of a schismatic group without the permission of the local ordinary?

First, it's important to understand how some at St Stanislaus feel about the laws of the Church. From the FAQ page, we read:

What is Canon law?

This is a set of constantly changing laws that govern the operation of Roman Catholic Church; however they are broad, open to interpretation and full of conflicting interpretations. The laws were created by clergy, written by clergy, interpreted by clergy and are changed by clergy. It is very difficult to understand how the 1891 transfer to the Parish civil corporation is a violation of the church law in the historical perspective. The first codification of Church law, Code of Canon law, was issued in 1917. Subsequently, the canons were revised on 2 separate occasions in 1943, and again in 1983. Canon Law is not doctrine and as indicated above can be changed in the future.

"Constantly changing, open to interpretation, and full of conflicting interpretations" (does this imply misinterpretation?)...and let's not forget, "man-made" law - apparently meaning, it can be dismissed as irrelevant and non-binding by the one who is subject to it. If this is possible with the laws of the Church as the leaders of St Stanislaus maintain, doesn't this also apply with the "man-made" laws of the country? After all, those laws are also "constantly changing, open to interpretation, and full of conflicting interpretations". And, of course, these laws are not doctrine.

Despite his not having been granted faculties by the bishop, Marek Bozek maintains, erroneously, that he can hear confessions and grant absolution because, in his view, the sacrament of holy orders is not based on the faculties [granted] but on the sacramental character of ordination. Likewise, despite the absence of faculties, he claims to be able to celebrate Mass, because he "does it everyday." The question of liceity nevers appears to enter the picture.

Even more outrageous and disquieting is the fact that "priests" scheduled to hear confessions apparently have no faculties to do so. In fact, it may even be worse than this since "some of the priest[s] present for the Penance Service will be men who were validly ordained in the Roman Catholic Church but do not possess any longer regular faculties granted by the Archbishop."

Perhaps, it's a language issue, but the statement that "some of the priests...will be men who were validly ordained in the Roman Catholic Church..." is rather alarming - or at least, should be - to anyone who considers himself a faithful Catholic.

Does this mean that some of the "priests" are not men? Or that some were not validly ordained as Catholic priests? Or some have rejected the faith after being ordained? This is unknown...

Given this mindset, it would be entirely proper to be treated by a person who claims to be a medical doctor, even if he has no license to practice medicine, or to board an aircraft to be flown by a person, who does not have the necessary certification and licensing to fly. But in the present case, one's immortal soul is at risk.

Without a doubt, none of these "priests" will be able to grant absolution - and this is a terrible injustice to the people and a gravely serious sin for those who are complicit in this charade.

Experience has demonstrated that there are some at St Stanislaus with little regard for the lawful directives of the Archbishop or the Holy See, and that the current (or previous) Code of Canon Law is "man-made" law which can be ignored at will, Bozek was sent an excerpt from the 16th century Roman Catechism - the Catechism of the Council of Trent. This excerpt poignantly dismisses claims that one does not need faculties or approval from the Church and that without faculties, no priest or bishop (except in danger of death) can be a valid minister of the Sacrament; hence, if there is no valid minister, there is no absolution:

===================
The Minister of the Sacrament of Penance

The Usual Minister
We now come to treat of the minister of this Sacrament. That the minister of the Sacrament of Penance must be a priest possessing ordinary or delegated jurisdiction the laws of the Church sufficiently declare. Whoever discharges this sacred function must be invested not only with the power of orders, but also with that of jurisdiction. Of this ministry we have an illustrious proof in these words of our Lord, recorded by St. John: Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained, words addressed not to all, but to the Apostles only, to whom, in this function of the ministry, priests succeed. (my emphasis)

This is also most fitting, for as all the grace imparted by this Sacrament is communicated from Christ the Head to His members, they who alone have power to consecrate His true body should alone have power to administer this Sacrament to His mystical body, the faithful, particularly as these are qualified and disposed by means of the Sacrament of Penance to receive the Holy Eucharist.

The scrupulous care which in the primitive ages of the Church guarded the right of the ordinary priest is easily seen from the ancient decrees of the Fathers, which provided that no Bishop or priest, except in case of great necessity, presume to exercise any function in the parish of another without the authority of him who governed there. This law derives its sanction from the Apostle when he commanded Titus to ordain priests in every city, to administer to the faithful the heavenly food of doctrine and of the Sacraments. (my emphasis)
=======================

Unfortunately, sacrileges and sins continue to be piled upon sacrileges and sins with no end in sight - and, sadly, it is heard that the numbers who are joining St Stanislaus are increasing. Bozek makes the claim that the Holy Spirit is behind this growth - nothing could be farther from the truth! The Holy Spirit does not lead souls down a path of sinfulness and schism, away from Christ, His Church, and the sacraments. There may very well be a "spirit" which is leading souls to this congregation of rebellion and sacrilege...whatever it is, it certainly isn't "holy"...

And finally, all should recall the admonition given by Archbishop Burke in December 2005:

The ordained priest who goes into schism, in addition to being bound by the above-listed prohibitions, is also rendered irregular for the exercise of Holy Orders (cf. can. 1044, §1, 2º). In other words, he may not exercise the Sacrament of Holy Orders which he has received. Any Mass celebrated by a suspended and excommunicated priest is valid, but illicit. To knowingly and willingly celebrate the Holy Mass, when one is legitimately prohibited from doing so, is a most grave sin. A priest under the penalty of excommunication does not give valid sacramental absolution (cf. can. 966, §1). Neither can he validly officiate at a wedding (cf. can. 1108, §1).

The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation by a schismatic priest is invalid because he no longer has any faculty to do so, either by universal Church law or the granting of the faculty by the diocesan bishop (cf. can. 882). Baptism and the Anointing of the Sick are conferred validly but not licitly (cf. cann. 862; and 1003, §§1-2).

The faithful who approach a schismatic priest for the reception of the sacraments, except in the case of danger of death, commit a mortal sin...

(all emphasis above is mine)

O God, all hearts are in Your hands; You can bend as You will the most stubborn, and soften the most obdurate. Do that honor this day to the precious blood, the merits, the sacred wounds, the holy name, and loving Heart of Your beloved Son, of bestowing your grace and light upon all of us whose pride blinds us and keeps us separated from You.

April 22-Solemn High Mass with Homily by Abp. Burke

April 22, 10 a.m. at the St Francis de Sales Oratory
2653 Ohio Avenue
St Louis

Solemn High Mass in the presence of His Grace, The Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis. The Mass will be celebrated by the Very Rev. Msgr. R. Michael Schmitz, Vicar General and Provincial Superior for the United States. Archbishop Burke will be the Homilist.

Additional info here (PDF)...
Thanks to Stephanie for the update!

Mystery French nun in Pope John Paul’s beatification case identified

PARIS (AP) — Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre is the French nun whose testimony of a mystery cure from Parkinson’s disease will likely be accepted as the miracle the Vatican needs to beatify Pope John Paul II, an official at the Paris maternity hospital where she works said Wednesday.

The identity of the nun has been one of the Catholic Church’s most closely guarded secrets. The nun says that she was cured of Parkinson’s after she and her community of nuns prayed to John Paul.

Gospel for Thursday, 5th Week of Lent

From: John 8:51-59

Jesus Warns the Unbelieving Jews (Continuation)

(Jesus said to the Jews,) [51] "Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps My word, he will never see death." [52] The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and You say, `If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste death.' [53] Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do You claim to be?" [54] Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say that He is your God. [55] But you have not known Him; I know Him. If I said I do not know Him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know Him and I keep His word. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see My day; he saw it and was glad." [57] The Jews then said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" [58] Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." [59] So they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
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Commentary:

51-53. "He will never see death": our Lord promises eternal life to those who accept His teaching and remain faithful to it.

Sin, as the Fourth Gospel teaches, is death of the soul; and sanctifying grace, life (cf. John 1:4, 13; 3:15, 16. 36; etc.). Through grace we enter eternal life, a pledge of the Glory we shall attain beyond this earthly life and which is the true Life. Blinded by their hostility, the Jews do not want to listen to the Lord and therefore they fail to understand Him.

55. The knowledge our Lord is speaking about implies more than intellectual knowledge. The Old Testament speaks of this "knowing" in the sense of love, faithfulness, generous self-surrender. Love for God is a consequence of the certain knowledge we have of Him, and at the same time the more we love God, the better we get to know Him.

Jesus, whose holy human nature was intimately united (though not mixed) with His divinity in the one Person of the Word, continues to assert His singular and ineffable knowledge of the Father. But this accurate language of Jesus is absolutely incomprehensible to those who close themselves to faith: they even think He is blaspheming (cf. verse 59).

56. Jesus presents Himself as the fulfillment of the hopes of the Old Testament patriarchs. They had stayed faithful, eager to see the Day of Salvation. Referring to their faith, St. Paul exclaims: "These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). The most outstanding of those patriarchs was Abraham, our father in faith (cf. Galatians 3:7), who received the promise of being father of an immense people, the chosen people from whom would be born the Messiah.

The future fulfillment of the messianic promises was a source of great joy for Abraham: "Abraham, our father, who was set apart for the future accomplishment of the Promise, and who hoped against hope, receives when his son Isaac is born the prophetic firstfruits of this joy. This joy becomes transfigured through a trial touching death, when this only son is restored to him alive, a prefiguring of the resurrection of the One who was to come: the Son of God, promised for the redeeming sacrifice. Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing the Day of Christ, the Day of Salvation: he "saw it and was glad" (Paul VI, "Gaudete In Domino", II).

Jesus moves on a plane superior to that of the patriarchs, for they only saw prophetically, from "afar", the day of Christ, that is, the actual event of the Redemption, whereas it is Christ who brings it to pass.

58. Jesus' reply to the skeptical remarks of the Jews contains a revelation of His divinity. By saying "Before Abraham was, I am" our Lord is referring to His being eternal, because He is God. Therefore, St. Augustine explains: "Acknowledge the Creator, discern the creature. He who was speaking was a descendant of Abraham, but that Abraham might be made, before Abraham He was" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 43, 17).

The Fathers recall, in connection with the words of Christ, the solemn theophany of Sinai: "I AM WHO I AM" (Ex 3:14), and also St. John's distinction in the prologue to his Gospel, between the world which "was made" and the Word which "was" from all eternity (cf. John 1:1-3). The words, "I am", used by Jesus so absolutely are the equivalent therefore, of His affirming His eternity and His divinity. Cf. note on John 8:21-24.

[The note on John 8:21-24 states:
21-24. At the outset of His public ministry, Jesus could be seen to have all the features of the promised Messiah; some people recognized Him as such and became His followers (cf. John 1:12-13; 4:42; 6:69; 7:41); but the Jewish authorities, although they were expecting the Messiah (cf. John 1:19ff), persisted in their rejection of Jesus. Hence the warning to them: He is going where they cannot follow, that is, He is going to Heaven, which is where He has come from (cf. John 6:41ff), and they will keep looking out for the Messiah foretold by the prophets; but they will not find Him because they look for Him outside of Jesus, nor can they follow Him, for they do not believe in Him. You are of the world, our Lord is saying to them, not because you are on earth but because you are living under the influence of the prince of this world (cf. John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11); you are his vassals and you do his deeds (cf. 8:44); therefore, you will die in your sin. "We are all born with sin", St. Augustine comments, "all by our living have added to what we were by nature, and have become more of this world than we then were, when we were born of our parents. Where would we be if He had not come, who had no sin at all, to loose all sin? The Jews, because they did not believe in Him, deserved to have it said to them, You will die in your sin" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 38, 6).

The salvation which Christ brings will be applied to those who believe in His divinity. Jesus declares His divinity when He says "I am He", for this _expression, which He repeats on other occasions (cf. John. 8:28; 13:19), is reserved to Yahweh in the Old Testament (cf. Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10-11), where God, in revealing His name and therefore His essence, says to Moses "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). In this profound way God says that He is the Supreme Being in a full, absolute sense, that He is dependent on no other being, that all other things depend on Him for their being and existence. Thus, when Jesus says of Himself, "I am He", He is revealing that He is God.]
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for Thursday after the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Christ Falls Beneath the Cross

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Lord, let me feel the weight of your cross, so that I might know the intensity of your love.

Mental Picture: Noontime on a dusty, windy day in early spring... a narrow street in Jerusalem filled with snarling people... they are watching three men carry crosses... hate is in their eyes. One of the men strumbles... the crowd laughs in mockery. The third man can hardly move... His eyes are fixed on the ground... His back is doubled under the cross. He pauses, then lunges forward... His foot catches on the corner of a cobblestone and He sprawls forward as the people He loves laugh at Him. Jesus has fallen under the weight of His cross.

My Personal Application: Have I ever had anyone laugh in my face, mocking my good intentions? It often takes real heroism then to keep one's temper. Have I ever had anyone mock my efforts to help him? It takes more than heroism to continue to help. It takes love.

I Speak to Christ: Lord, the physical sufferings you went through were terrible, but the pain in your heart was even worse. Help me to feel that pain, so that I may know your love for me, and for all men.

Thought for Today: Within thy wounds hide me!
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Explosive Revelations...Canadian Catholic Schools

Explosive Revelations about Homosexual Teachers in Canadian Catholic Schools
At one school 5 teachers 'outed' themselves as homosexuals

TORONTO, March 28, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the upcoming April issue of the Canadian Catholic Magazine, Catholic Insight makes some explosive revelations about openly homosexual teachers in Catholic schools in Canada. "Homosexually active Catholics have been infiltrating Ontario's Catholic schools for some time and, with their new legal status, now demand to be recognized," says the article co-authored by editor Fr. Alpohonse de Valk and investigative reporter Tony Gosgnach.

Time to clean up the mess, shut 'em down and restart, or homeschool (which may become illegal if the "chosen elite" have their way).

Continued here...

Are you a CFC - a Carbon Free Catholic?

Religious groups see environmentalism as moral issue

And some see environmentalism as the newest religion...

Paper plates are out at the Unitarian Universalist Society's potluck dinners.
* * *
The congregation watched Al Gore's documentary on climate change called "An Inconvenient Truth" in January.

...and they saw the light, courtesy of Mr. Carbon Credit himself...

Instead of giving up chocolate for Lent, Catholics in Portland, Ore., are going on a 40-day carbon-emission diet, said Meg O'Brien, a member of St. Andrew parish.

The goal is for each member to reduce the emission of 5,000 pounds of carbon by making sacrifices like not driving on the weekends or switching to energy-efficient light bulbs.

Sally Vance-Trembeth, a Catholic theologian, said her commitment to the environment led her to give up her snowblower when she taught at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

"Before we moved out to San Francisco, I was in the process of converting our large lawn into a prairie," Vance-Trembeth said in an e-mail.

Giving up the snowblower? What a sacrifice! Personally, I prefer a tractor with a blade.

I have used energy efficient bulbs for a few year - not only because of the energy usage reduction but primarily, because I do not have to change bulbs every couple of months...

Catholic Bishop Thomas Wenski of the Orlando Diocese, which includes Volusia County, has weighed in on the national debate on global warming. "To do nothing could be dangerous and costly to the flourishing of humankind on the planet," Wenski said in a public statement.

What is proven to be more dangerous to mankind is the rampant moral breakdown and decay in society due to abortion, contraception, homosexuality, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, relativism, socialism, secular humanism, and on and on...

But, just in case, maybe we ought to stock up on some carbon offsets like Gore and Edwards...just to be, you know, carbon neutral...

Oakland Cathedral Project Update-$190 Million and growing

The project budget for the Cathedral Center has increased from an early estimate of $131 million in 2003 (based on very early conceptual plans that contained assumptions and allowances for costs not yet known) to a current estimate of $190 million in January 2007.

Hell...Exists and is Eternal, says Pope Benedict

And, as he affirms the teaching of Christ and the Church, this is no surprise except for those who continue to deny reality - the existence of God, of sin, of evil, and of the dire consequences that await those who reject God.

ROME, March 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a homily delivered Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI stated, "Jesus came to tell us that He wants us all in heaven and that hell - of which so little is said in our time - exists and is eternal for those who close their hearts to His love."

Europe: An “Apostate” from Itself (Chiesa)

An “Apostate” from Itself: The Lost Europe of Pope Benedict
Even before its separation from God, Joseph Ratzinger sees the old continent withdrawing from itself, from “its very identity.” Fifty years after the Treaty of Rome, the most critical assessment is that of the pope. Here it is...

Gospel for Wednesday, 5th Week of Lent

From: John 8:31-42

Jesus Warns the Unbelieving Jews (Continuation)

[31] Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in Him, "If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." [33] They answered Him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?"

[34] Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave of sin. [35] The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. [36] So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. [37] I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word finds no place in you. [38] I speak of what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have heard from your father."

[39] They answered Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did, [40] but now you seek to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. [41] You do what your father did." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." [42] Jesus said of them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not on My own account, but He sent Me."
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Commentary:

30-32. Of those Jews who do believe in Him Jesus asks much more than a shallow faith resulting from superficial enthusiasm: they should be true disciples; Jesus' words should imbue their whole life. That kind of faith will bring them to know the truth and to become really free persons.

The knowledge of the truth which Christ is speaking about is not just intellectual knowledge; it is rather the maturing in the soul of the seed of divine Revelation. That Revelation's climax is to be found in Christ's teaching and it constitutes a genuine communication of supernatural life (cf. John 5:24): He who believes in Jesus, and through Him in the Father, receives the wonderful gift of eternal life. Knowing the truth is, in the last analysis, knowing Christ Himself, God become man to save us; it means realizing that the inaccessible God has become man, our Friend, our Life.

This is the only kind of knowledge which really sets us free, because it removes us from a position of alienation from God--the state of sin and therefore of slavery to the devil and to all attachments of our fallen nature--and puts us on the path of friendship with God, the path of grace, of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the liberation we obtain is not just light which shows us the way; it is grace, which empowers us to keep to that way despite our limitations. "Jesus Christ meets the man of every age, including our own, with the same words: `You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free' (John 8:32). These words contain both a fundamental requirement and a warning: the requirement of an honest relationship with regard to truth as a condition for authentic freedom, and the warning to avoid every kind of illusory freedom, every superficial unilateral freedom, every freedom that fails to enter into the whole truth about man and the world. Today also, even after two thousand years, we see Christ as the One who brings man freedom based on truth, frees man from what curtails, diminishes and as it were breaks off this freedom at its root, in man's soul, his heart and his conscience. What a stupendous confirmation of this has been given and is still being given by those who, thanks to Christ and in Christ, have reached true freedom and have manifested it even in situations of external constraint!" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 12).

"Christ Himself links liberation particularly with knowledge of the truth; `You will know the truth and the truth will make you free' (John 8:32). This sentence testifies above all to the intimate significance of the freedom for which Christ liberates us. Liberation means man's inner transformation, which is a consequence of the knowledge of truth. The transformation is, therefore, a spiritual process, in which man matures `in true righteousness and holiness' (Ephesians 4:24). [...] Truth is important not only for the growth of human knowledge, deepening man's interior life in this way; truth has also a prophetic significance and power. It constitutes the content of testimony and it calls for testimony. We find this prophetic power of truth in the teaching of Christ. As a prophet, as a witness to truth, Christ repeatedly opposes non-truth; He does so with great forcefulness and decision and often He does not hesitate to condemn falsehood" (John Paul II, "General Audience", 21 February 1979).

St. Thomas Aquinas explains the meaning of these words of our Lord in this way: "In this passage, being made free does not refer to being freed of every type of wrong [...]; it means being freed in the proper sense of the word, in three ways: first, the truth of His teaching will free us from the error of untruth [...]; second, the truth of grace will liberate us from the slavery of sin: `the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death' (Romans 8:2); third, the truth of eternity in Christ Jesus will free us from decay (cf. Romans 8:21)" ("Commentary on St. John, in loc.").

"The truth will set you free. How great a truth is this, which opens the way to freedom and gives it meaning throughout our lives. I will sum it up for you, with the joy and certainty which flow from knowing there is a close relationship between God and His creatures. It is the knowledge that we have come from the hands of God, that the Blessed Trinity looks upon us with predilection, that we are children of so wonderful a Father. I ask my Lord to help us decide to take this truth to heart, to dwell upon it day by day; only then will we be acting as free men. Do not forget: anyone who does not realize that he is a child of God is unaware of the deepest truth about himself. When he acts he lacks the dominion and self-mastery we find in those who love our Lord above all else" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 26).

33-34. For centuries the people of Israel were ruled by other nations (Egypt, Babylon, Persia...), and now they were under the dominion of Rome. Therefore, the Jews thought that He was referring to political bondage or dominion--which in fact they had experienced but never accepted. In addition, since they belong to the people chosen by God, they regarded themselves as free of the moral errors and aberrations of Gentile nations.

They thought that true freedom was a matter of belonging to the chosen people. Our Lord replies that it is not enough to belong to the line of Abraham: true freedom consists in not being slaves of sin. Both Jews and Gentiles were subject to the slavery of original sin and personal sin (cf. Romans 5:12; 6:20 and 8:2). Only Christ, the Son of God, can liberate man from that sorry state (cf. Galatians 4:21-51); but these Jews do not understand the redemptive work which Christ is doing and which will reach its climax in His death and resurrection.

"The Savior", St. Augustine comments, "is here explaining that we will not be freed from overlords, but from the devil; not from captivity of the body but from malice of soul" ("Sermon", 48).

35-36. The words slave and son are reminiscent of the two sons of Abraham: Ishmael, born of the slave woman Hagar, who would be given no part in the inheritance; and Isaac, son of the free woman Sarah, who would be the heir to God's promises (cf. Genesis 21:10-12; Galatians 4:28-31). Physical descent from Abraham is not enough for inheriting God's promises and attaining salvation: by faith and charity one must identify oneself with Jesus Christ, the true and only Son of the Father, the only one who can make us sons of God and thereby bring us true freedom (cf. Romans 8:21; Galatians 4:31). Christ gives "power to become children of God [to those] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). Thus, a person who identifies himself with Christ becomes a son of God and obtains the freedom proper to sons.

"Freedom finds its true meaning when it is put to the service of the truth which redeems, when it is spent seeking God's infinite Love which liberates us from all forms of slavery. Each passing day increases my yearning to proclaim to the four winds this inexhaustible treasure that belongs to Christianity: `the glorious freedom of the children of God!' (Romans 8:21). [...] Where does our freedom come from? It comes from Christ our Lord. This is the freedom with which He has ransomed us (cf. Galatians 4:31). That is why He teaches, `if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36). We Christians do not have to ask anyone to tell us the true meaning of this gift, because the only freedom that can save man is Christian freedom" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 27 and 35).

37-41. Our Lord replies to the Jew's objection: yes indeed, they are Abraham's children, but only in a natural sense, according to the flesh; this is something which does not count any more; what matters now is acceptance of Jesus as the One sent by the Father. Jesus' questioners are spiritually very far away from being true children of Abraham: Abraham rejoiced to see the Messiah (cf. John 8:56); through his faith he was reckoned righteous (cf. Romans 4:1ff), and his faith led him to act consequentially (cf. James 2:21-24); this was how he attained the joy of eternal blessedness (cf. Matthew 8:11; Luke 16:24). Although those Jews "derived from him the generation of the flesh, they had become degenerate, by not imitating the faith of him whose sons they were" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 42, 1).
Those who live by faith, St. Paul says, are the true sons of Abraham and like him they will be blessed by God (cf. Galatians 3:7-9). In point of fact, the people who are arguing with our Lord have not only rejected His teaching: their own deeds indicate that they have a radically different affiliation: "You do what your father did" is a veiled accusation that they are children of the devil (cf. verse 44).

The false security Jews felt on the grounds of being descended from Abraham has its parallel in a Christian who is content with being baptized and with a few religious observances, but does not live up to the requirements of faith in Christ.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for Wednesday after the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Mary, my Mother, let me feel the sorrow that filled your heart, realizing my sins caused it.

Mental Picture: Mary tries to reach Jesus when the cross is laid on His shoulder. A howling, shrieking mob jostles her out of the way. Leaving the scene, she takes her stand farther along the route which Jesus will pass. Now she sees the procession, the gleam of Roman breastplates in the lead... a pressing mob, swirling clouds of yellow dust. On and on comes the roaring tide... there was the top of His cross, but Him she could see. Then she catches sight of Him... bent and breathing hard... dragging His cross along. For a moment their eyes meet, and all their years are in their glances... no word is needed... then Jesus is lost to her sight as the flowing mob coalesces around its victim.

My Personal Application: As I contemplate this scene, I must take my place next to Mary and endure that look of Jesus. It was my sins that placed the cross on His shoulders. My sins caused the anguish in Mary's heart as Mother and Son met. What would my reaction be to one that so hurt my own mother? my own Son? How then will I react to sin?

I Speak to Mary: Dearest Mother, I am more sorry than I can say for making you endure this meeting. You who have given me only love have received from me only ingratitude. Beg from your Son for me a feeling of shame for my sins and the strength to carry on, fighting in His army.

Thought for Today: "A sword of sorrow shall pierce your heart."
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Ever Hear of the Second Amendment Sisters?

Actually, the Second Amendment Sisters, Inc. is a women's advocacy group dedicated to preserving the basic human right to self-defense, as recognized by the Second Amendment. They, like all rational people, believe in personal responsibility, education, and enforcement of laws against violent criminals.

Terri Schiavo's Brother Rebukes Bishop Lynch

And if there ever was a bishop in need of a righteous rebuke and reprimand, it is Robert Lynch.

As the second anniversary of Terri Schiavo's death from dehydration on March 31, 2005, approaches, her brother, Bobby Schindler is releasing a letter written to Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Florida.

The text of the letter is available online. Bobby Schindler also makes the following comments:

In light of the fact that Bishop Lynch refused my family's pleas for his help in our attempt to save my sister's life, I am posting an "open letter to Bishop Robert Lynch" which I sent to him on March 9, 2007, and to which I have, to date, received no response.

On March 13, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI reasserted that Catholic politicians have a "grave responsibility" to defend all innocent human life, and a "non negotiable" duty to oppose the practices of abortion and euthanasia. . .
* * *

And Bishop Lynch, in abdicating his responsibilities two years ago in the Terri Schiavo execution, will be unable to respond to Bobby's letter - so there is probably no reason to expect a response. And in the unlikely event that Bishop Lynch does respond, it will be no surprise if it contains meaningless drivel, couched in pious platitudes.

Dr Peters: Congratulations to Cardinal Stickler - the Canonist

Many of us are aware of Cardinal Stickler and his defense of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, particularly the Tridentine Mass. However, Dr Ed Peters notes something about which I was unaware and perhaps others are as well.

Today, Alfons Maria Cdl. Stickler marks 70 years of priestly life. And that's something to celebrate. But, with due regard for Pope Benedict's admiration of Cdl. Stickler's unsung labors in the Vatican Archives, it is Cdl. Stickler the canonist whom I congratulate today.

Cardinal Stickler - Celebrates 70 Years as a Priest

VATICAN CITY, MAR 27, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father has sent a Letter, written in Latin and dated March 26, to Cardinal Alfons Maria Stickler S.D.B., archivist and librarian emeritus of Holy Roman Church, for the occasion of the 70th anniversary of his ordination as a priest. The cardinal was ordained in the Roman basilica of St. John Lateran on March 27, 1937.

In his Letter Benedict XVI recalls the "charm and affability" of Cardinal Stickler, who is due to celebrate his 97th birthday in August, as well as the "charity and piety" that characterized his priestly ministry. He also praises the cardinal's efforts towards the expansion and renovation of the Vatican Apostolic Library.

Please remember Cardinal Stickler in your prayers.

Source.

Distorting and Perverting "Mental Reservation"

Lawyers Grapple with Catholic Doctrine

"Mental reservation" has been used in modern times to "claim that it is morally justifiable to lie in order to protect the reputation of the institutional church," said Thomas P. Doyle, a Virginia priest who is an expert in canon law and has been widely consulted by lawyers for people who say they were victims of abuse.

It has been misused "to justify lying," Doyle said last week. The doctrine is "not accepted church teaching" but has been widely discussed by scholars and moral theologians, Doyle said.

Fr. Hardon's Pocket Catholic Dictionary defines "Mental Reservation" as:

Speech in which the common and obvious sense of one's words is limited to a particular meaning. The morality of this kind of speech depends on whether the listener can reasonably conclude from the circumstances that a mental reservation is being used.

Fr Hardon also explains "Mental Reservations" here in a discussion on the Eighth Commandment:

We may never tell a lie. But we are also obliged to keep secrets. How to resolve the dilemma? An approved way is by what is called mental reservation.

A legitimate mental reservation is to reserve in one’s mind the real meaning of what is said, but allow the listener a reasonable clue that such reservation is being made. If a prudent person can gather the intended meaning from the circumstances, then it is a broad mental reservation. Broad mental reservations are not only permissible but may be obligatory.

A strict mental reservation provides no reasonable clue to the real meaning of what is said. Actually strict mental reservations are lies. (emphasis added)

The Headline Says It All...

A son of a priest argues family case for church reform

Gospel for Tuesday, 5th Week of Lent

From: John 8:21-30

Jesus Warns the Unbelieving Jews

[21] Again He (Jesus) said to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." [22] Then said the Jews, "Will He kill Himself, since He says, `Where I am going, you cannot come?'" [23] He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. [24] I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am He." [25] They said to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "Even what I have told you from the beginning. [26] I have much to say about you and much to judge; but He who sent Me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from Him." [27] They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. [28] So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own authority but speak thus as the Father taught Me. [29] And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to Him." [30] As He spoke thus, many believed in Him.
_____________________

Commentary:

21-24. At the outset of His public ministry, Jesus could be seen to have all the features of the promised Messiah; some people recognized Him as such and became His followers (cf. John 1:12-13; 4:42; 6:69; 7:41); but the Jewish authorities, although they were expecting the Messiah (cf. John 1:19ff), persisted in their rejection of Jesus. Hence the warning to them: He is going where they cannot follow, that is, He is going to Heaven, which is where He has come from (cf. John 6:41ff), and they will keep looking out for the Messiah foretold by the prophets; but they will not find Him because they look for Him outside of Jesus, nor can they follow Him, for they do not believe in Him. You are of the world, our Lord is saying to them, not because you are on earth but because you are living under the influence of the prince of this world (cf. John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11); you are his vassals and you do his deeds (cf. 8:44); therefore, you will die in your sin. "We are all born with sin", St. Augustine comments, "all by our living have added to what we were by nature, and have become more of this world than we then were, when we were born of our parents. Where would we be if He had not come, who had no sin at all, to loose all sin? The Jews, because they did not believe in Him, deserved to have it said to them, 'You will die in your sin'" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 38, 6).

The salvation which Christ brings will be applied to those who believe in His divinity. Jesus declares His divinity when He says "I am He", for this _expression, which He repeats on other occasions (cf. John. 8:28; 13:19), is reserved to Yahweh in the Old Testament (cf. Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10-11), where God, in revealing His name and therefore His essence, says to Moses "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). In this profound way God says that He is the Supreme Being in a full, absolute sense, that He is dependent on no other being, that all other things depend on Him for their being and existence. Thus, when Jesus says of Himself, "I am He", He is revealing that He is God.

25. A little before this Jesus had spoken about His Heavenly origin and His divine nature (cf. verses 23-24); but the Jews do not want to accept this revelation; which is why they ask Him for an even more explicit statement: "Who are You?" Our Lord's reply can be understood in different ways, because the Greek text has two meanings: 1) our Lord is confirming what He has just asserted (cf. verses 23-24) and what He has been teaching throughout this visit to Jerusalem--in which case it may be translated "precisely what I am telling you" or else "in the first place what I am telling you". This is the interpretation given in the New Vulgate. 2) Jesus is indicating that He is the "Beginning", which is the word St. John also uses in the Apocalypse to designate the Word, the cause of all creation (Revelation 3:14; cf. Revelation 1:8). In this way Jesus states His divine origin. This is the interpretation given in the Vulgate. Either way, Christ is once more revealing His divinity; He is reaffirming what He said earlier, but without saying it all over again.

"Many people in our own days ask the same question: 'Who are You?' [...] Who, then, was Jesus? Our faith exults and cries out: it is He, it is He, the Son of God made man. He is the Messiah we were expecting: He is the Savior of the world, the Master of our lives: He is the Shepherd that guides men to their pastures in time, to their destinies beyond time. He is the joy of the world; He is the image of the invisible God: He is the way, the truth and the life; He is the interior friend; He is the One who knows us even from afar; He knows our thoughts; He is the One who can forgive us, console, cure, even raise from the dead; and He is the One who will return, the judge of one and all, in the fullness of His glory and our eternal happiness" (Paul VI, "General Audience", 11 December 1974).

26-27. "He who sent Me": an _expression very often found in St. John's Gospel, referring to God the Father (cf. 5:37; 6:44; 7:28; 8:16).

The Jews who were listening to Jesus did not understand whom He was referring to; but St. John, in recounting this episode, explains that He meant His Father, from Whom He came.

"He spoke to them of the Father": this is the reading in most of the Greek codexes, including the more important ones. Other Greek codexes and some translations, including the Vulgate, read, "He was calling God His Father."

"What I have heard from Him": Jesus had connatural knowledge of His Father, and it is from this knowledge that He speaks to men; He knows God not through revelation or inspiration as the prophets and sacred writers did, but in an infinitely higher way: which is why He can say that no one knows the Father but the Son and He to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him (cf. Mt 11:27).

On the type of knowledge Jesus had during His life on earth, see the note on Luke 2:52.

28. Our Lord is referring to His passion and death: "`And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself'. He said this to show by what death He was to die" (John 12:32-33). Rounding out the Synoptics and the Letters of St. Paul, the Fourth Gospel presents the Cross, above all, as a royal throne on which Christ is "lifted up" and from which He offers all men the fruits of salvation (cf. John 3:14-15; cf. also Numbers 21:9ff; Wisdom 16:6).

Jesus says that when that time comes, the Jews will know who He is and His intimate union with the Father, because many of them will discover, thanks to His death and resurrection, that He is the Messiah, the Son of God (cf. Matthew 15:39; Lk 33:48). After the coming of the Holy Spirit many thousands will believe in Him (cf. Acts 2:41; 4:4).
_________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for Tuesday after the Fifth Sunday of Lent

The Carrying of the Cross

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Strength to face the daily trial which causes me the most difficulty.

Mental Picture (cf. John 19:17): The heavy cross is laid on Jesus' shoulder. Already He is weakened by loss of blood. He is blinded by the crimson streams of blood which flow down His thorn-­crowned head. His back... His sides... quiver with pain from the mad scourging. His soul is crushed by the jeers... the taunts... the mockery of the people He loves. Each step is an agony as He moves slowly toward Calvary. He slips and falls... is covered with the mud and slime of the filthy street. The soldiers crowd around... with brutal kicks and stinging lashes they drive Him to His feet again. Christ struggles on... tries in vain to wipe the caked blood and filth from His eyes. But there is no sympathy. The angry mob crowds around... shouting and scream­ing more insults. His head is spinning, dazed with the throbbing pain.

My Personal Application: Why is this scene taking place? Could Jesus have made more evident the evil of sin? All my life I will have to face sin. Often, perhaps, it will appear most attractive. If I reject what is wrong and take my stand with Christ, the world may persecute me as it did Him. The world will give me a cross to carry. Will I have the courage to take up my cross and carry it as He did?

I Speak to Christ: O my Lord, at last you have come to the road to Calvary. At last the cross you have waited for all these years is on your shoulders. May your willingness give me the strength to overcome my unwillingness to carry my cross.

Thought for Today: Body of Christ, save me.
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Fr. Euteneuer Calls for Firing of ‘False Teacher,’ Applauds Bishops

Just in, a Statement from Father Tom Euteneuer, STL, of Human Life International on the Doctrine Committee of the USCCB’ statement on the false teachings of Professor Dan Maguire of Marquette University.

FRONT ROYAL, VA — The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL, president of Human Life International, (HLI) said today, “Catholic parents should shudder at the thought of Dan Maguire teaching theology to their children at a Catholic University. I call upon Marquette to stop hiding behind false ideas of tenure and ‘academic freedom’ in the face of theological malfeasance and dismiss Dan Maguire. A Catholic university should be Catholic and not tolerate false teachers like Maguire.”

Father Euteneuer applauded the Doctrine Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for their clear and ringing rebuke of dissident Professor Daniel Maguire of the theology department of Marquette University in Milwaukee. The bishops declared formally that Maguire’s ideas on contraception, abortion and same-sex marriage were totally inconsistent with the Catholic Faith. He is not a Catholic if he teaches false doctrine.

“I am very heartened that the bishops of the committee finally addressed an erroneous model of moral theology that dissenting theologians have used for decades to mislead the faithful” Father Euteneuer said.

This idea wrongly states that the opinions of theologians are somehow co-equal with the Magisterium—the teaching authority of the Church which Christ Himself established.

“High profile Catholics who dissent on clearly-defined teachings,” Father Euteneuer said, “have no doubt been influenced by the kind of nonsense that Maguire and his friends have been propagating for decades; namely that certain crucial moral teachings of the Church are ‘optional’ when they are not.”

Last Fall Human Life International, in its quarterly publication FrontLines awarded Maguire, an ex-priest who is divorced and remarried, its “Millstone Award” for his extreme advocacy of abortion, contraception and “same-sex marriage.” The award’s title refers to the fate of those who mislead the innocent as spoken by Jesus in Matthew 18:6.

Source: John Mallon (via email)

Catholic Truths Quiz

Studying the Catechism really helps! But a "real genius"? I don't think so...Still, the harder part is living and sharing the Faith charitably...

You are 100% educated in Catholic truths!

 

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Gospel for Mar 26, Solemnity: The Annunciation of the Lord

From: Luke 1:26-38

The Annunciation and Incarnation of the Son of God

[26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. [32] He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, [33] and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there will be no end."

[34] And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no husband?" [35] And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. [36] And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For with God nothing will be impossible." [38] And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
__________________
Commentary:

26-38. Here we contemplate our Lady who was "enriched from the first instant of her conception with the splendor of an entirely unique holiness; [...] the virgin of Nazareth is hailed by the heralding angel, by divine command, as `full of grace' (cf. Luke 1:28), and to the heavenly messenger she replies, `Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word' (Luke 1:38). Thus the daughter of Adam, Mary, consenting to the word of God, became the Mother of Jesus. Committing herself wholeheartedly to God's saving will and impeded by no sin, she devoted herself totally, as a handmaid of the Lord, to the person and work of her Son, under and with Him, serving the mystery of Redemption, by the grace of Almighty God. Rightly, therefore, the Fathers (of the Church) see Mary not merely as passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of man's salvation through faith and obedience" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 56).

The annunciation to Mary and incarnation of the Word constitute the deepest mystery of the relationship between God and men and the most important event in the history of mankind: God becomes man, and will remain so forever, such is the extent of His goodness and mercy and love for all of us. And yet on the day when the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity assumed frail human nature in the pure womb of the Blessed Virgin, it all happened quietly, without fanfare of any kind.

St. Luke tells the story in a very simple way. We should treasure these words of the Gospel and use them often, for example, practising the Christian custom of saying the Angelus every day and reflecting on the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

27. God chose to be born of a virgin; centuries earlier He disclosed this through the prophet Isaiah (cf. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23). God, "before all ages made choice of, and set in her proper place, a mother for His only-begotten Son from whom He, after being made flesh, should be born in the blessed fullness of time: and He continued His persevering regard for her in preference to all other creatures, to such a degree that for her alone He had singular regard" (Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus," 2). This privilege granted to our Lady of being a virgin and a mother at the same time is a unique gift of God. This was the work of the Holy Spirit "who at the conception and the birth of the Son so favored the Virgin Mother as to impart fruitfulness to her while preserving inviolate her perpetual virginity" ("St. Pius V Catechism," I, 4, 8). Paul VI reminds us of this truth of faith: "We believe that the Blessed Mary, who ever enjoys the dignity of virginity, was the Mother of the incarnate Word, of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" ("Creed of the People of God", 14).

Although many suggestions have been made as to what the name Mary means, most of the best scholars seem to agree that Mary means "lady". However, no single meaning fully conveys the richness of the name.

28. "Hail, full of grace": literally the Greek text reads "Rejoice!", obviously referring to the unique joy over the news which the angel is about to communicate.

"Full of grace": by this unusual form of greeting the archangel reveals Mary's special dignity and honor. The Fathers and Doctors of the Church "taught that this singular, solemn and unheard-of-greeting showed that all the divine graces reposed in the Mother of God and that she was adorned with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit", which meant that she "was never subject to the curse", that is, was preserved from all sin. These words of the archangel in this text constitute one of the sources which reveal the dogma of Mary's Immaculate Conception (cf. Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus"; Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God").

"The Lord is with you!": these words are not simply a greeting ("the Lord be with you") but an affirmation ("the Lord is with you"), and they are closely connected with the Incarnation. St. Augustine comments by putting these words on the archangel's lips: "He is more with you than He is with me: He is in your heart, He takes shape within you, He fills your soul, He is in your womb" ("Sermo De Nativitate Domini", 4).

Some important Greek manuscripts and early translations add at the end of the verse: "Blessed are you among women!", meaning that God will exalt Mary over all women. She is more excellent than Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, Rachel, Judith, etc., for only she has the supreme honor of being chosen to be the Mother of God.

29-30. Our Lady is troubled by the presence of the archangel and by the confusion truly humble people experience when they receive praise.

30. The Annunciation is the moment when our Lady is given to know the vocation which God planned for her from eternity. When the archangel sets her mind at ease by saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary," he is helping her to overcome that initial fear which a person normally experiences when God gives him or her a special calling. The fact that Mary felt this fear does not imply the least trace of imperfection in her: hers is a perfectly natural reaction in the face of the supernatural. Imperfection would arise if one did not overcome this fear or rejected the advice of those in a position to help - as St. Gabriel helped Mary.

31-33. The archangel Gabriel tells the Blessed Virgin Mary that she is to be the Mother of God by reminding her of the words of Isaiah which announced that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, a prophecy which will find its fulfillment in Mary (cf. Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14).

He reveals that the Child will be "great": His greatness comes from His being God, a greatness He does not lose when He takes on the lowliness of human nature. He also reveals that Jesus will be the king of the Davidic dynasty sent by God in keeping with His promise of salvation; that His Kingdom will last forever, for His humanity will remain forever joined to His divinity; that "He will be called Son of the Most High", that is that He really will be the Son of the Most High and will be publicly recognized as such, that is, the Child will be the Son of God.

The archangel's announcement evokes the ancient prophecies which foretold these prerogatives. Mary, who was well-versed in Sacred Scripture, clearly realized that she was to be the Mother of God.

34-38. Commenting on this passage John Paul II said: "`Virgo fidelis', the faithful Virgin. What does this faithfulness of Mary mean? What are the dimensions of this faithfulness? The first dimension is called search. Mary was faithful first of all when she began, lovingly, to seek the deep sense of God's plan in her and for the world. `Quomodo fiet?' How shall this be?, she asked the Angel of the Annunciation [...]."

"The second dimension of faithfulness is called reception, acceptance. The `quomodo fiet?' is changed, on Mary's lips, to a `fiat': Let it be done, I am ready, I accept. This is the crucial moment of faithfulness, the moment in which man perceives that he will never completely understand the `how': that there are in God's plan more areas of mystery than of clarity; that is, however he may try, he will never succeed in understanding it completely[...]."

"The third dimension of faithfulness is consistency to live in accordance with what one believes; to adapt one's own life to the object of one's adherence. To accept misunderstanding, persecutions, rather than a break between what one practises and what one believes: this is consistency[...]."

"But all faithfulness must pass the most exacting test, that of duration. Therefore, the fourth dimension of faithfulness is constancy. It is easy to be consistent for a day or two. It is difficult and important to be consistent for one's whole life. It is easy to be consistent in the hour of enthusiasm, it is difficult to be so in the hour of tribulation. And only a consistency that lasts throughout the whole life can be called faithfulness. Mary's `fiat' in the Annunciation finds its fullness in the silent `fiat' that she repeats at the foot of the Cross" ("Homily in Mexico City Cathedral", 26 January 1979).

34. Mary believed in the archangel's words absolutely; she did not doubt as Zechariah had done (cf. 1:18). Her question, "How can this be?", expresses her readiness to obey the will of God even though at first sight it implied a contradiction: on the one hand, she was convinced that God wished her to remain a virgin; on the other, here was God also announcing that she would become a mother. The archangel announces God's mysterious design, and what had seemed impossible, according to the laws of nature, is explained by a unique interventionon the part of God.

Mary's resolution to remain a virgin was certainly something very unusual, not in line with the practice of righteous people under the Old Covenant, for, as St. Augustine explains, "particularly attentive to the propagation and growth of the people of God, through whom the Prince and Savior of the world might be prophesied and be born, the saints were obliged to make use of the good of matrimony" ("De Bono Matrimonii", 9, 9). However, in the Old Testament, there were some who, in keeping with God's plan, did remain celibate--for example, Jeremiah, Elijah, Eliseus and John the Baptist. The Blessed Virgin, who received a very special inspiration of the Holy Spirit to practise virginity, is a first-fruit of the New Testament, which will establish the excellence of virginity over marriage while not taking from the holiness of the married state, which it raises to the level of a sacrament (cf. "Gaudium Et Spes", 48).

35. The "shadow" is a symbol of the presence of God. When Israel was journeying through the wilderness, the glory of God filled the Tabernacle and a cloud covered the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 40:34-36). And when God gave Moses the tablets of the Law, a cloud covered Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-16); and also, at the Transfiguration of Jesus the voice of God the Father was heard coming out of a cloud (Luke 9:35).

At the moment of the Incarnation the power of God envelops our Lady--an expression of God's omnipotence. The Spirit of God--which, according to the account in Genesis (1:2), moved over the face of the waters, bringing things to life--now comes down on Mary. And the fruit of her womb will be the work of the Holy Spirit. The Virgin Mary, who herself was conceived without any stain of sin (cf. Pius IX, "Ineffabilis Deus") becomes, after the Incarnation, a new tabernacle of God. This is the mystery we recall every day when saying the Angelus.

38. Once she learns of God's plan, our Lady yields to God's will with prompt obedience, unreservedly. She realizes the disproportion between what she is going to become--the Mother of God--and what she is - a woman. However, this is what God wants to happen and for Him nothing is impossible; therefore no one should stand in His way. So Mary, combining humility and obedience, responds perfectly to God's call: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done according to your word."

"At the enchantment of this virginal phrase, the Word became flesh" ([St] J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", first joyful mystery). From the pure body of Mary, God shaped a new body, He created a soul out of nothing, and the Son of God united Himself with this body and soul: prior to this He was only God; now He is still God but also man. Mary is now the Mother of God. This truth is a dogma of faith, first defined by the Council of Ephesus (431). At this point she also begins to be the spiritual Mother of all mankind. What Christ says when He is dying - `Behold, your son..., behold, your mother" (John 19:26-27) - simply promulgates what came about silently at Nazareth. "With her generous `fiat' (Mary) became, through the working of the Spirit, the Mother of God, but also the Mother of the living, and, by receiving into her womb the one Mediator, she became the true Ark of the Covenant and true Temple of God" (Paul VI, "Marialis Cultus", 6).

The Annunciation shows us the Blessed Virgin as perfect model of "purity" (the RSV "I have no husband" is a euphemism); of "humility" ("Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord"); of "candor" and "simplicity" ("How can this be?"); of "obedience" and "lively faith" ("Let it be done to me according to your word"). "Following her example of obedience to God, we can learn to serve delicately without being slavish. In Mary, we don't find the slightest trace of the attitude of the foolish virgins, who obey, but thoughtlessly. Our Lady listens attentively to what God wants, ponders what she doesn't fully understand and asks about what she doesn't know. Then she gives herself completely to doing the divine will: `Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word'. Isn't that marvellous? The Blessed Virgin, our teacher in all we do, shows us here that obedience to God is not servile, does not bypass our conscience. We should be inwardly moved to discover the `freedom of the children of God' (cf. Romans 8:21)" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 173).
____________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for Monday After the Fifth Sunday of Lent

The Crowning With Thorns

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Give me shame for my sinful failings and courage to take my stand with you despite all difficulties.

Mental Picture (cf. Matt. 27:27-30) : The soldiers, exhausted from scourging our Lord, now think of a game to play. A large scarlet rag is draped over His left shoulder... this represents the royalty of kings. Next, an ugly crown of thorns is matted ;ogether... and beaten into His head. Blood spurts forth... it runs down His face and neck in rivulets. In His hand the soldiers place a reed for a scepter... they set Him on a stool for a royal throne. One by one they approach... each kneels before Jesus in mock tribute of honor... "Hail to the King of the Jews!"... rises... jerks the reed from Christ's hand... pounds the crown of thorns more deeply into the Sacred Head... spits in His iace... laughs with the scorn and contempt of Satan himself. The meek Christ quietly closes His eyes and prays for His tormentors.

My Personal Application: Why does Christ bear silently this pain... this torture... this humiliation? Love for me is the only answer. As He sits there,
His head on fire with pain, He sees my sins of thought... deliberate thoughts of impurity... of uncharitableness... of hatred... of jealousy. He suffers to gain strength for me that I may gain control over all such thoughts which are so displeasing to Him.

I Speak to Christ: Lord, you are truly my King. I offer you my whole self... my mind... my will... my body. I will not use these to mock you, but to serve and honor you. I know I am weak, but with you I can do and endure anything.

Thought for Today: Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent

From: John 8:1-11

Different Opinions About Jesus (Continuation)

[1] But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

The Adulterous Woman

[2] Early in the morning He came again to the temple; all the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. [3] The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst [4] they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. [5] Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" [6] This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. [7] And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." [8] And once more He bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. [9] But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. [10] Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" [11] She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."
_____________________

Commentary:

1-11. This passage is absent from many ancient codexes, but it was in the Vulgate when the Magisterium, at the Council of Trent, defined the canon of Sacred Scripture. Therefore, the Church regards it as canonical and inspired, and has used it and continues to use it in the liturgy. It is also included in the New Vulgate, in the same position as it occupied before.

St. Augustine said that the reason doubts were raised about the passage was that it showed Jesus to be so merciful that some rigorists thought it would lead to a relaxation of moral rules--and therefore many copyists suppressed it from their manuscripts (cf. "De Coniugiis Adulterinis", 2, 6).

In commenting on the episode of the woman caught in adultery Fray Luis de Granada gives these general considerations on the mercy of Christ: "Your feelings, your deeds and your words should be akin to these, if you desire to be a beautiful likeness of the Lord. And therefore the Apostle is not content with telling us to be merciful; he tells us, as God's sons, to put on `the bowels of mercy' (cf. Colossians 3:12). Imagine, then, what the world would be like if everyone arrayed themselves in this way.

"All this is said to help us understand to some degree the great abundance of the goodness and compassion of our Savior, which shine forth so clearly in these actions of His, for [...] in this life we cannot know God in Himself; we can know Him only through His actions. [...] But it should also be pointed out that we should never act in such a way in view of God's mercy, that we forget about His justice; nor should we attend to His justice forgetting about His mercy; for hope should have in it an element of fear, and fear an element of hope" ("Life of Jesus Christ", 13, 4).

1. We know that on a number of occasions our Lord withdrew to the Mount of Olives to pray (cf. John 18:2; Luke 22:39). This place was to the east of Jerusalem; the Kidron Valley (cf. John 18:1) divided it from the hill on which the temple was built. It had from ancient times been a place of prayer: David went there to adore God during the difficult period when Absalom was in revolt (2 Samuel 15:32), and there the prophet Ezekiel contemplated the glory of Yahweh entering the temple (Ezekiel 43:1-4). At the foot of the hill there was a garden, called Gethsemane or "the place of the oil-press", an enclosed plot containing a plantation of olive trees. Christian tradition has treated this place with great respect and has maintained it as a place of prayer. Towards the end of the fourth century a church was built there, on whose remains the present church was built. There are still some ancient olive trees growing there which could well derive from those of our Lord's time.

6. The question put by the scribes and Pharisees has a catch: our Lord had often shown understanding to people they considered sinners; they come to Him now with this case to see if He will be equally indulgent--which will allow them to accuse Him of infringing a very clear precept of the Law (cf. Leviticus 20:10).

7. Jesus' reply refers to the way stoning was carried out: those who witnessed the crime had to throw the first stones, and then others joined in, to erase the slur on the people which the crime implied (cf. Deuteronomy 17:7). The question put to Jesus was couched in legal terms; He raises it to the moral plane (the basis and justification of the legal plane), appealing to the people's conscience. He does not violate the law, St. Augustine says, and at the same time He does not want to lose what He is seeking--for He has come to save that which was lost: "His answer is so full of justice, gentleness and truth. [...] O true answer of Wisdom. You have heard: Keep the Law, let the woman be stoned. But how can sinners keep the Law and punish this woman? Let each of them look inside himself and enter the tribunal of his heart and conscience; there he will discover that he is a sinner. Let this woman be punished, but not by sinners; let the Law be applied, but not by its transgressors" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 33, 5).

11. "The two of them were left on their own, the wretched woman and Mercy. But the Lord, having smitten them with the dart of justice, does not even deign to watch them go but turns His gaze away from them and once more writes on the ground with His finger. But when the woman was left alone and they had all gone, He lifted up His eyes to the woman. We have already heard the voice of justice; let us now hear the voice of gentleness. I think that the woman was the more terrified when she heard the Lord say, `Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her,' [...] fearing now that she would be punished by Him, in whom no sin could be found. But He, who had driven away her adversaries with the tongue of justice, now looking at her with the eyes of gentleness asks her, `Has no one condemned you?' She replies, `No one, Lord.' And He says, `Neither do I condemn you; I who perhaps you feared would punish you, because in Me you have found no sin.' Lord, can it be that You favor sinners? Assuredly not. See what follows" `Go and sin no more.' Therefore the Lord also condemned sin, but not the woman' (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 33, 5-6).

Jesus, who is the Just One, does not condemn the woman; whereas these people are sinners, yet they pass sentence of death. God's infinite mercy should move us always to have compassion on those who commit sins, because we ourselves are sinners and in need of God's forgiveness.
__________________________

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for the 5th Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday)

Scourging at the Pillar

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Make me, Jesus, see what sin did to you, that I may detest and despise it and have strength to fight against it.

Mental Picture (cf. Luke 23:22): Pilate says, "I find no fault in Him, nevertheless I will have Him scourged for you." Cruel soldiers step forward... merciless... hate shining in their gleaming eyes. Rudely they seize the innocent victim... rip the clothes violently from His back... seize His arms and chain them to a low stumplike column. Thus the blows will hit their mark with full force. The soldiers seize the leather whips... at the end of the lashes are bits of metal with razorsharp points to tear more deeply into the flesh. The whips whistle through the air... they land with a sicken­ing thud on the back of Christ. He gasps... He twists... He struggles with the intense pain... His Body becomes a vast sea of blood. But the blows continue until His very bones are laid bare. The patience... the silence of Christ drives the tor­mentors on to more diabolical fury as lash after lash buries itself yet deeper in His innocent flesh.

I Speak to Christ: Every time I toy with temptation I am deciding whether I shall once again bring down the cruel lash on your back. Every time I commit sin I become cowardly like Pilate and join the soldiers in scourging you. Please fill me with strength and confidence when temptations and difficulties torment me. "Passion of Christ, strengthen: me!"

Thought for Today: "... and they took Him and scourged Him."
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Gospel for Saturday, 4th Week of Lent

From: John 7:40-53

Different Opinions About Jesus (Continuation)

[40] When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." [41] Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? [42] Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" [43] So there was a division among the people over Him. [44] Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

[45] The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring Him?" [46] The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" [47] The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? [48] Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him? [49] But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." [50] Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, and who was one of them, said to them, [51] "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" [52] They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." [53] They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
_________________________

Commentary:

40-43. "The prophet" refers to Deuteronomy 18:18, which predicts the coming of a prophet during the last times, a prophet to whom all must listen (cf. John 1:21; 6:14); and "the Christ" ("the Messiah") was the title most used in the Old Testament to designate the future Savior whom God would send. This passage shows us, once again, the range of people's attitudes towards Jesus. Many Jews--not taking the trouble to check--did not know that He had been born in Bethlehem, the city of David, where Micah (5:2) says the Lord will be born. It was their own fault that they used this ignorance as an excuse for not accepting Christ. Others, however, realized from His miracles that He must be the Messiah. The same pattern obtains throughout history: some people see Him simply as an extraordinary man, not wanting to admit that His greatness comes precisely from the fact the He is the Son of God.

46. The truth begins to influence the straightforward souls of the servants of the Sanhedrin but it cannot make headway against the obstinacy of the Pharisees. "Notice that the Pharisees and scribes derive no benefit either from witnessing miracles or reading the Scriptures; whereas their servants, without these helps, were captivated by a single discourse, and those who set out to arrest Jesus went back under the influence of His authority. And they did not say, `We cannot arrest Him, the people will not let us'; instead they extolled Christ's wisdom. Not only is their prudence admirable, for they did not need signs; it is also impressive that they were won over by His teaching on its own; they did not say, in effect, `No man has ever worked such miracles,' but `No man ever spoke like this man.' Their conviction also is worthy of admiration: they go to the Pharisees, who were opposed to Christ, and address them in the way they do" (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. On St. John", 9).
_______________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

June 17-Installation of Shrine of the Sacred Heart at Cathedral Basilica

Mark your calendar for this very special event!

From Archbishop Burke:

Having reflected at some length on the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and its central place in our daily Christian living and, therefore, in our Lenten observance, I am happy to announce that a shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be installed in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The image of the Sacred Heart will be enthroned in the shrine. At the time of the enthronement, I, together with representatives from throughout the archdiocese will solemnly consecrate the archdiocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (emphasis added)

The enthronement and the act of consecration will take place in the cathedral basilica at the regular 5 p.m. Mass on this coming June 17, the Sunday after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will be celebrated on June 15. Since June 17 is a Sunday of Ordinary Time, it will be possible to celebrate the Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
* * *
The mosaic image of the Sacred Heart will be placed in an altarpiece made of marble from Pietrasanta in Italy. The shrine will include stands with votive candles to represent our prayers continuously lifted up to the glorious Heart of Jesus.

The shrine has been designed by Duncan G. Stroik of the School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. He is internationally known for his design of beautiful churches and chapels, in accord with the long tradition of sacred architecture, at an affordable cost for the parish or Catholic institution. His design of the shrine of the Sacred Heart is truly beautiful and, therefore, inspiring.

Funding for the shrine comes from the generous gifts of the faithful...to contribute to this worthwhile project, please contact Msgr. Joseph Pins, V.E. - Rector of the Basilica Catherdral at (314) 373-8200.

Archbishop Burke's announcement can be read here.

Mental Prayer for Saturday After the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Christ or Barabbas

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Lord, never let my spiritual values become so dulled that I even consider choosing sin before you.

Mental Picture: The mob suddenly grows quiet. On the balcony three figures... Pilate, Christ, and Barabbas. Your choice! He who gave life to your dead, or he who is a murderer! He who went about healing the sick or he who despised weakness! He who stands for all that is good, or he who has done evil! Your choice! But the choice had been made long before. Greed and desire for power had dulled their spiritual values. The voices of the prophets were drowned by the raging sea of their passions. The voices of the chief priests grew and swelled, whipping up the shouts of the mob until all we can hear is: "Give us Barabbas - as for the other, crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

My Personal Application: Christ stands before His people. He came to save them, but He would not force Himself on them. Christ must be freely chosen. Here is their chance - here is the chance for men to choose their Savior. What does Christ think as He hears His chosen people reject Him? His mind is clear and He knows the bitterness of being rejected. Men are free, I am free - every time I sin seriously I reject Christ, I choose some­thing else - someone else - not Him.

I Speak to Christ: Lord, let this scene of rejection be so impressed on my memory that whenever I am tempted to sin, it will prevent me from making the same mistake. So often in the past I have chosen Barabbas before you. I choose you now, I choose to fight in your army.

Thought for Today: "O good Jesus, hear me. Let me not be separated from thee."
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Dr Ed Peters: Prof. Bainbridge's call for Cdl. Mahony's resignation

Dr Peters writes:

I know nothing about UCLA law professor Stephen Bainbridge beyond what I saw on a very impressive (for a civil lawyer) resume posted on his website, but his recent post on the chronic problems in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in which he specifically calls for Cdl. Mahony's resignation is getting attention…. I note that Prof. Bainbridge attempts to use canon law in his resignation argument, and canon law is something I do know a bit about.

Read my reactions here: http://www.canonlaw.info/2007/03/prof-bainbridges-call-for-cdl-mahonys_23.html

Many Catholics are, indeed, concerned about the problems in the Church and the example that some, including Cardinal Mahony, give to others. Our concern should prompt us to prayer - daily prayer, in fact.

Anyway, it's well worth the time to read Dr. Peters' analysis of matters like this, particularly from the canonical perspective. This helps the lay faithful better understand these issues and mitigates confusion that can arise from misunderstandings about the law.

Something in the works, maybe?

From the Holy See:

Yesterday evening, March 22, [Pope Benedict XVI] received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

- Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, president of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei."

Source.

April 17-Bishop Gaydos, Keynote Speaker for Serra Dinner

Bishop John Gaydos of Jefferson City will be the guest speaker at the fourth annual dinner honoring priests serving in the St. Charles Deanery.

The event, sponsored by the Serra Club of St. Charles, will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at The Columns, 711 Veterans Drive in St. Charles. Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis will be a featured guest.

Bishop Gaydos is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Cardinal Glennon College here and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He served in St. Louis as a parish pastor, secretary to Cardinal John J. Carberry and Archbishop John L. May, vice chancellor, chancellor, vicar general and vicar for clergy. He was named bishop of Jefferson City in 1997.

Tickets are $35, with proceeds to be used for vocations programs of the St. Charles Deanery Serra Club. For tickets or information on the dinner honoring priests of the deanery call Janice at (636) 447-4339 or Sharon at (636) 447-3673.

Source.

Daniel Maquire's Heresies Denounced by USCCB

FINALLY! The US Bishops have made a step in the right direction by publicly stated that two of this man's pamphlets do not present Catholic teaching...Now if they can only go the distance call out the others of the many heretics among us, the Church would be better off.

On June 19, 2006, Professor Daniel Maguire of Marquette University sent two pamphlets to all of the Catholic Bishops in the United States, one entitled The Moderate Roman Catholic Position on Contraception and Abortion and the other A Catholic Defense of Same-Sex Marriage. These pamphlets do not present Catholic teaching. His views about contraception, abortion, same sex "marriage", as well as the very nature of Church teaching and its authoritative character, cross the legitimate lines of theological reflection and simply enter into the area of false teaching. Such mistaken views should not be confused with the faith and moral teaching of the Catholic Church. Since it is apparent that considerable efforts have been made to give these views the widest possible distribution as if they were a valid alternative to the teaching of the Catholic Church, the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops considers it important to offer a public correction of the erroneous views proposed in these pamphlets. At the same time, the Committee on Doctrine calls attention to the Catechism of the Catholic Church where correct and authentic teaching can be found. This readily available source of the faith and moral teaching of the Catholic Church clearly demonstrates the mistaken character of the positions found in the two pamphlets and their unreliability as a guide for Catholics seeking to know and live their Catholic faith.
* * *
The Archbishop of Milwaukee, exercising his pastoral responsibilities as teacher and shepherd, has made public statements affirming that the views expressed by Professor Maguire in his two pamphlets are erroneous and incompatible with the Church's teaching.[24] We the Committee on Doctrine of the USCCB concur that, despite his claims to authority as a Catholic theologian, the views of Professor Maguire on contraception, abortion, and same-sex "marriage" are not those of the Catholic Church and indeed are contrary to the Church's faith. We deplore as irresponsible his public advocacy of his views as authentic Catholic teaching.

Faithful Catholics have long known of this ex-priest and his antipathy toward Catholic teaching. Pity the poor students at Marquette who are forced to imbibe from the poisonous well to which he leads them. As a self-styled "pope", and self-appointed arbitor of truth, Maguire says, in response:

“They’re simply uninformed,” Mr. Maguire said of the bishops. “There is no one Catholic view on contraception, abortion or same-sex marriage. There’s a diversity of views. And it’s not just Dan Maguire versus the bishops. There’s a large school of thought that agrees with everything I’ve said in these pamphlets.” (Source: NYT)

The sad part is there are many professed Catholics who hold these same heretical views, no doubt, due to the widespread dissemination of error and false teaching. They need our prayers.

And the bishops should be congratulated on taking such steps to defend the teachings of the Church and protect the faithful from spurious and heretical opinions...Why not send each of bishop who sits on the Committee on Doctrine an email thanking him for his courage...They are:

Most Rev. William E. Lori, Chairman
Most Rev. Leonard P. Blair
Most Rev. Edward W. Clark
Most Rev. José H. Gomez
Most Rev. Robert J. McManus
Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli
Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron
Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl
His Eminence Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, Consultant
His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Consultant

Full Bishops' statement here.