A Brief Thought on Evangelization

The Good News is intended for all people. It was Christ himself who commanded his apostles to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creatures.[1] This command is carried on today by the successors of the apostles, the bishops, in union with their coworkers, the priests, and indeed by all the members of the Church including the laity.[2] The Good News is spread to three different groups of people namely, those already in the Church, those who have fallen away from the Church and those who do not yet know the faith. The Church is truly right to see "before her an immense multitude of people who need the Gospel and have a right to it, for God 'wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth."[3]

People do not proclaim the Good News on their own merit; rather they are commissioned by Christ for "they will never have a preacher unless one is sent."[4] Evangelization can never be seen as an individual or act but rather must always be seen as an ecclesial act. Yet while evangelization is an ecclesial act, one that should be in union with Rome at all times, it takes place at a much more local level, in an ecclesial community.

In this ecclesial community each person has a role to play. The pastor is responsible to establish, develop and nourish the community. The laity are called to take the Gospel message they have received an live it out in the world in all of their actions.[5] In short that pastor must nourish the lay faithful, providing for their needs to that they can then take the message of the Gospel out into the world.

The priest certainly has an obligation to preach the Gospel to all people, yet his primary ministry is to those who are already in the fold.[6] The laity likewise has an obligation to preach the Gospel to all peoples by their actions yet, in virtue of living in the world, their primary task of evangelization is to those who have either fallen away from the Church or have not heard the saving message of the Gospel. I am constantly reminded of the words of Bishop Rice who says that he preaches to the people in the pews and then they go out and carry that message to the four corners of the world. No one is excused from the obligation to preach the New Evangelization. All of us are called to participate in the New Evangelization in ways appropriate to our state in life.

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[1] "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Mt 28: 19-20

[2] The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear that this mission has been protected by the bishops but is to be handed on from generation to generation by all Christians. “This treasure, received from the apostles, has been faithfully guarded by their successors. All Christ's faithful are called to hand  it on from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.” Catechism of the Catholic Church par.3.

[3] Evangelii Nuntiandi  par. 57

[4] Evangelii Nuntiandi  par. 59

[5] Evangelii Nuntiandi  par. 70

[6] We must never forget that while preaching is essential to the life of a priest his primary task is to offer the sacraments.

A Brief Introduction to the Sacrament of Confirmation

            Each year thousands of children in the Archdiocese of St. Louis are confirmed. Each of these children receives some degree of catechesis about the sacrament of Confirmation but frequently parents and sponsors are left out of the catechesis. What follows is a handout I made for an hour seminar delivered to parents and sponsors of children who are to be confirmed.

            Few parents ever think twice about what the sacrament of Confirmation is all about. In this short paper I hope to highlight exactly what the sacrament of Confirmation is, briefly explain who are candidates for Confirmation, discuss the rite of Confirmation and conclude with the effects of the sacrament of Confirmation. A short paper like this can never do justice to the sacrament; however I hope it serves as an introduction to the sacrament.

            Confirmation is a sacrament administered by the bishop in which a baptized person relieves added strength from the Holy Spirit enabling him to be strong in his faith and its defense. In short the sacrament of Confirmation seals the graces given at baptism and celebrates the special gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts of the Holy Spirits, outlined by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica and biblically based in Isaiah 11:2-3, are understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord, and wisdom. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear that these seven gifts are given at the sacrament of Baptism and strengthened at the Sacrament of Confirmation.[1]

            The Sacrament of Confirmation is not an invention of the Catholic Church; like all the sacraments it was instituted by Christ. The earliest evidence of the sacrament of Confirmation is found in the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts of the Apostles we see the apostles Peter and John praying over and laying hands on new believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit.[2]

            The Ordinary minister of the sacrament of Confirmation is the bishop, however a priest can confirm with the permission of the bishop or in the case of someone dying. The Sacrament is done by anointing with sacred Chrism and the laying on of hands. This Chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm which is blessed by the Bishop. As the bishop confirms a candidate by anointing which Chrism and laying on of hands he says “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”

            Those who are to be confirmed are called candidates. To be confirmed candidates must have reached the age of reason, profess their faith on their own and be in a state of grace, that is not be in a state of mortal sin. Further candidates must be prepared to assume the role of Christ’s disciple and to give witness to their faith in Christ. The candidate must not only desire to be a disciple he must be educated to the best of his ability on the articles of our faith which he now professes as his own.

            The sacrament of Confirmation has eternal effects. The sacrament, like baptism, leaves an indelible mark on the soul meaning it can only be received once. The soul, having been marked, remains forever both here on earth and in the kingdom to come. The sacrament deepens our rebirth as adopted sons and daughters of Christ first received at our baptism. It unites us more closely to Christ and strengthens the body of unity we experience with the Church. The sacrament strengthens us to spread and defend the faith by word and deed and increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us.

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[1] "The reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace." For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1285)

[2] Acts 8:14-17

A Reflection: Evangelize through the ordinariness of everyday life

Jesus reminds us in the Gospels that the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few[1], yet we do not see the church pews full. I think when we look at the world we see the harvest is indeed abundant but the harvest does not even know that they are being called by the master of the harvest to the Church, the answer to their searching. Many people in our world are searching for meaning in their lives, often in all the wrong places. We know as Christians, that it is only the Christian message that will ultimately answer their questions.[2] The harvest is indeed abundant it just needs to be grasped up through evangelization.

The heart of evangelization is the Gospel, the Good News. It is the Good News that proclaims salvation, "which is liberation from everything that oppresses man but which is above all liberation from sin and the Evil one."[3] The world is in desperate need of hearing the Gospel message yet they do not come to our churches to hear it so it must be brought out into the world to them.

The Gospel message is brought to the people by the witness given by the members of the Church. In other words the Gospel is brought to the world by those who have already heard and accepted the Good News. It is in fact the role of those who have heard the message, the Church to spread the message to others. This only makes sense what person upon hearing good news desires to keep it to himself. The Good News we know and which has transformed us should compel us to want to go out and share it with others. While words are certainly necessary the ordinary way of spreading the Gospel is by the living out of faithful Christian lives by the faithful. We must often remind ourselves of the essential role play in spreading the Good News by living out our faith in our ordinary everyday lives.

 

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[1] Mt 9:37

[2] Pope Paul VI, Evangelli Nuntiandi. 1975  Par 3.

[3] Pope Paul VI, Evangelli Nuntiandi. 1975  Par 9.

Advice to a Catholic Non for Profit Organization on the HHS Mandate

The United States government recently passed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a federal health care law which aims to reform the country’s current healthcare system to provide more Americans with affordable health insurance coverage. It uses mandates, subsidies, and taxes to encourage and enforce this goal. One such mandate includes the Birth Control Mandate. Under this mandate, health insurance plans provided by employers must make birth control available to women. This mandate essentially narrows our religious liberties under the first amendment to the right to free worship but not freedom of religion which is the liberty granted to us by the first amendment of the Constitution. It allows us to go to our house of worship and praise God but prohibits us from then practicing our beliefs in daily life.  As Catholics we hold contraception to be immoral. Therefore, this mandate means we will now be required to pay for and provide medical benefits which directly oppose the moral and religious beliefs of our organization. This mandate clearly violates our organization’s religious liberties, so as a member of the Catholic Church and of society, we have an ethical responsibility to respond to such a violation of justice in support of religious liberty. As a member of the Catholic Church, we cannot in good conscience violate Church Doctrine despite this law, so we must stand up for our first amendment rights.

The Birth Control Mandate demonstrates a clear violation of Constitutional rights. In requiring our organization and many like us to provide our employees with “preventative care” contrary to our religious beliefs, the United States government violates the first constitutional amendment which forbids making a law “prohibiting the free exercise [of an establishment of religion]”[1] The University of Notre Dame also finds great fault with this mandate and has filed a complaint seeking a compromise which will not force them to violate their religious beliefs. In this complaint they state  as a self-insured organization, Obama’s accommodation which states that religious organizations will not have to offer birth control because the insurance company, will pay for it doesn’t apply to them.[2]  As a self-insured non-profit organization owned and operated by the Catholic Church, we too will receive no exception to this mandate.

 Despite the free exercise clause of the first amendment which disallows government interference with the religious views of religious organizations, the U.S. Constitution and federal statues protect the Birth Control Mandate. Are not the protection of religious organizations from governmental interference with their religious views and the forcing of such organizations to violate these religious views through the Birth Control Mandate contradictory? The Supremacy Clause of article six of the United States Constitution states that it shall be the “Supreme law of the land.”[3] It seems that this article renders the Birth Control Mandate illegal as it contradicts the Constitution, which takes precedence over all other laws. Furthermore, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act introduced in 1993 states, “Government shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.”[4] The Birth Control Mandate does just this. The Catholic Church has expressed clear opposition to the use of birth control drugs, yet despite the first amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, finds its freedom to express this belief denied in a country founded on the bases of religious freedom.

            While The University of Notre Dame and similar religious organizations cite the First Amendment to the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to support their allegations that the Birth Control Mandate is illegal, supporters of the mandate also point to these items to demonstrate the legality of the mandate. They point out that an exception to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act exists if the burden placed on a religious entity is essential in advancing a strong government interest.  In opposition, however, the University of Notre Dame explains in its suit that the government has failed to provide any such government interest. On the other hand, though clearly a biased source as she works under President Barack Obama and has political allegiances to his party, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius states the government interest compelled by the Birth Control Mandate to be: “Improved access to preventive health services prevents illnesses and saves money.”[5] This government interest, it can be argued, meets the exception to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The University of Notre Dame and other Catholic organizations disagree, stating that pregnancy is not an “illness” that needs “preventing,” so this is not in fact a legitimate government purpose.[6]

 Furthermore, while many opponents of the mandate cite the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, supporters point to the Free Exercise Clause of this amendment, stating that this mandate does not violate the free exercise clause as it does not prohibit people from practicing their religion, rather it prohibits them from imposing their religious beliefs on those who may disagree. For example, Marci A. Hamilton, Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and an expert on religious freedom and self-proclaimed republican, states, "This is not a request that involves someone saying that I can't practice my religion, it's not a request that says that I can't believe what I want to believe, this is a request that says I should not have to put into a fungible pile of money that individuals who don't believe what I believe will use in ways that I disapprove of.”[7] It is difficult to find any bias in this statement as Hamilton is an expert on the topic with no political loyalties to the Obama administration. However, the Catholic Church, among others, disagrees with his expert opinion. If our organization is forced to pay, out of our own pocket, for contraception and other “preventative care” measures for our employees with which we find great moral fault, we are being forced to personally violate our religious beliefs, regardless of the beliefs of our employees. This is not a matter of imposing our beliefs on our employees; rather, it is a matter of exercising our religious beliefs freely. This bill allows Catholics to believe whatever they please, but restricts their freedom to act on these beliefs: a clear violation of constitutional rights. Opponents of the bill state that under the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause, “the Government may not interfere with a religious organization’s internal decision if that interference would affect the faith and mission of the organization itself.”[8] Legal arguments exist on both sides of the issue, but the fact remains that the Constitution expressly prohibits any law from infringing on anyone’s religious beliefs.

            If we refuse to comply with the requirements of this mandate, our organization will face severe monetary penalties. However, if we do comply with this mandate, we violate our sincerely held beliefs which our organization exists to uphold. The Birth Control Mandate is contrary to the Church’s teaching and undermines all that our organization stands for.  Paragraph 2370 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The use of mechanical, chemical, or medical procedures to prevent conception from taking place as a result of sexual intercourse; contraception offends against the openness to procreation required of marriage and also the inner truth of conjugal love.”[9] If we act contrary to this belief or provide the means for others to act in such manners as the Birth Control Mandate requires, not only will we will send mixed signals as to the Catholic Church’s stance on the issue, we will also be committing what we believe to be a grave sin. This is not an issue on which the Catholic Church can “turn a blind eye” or adapt their beliefs to fit the law. We have only two choices: pay the fines or resist the legislation.[10]

Our ethical obligation to uphold our beliefs and fight for our constitutional liberties leads me to advise you to work towards finding a way to avoid providing “preventative care” which we as a Catholic organization do not find morally acceptable. Archbishop Carlson of St. Louis, Missouri recalls a statement from the Congressional documents of the United States in his reaction to the Obama compromise to the HHS mandate, "The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man's relation with his God is above human legislation and his rights of conscience inalienable. . . It is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate.”[11] We must not succumb to the law rather work to ensure the justice of the laws regulating our society.

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[1] U.S. Constitution - Amendment 1. - The U.S. Constitution Online. N.p., 1995. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am1.html>.

[2] Goodwin, Liz. "Notre Dame Sues Obama Administration over Birth Control Mandate." ABC News. ABC News Network, 21 May 2012. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/notre-dame-sues-obama-administration-birth-control-mandate/story?id=16395795>.

[3] (U.S. Constitution).

[4] Full Text of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Full Text of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. University of Virginia, 16 Nov. 1993. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/sacred/RFRA1993.html>.

 

[5] Kapur, Sahil. Obamas Birth Control Mandate Takes Effect. TPM. TPM Media LLC, 1 Aug. 2012. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/birth-control-mandate-takes-effect.php>.

[6] The University of Notre Dame vs. Kathleen Sabelius, Hilda Solis, Timothy Geithner, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of the Treasury.  Opac.nd.edu/assets/69013/hhs_complaint.pdf. THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT. 21 May 2012. Print.

 

[7] Nazworth, Napp. "CP Politics." Christian Post. N.p., 2012. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://www.christianpost.com/news/birth-control-mandate-defies-partisan-split-at-heritage-foundation-symposium-82780/>.

[8] The University of Notre Dame vs. Kathleen Sabelius, Hilda Solis, Timothy Geithner, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of the Treasury.  

[9] Catechism of the Catholic Church. Par 2370

[10] Wilson, Paul. How Will the Church Respond to the Mandate? Catholic Exchange. N.p., 9 July 2012. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://catholicexchange.com/how-will-the-church-respond-to-the-mandate/>.

[11] Carlson, Robert J. "Statement from Archbishop Robert J. Carlson on Obama Compromise to HHS Mandate." St. Louis Review. St. Louis Review, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 09 Oct. 2012. <http://stlouisreview.com/article/2012-02-10/statement-archbishop>.

 

Searching in all the Wrong Places

            There appears to be a paradox; the more developed the world becomes the more evil it becomes. The Council Fathers in Gadium et Spes correctly note that just as man has made many advances in recent years the modern world remains in need of great reform. Man, however often looks in all the wrong places to find that reform. In an era, marked by great scientific advances man often searches for the better world apart from God. Many people, including many faithful Catholics ask how their can be so much war, hunger, and injustice in a world that is so technologically advanced.

             As much as man desires to do the good he is weak and susceptible to sin. Men and women growing up in our western culture have bought into the American dream; a belief that man can pull himself up by his bootstraps. This position ultimately leads not to success but rather to despair. As long as man continues to rely solely on man he will end up a failure. It is only through the assistance of Christ, who suffered and died for humanity, that the world can be transformed. While man desires to do the good, he simply cannot do it on his own without Divine assistance.

            The faithful need to be catechized to realize that the key to a better world rests in man’s cooperation with Christ. The Holy Father, in calling for a year of faith, has called for man to integrate his faith into all the action of his life. When one approaches development in the world with the eyes of faith he is lead to solutions which are for the betterment of the world.

            While thinking about solutions with the eyes of faith is essential for a better world it is not enough. Simply thinking with the eyes of faith is still a human approach. In addition to thinking with the eyes of faith Catholics must not neglect the importance of prayer. Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit and it is through the graces offered by the Holy Spirit that man will be able to cooperate with God to bring about much needed change in our world.

            It is only when man stops looking inward to him and starts living his faith out in his life that the world will see true development. Man, if he cooperates with God’s grace, can bring about a transformation in this world.

Conscience 101

The word conscience is frequently thrown around by Catholics in discussions about morality, yet very few Catholics actually have a proper understanding of what a conscience is and one’s obligation towards it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines conscience as “a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed.” (1778) In other words our conscience is our last best judgment about a moral good or evil.

            St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Hebrews that God says “I will give my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them.” (Heb 10:16) God has written His law on every human heart. Our conscience, when properly formed, then reveals that law. (Gadium et Spes 16) While not all people are able to come to a proper understanding of the totality of the law, all people have some understanding of the law. For example, most people, even atheists, realize that they should not kill an innocent person.

            Many Catholics use the term conscience to justify actions that are immoral. They appeal to their conscience saying that they must follow their conscience. They are certainly correct in saying that they must follow their conscience. As the Catechism puts it man is “obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right.”(1778) In the most basic terms “good is to be done and pursued and evil is to be avoided.” (ST I.II. Q. 94. A2) Since our conscience is our last best judgment we are bound to follow our conscience even if it leads us into error.

The Second Vatican Council Document Gaudium et Spes further teaches the importance and sacredness of conscience saying “to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged.  Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man.” (16) The document, however, also notes that our consciences frequently errs from invincible ignorance. In erring due to invincible ignorance one is not culpable, but frequently one errs not due to ignorance but rather because he has either not sought out the truth or has lived a life so clouded by sin that the truth is hidden from him. Those who should know the truth but do not are put in a catch 22 because for those who should know the truth ignorance of the truth is no excuse not to follow the truth.

The Church becomes the safe haven for the formation of our conscience. When a Catholic comes to the conviction that the Holy Spirit guides the Church the only possible response is submission to the teachings of the Church. A Catholic thus begins his conscience formation with an assent to Church teaching trusting in the promise of Christ to send His Holy Spirit upon His Church.

The most fundamental judgment of reason for a man is his conscience. Our conscience is what helps us navigate the messy waters of life. Appealing to one’s conscience does not give him a license to do whatever he wishes rather it calls him to education and assent to the teachings of Holy Mother Church. A Catholic comes to see the Church as the harbor where he can find the safety to navigate the stormy waters of life choosing to do the good and avoiding evil.