Author: Capital Catholic Happenings

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The Best Answers to the Biggest Questions

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“Development needs Christians with their arms raised toward God in prayer.”

 

In a book called How Do You Spell God, the authors say one gift of religion is that is offers the best answers to life’s biggest questions. Today, Pope Benedict XVI is calling on the world to consider how theology can help shape the best answers to some of the world’s most pressing challenges and the questions that come with them; globalization, the growing divide between the rich and poor, care of the environment; protection of freedoms.

 

The Teaching Mission of the Church

 

The encyclical letter is a great example of the teaching mission of the Church. In Caritas in Veritate( Charity in Truth), Pope Benedict writes “Development needs Christians with their arms raised toward God in prayer.” He goes on to say that development requires attention to the spiritual life because it involves the individual and society. As pope, it is Pope Benedict’s responsibility to bring the light of the Gospel to the issues of the day. This encyclical looks at the changes that globalization is bringing to the way the world does business and asking what impact are they having on society and on people. You might be asking what authority the church has in the field of economics and global development. The area of expertise is people! In this field the Church has expertise unlike any other organization or government!

 

Pope Benedict boldly preaches that the world has lost a sense that the meaning of charity is at the core of one’s personal relationships and the core of societal life. He thinks that the world is losing sight of the fact that charity is the driving force behind authentic development (Caritas in Veritate, #1). The reason he gives for losing the meaning of charity is the devaluing of the existence of truth and the meaning of truth and so the title, Charity in Truth refers to his desire to remind the world that “truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity.” (CV, 2)

 

Learn More

 

More will be shared about this encyclical in this space, I want to encourage you to follow the news stories and pick up the document. In the Catholic Standard, http://cathstan.org. you’ll find background, summaries and reflections on the letter. The Gospel and the intellectual tradition of the Church can help Catholics and all people think deeply about the most serious challenges facing our world and about the big picture. The big picture, as the authors of How Do You Spell God point out, is one of the great gifts of religion—it keeps the big picture in mind—to look at the present through the wisdom of experience and with an eye to the future and the ultimate meaning of life.

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Sweeping the Nation?

mm-logo_rgb3003In conversation and in the media you get the sense that redefining marriage is something that is sweeping the nation, that the majority of Americans are in favor of rewriting the definition of marriage and making a new definition law. This is simply not true. As California demonstrated when people are asked to vote on whether the state should define marriage as the union of one and one woman, people usually vote “yes”. Californians are not alone in this opinion. Do you know that 30 states have defined marriage through a constitutional amendment as the union of one man and one woman ? An additional eleven states prohibit same-sex marriage by statute. Only six states have legalized same sex marriage and three states do not prohibit same- sex marriage. Interestingly, in the six states that legalized same-sex marriage, it was through legal activism and through the courts that the legislation was created, not as a result of a ballot initiative or other voting opportunity.

The issue of marriage, specifically same-sex marriage has been featured prominently in the news as the D.C. Council seeks to recognize the marriage of same-sex couples who have been married in other states. Indeed, this will become law on July 7.

As the issue moves to the front page in the local papers it is all the more important to have the correct facts and to realize that the fight is far from over.

The Archdiocese of Washington has launched an initiative called MarriageMatters® with a WebPage that features articles and information about the Church’s teaching on marriage and the importance of marriage to family and society. The webpage also has links to helpful information from other Catholic sources. Please take advantage of its resources so that you can participate in one of the most important questions of this generation.

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Pick-A-Parish

One of the most frustrating things about working in ministry is encapsulated in the following email:

“Hi Laura, I live in DC and I attend [church x] but I must confess I still hop around between parishes trying to find my niche, so that keeps me back from getting involved in any specific community.” (emphasis added)

There is a vast difference in finding your niche and creating your niche! How can you create a vibrant parish community?

  • Do you think the choir needs help? Join it!
  • Does the way the Word of God is proclaimed lack interest? Use your talent and be a lector!
  • Does your homilist miss the mark when trying to connect the Word of God to the congregation? Establish a relationship with your priest or deacon, then suggest ways he could improve!
  • Does the church’s interior not reflect glory of God’s True Presence? Donate funds to help refurbish the church!
  • Do you complain about a lack of attention to social justice issues and community outreach? Volunteer to start a committed group!
  • Has another parishioner never introduced him or herself to you? Make the first move to welcome them!

The list goes on!

This is what Catholic stewardship means: to survey our gifts and offer our time, talent, and treasure to building up the Kingdom of God. For those of you reading this, I’d like to take a quick survey.

  • What do you complain about the most at your parish?
  • What can you do to remedy the situation?
  • Let us know if creating a vibrant parish community is on your priority list!

Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 1Cor. 14:12

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Bringing healing after the Metro crash

The Metro crash was really tough on people in DC this week. Archbishop Wuerl led two prayer services – one for employees outside of their headquarters on Tuesday and an interfaith service today at St. Mary, Mother of God church.

News 8 and NBC 4 ran moving stories about today’s interfaith service — attended by about 100 “first responders” from the Metro accident (and the Fire Department Emerald Society bagpipers, who played “Amazing Grace”). It’s a good reminder of how important prayer is for healing – and that we should always keep in our prayers the “first responders” and rescue workers whenever we hear of an accident, fire or tragedy.

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

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The Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

On Monday we celebrate the Solemnity of Peter and Paul, one of the great feasts in the Church cal245_0035162142_peter-and-paul-apostles1endar. It has very special meaning for me because of having lived  in Rome for five years when I was doing my doctoral studies. One year a friend who is a priest and serves as a chaplain in the Air Force came to visit and brought along another chaplain who is a Protestant minister. The first two sites that Chaplain Chase wanted to see were the tomb of Saint Peter and the place where Paul was imprisoned. As we were standing at Peter’s tomb, he said, “for all of the differences there are among Christians, we all agree that Paul and Peter were here in Rome and that they were the church’s first two great leaders.” It was a reminder for me, that indeed, Peter and Paul are revered by all Christians. The three of us could stand and pray together at the tomb of Saint Peter grateful for the preaching and witness of these two martyrs of the faith.

 An Ecumencial Celebration

Indeed, the official celebration of the solemnity is Ecumenical. Pope Benedict XVI will gather with leaders of Christian communities for a Vespers service at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. This will also mark the closing of the official celebration of the year of Saint Paul.

 The Petrine and Pauline Charism Today

Often within religious institutions or Catholic organizations people speak of the birth of the organization reflecting the Pauline and Petrine charisms. For many, the founder of a religious order tends to be like Paul, charismatic, dynamic, a preacher with a vision who can attract followers. Perhaps Francis of Assisi or Mother Theresa come to mind. The person who succeeds the founder, very often is someone with the Petrine charism. This is the person responsible for taking the vision and creating a structure so that the work of the founder can grow and spread. The “second founder” as these men and women are sometimes called, are not always as well known as the founder, but their work is vital to the success of the mission.

 

As a church that is universal in scope, the office of the Pope–the Petrine Office –secures the institutional life of the Church.  It both represents the unity of the Catholic Church and it insures our common identity and mission. At the same time, the church is at its core is missionary and so it insists that men and women, clergy, religious and lay are preaching and teaching the Gospel throughout the world–the Pauline charism.

 

As we celebrate this feast, give thanks to God for the leadership of Peter and Paul and for those who continue building the kingdom of God through the Pauline and Petrine charism.

 Fireworks 

On a lighter note, it is not only a feast day, but a civic holiday because Peter is the patron saint of Rome. The city of Rome celebrates the feast in a big way, business and shops are closed and the day ends with spectacular fireworks.

 

 

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On Being Catholic

Did you catch the piece in the Washington Post last Saturday called “On Faith”? It featured an interview with a woman writing a book on Catholics on the Supreme Court. If Judge Sotomayor is confirmed there will be six Catholic justices. The author, Barbara Perry, opines that the number of Catholics is related to liberal and conservative politics more than religion. When asked how she thinks Judge Sotomayor’s Catholicism will play into her decisions if confirmed, she describes Judge Sotomayor as someone who attends church for family and special occasions, guessing she will be more liberal—a social justice type of Catholic. Whereas justices like Scalia and Roberts are conservative on issues such as abortion and church and state matters.


This kind of conversation is so common in political discussions and in church conversation and it is really misguided. There is only one kind of Catholic; the person who is baptized saved by God’s grace and called to share in the very mission of Jesus Christ. Happily, once baptized a Catholic, or baptized in another Christian community and later received into the Church through Confirmation, one is forever a Catholic.

The only real Catholic is the one who daily strives to love God through prayer, love the people God sends into one’s life, and regularly receive the sacraments, beginning with Sunday Mass. The sacraments are not magic and though Baptism is forever, one must continually grow in faith and love, one’s faith needs to mature in much the same way we mature physically, psychologically and socially.


Unhappily, we know that there is a wide range of ways in which people stop growing in the faith. In the field of Evangelization we try to identify (one might say label) stages in the practice of the faith in hopes that we can call all Catholics to full and active participation in the faith.


We speak of unchurched Catholics who were Baptized and maybe received Eucharist and confirmation but were not raised in the faith and so have no real understanding of what it means to be Catholic. We also speak of inactive Catholics, those Catholics who identify themselves as Catholics but go to Mass no more than a few times a year outside of weddings or funerals. A third group is called alienated Catholics and they are Catholics who though they call themselves Catholic, they stay away from participation in the church because of a negative experience of some sort. In many case there is a desire for reconciliation and healing in order to feel welcomed or at home in the Church.


Like a family, all of these people are Catholics and considered part of the Catholic family. We who are fellow Catholics or work for the Church have a responsibility for seeking out, listening, inviting, and encouraging these sisters and brothers to deepen their faith and rediscover the gift of the Catholic tradition.


Labels like liberal, conservative, cultural, or radical Catholic tend to suggest that it’s possible for an individual Catholic to decide what it means to be Catholic. When I think of some of the American Catholic saints, life Mother Katherine Drexel or Elizabeth Seton I discover women who would defy all of our popular labels. They were passionate in their love of God, their love of the Church and their love for others, especially the poor and the marginalized. Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., once Master General of the Jesuits captures the passion that faith brings to life in this prayer.


“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love

in a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination,

will affect everything.

It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,

what you will do with your evenings,

how you will spend your weekends,

what you read, who you know,

what breaks your heart,

and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.”


Who is a Catholic? Enjoy this video displaying the rich Tapestry of the Catholic Church!

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Rosaries on the Roadway

For the past three years, I’ve been blessed in that my daily commute has not involved driving on I-495, I-395, I-95, I-270 or I-66. However, last night I experienced the pleasure of having an hour commute from University Boulevard on I-495 to Falls Road on I-270 for Catecoffeeism. (The young adult communities of St. Raphael and St. Martin of Tours host this weekly book club which began with a reading and discussion of the United States Catechism for Adults, accompanied by a cup of café. The are now exploring Mere Christianity

While driving 10 miles per hour, I was able to observe the behaviors of the different drivers (a field day for my inner psychologist): Who was listening to the radio and who was talking on the phone? Who had their windows rolled down and who had their AC on? Who seemed grumpy and who seemed content? Who let me into their lane and who didn’t? Who gave me the Thank You Wave and who waved back when I gave them the wave? Who used their blinkers and who just cut in?

But one thing really caught my eye. I was surprised by how many rosaries were hanging from rear view mirrors! Washington is not particularly known for personal displays of religiosity. On the contrary, this is a town where separation of church and state often means that we feel the need to conceal our faith. Seeing these rosaries gave me hope and pride and made me feel part of something larger: our universal Church.

When I owned my last car, I too had a cross hanging from my rear view mirror…and I think I might put it back! “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)

Do you pray the rosary? ?Resas el rosario?