tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22075222230816618632024-03-13T20:15:14.610+00:00The Economy ProjectKindle the light of Catholic Social TeachingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-31093726998598716562014-06-22T19:25:00.001+01:002014-06-22T19:25:25.090+01:00Catechism for BusinessAndrew Abela's subtitle for his book <i>A Catechism for Business </i>says it all:<i> Tough Ethical Questions and Insights from Catholic Teaching. </i>Catholic social doctrine has grown into a vast field, and this book finds its way through those questions that arise naturally in the course of a working day. It taps directly into the wisdom of the Church's magisterium. Only just over 140 pages, it is practical to use. Though it does not interweave social and spiritual teaching, it will be tremendously helpful to businessmen and theologians.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-17110592542428922782014-06-13T21:05:00.000+01:002014-06-22T19:26:33.030+01:00NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES<a href="http://angelicopress.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/caldecott-not-as-the-world-gives-233px-350px.jpg?w=640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://angelicopress.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/caldecott-not-as-the-world-gives-233px-350px.jpg?w=640" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://angelicopress.com/caldecott-not-as-the-world-gives/">My new book</a> is a summation of a lot of the work on social teaching I have done in the past ten years. The cover of the book, by Ducio, shows Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. The extract from Ch. 49 of <i>Christ the Eternal Tao</i> begins to explain the meaning of the image:<br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>The Master of the universe,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>Showing us how to walk the way of humility,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>Took a towel<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>And, bending down below his disciples,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>From my indwelling,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>From my illumination and action within you<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>For I am meek and humble in heart<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>And your souls shall find rest from conflicts<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><i>And relief from thoughts.</i></span></div>
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The Trinity reveals the pattern of the cosmos, of reality itself—from the stars to the dust we kick around our feet. The same Trinity that meets in a kiss between two people is the Trinity that governs the swirl of leaves in autumn when they fall from the trees. There is nothing beyond the Trinity, nothing beyond the particles that all things are made of, nothing beyond these pieces of stardust.</div>
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<i></i>There is no peace without justice, and no justice without goodness. The Ten Commandments are a search for justice, but the Commandments of justice are balanced by the Beatitudes, and the vision of Moses is balanced by the vision of Christ. According to Pope Francis a religion of money dominates our global civilization. Money and sex, therefore, and one more determining factor, technology, needs to be taken into account. We are living under the rule of the machine, and we are called to evangelize these three with the help of the Holy Spirit.</div>
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<i>Not As the World Gives</i> reaches from the Age of Money to the Age of the Machine. What emerges from this sequel to <i>The Radiance of Being</i> is not just a presentation of Catholic social doctrine, but a vision of integration and wholeness, of a society both divine and human, and of a humanism open to the absolute.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-46130931842911997842014-02-21T18:42:00.003+00:002014-05-14T19:33:40.402+01:00HUMANISING WORK<br />
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The next in our series of colloquia in which Christian and Islamic thinkers engage in a conversation about notions of society, the secular, and the human vocation takes place on <b>Saturday afternoon 1st March</b> at St Benet's Hall, Oxford (free admission). If “the greatest single antidote to violence is conversation” (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks), such initiatives may make a contribution to the development of a culture of peace. The first meeting took place at Blackfriars Hall on 29th July 2013 and was focused on "God's call to the creature" – in other words, creation and vocation. This time we take the discussion a stage further....</div>
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<i><b>Saturday 1st March 2014</b></i> 2:00 – 5:00 pm</div>
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2:00 – Crafts: <b>Karim Lahham</b> (Tabah Foundation)</div>
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2:30 – Architecture: <b>Warwick Pethers</b> (Gothic Design Practice)</div>
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3:00 – Teaching: <b>Roy Peachey</b> (Woldingham School and Cedars School, Croydon)</div>
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and <b>Dr Talal al-Azem</b> (Oriental Institute and Pembroke College) </div>
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4:00 – <i>Discussion: chaired by <b>Stratford Caldecott</b> and <b>Karim Lahham</b></i></div>
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<i>Secularisation poses a challenge to religious believers in the practice of their professions, more so as the dominant view creates an environment hostile to traditional conceptions of morality and even social order. Are these conflicts inevitable? What kind of public engagement with these issues would be most fruitful?</i></div>
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FREE ADMISSION For further information contact us at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><secondspringltd gmail.com=""></secondspringltd></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-50644270524453574962014-01-03T10:30:00.001+00:002014-01-03T10:31:16.867+00:00The science of economics?<i>An extract from John Medaille's article in </i>Second Spring<i>, issue 17 on The Economy. The journal is available from <a href="http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/books-lectures/shop/" target="_blank">Thomas More College</a>.</i><br />
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Far from being an “exact science,” economics resembles nothing so much as a war of ideologies, each proffering a different view of man. And this is how it should be; economics, like every other humane science, must begin with a view of the human person, and we must start comparing economic systems with a comparison of their view of the human person. Everything else depends on that. And it turns out that there really are only two views, albeit there are multiple variations of these views: man is ether a free contracting individual, or else he is a social being always enmeshed in a series of relationships and obligations.<br />
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The men of the 19th century, repelled by the messiness of humane considerations, looked with envy on the precision of the physicists, and attempted to emulate them. But this turned out to be a romantic quest, a heartfelt desire to resolve all things by a formula, and so get at the root of all things in a way no one could doubt. But this cannot be a realistic enterprise. For the humane sciences consist not in rejecting the complexity of human life, but in embracing it. At base, all our systems are moral systems, describing not only what we are doing, but what we ought to be doing. <br />
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In this science, the Roman Pontiffs are not interlopers but full participants, offering a realistic view of human relationships, a view upon which every other human science depends.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-74777015734654956252013-12-02T19:17:00.000+00:002013-12-04T09:42:13.960+00:00Unimaginative conservatism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><i><a href="http://theeconomyproject.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-joy-of-gospel.html" target="_blank">Evangelii Gaudium</a></i> is full of interesting passages. One of them concerns the "worldliness" that creeps into the Church, which has been one of the big themes of the pontificate to date. Para 94 summarizes the Pope's analysis using a number of long, technical words – though Francis carefully explains each term when he uses it. Each of the attitudes identified here as an obstacle to evangelization is a form of <i>adulterated Christianity</i>, a manifestation of <i>anthropocentric immanentism</i>, by which he means an obsession with <i>man in this world</i> rather than man as constitutively related to God.</span></div>
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"This worldliness can be fuelled in two deeply interrelated ways. One is the attraction of <b>gnosticism</b>, a purely subjective faith whose only interest is a certain experience or a set of ideas and bits of information which are meant to console and enlighten, but which ultimately keep one imprisoned in his or her own thoughts and feelings. The other is the <b>self-absorbed promethean neopelagianism</b> of those who ultimately trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain <br />
<a name='more'></a>intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past. A supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a <b>narcissistic and authoritarian elitism</b>, whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyses and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying. In neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others. These are manifestations of an <b>anthropocentric immanentism</b>. It is impossible to think that a genuine evangelizing thrust could emerge from these adulterated forms of Christianity" (n. 94).</blockquote>
Gnosticism is the result of converting faith in Christ into a doctrine that is supposed to "save" merely by being believed (a "subjective faith" that keeps us imprisoned in our own thoughts and feelings). The second attitude is a form of "neopelagianism" that leads us to rely on our own powers instead of divine grace. (Pelagianism is the heresy of self-reliance.) It is therefore self-absorbed, and "promethean" because reminiscent of the Greek Titan who stole fire from heaven and was suitably punished.<br />
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How is this connected with being faithful to "a particular Catholic style from the past"? It would seem that Francis is here condemning all traditionalists, indeed anyone opposed to changing "Catholic style", including the style of the liturgy. He goes on to say that a "supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline" can lead to a "narcissistic and authoritarian elitism". Is this a rejection of conservatism – making Francis a "progressive" or "liberal" of some kind? But no, because of what he says next. The attitude he is condemning, which may be associated with traditionalism but not necessarily, is one that is not concerned with Jesus Christ or with others. Instead of evangelizing, "one analyses and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying". This is worldliness – taking judgement upon oneself, rather than leaving it to God.</div>
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There may appear to be a contradiction here, in that the "worldly" Catholic is said both to spend his time <i>inspecting</i> others and to be <i>unconcerned</i> with others, but clearly a genuine concern with someone does not normally express itself in inspecting them; a loving concern would give them the benefit of the doubt. Worldliness assumes that one possesses the measure by which others must be judged. This measure is rarely applied to oneself; and if it is, the result is the same smugness and complacency that our Lord condemns in the Pharisees.</div>
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The conservatism of the Pharisees was also condemned by G.K. Chesterton under another name: bigotry. “It is not bigotry to be certain we are right," he said; "but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong” (<i>The Catholic Church and Conversion</i>). Bigotry, in other words, is <i>unimaginative conservatism</i>. The unimaginative conservative cannot see how our clinging to revealed forms (rituals, beliefs, styles, habits) might have set us against God – not because God is against those forms as such, but because adherence to them is not enough: God wants the spirit, not the letter – or perhaps better, both. When it comes to other people, the unimaginative person has no empathy, no ability to appreciate the other's point of view, no capacity for mercy. He could never say, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."</div>
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Thus Pope Francis concludes: "This stifling worldliness can only be healed by breathing in the pure air of the Holy Spirit who frees us from self-centredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God" (n. 97).</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-42674620912672324682013-11-28T16:00:00.000+00:002013-12-04T09:39:15.914+00:00The Joy of the Gospel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In <i>Evangelii Gaudium</i>, Pope Francis lays out a vision for his pontificate, much as John Paul II did in <i>Redemptor Hominis</i> (although the latter was an encyclical and the former is an Apostolic Exhortation). <br />
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It begins with a call to <i>joy</i> through a renewed encounter with the risen Lord. It includes a reiteration of John Paul’s appeal for help in transforming the papacy itself—a “conversion of the papacy” and of the “central structures of the universal Church”, all of which “need to hear the call to pastoral conversion” (n. 32). He clarifies many of the remarks he has made in interviews since the election, which have been widely misinterpreted. Sections 34 to 39 are particularly helpful, where he speaks of the “hierarchy of truths” (citing St Thomas Aquinas and Vatican II) and the priority of the virtue of mercy.<br />
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The Pope also points out that theology, doctrine, and pastoral practice (and the way they are expressed) continue to develop. “For those who long for a monolithic body of doctrine guarded by all and leaving no room for nuance, this might appear as undesirable and leading to confusion. But in fact such variety serves to bring out and develop different facets of the inexhaustible riches of the Gospel” (nn. 40-41). <br />
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In this brief summary of some of the main points of the Exhortation, which does not claim to cover everything of importance, I will begin by mentioning some of the most controversial.<br />
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<b>Social Teaching</b> <br />
A number of paragraphs are devoted to economic, social, and political issues. This is not a social encyclical (see n. 184) and therefore the treatment must be somewhat cursory, but the basic outlines are clear. Francis condemns the “throw-away culture”, a culture of exclusion, and the idea that wealth will “trickle down” to the poor from the rich (it sometimes does, but hardly enough), the idolatry of money, the obsession with consumption, the accumulation of debt, and the spread of corruption, calling for a financial reform based on a firm grasp of ethics (nn. 53-59). “We can no longer trust in the unseen <br />
<a name='more'></a>forces and the invisible hand of the market. Growth in justice requires more than economic growth, while presupposing such growth: it requires decisions, programmes, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality” (n. 204). <br />
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He points out that inequality and unbridled consumerism corrode the social fabric and lead to violence (nn. 59-60). The hope for peace, however, lies in the human heart unified by the Holy Spirit: “If hearts are shattered in thousands of pieces, it is not easy to create authentic peace in society” (n. 229). He speaks of the way ideas and ideologies mask and distort reality (n. 231-33). Connected with this is the importance of the local and the small (n. 235)—Francis elevates the polyhedron over the sphere, because the sphere implies an erosion of differences, whereas the polyhedron (with its multitude of facets) preserves the distinctiveness of many social, cultural, and economic elements (n. 236). <br />
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In another section he speaks of our role in the defence of unborn human life (n. 213-214)—“a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development”—and as custodians of nature (n. 215). With regard to the latter, he writes, “Thanks to our bodies, God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and the extinction of a species as a painful disfigurement. Let us not leave in our wake a swath of destruction and death which will affect our own lives and those of future generations.” <br />
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<b>Evangelization of Culture</b> <br />
The Exhortation is about "a new phase of evangelization", and the above themes are situated within this context. In a similar way he mentions the integration of faith and reason, faith and science (nn. 242-43, and see also nn. 132-34). If reason arrives at a conclusion it cannot refute, faith cannot contradict it. Nevertheless scientists often exceed their competence in making statements that cannot be proved. Ecumenical dialogue between Christians is also “an indispensable path to evangelization” (n. 246) through an “exchange of gifts” sown by the Holy Spirit. “If we really believe in the abundantly free working of the Holy Spirit, we can learn so much from one another!” (n. 246). <br />
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Francis also reaffirms the Church’s teaching on other religions (nn. 247-53), with an emphasis on Judaism and Islam. “Non-Christians, by God’s gracious initiative, when they are faithful to their own consciences, can live ‘justified by the grace of God’, and thus be ‘associated to the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ’.” Some commentators have seen this as going further than the teaching of the Second Vatican Council in <i>Nostra Aetate</i> or later clarifications such as <i>Dominus Iesus</i>, but he is saying only that God’s grace can work outside the Church, and can justify those whose rejection of Christianity is non-culpable. This "associates" them with the paschal mystery; but it still means that no one is saved except through the sacrifice of Christ (and these are members of the Church even if they are unaware of the fact). <br />
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What is interesting, and does perhaps go slightly further than previous teaching, is what he says next—that “due to the sacramental dimension of sanctifying grace, God’s working in them tends to produce signs and rites, sacred expressions which in turn bring others to a communitarian experience of journeying towards God. While these lack the meaning and efficacy of the sacraments instituted by Christ, they can be channels which the Holy Spirit raises up in order to liberate non-Christians from atheistic immanentism or from purely individual religious experiences” (n. 254). This suggests that the actual forms projected by these other religions—their rites and practices—have a sacred quality, in the sense that they lead whole communities in the direction of God. Francis is careful to distinguish these rites from sacraments, but he calls them “channels” for the Holy Spirit. They lack the "efficacy"of the sacraments, because they can only lead us "in the direction of God", not bring us all the way. They can liberate from atheism and individualism, but whether we are also "saved" more comprehensively (from death and sin) depends on God.<br />
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This enables us to find a place for other religions in the economy of salvation, not simply to dismiss them as an elaborate form of “invincible ignorance”. They may even be seen as a helpful provocation to Christians. “The same Spirit everywhere brings forth various forms of practical wisdom which help people to bear suffering and to live in greater peace and harmony. As Christians, we can also benefit from these treasures built up over many centuries, which can help us better to live our own beliefs.” Here the Pope speaks again of social dialogue, including the fundamental right to religious freedom, which includes the right to manifest those beliefs in public life, not just privately. <br />
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The Pope speaks of the dangers of what has come to be known as fundamentalism (n. 250), and the need for mutual respect and genuine reciprocity. “We Christians should embrace with affection and respect Muslim immigrants to our countries in the same way that we hope and ask to be received and respected in countries of Islamic tradition. I ask and I humbly entreat those countries to grant Christians freedom to worship and to practice their faith, in light of the freedom which followers of Islam enjoy in Western countries! Faced with disconcerting episodes of violent fundamentalism, our respect for true followers of Islam should lead us to avoid hateful generalizations, for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence” (n. 253). <br />
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The Pope’s statements on social dialogue as an essential element of evangelization even incorporate people of no particular belief. “As believers, we also feel close to those who do not consider themselves part of any religious tradition, yet sincerely seek the truth, goodness and beauty which we believe have their highest expression and source in God. We consider them as precious allies in the commitment to defending human dignity, in building peaceful coexistence between peoples and in protecting creation” (n. 257). <br />
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<b>The Way of Beauty</b> <br />
The central section of the Exhortation, Chapter 3, contains rich instructions on the methods and spirit of Christian evangelization—the “proclamation of the Gospel”—and the role of the Holy Spirit therein. He begins with an ecclesiology, describing the Church as a People of God animated by the Spirit and incorporating diverse cultural expressions. The presence of the Spirit gives the People “an instinct of faith—<i>sensus fidei</i>—which helps them to discern what is truly of God…. a certain connaturality with divine realities, and a wisdom which enables them to grasp those realities intuitively, even when they lack the wherewithal to give them precise expression” (n. 119). The missionary activity of the People finds expression not only in the “preaching” of the Gospel to those we met, but in popular piety, and in both cases is driven by the presence of the Holy Spirit (n. 122), who distributes the many diverse charisms in the Church (n. 132). <br />
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A substantial section is devoted to the art of the homily. Here the Pope reminds us that the Church is more than a People; she is a Mother (n. 139, cf. nn. 103-104), who “preaches in the same way that a mother speaks to her child, knowing that the child trusts that what she is teaching is for his or her benefit, for children know that they are loved”. The “mother tongue” of the Church is a kind of music that she sings to us—the music of the Gospel (n. 141). The Spirit sets hearts afire, evoking our desire for “the Father who awaits us in glory” (n. 144). <br />
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From preaching, the Pope goes on to discuss the way we can understand the Word of God more deeply—through study, by living the faith, and <i>lectio divina</i>. This leads into a discussion of catechesis (n. 163ff), including mystagogy (n. 166), which has been neglected in recent years—and the “way of beauty”. Lest we should think that this refers simply to the use of prettier artworks in our churches, he adds: “This has nothing to do with fostering an aesthetic relativism which would downplay the inseparable bond between truth, goodness and beauty, but rather a renewed esteem for beauty as a means of touching the human heart and enabling the truth and goodness of the Risen Christ to radiate within it” (n. 167). <br />
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The essence of evangelization lies in our relationship with the other, the neighbour. He is the “sacred ground” before whom we remove our sandals (n. 169), listening with utmost patience in order to accompany him spiritually. “In other words, the organic unity of the virtues always and necessarily exists <i>in habitu</i>, even though forms of conditioning can hinder the operations of those virtuous habits. Hence the need for ‘a pedagogy which will introduce people step by step to the full appropriation of the mystery’” (n. 171). <br />
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<b>The Four Pillars </b><br />
Because evangelization concerns the building up of a supernatural society, the Pope then returns to the social dimension of the Gospel; specifically, “the inclusion of the poor in society, and second, peace and social dialogue” (n. 185). This means “working to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor, as well as small daily acts of solidarity in meeting the real needs which we encounter” (n. 188). The Pope believes that “openness to the transcendent can bring about a new political and economic mindset which would help to break down the wall of separation between the economy and the common good of society” (n. 205). <br />
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“Economy, as the very word indicates, should be the art of achieving a fitting management of our common home, which is the world as a whole. Each meaningful economic decision made in one part of the world has repercussions everywhere else; consequently, no government can act without regard for shared responsibility. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find local solutions for enormous global problems which overwhelm local politics with difficulties to resolve. If we really want to achieve a healthy world economy, what is needed at this juncture of history is a more efficient way of interacting which, with due regard for the sovereignty of each nation, ensures the economic well-being of all countries, not just of a few” (n. 206). </blockquote>
Francis describes four pillars on which the Church’s social doctrine rests. “Progress in building a people in peace, justice and fraternity depends on four principles related to constant tensions present in every social reality” (n. 221). <br />
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(1) The first is that “<b>time is greater than space</b>”. This means we can work slowly but surely, without being obsessed with immediate results” (n. 223). “Giving priority to time means being concerned about initiating processes rather than possessing spaces” (n. 223). <br />
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(2) The second is that “<b>unity prevails over conflict</b>”. The peacemaker is often the one who faces the conflict head on, and finds unity on a higher plane (n. 228). “The message of peace is not about a negotiated settlement but rather the conviction that the unity brought by the Spirit can harmonize every diversity. It overcomes every conflict by creating a new and promising synthesis. Diversity is a beautiful thing when it can constantly enter into a process of reconciliation and seal a sort of cultural covenant resulting in a ‘reconciled diversity’” (n. 230).<br />
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(3) “<b>Realities are more important than ideas</b>”—a principle based on the central mystery of our faith: the incarnation of the Word. In our weakness and foolishness, we mask reality with “angelic forms of purity, dictatorships of relativism, empty rhetoric, objectives more ideal than real, brands of ahistorical fundamentalism, ethical systems bereft of kindness, intellectual discourse bereft of wisdom” (n. 231). “Ideas disconnected from realities give rise to ineffectual forms of idealism and nominalism, capable at most of classifying and defining, but certainly not calling to action. What calls us to action are realities illuminated by reason. Formal nominalism has to give way to harmonious objectivity. Otherwise, the truth is manipulated, cosmetics take the place of real care for our bodies” (n. 232). <br />
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(4) “<b>The whole is greater than the part</b>.” Here the Pope is speaking about the “tension between globalization and localization” (n. 234). Both are needed, but the local must not be reduced to a “museum of local folklore”. “The whole is greater than the part, but it is also greater than the sum of its parts…. We need to sink our roots deeper into the fertile soil and history of our native place, which is a gift of God. We can work on a small scale, in our own neighbourhood, but with a larger perspective” (n. 235). It is here that the Pope affirms the polyhedron over the sphere as an image of unified diversity. <br />
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<b>The Holy Spirit in the New Evangelization</b> <br />
Jesus wants us to “proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence” (n. 259). That means we must be transfigured by the Holy Spirit, and that is the theme of the final chapter of the Exhortation.<br />
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“What is needed is the ability to cultivate an interior space which can give a Christian meaning to commitment and activity” (n. 262). An “interior space”—precisely the action of the Holy Spirit, who opens in us the “secret room” where we can pray to the Father, and from which we can go out to renew the face of the earth. Evangelization depends upon having a “contemplative spirit” (n. 264), an openness to God at the centre of each soul. <br />
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This is the same as to say that it depends on friendship with Jesus, on living with him, and knowing him. Pope Francis is concerned to give the Church a new understanding of the reasons for evangelization. Why do we proclaim the Gospel? The reason is actually very simple. “We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint. It penetrates to the depths of our hearts, sustaining and ennobling us. It is a truth which is never out of date because it reaches that part of us which nothing else can reach. Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love” (n. 265). <br />
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This truth is a Presence that does not disappoint—in whom and with whom we devote ourselves entirely to the praise of the Father. But in that life of praise we are not seeking to escape the “maelstrom of human misfortune” (n. 270). That would be nothing but a “slow suicide” (n. 272). Instead, we throw ourselves into the life of Christ. “We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing” (n. 273). As a result, “our lives become wonderfully complicated and we experience intensely what it is to be a people, to be part of a people” (n. 270). For every human being is “the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives” (n. 274). <br />
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The Resurrection is an “irresistible force”. “ Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history” (n. 276). “No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted…. It may be that the Lord uses our sacrifices to shower blessings in another part of the world which we will never visit. The Holy Spirit works as he wills, when he wills and where he wills; we entrust ourselves without pretending to see striking results. We know only that our commitment is necessary. Let us learn to rest in the tenderness of the arms of the Father amid our creative and generous commitment” (n. 279). <br />
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The New Evangelization is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit comes into our lives through the prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the heart of the Church. She is the gift of Jesus to each one of us. “At the foot of the cross, at the supreme hour of the new creation, Christ led us to Mary. He brought us to her because he did not want us to journey without a mother, and our people read in this maternal image all the mysteries of the Gospel. The Lord did not want to leave the Church without this icon of womanhood” (n. 285). <br />
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“Contemplating Mary, we realize that she who praised God for ‘bringing down the mighty from their thrones’ and ‘sending the rich away empty’ (Luke 1:52-53) is also the one who brings a homely warmth to our pursuit of justice. She is also the one who carefully keeps ‘all these things, pondering them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19)” (n. 288). It is in Mary—the heart, icon, and mother of the Church—that action and contemplation are united into a single dynamic force, and evangelization, the road to God’s kingdom, comes into being.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-47249651952239642862013-09-26T11:53:00.000+01:002013-12-11T01:36:31.309+00:00The Issue you've been waiting for...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <a href="http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/books-lectures/shop/issue-sixteen-sacred-vessels-copy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new issue of <i>Second Spring</i></a> is on the Economy – or <i>oikonomia</i>, the management of the household, which we see the Holy Family doing quite well in this splendid stained glass window photographed by Lawrence Lew OP, and used strikingly on our cover. The Thomas More College shop, where you can order copies, will be updated soon, or you phone them in the US at (603) 880-8308, or email our main address here and we will pass on your request.<br />
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It's an exciting issue. The culture wars have been going on for some time now, and caught up in them have been political positions that owe a lot to different economic ideologies. <i>Second Spring </i>stands with the so-called "paleo-conservative" or "imaginative conservative" values and philosophy of Burke, Chesterton, Kirk, and <i>Communio</i>. But under the impact of Pope Francis, the very terms of reference are changing, and this is a great time to think things through for yourself.<br />
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Several but not all of the articles are about economics, and they are written in an accessible, non-technical way. William Edmund Fahey, the President of Thomas More College, and John Medaille, the leading contemporary writer on Distributism, takes us deep into that philosophy of life, while Michael Black and Edward Hadas take a more independent but still radical stand. (Dr Black presents an unusual perspective on the importance of the Corporation in the modern world, and its theological origins. You'll never look at Wal-Mart the same again!)<br />
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In addition to all this, and the Reports, book reviews, and a collection of brilliant poems by Megan Furman, there is a major article on the mysterious and controversial Valentin Tomberg, the author of <i>Meditations on the Tarot</i>, and an important article on Evangelization by Edmund Adamus, Director for Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Westminster.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/books-lectures/shop/issue-sixteen-sacred-vessels-copy/" target="_blank">Don't miss it!</a> And make sure your college library subscribes. <i>Second Spring</i> is here to stay.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-2263004378803372392013-08-31T12:19:00.000+01:002013-09-04T18:49:11.020+01:00Economy in questionThe new issue of our journal <i>Second Spring</i> (issue 17), with a focus on the Economy and Catholic social teaching, is now available from Thomas More College. More about that soon, but in the meantime it is worth noting that a new journal, <i><a href="http://www.inklings-studies.com/index.html" target="_blank">The Journal of Inklings Studies</a></i>, has appeared in Oxford, with a first issue containing several important articles on Chesterton's (and Tolkien's) Distributism. Go <a href="http://www.inklings-studies.com/current_issue.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the relevant issue. Meanwhile <a href="http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2010/09/economics-of-distributism-part-i.html" target="_blank">a series</a> by John Medaille, the leading contemporary Distributist writer, is appearing on Imaginative Conservative. And see this interesting article on <a href="http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/08/26/helping-the-poor-through-catholic-microfinance/" target="_blank">Catholic microfinance</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-37798953008043770952013-08-31T12:07:00.004+01:002013-08-31T12:07:46.447+01:00Environmental accountingClean water, forests and other natural resources are being used unsustainably, so some of the world’s largest banks plan to cut credit for companies which rely on them but fail to value them. For article go <a href="http://www.climatenewsnetwork.net/2013/08/banks-put-a-price-on-earths-life-support/" target="_blank">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-14290644973369152372013-07-22T13:36:00.000+01:002013-07-22T13:36:12.305+01:00Interfaith colloquiumThe first-ever "Second Spring Interfaith Colloquium" was held at Blackfriars Hall in Oxford on 20 July 2013, under the auspices of Second Spring Oxford, the Catholic consultancy directed by Leonie and Stratford Caldecott. This meeting is the first of several now being planned in which Christian and Islamic thinkers will discuss notions of society, the secular, and the human vocation. Entitled “From Darkness to Light: God’s Call to the Creature in Christianity and Islam”, the event explored aspects of the Christian and Islamic understanding of creaturehood and implications for the way we think about personal identity, human potential, happiness, eternal life, and work. For both Christianity and Islam, a “vocational” society is one that facilitates a response to the universal spiritual call through participation in social life. The speakers were Dr Carol and Philip Zaleski (Smith College), Stratford Caldecott (St Benet’s Hall), and Dr Karim Lahham (Tabah Foundation). Future events will be announced on www.secondspring.co.uk.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-13236696356389744392013-07-13T09:17:00.001+01:002013-07-13T09:18:20.654+01:00Queen of PalestineThe Franciscans have a long history in the Holy Land, and while there a priest friend, Mark Elvins, OFM Cap., noticed the chronic need of the few remaining Christian families in Palestine, and created a charity to help them: <a href="http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/search-for-a-charity/?txt=1057037" target="_blank">REGINA PALESTINAE</a>, Our Lady Queen of Palestine (Registered Charity Number 1144012).<br />
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The charity pays for food and medicine, water, electricity, rent, the cost of surgery and education. It is currently the only charity which goes directly to the homes of the poor, befriending them and giving them the support they need. Many have been lifted from penury and supplied with food and life-saving medicine or surgery. A number of students have been able to finish their education with the support of Regina Palestinae and so<br />
<a name='more'></a>obtain the necessary qualifications in a land where lack of training can be a recipe for destitution. The charity over three years has visited over a hundred poor families and found some living on the borders of starvation who are now supported. Most people have no pension and no social welfare, so the prospect of old age is a real problem. The charity therefore hopes to set up a care home for the elderly where they can count on security and regular support.</div>
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The poor families are identified by a small team of local people who know the area intimately. They use the criteria of those who make themselves known by requests for help, those known to them from living in the same area for many years and those made known to them through a third party.</div>
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According the the charity, about 340,000 Christians live in the area – less than 2% of the total population. Bethlehem which was 70% Christian in 1948 is today only 15% Christian. The Christian population includes Latin Catholic, Melkite, Maronite, Syrian, Armenian, Chaldean Coptic, Greek and Russian Orthodox congregations as well as Anglicans and Lutherans. Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in 2009 was in part to encourage Christians to stay in the Holy Land. </div>
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The charity's area of ministry is largely restricted to Bethlehem, Beit Jalla and Beit Sahour and the surrounding districts. Political considerations make wider coverage difficult at the present. All denominations in special need are eligible to receive support.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-63122724614772370022013-06-09T07:49:00.002+01:002013-06-09T07:49:49.113+01:00The truth about political correctness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Political correctness identifies a syndrome we all recognize, but is hard to define. It can be best described as a set of attitudes rather than an ideology, since viewed philosophically it is completely incoherent. It can perhaps be traced back to the French Revolution, in the aftermath of which various slogans became fashionable – mostly involving “Liberty” and “Equality”, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libert%C3%A9,_%C3%A9galit%C3%A9,_fraternit%C3%A9">sometimes</a> joined with “Fraternity” or “Reason” to make up a memorable threesome. In each case the “value” in question is distorted by extraction from traditional philosophical frameworks in which such ideas had been discussed for many centuries – or perhaps more tellingly, from a concern with truth. <br />
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Equality seems to mean treating people as if they were the same. But this is not justice. Justice is giving people their due. Why insist on equality at the expense of difference and diversity? Insisting on equality in that sense is <i>un</i>just, because it is the differences between people that determine what they may be due. A man who is well fed is not due a food handout, and a blind man is not due an eye-test on the NHS. A child with one leg is not expected or entitled to run in the hundred-yard sprint on Sports Day. The only way in which all human beings are equal is in <i>being human</i>; but the “rights” our humanity implies will depend on what we understand it to amount to (not to mention when it begins and ends) – in other words, it depends on the truth about human beings. <br />
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Liberty or Freedom is similarly useless without truth. Popularly understood as the power to choose, freedom makes sense only when linked to the <i>truth</i> about those choices. A man going into a supermarket wearing a blindfold has no real power to choose. He still does not if, when he takes off the blindfold, the packaging on the products is full of lies. Nor does he, if the products are essentially all the same. Choice has to be real choice, in a real world, between realities that essentially differ. Even more importantly, he is not free if he is conditioned or habituated to choose in a certain way. In the case of moral choices, the principle is the same. Truth matters. In order to be truly free we need to know which options are morally good or not, and we need to have the power (the virtue) to choose the good over the evil. <br />
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Reason or Rationality was glorified by the Revolutionaries, but at the same time they contrived to replace it with a caricature. Reason is our capacity or faculty for attaining the truth (including the truth about good and evil, and the truth about being human). But modern thinkers gave up the aspiration for truth some while ago. Why is this? They cannot accept that truth lies beyond us – in which case our grasp of truth has to converge with the truth’s grasp of us. The moment we deny transcendent reality, truth becomes something we can manipulate, instead of something we submit to. “Abandoning the investigation of being, modern philosophical research has concentrated instead on human knowing. Rather than make use of the human capacity to know the truth, modern philosophy has preferred to accentuate the ways in which this capacity is limited and conditioned” (John Paul II, <i>Fides et Ratio</i>, n. 5). <br />
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Fraternity was not always included as part of the triad, and one reason was that it is particularly hard to define. It evolved into our present obsession with “niceness”. This notion can be used to set the limits around the use of free will—so that what we do is limited by the obligation not to do harm to others, or else inspired by the positive duty to do good. But once again any real value in the notion is lost when its connection with truth is destroyed. What does harm to another person (or to oneself) depends on the truth about being human. For example, we need to know, before we encourage gay marriage, whether it is likely to do psychological or spiritual harm to any adopted children. But such questions are these days more likely to be decided <i>a priori</i>, based on assumptions that are no longer open to question, and so the question of truth once again eludes us. <br />
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Political correctness is philosophical nonsense. What we need is Justice not just Equality, Moral Responsibility not just Freedom, Intelligence not just Reason, and Charity not just Niceness or Fraternity—even if these don’t sound so good on a banner. We need <i><a href="http://theeconomyproject.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/charity-in-truth.html" target="_blank">Caritas in Veritate</a></i>—love in truth. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-45989497841513892013-05-30T14:09:00.001+01:002013-05-30T14:10:35.598+01:00A Mother's Work is Never Done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <a href="http://www.humanumreview.com/articles/category/spring-2013" target="_blank">latest issue of </a><i><a href="http://www.humanumreview.com/articles/category/spring-2013" target="_blank">HUMANUM</a>, </i>the online research journal of the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family (Washington, DC), which I edit, is on the theme of <b>Mother's Work</b>, in a series about Home and Family. The point of the journal is to review the latest thinking about topics that concern the most vulnerable members of our society, such as children. The present issue follows others on Absent Fathers, on Same-Sex Unions, on Reproductive Technology, and Divorce. It contains both articles and book reviews, and does not cost anything to read or download.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-299102303597750732013-05-13T17:14:00.000+01:002013-05-13T17:14:18.093+01:00Social TeachingPlease be aware of a <a href="http://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/" target="_blank">new website</a>, based in the UK and devoted to Catholic Social Teaching. Introduced by Archbishop Vincent Nichols, <b>catholicsocialteaching.org.uk</b> contains among other things a simple guide to <i>Caritas in Veritate</i>.<br />
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Meanwhile another new site, <a href="http://www.blueprintforbusiness.org/">www.blueprintforbusiness.org</a>, applies Catholic Social Teaching specifically to business management and leadership. The Resources section contains a link to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace document on the <i><a href="http://www.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/cst/VocationBusinessLead/VocationTurksonRemar/VocationBk3rdEdition.pdf" target="_blank">Vocation of the Business Leader</a></i>, co-published with the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought in Minnesota.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-42013599884566881932013-04-23T09:32:00.000+01:002013-04-23T10:25:07.059+01:00Crisis of fatherhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <a href="http://www.humanumreview.com/articles/category/winter-2013" target="_blank">current issue of HUMANUM</a>, the freely available online journal of the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, DC (or rather the Institute's Center for Pastoral and Cultural Research) is devoted to the crisis of fatherhood in our culture. It contains articles and book reviews devoted to the literature on this topic. (The following notes are based on the Editorial for the issue.)<br />
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The collapse of marriage in the developed world is happening faster than many believed possible. Civil marriages exceed religious ones, and both are in steep decline. In Italy, the heartland of Catholicism, where the largest religious institution on earth might be expected to have some influence, there are only 3.6 marriages a year for every thousand inhabitants, compared to 4.7 for the European Union as a whole – in the wealthy parts of Italy the numbers are even lower. Clearly most couples now do not get married. Single parents, especially single mothers, are commonplace. Given that it is hard enough for a stable, loving couple to bring up a child, or children, the difficulties faced by single parents are formidable.<br />
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The recovery of fatherhood is not merely a political and sociological challenge, to be met by strengthening the legislation that keeps families together, deters separation, and insists that a man takes more responsibility for his children (whether he be married or not). What needs to be recovered is a vision, a sense of responsibility, something the philosopher Gabriel Marcel in his book <i>Homo Viator</i> (1951) called a “creative vow.”<br />
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The father is more than a biological instrument above all when he is prepared to consecrate himself for a role that transcends the physical. He gives of himself biologically to the mother when the child is conceived; but he gives of himself spiritually when he accepts a continuing and indeed eternal responsibility for the gift that God gives him in return – the gift of the child whom he did not fashion and whose destiny he cannot determine or control.<br />
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No longer the primary breadwinner, today’s father is not even necessarily the one who engendered his own child, thanks to the wonders of IVF. Technology, which already in the 1960s severed the connection between sex and reproduction, now promises to separate gender from parenthood entirely. It is hardly surprising that so many fathers are missing from the landscape of the contemporary family.<br />
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In the current issue Nicholas J. Healy concludes: "It is tempting to cover the wounds that result from an absent father or from an abusive father by diminishing the significance of fatherhood. But this forgetfulness of origins leads to a greater loneliness and metaphysical confusion. A more promising path is to reflect more deeply on the hidden Fatherhood of God that undergirds and encompasses every human origin no matter how broken."<br />
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Here is a wonderful passage from George MacDonald on the theme of fatherhood and its <br />
<a name='more'></a>meaning for us, from Gary and Catherine Deddo, <i>George MacDonald: A Devotional Guide to His Writings</i> (St Andrew Press, Edinburgh, 1996, pp. 65-6):<br />
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“None but a child could become a son; the idea is – a spiritual coming of age; <i>only when the child is a man is he really and fully a son</i>. The thing holds in the earthly relation. How many children of good parents – good children in the main too – never know those parents, never feel towards them as children might, until, grown up, they have left the house – until, perhaps, they are parents themselves, or are parted from them by death! To be a child is not necessarily to be a son or daughter. The childship is the lower condition of the upward process towards the sonship, the soil out of which the true sonship shall grow, the former without which the latter were impossible. God can no more than an earthly parent be content to have only children: he must have sons and daughters - children of his soul, of his spirit, of his love - not merely in the sense that he loves them, or even that they love him, but in the sense that they love like he loves. For this he does not adopt them; he dies to give them himself, thereby to his own to his heart; he gives them a birth from above; they are born again out of himself and into himself - for he is the one and the all. His children are not his real, true sons and daughters until they think like him, feel with him, judge as he judges, are at home with him, and without fear before him because he and they mean the same thing, love the same things, seek the same ends. For this we are created; it is the one end of our being, and includes all other ends whatever. [<i>MacDonald is commenting on Galatians 4:1-7. He continues after a while as follows:</i>] </blockquote>
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“...There may be among my readers - alas for such! to whom the word <i>Father</i> brings no cheer, no dawn, in whose heart it rouses no tremble of even a vanished emotion. It is hardly likely to be their fault.... Therefore I say to son or daughter who has no pleasure in the name <i>Father</i>, “You must interpret the word by all that you have missed in life. Every time a man might have been to you a refuge from the wind, a covert from the tempest, the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, was a time when a father might have been a father indeed. Happy you are yet, if you have found man or woman such a refuge; so far you have known a shadow of the perfect, the only man, the perfect Son of the perfect Father. All that human tenderness can give or desire in the nearness and readiness of love, all and infinitely more must be true of the perfect Father - of the maker of fatherhood, the Father of all the fathers of the earth, specially the Father of those who have specially shown a father-heart.”</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-7993174206849623412013-04-05T07:45:00.000+01:002013-04-05T07:45:26.038+01:00Peace, Justice... and Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_Prntn93s8/UV5yWeDBnAI/AAAAAAAABHs/Az8_S8iHHso/s1600/Pope_Francis_Benedict_greet_295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_Prntn93s8/UV5yWeDBnAI/AAAAAAAABHs/Az8_S8iHHso/s200/Pope_Francis_Benedict_greet_295.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
In order to understand the profound continuity between Pope Francis and his predecessor, it is useful to read Cardinal Ratzinger's 1991/1994 book, <i>A Turning Point for Europe</i> (Ignatius Press), and especially the chapter on "Peace and Justice in Crisis". The crisis of the one, he says, is the crisis of the other. He looks at the various threats to peace, from war between nations to the more complex phenomenon of terrorism, and goes on to the "real question for the survival of the human race", namely the foundations and content of law, and our sense of right and wrong.<br />
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Law cannot be entirely created by us: it must transcend us. It rests on truth and being. He goes on: "<b>The task of the Church in this area is, therefore, first and foremost 'education', taking that word in the great sense it had for the Greek philosophers. She must break open the prison of positivism and awaken man's receptivity to the truth, to God, and thus to the power of conscience</b>" (p. 55). (See <i><a href="http://beauty-in-education.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/announcing-new-book.html" target="_blank">Beauty in the Word</a></i>.) But this culminates in "the task of making, not just talking about, peace, in deeds of love. No social service of the state can replace Christian love in both its spontaneous and organized forms.... <b>Through the power of love, the Church must serve the poor, the sick, the lost, the oppressed. She must go into prison, into the suffering of mind and body, as far as the dark way of death</b>" (p. 57).<br />
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He talks about forgiveness giving the power to make a new start, and about the fact that the Church cannot "rule" politically, or even subordinate herself to some project for the attainment of worldly peace. She must remain true to her own nature. "<b>Only when she respects her limits is she limitless, and only then can her ministry of love and witness become a call to all men</b>" (p. 59).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-59212084685768227922013-03-25T07:07:00.000+00:002013-03-25T07:07:30.704+00:00Democracy in the balance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"If there be one thing more than another which is true of genuine democracy, it is that genuine democracy is opposed to the rule of the mob. For genuine democracy is based fundamentally on the existence of the citizen, and the best definition of a mob is a body of a thousand men in which there is no citizen."</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">This quotation is from <a href="http://www.chesterton.org/2013/01/victor-hugo/" target="_blank">G.K. Chesterton's article on Victor Hugo</a>, the author of <i>Les Miserables</i>, in <i>Pall Mall</i> magazine of 1902. In it Chesterton puts his finger on a great dilemma. It is wise to devote much attention to the idols of our time, of which Democracy is one. Others include Capitalism, Progress (or Evolution), Wealth, and Equality. None of these means anything, or rather, each of them </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">means several different things and so ought to be defined carefully whenever it is used. Others, such as Peace and Justice, have become so vague that they too qualify as idols.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For <a href="http://theeconomyproject.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/platos-republic.html" target="_blank">Plato</a>, a democratic society was already more than halfway down the slippery slope, from aristocracy to tyranny. But then, for him, not all members of a society could be "citizens", who formed a very exclusive club. Today, things are different. Democracy does not mean "mob rule". Or does it? The two- (or three-) party system was designed to forestall revolution by permitting alternative governments an opportunity to win power through elections at regular intervals. But when the choice is made by a numerical majority largely ignorant of the issues or even the principles at stake, increasingly manipulated by the techniques of advertising and the pressure of money, it seems that "mob rule" is often what we have in practice. In Platonic terms, we are a democracy on the way to becoming a tyranny – because the tyrant, in Chesterton's phrase, "always relied on the masses".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">A genuine democracy, according to Chesterton, is only possible if it is based on the existence of genuine "citizens". A citizen is a man or woman (<i>pace</i> Plato and Chesterton) who counts as a full member of society, imbued with the rights and duties that signify full participation. Not all citizens, however, are necessarily competent to vote in an election or a referendum: children, prisoners, the insane, and other categories may be excluded, for example. Beyond this we start to get into difficulties. Why should stupid people, or ignorant people, or wicked people, be allowed to vote? Who do we assign to these categories, and who assigns them? That problem is insoluble. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The way to have a more intelligent election is to have a more intelligent electorate. It is not just a matter of supplying them with information (though a free press is also essential). The problem comes down to education. Without excluding anyone, we need to make sure that the largest possible proportion of the electorate are well educated. This connects once again with Plato, for although for him the group of citizens was a restricted bunch, they were supposed to be distinguished by the quality of their education – they received an education for leisure and freedom, a <i>liberal</i> education. It is the capacity to rise above one's feelings and what one is told by others, the ability to discern, reflect, and decide for oneself, and the love of truth, integrity, and virtue, that qualify a person to be a fully mature participant in society, a citizen in the fullest sense, rather than just an inhabitant or native.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">You can't engineer a successful democracy. But you can do a great deal to improve (even to a revolutionary degree) our school system, and the way we think about education. That is where this blog points to the great work that is being done in the homeschooling movement and small liberal arts colleges (see</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://beauty-in-education.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Beauty in Education</a>)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. Maybe, if we raise a few more citizens, the <i>polis </i>will recover with them.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-47866710688684192082013-03-19T11:44:00.000+00:002013-04-10T09:42:22.982+01:00Ecology and St Joseph...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Joseph by<br />
Tatiana Krouzova</td></tr>
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Pope Francis, whose inaugural Mass happened to fall on the feast of St Joseph, called this a "significant coincidence", and chose to speak on the theme of "protection" – protection of Jesus and Mary, of the Church, of all humanity, and of the environment. In his <a href="http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-homily-for-inaugural-mass-of-petrine-ministry">homily</a> he said, "I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be 'protectors' of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment." And the secret of this ability to protect, which we see in Joseph, is attentiveness to God and therefore being in touch with reality, with our surroundings, with those around us. It is also goodness and tenderness, compassion. "Only those who serve with love are able to protect!" "To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds." Catholic ecologists like <a href="http://secondspring.yuku.com/topic/1061/master/1/">Glenn Juday</a> will be delighted.<br />
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Of course, the reference to God's plan "inscribed in nature" is a reference to the deeper meaning of the doctrine of natural law, on which both previous popes have spoken – for example, Pope Benedict in his <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2011/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110922_reichstag-berlin_en.html" target="_blank">address to the German Bundestag</a> on 22 September 2011, where he asked for an urgent debate on this topic, a debate that has not yet happened. "The importance of ecology is no longer disputed," he said. "We must listen to the language of nature and we must answer accordingly. Yet I would like to underline a point that seems to me to be neglected, today as in the past: there is also an ecology of man. Man too has a nature that he must respect and that he cannot manipulate at will. Man is not merely self-creating freedom. Man does not create himself. He is intellect and will, but he is also nature, and his will is rightly ordered if he respects his nature, listens to it and accepts himself for who he is, as one who did not create himself. In this way, and in no other, is true human freedom fulfilled."<br />
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Also please read <a href="http://www.crossroadsculturalcenter.org/storage/transcripts/2010-05-18-Environment.pdf" target="_blank">this fascinating presentation</a> by our friend Pablo Martinez de Anguita on his work as a Catholic ecologist.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-4274821095358514542013-03-16T18:26:00.000+00:002013-03-16T18:26:31.991+00:00Pope Francis and G.K. Chesterton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--390HUn7z-U/UUS45tVFCGI/AAAAAAAABEs/sDksXHYz2UM/s1600/popefrancis3-328x328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--390HUn7z-U/UUS45tVFCGI/AAAAAAAABEs/sDksXHYz2UM/s200/popefrancis3-328x328.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
We are all looking for clues to the personality and interests of our new Pope Francis, but one possible indicator has so far escaped the notice of the media. Pope Francis seems to be a fan of the English writer G.K. Chesterton—in fact as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he sponsored two major conferences of the Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture. (Latin America was turned on to Chesterton by the great Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, and the Argentinian Chesterton Society has for some years been pressing for Chesterton’s canonization.) Of course, this may just reflect his love of literature in general, rather than a specific devotion to Chesterton, but I hope to find out more in time. In any case, Chesterton’s love of the “common man” matches the new Pope’s evident attitude, as does his solid doctrinal orthodoxy. And Chesterton is also a favourite writer of the Communion and Liberation movement, with which the Pope was once associated. It all fits with what Catholic writer George Weigel has been calling the mood of “evangelical Catholicism” that’s in the air these days. I wonder if we will hear echoes of Distributism in some future social encyclical.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-44977674034162844302013-02-23T19:27:00.000+00:002013-02-23T19:27:44.124+00:00The GuildsAnthony Esolen has an interesting article on the guilds called "Leo's Guilds a Far Cry from Today's Unions" on the <i>Crisis Magazine</i> website. He writes: "Let us turn at last to the guilds. These were associations of craftsmen in the Middle Ages, centered in towns. They trained boys in manual labor that required much skill: there were guilds for shoemakers, carpenters, weavers, blacksmiths, silversmiths, milliners, masons, glazers, and so forth. The university, in fact, began as a student and faculty union, a guild for scholars...." <a href="http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/leos-guilds-a-far-cry-from-todays-unions">READ WHOLE ARTICLE</a>. See also two <a href="http://www.secondspring.co.uk/economy/articles.html">articles on the Guilds by Russell Sparkes</a> on our Economy site.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-22939556617117757552013-02-03T12:38:00.001+00:002013-02-03T12:38:32.051+00:00Ecological conversion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pope John Paul II, right from the beginning of his papacy, insisted on the importance of the environmental question and called for what he called "<a href="http://conservation.catholic.org/john_paul_ii.htm" target="_blank">ecological conversion</a>" on the part of Catholics. Ecological concern became, with him, an integral part of Catholic social teaching, and his successor, Pope Benedict, had carried on this tradition. These teachings are now enshrined in the <i>Catechism of the Catholic Church</i>. Further details can be found in the <a href="http://www.secondspring.co.uk/economy/ecology_environment_sustainability.html" target="_blank">relevant section</a> of our web site. At the beginning of February the Centre for Faith & Culture welcomed <a href="http://www.uaf.edu/snras/departments/forestry/faculty/gjuday/" target="_blank">Dr Glenn Juday</a>, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Catholic <a href="http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/" target="_blank">Coalition on Climate Change</a>, to give a couple of seminars at the Catholic Chaplaincy and St Benet's Hall, Oxford, on environmental stewardship, and the challenge of educating Catholics on the realities of ecology and the ways in which we can contribute to a more responsible use of creation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-31446341427819738532013-01-22T16:25:00.003+00:002013-01-24T10:36:13.356+00:00Announcement<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Readers may notice I have slowed down on this and my two other blogs. Being seriously ill, I need to devote my remaining energies to paid work. But this blog contains resources that I hope will continue to be useful, and I will continue to write as circumstances permit. For other announcements please go to <a href="http://www.secondspring.co.uk/" target="_blank">Second Spring</a>.</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-75835257243611929012013-01-04T10:45:00.002+00:002013-01-04T10:45:45.561+00:00World Day of PeaceThe Pope pulled no punches when he summarized the essence of his social teaching in his <a href="http://www.zenit.org/article-36183?l=english">Message for </a><a href="http://www.zenit.org/article-36183?l=english" target="_blank">the 46th World Day of Peace</a>. Careful study of the document is recommended. In part he wrote:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
5. In many quarters it is now recognized that a new model of development is needed, as well as a new approach to the economy. Both integral, sustainable development in solidarity and the common good require a correct scale of goods and values which can be structured with God as the ultimate point of reference. It is not enough to have many different means and <a name='more'></a>choices at one’s disposal, however good these may be. Both the wide variety of goods fostering development and the presence of a wide range of choices must be employed against the horizon of a good life, an upright conduct that acknowledges the primacy of the spiritual and the call to work for the common good. Otherwise they lose their real value, and end up becoming new idols.<br /> "In order to emerge from the present financial and economic crisis – which has engendered ever greater inequalities – we need people, groups and institutions which will promote life by fostering human creativity, in order to draw from the crisis itself an opportunity for discernment and for a new economic model. The predominant model of recent decades called for seeking maximum profit and consumption, on the basis of an individualistic and selfish mindset, aimed at considering individuals solely in terms of their ability to meet the demands of competitiveness. Yet, from another standpoint, true and lasting success is attained through the gift of ourselves, our intellectual abilities and our entrepreneurial skills, since a 'liveable' or truly human economic development requires the principle of gratuitousness as an expression of fraternity and the logic of gift. Concretely, in economic activity, peacemakers are those who establish bonds of fairness and reciprocity with their colleagues, workers, clients and consumers. They engage in economic activity for the sake of the common good and they experience this commitment as something transcending their self-interest, for the benefit of present and future generations. Thus they work not only for themselves, but also to ensure for others a future and a dignified employment.<br /> "In the economic sector, states in particular need to articulate policies of industrial and agricultural development concerned with social progress and the growth everywhere of constitutional and democratic states. The creation of ethical structures for currency, financial and commercial markets is also fundamental and indispensable; these must be stabilised and better coordinated and controlled so as not to prove harmful to the very poor. With greater resolve than has hitherto been the case, the concern of peacemakers must also focus upon the food crisis, which is graver than the financial crisis. The issue of food security is once more central to the international political agenda, as a result of inter- related crises, including sudden shifts in the price of basic foodstuffs, irresponsible behaviour by some economic actors and insufficient control on the part of governments and the international community. To face this crisis, peacemakers are called to work together in a spirit of solidarity, from the local to the international level, with the aim of enabling farmers, especially in small rural holdings, to carry out their activity in a dignified and sustainable way from the social, environmental and economic points of view."</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-81571655257684491922012-12-23T14:28:00.000+00:002012-12-23T14:28:44.164+00:00Pope in Financial TimesThe first article by a Pope in the <i>Financial Times</i> supplies us with a suitable message for Christmas. In the article, made available by the Vatican, the Pope writes:<br />
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"Christians shouldn’t shun the world; they should engage with it. But their involvement in politics and economics should transcend every form of <a name='more'></a>ideology. Christians fight poverty out of a recognition of the supreme dignity of every human being, created in God’s image and destined for eternal life.<br /> <br />"Christians work for more equitable sharing of the earth’s resources out of a belief that, as stewards of God’s creation, we have a duty to care for the weakest and most vulnerable.<br /> <br />"Christians oppose greed and exploitation out of a conviction that generosity and selfless love, as taught and lived by Jesus of Nazareth, are the way that leads to fullness of life.<br /> <br />"Christian belief in the transcendent destiny of every human being gives urgency to the task of promoting peace and justice for all. Because these goals are shared by so many, much fruitful cooperation is possible between Christians and others. Yet Christians render to Caesar only what belongs to Caesar, not what belongs to God.<br /> <br />"Christians have at times throughout history been unable to comply with demands made by Caesar. From the Emperor cult of ancient Rome to the totalitarian regimes of the last century, Caesar has tried to take the place of God.<br /> <br />"<i>When Christians refuse to bow down before the false gods proposed today, it is not because of an antiquated world-view. Rather, it is because they are free from the constraints of ideology and inspired by such a noble vision of human destiny that they cannot collude with anything that undermines it.</i>" </blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Extract from Pope Benedict XVI, “A Time for Christians to Engage with the World”, <i>Financial Times</i>, 20 December 2012</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207522223081661863.post-56989645049328900862012-11-29T21:45:00.000+00:002012-12-17T17:52:01.777+00:00Same-Sex Unions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3WKchahrZU/ULXq2zB9nII/AAAAAAAAA-M/YyFV5gLwBNw/s1600/Sappho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3WKchahrZU/ULXq2zB9nII/AAAAAAAAA-M/YyFV5gLwBNw/s200/Sappho.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sappho: fresco from Pompeii</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.humanumreview.com/articles/category/fall-2012" target="_blank">latest issue of <i>Humanum</i></a> is dedicated to the theme of Same-Sex Unions and the question of gay "marriage." <i>Humanum</i> is the online journal of the Center for Pastoral and Cultural Research, at the John Paul II Institute in Washington. It contains articles and book reviews on a different theme every few months, intended to be useful to people working in the field of marriage, health care, bioethics, and moral theology. In the case of Same-Sex Unions, of course, we are dealing with a hot topic that needs careful thought and has wide political and cultural implications.<br />
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Marriage is a particular kind of bond, partly supernatural in origin, between a man and a woman open to a child (or children), its nature being to create a family that will serve as a solid foundation of civil society. In order to achieve the right degree of unity, marriage must be indissoluble, exclusive, and open to procreation (even if children never come). Each of these elements has been under concerted attack for some time. The final stage <br />
<a name='more'></a>of the campaign is to redefine marriage to include sexual union between members of the same sex. The result is not (as the common argument goes) to open up marriage to wider participation, but to remove <i>from</i> <i>everyone</i> the possibility of experiencing marriage as previously defined – in other words, to destroy the previous institution and replace it with something else, something less permanent and no longer supernatural.<br />
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As <a href="http://bridgesandtangents.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/the-gay-marriage-question-no-one-is-asking/" target="_blank">Fr Stephen Wang</a> puts it, "If marriage is redefined to include gay marriage, it means that the core understanding of marriage will no longer include that aspect of sexual difference and complementarity, and that aspect of creating a family where one’s own children may be conceived and raised (even if this doesn’t happen for every couple). The definition of marriage will be narrowed (or perhaps we should say widened) to a relationship of love, friendship and mutual support. This is not just an addition or a minor change; it is a radical undoing of marriage as it is commonly understood." <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/author-discusses-how-to-win-marriage-definition-battle/" target="_blank">William B. May</a> asks, "Do we need an institution that unites kids with their moms and dads?" Marriage is the only institution that did this. What will become of us if it does so no longer?<br />
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In the Summer 2006 issue of <i>Communio</i>, David Crawford <a href="http://communio-icr.com/articles/PDF/crawford33-2.pdf" target="_blank">argues that</a> the proposed legislation advocates a form of "compulsory homosexuality", because it refuses to encompass the intrinsic otherness of sexual difference, replacing it with a gay anthropology.<br />
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In France, <b>Jean Duchesne</b> points out that the debate is simply not taking place, because one side refuses to answer the other. He writes:<br /><blockquote>
<br />'Much is being heard in France these days about gay marriage. Does this mean a genuine debate is developing? Not at all. Critics of the government’s bill on “marriage for all” put forward all kinds of excellent reasons to reject it, and no one replies.<br /> <br />'Government ministers say they are happy to allow everyone to make their points. But the advocates of families with two daddies or two mommies simply don’t bother to argue back. They apparently believe that a self-evident right does not need to be justified. It ought to be acknowledged, they say, not discussed.<br /> <br />'This is why no official or defender of the bill has stooped to comment on the elaborate case made against it by cardinals, bishops, imams, rabbis, and also non-religious individuals and organizations. The media generally find such rational analysis too sophisticated. It cannot be reduced to bold headlines. The general public would get bored.<br /> <br />'By contrast, the notion that anyone should be able to marry anyone else is based on simplistic ideals that any honorable person allegedly will grasp and adopt at once. Shying away from actual dialogue first rests on the principle that any form of discrimination is bad. Denying gays and lesbians access to marriage if they feel like it then amounts to refusing to consider them as human beings. It is therefore morally unacceptable, a form of “homophobia,” which has been declared a hideous crime that toddlers are now warned against in kindergarten.<br /> <br />'It is also argued that several American states and some European countries have already opened marriage to gays and lesbians, and that France must catch up in order remain among the world’s most advanced countries. (We are, of course, supposed to be the exemplary standard bearer of equality and justice.)<br /> <br />'Another excuse for declining to deal seriously with objections is that gay marriage was part of candidate François Hollande’s platform. Since he was elected president, the conclusion is that a majority approved this idea, and that it is undemocratic to challenge it now.<br /> <br />'Opponents (and especially Catholics) are now beginning to stage mass demonstrations. Because rational debates have proved impossible, yet another form of indirect rebuff is taking shape. Mass popular political pressure is branded as unnatural, because marching down boulevards chanting slogans belongs to progressives and defenders of the oppressed, not conservatives and reactionaries.<br /> <br />'All this is highly paradoxical indeed. It would be rather unusual for a leftist government to have to yield to protesters peacefully invading the streets. There has been a precedent, though. In1984, after a million people demonstrated in Paris, another socialist president whose first name was François (Mitterand) was forced to fire his prime minister and entire cabinet and to give up his party’s plan to nationalize all private schools, most of which are Catholic.<br /> <br />'Hollande is by no means sure to do better than Mitterrand. His promise to legalize “mercy killing” has already been postponed – the official explanation is that he wants to give a panel of experts time to investigate the matter in depth and to write a comprehensive scientific report whose conclusions no one will dare disagree with.<br /> <br />'The supporters of euthanasia are obviously more patient than the champions of gay marriage. The latter’s blind determination is another paradox. At a time when marriage is no longer very popular, with boys and girls marrying later or not at all, even if they have children, and divorced more often, it is ironic to see the avant-garde claiming the right to take advantage of such an old-fashioned institution.<br /> <br />'There’s more: no unanimity exists on the left, and even among gay and lesbian groups. Their traditional bisexual and transsexual allies obviously have different priorities, so the LBGT lobby is falling apart. Meanwhile the socialist rank and file, who have higher priorities on their agenda, are perplexed and divided. And to be honest, a few voices in favor of gay rights have also made themselves heard in the Gaullist opposition party.<br /> <br />'It appears that a small “enlightened” elite have persuaded themselves (and a handful of politicians who would be ashamed of being left behind) that same-sex unions are the inevitable next step in the modernization of social life and the growth of civil liberties, a logical continuation of universal suffrage, the abolition of slavery, the repudiation of racism and sexism, divorce, and birth control.' </blockquote>
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