Monday, November 23, 2009

MEMBERSHIP IN MASONIC ORDERS?

Does the Church welcome those who belong to the Masonic order?

The Church does not believe that belonging to the Masonic order can be reconciled with Catholic doctrine. It is a grave error for a Catholic to be a member of a Masonic brotherhood. Membership in the Masons implies consent to doctrine that is held by this secret society which contradicts Church teaching.

The Masonic societies claim truth about God, revelation, their own origin as a group, and a view of mankind that conflicts with Church teachings. The modern societies find their origins in specifically anti-Catholic groups. Their philosophy espouses Enlightenment ideals that put reason above all things, including divine revelation. In the late 1800s in Europe and America, Masonic lodges actively blocked Catholics parishes, schools and businessmen from fair and equal treatment in society. In the early 20th Century, Pope Leo XIII in Humanum Genus officially condemned these secret societies and forbad Catholics from joining under the threat of excommunication. This was codified in the 1917 Code of Canon Law.

In the last forty years, there has been quite an active debate in the US about Catholics belonging to Masonic lodges. It seems that the nature of these groups in Europe were quite different from how lodges operated in America today. The thought was that local bishops or priests could make a distinction as to a specific lodge’s being anti-Catholic or not. The 1983 Code of Canon Law did not specifically mention Masonic societies, choosing instead to keep the definition more broad and forbidding membership in secret societies which are anti-Catholic. Many interpreted this to mean that membership was ok for Catholics, as long as their local lodge did not engage in activities contradictory to the Church

In fact, in the same year as the promulgation of the 1983 Code, the then Cardinal Ratzinger issued a clarification, lest anyone misunderstand the code. It is clear from Pope Benedict that his views and Church teachings have not changed.
Does the Church welcome those who belong to the Masonic order?




The Church does not believe that belonging to the Masonic order can be reconciled with Catholic doctrine. It is a grave error for a Catholic to be a member of a Masonic brotherhood. Membership in the Masons implies consent to doctrine that is held by this secret society which contradicts Church teaching.



The Masonic societies claim truth about God, revelation, their own origin as a group, and a view of mankind that conflicts with Church teachings. The modern societies find their origins in specifically anti-Catholic groups. Their philosophy espouses Enlightenment ideals that put reason above all things, including divine revelation. In the late 1800s in Europe and America, Masonic lodges actively blocked Catholics parishes, schools and businessmen from fair and equal treatment in society. In the early 20th Century, Pope Leo XIII in Humanum Genus officially condemned these secret societies and forbad Catholics from joining under the threat of excommunication. This was codified in the 1917 Code of Canon Law.



In the last forty years, there has been quite an active debate in the US about Catholics belonging to Masonic lodges. It seems that the nature of these groups in Europe were quite different from how lodges operated in America today. The thought was that local bishops or priests could make a distinction as to a specific lodge’s being anti-Catholic or not. The 1983 Code of Canon Law did not specifically mention Masonic societies, choosing instead to keep the definition more broad and forbidding membership in secret societies which are anti-Catholic. Many interpreted this to mean that membership was ok for Catholics, as long as their local lodge did not engage in activities contradictory to the Church.



In fact, in the same year as the promulgation of the 1983 Code, the then Cardinal Ratzinger issued a clarification, lest anyone misunderstand the code. It is clear from Pope Benedict that his views and Church teachings have not changed.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON TRINITY

How consistent is the doctrine of the Trinity throughout Christianity?
The revelation of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit was made known gradually throughout history. Even as the people of Israel held in the scriptures that there is One True God, the LORD is his name; nevertheless there are many passages which LATER became the basis of an explicit theology of the Trinity. For example, reading the creation accounts in Genesis, one can see that God the Creator, whose Spirit hovered over the waters, spoke the Word and it was created. While not specifically speaking of a Trinity of persons, God reveals himself in such a way that leads us to know the Trinity.

The life and words of Jesus witness to the revelation of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matthew and Luke both cast their gospels to highlight the aspects of divinity that appear around Jesus, Father, Son and Spirit.  John, the last Gospel written, is most explicitly Trinitarian-- though not using that later theological terminology.
The letters of Paul clearly speak of the divinity of God the Creator, Christ the Lord, and the Spirit of intercession and giver of gifts. He grounded his faith and his prayer life in the mystery of the Trinity (without using the specific word)---showing that the Church believed in the Divine God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The traditional Latin formula is Lex orandi, lex credendi (the rules for our prayer show us the rule for our belief).

Consider this reference in Ephesians 1: 11-14
In him we were chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.”

It seems that the word trinity was first used by Theophilus of Antioch in 180. That the Church’s belief in the Trinity was central, we can see from the other early theologians who either wrote about the Trinity or used a Trinitarian doxology (Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) throughout their writings. The Council of Nicea in 325 gave us the Nicene Creed which proclaims the divinity of Christ by saying he is “one in being” homo-ousios, consubstantial) with the Father. By the fourth century, the profession of faith ascribed to St. Athanasius of Alexandria clearly taught that the Trinitarian creed was central to all Catholic dogma. Other Church Councils explicitly defined the Holy Spirit as equally to be adored as God
The doctrine of the Trinity has been controversial throughout our history. In modern times, especially after the Reformation, some would make the doctrine of the Trinity as a patristic invention since the word “trinity” is not found in the scriptures. Studying the theology of the Trinity and the history behind this theology is one fruitful way to experience the importance of recognizing that revelation has two sources, tradition and scripture.

CATHOLIC CHURCH'S POSITION ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

As Catholics, we are bound to reflect on the necessity and justice of the use of capital punishment in our society and to take action promoting the just application of the moral law. The call for a death penalty moratorium in Missouri is an issue that has received increased legislative attention in recent years, and is one that the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC), guided by the Gospel and Catholic social teaching--ESPECIALLY DIGNITY OF HUMAN LIFE, has reflected on, and thus is engaging an ongoing effort to obtain support for a moratorium on the death penalty.

With regard to capital punishment, The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
The efforts of the state to curb the spread of behavior harmful to people’s rights and to the basic rules of civil society correspond to the requirement of safeguarding the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and duty to inflict punishment proportionate to the gravity of the offense. When it is willingly accepted by the guilty party, it assumes the value of expiation. Punishment, then, in addition to defending public order and protecting people’s safety, has a medicinal purpose: as far as possible, it must contribute to the correction of the guilty party
Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of defending human lives against the unjust aggressor
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm-without definitively taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself-the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent” (nn2266 and 2267).
US CATHOLIC bISHOPS HAVE SINCE THE 1980'S  TAKEN A STRONG STANCE AGIANST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

Monday, November 9, 2009

WHY CATHOLIC EVALUATI0N FOR 1ST SIX WEEKS!

LET US ALL HEAR FROM YOU! SIMPLY OFFER COMMENT TO THIS EVALUATION!
1. How would you describe your EXPERIENCE OF being a part of Why Catholic small faith sharing groups so far?


2. Tell about one group sharing that was especially memorable or powerful.


3. The part I found most helpful about these first six sessions of WHY CATHOLIC, was….

   The part I found least helpful was….

 4. Please comment on the participant booklets.  Help you understand what we believe? ? Questions clear and thought-provoking? "Living the Good News" suggestions motivational?



5. Were the Diocesan pod-casts HELPFUL? What about the BLOG? Explain.

 6. How can Jim and I in the Diocesan office be of more assistance to you?  We wait to hear!    

In gratitude and hope.... JIM AND CAROLYN          

TIPS FOR WEEK SIX--INCARNATION

1. Bring to your prayer table anything that speaks of human dignity…that speaks of the love of God… or our call to be the Body of Christ in the World!

2. You might listen to the pod-cast…ON INCARNATION….”yours truly”

3. A FEW ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

a. Right at the beginning—even before the first reflection-- ask the folks “when you hear the word Incarnation—what idea or understanding comes to mind?

b. What does Incarnation reveal about God?

c. What does Incarnation reveal bout being human?

d. If someone asked you “why did God come in the Flesh”, how would you respond?

e. Incarnation is not a one-time 33 year excursion of God into human history! God is still alive VISIBLY PRESENT TO US over the whole expanse of time-- in the Body of Christ—EUCHARIST and the people of God. How are you the Body of Christ in the world?

f. How might we GIVE WITNESS this CHRISTMAS to the exhilarating and deep truth of INCARNATION?

4. PLEASE BE SURE TO ENCOURAGE YOUR GROUP TO COME TO THE FAITH ENRICHMENT DAY… SCHEDULE POSTED ON WEBSITE www.diojeffcity.org and sent to you via e-mail. If you do not receive it—that is because I have an incorrect address for you… send me an e-mail at reoassociate@diojeffcity.org so I can clear that up!

5. I WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE a short evaluation from your group--- you can respond right here on the blog or via e-mail.

May you receive the gift of your own goodness---and be who you are in the power of God’s profound love. Carolyn



JESUS DESCENDED INTO HELL? WHAT CAN THAT MEAN?

The phrase from the Apostles Creed, "He (Jesus Christ) descended into hell." How should this phrase be interpreted?

          This question is a good example of how words from another language, place and time can have quite a different meaning in common English usage. The original Greek of the Creed says Christ descended to “lowest parts” and doesn’t use the Greek mythological word for the place of the dead “Hades”. The Latin translates that as “inferos” or the “lowest ones”. The Catechism makes a clear distinction that those who have not known Christ, and are thus deprived of the vision of God, are in hell. Not necessarily a place with devils and pitchforks, but certainly a place of pain and sorrow because one is deprived of the deepest desire of the soul: union with God. This would be everyone who died before the saving death of Christ on the cross.

           Catechism #633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell" - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God.479 Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into "Abraham's bosom":480 "It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell."481 Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.482

           In the Hebrew and Greek original understanding, the place of the dead just referred to wherever people went after death with no real distinction between a place of punishment and a place of reward. The same goes for the original English meaning of “hell” which referred simply to the abode of the dead. In current English usage, especially given the understanding of the judgment that comes after death, hell is generally referred to as a place of punishment.

            The liturgical translation of the Apostles Creed puts it “he descended to the dead,” thus making it a bit easier to understand. Popular devotional recitation of the Apostles Creed hasn’t quite caught up with this liturgical use, even after 40 years. The new revision of the English texts of the Mass preserve this use of the “descended to the dead.” Perhaps when we introduce the revised text of the Creed at Mass, we can make the total switch over from “descended to hell” and not have this misinterpretation any more.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A Vision of God

I was sitting on my front porch on Sunday for about an hour just staring at the maple tree in my front yard. The tree has a beautiful red/orange glow...especially when the sun shines on it.  If we believe that God is revealed through his creation, then I think God was in that red/orange glow.  I was completely captured by the beauty of the tree.  As I sat there I thought of the beatific vision.  Our faith tells us that in heaven we will be able to see God...we will be given the gift of the beatific vision.   We will behold the awesome beauty of God.  I think that the maple tree is a taste, in a very small way of what that experience will be like. 
But you know it's easy to miss these glimpses of the beatific vision.  I find I have to slow down and look or I miss the ways that God's revelation is present as I walk through life.  The smile of a friend, people gathered in prayer and song, a beautiful sunset, my grandson's laugh are all ways God is breaking through.   Lord help me to slow down and know your presence.   

Monday, November 2, 2009

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS FOR WEEK FIVE-- MYSTERY OF CREATION

Wow! This week in WHY CATHOLIC we are invited to stand within the gift and awesomeness of creation— the first revelation of the mystery of God. This same gift of creation floods our lives daily—if only we have eyes to see—and calls us to faithfulness!

ENVIRONMENT: have on your prayer table an assortment of gifts from creation—and invite participants to tell how any of the items speaks to him/her of life and God…example: soil from garden, blooming flower, bowl of water, stone, a bowl of seeds…

CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS.   Perhaps begin with the first one…even before you read Reflection 1      Ø What most strikes you or impresses you about creation? How does it speak to you of God? How is creation mystery?
 After Reflection 1 these additional questions might be helpful.

Ø How would you describe to someone the RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS that the opening story of Genesis calls us to?

Ø What truths do you think the writer of this theological hymn (the first creation story) most wants us to understand—about God and about human life—as well as all created things? (notice repetitions—a good clue)

Ø The writer makes reference to the ways we have damaged the order and harmony of nature. In what specific ways can I be a part of the healing of the earth?

Ø Faith and Science—how do you as a Catholic see the two in relationship? How or why is this relationship sometimes fraught with tension?

Ø You are created holy in God. Made in the image of God ! Can you believe it! Who or what helps you be in touch with your own goodness?
MOST OF ALL ENJOY THE REFLECTION ON GOD REACHING OUT TO US AT ALL TIMES IN THE MYSTERY OF CREATION!