A Theology for Saturday

     Christine Clear, who led week 4 - To Travel in Hope, writes; The last night of our course took place as a 'contemplative conversation', that is, a format which allows for reading, reflection, examination,sharing and prayer. The conversation centered around Luke's chapter 24, which contains the well-known story known as the Road to Emmaus. The title of the evening was "To Travel in Hope", and the conversation focused on how hope and despair can be carried with fortitude. Expressions of negative media attention on the Church and Catholicism in particular and the hurt caused thereby, drew a range of testimonies on how negative pressures can often emerge when following a spiritual path.

     Using the theologies of Easter to give a context for what is happening in the Church and Irish society today, it was presented that we need a theology for Saturday. Whilst we have a theology for Friday's death and despair, and Sunday's glory and resurrection, a theology of change, of waiting, of transition, was needed. It was suggested however, that in Ireland today we might still be experiencing the death of a form of Catholic belief. How one might deal with hurt, despair, depression were examined and suggested as the moments when one can ask Christ for help and can live under his loving protection.


     The conversation turned to how one can recognize flagging spiritual strength, and the counter ways one can combat emotional and spiritual depletion. Throughout the conversation the spirit and soul were seen as being integral parts of the human person and awareness of remaining connected, was offered as a necessary sensitivity for spiritual renewal.

WEEK 3: Fr. John Littleton on Catholicism and its Personal Appropriation

What being Catholic means to me

What does it mean to be a Catholic today? First, what it does not mean. It surely does not mean having such a rigid sense of identity that there is no room any longer for diversity and for outreach to those with different points of view, both within and outside the Church. Nor does it mean having such a soft sense of identity that there is no longer any theological, spiritual, or doctrinal core. It is one thing to say…that there is a hierarchy of truths, such that distinctions have to be made always between the essential and the non-essential, or between the important and less important. But it is quite another matter to imply that there are no truths at all, no defining characteristics of Catholic identity, as if Catholicism is simply the sum total of its disparate parts or, worse, whatever one wishes to make of it. [Richard McBrien, ‘Before and After Vatican II’, Priests and People, 10(8, 9), 1996, p.301.]

A. CATHOLIC IDENTITY

Catholic identity can best be defined using three terms:


• Universality (or catholicity),


• Tradition, and


• Sacramentality.


These three principles describe the overlapping and interdependent, yet distinctive, strands of Catholicism.

1a. Universality/Catholicity

By universality (or catholicity) is meant the undivided, worldwide ecclesial community that gathers people of different nationalities, cultures and languages into one People of God.

• World-wide ecclesial community

• All-inclusive

• Missionary by nature

• Church of Christ ‘subsists’ in Catholic Church

1b. Tradition

Tradition refers to the process of passing on the lived heritage of God’s self-revelation that culminated in Jesus of Nazareth and which concluded at the end of the apostolic era.

• Handing-on of faith

• Continuity

• Faith is caught, not taught

• Scripture and Tradition

1c. Sacramentality

The principle of sacramentality deals with human beings coming into God’s presence. We do this through signs and symbols, words and gestures that provide us with access to the Mystery of God. e do not simply leap into God’s presence. It takes much time and sustained effort and we do so using material reality (what is visible and tangible) to communicate with spiritual reality (what is invisible and intangible).

• All of life is sacramental; existence is graced

• We are a sacramental people

• 7 sacraments: bring about what they signify

• Church is the sacrament of salvation

1d. Important to remember

The Church is semper reformanda (always in need of renewal) and not Societas perfecta (the perfect society).

1e. Daniel Donovan’s 6 characteristics

1. Stress on community

2. Taking history seriously

3. Insistence on faith as acceptance of revelation as well as commitment

4. Sacramentality

5. Ordering of the community; ordained ministry

6. Tension between unity and diversity

B. BASIC CATHOLIC BELIEFS

• The centrality of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Bible


• The Mass (Eucharist)


• The other sacraments


• The Papacy


• The Magisterium


• The dignity of all life


• The role of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the other saints


• Ecumenical in spirit

C. CATHOLIC IDENTITY AND DISSENT

• Catholics are obligated to adhere only to what the Catholic Church has committed itself definitively.


• Catholics use the ‘hierarchy of truths’ principle that interprets the truths of faith by their relative importance in the context of the central mysteries of Catholic faith.


• The sensus fidelium (the sense of the faithful) is exercised by all members of the Church who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, collectively contribute to the resolution of faith-related questions and ethical dilemmas.


• Catholics must act in accordance with an informed conscience so that they can make enlightened decisions.

D. SOME CONCERNS

• The disappearance of Catholic culture


• The demise of sacramental confession


• The (perceived) crisis in vocations to the priesthood and the religious life


• The lack of effective Church leadership

Eileen O'Brien leads Week II of the Course

EILEEN began by welcoming everyone to the second evening of our Lenten Programme ‘‘From Ashes to Fire’. She set the theme of this evening namely Baptism- the Church is Our Church’ Eileen explained briefly what the evening would be about namely - that through our baptism we become members of the Church. She explained that at present when we think of Church we think mainly in terms of the Institutional Model of Church but that in fact there are many ways of looking at Church apart from the Institutional. Eileen said we would be exploring Avery Dulles 5 models of Church and that we were invited to say which model we felt was most needed in our Church at the present time.

Opening Prayer- Jesus’ Baptism

Large candle, symbolising the candle we received at our own baptism. Symbolises faith and the light of Christ…
Imagine your own baptism. You were carried by parents, godparents, family, relatives, friends, neighbours. The parish were involved. It was a big occasion.

You were brought into the group, the parish, the community of the Church…of those who followed Jesus…who stood for good, for life.

Together we will listen to an account from St Mark of Jesus’ Baptism…

In your mind imagine Jesus’ baptism…going down into the water…seeing the Spirit…hearing the voice of his Father… ‘ You are my son, the beloved, my favour rests on you… going up … from now on taking his stand with the people…against evil against whatever dragged people down…he was for whatever lifted people…for God…for goodness.

Allow the Father to say to you “You are my beloved son…daughter… my favour rests on you”.

Remember how through your baptism and confirmation you were inserted into the world how you have taken your stand with Jesus and the Christian Community for God, good…lifting people against evil, sin or whatever drags people down.

A sheet with 5 Models of Church and scripture quotations was then distributed.

Each of the participants was given a sheet with a drawing depicting each of the models of Church i.e. Church as the People of God, Church as Institution, Church as Mystical Communion, Church as Loving Servant and Church as Herald of the Gospel. We were asked to say what we noticed about each of the drawings. We then looked at the scripture quotations.

• “Go teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
• “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.”
• “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers or sisters, which you do to me.”
• “I do not call you servants any longer; I call you friends.”
• “Now, you together are the body of Christ, each of you a different part of it.”

We were asked to work in pairs to match up the model of Church with the correct Scripture quotation. We needed to decide which of the 5 models they personally prefer? Also which of the 5 models we thought is most needed in the Church at the present time?

It was interesting to hear what others thought about this. We reflected for a while on these 5 models of church.

We were then invited to choose one word or two which best describes for us the way in which we are called to participate in the life of our Church

A Word for Church Living

Which word best describes for you the way in which we are called to participate in the life of our Church?

• Service • Ministry • Solidarity • Friendship • Companionship • Prayer • Mission • Discipleship • Worship • Prophecy • Evangelisation

Again, it was interesting to note the different words chosen e.g. prayer, service and ministry.

In the final part of the evening, we considered a thought-provoking and sometimes controversial poem by Carlo Carretto, the author of Letters from the Desert. Here it is paraphrased by Ronald Rohlheiser.

I Sought and I Found

How much I must criticise you, my Church and yet how much I love you!
You have made me suffer more than anyone and yet I owe more to you than anyone.
I should like to see you destroyed and yet I need your presence.
You have given me such scandal and yet you alone have made me understand holiness.
No, I cannot be free of you, for I am one with you, even if not completely you.
Then too, where would I go?
To build another church?
But I could not build one without the same defects, for they are my defects. And again, if I were to build another church, it would be my church, not Christ’s church.
No, I am old enough. I know better!

We concluded the evening with the ‘ Soul of Christ’
Jesus, may all that is you flow into me.
May your body and blood be my food and drink.
May your passion and death be my strength and life.
Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given.
May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross

Let me not run from the love that you offer,
But hold me safe from the forces of evil.
On each of my dyings shed your light an your love.
Keep calling to me until that day comes,
When, with your saints, I may praise you forever. Amen.

"Let the laity not imagine that their pastors are always such experts, that to every problem which arises, however complicated, they can readily give them a concrete solution, or even that such is their mission. Rather, enlightened by Christian wisdom and giving close attention to the teaching authority of the Church,let the laity take on their own distinctive role."

"....among both clerical and lay, some have been unfaithful to the Spirit of God during the course of many centuries; in the present age, too, it does not escape the Church how great a distance lies between the message she offers and the human failings of those to whom the Gospel is entrusted. Whatever be the judgment of history on these defects, we ought to be conscious of them, and struggle against them energetically, lest they inflict harm on spread of the Gospel."
On the role of The Church in the Modern World (Ch 4 para 43)

First Night - a great Gathering

Well, our course got off to a great start with nearly twenty people braving the frost and cold to take part. The theme for the evening was "Faith in a Time of Crisis". Fr. Joseph Cullen led the group. Fr. Tim Murphy, Parish Priest, joined us for the evening.

We began by looking at the title and programme. Starting out on Ash Wed we are conscious of the fact that Lent is a journey which reachs its' destination at the fire of Easter and the celebration of our baptism. While ashes don't make a fire, its possible too that there are some embers in there which could help the fire to blaze up again.

We reflected on how faith is belief in God and the teachings of Jesus and that of the church about Jesus. But it also a relationship with God. This is because what happens in us in the area of faith is not just to do with our minds, agreeing or giving assent to revealed truths. It affects us at the very root of our being - it reaches into the whole person at a very deep level.

That is why, if anything happens to challenge or seriously hurt our faith, the impact can be very significant and difficult to resolve.

We are living through a time of unprecedented crisis for the church around the world and more specifically for the church in here Ireland. The fact of the abuse of children by some men in holy orders and religious life has shocked and stunned many of us. The news of the suffering of more, in state institutions and places of detention, compounds the sense of tragedy and pain that we, as people who belong to this church, are feeling right now. We are praying that out of the miasma of destructive forces in play at the present time, will come real change and assurances that such will not happen again. But most of all that those who have suffered and are suffering as a result of these actions will find justice, acceptance and inner peace.

We went on to consider the experience of the early Christian communities as depicted on the Book of Revelations. Exiled on Patmos, John, a significant figure in the preaching of the gospel in the latter part of the 1st century CE, wrote 7 "letters" to the them, praising and ecouraging them for their goodness and correcting and reproving them for the failures. These failures are documented clearly. They range from being lukewarm and unmotivated in living the christian life, to a variety of sexual, social and sinful deeds. Each letter is a call to repentance and a plea to listen to what the Spirit is saying to them.

One very important instruction John gives is that they identify and support that which remains of good in their communities. The spiritual core remains intact regardless of the words and deeds of those whose teaching or behaviour has damaged relationships and failed to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to heart. They must support one another, encourage and strenghten those whose faith may waver, and recognise that the Spirit of God is always present in a church which is both sinful and holy.

We then considered how this scripture might teach us and shed light on our present experiences. Firstly we must let the call to repentance, genuine change in our hearts, and renewed commitment to Christ become real in word and in fact. Secondly we can draw wisdom and reassurance that the spiritual core of our faith and journey in discipleship is still intact. Regardless of the actions or words of those who damage the community, the Spirit is present as guide and helper. Only openness to the Spirit and renewed commitment to Christ will bring a resolution to the present suffering of all. Those who have been injured and damaged must be recognised and restored. All of this applies to the whole church for we are that Church and Christ is our Head.

It is in times of crisis and upheaval in our personal lives that Christ is most present. So it is with the church to whom he promised that he will be with us always until the end of time.

The evening concluded with a look at the topic of next week's session which is "Baptism - the Church is our Church.

Book of Revelations - Letters to the Churches

The last book of the bible is called the Book of Revelations and has also been called the Book of the Apocalypse. It is probably one of the most misunderstood and most beautiful of bible texts. It was written for the early Christian communities in a time of persecution, fear and challenge in their faithfulness to Christ and the Good News.

In the early part it records seven letters which the author "John", a significant leader of the early Christians, wrote to a number of communities or 'churches' while in exile on the island of Patmos. (See map)

You may find it helpful to read some of these (very short) letters in order to get some idea of the lives of followers of Jesus in the early years after his death, resurrection and ascension, and of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

It gives us some of idea of their difficulties, challenges and hopes. The book opens with an introduction as written here:

(From) John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Vatican meetings are 'not just a cosmetic excercise'

Report taken from Irish Times Latest News Sunday Feb 14th 2010

The meetings between Ireland's Catholic bishops and Pope Benedict, tomorrow and Tuesday, are “not just a cosmetic exercise. They are serious,” Bishop Joseph Duffy said in Rome this afternoon. The meetings would be “a complete flop if seen as a formality or a glossing over of difficult points,” he said.

The Chairman of the Communications Commission of the Irish Bishops' Conference was speaking a a press briefing in the Irish College.

He said the Pope would attend each of the three sessions throughout the two days at which 24 Irish bishops are expected to speak for up to seven minutes each.

“Each bishop will speak of his own experience. We have not been invited as a Bishops' Conference but as individual bishops. That's important. Each of us will speak personally and are encouraged to do so in a frank and open way. As Primate Cardinal Brady will speak first,” he said.

Accompanying the Pope at his meeting with the Irish bishops will be leading members of the Curia, including Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone, the prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Levada, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops Cardinal Battista Re, the prefect of the Congregation for Clergy Cardinal Hummes, the prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life Cardinal Rode, the prefect for the Congregation for Catholic Education Cardinal Grocholewski, and the presindent of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts Archbishop Coccopalmerio.

Bishop Duffy said he and his fellow bishops would “be keeping survivors (of abuse) at the top of the list of priorities” in addressing the Pope and the Curial Cardinals. Each bishop had been invited “to account directly to the Holy Father,” he said, and refered to “the failure of all of us, including bishops, for not doing what we were expected to do.”

He said the resignation of Bishop Drennan of Galway was “not on the agenda. It is not our business as individuals to discuss resignations publicly, except possibly one's own resignation.”

He admitted “quite frankly, what everyone else knows, the Church is seriously wounded and it (abuse issue) has done immense damage to the authority of the Church..” He agreed wounds were “self-inflcited, you could say that,” and that the bishops had “a major disaster on our hands.” He agreed there had been “a clerical culture” and that canon law had to be changed to allow greater involvement of laity in the Church.

There had been “tensions” among the bishops over the fall out from the Murphy report “but to describe them as 'divisions' is another matter. Last week at Knock we have a very cordial retreat. Things were thrashed out fully and frankly.”

What was needed now in the Irish Church was “a renewal in faith and commitment to Christian values. We are not a political party. This can only take place with the help of the Holy Spirit.” Reordering structures “is not renewal,” he said.

He expected Pope Benedict's pastoral letter to the Irish faithful would take account of these things and of what took place over the coming two days and what the bishops would have to say.