Feelings and Pope Francis

by Ryan

“How do you feel about the new Pope?”

Needless to say, it’s a question I’ve heard plenty the last two days. One part of me wants to say “Well, I love that Pope Francis seems very humble, a paragon of simple Christian faith, a man devoted to penance, a man who has been courageous in the face of secularism, a man who…”

Source: Catholic Memes

On the other hand, there’s a part of me that says, “The Pope’s the Pope.”

Leading up to the conclave, I, like many Catholics, had my favorites: Cardinal O’Malley, Cardinal Burke, or maybe it would be cool to have an African Pope, such as Cardinal Turkson or Cardinal Sarah.

One might wonder if I have mistaken the selection of a new Pope for Election 2012.

Source: Catholic Memes

I have become increasingly frustrated during the last few weeks with secularists who see this new election only in terms of sexual license: Will the new pope be LBGT friendly? Will he change the Church’s teaching about marriage? Will he soften the Church’s teaching on contraception? Also discussed were women’s ordination, the Church’s perceived wealth in the face of such poverty in the world, and other variegated issues.

Instead of trying to answer these charges in my post, I ask instead — are we any better?

I do not mean “any better” in terms of beliefs, but of actions: Haven’t many Catholics (myself included) also politicized this process of electing a new Pope with the insertion of our opinion on the matter? In wishing for the Pope to be an advocate of such and such position, am I really any different than the secularist — putting the office of Pope under the microscope of personal preference?

Perhaps my second mindset of “The Pope’s the Pope” is closer to a healthy attitude. However, I’d like to add one slight addendum: “The Pope’s the Pope, and I shall pray for his ministry often.”

Source: Catholic Memes

A Sorrowful Christmas

by Ryan


One of the litany of stereotypes against Catholics is that we are joyless and even that we make a funeral out of our religion. Ironically, I just deleted a post trying to defend against these ideas, but it never felt like it came together. Maybe there's a reason for that ... perhaps a topic for another time.

What may strike the (practicing) Catholic as interesting is that tomorrow, the beginning of the Christmas season for us, also coincides with the Sorrowful Mysteries as prayed in the Rosary. These include: The Agony in The Garden, The Scourging at The Pillar, The Crowning with Thorns, The Carrying of The Cross, and The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Christ. These are probably among the last things the average person observing Christmas wants to think about on what has came to be known as a joyous day. Even the likes of Penn Jillette recently chimed in on why Christmas is for everyone, even the non-religious:

"And I don't care if you're talking about Walgreens, if you're talking about sending out Christmas cards or your setting up something on a town square. Why do you want to leave people out? ... Why do that? What's your motive? And trying to turn around a 'we want to leave you out' into 'why are you forcing us to not have our joy' is insanity. It's backwards"

Personally, I agree quite a bit with Jillette, though there are plenty of other non-believers that are not friendly to the season in any capacity. And, sure, there are some believers that would like to draw a line in the snow (what snow?) between their observance and the observance of the non-religious. This observer often thinks that how the average Christian and the average Atheist celebrate Christmas are just about one and the same, in terms of their real reason for celebrating at all — to get some really cool gifts and to spend time with loved ones, with just the slightest reference to religion.

In getting back to the matter at hand: Why would one want to make a season like Christmas the least bit sorrowful? I have no answer for the non-believer in this regard — they have liberty to celebrate the season as they will. But for the Christian, we cannot forget the very serious reason why Jesus "was made flesh, and came to dwell among us" (Jn. 1:14) — to save us from our sins.

The text of the Exsultet, found in the Church's readings for the Easter Vigil, contains a text that sums up the joyful and sorrowful aspects of Christmas perfectly:

"O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!" or "O happy fault, that merited such and so great a redeemer!"

This "happy fault," resulted in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ at conception, continued at His Nativity, or birth, and was fulfilled with His death and resurrection. The Nativity is just one in a chain of events that led to the redemption of mankind. And, indeed it is a happy fault — a paradox, as is true with many things in the Christian religion. The Venerable Fulton Sheen illustrates this beautifully in his Life of Christ, which is worth obtaining a copy to read this passage in it's entirety:

"In the filthiest place in the world, a stable, purity was born ... He, who would call Himself 'the living bread descended from Heaven,' was laid in a manger, literally, a place to eat ... the stable would be the last place in the world where one would have looked for him. ... No worldly mind would ever have suspected that He Who could make the sun warm the earth would one day have need of an ox and an ass to warm him with their breath ... that He, from Whose hands came planets and worlds, would one day have tiny arms that were not long enough to touch the huge heads of the cattle ... for God to be homeless at home- that could only mean one thing to the worldly mind: the Babe could not have been God at all. And that is just why it (the world) missed Him. Divinity is always where one least expects to find it." (pp. 13-14)

My Christian friends, take time to meditate on the paradox of the Christmas season. Find the quietest place, and the quietest time, at the least important hour for your meditation. Take a moment to be cold, hungry and forgotten, even if only in your mind. In short — reflect on the first Christmas, reflect on your Christmas, and discover the meaning of meekness from your God at his most helpless moment in life.

Albrecht Altdorfer- Nativity (1513)

Pope-pourri No. 1

by Ryan


A sword-oriented collection of thoughts and links from the past week. Perhaps my next "Pope-pourri" will reap some lighter material.

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If you haven't already read this elsewhere, Leah Libresco, who is apparently a well known Atheist blogger, has decided to convert to Catholicism (Unequally Yoked). (I'd never heard of her before this, honestly.) Libresco spent much time over the last few years arguing with Catholics coming to her blog. A fascinating change of heart and a brave move on her part.

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One of my personal favorites, Archbishop Charles Chaput, delivered a speech to kick off the "Fortnight for Freedom," which starts this evening (First Things). Though the archbishop spends time addressing religious liberty, he also implores the faithful to look inside our parishes for renewal:

"From the cross at San Damiano, Jesus said to Francis: Repair my house, which is falling into ruin. Those same words fill this room tonight. How we respond is up to us."

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How about this for a new Independence Day tradition: Read aloud the Declaration of Independence! (National Catholic Register: Simcha Fisher) I can't think of anything more appropriate, except blowin' junk up and drinking crappy, watered down beer. Oh, and grillin' out. And blowin' more stuff up. And watching some John Wayne ... maybe that's just me.

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Are there any possible drawbacks to free birth control, you might ask? (Creative Minority Report) Read this scenario and tell me what you think.

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With regards to reason, are religion and science on an equal footing? Fr. Longenecker explains (Standing on My Head).

Saint Meinrad Archabbey, St. Meinrad, Indiana