| Supporting Catholic
Clergy
in the Pro-life Cause. |
2005 Issue Two
We can rely on our patrons
Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph & St. Michael
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Priests for Life Canada 2005 Issue Two We can rely on our patrons Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph & St. Michael |
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Pope John Paul II AND Pope Benedict XVI |
| In This Issue: Pope John Paul II, the Great
Pro-life Apostle (1920-2005)
INTRODUCTION TO POPE BENEDICT XVI SELECT WRITINGS OF JOSEPH CARDINAL RATZINER - NOW POPE BENEDICT XVI BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF POPE BENEDICT XVI SIXTH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND THE GOSPEL OF LIFE WORTHINESS TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION Joseph Cardinal Ratziner - now Pope Benedict XVI
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: WHOM DO WE TEACH Fr. Joseph Hattie, OMI |
PRIESTS FOR LIFE CANADA
and the presents in Halifax, Nova Scotia AND THE GOSPEL
OF LIFE
Special Guest: Most Rev. Bishop Smith Bishop of Pembroke, Ontario Saturday,
October 22, 2005, Halifax, Nova Scotia |
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shared the life of Pope John Paul the Great with us during his glorious 84 years.
who never wavered on the ‘Sanctity of Life’, we will continue to pray that an end will come to the horrors of contraception, abortion, and euthanasia, against which he so tirelessly laboured.
Please guide us in carrying on what he has termed “the most important work on earth”. We ask you this, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Patroness
of the Americas
Would you like to
learn more about Our Lady of Guadalupe and why
she is the
patroness of life?
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Pope John Paul II was the greatest of the great. He will be viewed
in history as the Church’s greatest Doctor and the greatest Pro-life Apostle of
our times. This is reflected in his mighty masterpieces on the Trinity, the
Eucharist, Mary, the Angels, the Church, the Liturgy, Prayer, the Family, Life,
Truth, Ecumenism, Culture, Poverty, etc. He was a unique universal leader to
over one billion Catholics. He was a Pope of the People reaching out to all in
Global Visitation of the five continents, appealing to many by his love of God,
Church, Humanity, and Youth. He challenged each of us to become saints, to be
the salt and light of the world.
He was a powerful prophet with a Pro-life vision. He read the signs of the times
and preached the truth about Respect for Human Life, in spite of countless
dissenters, within and outside the Church, whose lifestyles reflected
self-centeredness, self-pleasure and personal convenience. He helped to topple
two dictatorships and one empire. He analyzed the current evils of the Culture
of Death, the terrible threats to life and family in our time: the sexual
revolution; reproductive technology; population control; etc. He challenged the
prevalent immoral philosophy of secularism, materialism, relativism, nihilism,
and modernism. He exposed the evils of promiscuity, contraception, abortion,
sterilization, euthanasia, and pornography. He fearlessly fought for respect for
human life at all stages from conception to natural death.
He was an energetic Evangelizer, a man of God, a man of Faith, a man of the
Word. He was a Eucharistic person, a Resurrection person, a Scriptural person, a
Spiritual person. He taught how basic Pro-life Principles can help the Christian
Culture of Life survive and grow: Solidarity; Subsidiarity; Ultimate Good;
Personhood; Inalienable Right to Life and Liberty; Prioritizing of Individual
Rights; Protection of the Life and Liberty of the Preborn; the Handicapped; the
Elderly; and the Terminally Ill. He opposed experimental embryonic stem cell
research and cloning. He challenged the moral bankruptcy in governments,
pointing out that underdevelopment and poverty have their origins in the
injustices, the immorality, incompetence, lethargy, corruption, the imbalance,
and concentration of wealth, as well as bad organization. He defended religious
liberty and the institution of marriage. He was a great model for Holiness. His
answer was his example: the way he lived, loved, suffered, and died. His way was
through Mary to Jesus, through Jesus to the Father, with the help of the Holy
Spirit. Totus Tuus - a total surrender to the will of God of his life. His way
was Prayer followed by Action in the name of Jesus Christ. His was the way of
the Saints.
He was a remarkable teacher, an outstanding Witness to Truth. He shared his
values with us in his writings: 14 encyclicals, books, catechetical documents,
letters, addresses, etc. He attempted and succeeded in establishing firm
foundations for moral theology, for a New Civilization of Life and Love. This is
evident in his numerous papal decrees and especially in The Gospel of Life: the
defense and promotion of the value and inviolability of human life; The
Splendour of Truth: the relation of Christian Faith and Christian Morality; and
The Theology of the Body: Original Unity of Man and Woman, Blessed are the Pure
of Heart, The Theology of Marriage and Celibacy, and Reflections on Humanae
Vitae.
Pope John Paul II, the Great, was a giant in terms of intellectual capacity and
personal work ethic. His monumental achievements leave one amazed and awed. Such
an outpouring of knowledge and effort is difficult to grasp and comprehend. In
order to capture a little of his wealth and wisdom, in order to taste a little
of his spiritual nourishment, in order to share a little of his words of life,
let us recall and review briefly some of his recommendations. In his program it
is Christ who calls out to us to know, love, imitate and proclaim Him.
Let us examine his seven practical pastoral priorities as stated in his plan for
the New Millennium, and adapt them to the Pro-life Apostolate: Holiness; Prayer
as a Reciprocal Conversation with God; the Centrality of the Eucharist in
Catholic Belief and Practice; Frequent Confession; Living by Grace and by the
Holy Spirit; Frequent Meditation on the Scriptures and the New Catechism; the
New Evangelization (Novo Millennio Ineunte, Pope John Paul II, Jan. 6, 2001). It
is an existing plan found in the Gospel, in living tradition with Christ as its
center; a plan which does not change with, but allows for the shifts of times
and cultures; a plan for all times; a pastoral revitalization; a work involving
all who wish to participate. The essence of the seven-point plan in
contemplating the face of Christ is the Eucharist. The eighth pastoral priority
is to contemplate the face of Christ in union with Mary as our Guide in the New
Evangelization, crowning our Jubilee heritage with a daily recitation of the
Rosary (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II, Oct. 16, 2002). To
encourage and promote this plan, Pope John Paul II wrote the encyclical;
Ecclesia De Eucharistia (April 17, 2003) and inaugurated the Year of the
Eucharist (October, 2004).
HOLINESS
“What God wants is for all of you to be holy” (1 Thess 4:3). Holiness is a duty
which concerns all faithful Christians and especially those called to be
Pro-life disciples. Pope John Paul II points to Chapter V, ‘the Call to
Holiness’, of ‘Lumen Gentium’, to clarify its meaning as the central theme of
faith and the fullness of its realization, the life of faith: “Human sanctity
brings God into man’s presence in a particular way, becomes a living witness to
him and confirms the truth of the Gospel. The essential meaning of holiness is
that it is always personal, and that each and every man is called to it. Each is
called in a unique and unrepeatable manner” (Sources of Renewal, Collins,
London, 1980, pp. 189-190). Making a Pro-life commitment implies choosing
holiness as a vocation, a lifestyle, and an aspiration. It means further that
charity is seen as the essence of holiness, with progress in sanctity being
measured by the increase of one’s charity. It means a way of life inspired by
the radicalism of the Gospel: “Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is
perfect” (Matt 5:48). It means living in the spirit of the evangelical counsels
of chastity, poverty, and obedience, ready and willing to be of service to God
and His gift of Human Life, to protect and promote Human Life from conception to
natural death, no matter what the cost. Ordinary Christian living is not enough.
Today, to live in holiness as true Pro-lifers, demands a heroic stance. We must
set aside prime time every day to listen to the Father and to Jesus. The
alternative is not acceptable: a life without prayer, a life of mediocrity with
a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity. It means accepting the radical
nature of the Sermon on the Mount. It may mean martyrdom in our society, both
spiritual and physical. The questions we must all answer are: Do you wish to be
holy? Are you ready to be a Pro-life Disciple?
PRAYER AS CONVERSATION
Pro-life disciples should love to pray, for prayer enlarges the heart. Mother
Teresa is to the point: “It is not possible to engage in the direct apostolate
without being a soul of prayer”. Pope John Paul II often speaks about prayer:
“Training in holiness calls for a Christian life distinguished above all in the
art of prayer....Prayer cannot be taken for granted. Prayer develops that
conversation with Christ which makes us His intimate friends: ‘Abide in Me, and
I in you’” (Jn 15:4); (Novo Millennio Ineunte #32). The more we are intimate
with Christ the more we can act like Christ. He urges us also to study the
Masters of Spirituality: St John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thérèse
of Lisieux, and St. Catherine of Siena. This means, also avoiding those authors
Rome tells us to stay away from such as Teilhard de Chardin, Hans Küng, Carl
Jung, etc. We must rather direct ourselves to genuine schools of prayer and
spirituality that obey the Church rather than dissenting individuals or groups
who choose to follow New Age teachings or the latest in relativistic theories,
trends, or practices. In his book of Spiritual Exercises, Pope John Paul II
teaches that prayer is contact, is conversation with God. In prayer, we affirm
that God exists, and we seek Him out and believe in Him. He explains: “Prayer is
conversation... Deep conversation takes place when we exchange not only words
but also thoughts, hearts, and feelings, in other words, when we give of our own
selves” (The Way to Christ, Pope John Paul II, 1984, p. 86). Pope John Paul II
teaches that prayer is a meeting between the human will and the will of God. He
calls to our attention the prayer of Gethsemane, where the human will of Jesus
speaks by means of the heart and expresses the human truth: “If it be possible
may this cup pass me by” (Matt 26:39). At the same time, the human will of Jesus
surrenders to the will of God, the Father: “Nevertheless let it be as you, not
I, would have it” (Matt 26:42). We are being taught to share in the prayer of
Christ Himself: “Our Father... Thy kingdom come... Thy will be done...” (Matt
6:10).
CENTRALITY OF THE EUCHARIST: CATHOLIC BELIEF
AND PRACTICE
Pro-life disciples who participate in Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist daily
are following the example of the early Christians in the 3rd and 4th centuries
who found it to be a necessity for their faith. It is also our Holy Father’s
advice for dealing with the crisis of faith and life today. Pro-life disciples
need the graces and gifts of wisdom, power, love, and mercy to defeat the
Culture of Death and build a Culture of Life. Pope John Paul II taught that the
Eucharist educates in life and love and creates true witnesses of those who
receive it with repentance and joy. He explains that while it is the Church that
makes Eucharist, it is the Eucharist that builds up the Church. He stresses that
the Eucharist is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving: “The Eucharistic
sacrifice is the source and the summit of the whole of the Church’s worship and
of the Christian Life. The faithful participate more fully in this sacrament of
thanksgiving, propitiation, petition, and praise, not only when they
wholeheartedly offer the sacred victim, and in it themselves, to the Father with
the priest, but also when they receive this same victim sacramentally” (Eucharisticum
Mysterium #3e, the Vatican, Sacred Congregation of Rites, May 25, 1967).
In regard to worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass, Pope John Paul II points
to the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori: “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest
to God, and the one most helpful to us” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, #25).
FREQUENT CONFESSION
Pope John Paul II, the greatest Pro-life Apostle, reminds us that realizing the
‘Culture of Death’ has invaded and predominates much of the world today with the
darkness of sin and intrinsic evil, as well as the current crisis of the sense
of sin, encourages and calls all Catholics to frequent individual Confession.
Pro-life disciples should take this message to heart, for being in a state of
grace is essential for spiritual pro-life combat. It is clear that they need the
marvellous miracles of grace that take place in the Sacrament of Reconciliation:
every bit of sin and guilt is washed away through absolution; all bitterness,
unjust anger, and resentment are dispersed. Penitents are given the power to
accept forgiveness and get on with their lives. Pope John Paul II challenged
priests to accept the Jubilee Year message of the return of many people,
especially youth, to the Sacrament of Penance: “Pastors should arm themselves
with more confidence, creativity, and perseverance in presenting it and leading
people to appreciate it” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, #37).
Pope John Paul reminds us of the price paid for this Sacrament: “The Sacrament
of Penance flows from a great love and was bought at a high price, a price which
Jesus Christ has paid. However, each of us must pay it too, in proportion to his
own human capacity. It must be paid with the interior effort of conversion,
which brings liberation, and this liberation is not only subjective, on the
conscious level, but also gives us true freedom” (The Way to Christ, Op. Cit.,
p. 116). Pope John Paul II considers the priest as the steward of the Sacrament
of Reconciliation. “The priest is the witness and instrument of divine mercy...
a special witness... a steward of the invisible and priceless treasures
belonging to the spiritual and supernatural order… He should go regularly to
confession himself and receive spiritual direction... It is in the confessional
that His spiritual fatherhood is realized in the fullest way” (Gift and Mystery,
1996, p. 86-87).
Pro-life disciples need this gift of Divine Mercy available in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation to carry out their Apostolate to the Service of Life. They need
the spiritual fatherhood of priests to prepare them, to guide them, and to give
them sound spiritual direction for their ministry to protect and defend life at
all stages.
LIVE BY GRACE AND BY THE SPIRIT
Pope John Paul II reminds us of the essential principle of the Christian view of
life: “the Primacy of Grace” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, #38). So many think that
results depend on our ability to act and to plan. It is true that God asks all
of us, asks Pro-life disciples to co-operate with His grace, to be wholehearted
in serving life, to commit all our resources, our intelligence, will, and energy
to protecting and defending His gift of life. We must not forget that without
God we cannot be, without God we cannot do: “Cut off from me you can do
nothing…” (Jn 15:5). Prayer, a prime weapon of Pro-lifers, reminds us of the
primacy of Christ, of His gifts, His graces, and the primacy of the spiritual
life and holiness. Without grace we are like the apostles who fished all night
without results: “We worked hard all night long and caught nothing...” (Lk 5:5).
In Pro-life ministry, we must act in faith, and trust as Peter did, in God’s
words: “If you say so I will let down the nets” (ibid.). We need to grasp the
mystery of grace, the presence of the mystery of redemption, the grace of hope
that with God we can do what is required of us as Resurrection people and as
Pro-life people. We have to believe in Him and trust in His promises: “I tell
you that the one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do, and in
fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father” (Jn
14:12). We are to be set free from our limitation of experiences of bondage as
in the Culture of Death: “slavery to decadence” (Rom 8:21). We have to
understand that in our state of creation after original sin - weak, perishable,
and graceless - we need the gifts of the Spirit, the pouring out of amazing
grace so we may have the liberty of the children of God. The principle is clear:
Redemption operates in man’s soul by means of the gifts of the Spirit. “All of
us, who possess the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for
adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom 8:23). Pope John Paul II
explains this graceful process: “Redemption is the way to the resurrection. The
resurrection constitutes the definitive accomplishment of the redemption of the
body” (The Theology of the Body, 1997, p. 252). To build a Culture of Life, a
Civilization of Love, we need all the graces, all the gifts, available to us
through the Holy Spirit.
FREQUENT MEDITATION ON SCRIPTURES AND THE NEW
CATECHISM
Pope John Paul II calls to our attention the principle to listen, discern, and
obey the Word of the Lord and the Church’s Magisterium. Jesus always listened,
always discerned, and always obeyed the Word of His Father. “My food is to do
the will of the One who sent me” (Jn 4:34). What is implied is that we cannot do
the will of the Father or please Him unless we are aware of what it is. We
cannot know what His will is unless He tells us. Meditating on the Scriptures
while calling on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as well as attentively
studying the Magisterial teachings in the New Catechism will go a long way in
this process of directing and shaping our lives. Pope John Paul II explains: “If
the reading of Scripture is to shape faith, or if it is to shape our faith, then
the reader must not only thoroughly understand the biblical texts, he must
penetrate beyond their content to Him, who in the text of Scripture communicates
Himself. It is quite a distinct mode of knowledge, not so much a question of
knowing God as of making His acquaintance” (Be Not Afraid, 1985, p 54). He
further states: “The Church’s Magisterium has the duty to state that some trends
of theological thinking and certain philosophical affirmations are incompatible
with revealed truth” (V.S., #29). “The principles are laid down for discerning
what is, and what is not, sound moral doctrine. He answers certain questions
such as: What is man?; What is the meaning and purpose of Life?; What is good
and what is sin?; What is the origin and purpose of suffering?; What is the way
to attain true happiness?; What is death, judgment and retribution after death?;
What is the final mystery that embraces our lives and from which we take our
origin and toward which we are going?” (V.S., #30).
THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
Pope John Paul II directs us not only to listen to the Word but to proclaim by
example and total commitment. There needs to be a return to Gospel Values. What
we witness so often to, today, is the opposite - men living as if God does not
exist. They choose to kill rather than be guardians and servants of human life:
“Each and every person, in the name of God, is called to protect, love and serve
life - every human life” (E.V., #5). “It is therefore morally unacceptable to
encourage, let alone impose, the use of methods such as contraception,
sterilization, and abortion, in order to regulate births” (E.V., #91). “Abortion
and infanticide are unspeakable crimes” (E.V., #62). Euthanasia is a grave
violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable
killing of a human person” (E.V., #65).
Pope John Paul II’s genius as an Apostle of Life is evident in his papal decree:
Evangelium Vitae. The role of the family in evangelization is decisive and
irreplaceable. “As the domestic Church, the family is summoned to proclaim,
celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life” (E.V., #92). In procreating, raising,
and rearing children, the family fulfills its mission to proclaim the Gospel of
Life. The elderly have a valuable contribution to make to the Gospel of Life.
“Thanks to the rich treasury of experiences they have acquired through the
years, the elderly can and must be sources of wisdom and witnesses of hope and
love” (E.V., #94). Elected officials, legislators, and physicians also have
their role to witness in the proclamation of the Gospel. God alone has the power
over life and death. “It is I who bring both death and life” (Deut 32:39). “In
the proclamation of the Gospel, we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and
we must refuse any compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the world’s
way of thinking” (cf. Rom 12:2; E.V., #82).
Pope John Paul II does not forget anyone. He reminds us of the courage and
serenity that the handicapped have witnessed to, when they are shown authentic
love and acceptance. “The Church is close to those married couples who, with
great anguish and suffering, willingly accept gravely handicapped children. She
is also grateful to all those families which, through adoption, welcome children
abandoned by their parents because of disabilities or illness” (E.V., #63). To
be of service to life, Pro-life disciples must be first ‘Servants of the Word’.
FREQUENT RECITATION OF THE ROSARY
Pope John Paul II chose to be always under the influence and the mantle of Mary
as is evident on his crest: ‘TOTUS TUUS’ - to Jesus through Mary. He crowned his
pastoral plan with a call to pray the Rosary: “a prayer of great significance
destined to bring forth a rich harvest of holiness..., though Marian in
character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer… When we pray the Rosary, we sit
in the school of Mary and are led to contemplate the face of Christ and to
experience the depths of His love. Through the Rosary, the faithful receive
abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer” (Rosarium
Virginis Mariae, #1). Pope John Paul II describes the role of Mary to us,
teaching that Christ entrusted His Church and all humanity to His Mother Mary,
on the Cross, when, through John, He gave His Mother to be our Mother in Spirit.
Mary is at once both the radiant sign and the inviting model of our moral life.
In the words of St Ambrose: “The life of this one person can serve as a model
for everyone” (V.S., #120). Pope John Paul II, like his predecessors, proclaimed
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother and Queen of the Americas, and on May 6, 1990,
gave her a new title: “Star of the New Evangelization” (Mother of the Americas,
1992, Robert Feeney, p. 14). He recited an Act of Entrustment, consecrating to
Mary, the present and past of the Americas. He declared her to be the one to
lead, the one to follow, in our answering the call for a New Evangelization.
Pro-life disciples well understand this, for just as she ended the killing of
over 20,000 human sacrifices a year among the pagans in Mexico, after the
miracle of her image she can do the same today for unborn children, the
handicapped, the chronically ill, and the elderly, who are constantly under
persecution and threats to end their lives. Pro-life disciples recognize her as
the first evangelizer of the Americas and invoke her guidance in the New
Evangelization. +
May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed,
through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
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On the Internet
letters, etc., of Pope John Paul II
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PRIESTS FOR LIFE CANADA BOARD MEMBERS UPDATE
The Board members of Priests for Life Canada would like to express our sincere thanks to Fr. Gerard Monaghan and Fr. Lindsay Harrison, both of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, for their dedication as past members on the board of Priests for Life Canada. Unfortunately both had to resign due to other commitments.
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And not only do we rejoice that we have a pope, but also we should rejoice that God has given us this particular man as our Holy Father. Through the ministry of the cardinal-electors, the Church has discerned God’s choice for pope to be the former cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, previously the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. When we reflect upon the culture in which we live today in the light of what the Lord says about himself in today’s Gospel, we realize how greatly we have been blessed in the gift of Benedict XVI.
The society in which we live is often characterized by the term “post-modern”. This term refers to the reality that we experience daily, namely, the assumption that there is no such thing as objective truth outside of myself, no universal moral standard to which I must conform my life. Truth is something that I determine for myself on the basis of my own experience. There are no absolutes. This gives rise to what is called moral relativism: you have your truth, I have mine. The most recent example of this is the debate in this country over the nature of marriage. In the minds of many, marriage is not an objective reality, rooted in nature, that pre-exists the courts and the state, but is whatever I want it to be, and is therefore susceptible to having its definition changed. Moral relativism is a serious danger, first of all for the individual. One’s life is anchored in nothing more than personal experience, which changes constantly and gives a variety of different messages, with the result that, having no roots or stability, it lacks real meaning and purpose. It is also a danger for society. If there is no objective truth or universal moral standard, then there is no basis for common understanding, and society unravels.
To this culture, Christians are called to proclaim that there is objective truth, there is a universal moral standard, and that, furthermore, this truth is a person: Jesus Christ. This conviction of the Church is rooted in the very words of Jesus himself, recorded in today’s Gospel passage from John: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.
We need to pay careful attention to the definite articles here: Jesus is not saying He is a Way and a Truth and a Life, but that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Because He is the Son of God in human flesh, Jesus is the one way to the Father; since He is God, Jesus is Truth itself; and because He is one with the Father, He is the fullness of life and the source of our life. There is no room for relativism here. Jesus is the truth toward whom all humans seeking for truth must tend. His revelation is the objective standard against which we must measure our lives.
In today’s second reading, we are reminded that, as Christians, we have been formed by our Baptism into a spiritual house, the Church, and are called “to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light”. In other words, we are called to proclaim Christ to our world, because it is by his death and resurrection that we have been rescued from the darkness of sin to live in the light of God’s love. The means by which we do so is essentially twofold: the authentic witness of a holy life and respectful dialogue with others. Holiness comes from knowing Christ and deriving life from him. Dialogue involves telling others about our divine friend.
Pope Benedict spoke about this beautifully in his homily this morning. He said: “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him”.
Growing in holiness and speaking to others about Christ and knowing the truth of Christ and drawing life from Him, together with proclaiming His truth to the world, is how we counter the danger of relativism in our day. This is our mission. As we seek to do this, we can look with confidence to our new pope for clear guidance.
First, to proclaim Christ today means that we must know and uphold with steadfast conviction the truth of who he is, remaining always faithful to our millennia-old tradition. Pope Benedict XVI is recognized by all as a theologian of the first rank, blessed with a brilliant intellect. Our pope can read with great astuteness the signs of the times, both good and bad, and address them with the truth of the Gospel. He will proclaim Christ with both clarity and charity, and thus encourage all of us to grow in holiness by strengthening our relationship of knowledge and love with our Lord. He understands the Christian tradition, and will be a sure guide to us as we seek to deepen our roots in Christ and His teachings.
Second, proclaiming the truth of our Lord to the people of today necessarily involves a readiness to enter into loving and respectful dialogue with others. In his address to the Cardinals at the end of his first Mass as pope, our new Holy Father committed himself strongly to the dialogue that is required today for the effective proclamation of the Gospel: dialogue with other Christians, first of all, so as to work toward the constitution of the full unity of the Church, and dialogue with non-Christians and, indeed, with all civilizations, who yearn for the truth. Under his guidance, such dialogue will contribute to the true good of humanity and of society.
We welcome the gift of our Holy Father with gratitude and joy. As Pope Benedict XVI is today formally installed in his ministry as Bishop of Rome and Universal Pastor, let us pray that his deep faith in the immeasurable power of Christ will not waver as he undertakes his heavy responsibility. May he know the love and the support of all of us as he summons us to holiness and leads us in the new evangelization. +
† Richard W. Smith
Bishop of the Diocese of
Pembroke
(Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 24, 2005 - St. Columbkille’s Cathedral, Pembroke,
Ontario)
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Selected Writings of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - Now Pope Benedict XVI Voting, Abortion, and Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion - July/04 (2 pages). http://www.priestsforlife.org/magisterium/bishops/04-07ratzingerommunion.htm
under the prefecture of Cardinal Ratzinger, are the following:
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All these publications
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Biographical
notes on |
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission, Dean of the College of Cardinals, was born on 16 April 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Germany. He was ordained a priest on 29 June, 1951.
His father, a police officer, came from a traditional family of farmers from Lower Bavaria. He spent his adolescent years in Traunstein, and was called into the auxiliary anti-aircraft service in the last months of World War II. From 1946 to 1951, he studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher school in Freising. In 1951 he began to teach and was ordained a priest. In 1953 he obtained a doctorate in theology with a thesis titled: “The People and House of God in St. Augustine’s Doctrine of the Church”. Four years later, he qualified as a university teacher. He then taught dogma and fundamental theology at the higher school of philosophy and theology in Freising, then in Bonn from 1959 to 1969, Münster from 1963 to 1966, Tubinga from 1966 to 1969. From 1969, he was a professor of dogmatic theology and of the history of dogma at the University of Regensburg and Vice President of the same university.
Already in 1962, he was well known when, at the age of 35, he became a consultor at Vatican Council II, of the Archbishop of Cologne, Joseph Cardinal Frings. Among his numerous publications, particular recognition belongs to the ‘Introduction to Christianity’, a collection of university lessons on the profession of apostolic faith, published in 1968; Dogma and revelation, an anthology of essays, sermons and reflections dedicated to the pastoral ministry, published in 1973.
In March 1977, Paul VI elected him Archbishop of Munich and Freising and on 28 May 1977 he was consecrated, the first diocesan priest after 80 years to take over the pastoral ministry of this large Bavarian diocese.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Paul VI in the consistory of 27 June 1977, of the Titles of the Suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni (5 April 1993) and Suburbicarian Church of Ostia (30 November 2002).
On 25 November 1981 he was nominated by John Paul II, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the Biblical Commission, and of the Pontifical International Theological Commission.
Relator of the 5th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1980).
President Delegate to the 6th Synodal Assembly (1983).
Elected Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals,
6 November 1998. On 30 November 2002, the Holy Father approved the election,
by the order of cardinal bishops, as Dean of the College of Cardinals.
u President of the Commission for the Preparation of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, and after 6 years of work (1986-92) he presented the New
Catechism to the Holy Father.
Laurea honoris causa in jurisprudence from the Libera Università Maria Santissima Assunta, 10 November 1999.
Honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of
Sciences, 13 November 2000.
Curial Membership:
Secretariat of State (second section)
Oriental Churches, Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, Bishops, Evangelization of Peoples, Catholic Education (congregations)
Christian Unity (council)
Latin America, Ecclesia Dei (commissions)
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_ratzinger_j_en.html
PRIESTS FOR LIFE CANADA
and the
OFFICE OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
ARCHDIOCESE OF HALIFAX
PRESENTS
SYMPOSIUM ON
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
AND THE GOSPEL OF LIFE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2005 - 9 a.m.
to 5:15 p.m.
St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Featuring: Archbishop Terrance Prendergast
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WORTHINESS TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION - GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Joseph Cardinal Ratziner - now Pope Benedict XVI
1. Presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion should be a conscious decision, based on a reasoned judgement regarding one’s worthiness to do so, according to the Church’s objective criteria, asking such questions as: “Am I in full communion with the Catholic Church? Am I guilty of grave sin? Have I incurred a penalty (e.g., excommunication, interdict) that forbids me to receive Holy Communion? Have I prepared myself by fasting for at least an hour?” The practice of indiscriminately presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion, merely as a consequence of being present at Mass, is an abuse that must be corrected (cf. Instruction “Redemptionis Sacramentum”, nos. 81, 83).
2. The Church teaches that abortion and euthanasia is a grave sin. The
Encyclical Letter,Evangelium Vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or
civil laws that authorise or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there
is a “grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection.
[...] In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting
abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part
in a propoganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it’” (no. 73).
Christians have a “grave obligation of conscience not to co-operate formally in
practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God’s
law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to co-operate formally
in evil. [...] This co-operation can never be justified either by invoking
respect for the freedom of others or by appealing to the fact that civil law
permits it or requires it” (no. 74).
3. Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia.
For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the
application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not
for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy
Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war,
and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may
still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse
to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among
Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with
regard to abortion and euthanasia.
4. Apart from an individual’s judgement about his worthiness to present himself
to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion may find himself
in the situation where he must refuse to distribute Holy Communion to someone,
such as in cases of a declared excommunication, a declared interdict, or an
obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin (cf. canon 915).
5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal
co-operation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician,
as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and
euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the
Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy
Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning
him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.
6. When “these precautionary measures have not had their effect, or in which
they were not possible,” and the person in question, with obstinate persistence,
still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, “the minister of Holy
Communion must refuse to distribute it” (cf. Pontifical Council for Legislative
Texts Declaration “Holy Communion and Divorced, Civilly Remarried Catholics”
[2000], nos. 3-4). This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a
penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgement on the person’s
subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to
receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin. +
This is a letter sent by Cardinal Ratzinger to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
and Bishop Wilton Gregory in June, 2004, stating ‘no eucharistic communion for
the politicians who systematically campaign for abortion’. Publisher & Date:
L’espresso (an Italian weekly), July 2004. (see:
http://catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=6041&longdesc )
DEFENDING
THE
“SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE”
Name of your MP, House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
The Honourable Irwin Cotler,
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
284 Wellington, Ottawa, ON K1A OH8
The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca
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Priests
for
Life, Canada - members’ newsletter
Catholic Life and
Family - parishioners’ newsletter
Facts for Life -
students’ newsletter
Month Newsletters being mailed
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Catholic Life and Family
Facts for Life
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Catholic Life and Family
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Priests for Life, Canada
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING:
WHOM DO WE TEACH?
Fr. Joseph Hattie, OMI
Teaching Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a greatly needed ministry in today’s world that has not been fertility friendly, or family friendly. It is vital to the stability of the nuclear family in the modern world as the basic life-giving cell of society. In my efforts to promote the ministry of NFP certain questions frequently arise among NFP teachers:
Question 1: Why teach NFP?
This question should be answered in the light of the total vision of man.
There are certain facts and principles, therefore, which need to be recalled:
Fact: God has created human beings in His image and likeness, male and female He
has created us. He has given us the gift of fertility with its accompanying
blessing of parenthood. This embodies the blessing of being co-creators and
co-educators with God of new human beings. The responsibility for the gift of
fertility is to be good stewards of this gift.
Principle: Every woman and every man has a right to know how to live, as individuals or as a couple, a good stewardship of the gift of fertility. Thus, they need the knowledge necessary to become wise in keeping the gift of fertility healthy, in protecting it from harm, and in resisting the temptation to bury it, instead of developing this talent in harmony with God’s creative intention. Married couples have the right to know the biological laws of human procreation so that they know how to more actively cooperate with God’s creative intention with respect to family size, etc. This right is even more important for those couples who are having difficulty in conceiving a child.
Fact: Natural Family Planning should be taught because, when taught properly,
it provides the kind of knowledge and motivation needed for good stewardship of
one’s fertility. The Billings Ovulation Method (BOM), for example, provides a
simple and very scientific understanding, in particular, of the wonder of a
woman’s fertility and the complementarity of a man’s fertility. When taught
well, women of all cultures and backgrounds can easily learn, assimilate and put
the method into practice. This kind of training will help anyone live a better
stewardship of his or her fertility.
Having knowledge of and appreciation for the complementarity of male and female
fertility, and knowing when that complementarity could, with God’s help,
procreate a child, brings further good into the marriage.
Thus, NFP should be taught to anyone who asks and who has reached an age
where he or she can understand the knowledge requested, because teaching it is a
labour of love that makes further love possible, for individuals, for couples,
and for experiencing God in their lives.
Question 2: Would teaching NFP to an unmarried, cohabiting couple be formal cooperation with evil?
The short answer is NO.
Principle: Fr. Thomas J. O’Donnell, SJ, an eminent moral theologian, defines ‘cooperation’ as participation of more than one person in the same immoral or criminal action. For example, the surgeon who deliberately kills an unborn baby commits a serious immoral act. Is this true also of his assistant who cooperates in the operation? It is formal cooperation in the evil act “whenever one takes part in the immoral act of another while at the same time adopting the evil intention of his associate” (Cf. Medicine and Christian Morality, Second Edition, 1998, Alba House, p. 31).
From this moral principle, one can see that the NFP teacher who teaches an unmarried, cohabiting couple NFP is not “taking part in the immoral act” of premarital sex if the couple decide to later engage in that immoral act. Nor would the teacher have adopted the evil intention of the couple. In fact the NFP teacher’s intention would be to give the couple knowledge that could help them to change their immoral behaviour to moral behaviour. Therefore, the good NFP teacher who teaches such a couple is not cooperating with evil, but is actually working against it, and encouraging the couple to grow towards a well ordered love. +
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This information has been taken from the booklet titled ‘Natural Family Planning, Whom Do We Teach’ by Fr. Joseph Hattie, A copy is available free of charge from Priests for Life Canada |
Contact your diocesan office for further information on Natural Family
Planning in your area.
Priests for Life Canada is not responsible for the accuracy of information contained on linked sites. These are only provided for your further interest.
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