(Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time-Year A; This homily was given on November 11 & 12, 2023 at Saint Augustine Church in Providence, Rhode Island; See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Matthew 25:1-13)
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Last Things
Mois : novembre 2023
The Vatican announced Nov. 11 that Pope Francis had effectively fired Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, a firebrand prelate who in recent years questioned the safety of the coronavirus vaccines, called synodality « garbage, » and endorsed a video that attacked Francis himself as a « diabolically disoriented clown. »
In a short note in the daily press bulletin, the Vatican said Strickland, who had served as the leader of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, since 2012, had been « relieved » of his post by Francis. That language, not typical in Vatican diplomatic speak, appeared to indicate that Strickland, age 65, had refused requests to resign. The prelate had been subject to an official Vatican investigation into his leadership.
« The shocking part for me was not that [Strickland] was going against Pope Francis, but seeing a Catholic bishop behaving like a fundamentalist Protestant in being so dismissive of the idea that there is a church authority that he has to obey, » said Massimo Faggioli, a theologian and church historian at Villanova University.
Please allow me to clarify regarding, “Patrick Coffin has challenged the authenticity of the Pope Francis.” If this is accurate I disagree, I believe Pope Francis is the Pope but it is time for me to say that I reject his program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. Follow Jesus.
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) May 13, 2023
Faggioli told NCR that Strickland’s posts on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, where he once accused the pope of « undermining the Deposit of Faith, » was « the strangest behavior by a bishop » that the theologian had seen in the age of social media.
« In his tweets, » Faggioli said, « It was almost like he was saying, ‘Jesus told me to do this, Jesus told me to say that,’ which in some other churches might be acceptable but it is certainly not the way in which the Catholic Church understands unity and the responsibility of a bishop. »
Francis appointed Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez as apostolic administrator of the Tyler diocese, entrusting him to lead until a new bishop is appointed. Across the diocese, news of Strickland’s removal reverberated quickly.
Some Catholics in the Tyler Diocese were not surprised and told NCR that the pope’s move to sideline the outspoken conservative prelate was long overdue.
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« People have been writing to the nuncio [Vatican ambassador] for years about [Strickland], all related to how he was running his diocese, » said Cindy Plummer, a former diocesan official who was among several female diocesan employees abruptly laid off in 2018.
In June, the Vatican launched a formal investigation, known as an apostolic visitation, into the Tyler Diocese. A priest who was interviewed for the visitation told NCR that retired Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, and Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey, conducted the visitation. He said the bishops, accompanied by two priests, asked several questions related to financial matters, Strickland’s leadership style and how it affected the morale of the priests in his diocese.
The priest, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality the investigating bishops asked of him, also said they asked questions about priests and religious men and women with irregular canonical statuses taking up residence in the Tyler Diocese in recent years. In addition, the priest said the bishops asked him what he thought Strickland understood the « deposit of faith to mean, » and whether the priest thought Strickland’s episcopacy was « salvageable. » The priest said he told the bishops it was not.
On X, the platform that Strickland often used to attack his perceived ideological opponents while promoting his allies, Strickland presented himself as a bishop being harassed for standing strong in the faith. A few days after news reporting regarding the apostolic visitation, Strickland posted an article critical of the LGBTQ rights movement, and added: « I can’t remain silent even if it means that I am silenced. »
Plummer disputed her bishop’s statements insinuating that the Vatican targeted him for speaking out in defense of the Catholic faith.
« He perpetuates this narrative that this all happened because of what he says, » Plummer said. « It’s not true, and he knows it’s not true. »
Amanda Martínez Beck, the former managing editor for the Tyler Diocese’s magazine, told NCR that Strickland’s strident rhetoric and partisanship, which he amplified on social media, left her a disillusioned, lapsed Catholic.
« I don’t know if I’ll go back to Mass, » said Beck, who often responded to Strickland’s public posts on X, urging him to rethink the tone and content of his statements. She said Strickland never responded to her concerns.
« It’s really angering, » Beck said.
Fr. Tim Kelly, a parish priest in the Tyler diocese who clashed with Strickland, told NCR that Strickland « used to be a nice, unassuming, likable man » until he reached a sort of « celebrity » status among hardline conservative Catholics. Kelly said the bishop « ruined lives and ruptured decades-old friendships, » as his stature grew in traditionalist circles.
« Families have stopped going to Mass because of his unkind words, » Kelly said. « He needs time for reflection. He needs time to rebuild the bridges he burned when anger and certainty of his own righteousness consumed him. »
Installed as the Tyler Diocese’s fourth bishop in 2012, Strickland in recent years cultivated the public persona of an outspoken firebrand who did not hesitate to challenge the current pope’s leadership or to criticize his fellow bishops in public.
Strickland’s prominence in conservative Catholic circles began to skyrocket after he wrote a public letter in August 2018 vouching for the credibility of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Vatican ambassador to the United States.
Strickland released his letter after Viganò had published a « testimony » where he called on Pope Francis to resign and accused the pope of lifting ecclesial sanctions on Theodore McCarrick, the former cardinal whom the Vatican laicized in 2019 after finding him guilty of sexual abuse allegations.
In his letter, Strickland said he found Viganò’s allegations against Francis « to be credible, » and he directed the priests in his diocese to immediately post his letter on their parish websites and social media accounts.
In the years following the Viganò affair, Strickland became a favorite prelate among Catholics on the right who saw him as a rare truth-teller in the hierarchy who had the courage to stand up to the modern secular world and its liberalizing values. Far-right Catholic media figures and outlets presented him as « America’s bishop, » featured him in fawning interviews, and provided him the opportunity to co-host a weekly Internet radio show. Viganò, who since his 2018 testimony has taken to releasing conspiratorial manifestos from an undisclosed location, has himself on occasion praised Strickland.
Faggioli said Strickland’s brand of intense devotional Catholicism, intertwined with an apocalyptic strain that sees evil threatening to overcome the world at any moment, resonates with a certain Catholic culture in the United States that leans anti-intellectual, and understands the Catholic faith to be a matter of firmly believing in a few principles while viewing synodal dialogue and discernment to be « rubbish. »
« He speaks for a certain kind [of Catholic] in this country, one that we don’t see because we’re in our bubbles, » Faggioli said.
A sad commentary on the Church and state in our time. We need to wake up and stand for Truth. Jesus Christ is the Face of Truth. Again to this I say Viva Cristo Rey. …..Pope Francis, Nancy Pelosi & the Tyrannical Culture of Death https://t.co/PX9lo90dWv via @YouTube
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) July 8, 2022
Strickland used his growing profile to become a vocal critic of Francis. In recent years, Strickland had invited the pope to « fire » him and endorsed a video attacking the pontiff as a « diabolically disoriented clown. » On May 12, Strickland posted on X that he believed Francis was « undermining the Deposit of Faith. »
If those statements had Strickland teetering on the edge of schism, as some of his critics suggested, the bishop could still count on support from mainstream conservative Catholics.
In early September, Janet Smith, a seminary professor who writes in conservative Catholic publications and is a sought-after speaker, participated in a two-day « Defending Our Faith » conference in Tyler. Scott Hahn, the well-known theologian from Franciscan University of Steubenville, commended Strickland’s « inspiring words » in a pastoral letter the bishop wrote in advance of the Synod of Synodality. On Oct. 14, Hahn was the advertised feature speaker for a one-day speaking conference in Tyler.
Strickland’s criticisms and defiance of Francis dovetailed with a decadelong conservative Catholic resistance to Francis. That resistance, much of it located in the Anglophone world, has criticized the current pope for deemphasizing issues like abortion in favor of social justice concerns such as climate change. Strickland and other conservative prelates have fought back against the current pontiff’s reform agenda, which includes the effort to make the church a more welcoming space for LGBTQ people and for Catholics whose lives do not conform to official church teachings.
Like many other prominent conservative churchmen, Strickland has resisted the « synodal conversion » that Francis has called for in the effort to recapture an element of communal discernment in the early church where bishops consulted the faithful.
While Francis has described synodality as « what God expects of the church in the third millennium, » Strickland struck a different note during an interview in 2020: « All this synodality is garbage as far as I’m concerned. It just is not living the truth. »
In the provocative three-page pastoral letter he released on Aug. 22, Strickland predicted that many of the « basic truths » of the Catholic faith would be challenged during the October meeting in Rome of the Synod of Bishops on synodality.
In that letter, Strickland warned of an « evil and false message » that he said had « invaded » the church. He also declared that the synod would reveal « the true schismatics. »
As the Bishop of Tyler I endorse Fr Altman’s statement in this video. My shame is that it has taken me so long. Thank you Fr Altman for your COURAGE. If you love Jesus & His Church & this nation…pleases HEED THIS MESSAGE https://t.co/D413G0lfQV
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) September 5, 2020
With nearly 124,000 followers on X, slightly more than the total number of Catholics in his diocese, Strickland used his social media platform to spread anti-vaccine messages during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to undermine other bishops by voicing support for priests whom those prelates had disciplined in their own dioceses.
Strickland himself often took hardline partisan political stances, describing President Joseph Biden — a Catholic who supports abortion rights — as an « evil president. » In 2020, Strickland endorsed a controversial video in which the reactionary priest Fr. James Altman claimed, « You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat. »
In December 2020, Strickland addressed a rally in Washington, D.C., organized by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn Biden’s election victory.
Many people think they know the story of the hymn, »Amazing Grace. » The commonly accepted narrative presents its composer, John Newton, a young English captain of a late 18th-century slave ship, as a man who underwent a dramatic conversion after surviving a storm at sea. It was this harrowing experience, the story goes, that led him to leave the slave trade and become a pastor and abolitionist. « Amazing Grace, » we’re told, was written in 1772 in thanksgiving for Newton’s conversion from his horrific profession. It went on to become a hymn of hope for enslaved Black people and their descendants, eventually becoming beloved around the world.
The truth, as we learn in James Walvin’s book Amazing Grace: A Cultural History of the Beloved Hymn, is far more complex.
Amazing Grace : A Cultural History of the Beloved Hymn
James Walvin
216 pages; University of California Press
$19.95
Walvin’s study analyzes the history and cultural significance of this beloved hymn, from its composition to the present. The book attempts to provide a historical explanation for the overwhelming international popularity of the song, beginning with the puzzling, contradictory life of its composer and the earliest uses of the song. Drawing from a broad swath of sources, including published sheet music and personal diaries, Walvin’s book is a testament to his excellence as a historian and his thoughtful engagement with the impact and meaning of history for our time.
The book begins by introducing the nuances of Newton’s life and ministry, and his motivations behind the Olney Hymns, a collection published in 1779 that included « Amazing Grace. » Walvin does not skirt the uncomfortable contradictions in the story, acknowledging that Newton’s behavior as a slave ship captain was a participation in great evil and at odds with his Christian faith. Yet Walvin also describes Newton’s eventual participation in the English abolitionist movement as « almost living proof » of the lines of his own hymns. In addressing the challenging parts of Newton’s life story, Walvin speaks both to the power of « Amazing Grace » and, as Catholic tradition teaches, the transformative power of grace as one cooperates more and more fully with God’s work in one’s life.
Wavin goes on to relate how « Amazing Grace, » a relatively unknown English hymn, grew popular in America, particularly during the Great Awakenings in the 18th and 19th centuries. He notes that America had a robust popular musical culture, credited partly to its ethnic and cultural diversity, which was particularly suited for a simple, engaging song like « Amazing Grace. »
The book continues by examining the importance of the hymn to Black Americans, tracing its publishing history and persistent importance in the cultural landscape of the United States. « Amazing Grace, » Walvin writes, has been adopted as an American anthem, functioning as a symbol of the culture and an expression of American cultural identity. It connotes a plaintive hope and gratitude, regardless of religious profession.
Walvin argues that the cultural significance of « Amazing Grace » led to its particular prominence in the civil rights and antiwar movements in the 1960s and ’70s. His discussion of the commercial success of the song during that period leads into his analysis of why the social and technological changes of that particular moment in history allowed the hymn to become an international hit. Subsequent chapters discuss how the hymn became a universal human expression of hope and unity in key international events, such as 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
« Amazing Grace » expresses Black joy: a joy of knowing God’s immanent love, which provides solace and succor from the death and destruction that white supremacy attempts to perpetuate.
Walvin closes by making a striking contrast between a crowd of rioters attempting to sing « Amazing Grace » during the Jan. 6, 2021, invasion of the U.S. Capitol Building and the powerful moment in which President Barack Obama led the crowd of mourners in a rendition of the song after the mass shooting at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. Though British himself, Walvin manages to speak to the heart of the contradiction of these two American incidents. In both cases, he argues, the crowds were using a cultural symbol to express American identity. Yet, as we look at which incident resonates with the message of John Newton’s lyrics, a clear contrast emerges between the intention of its use.
One area where the book leaves the reader wanting is in its discussion of the religious meaning of the hymn. Walvin acknowledges that he has not been a practicing Christian since his teenage years, so one can hardly fault his lack of theological analysis. He is an historian whose book serves as an excellent examination of the historical and cultural significance of the hymn.
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Yet as a Catholic reader, the discussion of the power of « Amazing Grace » to communicate hope misses the inherent contradiction of Christian hope beyond a shared human optimism. The audacity of Christian hope is not simply a belief that things will turn out right, but an affirmation of faith in God at the bleakest of moments with no guarantee of change. It is a mirror of the disciples who stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus died, knowing that they needed to be near the Lord even as it seemed all was lost. The power of « Amazing Grace » lies in its ability to communicate the unexpected joy that arises when one realizes that grace, undeserved as it may be, has turned the despair of the crucifixion into the joy of the resurrection. Grace is precious, as the lyrics say, because through Jesus, God turns the world on its head.
Because Walvin’s historical survey does not include the deeper connection to the Christian story, the reader also misses out on some of the cultural significance of the hymn for Black Americans. « Amazing Grace » holds a special place in Black churches specifically because to be black in the United States has always required the boldness that believes God can and will triumph over the many forms of oppression which racism has taken. In Jesus of Nazareth, Black Christians find the solidarity of God who knows what it means to lose everything to powers and principalities. « Amazing Grace » expresses Black joy: a joy of knowing God’s immanent love, which provides solace and succor from the death and destruction that white supremacy attempts to perpetuate.
In spite of these minor limitations, Walvin gives us a meaningful survey of a beloved hymn that is well worth the reader’s time. It would be of interest especially for those curious about the confluence of history, social change and religion. Easily accessible for those outside academia, Amazing Grace delivers an insightful look at the perennial appeal of a cherished classic.
Women and men religious have a unique and powerful opportunity to lead the Catholic Church in its synodal conversion, San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy told people gathered Nov. 10 at the Religious Formation Conference’s semiannual Congress, being held in Chicago.
Because consecrated men and women have already largely embraced synodality in religious life and are a living example of discernment, their prophetic voices can teach the universal church to follow the path the Holy Spirit is leading us on, he said.
« Synodality is not rooted in specific outcomes, no matter how important, » McElroy said. « It seeks nothing less than a recasting of the culture of the church that will endure for generations. »
The Congress runs Nov. 8-12. In addition to McElroy’s keynote, it features numerous speakers and workshops on topics across formation for religious life. On Nov. 11, the conference will present its Sr. Mary Emil Penet award to Incarnate Word Sr. Teresa Maya for significant contributions to formation ministry.
‘Listening flows from a recognition that we have so much to learn. Listening lies at the heart of true encounter with the other disciples we meet in the life of the church.’
—Cardinal Robert McElroy
McElroy said the process of the synod on synodality, which was held in Rome Oct. 4-29, « testified to the identity of the church as the entire people of God in a piercing manner, » because it had not just bishops, but laywomen and men, religious, priests and deacons from around the world, all treated equally. « It was a stark contrast with past synods, where bishops alone voted and the bulk of the sessions were spent listening to a seemingly endless series of speeches that left participants passive and disengaged, » he said.
Synodality means to walk together, which requires a transformation from a church marked by clericalism, unneeded secrecy, and what he called « a prison » of being compelled to present and defend a church without error or sin.
« The Scriptures tell us that God listens attentively to the cry of God’s people. Listening is the respect we owe to others in recognition of their equal dignity, » McElroy said. « Listening flows from a recognition that we have so much to learn. Listening lies at the heart of true encounter with the other disciples we meet in the life of the church. »
That is a marked conversion from what happens all too often, he said, noting that synodality requires Christian humility.
« A humble church acknowledges and seeks to atone for the wounds it has brought to others, particularly the sexual abuse of young people. A synodal church genuinely seeks to discern its woundedness and embrace reform, » McElroy said. « Its holiness is exemplified by its humility, not by denial or the protection of its reputation. A humble church confronts the evil of clericalism that corrodes its spiritual and ministerial life. »
The synthesis document created at the synod said clericalism « needs to be challenged from the earliest stages of formation. » In an aside from his prepared remarks, McElroy said he cannot emphasize enough that the repudiation of clericalism must begin in formation.
In another aside from his written address, McElroy noted that the synthesis document even calls for accountability and evaluations of bishops.
« On one level, we’re accountable to everybody, and on another level we’re accountable to no one, » he said. « Well, we’re accountable to the pope, but you have to be really bad » to merit papal involvement. « You have to really go off the rails. »
He said the synod was a powerful encounter with the diversity of the Catholic Church and that, again, religious can lead the way on demonstrating the interplay of unity and diversity.
« Many of you in consecrated life have had deep and powerful encounters with the richness of the global church and know this joy. For us in the assembly, it was profoundly hopeful and illuminating to sit with bishops, lay leaders, priests and consecrated religious and behold how the challenges to and opportunities for enhancing the mission of the church look entirely different across the world, » McElroy said. « This truly was a privileged moment of grace. »
The most inspiring moments of the month in Rome, he said, was the widely expressed desire to bring more women into leadership and decision-making roles within the church.
« Repeatedly during the spiritual and theological reflections which took place during the assembly, the point had been made that Jesus, in his invitation to women as disciples and witnesses to the Resurrection, produced a paradigm shift for the treatment of women in the culture of his time, » McElroy said. « Many in the hall felt that the time has come for just such a shift in the life of the church. »
He went on to note that while there were more than 80 proposals for action in the synthesis document, « This was the only one that was labeled urgent. The only one. »
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While the document is « far more muted » on the exclusion of divorced and remarried and LGBT Catholics, he said, « It does call for the church to genuinely listen and accompany these members of the people of God who live on the periphery of the church. » It also notes that Jesus never began from the perspective of prejudices or labels and always listens to the cry for help of those in need.
« Let us pray that in the coming year this beautiful vision of Jesus’ pastoral ministry may light the way for the church’s ministry to those who are marginalized in the church because of their marriage status or orientation or identity, » McElroy said.
Women and men in religious life « have a unique ability to energize, enlighten and spiritually deepen the process of synodality that Pope Francis has launched, » especially in the areas of discernment, in humility, lifelong formation, and the type of inclusion shown in Jesus’ pastoral ministry.
« You are already enormously committed and effective in supporting all those who are excluded within the life of the church and society. You witness to the rights of the poor, immigrants, the unborn, victims of ethnic and racial injustice and the disabled. You constantly seek to bring all of God’s children into the life of the church, » McElroy said. « Deepen this mission as the church moves forward on the synodal path. Help us to follow the pastoral example of Jesus in the Scriptures. Help us to embrace all … todos, todos, todos. »
At the synod on synodality, the Western media focused on a limited number of hot-button issues — women’s ordination, married priests and blessing of gay couples. But hidden in the synod participants’ 40-page synthesis are some surprising gems that could lead to significant reform in the church.
The first is a new stress on lay involvement. Compared with other Christian churches, the Catholic Church is very hierarchical. This synod, especially the conversations at roundtables, was structured so that lay voices, including women and young people, were heard and respected. « Synod path called by the Holy Father is to involve all the baptized, » the report notes. « We ardently desire this to happen and want to commit ourselves to making it possible. »
Second, the synod promotes « Conversation in the Spirit. » The term refers to a practice that « enables authentic listening in order to discern what the Spirit is saying to the Churches, » the report explains, adding that » ‘conversation’ expresses more than mere dialogue: it interweaves thought and feeling, creating a shared vital space. »
Third, the report acknowledges disagreements and uncertainties. In the past, the hierarchy tended to cover them up, presenting a united front to the faithful and the world. But on its first page the synod’s report acknowledges « The multiplicity of interventions and the plurality of positions voiced in the Assembly » and admits « that it is not easy to listen to different ideas, without immediately giving in to the temptation to counter the views expressed. »
In each following chapter, any disagreements and uncertainties are listed under « matters for consideration » that « require deepening our understanding pastorally, theologically, and canonically. »
The report also acknowledges its divides. « The Church too is affected by polarization and distrust in vital matters such as liturgical life and moral, social and theological reflection, » it reads. « We need to recognize the causes of each through dialogue and undertake courageous processes of revitalizing communion and processes of reconciliation to overcome them. »
Fourth, the report addresses the concerns of women. « Women cry out for justice in societies still marked by sexual violence, economic inequality and the tendency to treat them as objects, » it says. « Women are scarred by trafficking, forced migration and war. Pastoral accompaniment and vigorous advocacy for women should go hand in hand. »
The church must « avoid repeating the mistake of talking about women as an issue or a problem. Instead, we desire to promote a Church in which men and women dialogue together, in order to understand more deeply the horizon of God’s project, that sees them together as protagonists, without subordination, exclusion and competition. »
The synod concluded that in the church « It is urgent to ensure that women can participate in decision-making processes and assume roles of responsibility in pastoral care and ministry. »
Fifth, it did not forget the poor, « who do not have the things they need to lead a dignified life. » Instead it insists on their dignity, cautioning the church to avoid « viewing those living in poverty in terms of ‘them’ and ‘us,’ as ‘objects’ of the Church’s charity. Putting those who experience poverty at the center and learning from them is something the Church must do more and more. »
Sixth, it charges the church with combating racism and xenophobia, saying it must take action against « a world where the number of migrants and refugees is increasing while the willingness to welcome them is decreasing and where the foreigner is viewed with increasing suspicion. » In addition, « Systems within the Church that create or maintain racial injustice need to be identified and addressed. Processes for healing and reconciliation should be created, with the help of those harmed, to eradicate the sin of racism. »
Seventh, abuse in the church must be dealt with, suggesting that the church explore the possibility of setting up a juridical body separate from the bishop to handle accusations of clerical abuse, saying, « It is necessary to develop further structures dedicated to the prevention of abuse. »
Eighth, the synod participants called for reforming priestly formation. « Formation should not create an artificial environment separate from the ordinary life of the faithful, » the report said, and called for « a thorough review of formation programs, with particular attention to how we can foster the contribution of women and families to them. »
It recommended joint formation programs for « the entire People of God (laity, consecrated and ordained ministers). » It also called on episcopal conferences to « create a culture of lifelong formation and learning. »
Ninth, the synod called for a regular review of how bishops, priests and deacons carry out their ministry in their diocese, including « regular review of the bishop’s performance, with reference to the style of his authority, the economic administration of the diocese’s assets, and the functioning of participatory bodies, and safeguarding against all possible kinds of abuse. »
Tenth, the report took on liturgical language, saying the texts used in Catholic rites should be « more accessible to the faithful and more embodied in the diversity of cultures. » It later suggested that liturgy as well as church documents need to be « more attentive to the use of language that takes into equal consideration both men and women, and also includes a range of words, images and narratives that draw more widely on women’s experience. »
Eleventh, it raised the possibility of offering Communion to non-Catholics, or what it called « Eucharistic hospitality (Communicatio in sacris). » Saying it was a pastoral issue as much as an ecclesial or theological one, the report noted that such hospitality was « of particular importance to inter-church couples. »
Twelfth, the report took aim at what it means to be a deacon in the church. As it is, the deaconate is largely seen as a steppingstone to priesthood. The report questions the emphasis on deacons’ liturgical ministry rather than « service to those living in poverty and who are needy in the community. We therefore recommend an assessment of how the diaconal ministry has been implemented since Vatican II. »
Thirteenth, reform of the Roman Curia must continue. The synod affirmed Pope Francis’ statement in the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium, released in March 2022, that « the Roman Curia does not stand between the Pope and the Bishops, rather it places itself at the service of both in ways that are proper to the nature of each. »
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The synod called for « a more attentive listening to the voices of local churches » by the Curia, especially during periodic visits of bishops to Rome, which should be occasions for « open and mutual exchange that fosters communion and a true exercise of collegiality and synodality. »
The synod also asked for a careful evaluation of « whether it is opportune to ordain the prelates of the Roman Curia as bishops, » implicitly suggesting that lay people might hold top Vatican positions.
Fourteenth, the report said canon law needs updating. « A wider revision of the Code of Canon Law, » it reads, « is called for at this time » to emphasize the synodality of the church at all levels. For example, it suggests, pastoral councils should be mandatory in parishes and dioceses. It also held up for imitation a recent plenary council of Australia.
Lastly, the synod wants to promote small Christian communities, « who live the closeness of the day-to-day, around the Word of God and the Eucharist » and by their nature foster a synodal style. « We are called to enhance their potential, » the synod’s members said.
You will not find these gems written about in the media, but if we let the media tell us what to see in the synod, we might miss important opportunities for church reform.
If it would not cause scandal or confusion among other Catholics, « a transsexual — even one who has undergone hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgery — may receive baptism under the same conditions as other faithful, » said a document from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The document, signed Oct. 31 by Pope Francis and by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery, was posted in Italian on the office’s website Nov. 8.
A note published with it said the document was a response to a letter submitted in July by Bishop José Negri of Santo Amaro, Brazil, « containing some questions about the possible participation in baptism and weddings by transexual persons and homo-affective persons. »
The questions about weddings involved whether trans persons or other LGBTQ+ persons could be witnesses at a Catholic wedding. The response to both questions was that « there is nothing in current universal canonical legislation that prohibits » either from serving as a witness at a Catholic marriage.
Responses to the questions about baptism were longer, more nuanced and urged pastoral prudence to minister to the people in question, safeguard the sacrament and prevent scandal.
Whether deciding to baptize a person or to permit him or her to serve as a godparent, « due pastoral prudence demands that every situation be wisely pondered, in order to safeguard the sacrament of baptism and especially its reception, which is a precious good to be protected, since it is necessary for salvation, » the document said.
Special care must be taken, it said, when « there are doubts about the objective moral situation in which the person finds him- or herself, or about his or her subjective dispositions toward grace. »
The church teaches that when baptism is received without repentance for serious sins, it said, he or she receives the « sacramental character » but not « sanctifying grace. »
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Vatican’s note said, affirms that « this configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible, it remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church. »
Because that mark is indelible, once the person baptized without the proper disposition repents, sanctifying grace is present, it said. That possibility, it added, is why Pope Francis, in his 2013 exhortation Evangelii Gaudium wrote that the church must have very serious reasons for turning someone away and must be especially hesitant before denying someone baptism.
Therefore, it said, even if there are doubts about the person’s current commitment to living a fully Christian life, « one must never forget this aspect of the fidelity of the unconditional love of God, which is capable of generating even with the sinner an irrevocable covenant, always open to a development that is also unpredictable. »
The church and its ministers do not simply wait for a person’s conversion, though, it said, but constantly call people « to live fully all the implications of the baptism received, which must always be understood and unfolded within the entire journey of Christian initiation. »
On the question of whether a trans person can be a godparent, the document said it is possible « under certain conditions, » but because the role is not a right, « pastoral prudence » is required to avoid the « danger of scandal » or confusion among the faithful.
It also cautioned that gay persons living together in a relationship like a marriage, especially if it is known in the community, probably should not serve as godparents, but can be invited to serve as witnesses to the baptism.
The dicastery repeated an affirmation that the child of a gay couple can be baptized when there is a well-founded hope that the child will be raised Catholic.
The Stockton Police Department was investigating whether a hate crime was behind an act of vandalism that left white paint streaked across the front doors of the 81-year-old Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton.
Local news reports said that besides the front door area, white paint also was seen on a walkway, a landscaping area and a flatbed trailer parked near the church. Police believe the paint was left there around 5:45 a.m. Nov. 5.
A post on the cathedral parish’s Facebook page said, « Thanks to [pastor] Father John Foster’s quick action before the 7 am Mass, the police department came out to record the incident. »
« Our Cathedral of the Annunciation is alive with the Holy Spirit!! » said the post, adding, « Thanks to our amazing parishioners [who] volunteered their pressure washing equipment and talent, and our maintenance person who will finish off the details on the doors. Thank you to the community for your prayers. God is good! »
In a statement the Stockton Diocese provided to OSV News Nov. 6, Bishop Myron J. Cotta said, « I am deeply saddened by the early morning vandalism at our beloved Cathedral. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated parish staff and parishioners for their swift assistance in managing the situation. A special thanks goes to the Stockton Police Department for their prompt response and support. »
Across the country about two weeks earlier, a vandal damaged the 150-year-old crucifix outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, according to The Pilot, the archdiocesan news outlet.
« Cellphone video posted online shows a man identified by police as 37-year-old Michael Patzelt of Attleboro swinging from the feet of Christ, apparently attempting to remove him from the cross » the night of Oct. 24, The Pilot reported. « Christ’s arms, torn from the torso, hang from the cross as onlookers react in horror. The vandal caused an estimated $20,000 in damage. »
Boston Police arrested Patzelt at the scene. He was charged with assault and malicious destruction of property in the incident and was to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court.
The cathedral’s rector, Msgr. Kevin O’Leary, told The Pilot that he forgave the perpetrator, describing him as « a suffering man » who was vandalizing an image of « the suffering Jesus. »
An ecclesial movement has just admitted its former U.S. leader has been credibly accused of sexual and psychological abuse against young adults and minors over more than two decades.
Christopher Bacich, who headed up Communion and Liberation in the U.S. from March 2007 until August 2013, was the « sole perpetrator » of abuse against « multiple victims, » according to an Oct. 31 statement issued by Fr. Michael Carvill, the movement’s current head, and Steve Brown, president of the New York-based Human Adventure Corporation, a nonprofit that coordinates the movement’s activities in the U.S.
Communion and Liberation, launched in 1954 by Italian Catholic educator Fr. Luigi Giovanni Giussani, fosters small, informal communities in some 90 countries that gather for prayer, charitable works, pilgrimages, and the exploration of arts and culture as a path to deeper faith. Formally recognized in 1982 as an association of pontifical right, the movement has enjoyed support from Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.
In their statement, Carvill, who is a member of the movement’s Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo, and Brown said the incidents of abuse took place between 1997 and 2018. The allegations were reported in 2018 to the board of the Human Adventure Corporation and to Fr. Jose Medina, who at the time was the movement’s U.S. director. The movement’s leadership then retained a law firm to investigate the allegations, and ultimately deemed them credible.
« The proper ecclesial authorities and law enforcement were duly notified of the reports received and, to our knowledge, no criminal charges have been filed to date, » said the statement.
In March 2019, Medina sent a letter to movement leaders in the U.S. to advise them of the investigation results and to state that Bacich would be barred from all further Communion and Liberation activities. Bacich, who denied wrongdoing, resigned from the movement. After his departure, two additional reports — also deemed substantiated — were made against Bacich, who declined to participate in the investigations, which were concluded several weeks ago, according to an email sent to OSV News by David Hazen, press secretary for the Human Adventure Corporation.
In their statement, Carvill and Brown admitted that the movement shared some of the blame for the victims’ pain.
« If certain evils happened within our community, they did so partly because the environment lacked safeguards specifically designed to detect and prevent such abuse, » they said in the statement.
They also said they were « deeply saddened that, at times, those to whom concerns were reported were slow to believe and respond to the accounts presented to them. »
Over the past year, Carvill and the movement’s president, Davide Prosperi, met with the victims, said the statement.
In August 2020, the movement published its safe environment policy, which requires adults working directly with minors « to pass periodic background checks, complete approved child protection training on a regular basis and abide by a code of conduct, » said the statement.
The movement has also established a safe environment committee to investigate complaints, the statement said.
The U.S. bishops’ « Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People » has required such protocols of dioceses and eparchies since 2002. However, movements such as Communion and Liberation were not subject to the charter. In 2021, Pope Francis promulgated changes to canon law that permit the canonical prosecution of laypeople who abuse a position of church authority — but there is no lookback window for crimes committed prior to the promulgation.
Hazen said in his email to OSV News that his organization « [does] not have any record of a background check » that it conducted for Bacich.
« These were not required for adults working with youth in [Communion and Liberation] until the creation of the Policy for the Protection of Minors in 2020, » Hazen wrote. « Prior to that, members were expected to adhere to the requirements in force in their respective dioceses. However, background checks were likely conducted by the dioceses in which Mr. Bacich was employed as a teacher. »
As a former high school teacher and a current college lecturer, Bacich has had substantial contact with youth and young adults outside of the Communion and Liberation movement.
A 2013 Facebook post by the movement’s Kansas City, Kansas, group described Bacich as a « veteran high school teacher » who had been « involved in the education of youth and adults for more than 15 years. » That post said that Bacich was the « founder and president of the Risk of Education Student Center in Manhattan, which attempts to assist young people find and affirm a lasting experience of human happiness. »
An undated post on a webpage for Communion and Liberation’s youth organization, Gioventu’ Studentesca (« Young Students »), said that Bacich had founded the group in the U.S., having been a teacher in Xaverian High School, a private Catholic school in Brooklyn, New York.
« Chris started inviting some of his young students to hang around with him, go on hikes, trips and vacations, » said the website. « As the friendship between him and those kids grew deeper, more and more kids started to join this new experience. »
OSV News was awaiting a response from Xaverian High School officials to a request asking them to verify if Bacich had been employed there and if a background check had been conducted as part of the hiring process.
OSV News also attempted to reach Bacich directly via email, using addresses apparently associated with him at two California universities. As of Nov. 2, OSV News had not received a response.
Catégories
Vocations Awareness
(Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time-Year A; This homily was given on November 4 & 5, 2023 at Saint Augustine Church in Providence, Rhode Island; See Malachi 1:14-2:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:7-13 and Matthew 23:1-12)
St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)
How many times have you heard St. Paul bashed for what he says about women? Today’s selection from his first letter to the Thessalonians offers a very different take on Paul’s attitudes. Sandwiched between two readings that berate religious leaders for failing their vocation, Paul’s reflection portrays authentic ministry in distinctly feminine terms.
This, the first of Paul’s letters, is probably the oldest text in the Christian Scriptures, giving us fascinating hints about the life and thought of our earliest Christian sisters and brothers. The Thessalonians, people of Greek heritage, were not steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures, so Paul was not concerned about connecting his preaching to them with Jewish traditions. Thessalonica was, so to speak, virgin territory for the Gospel — a situation that called Paul to discern about how to make the Gospel alive for cultures other than his own.
Coming from Greek and Jewish patriarchal societies in which women’s contributions were undervalued, his contemporaries might have thought Paul had gone off the deep end with his description of his mission. Presumably an unmarried man, Paul compares the way he and his companions approached the Thessalonians to the loving action of a nursing mother. Steeped in a religious tradition that prized dogmatic teaching and theological debate, Paul described his ministry as filled with gentleness and affection. Finally, closing the circle of images, he said that he and his companions longed to share their very selves with the community — an image of exactly what a nursing mother does for her child.
In contrast to the Lord’s warning to the priests who « have caused many to falter » (Malachi 1), Paul thanks God for the way his word has reached the community as the very word of God. Unlike the officials Jesus criticized for posing as teachers without interiorizing the message they preach (Matthew 23), Paul and his companions strove to give witness by their lives as much as by their words. They rejoiced in the fact that their community has discovered the same power of God working in their own lives.
In this short segment of his letter to the Thessalonians, without necessarily intending to do so, Paul outlined a theology of vocation and ministry. He described his approach to evangelization as being as natural and wondrous as the way a mother’s body produces nourishment for her hungry infant. Because she is willing to provide and because the child is hungry, she is capable of giving of herself in what is one of the most unique and intimate ways any creature can give to another. By describing his ministry as like that of the mother, Paul echoed the Last Supper scene in which Jesus offered his own body for others and commanded them to do the same.
We hear these readings at the beginning of National Vocation Awareness Week (Nov. 5-11). While the bishops’ conference calls this « Vocation Awareness, » the website of the U.S. bishops’ conference concentrates on « religious vocations »: vocations to religious communities, the diaconate and priesthood. In a video produced for the week, several women and men describe the joy they find in living their vocation.
Augustinian Fr. Richie Mercado explains that the witness of his parents’ joy in their married vocation inspired him to seek what would bring him the greatest joy. He added that anyone will be happy in life as long as they are authentic in their response to God’s call. Highlighting the mystery of vocation, Sr. Vicki Lichtenauer of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, described the fit of her choice for religious life saying, « I don’t know if I ever felt like I was falling in love, but essentially I was falling into something. » Each in their own way, these people explain that their vocation has called the best out of them and led them to the service of others.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus ended his tirade about hypocritical ministers with one of his pet themes: « The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts self will be humbled; but whoever humbles self will be exalted. » Paul’s self-giving response to others’ needs reflects that. By using the image of the nursing mother, Paul assures us that the living of our vocation will come naturally as long as we are willing to be generous and responsive to others.
Paul didn’t ask the Thessalonians to be missionaries like himself. He only asked them to allow the word of God to continue to work in them as it had in him. To say that no one could ask more is an understatement! Young or old, celibate or in a committed relationship, no matter our gender, all God asks is that we give of ourselves exactly as we are — and that we give our all. Then, as happens through the nursing mother, God’s grace will flow through us for the good of all.