5-15-07

Greetings!

 

I recall realizing in college that the newspaper doesn't always get the story right.   (Ok, yes - I was a slow learner).   Having begun college as a meteorology major, and hence being somewhat knowledgeable about the atmospheric sciences, I was amazed to read weather stories in the media that often contained significant inaccuracies.   This lead to the realization that if there are errors in an area I have knowledge of, how often are their inaccuracies in areas I'm not familiar with?

 

Now to be fair, the reporters were rarely trying to be inaccurate, the field or topic itself was often too complex for them to portray well.  

 

Watching the media report on Church or faith matters prompts a similar response.   A case in point took place last week, when Pope Benedict, in a news conference en route to Brazil, affirmed the Mexican bishops for denouncing Catholic politicians voting for abortion in Mexico City.   Specifically, excommunication was alluded too.  And, of course, the headlines flowed, "Pope Approves Excommunication", etc.  I suppose it is too much to expect reporters to understand Canon Law.  

 

Thankfully, we have Canon Lawyers, like Dr. Ed Peters, to clarify.  Dr. Peters is one of the foremost Canon Lawyers in the United States.

Here's his summary:

Here's the S horter Version : First, Canon 916. There are lots of mortal sins out there; if you commit any one of them, you're not supposed to go to Communion. It's your obligation to stay away. Next, Canon 915. Some mortal sins are committed under circumstances that, if the Church finds out about them, not only are you supposed to the stay away from Communion, but the Church is supposed to turn you away if you try to receive. Finally, Canon 1331. A few mortal sins are serious crimes under canon law; if you commit one of those , you can suffer the penalty of excommunication, and one of the consequences of excommunication is, you can't go to Communion.

He continues on to give a more detailed explanation here:   http://www.canonlaw.info/2007/05/primer-for-those-who-prefer-knowing-to_4375.html

 

Hence, the bishops and pope did not formally "excommunicate" anyone.   However, certain actions, by their intrinsic evil, cause a person to excommunicate themselves---and therefore they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion.   This is what the pope and Mexican bishops were pointing too.

 

Phil's Tidbits:

For all you college students struggling through finals.  Here's a beautiful quote to help keep things in perspective:

Jesus is the teacher of holiness. I go to Him because I want Him to teach me how to become a Saint. Of what use to me is all I learn in school if I do not become holy? -- St. Francis DeSales

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Steve Wood is a gifted write on family and fathering issues.  In fact, I highly recommend his books, especially "Legacy"   (It makes a great Father's Day Gift!)  Here's a nice commentary he just shared:

Thirty Years from Now
What will your son remember about what you did with him thirty years from now? My prediction is that it will be among one of three types of activities: (1) an outdoor sporting activity; (2) the times that you worked together; and (3) a shared experience in the world of men.

Since WWII, American teenage boys have been infected with the Peter Pan mentality. Our "Neverland" culture tells them to expect a never-ending childhood and adolescence. Why grow up into manhood when you can enjoy years of suspended maturity? We even had a middle-aged president of the United States portray this mentality in the White House.

For years, I've insisted that Catholic families have a lot to learn from traditional Jewish family life. A Jewish boy was received into the world of adult Jewish men at the age of thirteen in the Bar Mitzvah ceremony. Today, most American parents are happy if their children start taking their faith seriously at twenty-three, but this lost decade often leads to distractions, detours, and dissipations.

Christian teen "experts" tell us that teen boys need a specialized youth ministry that doesn't take things too seriously. They are wrong. The goofy skits, endless jokes, and loud music while providing an enjoyable time, don't have an effect much longer than the ride home.

The majority of teen boys are just waiting for someone to give them a ringing call to strive for mature manhood. It is tragic that so many young Christian men never hear such a call.

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Developing virtues in young boys, helping them to be "Men of God" is near and dear to my heart.   This past Sunday we even had a "Knighting Ceremony"---where those boys who have been training in the virtues this past year are officially "knighted".   We adapted an old Byzantine Knighting ritual to our purposes.   The priest, with sword in hand, then does the honors.  (Editorial sidenote:   It's one of my favorite events of the year.)

Prof. Anthony Esolen has done some writing on this subject.   Here is a selection from a recent interview Zenit conducted with him.

Q: What could men learn from Christ, the ultimate man, in terms of developing masculinity?

Esolen: The first thing they could learn is not to be embarrassed by their manhood. It is holy! It has been created by God, and for a reason.

Then they might notice that Jesus is not the cute boyfriend that many of our churches make him out to be, the one who never goes too far -- forgive me if that is a little coarse.

Jesus loves women, as all good men must; Jesus obeys his mother at Cana; but Jesus does not hang around the skirts of women; he speaks gently, but as a man speaks gently, and when he rebukes, he rebukes forthrightly and clearly, as a man.

His closest comrades are men, though they are not necessarily the people he loves best in the world. He organizes them into a battalion of sacrifice.

He is remarkably sparing in his praise of them; certainly, as is the case with many good and wise men, he is much more desirous that they should come to know him than that they should feel comfortable about themselves.

From his apostles he seems to prefer the love that accompanies apprehension of the truth, rather than love born of his own affectionate actions toward them.

In fact, they respond to him as men often respond: They admire and follow with all the greater loyalty the man who rebukes them for, of all things, being frightened when it appears their ship will capsize in the stormy Sea of Galilee!

Men can learn from Jesus to seek the company of other men, at least in part for the sake of women, and certainly for the sake of the village, the nation, the Church and the world.

They can learn that there are two ways at least in which man is not meant to be alone: He needs the complementary virtues of woman, and he needs other men.

A soldier alone is no soldier.

Via Zenit.org 4-23-07  interview with Prof. Anthony Esolen

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Note, local product, Will Goodman, of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located in the Diocese of LaCrosse, WI and parishioner at St. Peter's in Stevens Point, was a presenter at this event.

Poland defies the European Union as 3,300 Strong World Congress of Families Closes

WARSAW, May 14, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Poland, the host country of the World Congress of Families IV held in Warsaw May 11-13, 2007, threw down the gauntlet in a frontal challenge to the European Union during the pro-family congress which attracted some 3,300 delegates from all over the world.

Poland's Minister of Education and Vice Prime Minister of Poland, Roman Giertych and the Speaker of Parliament (Sejm) of the Republic of Poland, Marek Jurek, proclaimed during the congress that Poland has no intention of agreeing to the demands of the European Union (EU) that it follow the regulations established in Brussels and the European Parliament to provide abortion, homosexual rights, same-sex marriage and other attacks on the traditional family demanded by the EU.

Giertych and other Polish officials attracted the ire of Members of the European Parliament (EP) last month. An EP debate and resolution which was passed last month condemned Poland for being "hateful" and "repulsive" for refusing to permit the promotion of homosexuality in schools (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07042608.html ) The resolution went so far as to suggest that "homophobic" country's such as Poland would be taken to court.

Defying the EP's homosexual activism, Giertych told the pro-family leaders that the Polish legislation seeking to protect children in schools from homosexual propaganda would be put forward as planned. It's "something I have to do," he said. Poland announced at the Congress that it would not be interfered with or intimidated by the EU.

The Polish officials made it clear that Poland will be assuming the leadership role to end the demographic winter in Europe caused by a birthrate below the replacement level and the instability in Europe caused by sexual permissiveness.

The Congress discussed over the three days such issues impacting the family as: abortion; the move to legitimize same-sex marriage; population decline; pornography and the impact of the news and entertainment industry on the family.

The 3,300 delegates attended from Latin America, the United States, Canada, western and eastern Europe including Poland, Latvia, Estonia, the Ukraine and Russia.

(with files from REAL Women Canada representative Gwen Landolt at the conference in Warsaw)

 

 

The 3^rd Annual National Catholic Bible Conference is scheduled for July 12 ^th-14^th in the Chicago-Area.   The organizers are Jeff Cavins, Sarah Christmyer, & Tim Gray.  More information can be found at www.CatholicBibleConference.com

The conference is aimed at equipping Catholics to go deeper into the Scriptures as well as start/lead Bible studies in their parishes.

God bless you!                                                                                                                                       Phil Lawson                                                                                                            For the latest info on St. Peter's, check out the parish website:   www.saintpetercatholic.com                                                                                 (You can also find old editions of the Areopagus here)

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