Sunday, November 04, 2018
Addressing the Mechanical Reception of the Eucharist
and lukewarmness among children.
Even if the traditional Christian initiation for infants is adopted/restored in the West (Baptism, Chrismation, and Eucharist), what should be done by parents to catechize their children? Should there be a "coming-of-age" ceremony, with first confession and a special rite for Eucharist for children, so that they can renew their promises and show their rational acceptance of faith? This idea does not sound right, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were to advocate it.
What then? Those who do have their children initiated have a special responsibility to catechize their children well, and thus they have the burden to make sure that they themselves are properly catechized, rather than relying on others to catechize their children for them. Catechesis through the liturgy should probably be the primary way for doing this, and parents should explain the importance of a feast before Divine Liturgy, or after if necessary. They should be modelling prayer in the temple and at home. And if they do not have the requisite knowledge or prayer life to model for their children? Maybe they shouldn't have their children initiated, unless in danger of death.
Even if the traditional Christian initiation for infants is adopted/restored in the West (Baptism, Chrismation, and Eucharist), what should be done by parents to catechize their children? Should there be a "coming-of-age" ceremony, with first confession and a special rite for Eucharist for children, so that they can renew their promises and show their rational acceptance of faith? This idea does not sound right, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were to advocate it.
What then? Those who do have their children initiated have a special responsibility to catechize their children well, and thus they have the burden to make sure that they themselves are properly catechized, rather than relying on others to catechize their children for them. Catechesis through the liturgy should probably be the primary way for doing this, and parents should explain the importance of a feast before Divine Liturgy, or after if necessary. They should be modelling prayer in the temple and at home. And if they do not have the requisite knowledge or prayer life to model for their children? Maybe they shouldn't have their children initiated, unless in danger of death.
Saturday, November 03, 2018
One Year Later
LifeSiteNews: One year later, Fr. Weinandy reflects on his groundbreaking letter to Pope Francis
(originally published at the Catholic Thing)
(originally published at the Catholic Thing)
The Problem Is Not Clericalism
Clergy sex abuse on the rise again, and church leaders are ignoring why, sociologist says
Efforts to address clergy abuse must acknowledge both “the recent increase of abuse amid growing complacency” and the 'very strong probability' that the surge in abuse in past and present is 'a product, at least in part, of the past surge and present concentration of homosexual men in the Catholic priesthood.'
NCReg: Synod Reflections From Down Under: Interview With Archbishop Anthony Fisher by Edward Pentin
Dominican archbishop praises the will of those involved to bring young people closer to Christ and his Church, the general mood of the meeting, and the contributions of the young auditors.
Dominican archbishop praises the will of those involved to bring young people closer to Christ and his Church, the general mood of the meeting, and the contributions of the young auditors.
Bishop Irenei on Primacy
OrthoChristian: PRIMACY AND IDENTITY by Bishop Irenei (Steenberg)
A Response to ‘First Without Equals’ and the Tragedy of Deficient Ecclesiology
A Response to ‘First Without Equals’ and the Tragedy of Deficient Ecclesiology
John 20:21-22
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” \And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
If we assume that this correlates to Genesis and other passages in the Old Testament pertaining to the creation of man, and is therefore an act of the new creation, to what does this act of breathing on the apostles correspond? Baptism? (There is an unsettled question as to if and when the apostles were baptized in water.) Or, if they had been baptized in water before the death and resurrection of Christ, a completion of that baptism as Christ had not died and been resurrected yet?
Friday, November 02, 2018
Fr. Robert Taft, SJ Passes
Eternal memory.
Aleteia
Pray Tell
Eastern Province notice, with a reflection from Fr. John Baldovin, SJ
His comments on the reform of the Roman rite will remain controversial.
NCR Interview from 2011 "Of Liturgy and Life"
"A Jesuit Bridge-builder in Rome"
Aleteia
Pray Tell
Eastern Province notice, with a reflection from Fr. John Baldovin, SJ
His comments on the reform of the Roman rite will remain controversial.
NCR Interview from 2011 "Of Liturgy and Life"
"A Jesuit Bridge-builder in Rome"
Elder Gregory
OrthoChristian: MEMORY OF THE FOOL-FOR-CHRIST THE ATHONITE ELDER GREGORY, THE ABBOT OF DOCHARIOU MONASTERY by Maxim Klimenko
Thursday, November 01, 2018
Fr Nicholas Gregoris on "Synodality"
CWR Dispatch: Synodality, “New Pentecost”, and more: Reflections on the Synod’s Final Document by Fr Nicholas Gregoris
It appears the Final Document has re-defined “synodality” to level the playing field in such a way that the authority of the Synod Fathers may in the future be compromised by the protestations of non-bishops.
It appears the Final Document has re-defined “synodality” to level the playing field in such a way that the authority of the Synod Fathers may in the future be compromised by the protestations of non-bishops.
What surprised me about the treatment of the Sacrament of Confirmation is that none of the Synod Fathers, to my knowledge, mentioned the idea of adopting in the Western Churches the practice of the Eastern Churches, which celebrate the Rites of Christian Initiation as one single event, whereby the infant who is baptized is likewise confirmed and communicated in the same ceremony. Thus, the ancient order of the sacraments is preserved, according to which the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion is in fact the crowning event of the rites of initiation.
παῖς or τέκνον or υἱός
In John 1:12 it's tekna.
1 Cor. 13:11 has nēpios.
CWR: The Solemnity of All Saints and the pursuit of holiness by Peter M.J. Stravinskas
How does one get to Heaven? By being a saint on earth. And how does one become a saint? By living a life of holiness. And in what does holiness consist? Here are seven elements.
Curious if the "last words" are 100% authentic Theresian, or if they were modified by her sister. Unfortunately, in English "children" can have a negative connotation that would not appeal to a man like the word "son" would.
1 Cor. 13:11 has nēpios.
CWR: The Solemnity of All Saints and the pursuit of holiness by Peter M.J. Stravinskas
How does one get to Heaven? By being a saint on earth. And how does one become a saint? By living a life of holiness. And in what does holiness consist? Here are seven elements.
Holiness consists in being childlike
Our Lord Himself asserted – unequivocally – “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven” [Mt 18:3]. But, as you have undoubtedly heard many times, being childlike is quite different from being childish. Saint Thérèse, for example, was devoted to the Holy Child Jesus because she found in Him all the qualities to become a saint herself. What is spiritual childhood, you ask? Her “last words” tell us:
It is to recognize one’s own nothingness, to expect everything from the good God as a child expects everything from its father. It is to be concerned about nothing, not even about making one’s living. . . . I remain a child with no other occupation than gathering flowers, the flowers of love and sacrifice, and offering them to the good God for His pleasure. Being a child means not attributing to yourself the virtues you practice or believing yourself capable of anything at all. It means recognizing that the good God places the treasure of virtue in the hands of His children to be used when there is need of it. . . . but it is still God’s treasure. Finally, it means never being discouraged by your faults, because children fall frequently, but are too small to hurt themselves much.
The pseudo-sophisticates of the two last centuries of blood and violence need to acknowledge that their programs have failed abysmally and that the human capacity for God can only be satisfied when one approaches that God as a child accepts the overtures of a loving father.
Curious if the "last words" are 100% authentic Theresian, or if they were modified by her sister. Unfortunately, in English "children" can have a negative connotation that would not appeal to a man like the word "son" would.
Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Some reject the idea of hell as a fiery punishment, maintaining that hell is primary a spiritual state, the sinner's own rejection of God (and thus the beatitude that consists of communion with Him). If God is all-loving and good, then why would He need to inflict an additional punishment to this misery that the unrepentant sinner will experience? But if we accept that there is a sensible component to the Divine glory and love that we can experience, and that those who are in beatitude will experience this as a pleasant sensation (the warmth of the sun, to which the warmth of feeling loved by another is compared), then conversely, those who are in hell because they have turned away from God, might they not they also experience the warmth of this Divine Love as something painful, as they have rejected it? Hellfire then would not be a separate punishment, but the sensible consequence of their rejection of God, an unquenchable fire because the sinner has rejected it and the transformation that it would bring to him.
As for purgatory, even if purgatory will end on the Last Day with the resurrection of all who have died, followed by Judgment, perhaps the soul too will somehow experience the Divine Love as a "fire" as a part the purgation process, the removal of any lingering imperfections, which are burned off, while he is heated and transformed in the Divine Love.
As for purgatory, even if purgatory will end on the Last Day with the resurrection of all who have died, followed by Judgment, perhaps the soul too will somehow experience the Divine Love as a "fire" as a part the purgation process, the removal of any lingering imperfections, which are burned off, while he is heated and transformed in the Divine Love.
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