Posted on 07/12/2008 5:24:17 AM PDT by NYer
In last week’s catechetical post, I likened the deposit of faith–all that Christ has revealed to us through His Church–to a bank deposit, with the Church being the bank and the apostles and bishops having special authority to safeguard this deposit so that it might bear interest for the kingdom of God.
Another way of approaching this reality is to think of the Church’s Magisterium, or teaching office, as a fence or wall. If the deposit of faith is understood as a body of teachings regarding what we are to believe and how we are to live as Christians in the world, one important role of the Magisterium is to give this body definition and shape.
We deal with such boundaries all the time. Here in Kansas, the state line defines what is and isn’t part of our state. If we go too far in any one direction, we’ll end up in Missouri, Oklahoma, or even Nebraska. Similarly, the Magisterium lets us know what the boundaries are in terms of Catholic faith and practice–what’s Catholic teaching, and what isn’t.
I don’t know about you, but that seems to me to be a very useful charism.
The opening of a wall or fence or gate can be quite a welcoming moment. Yet more often we think of a wall as something that keeps us out, that restricts our freedom. I think those negative associations are at times operative when it comes to the popular perception of the Magisterium and of the Church in general.
Actually, though, a well-placed wall enhances our freedom. And surely the Magisterium’s mission as servant of the Word of God is to help us encounter the truth that sets us free.
Imagine a home with a big front yard that extends all the way to the street. There is no wall or fence. Children and pets have to be kept very close to the house and even then under careful surveillance lest they run out into the street.
But with a wall or fence around the the perimeter of the property, the children and pets can safely use the entire yard. The wall enhances freedom while also providing a welcome sense of security.
The Magisterium in no way detracts from the deposit of faith, but rather defines its contours so that with the freedom of the children of God we may explore the height and depth and breadth of God’s Word to us.
Following in the footsteps of the Divine Shepherd.
I like these analogies.
**And surely the Magisterium’s mission as servant of the Word of God is to help us encounter the truth that sets us free.**
The rules and guidelines of the church are needed just as much as the Ten Commandments are needed.
Stay between the lines. The lines are your friends.
I usually don’t join theological threads, but lately I’ve been experimenting with the ecumenical thread tag for the crevo discussions as a means of reducing the vitriol.
When I saw the title of this thread, it reminded me of a Veggie Tales song where Larry Boy kicked his ball into the Gated Community. It was done as a barbershop quartet, kinda funny. This is intended as a humorous side note, not a commentary on catholicism or anything like that.
Narrator: There once was a boy
who lived in a house
and the house sat under a tree.
By the tree ran a fence
that stretched far and wide
‘Round the Gated Community.
L: Can I have my ball?
Can you get my ball?
I kicked it into the tree.
L: And my ball bounced up
And my ball dropped in
To the Gated Community.
GC Chorus: Ohhh, the Gated Community is where we like to be
Everything’s so lovely, Ohhh our hearts are filled with glee
And when you come to visit, you can stand outside and see
What a lovely bunch we are in our gated unity!
L: Umm, can I have my ball?
Can you get my ball?
I kicked it into the tree.
L: And my ball bounced up
And my ball dropped in
To the Gated Community.
GC Chorus: Ohhh, the Gated Community is where we like to be
Our clothes are never dirty, and the lawns are always green.
And when you come to visit, you can stand outside and see
What a tidy bunch we are in our gated unity!
The Gated Community we think you will agree
Is pleasantly devoid of unsightly stray debris.
Old Man: Free, free of debris.
GC Chorus: The Gated Community is where we love to be
Our smiles are wide when we’re inside, in comfy custody
And when you come to visit, you can stand outside and see
What a smily bunch we are in our gated unity!
L: Can I have my ball?
Can you get my ball?
I kicked it into the tree.
L: And my ball bounced up
And my ball dropped in…
GC Chorus: The Gated Community is where we like to be
Our lives have been made perfect by a hefty entrance fee.
And when you come to visit, you can stand outside and see
L: To the Gated Commu…
GC Chorus: What a lovely bunch we are!
L: To the Gated Commu…
GC Chorus: What a happy bunch we are!
L: To the Gated Community!
GC Chorus: In our Gated Unity!
I doubt I will ever understand the mindset of the Church of Rome.
*******************
I'm not sure what I think of this analogy either, however, I also do not believe that Leon Suprenant speaks for the Vatican in this piece.
Am I wrong, NYer?
Amen, and isn’t it nice to have a map instead of wandering in the desert. We know where we want to go and we know how to get there if we follow the map.
This guy’s writings are no more the teaching of the Catholic Church than any freeper giving his opinion or analogy of the Church.
It is more “food for thought”, something to help some understand what the author feels about the Catholic Church.
It is more “food for thought”, something to help some understand what the author feels about the Catholic Church.
*********************
Well said, tiki.
I'm not a fan of gated communities, so this article didn't resound with me.
It conforms to an analogy I once read (somewhere) about religion being similar to a sonnet. The iambic pentameter is set and defined, but within those lines is freedom.
~Can’t remember what it’s from.
This article is a good corrective to the wrong conception of “inclusion” taught by so many liberal Christians. True inclusion means that all are invited to encounter and have faith in Christ and His saving grace given to us in and through the Church, not that everyone is invited to make up their own faith or to follow the whims of societal fashions in morality regardless of what is said by divine revelation in the deposit of faith guarded by the Church.
No, you are correct Trisham. Leon Suprenant does not speak for the Vatican. But I do believe he makes a good point. We all need boundaries. Shepherds lead their flocks into gated fields where they can graze freely while protected from predators. So it is with the Church. Correct me if I am wrong, K, but even the Orthodox Church sets limits, right? How is that different from the Church of Rome?
“Correct me if I am wrong, K, but even the Orthodox Church sets limits, right? How is that different from the Church of Rome?”
Of course, the canons, from Ecumenical councils and from local synods, and importantly, Holy Tradition and theologoumenna. There is nothing like, even a little like, “The Magisterium” administered by anybody, especially by bishops. The ultimate guardians of Orthodoxy are the Laos tou Theou, the laity and we know the rules, in great measure, because we are taught them by our families and in our parishes; they are part of us. I can guarantee to you that no Orthodox person, except maybe a Russian from centuries ago heavily influenced by Rome, would ever think of the canons and Traditions or traditions and theologoumenna as anything like a wall keeping us in, even for our own good. I have all sorts of need for a bishop but not to protect me from spiritual predators. My Orthodox Faith does that, NYer.
Jesus, pro me perforatus,
Condar intra tuum latus;
Tu per lympham profluentem,
Tu per sanguinem repentem,
In peccata mi redunda,
Tolle culpam, sordes munda!
Coram Te nec justus forem
Quamvis tota vi laborem,
Nec si fide nunquam cesso,
Fletu stillans indefesso;
Tibi soli tantum munus—
Salva me, Salvator Unus!
Nil in manu mecum fero,
Sed me versus crucem gero;
Vestimenta nudus oro,
Opem debilis imploro,
Fontem Christi quæro immundus,
Nisi laves, moribundus.
Dum hos artus vita regit,
Quando nox sepulcro legit;
Mortuos quum stare jubes,
Sedens Judex inter nubes—
Jesus, pro me perforatus,
Condar intra tuum latus!
*******************
We have free will for a reason, don't we? Yes, there are rules/laws, but walls? I have a problem with this analogy. If I understand correctly, we are to choose God and the Church, not be blinded to other possibilities.
We should know what is right through the Church, but without our own hearts and minds involved, of what good is our compliance?
You may have taken this analogy too far. Do you have children?
How so?
Here ... to put it into more practical adult Catholic terms, when I attended catholic school as a child, the Sisters admonished us to never attend services at a non-Catholic church. At the time, I did not know anyone who wasn't Catholic so it was a non issue. Later, in my young adult years, a coworker invited me to attend Syunday services at her Presbyterian Church. Flashback to Sister's words! My coworker was in a state of personal distress and I had suggested that she return to Church. There was no way I could tell her to go without me so, using my free will, I accompanied her to that Sunday's service. The service bore a resemblance to our Catholic Mass until some woman appeared in the Sanctuary during the Offertory, wearing a very transparent outfit and danced. (this was 30+ years ago!) I was completely scandalized and fully understood Sister's admonition.
Shepherds guard their flocks but the sheep still have free will. Since closing 5 of the 6 Catholic parishes in a nearby community, many of those Catholics who lost their homes have now 'strayed' into a vibrant Evangelical church. Once we complete the transformaton of the old Methodist Church into a Catholic Church, I plan to go door to door to invite the Catholics back home.
Thanks for your ping.
However, I’m allergic to ecumenical threads.
Or is it that they are allergic to me. I don’t always keep administrivia things straight.
*******************
Did they simply stray, or did they feel abandoned by the Church?
Going door to door is a wonderful gesture on your part, but what about the responsibility of the "shepherds"?
You may be right about this article. It's possible that I am not able to accept its wisdom at this time, and that upon further reflection I will feel otherwise.
The Church didn't abandon them; their 'progressive' shepherd did. He learned a lesson, however, from this exercise and is applying it in another city. Rather than make the personal decision to close parishes, he has left that decision to the parishes themselves with the admonition that it must be made. One of the Churches that will close is the only one in the diocese with the Tridentine Mass and an Adoration Chapel.
Going door to door is a wonderful gesture on your part, but what about the responsibility of the "shepherds"?
The Church closings are the result, in part, to a priest shortage (artfully crafted by the bishop turning away young orthodox men because they don't share his mindset ... I've spoken to some of them). The bishop 'regrets' the fact that the Catholic Church does not allow for the ordination of women and married men. To compensate, he has wrested control of many parishes away from the few remaining 'orthodox' priests and turned it over to Lay Ecclesial Ministers (mostly women). These aging priests are expected to commute from one parish to another to 'hear confessions' and 'consecrate the Eucharist for distribution by EMHCs'. Only a select number of parishes are still run by certain priests who are the bishop's "right hand" men. The congregations at those parishes are quite large and those Catholics truly believe that this diocese exemplifies all Catholic dioceses across the US. They truly believe there is a priest shortage, that women should be ordained and that laity should run the parishes.
It's possible that I am not able to accept its wisdom at this time, and that upon further reflection I will feel otherwise.
Personally, I thank God for the Magisterium and our beloved pope. One of my coworkers is a young and enthusiastic Baptist. He just ordered a concordium which allows him to research the Bible in its original language and examine the various translations into English. He trusts no one other than himself and the new pastor they just brought up here from Texas. Multiply him times the number of others out there who each feel justified to interpret Scripture on their own.
Look at the magnificent array of saints whose wisdom is available to us for study and reflection and the devotions that have sprung up over the centuries. What a treasure is our Church!
Look at the magnificent array of saints whose wisdom is available to us for study and reflection and the devotions that have sprung up over the centuries. What a treasure is our Church!
*************************
NYer, I agree completely! I confess it may well be my own stubbornness that has been at work here.
Translation, please?
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Really! ;-)
Great! I appreciate that. (Really!)
Given what I have posted to you Trish about our 'progressive' bishop and the damage inflicted on this diocese since his election 30+ years ago, here are some observations, from an 'eastern' perspective. I ran into two women neighbors (Jeanette and Sandy) last night while walking the dog. Both are Roman Catholic. One of these women, Jeanette, accompanied me twice to our pastor's Lenten "gospel soiree" (a simple gathering to read and reflect on the Gospel). Coming from the Middle East, he does an amazing job of explaining the significance of "wells", "water", "Samaritans" and the like in the Gospels. He also uses these casual get togethers to reinforce orthodox catholic teaching. Jeanette was so impressed and thanked me repeatedly for the invitation.
So last night Jeanette asked about the pastor whom we call Abouna (that is how all priests in the Middle East are addressed). She then turned to Sandy to say that Father is like Fr. Corapi. Sandy, also an older woman, shot an appreciative smile. I described the present situation - the future rectory is nearly complete, the stained glass windows of the future church have been removed to be restored by professionals in NJ and the current 'church' (it is really a shrine on which walls were erected temporarily 40 years ago) is being gutted to repair the massive damage from a freak ice storm that perforated the roof 2 years ago, resulting in mold and mildew throughout the small building. Well, Jeanette went on and on about this awesome priest and his orthodox preaching. This naturally gained greater interest by Sandy who said: "When you form a choir, call me".
Trish, these two women exemplify the majority of Roman Catholics in the US. They have never been taught about the Eastern Churches. There are several answers I could have given Sandy last night. "We don't need a choir since our entire liturgy (Mass) is sung and we could definitely benefit from your voice. Or I could have invested time explaining about the 22 churches that make up the Catholic Church but, at her advanced age, it would be difficult to absorb.
The point I am trying to make is that within the confines (gated) of the Catholic Church, there is such a rich and vibrant heritage of traditions, prayers, devotions and worship. It has been noted by some exegetes that most Catholics in their lifetimes are only exposed to a small fraction of all that is out there and available to them. The "gates" prevent us from wandering to other denominations in search of whatever we feel is missing in our own Church. A good example of this would be those who wander off to the Evangelical Churches to hear a preacher discuss Scripture. In the Latin Church, a Catholic reads the entire Bible over the span of 3 years - that's far more than they would hear in the Evangelical Church. Obviously, something is not connecting with this community.
As I noted above, the Church is a tremendous treasure to be discovered. The Catholics in this forum are far more savvy and better informed than the average pew Catholic. There is no need to wander past this treasury for outside, is nothing more than massive confusion.
This is not an attempt to have the last word. I simply wanted to clarify my 'understanding' of the "gates".
God bless you both!
Tell Abouna that we had Lebanese friends, Orthodox, over for dinner here at the cottage last Thursday night. They brought with them a bottle of Clos St. Thomas 2004 from the Bekaa Valley. He might recognize the monastery.
We’re saving the bottle for a special occasion as I am told the wine is extraordinary.
As I noted above, the Church is a tremendous treasure to be discovered. The Catholics in this forum are far more savvy and better informed than the average pew Catholic. There is no need to wander past this treasury for outside, is nothing more than massive confusion.
**********************
On this we are in complete agreement. I, too, remember being told by my teachers (nuns) not to visit other churches. I made the mistake in my teens of joining a friend at her church, and although I never did more than attend services, as I have looked back on my life I see that this experience did nothing to further my religious commitment. For me, the journey has been and continues to be a long one, and I regret the time wasted.
Thanks, NYer.
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