Catholic teachings for those who've drifted away, Re: US Catechism for Young Adults

The Catholic Church in the United States is on the way to having its first national catechism since the old Baltimore Catechism that children memorized for 80 years. But this new one is aimed at adults - specifically young adults who have left the church or are on the brink of falling away.

"It was a labor of love," said Bishop Donald Wuerl of Pittsburgh, who shepherded the text through four years, three drafts and more than 10,000 suggested amendments from fellow bishops.

"We are trying to reach so many of those young people, young adults, who have drifted away from practice of the faith, and to invite these seekers - as they are sometimes called - back to an understanding and practice of the faith."

Each of the 36 chapters opens with a story about a faithful Catholic, most of them Americans. An explanation of church teaching is followed by examples of how the teaching applies to daily life, questions for reflection and a meditation.

The U.S. bishops have overwhelmingly approved The United States Catechism for Young Adults. But it must also receive approval in Rome, which Wuerl hopes will take no more than a year. The earliest likely publication date would be spring 2006.

Given the popularity of the much longer, more academic, 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, the bishops hope this simplified, Americanized version will sell well. It is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which Vatican officials urged bishops to adapt in national versions geared to their own cultures.

One of the most contentious issues surrounding the English version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was Rome's insistence on using exclusively male terms for references to all humanity. Many bishops thought that would alienate younger women unused hearing themselves called "men." The United States Catechism for Young Adults uses gender-inclusive language for human beings, while retaining male pronouns for God.

The bishops who drafted it had long discussions about how to present complex theological concepts to people who get their ideas of church from television.

The official theological definition of a sacrament - "an outward sign instituted by Christ to give us grace" - may perplex the average college student. The United States Catechism for Young Adults explains it in familiar terms.

"Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality we see is the hug. The invisible reality the hug |conveys is love," it says.

The faith stories include those of well-known figures such as St. Katherine Drexel and Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement. But they also feature lesser-known ones such as Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, daughter of the novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who dedicated her life to caring for people who were dying of cancer.

Conservative Catholic groups criticized some choices, especially the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, a leader among the more liberal post-Vatican II bishops, and Cesar Chavez, who struggled to unionize migrant farmworkers in California. Wuerl - who considered Bernardin a friend and role model - makes no apologies.

Chavez, he said, was chosen "because his life speaks to something that is very American, the struggle to improve the economic status of a group of working people. ... But he infused into all of this the Gospel spirit. So he seems the perfect example."

However, the final draft removed the Trappist monk and author Thomas Merton, who was originally the opening story. Every bishop on the committee had read Merton's best-selling 1949 autobiography about his journey from atheism to faith, and thought he was an excellent example of a young American searching for God. But conservative Catholics reject Merton, who died in 1968, because they believe his later interest in Buddhist forms of prayer compromised his faith.

Merton was removed was because "the generation we were speaking to had no idea who he was," Wuerl said. "Only secondarily did we take into consideration that we don't know all the details of the searching at the end of his life."

The new catechism represents a sacrifice for Wuerl, who expects it to replace "The Teaching of Christ," an adult catechism he co-authored in 1976, which has been published in at least 12 languages.

"I would be pleased to see the bishops' catechism become the new adult catechism. The goal is to get the teaching into people's hands, not to push a specific instrument for that teaching," he said.

There is some Catholic group -official name and all- that disseminates newsletters, one of which I picked up in the very liberal Church close to where I live. This was probably 2 years ago ago.

Anyway, the group advocated for restriction of the sale of produce from one state to another. The group also stated in the newsletter that Americans consume more food resources than they actually need to survive, and I believe they advocated for some legislation that would forcibly reduce the percentage we consume. It was an absolute Communist document.

That being said I have a soft spot for campesinos, they work like dogs, and have none of the labor protections that we all have. If the new Cathechism were to reflect the time honored tradition of respecting the workers of the field, I see that as good. I don't know enough about Chavez to know whether he is a blight or not.

When I was in 4th grade our Parish Priest used to go into the farmland in my area (which was immense), gather the children of the migrants, and bring them into our school. It was marvelous. Fr. Wrigley was his name, and he was a real Shepeherd.

If we have a problem with illegals, it's our own fault. We don't really secure our borders as they should be, IMO, and because the economy benefits from their cheap, plentiful labor, the powers that be allow the situation to remain as is.

The thing that bothers me the most about illegals, is not necessarily that they're here, but that they don't seem to develop an appreciation and love for the United States, as legal immigrant groups did in the past. To my way of thinking it's a recipe for balkanization, given the probable growing percentage of that population.

This "catechism" is nothing but a steaming pile of crap dressed as a rose.

Can anyone tell me what hero of the communies Ceasar Chavez has to do our faith? Bernadin is a disgrace who should be thrown into the ash heap of history as an example of how NOT to be a Catholic, not imortalized in the catechism.

More garbage and watering down of the faith from our compromised bishops. Of course Rome will rubber stamp this in no time. I'm wondering when the flock is going to wake up and realize their church is being destroyed before their eyes and their being led astray. Nobody should follow or financially support these disgraceful left wing princes.

The sedes are starting to look like they're onto something when they say that there is no catholic church under the present leadership.

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

September 17, 2004

St. Robert Bellarmine

(1542-1621)

When Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570, the study of Church history and the Fathers of the Church was in a sad state of neglect. A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, he devoted his energy to these two subjects, as well as to Scripture, in order to systematize Church doctrine against the attacks of the Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain.

His most famous work is his three-volume Disputations on the Controversies of the Christian faith. Particularly noteworthy are the sections on the temporal power of the pope and the role of the laity. He incurred the anger of both England and France by showing the divine-right-of-kings theory untenable. He developed the theory of the indirect power of the pope in temporal affairs; although he was defending the pope against the Scottish philosopher Barclay, he also incurred the ire of Pope Sixtus V.

Bellarmine was made a cardinal by Pope Clement VIII on the grounds that "he had not his equal for learning." While he occupied apartments in the Vatican, Bellarmine relaxed none of his former austerities. He limited his household expenses to what was barely essential, eating only the food available to the poor. He was known to have ransomed a soldier who had deserted from the army and he used the hangings of his rooms to clothe poor people, remarking, "The walls won't catch cold."

Among many activities, he became theologian to Pope Clement VIII, preparing two catechisms which have had great influence in the Church.

The last major controversy of Bellarmine's life came in 1616 when he had to admonish his friend Galileo, whom he admired. Bellarmine delivered the admonition on behalf of the Holy Office, which had decided that the heliocentric theory of Copernicus was contrary to Scripture. The admonition amounted to a caution against putting forward—other than as a hypothesis—theories not yet fully proved. It was an example of the fact that saints are not infallible.

Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621. The process for his canonization was begun in 1627 but was delayed for political reasons, stemming from his writings, until 1930. In 1931 Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church.

Comment:

The renewal in the Church sought by Vatican II was difficult for many Catholics. In the course of change, many felt a lack of firm guidance from those in authority. They yearned for the stone columns of orthodoxy and an iron command with clearly defined lines of authority.
Vatican II assures us in The Church in the Modern World, "There are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, who is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever."
Robert Bellarmine devoted his life to the study of Scripture and Catholic doctrine. His writings help us understand that not only is the content of our faith important, it is Jesus' living person—as revealed by his life, death and resurrection—that is the source of revelation.
The real source of our faith is not merely a set of doctrines but rather the person of Christ still living in the Church today.
When he left his apostles, Jesus assured them of his living presence: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth" (see John 16:30).

Quote:

"Sharing in solicitude for all the Churches, bishops exercise this episcopal office of theirs, received through episcopal consecration, in communion with and under the authority of the Supreme Pontiff. All are united in a college or body with respect to teaching the universal Church of God and governing her as shepherds" (Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 3).

As usual I think your comments are spot-on.

Illegal immigration is a little infuriating for those of us who have direct relatives who immigrated (legally). That being said, I realize that my "people" came over on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria NOT the Mayflower. So, I too, have nothing against Cesar Chavez...I grew up in urban housing project...but it seems he is being manipulated by present-day socialists. Ironies of ironies...illegal immigration is undermining the unionization efforts of the hotel workers in Boston...they are trying to organize for a living wage ..but the hotels keep hiring illegals for minimum wage....thanks Teddy Kennedy, you are a great Catholic [/sarcasm] .

I guess the catechism dropped Thomas Merton the lapsed Benedictine monk (who corpse was discovered by none other than Rember Weakland, weird huh?) My diocesian newspaper reports that Merton scholars are organizing a protest.... I guess when they canonize Merton he will be Patron Saint of Lapsed Catholics.

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