Cardinal Arinze Defines a Truly Catholic College

Says Intellectual Formation Must Be Accompanied by Morals

MANASSAS, Virginia, MAY 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The mark of a good Catholic university is success at turning out model Christians who are good citizens, says Cardinal Francis Arinze.

The cardinal, former prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, affirmed this May 10 in a commencement address he delivered at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire.

He said that a Catholic college that adopts an attitude of "courageous creativity and rigorous fidelity" contributes much to promoting a "healthy synthesis between faith and culture in society," the Cardinal Newman Society reported.

Cardinal Arinze contended that a Catholic institution of higher learning should teach its students "to appreciate that moral rules of right and wrong apply also to science, technology, politics, trade and commerce, and indeed to all human endeavors."

"In the complicated world of today, where all kinds of ideas are struggling for the right of citizenship, a university student needs a clear and viable orientation on the relationship between religion and life," he continued. "The Catholic college or university is ideally positioned to help him see the light and equip himself for a significant contribution in society."

The cardinal recognized that universities need to offer premium intellectual formation, but he affirmed that formation in upright behavior is also a need.

"But what does it profit us if a student is an intellectual giant but a moral baby," he asked, "if he or she can shoot out mathematical or historical facts like a computer but is unfortunately a problem for the parents, corrosive acid among companions in the college, a drug addict and sexual pervert, a disgrace to the school, a waste-pipe in the place of work and 'Case No. 23' for the criminal police? It is clear that intellectual development is not enough."

The former Vatican official acknowledged that defending morality can bring difficult consequences. "A person who holds that certain actions, like direct abortion, are always objectively wrong, is regarded as 'judgmental,' or as imposing his views on others," he said.

But, citing the teachings of Benedict XVI, the cardinal added: "The exercise of freedom in pursuit of the truth is very much a part of integral education. If a Catholic college or university does not help in this way, should we not say that it has failed in one of its important roles?"

"If a Catholic college or university answers to its vocation in the ways outlined above, then it will be educating, forming and releasing into society model citizens who will be a credit to their families, their college, the Church and the state," the cardinal stated. "It will prepare for us members of Congress or the Senate who will not say 'I am a Catholic, but ...' but rather those who will say 'I am a Catholic, and therefore ...'"

I think there is much good coming from this issue. The dialogue is open. That said, here is the problem as I see it:

Proper formation is the cause of morals, not the other way around. It is almost impossible to create catholic moral standards without proper formation. This is evidenced by the amount of catholics who voted for Obama, and dissent from catholic teaching today. What has changed? Not the Churches teachings, but the failure to properly form Catholics in them.

By the Bishops, Cardinals and Popes not forcefully reigning in the priests, nuns, and various religious and properly forming them at the critical vatican 2 juncture, and by not correcting the same who spread dissent, heresy, and the like when it first happened, we have now 2 generations of Catholics who were raised in a church that no one prior to them even recognizes.

We must get a hold of our youth. We must hear, consistently and firmly from our bishops, cardinals, and pope. Bishops must take a hard line and clean out the churches, prune the dead wood, and call apostacy, heresy and dissent what it is. They must find the strength to become and remain faithful to the teachings of the church and support the faithful in this.

It is commendable but reprehensible that 70 bishops have spoken out. Less than one quarter of bishops have spoken out about ND. If this is a universal teaching of the church, and always has been, what message does that send? This is the right wing extremist side of the church? That the majority of bishops do NOT agree with Rome? That we are on the wrong side because we are unwilling to bend on this issue?

We need a reigning in of the folks in charge of the Catholic Church in America. Our beloved Pope must understand, as goes America, so goes the world. Catholics everywhere are watching, and they are seeing its ok for us to kill babies and take communion. Its ok for us to have a quarter of our bishops in union with the pope on this issue. Its ok for American Catholics to dissent on gay marriage, women priests, bastardized masses, and being pro choice , pro birth control, pro pre marital sex AND catholic.

Many countries are now having to deal with these very issues as well. Dissent from certain teachings is growing rapidly around the world. It is because they see a double standard. I know it is frustrating to me, and becoming harder to teach my kids the WHY they should or shouldn’t do this or that, but other Catholics can and its ok. Just how do you expect us to form our children and call evil evil and good good, when all around them they see error NOT being stamped out by our leaders? Maybe they will start to think it is NOT the Churches teaching, it is MY teaching and since it is only MY opinion and not the Churches, they can CHOOSE to obey or not. I mean, how serious of an issue can it be if only my mom and maybe a couple of people stick to it, but not even the priests, bishops, or pope has much to say about it? Or if the priests ignore the bishops, like Fr. Jenkins did? How does it look to the kids if only a quarter of the bishops say its wrong, the priest still does it, and three quarters of the bishops remain silent?

You want to recapture the people, stand up for them. Correct the errors, swiftly and severely. Surely you cannot expect our youth to understand why the martyrs died for a piece of bread, can you? If we aren’t willing to even stand up to murder of the unborn, error being taught in the churches, and bishops who won’t rebuke their priests, nuns, and apostate members, just how do you plan to teach the children to die for a piece of bread??

Do as I say, not as I do, is not a method that works with this generation. I am glad our youth seem to be somehow finding their way in spite of this. I guess their Father in heaven is stepping in until He can clean house.

Sorry for the rant, but I am getting pretty frustrated about this issue.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.