US bishops say homilies should invite Catholics to conversion
This is a syndicated post from CNA Daily News – US. [Read the original article...]
Baltimore, Md., Nov 14, 2012 / 06:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Sunday homilies should promote repentance, instill a sense of mission and lead Catholics to grow in understanding their faith, the U.S. bishops said in a new document on preaching.
“The ultimate goal of proclaiming the Gospel is to lead people into a loving and intimate relationship with the Lord, a relationship that forms the character of their persons and guides them in living out their faith,” the bishops emphasized.
In “Preaching the Mystery of Faith: the Sunday Homily,” the bishops offered a reflection on preaching for priests, deacons and those who are responsible for forming them.
Members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve the document – which will also be translated into Spanish – on Nov. 13 at their fall general assembly in Baltimore. The vote tally was 227 in favor, 11 against and four abstaining.
The bishops noted that Catholics have asked for “more powerful and inspiring preaching” in surveys, and that the laity can become discouraged by a “steady diet of tepid or poorly prepared homilies.”
Homilists should respond to this desire by preaching with a “sense of urgency and freshness,” connecting Scripture, the Eucharist and the Creed, they advised.
As an “intrinsic part of the Sunday Eucharist,” the bishops said in the document, every homily must be centered on the person of Christ, whose death and resurrection are at the heart of our salvation.
“If a homilist conveys merely some example of proverbial wisdom or good manners, or only some insight gained from his personal experience, he may have spoken accurately and even helpfully, but he has not yet spoken the Gospel,” they stated.
And while “every effective homily is a summons to conversion,” the bishops also said this does not mean that a homilist should “simply berate the people for their failures.”
Instead, the clergy should emphasize the “offer of grace” and do so with “pastoral sensitivity.”
This invitation and “promise of grace” is an important context, particularly when addressing those who do not regularly attend Mass or discussing the moral challenges presented by Church teaching on delicate issues such as sexuality and marriage, they added.
The bishops also acknowledged that many Catholics seem to lack knowledge of Church teaching and be in need of stronger catechesis.
Since “the Sunday liturgy remains the basic setting in which most adult Catholics encounter Christ and their Catholic faith,” they counseled homilists to use the opportunity to present Church doctrine.
Over time, the homilist should cover the entire scope of the Church’s rich catechetical teaching, including its stance on critical issues such as the respect for human life, the importance of religious freedom and justice for the poor and migrants.
“Homilies are inspirational when they touch the deepest levels of the human heart and address the real questions of human experience,” the bishops said, noting the importance of incorporating both ordinary experiences and the deeper hopes and longings that give meaning to them.
“Our encounter with Jesus inevitably leads to mission,” they noted, adding that homilies are incomplete if they do not inspire a sense of mission that translates love of Christ into love for others.
Building on the New Evangelization, the Year of Faith and the call for a renewal of preaching by Pope Benedict XVI at the 2008 Synod on the Word, the bishops explained that preaching is a participation in the apostolic continuation of Jesus’ ministry.
They pointed to Mary as an example of hearing and proclaiming the Word of God without hesitation.
In their personal lives, homilists should work towards ongoing spiritual renewal, seeking to lead lives of holiness with a deep love of Scripture and respect for Tradition, they said.
The effectiveness of preaching can also be improved through an understanding of contemporary culture, including the music, movies and websites that are a part of the people’s lives.
The bishops offered several factors to consider when preparing homilies, including the growing individualism in modern culture, the need to speak respectfully about other religious traditions and the cultural diversity of Church communities.
“Once he has come to know the customs, mores, practices, history, and religiosity of a people, a homilist can draw on that richness in order to make his presentation of the faith fresh and enlivening,” they said.
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The ‘green’ pope: Benedict’s calls for creation care earns notice
The ‘green’ pope: Benedict’s calls for creation care earns notice
By Dennis Sadowski
Posted: 11/23/2012
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Care for creation has been a hallmark of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy.
From his 2009 encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”) to his leadership in guiding the Vatican to reduce its carbon footprint, Pope Benedict continues an 800-year Catholic tradition of holding up the environment as a gift from God that must be protected and sustained.
His writings on the environment are so extensive that some Catholics call him the “green” pope.
Taken collectively, Pope Benedict’s unwavering writings on the importance of protecting God’s creation and the need to address climate change offer a starting point for Catholics to respond to the ecological dangers facing the world.
In an effort to consider the fullness of those teachings, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change and The Catholic University of America’s Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies hosted a symposium Nov. 8-10 in Washington to examine the U.S. Catholic response to environmental concerns might entail.
Dan Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, told Catholic News Service that the time was right for Catholics to share the rich tradition of Catholic teaching on the environment in an effort to shape how the world addresses climate change and other environmental concerns.
“We do not have time,” he said. “We have to begin to do this.
“If we don’t do it right, if we’re not faithful to who we are as Catholics, then we cede the issue to the environmental groups. The solutions (they offer) won’t be as attentive to the needs of people, particularly poor people,” he said.
Overall, about 60 people attended the event to hear a dozen presenters on a wide range of topics: the influence of works by St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II on Pope Benedict’s writings; biblical images of creation; the prayers and ritual in the celebration of Mass that call to mind God’s creation; the American lifestyle and the nature of sin; and everyday habits people can adopt in an effort to take better care of the environment.
Some speakers called for the pope’s teachings to be explored in Sunday homilies, school curricula and parish Bible study and discussion groups. The environment, they said, is far too important to be ignored by church institutions.
Underlying the symposium was a special focus on the impact of climate change on poor people around the world and Pope Benedict’s distinctive concern for them. Presenters noted it is poor people who suffer most because of climate change and benefit least from industrialization and economic globalization, major contributors to environmental degradation.
“The church can gain an understanding of what love for your neighbor means today, and love for your neighbor means caring for the environment that the global neighbor lives in,” said attendee Erin Lothes Biviano, assistant professor of theology at College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J.
“It means protecting people from hunger, drought, increases in tropical diseases, dislocation of climate refugees,” she said. “It is essential that the church’s powerful social justice tradition bring light to that.”
Christiana Z. Peppard, assistant professor of theology and science and ethics at Fordham University, raised ethical questions surrounding the evolution of water as a commodity to be bottled and sold as opposed to being a gift of the earth that is a necessity for life.
Citing a statement from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, she identified fresh water as a right-to-life issue. “This is powerful language in an American context,” she told the symposium.
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The ‘green’ pope: Benedict’s calls for creation care earns notice
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WASHINGTON — Care for creation has been a hallmark of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy.
From his 2009 encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”) to his leadership in guiding the Vatican to reduce its carbon footprint, Pope Benedict continues an 800-year Catholic tradition of holding up the environment as a gift from God that must be protected and sustained.
His writings on the environment are so extensive that some Catholics call him the “green” pope.
Taken collectively, Pope Benedict’s unwavering writings on the importance of protecting God’s creation and the need to address climate change offer a starting point for Catholics to respond to the ecological dangers facing the world.
In an effort to consider the fullness of those teachings, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change and The Catholic University of America’s Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies hosted a symposium Nov. 8-10 in Washington to examine the U.S. Catholic response to environmental concerns might entail.
Dan Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, told Catholic News Service that the time was right for Catholics to share the rich tradition of Catholic teaching on the environment in an effort to shape how the world addresses climate change and other environmental concerns.
“We do not have time,” he said. “We have to begin to do this.
“If we don’t do it right, if we’re not faithful to who we are as Catholics, then we cede the issue to the environmental groups. The solutions (they offer) won’t be as attentive to the needs of people, particularly poor people,” he said.
Overall, about 60 people attended the event to hear a dozen presenters on a wide range of topics: the influence of works by St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II on Pope Benedict’s writings; biblical images of creation; the prayers and ritual in the celebration of Mass that call to mind God’s creation; the American lifestyle and the nature of sin; and everyday habits people can adopt in an effort to take better care of the environment.
Some speakers called for the pope’s teachings to be explored in Sunday homilies, school curricula and parish Bible study and discussion groups. The environment, they said, is far too important to be ignored by Church institutions.
Underlying the symposium was a special focus on the impact of climate change on poor people around the world and Pope Benedict’s distinctive concern for them. Presenters noted it is poor people who suffer most because of climate change and benefit least from industrialization and economic globalization, major contributors to environmental degradation.
“The Church can gain an understanding of what love for your neighbor means today, and love for your neighbor means caring for the environment that the global neighbor lives in,” said attendee Erin Lothes Biviano, assistant professor of theology at College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J.
“It means protecting people from hunger, drought, increases in tropical diseases, dislocation of climate refugees,” she said. “It is essential that the Church’s powerful social justice tradition bring light to that.”
Christiana Z. Peppard, assistant professor of theology and science and ethics at Fordham University, raised ethical questions surrounding the evolution of water as a commodity to be bottled and sold as opposed to being a gift of the earth that is a necessity for life.
Citing a statement from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, she identified fresh water as a right-to-life issue. “This is powerful language in an American context,” she told the symposium.
David Cloutier, associate professor of theology at Mount St. Mary’s University, on sabbatical as he writes a book on the morality of luxury, examined how Pope Benedict ties environmental concern to traditional Catholic moral values as expressed in the concern for hungry, poor and marginalized people.
“The bottom line is taking care for the environment is a serious commitment that is required of Catholics,” he told CNS.
The symposium also pointed to the long history of Church teaching on creation’s goodness. Scott Hefelfinger, doctoral candidate at the University of Notre Dame, called for Catholics to tap that history on behalf of the common good, as expressed in the Second Vatican Council document “Gaudium et Spes,” the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.
The celebration of the Eucharist at Mass can inspire Catholic values on creation as well when worshippers understand the meanings of prayers and see the gifts of bread and wine as gifts of the earth, explained Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin, professor of liturgical studies at The Catholic University of America.
“If liturgy is what we pray and what we believe, then it ought to impact on how we live,” he said “We use the things of this world to worship God and worship of God is about a common celebration. Therefore, how does that celebration help us revere and share with the world?”
In the end, the conference offered no definitive solutions, but held out a wide range of actions and reflections for Catholics to consider in raising their awareness of the Church’s respect for creation. Speaker Mary Ashley, doctoral student at the Graduate Theological Union in Oakland, Calif., said there are many ways for Catholics to “plunge in” on behalf of the environment.
“We image God when we love God’s creation,” she said.
Misleh said the symposium’s proceedings will be published some time in 2013, with the goal of making it available to parishes, schools and environmental groups interested in putting the pope’s teachings into action.
How Many More Women Like Savita Halappanavar Should We Tolerate?
This weekend, 10,000 people in Ireland marched to protest the death of Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year old woman who died after a hospital decided not perform an abortion that would have saved her life. “Sad” does not begin to describe her husband’s account of the three frightening and agonizing days she suffered before dying of septicemia and E. Coli infection, while asking that doctors save her life. When I first learned of her death, I assumed that the hospital was Catholic, but I was wrong. It’s not. This is almost worse. Despite repeated requests for a medical termination, they were told, “This is a Catholic country.” She died of an infection resulting from religious misogyny — which is characterized by women’s “limited access to power and decision making” — and a government’s failure to protect her from it.
Ireland’s abortion ban is supposed to include exceptions for the life of the mother. But Ireland has no clear procedures for ensuring that this happens. And Irish Catholic Bishops lead the charge in the campaign to make sure that it these procedures are not put into law. International human rights law makes clear a woman’s right to access a safe and legal abortion in situations where her life is at risk. As Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, explains: “Where governments fail to clearly provide this access they are in violation of their international human rights obligations.”
And, in the U.S.? Three days ago, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, explained that the U.S. Catholic Bishops would not bow to the Heath and Human Services requirements regarding women’s health care. Doesn’t this mean, in addition to the obvious birth control/insurance denial, that for at least the next eight months, religiously affiliated hospitals will continue to compromise doctors’ ability to do what they think is right, dangerously turn away pregnant women seeking emergency medical care or deny them life saving abortions if they are unable to be moved. He stressed during the press conference that “It’s still not doomsday yet,” unless, of course, you are not a Cardinal or a Bishop and instead a woman like Savita.
The question is: How many more women like Savita Halappanavar should we tolerate in our continued privileging of religion’s massively gender-informed obsession with sacrifice and innocence, sin and shame?
We don’t live in a “Catholic country,” but we do live in a country, one of six including Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Vatican City and the small island nations of Nauru, Palau, Tonga, that won’t ratify CEDAW (The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), where an entire political party wants to extend 14th amendment rights to fertilized eggs, and where U.S. Catholic Bishops are adamant in their refusal to comply with the law.
While freedom of religion is a vital right, it is no more so than freedom from religion. The Irish government failed to protect Savita Halappanavar from the religious beliefs of others — beliefs she did not share that cost her her life and resulted in her being treated as an incubator for her dying fetus. What Cardinal Dolan, longing to operate Catholic hospitals as sovereign states, expects is that women in those hospitals in the United States be prepared to do the same when faced with similar situations And we are supposed to agree and tolerate the occasional risk and maybe death as the price we pay for the social safety net that the Church has historically provided. This is not a good trade. It never has been for women.
When asked if he was prepared to pay fines, close hospitals or follow the law, Cardinal Dolan answered that the only thing “we are certain to do is not give in.” It is hard not to wonder, given the timing of Savita’s death and his announcement, if her end was “consonant with the high moral principles” that the Bishops are adhering to.
I’m not being flip and do not doubt in the least that Cardinal Dolan and the Bishops take their task with the utmost seriousness and compassion. But, ethics are informed by experience and, as such, their ethics will remain fatally flawed and their conclusions fatally unjust. His approach, he explained, would have an “enthusiastic unity among the bishops,” none of whom, please note, may have sex or can get pregnant, miscarry, give birth or die trying. This is important. The assessment of what constitutes “just” in this equation is ultimately made almost exclusively, if not exclusively, by men. Contrary to what the History Channel would have you believe this month, “Mankind” is NOT the “story of all of us.” Humans are made up of two sexes (not genders, not sexualities, etc.) who experience the world differently and are both fully human. Permitting, as most in this country do, the legitimacy of religious considerations, our experiences are meaningful and relevant to moral equations, everything from the Bishops’ thinking about the ethics of abortion to the evolution of Just War Theory. As long as these considerations are the result of men’s only clubs speaking for all of humanity, they are incomplete and insufficient. That’s why organizations with traditional, all-male power structures have zero business being making gender-unilateral decisions about women’s lives and health. EVER.
In addition, aside from corporate imbalances in thinking, individual women are not heartless killers or morally incompetent children perpetually in need of guidance. If Christian, including Catholic, not only can they follow the dictates of their consciences but they, morally, must.
While all-male organizations, like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, work with other practically all-male organizations, like our government, to negotiate “acceptable compromises,” women in need of timely, safe, sometimes life-saving medical treatment will continue to be at risk and will not get the treatment they have a right to. There is no shortage of examples, like the ones reported on here, The New Republic, Ms. Magazine. And, there is a reason that the National Advocates for Pregnant Women exists.
The Catholic Church has a major and growing presence in the U.S. health care market. Twelve point six percent (12.6 percent) of U.S. hospitals are Catholic and they account for 15.6 percent of hospital admissions. In addition, the Church’s penetration of the market is increasing, through mergers which often result in dangerous confusion. We don’t know the extent of the problems women and their doctors encounter because doctors and patients are going to dire lengths to work around other people’s religious beliefs and Catholic hospital prohibitions.
Catholic institutions are required to function according to the Catholic bishops’ Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, often administered through ethics panels. Women cannot know that they will not face similar death in these circumstances and doctors are put in the position of putting themselves at risk and violating established either church protocols or someone’s religious conscience. There are 63 million women of childbearing age in the U.S. Given the risks of pregnancy and our country’s religiosity, no woman should think, “it will never happen to me.” There are 456 Bishops and a handful of Protestant patriarchs, regularly aided and abetted by ambitious politicians, deciding when it will happen next.
After Sister Margaret McBride a Catholic nun — was excommunicated in the Phoenix case above, for allowing an abortion that saved the life of a 27-year-old mother of four, NPR report quoted a Boston College Catholic theology professor who explained, “They (the hospital) were in quite a dilemma… The official Church position would mandate that the correct solution would be to let both the mother and the child die.”
First, the person with the “dilemma” is the dying woman. Not the hospital. Not the priests. Not the nuns. Not the panel deciding whether she should live or die because she has the misfortune of being in a Catholic hospital, pregnant and in medical distress.
Second, these situations aren’t the result of “God’s will” or some absolute moral law, but men’s choices regarding theological preferences. And that is exactly what they are: preferences. The Church’s current position on abortion (like opinions on birth control) isn’t static, despite its roots).
Third, there is so much misinformation regarding the real risks of pregnancy and childbirth. The idea that Savita’s situation is rare is a common, reality-defying myth. Somewhere in the world, every 90 seconds a woman dies from pregnancy related illness. An additional 10 million women each year are injured through pregnancy. Not to be left out, our country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world and is on the rise. This idea of rarity is often accompanied by another that is patently false: “women don’t need abortions to save their lives,” so expertly articulated by recently defeated Republican Joe Walsh. Women do need abortions to save their lives and they are denied emergency medical care in ways that increase risk and the likelihood of death in religiously affiliated facilities. Like Savita.
We haven’t had our “own” case in the U.S. because our maternal mortality reporting is shockingly unsystematic and murky. We don’t know how many women are experiencing traumatic eventsin these ways. We need to be better about investigating hospitals for violations of The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).
There are two key religious ideas that drive our ideas about abortion: innocence and sacrifice. The central act of Christianity is sacrifice (John 3:16), and a defining characteristic of humanity is loss of innocence, often portrayed as Eve’s fault. Catholicism is most obvious about these ideas. Priestly celibacy, the Catholic mass, motherhood — all are the practice of sacrifice and self-sacrifice. In addition, abortion would not be an issue if not for the “innocence” of fetal life. Fetal innocence trumps maternal life in this milieu. All of this, in turn, is complicated by the conflation of human “life” with moral “personhood.” In any case, a religiously informed recipe for tragedies like Savita’s.
As for the”war on religion” argument the real and practical applications of that idea in the provision of health care, and insurance for that matter, ends up in obvious absurdities. The Catholic Church will not comply with the law and provide insurance coverage for birth control. Do Jehovah Witnesses likewise not comply and refuse to pay for insurance coverage of blood transfusions?
Which is why it’s important to remember that health care is not a religion and should not be governed by any one or another. If Catholic bishops and Protestant evangelical leaders want to salve consciences and reduce abortions, then they should first focus on the morality of lying to children about sex, teaching them how to be homophobic, sexist bullies, and inculcating them with debilitating shame.
As far as the good work that Catholicism does and the millions of people it legitimately helps, the church should continue and do more. Just not in hospitals. Similar transitions have happened in the past. Cardinal Dolan and the bishops should devise a migration strategy to get out of the hospital business sooner rather than later and dedicate their substantial time, energy and money to charitable enterprises that do not allow living, breathing women to die in pain and suffering when they ask to live and can indeed be saved.
Bioethics are complex and rarely covered well in media. For example, issues such as philosophical debate over “life” and what constitutes “personhood” don’t often make it into mainstream press. But, this much is simple: the continued exclusion of women in moral and ethical decision making, particularly when it is focused on pregnancy, is unconscionable. Mainstream media fails there as well. If all-male rule churches and their passionate adherents are unable to adhere to policies requiring hospitals to treat women in ways that do not exacerbate harm and to save their lives when possible, then they should not be in the business of providing degraded and dangerous health care.
Until laws are enforced that make sure this happens, women like Savita Halappanavar will die in vain… whether the hospitals are Catholic or not.
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US bishops say homilies should invite Catholics to conversion
.-
Sunday homilies should promote repentance, instill a sense of mission and lead Catholics to grow in understanding their faith, the U.S. bishops said in a new document on preaching.
“The ultimate goal of proclaiming the Gospel is to lead people into a loving and intimate relationship with the Lord, a relationship that forms the character of their persons and guides them in living out their faith,” the bishops emphasized.
In “Preaching the Mystery of Faith: the Sunday Homily,” the bishops offered a reflection on preaching for priests, deacons and those who are responsible for forming them.
Members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve the document – which will also be translated into Spanish – on Nov. 13 at their fall general assembly in Baltimore. The vote tally was 227 in favor, 11 against and four abstaining.
The bishops noted that Catholics have asked for “more powerful and inspiring preaching” in surveys, and that the laity can become discouraged by a “steady diet of tepid or poorly prepared homilies.”
Homilists should respond to this desire by preaching with a “sense of urgency and freshness,” connecting Scripture, the Eucharist and the Creed, they advised.
As an “intrinsic part of the Sunday Eucharist,” the bishops said in the document, every homily must be centered on the person of Christ, whose death and resurrection are at the heart of our salvation.
“If a homilist conveys merely some example of proverbial wisdom or good manners, or only some insight gained from his personal experience, he may have spoken accurately and even helpfully, but he has not yet spoken the Gospel,” they stated.
And while “every effective homily is a summons to conversion,” the bishops also said this does not mean that a homilist should “simply berate the people for their failures.”
Instead, the clergy should emphasize the “offer of grace” and do so with “pastoral sensitivity.”
This invitation and “promise of grace” is an important context, particularly when addressing those who do not regularly attend Mass or discussing the moral challenges presented by Church teaching on delicate issues such as sexuality and marriage, they added.
The bishops also acknowledged that many Catholics seem to lack knowledge of Church teaching and be in need of stronger catechesis.
Since “the Sunday liturgy remains the basic setting in which most adult Catholics encounter Christ and their Catholic faith,” they counseled homilists to use the opportunity to present Church doctrine.
Over time, the homilist should cover the entire scope of the Church’s rich catechetical teaching, including its stance on critical issues such as the respect for human life, the importance of religious freedom and justice for the poor and migrants.
“Homilies are inspirational when they touch the deepest levels of the human heart and address the real questions of human experience,” the bishops said, noting the importance of incorporating both ordinary experiences and the deeper hopes and longings that give meaning to them.
“Our encounter with Jesus inevitably leads to mission,” they noted, adding that homilies are incomplete if they do not inspire a sense of mission that translates love of Christ into love for others.
Building on the New Evangelization, the Year of Faith and the call for a renewal of preaching by Pope Benedict XVI at the 2008 Synod on the Word, the bishops explained that preaching is a participation in the apostolic continuation of Jesus’ ministry.
They pointed to Mary as an example of hearing and proclaiming the Word of God without hesitation.
In their personal lives, homilists should work towards ongoing spiritual renewal, seeking to lead lives of holiness with a deep love of Scripture and respect for Tradition, they said.
The effectiveness of preaching can also be improved through an understanding of contemporary culture, including the music, movies and websites that are a part of the people’s lives.
The bishops offered several factors to consider when preparing homilies, including the growing individualism in modern culture, the need to speak respectfully about other religious traditions and the cultural diversity of Church communities.
“Once he has come to know the customs, mores, practices, history, and religiosity of a people, a homilist can draw on that richness in order to make his presentation of the faith fresh and enlivening,” they said.
Tags:
USCCB, Liturgy, Homilies
Loyola Institute for Ministry, CNS launch new website for Year of Faith
Loyola Institute for Ministry, CNS launch new website for Year of Faith
Published:
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Loyola Institute for Ministry of Loyola University New Orleans and Catholic News Service have launched a new website where Catholic media and others can post news and information on the Year of Faith. The new site will aggregate stories, multimedia treatments and social media sites that deal with the yearlong celebration of the Catholic faith. “We at Loyola University New Orleans are excited about this collaboration for a number of reasons. It represents a way for Catholic higher education and the Catholic media to work together,” said Institute for Ministry director Tom Ryan. “It will facilitate publicity about the Year of Faith by gathering in one place the range of information about it, from event announcements to content in print and online media.” Ryan added that the site is a “resource for those who want to grow spiritually during this time.” Tony Spence, director and editor in chief of CNS, said: “CNS is delighted to partner with the Loyola Institute for Ministry in this excellent project. It will be a great repository for resources on the Year of Faith and new evangelization, locally, regionally, nationally, and even across countries. Users also can post information in English and Spanish.” The site can be found online at http://lim.loyno.edu/yearoffaith. Also supporting the project is the Catholic Press Association of the U.S. and Canada, which is working with the Loyola Institute on other Catholic media projects.
Copyright (c) Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .
US bishops discuss penance, homilies, religious liberty, economy
BISHOPS-ROUNDUP Nov-12-2012 (1,150 words) With photos posted Nov. 11 and 12. xxxn
US bishops discuss penance, homilies, religious liberty, economy
BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops’ fall general assembly in Baltimore began with an emphasis on conversion and a return to the sacrament of penance.
New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, told the bishops at the start of the Nov. 12-15 meeting that he could imagine the criticism he might get for emphasizing penance when there are plenty of “controversies and urgent matters for the church right now.”
Choir member Julia Lin-Peczkowski of Laurel, Md., says hello to Auxiliary Bishop Richard Spencer of the Archdiocese for the Military Service as U.S. bishops gather for Mass at the start of their annual fall meeting in Baltimore Nov. 12. Lin-Peczkowski said she knew him before he was named bishop, when he was “just Father Rick.” (CNS/Nancy Phelan Wiechec)
The cardinal also said the sacrament of penance was something the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops planned to stress for all Catholics year-round with reflections on re-embracing Friday as a day of penance, including the possible re-institution of abstinence on all Fridays.
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, papal nuncio to the United States, echoed Cardinal Dolan’s call for reconciliation.
Noting that there have been some clergy who “out of weaknesses have brought great pain to others,” Archbishop Vigano reminded the bishops. “We must continually undergo conversion ourselves … so people have faith and confidence in us.”
Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., chair of the bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, presented a document that encouraged all Catholics to make a renewed effort to seek the sacrament of penance, also known as reconciliation.
If approved, the document will be published as a pamphlet in time to allow dioceses to prepare for Lent 2013.
The bishops’ assembly, which opened nearly a week after Election Day, also included discussions about religious liberty and marriage.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said the work of defending religious liberty would continue despite “setbacks or challenges.”
“Defense of religious freedom requires not just dealing with short-term and mid-term goals, but indeed is a project that requires long-term foundational and formational work,” he added.
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, said Election Day was “a disappointing day for marriage.” Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved same-sex marriage; Minnesota voters rejected a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.
He praised the work of the bishops in those four states to defend traditional marriage, noting that in all those states they were outspent by supporters of same-sex marriage.
Each measure passed by small margins, he said, a factor that pointed to the need to “redouble our efforts.”
A new statement on the economy, intended as a pastoral message of hope, received some sharp criticism as the document was formally introduced for consideration Nov. 12.
In floor discussion, some bishops said “The Hope of the Gospel in Difficult Economic Times” — which the bishops agreed in June should be drafted and fast-tracked to be ready for November — lacked connections to the bishops’ 1986 economics pastoral letter, gave what they felt was short shrift to church teaching on workers’ rights and inadequately addressing “the growing gap between the haves and have-nots” among other issues.
The document, written by a drafting committee under the direction of Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, was scheduled for a final vote of approval Nov. 13.
The bishops also heard a preliminary presentation of a document that highlights the need for better preaching in Sunday homilies.
“Preaching the Mystery of Faith: The Sunday Homily” encourages preachers to connect the Sunday homily with people’s daily lives. It was prepared by the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, chaired by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis.
Preaching needs to be done “more effectively in the context of the new evangelization,” Archbishop Carlson said. “Our people hunger for better preaching, preaching that would help them rediscover their faith.”
The bishops also discussed the proposed “scope of work” for revision of the Liturgy of the Hours submitted by the Committee on Divine Worship. The committee’s request comes as the International Commission on English in the Liturgy has started work on revising some parts of the liturgy, specifically hymns, some orations and some antiphons.
A statement drafted by the Doctrine Committee was withdrawn, after the committee asked permission to expand its scope. Titled “Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for the Exercise of the Teaching Ministry of the Diocesan Bishop,” it calls upon bishops to take advantage of new technologies — including social media, blogging and cellphone technology — to respond when church teaching is portrayed inaccurately.
Auxiliary Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of Newark, N.J., a member of the USCCB Committee on Family, Marriage, Laity and Youth, gave an update on World Youth Day next July in Rio de Janeiro. He said about 12,000 U.S. pilgrims are expected for the international event, but organizers are preparing for a turnout of 1 million registrations, plus 2.5 million at its closing Mass.
Bishop da Cunha, a Brazilian native, also addressed safety concerns, pointing out that Rio de Janeiro’s reputation “is less than the reality.” He said organizers have gone to great lengths to address the issue. They have seen a notable police presence and felt safe there, he added.
The day before the start of the bishops’ fall assembly, officials of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious met with three U.S. bishops charged with overseeing the organization’s reform.
“The discussion was open and cordial and those present agreed to meet again to continue the conversation,” according to a brief statement issued Nov. 12 by Franciscan Sister Florence Deacon, LCWR president, and Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, who was assigned by the Vatican to provide “review, guidance and approval, where necessary, of the work” of LCWR, an umbrella group of 1,500 leaders of U.S. women’s religious communities representing about 80 percent of the country’s 57,000 women religious.
In April, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an assessment of LCWR and called for its reform to ensure its fidelity to Catholic teaching.
In another session Nov. 11, a group of U.S. bishops and Catholic bloggers discussed — and tweeted about — how to use social media to spread the Gospel message.
In elections Nov. 12, Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas was chosen as treasurer-elect by the U.S. bishops on the first day of the bishops’ assembly. The bishops chose chairmen-elect for several committees: Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, N.C., for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, for Divine Worship; Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, for Domestic Justice and Human Development; Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, N.Y. (and currently administrator of the Diocese of Portland, Maine), for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo of Seattle, for Migration.
The bishops also elected members of the board of Catholic Relief Services.
- – -
Contributing to this report were Mark Pattison, Patricia Zapor and Dennis Sadowski in Baltimore and Carol Zimmermann in Washington.
END
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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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US Bishops: Homilies Should Invite Catholics to Conversion
BALTIMORE — Sunday homilies should promote repentance, instill a sense of mission and lead Catholics to grow in understanding of their faith, the U.S. bishops said in a new document on preaching.
“The ultimate goal of proclaiming the Gospel is to lead people into a loving and intimate relationship with the Lord, a relationship that forms the character of their persons and guides them in living out their faith,” the bishops emphasized.
In “Preaching the Mystery of Faith: The Sunday Homily,” the bishops offered a reflection on preaching for priests, deacons and those who are responsible for forming them.
Members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve the document — which will also be translated into Spanish — on Nov. 13 at their fall general assembly in Baltimore. The vote tally was 227-11, with four abstaining.
The bishops noted that Catholics have asked for “more powerful and inspiring preaching” in surveys and that the laity can become discouraged by a “steady diet of tepid or poorly prepared homilies.”
Homilists should respond to this desire by preaching with a “sense of urgency and freshness,” connecting Scripture, the Eucharist and the Creed, they advised.
As an “intrinsic part of the Sunday Eucharist,” the bishops said in the document, every homily must be centered on Christ, whose death and resurrection are at the heart of our salvation.
“If a homilist conveys merely some example of proverbial wisdom or good manners, or only some insight gained from his personal experience, he may have spoken accurately and even helpfully, but he has not yet spoken the Gospel,” they stated.
And while “every effective homily is a summons to conversion,” the bishops also said this does not mean that a homilist should “simply berate the people for their failures.”
Instead, the clergy should emphasize the “offer of grace” and do so with “pastoral sensitivity.”
This invitation and “promise of grace” is an important context, particularly when addressing those who do not regularly attend Mass or discussing the moral challenges presented by Church teaching on delicate issues such as sexuality and marriage, they added.
Lack of Knowledge
The bishops also acknowledged that many Catholics seem to lack knowledge of Church teaching and are in need of stronger catechesis.
Since “the Sunday liturgy remains the basic setting in which most adult Catholics encounter Christ and their Catholic faith,” they counseled homilists to use the opportunity to present Church doctrine.
Over time, the homilist should cover the entire scope of the Church’s rich catechetical teaching, including its stance on critical issues such as the respect for human life, the importance of religious freedom and justice for the poor and migrants.
“Homilies are inspirational when they touch the deepest levels of the human heart and address the real questions of human experience,” the bishops said, noting the importance of incorporating both ordinary experiences and the deeper hopes and longings that give meaning to them.
“Our encounter with Jesus inevitably leads to mission,” they noted, adding that homilies are incomplete if they do not inspire a sense of mission that translates love of Christ into love for others.
Building on the New Evangelization, the Year of Faith and the call for a renewal of preaching by Pope Benedict XVI at the 2008 Synod on the Word, the bishops explained that preaching is a participation in the apostolic continuation of Jesus’ ministry.
They pointed to Mary as an example of hearing and proclaiming the word of God without hesitation.
In their personal lives, homilists should work towards ongoing spiritual renewal, seeking to lead lives of holiness, with a deep love of Scripture and respect for Tradition, they said.
The effectiveness of preaching can also be improved through an understanding of contemporary culture, including the music, movies and websites that are a part of people’s lives.
The bishops offered several factors to consider when preparing homilies, including the growing individualism in modern culture, the need to speak respectfully about other religious traditions and the cultural diversity of Church communities.
Said the bishops, “Once he has come to know the customs, mores, practices, history and religiosity of a people, a homilist can draw on that richness in order to make his presentation of the faith fresh and enlivening.”
Committees to prepare document on bishops’ use of new technologies
Committees to prepare document on bishops’ use of new technologies
Published:
BALTIMORE (CNS) — The chairmen of four U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees will begin work soon on drafting a document that reiterates the teaching authority of local bishops while urging them to use new technologies to share Catholic theology. The end result is expected to complement a 20-year-old document on the teaching authority of diocesan bishops, said Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Doctrine. The bishops Nov. 12 agreed in a voice vote to the appointment of a working group that includes the chairmen of the committees on doctrine, evangelization and catechesis, and canonical affairs and church governance to draft the document. No timeline for development of the document was announced. Originally, the bishops were to consider a document titled “Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for the Exercise of the Teaching Ministry of the Diocesan Bishop,” which was developed by the Committee on Doctrine. It called upon bishops to take advantage of new technologies — including social media, blogging and cellphone technology — to respond and explain church teaching when an aspect of church teaching is portrayed inaccurately, particularly by theologians. A draft of the document was circulated to the bishops prior to the meeting and appeared in media packets as the assembly convened. However, Cardinal Wuerl decided to withdraw it in favor of a more comprehensive statement that would be in line with the bishops’ proposed new communications plan, up for discussion and vote Nov. 13, and the ongoing work throughout the USCCB that is related to the new evangelization.
Copyright (c) Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .
US bishops discuss penance, homilies, religious liberty, economy
US bishops discuss penance, homilies, religious liberty, economy
By Catholic News Service
Posted: 11/13/2012
BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops’ fall general assembly in Baltimore began with an emphasis on conversion and a return to the sacrament of penance.
New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, told the bishops at the start of the Nov. 12-15 meeting that he could imagine the criticism he might get for emphasizing penance when there are plenty of “controversies and urgent matters for the church right now.”
But he stressed that the bishops cannot engage culture, dialogue with others or confront challenges unless they first recognize their own sins and experience the grace of repentance.
The cardinal also said the sacrament of penance was something the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops planned to stress for all Catholics year-round with reflections on re-embracing Friday as a day of penance, including the possible re-institution of abstinence on all Fridays.
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, papal nuncio to the United States, echoed Cardinal Dolan’s call for reconciliation.
Noting that there have been some clergy who “out of weaknesses have brought great pain to others,” Archbishop Vigano reminded the bishops. “We must continually undergo conversion ourselves … so people have faith and confidence in us.”
Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., chair of the bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, presented a document that encouraged all Catholics to make a renewed effort to seek the sacrament of penance, also known as reconciliation.
If approved, the document will be published as a pamphlet in time to allow dioceses to prepare for Lent 2013.
The bishops’ assembly, which opened nearly a week after Election Day, also included discussions about religious liberty and marriage.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said the work of defending religious liberty would continue despite “setbacks or challenges.”
“Defense of religious freedom requires not just dealing with short-term and mid-term goals, but indeed is a project that requires long-term foundational and formational work,” he added.
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, said Election Day was “a disappointing day for marriage.” Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved same-sex marriage; Minnesota voters rejected a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.
He praised the work of the bishops in those four states to defend traditional marriage, noting that in all those states they were outspent by supporters of same-sex marriage.
Each measure passed by small margins, he said, a factor that pointed to the need to “redouble our efforts.”
A new statement on the economy, intended as a pastoral message of hope, received some sharp criticism as the document was formally introduced for consideration Nov. 12.
In floor discussion, some bishops said “The Hope of the Gospel in Difficult Economic Times” — which the bishops agreed in June should be drafted and fast-tracked to be ready for November — lacked connections to the bishops’ 1986 economics pastoral letter, gave what they felt was short shrift to church teaching on workers’ rights and inadequately addressing “the growing gap between the haves and have-nots” among other issues.
The document, written by a drafting committee under the direction of Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, was scheduled for a final vote of approval Nov. 13.
The bishops also heard a preliminary presentation of a document that highlights the need for better preaching in Sunday homilies.
“Preaching the Mystery of Faith: The Sunday Homily” encourages preachers to connect the Sunday homily with people’s daily lives. It was prepared by the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, chaired by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis.
Preaching needs to be done “more effectively in the context of the new evangelization,” Archbishop Carlson said. “Our people hunger for better preaching, preaching that would help them rediscover their faith.”
The bishops also discussed the proposed “scope of work” for revision of the Liturgy of the Hours submitted by the Committee on Divine Worship. The committee’s request comes as the International Commission on English in the Liturgy has started work on revising some parts of the liturgy, specifically hymns, some orations and some antiphons.
A statement drafted by the Doctrine Committee was withdrawn, after the committee asked permission to expand its scope. Titled “Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for the Exercise of the Teaching Ministry of the Diocesan Bishop,” it calls upon bishops to take advantage of new technologies — including social media, blogging and cellphone technology — to respond when church teaching is portrayed inaccurately.
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