Public and private politiking
Plus: Why are we celebrating a church this week?
Good morning and happy Saturday. Today is the memorial of St. Charles Borromeo. In our time of division, St. Charles ought to be someone we pray to and ask for his intercession. In the 1520s, he worked behind the scenes to keep the Council of Trent in motion, even as the pope had suspended it for ten years.
This week we are entering the thrity first week in Ordinary Time. The readings for this Sunday are Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10, Psalm 131:1-3, 1 Thessolonians 2:7-9, 13, Matthew 23:1-12.
Here is a calendar for this week:
Thursday, November 9 - Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran Basilica
Friday, November 10 - Memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great
Saturday, November 11 - Memorial of St. Martin of Tours
Now, if you are like me, you may have wondered every year when the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica comes up, why we would celebrate the dedication of a church in Rome and why we would elevate it to a feast. It is important to remember that the church was erected by Emperor Constantine and its feast was extended to the whole Latin Church as a sign of unity with the Bishop of Rome.
The Lateran Basilica is the pope’s Cathedral in Rome and is the oldest Church in the Eternal City. As Kathy Schiffer writes at the National Catholic Register, it is important to remember we’re not commerating a building, per se, but rather the Chair of Peter.
In the news:
The United States
For those who need some red: Democratic senators call on Biden administration to mandate coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives - Catholic News Agency
NBC to host third GOP presidential primary debate; here’s how to watch - NBC News
The Vatican
Pope Francis speaks with PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas - Vatican News
Pope Francis to attend COP28 climate summit in December - Crux Now
The World
For those who need some blue: Justice is needed in Israel and Gaza - The Editors of America Magazine
Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann (Speyer, Germany) instructs priests to bless same-sex couples citing der Synodal Weg - The Pillar
Requiescat in pace:
Tying up some loose ends
This week, I want to spend some time going back over some things I have written previously and share some final thoughts on them. They are, in effect, loose ends. Since I am intellectually honest (or at least I try to be), I am willing to admit when my predictions were wrong but I’m also willing to point out when they were right. Perhaps that is my pride poking through. I’ll try to make these reoccuring from time to time.
In October, I had predicted that not much is going to change following the first meeting of the Synod on Synodality. Both traditionalists and progressives had gotten worked into a frenzy over what might happen either with angst or glee depending on their world view.
In September, an ultra progressive Catholic publication had predicted that the Synod would pave the way for female ordination and gay marriage. This week, one of their contributors admitted that those who were hoping for that who are going to read the final report are going to be disappointed.
Publications can be a real disservice to their readers when they go out of their way to hype up events with speculation and drama only to have to say “we were disappointed” when what they predicted was nowhere close to what happened.
I see this kind of writing in both the ultra tradiationalist Catholic publications and ultra progressive Catholic publications. As someone who likes to read for balance and clarity, as I’m sure you do to, I’ve learened to stay away from them unless I need to have a laugh and think “what in the world are they talking about?”
That all being said, I know some of my friends are going to ask “what about what Pope Francis said about same-sex blessings?” It is a fair question, esepcially inlight of the Pillar’s reporting that a bishop in Germany has gone as far as to instruct his priests to offer same-sex blessings.
Truth be told, I do not know what to think of how Pope Francis responded to the dubia before the start of the Synod. I know I have been critical of how responses (and laws) have been originally published in Spanish or Italian and not Latin as was the norm prior to the Francis pontificate. I only make this critique because the Spanish and Italian has to be translated back into Latin before it is translated into other languages for matters of Church law, but also it can add to confusion as much of the world doesn’t speak Spanish or Italian but the Church speaks Latin. So maybe there is something to the idea that something was lost in translation?
Now, it is important to remember that the responsa did say that in no way can the Church create or endorse a liturgical rite that contradicts traditional marriage and that the request of a blessing (in any situation) needs to have proper reflection and parishes need to fully understand exactly what is being asked.
It is also imporant to remember that it was also Pope Francis who said emphatically several years ago that the Church could not bless same-sex unions.
I don’t like the way this dubia was made public by cardinals that I generally have a lot of respect and admiration for. The type of politiking and pandering to a particular camp is frustrating to me because it seems to have the intent of tearing down or delegitimizing the Synod of Bishops, magesterial teachings, and the Pope in general.
So, as I mentioned in my introduction, we should pray for the intercession of St. Charles Borromeo today and this week since he has had the unique experience of politiking behind the scenes in order to keep the reforms of the Council of Trent moving.
Finally, I wanted to share an article published on America Magazine’s website this week with some tips about prepraring for the 2024 presidential elections. They are ideas and suggestions that I could not have said better myself and I hope you think so to.
Have a good weekend,
Matthew