"Advent, Christmas, and Newtown" -- Fr. Ken's Homily for Dec. 16, 2012

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"Rebelling Against the Night" -- Fr. Ken's Homily for December 9, 2012

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"Images of Hope" Fr. Ken's Homily for December 2, 2012

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"The Challenge of Truth" Fr. Ken's Homily for November 25, 2012

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"In the Race at 70" --Fr. Ken's Homily for November 18, 2012

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"Our Two Cents' Worth" Fr. Ken's Homily for Nov. 11, 2012

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"Listen and Live!" Fr. Ken's Homily, 4 November 2012

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"Opening Our Eyes" Fr. Ken's Homily, 28 October 2012

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"Wounded Healers" Fr. Ken's Homily, 21 October 2012

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Fr. Ken's Homily, 14 Oct 2012, "Wealth"

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Fr. Ken's Homily, 7 Oct 2012, "Falling Apart and Coming Together"

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Fr. Ken's Homily, 30 Sept 2012, "Sounding An Alarm"

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Fr. Ken's Homily, 23 Sept 2012, "Sibling Rivalry"

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Fr. Ken's Homily, 16 Sept 2012, "The Way"

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Roamin' Catholics Strike Again!

Roamin' Catholics in Butler doing work for Catholic Charities.

Thanks to Jamie Dillon for the picture!

On Prof. King's Papyrus

The headlines, as usual, are sensational: “Shedding new light on Jesus’ marital status?”; “A faded piece of papyrus refers to Jesus’ wife; Historians believe it is authentic; may reignite debate.” 

The article that follows, published in today’s Post-Gazette, was written by Laura Goldstein of the New York Times.  It concerns a tiny piece of papyrus in the possession of Prof. Karen L. King, an historian of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School.

The papyrus fragment includes a text in Coptic (an Egyptian language written with Greek characters) including the phrase, “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife . . .’”  A later clause says, “She will be able to be my disciple.”  As far as Prof. King and other scholars can determine, the papyrus dates from the 4^th century.  She guesses that it may have been copied from a 2^nd-century text.

Back to the headlines.  None of them is actually wrong, although the first is certainly misleading, saved only by the question mark at the end.  As the article points out, Prof. King “repeatedly cautioned that this fragment should not be taken as proof that Jesus, the historical person, was actually married.  The text was probably written centuries after Jesus lived, and all other early, reliable Christian literature is silent on the question, she said.”  Just so.

What this text tells us is that its writer portrayed Jesus as having a wife.  That is interesting as a reflection of the author’s outlook, but does not constitute strong historical evidence that Jesus was actually married.  In this regard, the present discovery is much like the “Gospel of Judas” that was brought to public notice in 2010.  That document, apparently produced within a 2^nd century Christian community influenced by gnosticism, has Jesus commend Judas as his best disciple.  For more on that document, on gnosticism, and on how we should regard such finds, see this article that I wrote at the time.

To the headlines again.  There can be no disputing that “a faded piece of papyrus refers to Jesus’ wife.”  That “historians believe it is authentic” is true as long as we read the article and see that here “authentic” means “actually a 4^th century scrap rather than a much more recent forgery.”  “Authentic” does not imply, as we saw Prof. King emphasizing, that the document is accurate in seeing Jesus as married.

Finally, the “may reignite debate” headline.  This one is undoubtedly accurate—anything will get people arguing again over things we think important enough to argue over.  According to Ms. Goldstein, the papyrus could spur debate over whether Jesus was married, whether Mary Magdalene was his wife and whether he had female disciples.  She notes that debates on these questions seem “relevant today, when global Christianity is roiling over the place of women in ministry and the boundaries of marriage.”

I think it safe to say that the new find will become an occasion for more discussion on these issues.  I don’t believe that it has anything new and substantial to bring to that discussion. What we might say about the questions themselves is perhaps matter for future blog posts!

A final note, for the sake of accuracy.  Ms Goldstein says in the article that discussion “is particularly animated in the Roman Catholic Church, where despite calls for change, the Vatican has reiterated the teaching that the priesthood cannot be opened to women and married men because of the model set by Jesus.” 

It is a mistake to say that the Catholic Church says that the priesthood cannot be opened to married men.  There are married Roman Catholic priests—generally men who were married Anglican or Episcopal priests and who joined the Catholic Church.  Celibacy for priests is a matter of discipline in the Catholic Church, not a matter of doctrine.  Theoretically, the Church could modify this discipline at any time.   

On the other hand, Pope John Paul II wrote in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1994 that, as a matter of doctrine, “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women.”

                                                                                                  © 2012 Andrew K. Bechman

Youth Ministry Roamin' Catholics

 Roamin' Catholics help Catholic Charities Sept. 15.

 Roamin' Catholics help out in the Hill District.

A mornings work for our Roamin' Catholics in Millvale!

Thanks to Jamie Dillon for the pictures!

NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN A CHOIR!!!

As you realize, both choirs have begun this new 2012-2013 season at the beginning of September.
It is NEVER TOO LATE TO JOIN!  Seriously, we'd love to have you come on board for either the Contemporary Choir or the SATB (4-Part) Choir.  The Contemporary Choir rehearses generally every other Tuesday evening from 7-8:45 p.m.  The SATB (4-Part) Choir rehearses every Wednesday evening from 7-8:45 p.m.  Both choirs sing on Sunday morning, the Contemporary Choir at the 9 a.m.
Liturgy and the SATB Choir at the 11 a.m. liturgy.  The choir year lasts from the beginning of September through the first week of June.

Both groups are wonderful faith communities to become a part of.  Both groups are comprised of fun and caring people.  Generally we start accepting members from high school age through advanced
(but we're not telling) age. No audition is necessary, a real plus for those who are shy.

If you might be feeling the slightest inclination to join, or at least inquire, you can contact me after
the 5 p.m., 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. weekend Masses.  Or, you can call my office at 412-781-0186 (x17).
And finally, you can email me at patbakercdp@saintscholastica.com.

I truly hope to hear from somebody (or countless somebodies) out there in the parish!

The End of the Year is Coming!!

It's almost that time of year again.  Remember all contributions donated thru
December 31, 2012 will be available as a deduction on your taxes.  Please contact me after January 14, 2013 for your end of the year statement.

Fr. Ken's homily--August 26, 2012

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Fr. Ken's Homily--12 August 2012

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Wonder Bread--29 July 2012

Fr. Ken's homily for July 29, 2012, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.
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Catholic Teaching and Labor Unions

After initial suspicions in the 19^th century, Pope Leo XIII wrote in support of unions in his 1891 encyclical On the Condition of Labor.  In the United States, the Church saw supporting unions as one practical way of helping the many Catholic immigrant families who had members working in industrial jobs. Pittsburgh’s Msgr. Charles Owen Rice was one of many “labor priests” of the 1930s and following decades.

As many Catholics have moved to the middle class or professional status, some of our practical commitment to labor rights seems to have waned. But the principles underlying the Church’s support of workers remain and, if anything, the need for commitment to them seems to have increased.   

Here is how Pope Benedict put it in his 2009 encyclical, Charity in Truth: “Through the combination of social and economic change, trade union organizations experience greater difficulty in carrying out their task of representing the interests of workers, partly because Governments, for reasons of economic utility, often limit the freedom or the negotiating capacity of labor unions. . . . The repeated calls issued within the Church's social doctrine, beginning with Rerum Novarum, for the promotion of workers' associations that can defend their rights must therefore be honored today even more than in the past, as a prompt and far-sighted response to the urgent need for new forms of cooperation at the international level, as well as the local level.” (no. 25)   

The words of the U.S. bishops in their 1986 letter Economic Justice for All have lost none of their urgency: “No one may deny the right to organize without attacking human dignity itself. Therefore, we firmly oppose organized efforts, such as those regrettably now seen in this country, to break existing unions and prevent workers from organizing.” (no. 104)

I have been surprised to learn that many Catholics are unaware of this teaching.  Are you?

Workers at the Center

Labor Day is a good time to remind ourselves of the rich Catholic tradition of reflection on work and the rights and responsibilities of workers.  One place to start is the annual Labor Day statement issued by the U.S. bishops.  Written this year by Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, it notes that: “Our nation needs an economic renewal that places workers and their families at the center of economic life and creates enough decent jobs for everyone who can work. Work is more than a paycheck; it helps raise our families, develop our potential, share in God's creation, and contribute to the common good.”  The goal is to achieve an economy that “serves the person rather than the other way around.”

Bishop Blaire quotes Blessed John Paul II:  “…society and the State must ensure wage levels adequate for the maintenance of the worker and his family, including a certain amount for savings. This requires a continuous effort to improve workers' training and capability so that their work will be more skilled and productive, as well as careful controls and adequate legislative measures to block shameful forms of exploitation, especially to the disadvantage of the most vulnerable workers, of immigrants and of those on the margins of society. The role of trade unions in negotiating minimum salaries and working conditions is decisive in this area.” (Centesimus Annus, no. 15)

To read Bishop Blaire’s reflection, click the link.

St. Augustine again: looking for God in our experiences

     Where do we look to find out about God?

     The people of Israel looked to the mighty deeds that God had done on their behalf, especially freeing them from slavery in Egypt and leading them into a good land.  Early Christians looked to the words and deeds of Jesus, and especially to his resurrection, another mighty act of God.

     Over time, both Jews and Christians assembled stories and writings that testified to God’s actions on our behalf.  Now people could find out about God through those Scriptures, the Bible.

     As time passed and the Christian churches grew, they found it necessary to authorize leaders to gather in order to regulate the life of the community.  Synods and councils met and part of their work was to present the heart of Christian teaching in a way that met new challenges but was also faithful to the Scriptures and to the story of God’s mighty works.  They composed statements of belief (creeds) and other teachings to explain them (doctrines).  Here was another source for finding out about God.

     That’s where St. Augustine comes in.  As bishop of the town of Hippo in North Africa, he certainly taught his own people and, through letters and other writings, taught far-away Christians as well.  But one of his works, the Confessions, stands out from the rest.  In it, Augustine tells his own story in the form of an extended prayer to the God who had saved him.  His message seems to be: “Here is how God acted in my life.  Pay attention to how God is acting in yours!”

     Here was another source for learning about God—looking into our own experience!  I wonder whether Augustine, in his own theological vein, was doing something similar to the early hermits and monks who had begun to separate themselves from ordinary life in order to look deep into their own hearts and find God there.

     Sometimes today, Catholics are suspicious of  people who talk about their religious experience, especially if they want to change something in our religion.  Certainly, we always need to be careful as we try, like our forebears, to be faithful both to the tradition we have received and to new conditions that may be calling us to growth.  But if God can act in the world, if the Spirit moves in our hearts, if Augustine is right, then we can never discount our experience as a source for knowing God. This way of knowing is part of our tradition, too.

     One of my favorite passages from the Second Vatican Council makes the point.  In Dei Verbum, the  document on divine revelation, the bishops wrote:  "The tradition that comes from the apostles makes progress in the church, with the help of the Holy Spirit.  There is a growth in insight into the realities and words that are being passed on.  This comes about through the contemplation and study of believers who ponder these things in their hearts (see Lk 2: 19 and 51).  It comes from the intimate sense of spiritual realities which they experience.  And it comes from the preaching of those who, on succeeding to the office of bishop, have received the sure charism of truth.  Thus, as the centuries go by, the church is always advancing towards the plenitude of divine truth, until eventually the words of God are fulfilled in it." (Dei Verbum, #8)

     Look at that quotation carefully.  The bishops are saying that the growth and development of the tradition depends not only upon the official teaching of the bishops, but upon the reflection of believers and upon their sense of their own spiritual experience.  One of the great unrealized challenges of the Council is this:  how do we find ways to put the reflection of the faithful on our religious experience into conversation with the official teaching of the bishops?

     There are a number of areas in which there is a gap between official church teachings and the practice of many Catholics.  Sexuality is probably the most obvious one.  What effect might it have on a Catholic understanding of sexuality if the bishops were to pay attention in a serious way to the experiences of believers in this area, whether those believers are single or married, straight or lesbian or gay?  What if they were to ask, “Where, in your experience of sexuality, do you find God?  What, in your experience, leads you away from God and others?”   It is impossible to know what might result.  But I believe that we owe it to our living tradition to try.  And we owe it to St. Augustine.

                                                                                        © 2012  Andrew K. Bechman

St. Augustine of Hippo--August 28

     There are few saints whose lives have been considered from more angles than St. Augustine’s. I was reminded recently of one aspect of Augustine’s legacy—his enormous influence on Christian theology. I’ve been (very slowly) working my way through Diarmaid MacCulloch’s Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. (The title’s not a misprint, by the way—MacCulloch begins the story of Christianity with an exploration of Greek culture and of the story of the Jews, both of which are rooted in times long before the appearance of Jesus on the scene.)

      MacCulloch notes that beginning around 1490, the first scholarly edition of St. Augustine’s works was published in Basel. St. Augustine himself had died over a millennium before, but this was a time in which the combination of a new approach to learning (that we call humanism) and the development of printing led to widespread new consideration of ancient texts. In the decades that followed, theologians mined Augustine’s thought. The saint’s writings are so vast in scope, and his thought at times so paradoxical (if not self-contradictory) that the new thinkers tended not to be able to hold together all that Augustine seems to have held together in his own mind.

      MacCulloch quotes B. B. Warfield, a historian of theology: “The Reformation, inwardly considered, was just the ultimate triumph of Augustine’s doctrine of grace over Augustine’s doctrine of the Church.” Martin Luther and the reformers followed the bishop of Hippo’s insistence on God’s grace as the sole font of our salvation; Catholic theologians emphasized the need to be connected to the Church. “From one perspective,” MacCulloch concludes, “a century or more of turmoil in the Western Church from 1517 was a debate in the mind of the long-dead Augustine.”
                                                                             --Andy Bechman

What is your practice of prayer?

As another way of following up on the last post:
What is your practice of prayer?  How many different ways do you pray?  Which ones are most fruitful for you now?  Why those, do you think?

Hummingbirds and the Approach to God

A small group of people gathered at St. Scho’s yesterday morning to watch the ninth episode in Fr. Robert Barron’s Catholicism series.  The episode was about prayer, and afterwards we talked about our practice of prayer.

One person commented on how her prayer life had changed over the years.  She noticed that forms of prayer that had been helpful at one time in her life gave way to new practices that seemed to bear more fruit.  Another person commented on how the Mass was the highlight of her prayer life.  Yet another spoke of how she was moved to prayer by natural beauty, giving the example of hummingbirds that she loved to watch as they buzzed about her feeders.

As the conversation continued, I raised a question that I struggle with.  There is a strong strain in the Christian spiritual tradition that insists that we must free ourselves from attachments to the fleeting things of this world in order to approach union with God.  Fr. Barron emphasized this “purgative” tradition during the video, pointing out that when we try to fill the infinite longings within us with finite things, we are on a path to addiction.  We try more and more of our preferred fixes in an attempt to fill a gap that only God can fill.

Okay, but what about the hummingbirds?  Is there any better example of a “fleeting thing of this world”?  In order to get close to God, do we need to turn away from the hummingbirds?

As a group we agreed that things like hummingbirds, far from being obstacles to God, seem to provide us doorways into prayer because of the gratitude that their beauty evokes.  This is thoroughly in line with a Catholic sacramental sensibility that sees God as potentially present to us in many persons, things and events.

But the purgative tradition has a point as well.  I love to be comfortable.  I tend to arrange my life with comfort in mind.  I am truly grateful—and I thank God!—for all the comfortable and pleasurable things:  a cooled house on a blistering afternoon, a quiet time and place to pray, a pulled pork sandwich for lunch, my family gathered at the table at dinnertime.  But no matter how grateful I am, doesn’t the gospel call us away from organizing our lives around our comfort?  After all, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” (Lk 9:58)

So what do you think?  When does our attraction to earthly beauty and goodness and pleasure lead us toward God?  How do we know when they start holding us back?  What is your experience?

St. Benedict of Nursia--July 11

      On Wednesday next week, we celebrate the feastday of St. Benedict of Nursia, brother of St. Scholastica.  The only source we have for either Benedict or Scholastica is the Dialogues of Pope St. Gregory the Great, written about sixty years after Benedict’s life.  In the Dialogues, Pope Gregory focused mainly on Benedict as a wonderworker, but reported other stories about his life.

      Benedict was born in central Italy around 480 a.d., studied in Rome, and took up the life of a hermit at Subiaco.  Others gathered around him and he began a career of experimentation in the monastic life.  His first attempt to lead a monastery reportedly ended with the other monks, put off by  his high standards, trying to poison him! In another experiment, he founded twelve small monasteries near Subiaco before finally founding a single large monastery at Monte Cassino near Naples. 

      A monastic rule attributed to him describes itself as a rule for beginners, a “school of the Lord’s service, in which we hope to order nothing harsh or rigorous.”  (Perhaps he had learned from his first attempt to lead a monastery!) The rule promoted a balanced life of common prayer, study and manual labor, lived in community under an abbot.  The number of monasteries living under the rule grew slowly during the centuries following Benedict, until centralizing efforts under Charlemagne made his rule the dominant one in Western Europe.  The Rule is still in use in many monasteries today, and Christians continue to mine it for spiritual insights.

      When Benedict died among his monks around the year 547, he was buried in the same grave as his sister Scholastica.

                                                 

Sources: 

“Benedict,” The Penguin Dictionary of Saints, 3^rd ed., Donald Attwater with Catherine Rachel John (Penguin, 1995)

“July 11: St. Benedict,” Saint of the Day, American Catholic, http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1441

"Rule of St. Benedict" and "St. Benedict of Nursia" in The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Richard P. McBrien, ed. (HarperSanFrancisco, 1995).

Religious Liberty Resources

     The controversy that has arisen regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision not to exempt many Catholic institutions from its mandate that health insurance plans provide contraceptive services deserves serious attention.  Here are some resources for people who would like to sort it out.

      The U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty express their objection to the mandate in the document “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty.”  This statement and other resources can be found  at the bishops’ website here: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/.

      The journal Commonweal, published by lay Catholics and leaning liberal, has devoted a recent issue to perspectives on the controversy.  They are available at: http://commonwealmagazine.org/bishops-religious-liberty. 

      Boston College’s “Church in the 21^st Century” initiative includes a webcast archive.  “Is Religious Liberty Under Threat in America?” is a recent addition.  This 44 minute panel  discussion took place on April 18, and is balanced and reasoned, although some background from the sources above may be helpful first.  To find the video, go to http://www.bc.edu/church21/ and click “C21 Webcasts on Demand.”  Look under “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition.”

Posted by: Andrew Bechman

Picnic Pics

Pictures from our parish picnic and the Appalachia mission trip Fun Run on May 27.

Thanks to Jamie Dillon for the pics!

Posted by: Andrew Bechman