Gerald points to a post by Diane on more goings-on in Medjugorje. Apparently Father Cantalamessa was supposed to preach a retreat for priests there next month and he's canceled his appearance. Apparently, the local bishops conference requires preachers from outside the diocese to first request permission from the Ordinary. This was not done in this case. The statement mentions some other interesting things which is the real reason I'm posting this at all. From the press release:

Despite the above mentioned decision, the news of a spiritual retreat for priests directed by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa OFM Cap., Preacher of the Papal Household, to be held in Medjugorje at the beginning of July 2007 appeared on the internet many months ago, yet the organizers of this retreat did not inform the Diocesan Chancery in Mostar according to the norm, prior to the event. In this regard, celebrations of the sacrament of reconciliation are being publicized billing, alongside Fr Cantalamessa, Fr. Jozo Zovko [left]; yet the latter since 2004 has been relieved of all priestly faculties in the territory of the dioceses of Herzegovina (Vrhbosna, 3/2004, pp.293-298).

The Pastoral decision of 23 August 2001 regarding leaders of spiritual retreats and conferences was reaffirmed and expressly emphasized by the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, Msgr. Ratko Perić [right]in his discourse and invitation given during the Chapter elections on 16 April this year at Humac, where he was officially invited to preside at Holy Mass. On that occasion the Diocesan bishop mentioned the following regarding Medjugorje:

1. “The pastoral obstinacy of the pastors and other associates of Medjugorje is quite evident on the ‘Medjugorje’ internet site which bears the title ‘Marian Shrine’. ‘Medjugorje’ is neither a diocesan nor national or international shrine. This status must be acknowledged while the events remain as they stand.



2. The obstinacy of the pastors and other associates of Medjugorje is also evident in the their disregard for the circular letter of the Chancery of 2001, which states that priests coming from beyond the areas where the Croatian language is spoken are not to be invited without the express and written
   permission of the Diocesan Chancery.



3. The obstinacy of the pastors and other associates of Medjugorje is evident in that a member of your Province, Fr. Jozo Zovko, who has no priestly faculties and who is forbidden from celebrating any priestly functions in this diocese, has been invited this year to preside at the Way of the Cross in Medjugorje and has been in this regard presented as available for confessions”.

The discourse was published in its entirety at the beginning of May this year in the diocesan pastoral monthly (Crkva na kamenu, 5/2007, pp. 33-35).

After exchanging various letters between the Diocesan Chancery and the Parish Rectory of Medjugorje, the pastor of Medjugorje Fr. Ivan Sesar notified the bishop in his letter dated 13 June 2007 that: “Upon my insistence due to the shortness of time, I asked P. Cantalamessa to send his acknowledgment of receipt of my letter by fax, which he did in the meantime. He accepts my apology and regrets that due to the newly arisen circumstances he cannot come, since in principle he never does public appearances without the permission of the local Ordinary”.

Bishop Perić and Fr. Cantalamessa exchanged letters on 13 June. Fr. Cantalamessa informed the bishop that he wrote a letter to Fr. Sesar on 8 June. Fr. Cantalamessa wrote in his letter to the bishop on 13 June: “My principle is not to preach, especially not to the clergy, without the permission of the local bishop”.

Labels: dissent, international, Virgin Mary

Even though this is a little over a week early...

Fr. Jose Mercado, a priest I went to school with from the Archdiocese of Hartford, has done one of the USCCB's daily reflection videos. His is just under 3 minutes and it's quite full of beautiful theological reflection on this great feast.

Give it a look.

Thanks to Bill for the heads up from Fr. Harris!

Labels: reflection, Virgin Mary

Happy New Year!

But, more importantly, we remember today the Theotokos: Mary, the Mother of God.

Paul VI had this to say in Marialis Cultus (#5):

In the revised ordering of the Christmas period it seems to us that the attention of all should be directed towards the restored Solemnity of Mary the holy Mother of God. This celebration, placed on January 1 in conformity with the ancient indication of the liturgy of the City of Rome, is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation. It is meant also to exalt the singular dignity which this mystery brings to the "holy Mother...through whom we were found worthy to receive the Author of life."[17] It is likewise a fitting occasion for renewing adoration of the newborn Prince of Peace, for listening once more to the glad tidings of the angels (cf. Lk. 2:14), and for imploring from God, through the Queen of Peace, the supreme gift of peace. It is for this reason that, in the happy concurrence of the Octave of Christmas and the first day of the year, we have instituted the World Day of Peace, an occasion that is gaining increasing support and already bringing forth fruits of peace in the hearts of many.

David sent me his homily today and he ends with this very telling thought:

We do not honor Mary for her own sake, but because she is constantly pointing us to her son. In our dealings with the world and with each other, we need to lead others to Christ. God’s love needs to so fill us that in all that we say and do we point to Christ, and do so with an open and generous heart. This is the way to sanctity, the way to happiness, the way to love, the way to the new and eternal Jerusalem.

Read his whole homily here.

For the theologians out there, you can read about Mary's divine maternity at the University of Dayton's website.

Lastly, today is also the World Day of Prayer for Peace. The theme chosen by our Holy Father this year is "The Human Person, the Face of Peace." You can read his beautiful message here.

I have to meet students at the soup kitchen today. It's a wonderful way to begin the new year. I'm not sure when I'll be back to post. However, I wish you all a very blessed new year and I thank you quite sincerely for your loyal visiting in 2006.

Labels: Virgin Mary

OK when I first saw this story quoted in Dom Bettenelli's blog, I cringed a bit... but then I read the whole article. Here's what Dom quoted:

Mary is a near-total cipher in terms of documented biography; like her son, she is a canvas on which different cultures and generations have painted their own notions. The result, Kimball says, has been to discard the real Miriam, her Hebrew name, and the scene at Bethlehem.

“Many people today look at the Nativity scene as if it’s a pageant . . . where everybody’s there: the kings, the shepherds, the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the angel, the star, everything,” says Kimball, who teaches at Merrimack College in North Andover and Assumption College in Worcester. That sacrifices historical reality (for instance, she says, there’s no way three kings would have attended the birth in the company of lowly shepherds).

Meanwhile, Mary has morphed into myth, reflected in the reverent titles piled on her head—queen of heaven, mother of the church—that “are pushing the figure of Mary almost to the position of an Isis,” the ancient Egyptian goddess, rather than a historical woman, Kimball says.

OK so it looks bad. But then you get this:

Kimball's research has plumbed not just scripture but ancient traditions -- extra-biblical writings, hymns, and prayers from Christianity's infancy -- to discover what the earliest Christians believed about the woman they considered the mother of God.

Moderns' biggest misconception? "How absolutely terrified she may have been at all that was happening, which was so outside of the natural process of conceiving a child without a man." As late as the 19th century, Kimball says, European Catholicism downplayed the physical in Mary's motherhood, insisting she didn't have a labor and that "Jesus just appeared."

As the mother of nine, "I have somewhat of an affinity to motherhood," Kimball says, and in her talks she stresses the physical realities of childbearing.

OK that's fair. Then this:

Kimball's own spiritual life has zig-zagged from childhood Quakerism to Catholicism to her current Greek Orthodox Christianity. Far from rejecting all that tradition says about Jesus' mother, she believes in the virgin birth and other Christian theology about Mary.

So she converts quite a bit but it doesn't seem like she's a total loon in terms of theology compatible with the Catholic faith. I don't like blog entries that are a form of proof-texting. It's important to the reputation of people that we present their views as completely as possible so as not to mislead. I think Dom was a bit unfair on this one.

[Globe source]

Labels: theology, Virgin Mary