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Showing posts with the label Pope John Paul II

Prudence and the Theology of the Body

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A good dose of sound commonsense and orthodox moral theology come via Fr Maurizio Faggioni OFM, a professor at the Pontifical Academy “ Alphonsianum ” which specialises in moral theology. In a recent interview with Catholic News Agency ( Renowned moral theologian weighs-in on Theology of the Body debate ), Fr Faggioni addressed some of the issues that have been strongly criticised in Christopher West's presentation of the Theology of the Body. He warned that: “it is simply not true that the traditional Catholic moral supports the use of acts that Thomas Aquinas call contra naturam -against nature- (such as anal sex) as something ordinary.” The distinction iuxta naturam (in accord with nature) and contra naturam (against nature) is a crucial one on moral theology and needs to be more widely known. Fr Faggioni said: “the traditional moral theology certainly does not prohibit intimacy among spouses, but it never regards them as a substitute for the marital embrace and accepts intim...
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The Theology of the Body

The other day I received my three copies of "A Pure Heart Create for Me: Theology of the Body Today, edited by Robert Colquhoun and published by Family Publications . The book is a collection of the lectures given at St Patrick's Soho Square last year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae . The first part of the book consists of lectures specifically on the Theology of the Body and the second part deals with "specific issues for today". There are contributions from Edmund Adamus, Fr Anthony Doe, Fr Richard Aladics, Nicole Parker, Teresa Klepacka and others - the book is well worth reading. My own lecture ("A challenge to the culture") is included in the second part, along with the lecture by Fr Stephen Langridge on AIDS, Condoms and the Catholic Church. Fr Langridge generously acknowledges my own talk on the subject which I gave in his parish a while ago but I am happy to say that his paper is a very good summary of the relevant points with ...
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Theology of the Body Symposium, Maynooth

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I am happy to pass on news of this Symposium to be held in Ireland in June : Man and Woman He Created Them: Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body The 2nd International Symposium 11th-14th June, 2009 Maynooth Campus, Maynooth, Ireland This Symposium, marking the 30th anniversary of both Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland and the first Papal audience on the Theology of The Body, will explore the goodness, truth and beauty of human sexuality and the Divine plan for human love. Scholars, teachers, students and catechists from around the world will come together to discuss and unfold the Catholic Church's theology of the body. It is hoped that the Symposium will also provide an opportunity for a deepening of personal faith and self-understanding that will no doubt inspire for many a new enthusiasm to engage in the New Evangelization. The Symposium features internationally renowned speakers such as DDr. Michael Waldstein, Sister Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE, Dr. Mary Shivanandan...
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"full of the interplay of danger and promise"

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Fr Selvester has a post today, " To blog or not to blog " in which he refers to a quotation given by Paul Zalonski at Communio in his post Presence in the blogosphere . The quotation was from the address of Pope John Paul II to the participants in the plenary meeting of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in March 2002. A little further on in this address, Pope John Paul referred to the internet and the text has a link to his message for the 36th World Communications Day, issued in January of 2002. the theme of that was "Internet: A New Forum for proclaiming the Gospel." I remember reading this back in 2002 and it is fascinating to revisit it. The Internet is certainly a new “forum” understood in the ancient Roman sense of that public space where politics and business were transacted, where religious duties were fulfilled where much of the social life of the city took place, and where the best and the worst of human nature was on display. It was a crow...
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"It was enough to see him praying"

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Zenit news has an English translation of the homily given by Pope Benedict at the Mass today for the third anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. It never fails to impress me that when Pope Benedict speaks about his predecessor, he does so from a genuine admiration and affection. Having worked so closely with Pope John Paul for so long, I think that he is in a better position than most people to appreciate the dedication, motivation and profound spiritual life of Pope John Paul. It was enough to see him praying: He literally submerged himself in God and it seemed that everything else during those moments was left outside. During the liturgical celebrations, he was attentive to the mystery being carried out, with a keen capacity to perceive the eloquence of God's word in the development of history, penetrating deeply into God's plan. Holy Mass, as he often repeated, was for him the center of the day and all his existence -- the "living and holy" reality of the...
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The Genius of Womanhood

"The Human Person" series comprises three books, one on the Theology of the Body, one on Manhood and a new book, just published, on "The Genius of Womanhood". It is written by Karen Doyle, the Australian Catholic author and co-founder of Choicez Media . Here's a video where Karen introduces the book:
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The Times and the retreat from reason

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While I'm on the subject of the Times newspaper, take a look at this rant from Matthew Parris: Did John Paul II perform a miracle? Am I Mother Teresa? . As we all know, Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre has claimed that she has been cured of Parkinsons Disease through the intercession of Pope John Paul II. Her condition was such that she could hardly move her left side, she was unable to write legibly, she could not drive, had severely limited mobility and her pain kept her from sleeping. After praying to Pope John Paul II one evening, she claims that she found she was able to write and woke up the next morning completely cured of her condition. As is customary in any claim of a miracle, medical experts have been interviewed to verify that the condition had actually been diagnosed, that it is no longer present and that there is no medical explanation for the cure. So what does Parris say to those who would cite these facts and ask him how he can be sure that the miracle did not happen? “Bu...
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Cardinals' badge of honour

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Sir Dan of the Nesbitry has sent me the quotation from Pope John Paul II's first address to the Cardinals on 18 October 1978: I remember, at this moment, the figure of a great Bishop, St John Fisher, created Cardinal when he was imprisoned for his faithfulness to the Pope. On the morning of the 22nd June 1535, while he was preparing to offer his head to the executioner's axe, he exclaimed facing the crowd: "Christian people, I am about to die for faith in the Holy Catholic Church of Christ." May this unshakeable faithfulness to the Bride of Jesus be always the badge of honour and the pre-eminent boast of the College of Cardinals.
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The ultimate vocations video?

H/T to Southwark Vocations
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Popular posts from this blog

Saint Gabriel

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The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai...
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Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec...
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Portiuncula indulgence tomorrow (and indulgences generally)

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Tomorrow, 2 August, you can gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions ( see below ) by visiting a parish Church and there reciting the Our Father and the Creed . This is called the Portiuncula indulgence and goes back to St Francis of Assisi. Fr Z has the details . Don't forget that you can also gain a plenary indulgence by visiting a Church on the day of the titular feast, and there reciting the Our Father and the Creed . I made a list of other indulgences: please see the post Plenary indulgences for particular days which has a link to the list. The post has some background information which you may find helpful since indulgences are not well understood today - which is not surprising since indulgences are not included in most Catholic education curricula, and most priests never preach about them. Therefore many Catholics are left with whatever silly, half-baked, ill-informed nonsense about indulgences happens to be current. If you want to understand the theology...
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Our Easter Faith: Not a Pious Crème Fraiche

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In public life, some basically well-meaning figures have the graciousness to wish us well at Easter and to recognise the importance of the Christian feast day. Perhaps they might assure us that their thoughts are with us at this time. That is kind of them and in Christian charity we should thank them for their kindness, but Easter should be a great deal more than that for us. We must believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the grave, in the flesh, and lives for eternity. We cannot treat Easter as a jolly holiday that heralds spring, or the remembrance of a significant event from the past. It must change us today and every day, change who we are and what we do. The Christian faith cannot be a mild custard or blancmange of religiosity. (I am showing my age. Nowadays, I should say that it cannot be reduced to a pious crème fraiche .) We bow down and adore the King of Kings, risen from the tomb, who, “[…] continues for ever,...
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Blessing of the New Painting of St Bede at Clapham Park

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This morning, the parish priest at Clapham Park, Fr Marcus Holden, blessed a new picture of the parish's patron, Saint Bede, painted by James Tildsley. It is sited over a recently installed side altar near the rear of the Church. The altar itself was acquired from Antique Church Furnishings . The website gives the information that the altar was built and carved by a nun in a convent near Liverpool. It is a beautiful piece of work and it is always a joy when such works of art find a suitable and dignified home. The inscription on the gradine is AMANS AMATUS AMOR. The sellers translate this as “Loving is the object of love” which is a reasonable stab at “dynamic equivalence”. Today the parish's relic of St Bede was exposed for veneration in its distinctive brightly-coloured reliquary. After the blessing, there was High Mass with Fr Holden as celebrant, Fr Littleton deacon, and myself subdeacon. That gave me the enjoyable task of chant...
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