Marriage, Sin, Sex, Contraception, & Truth

Here are the latest episodes of our podcast The Beauty of Truth:

Episode 11 - Why is marriage a Sacrament?

Episode 12 - What is sin?

Episode 13 - What is the purpose of sex?

Episode 14 - Why restrict sex?

Episode 15 - If Catholicism is true, is everyone else wrong?

The Church's Deepest Nature

Just today the pope released a new motu proprio (document written on his own initiative--something he saw was needed). It is titled Intima Ecclesiae Natura (The Church's Deepest Nature): De Caritate Ministrada (On the Service of Charity).

Photo Credit: Whispers in the Loggia

It basically explains the bishop as the head of all Catholic charitable activity in his diocese.

Of note, I thought four particular sections stood out:

Art. 9§3: It is the duty of the diocesan Bishop and the respective parish priests to see that in this area the faithful are not led into error or misunderstanding; hence they are to prevent publicity being given through parish or diocesan structures to initiatives which, while presenting themselves as charitable, propose choices or methods at odds with the Church’s teaching.

Basically, it's the bishop's job to make sure that "Catholic" charities don't propose anti-Catholic teachings. (By anti-Catholic, I mean anything that goes against the Church's teachings.) An elephant in the room here is Catholics for a Free Choice who promote abortion, yet claim to be Catholic.

Art. 10§3: In particular, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that charitable agencies dependent upon him do not receive financial support from groups or institutions that pursue ends contrary to Church’s teaching. Similarly, lest scandal be given to the faithful, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that these charitable agencies do not accept contributions for initiatives whose ends, or the means used to pursue them, are not in conformity with the Church’s teaching.

Again, it's the bishop's job to make sure that anti-Catholic groups aren't funding Catholic charities. Another elephant in the room here is the group Faith in Public Life, which is supported by George Soros, who has links to many anti-Catholic agendas.

It is also the bishop's job to make sure that Catholic charities don't accept money for anti-Catholic uses.

Art. 2§2: A charitable agency may use the name "Catholic" only with the written consent of the competent authority, as laid down by canon 300 CIC.' 

Art. 11: The diocesan Bishop is obliged, if necessary, to make known to the faithful the fact that the activity of a particular charitable agency is no longer being carried out in conformity with the Church’s teaching, and then to prohibit that agency from using the name "Catholic" and to take the necessary measures should personal responsibilities emerge.

The first one is mostly a reminder of Canon Law 300. The second one is implied but now makes explicit that the bishop should inform his flock when a "Catholic" charity doesn't follow Catholic principles, and to strip them of their Catholic name--something many bishops have failed to do for quite a while with certain "Catholic" groups.

4 Thoughts on Meatless Fridays

Cardinal Dolan
Photo Credit: archny.org

Recently, Cardinal Dolan addressed his fellow American bishops, suggesting that we bring back the mandatory meatless Fridays. Previously in the Church, every Friday (not just each Lenten Friday) was a day on which we were required to abstain from warm-blooded meat. That's why restaurants offer fish specials on Fridays. In fact, that rule is still in tact, with one small exception . . .

Each conference of bishops has the ability to change the particular penances for their flock. The US bishops decided to allow US Catholics to substitute another penance of equal value on non-Lenten Fridays. Over time, this has degenerated into a complete lack of observance of any penance on the part of most American Catholics--predominantly out of ignorance, not rebellion.

Yes, Catholics are required to do some penance every Friday to honor Christ's sacrifice on Good Friday. The normal penance is abstaining from warm-blooded meat. Currently, outside of Lent, American Catholics may substitute that with a different but relatively similar level of penance (mortification, prayer, and/or almsgiving). That being said, here are 4 thoughts on meatless Fridays that came up in a discussion on Facebook today:

1. How is eating cold-blooded meat a penance?

Personally, I'd rather eat a steak than ANY cold-blooded meat (though a good case may be made for crab or lobster), so giving up warm-blooded meat is a penance (sometimes larger, sometimes smaller, depending on the alternatives).

2. Do people actually do this?

I observe it almost every Friday of the year, and there are many other Catholics who understand the disciplines of our Church and follow them. By far, however, the majority of Catholics are ignorant of our own disciplines (and our doctrines for that matter). When I do occasionally eat warm-blooded meat on non-Lenten Fridays, I substitute with some other penance. It becomes tough because even though I have worked at Catholic schools and parishes for the last 8 years, most of them have their special luncheons on Fridays, at which they often forget to offer a fish option (which is just endemic to contemporary American Catholicism's ignorance of its own disciplines). Sometimes I avoid the entree, or sometimes I simply offer up a different penance that day.

3. Abstaining from warm-blooded meat isn’t that tough. How is it a penance?

We're not called to some horrible gut-wrenching act of impossibility--just an extra penance (mortification, prayer, and/or almsgiving) to honor and unite with Christ's suffering and death for us. Holy Mother Church only asks for a small penance, not something huge (though we may indeed make a bigger penance).

4. What if sushi or lobster is a treat for me?

If sushi or lobster isn't very penitential for you, then eat something else. Whether or not it is very difficult for you, intentionally abstaining from warm-blooded meat is the universal observance to remember Christ's sacrifice. The fact that you remember Our Lord, and offer your penance to Him, and honor the authority of His Bride is more important than sushi, tuna, or cheese pizza. Of course, the greater the difficulty the greater the act of love as your sacrifice is willingly united to His sacrifice on the cross.

Priesthood

Episode 10 - What makes a priest so special?

Sunday Mass, Mary, & Baptism

Here are our latest episodes of The Beauty of Truth:

Episode 7 - Why do we have to go to Church every week?
Episode 8 - Why is Mary important?
Episode 9 - What's the meaning of Baptism?

Confession & The Eucharist

Here are our two latest podcasts:

• Episode 5: Why go to Confession?
• Episode 6: Why would Jesus become bread and wine?

The Bible, Heaven, and the Saints

Here are the latest Beauty of Truth podcast episodes (an internet talk show I'm co-hosting with Cristobal Almanza).

The sound gets a lot better starting in episode 3. We fixed some of the recording issues.

Episode 2: What's up with the Bible?
Episode 3: Where is Heaven, and How do I Get There?
Episode 4: Why are the Saints important?