Article 5: He descended into hell, the third day he rose again from the dead. The hell that Jesus descended to wasn't the hell of popular culture (the home proving grounds of Satan). Hell was a word that ancient Jews and Christians used to describe the place of the dead-both good and bad. Before Jesus's death brought salvation to the world, Christians believe, all the souls of history (even those of loyal servants to God such as Abraham and Solomon) had wait in the place of the dead until Jesus opened the gates to heaven. Jesus released them, they didn't get paroled from hell for good behavior.
This passage also states that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, meaning that he came back from the dead under his own power. It wasn't that he was "dead" for a few minutes and came back to life, he was completely and utterly dead, but came back to Earth. He also wasn't some kind of supernatural zombie, but rose with a new and glorified body.
Article 6: He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. Christ's ascension serves as a reminder that once his human and divine natures were united in the Incarnation, they could never be divided again. In other words, after his Resurrection, Jesus didn't leave his body behind on Earth, but brought it with him into heaven. Catholicism teaches that his human body will last forever. Humans hope that they will be able to join him there someday.
Article 7: From thence he shall come again to judge the living and the dead. This article restates the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the world to serve as its judge. Judgment Day is the term used to describe the end of time, when what's called the General Judgment will occur. Catholics believe that when you die, your soul goes immediately to your private judgment and your soul is sent to either heaven, hell or purgatory. Purgatory is the term used to describe the intermediate phase that prepares a person for proper admittance into heaven. At the end of time, when the General Judgment happens, everyone's private judgment is revealed-so everyone knows who got into heaven, who was damned, and why this is the case. Private judgment is what Catholics primarily care about, as they believe they are judged by their faith and how they exercised this faith while on earth. The General Judgment is merely God's revealing of everybody's private judgment; it is not a second chance or appeal.
Article 8: I believe in the Holy Spirit. This part reminds the believer that God exists in three persons - the Holy Trinity - as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an inantimate object or force, but a distinct person of God on equal terms with the other two persons.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Apostles' Creed Explained: Articles 1-4
Article 1: I believe in God the Father, almighty, creator of heaven and earth. This affirms the belief that God exists, is one God in three persons, known as the Holy Trinity, and that he created everything in the known universe. Creation is considered making something out of nothing. The created earth includes everything: inanimate matter, plants, humans, and even angels.
Article 2: And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. This states that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he was definitely divine. The word "Lord" itself is representative of this divinity, since the Greek word actually used is Kyrios, literally meaning "Lord," but only ever applied to God. Since the word applies to Jesus in this case, it is inferred that he is on the same level as God.
Jesus's last name was not Christ. Christ is derived from the Greek word for "annointed." The Hebrew word Messiah also means "annointed."
Article 3: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. This states the human nature of Christ, meaning that he had an actual, human mother. However, this also confirms his divine nature, since he had no human father. Instead he was conceived in the Virgin Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that Christians believe Christ's nature was fully human and fully divine. The union of these two natures in one divine person is called the Incarnation, which is Latin for "becoming flesh."
Article 4: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The human part of Christ was quite capable of feeling pain, and died on a cross on Good Friday. The addition of Pilate's name was not meant to suggest that the governor was causing the suffering, but to refer to the period of history in which these events took place. Pilate is an historical figure who was appointed by the Roman Caesar during the first century, and the mention of his name sets the chronological context for Jesus's life and death. Notice that the Creed also avoids putting any blame on the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus, something that the Church didn't always practice.
Article 2: And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. This states that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he was definitely divine. The word "Lord" itself is representative of this divinity, since the Greek word actually used is Kyrios, literally meaning "Lord," but only ever applied to God. Since the word applies to Jesus in this case, it is inferred that he is on the same level as God.
Jesus's last name was not Christ. Christ is derived from the Greek word for "annointed." The Hebrew word Messiah also means "annointed."
Article 3: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. This states the human nature of Christ, meaning that he had an actual, human mother. However, this also confirms his divine nature, since he had no human father. Instead he was conceived in the Virgin Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that Christians believe Christ's nature was fully human and fully divine. The union of these two natures in one divine person is called the Incarnation, which is Latin for "becoming flesh."
Article 4: He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. The human part of Christ was quite capable of feeling pain, and died on a cross on Good Friday. The addition of Pilate's name was not meant to suggest that the governor was causing the suffering, but to refer to the period of history in which these events took place. Pilate is an historical figure who was appointed by the Roman Caesar during the first century, and the mention of his name sets the chronological context for Jesus's life and death. Notice that the Creed also avoids putting any blame on the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus, something that the Church didn't always practice.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Creed
The central and most important part of Sacred Tradition is the Creed. The word comes from the Latin root for "I believe." A Creed is a statement by a specific religion about what it believes to be essential and necessary. The two most ancient creeds are the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, which is recited every Sunday or holy day of obligation at Catholic Masses around the world. The Nicene Creed was written at the Council of Nicea in 325 as a response to Arianism (which believed that there was no Trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) and to profess the Church's doctrine on the divinity of Christ. The oldest creed, however, is the Apostle's Creed. Although it was probably not written by the actual apostles of Jesus, it has been traced back to the first century.
The Nicene Creed was a more evolved version of the Apostles' creed, adapted to the contemporary times of the 4th century. The Nicene Creed emphasized loyalty to God and His Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the Creed is one of the four pillars of faith, along with the 10 Commandments, the seven sacraments, and the "Our Father" prayer. The text of both creeds are a summary of everything that Catholcism regards as divinely revealed truths.
The Apostles' Creed - "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen."
The Nicene Creed - "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and of the life of the world to come. Amen."
Over the next few days, we'll go over the sections of the Apostles Creed in greater detail, so we can better understand this example of Sacred Tradition and Catholic beliefs.
The Nicene Creed was a more evolved version of the Apostles' creed, adapted to the contemporary times of the 4th century. The Nicene Creed emphasized loyalty to God and His Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the Creed is one of the four pillars of faith, along with the 10 Commandments, the seven sacraments, and the "Our Father" prayer. The text of both creeds are a summary of everything that Catholcism regards as divinely revealed truths.
The Apostles' Creed - "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen."
The Nicene Creed - "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and of the life of the world to come. Amen."
Over the next few days, we'll go over the sections of the Apostles Creed in greater detail, so we can better understand this example of Sacred Tradition and Catholic beliefs.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sacred Tradition
God's word is simply more than letters on a page or sounds for one's ear. His word is creative, meaning that when his says something, it happens. For example, in the Book of Genesis in the Bible, God creates by merely saying the word: "God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light."
Catholics believe that the Word of God is found not just in the Bible, but in the unwritten word as well-called Sacred Tradition. Over the next few days, I'll demonstrate what Sacred Tradition is, and explain the most important part of that Tradition-the Creed.
Before the Word was written, it was first spoken. God first said, "Let there be light," then later someone recorded those words on paper. Jesus first spoke the Word when he preached his Sermon on the Mount. He didn't dictate to the apostle Matthew while he was preaching. Matthew recorded the speech years later, well after Jesus had died, risen, and ascended into heaven. None of the Gospels were written during Jesus's time on Earth. He died in 33 A.D., and the earliest Gospel (which is an Aramaic version of Matthew that other texts refer to) appears between the years 40-50 A.D. The rest of the Gospels were written 20-70 years after Jesus turned over his Church to his disciples. Matthew and John were apostles who actually heard the words of Christ and witnessed his life firsthand. However, the other two authors - Mark and Luke - were later disciples who recorded information secondhand. Jesus's actions and teachings were handed down (remember that the Latin word for "hand down" is tradition) by those who had actually witnessed such events firsthand (Luke frequently makes references to this in his Gospel). The unwritten Gospel was told by the apostles orally long before evangelists, the writers of the Gospels, ever wrote a word down. Luke got much of his information from Mary, Jesus's mother, and Mark relied on St. Peter as a primary source.
Logically, if years passed between Jesus's original teachings and the first appearance of the Gospels on paper, some other method of the Word was used. In the same way that the Old Testament was passed on through oral tradition before it was finally written down, so too was the New Testament. Jesus had fulfilled his ministry on Earth, performed miracles, died, risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven well before anyone wrote anything inspired about it. No one took notes while he preached. Jesus never wrote letters to his apostles as instructions. Sacred Tradition precedes the Bible, but both come from the same source-God.
The New Testament never says anything about Jesus's marital status. It never says that he was married, but it doesn't say that he wasn't, either (you might say "then he probably wasn't," but remember that the Bible also doesn't explicitly mention Peter having a wife, but we know that he did, since Jesus cured Peter's mother-in-law). Christians, however, believe that Jesus was unmarried and did not have children. Sacred Tradition says that Jesus never married in the same way it says there are only four Gospels. Without a written list, how can anyone say that there should only be 27 books in the New Testament? The Catholic response would be, "If we rely on Scripture alone, then there is no correct answer." However, if another avenue exists, say the Catholic belief in the unwritten word, then the Church can go by that.
Catholicism distinguishes between divinely inspired Sacred Tradition and mere human tradition:
Human tradition: Man-made laws that can be changed. An example of this is the Catholic practice of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent. Any Pope could eliminate this practice, change it, or continue it. Celibacy on the parts of priests is another human tradition.
Sacred Traditions: Considered part of the unwritten word of God, and believed since the very early days of the Apostolic Church. It's called Apostolic because the apostles lived during that time. An example of Sacred Tradition is the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. A dogma is a revealed truth that is defined by the Church - and one that all the faithful are required to believe. Although it is never explicitly stated in the Sacred Scripture, the Assumption of Mary is the belief that Mary was assumed, body and soul, into heaven by her son, Jesus. Even though this wasn't defined by the Church until Pope Pius XII in 1950, it has been believed by Catholic Christians since the time of the apostles. Other examples of Sacred Tradition can be found in the 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Church, from Nicea to Vatican II.
Catholics believe that the Word of God is found not just in the Bible, but in the unwritten word as well-called Sacred Tradition. Over the next few days, I'll demonstrate what Sacred Tradition is, and explain the most important part of that Tradition-the Creed.
Before the Word was written, it was first spoken. God first said, "Let there be light," then later someone recorded those words on paper. Jesus first spoke the Word when he preached his Sermon on the Mount. He didn't dictate to the apostle Matthew while he was preaching. Matthew recorded the speech years later, well after Jesus had died, risen, and ascended into heaven. None of the Gospels were written during Jesus's time on Earth. He died in 33 A.D., and the earliest Gospel (which is an Aramaic version of Matthew that other texts refer to) appears between the years 40-50 A.D. The rest of the Gospels were written 20-70 years after Jesus turned over his Church to his disciples. Matthew and John were apostles who actually heard the words of Christ and witnessed his life firsthand. However, the other two authors - Mark and Luke - were later disciples who recorded information secondhand. Jesus's actions and teachings were handed down (remember that the Latin word for "hand down" is tradition) by those who had actually witnessed such events firsthand (Luke frequently makes references to this in his Gospel). The unwritten Gospel was told by the apostles orally long before evangelists, the writers of the Gospels, ever wrote a word down. Luke got much of his information from Mary, Jesus's mother, and Mark relied on St. Peter as a primary source.
Logically, if years passed between Jesus's original teachings and the first appearance of the Gospels on paper, some other method of the Word was used. In the same way that the Old Testament was passed on through oral tradition before it was finally written down, so too was the New Testament. Jesus had fulfilled his ministry on Earth, performed miracles, died, risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven well before anyone wrote anything inspired about it. No one took notes while he preached. Jesus never wrote letters to his apostles as instructions. Sacred Tradition precedes the Bible, but both come from the same source-God.
The New Testament never says anything about Jesus's marital status. It never says that he was married, but it doesn't say that he wasn't, either (you might say "then he probably wasn't," but remember that the Bible also doesn't explicitly mention Peter having a wife, but we know that he did, since Jesus cured Peter's mother-in-law). Christians, however, believe that Jesus was unmarried and did not have children. Sacred Tradition says that Jesus never married in the same way it says there are only four Gospels. Without a written list, how can anyone say that there should only be 27 books in the New Testament? The Catholic response would be, "If we rely on Scripture alone, then there is no correct answer." However, if another avenue exists, say the Catholic belief in the unwritten word, then the Church can go by that.
Catholicism distinguishes between divinely inspired Sacred Tradition and mere human tradition:
Human tradition: Man-made laws that can be changed. An example of this is the Catholic practice of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent. Any Pope could eliminate this practice, change it, or continue it. Celibacy on the parts of priests is another human tradition.
Sacred Traditions: Considered part of the unwritten word of God, and believed since the very early days of the Apostolic Church. It's called Apostolic because the apostles lived during that time. An example of Sacred Tradition is the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. A dogma is a revealed truth that is defined by the Church - and one that all the faithful are required to believe. Although it is never explicitly stated in the Sacred Scripture, the Assumption of Mary is the belief that Mary was assumed, body and soul, into heaven by her son, Jesus. Even though this wasn't defined by the Church until Pope Pius XII in 1950, it has been believed by Catholic Christians since the time of the apostles. Other examples of Sacred Tradition can be found in the 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Church, from Nicea to Vatican II.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Biblical History Part 2: 250 B.C.-1517 A.D.
During the time of Babylonian exile, the Jews of the diaspora were spread all over the Mediterranean world. Some kept their Hebrew language and culture, but most adapted to the common language of the time:Greek (Greek was the scholarly language used in the Near East at that time). By the year 250 B.C., there was an effort to translate the Hebrew Scripture into Greek. This made sense, since more Jews lived outside of Israel than in it. These Greek-speaking Jews were called Helenistic Jews.
According to pious tradition, 70 scholars gathered together to begin translation of the sacred Old Testament books. They created what became known as the Septuagint (Greek for 70) version of the Bible. There was no parallel effort underway at the time to collect the books into a Hebrew Old Testament. Since the number of worldwide Jews who spoke Hebrew was very small and held little political influence, it made sense that the Old Testament would be written in Greek. The Septuagint Version of the Bible, sometimes referred to as the LXX version (the Roman numerals for 70) contained 46 books and became the standard collection of Jewish Scripture for Hellenistic Jews, and even those Jews still in Palestine accepted it.
Seven of these 46 books were never written in Hebrew, but were regarded as inspired anyway. These seven books (Baruch, Maccabees I and II, Tobit, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom) were used by Jews in the Holy Land, including Jesus and his disciples. Early Christians also accepted the inspired status of these seven books, since no one (not even Christ, Himself) had refuted them. Since they were later writings for an otherwise Hebrew collection, these seven books were called the Deuterocanonical Books (Deuterocanonical means "second canon"). The 39 Hebrew Books are called the Canonical Books.
The Jewish authorities did not object to these books until about 100 A.D., well after Christians had split away and created their own religion. The Temple had been destroyed around the year 70, and Jewish leaders at the Council of Jamnia in 100 A.D. looked to purify Judaism of all foreign influence, which meant removing anything not completely Hebrew. Since even the seven Deuterocanonical Books were not Hebrew, they were tossed. But Christianity was no longer affected by the decisions of the Jewish leaders, so those seven books remained a part of the new Bible. Early Christians did not view these books any differently than the 39 Hebrew ones.
Fast forward 1,400 years to the Protestant Reformation. One of the reforms Luther sought was a return to the Hebrew canon of the Bible (39 books), rather than the Greek canon (46 books) of the Septuagint. So a discrepancy exists today between the number of books in Catholic and Protestant bibles. Catholic bibles have 46 books, Protestant ones 39. Recently, some Protestant bibles have been printed with the seven other books added (notably the King James Edition), but they are placed in the back of the Old Testament, and are noted as part of the Apocrypha-Greek for "hidden."
So what the Catholic Church considers Deuterocanonical, Protestant theologians call the Apocrypha. Meanwhile, what the Catholic Church calls Apocrypha, Protestants call Psudepigrapha (meaning false writings). These are the so-called "Lost Books of the Bible." The Church never considered these books to be divinely inspired, so they were never added to the Bible at all (Catholic or Protestant). These Books include: The Assumption of Moses, the Ascension of Isaiah, the Apocalypse of Abraham, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, the Acts of St. John, and many others. None were considered inspired and were therefore left out of the Bible.
Interestingly enough, there is no debate between Catholics and Protestants over the correct number of books in the New Testament. Both editions have the exact same names and numbers (27) of Books in the New Testament.
According to pious tradition, 70 scholars gathered together to begin translation of the sacred Old Testament books. They created what became known as the Septuagint (Greek for 70) version of the Bible. There was no parallel effort underway at the time to collect the books into a Hebrew Old Testament. Since the number of worldwide Jews who spoke Hebrew was very small and held little political influence, it made sense that the Old Testament would be written in Greek. The Septuagint Version of the Bible, sometimes referred to as the LXX version (the Roman numerals for 70) contained 46 books and became the standard collection of Jewish Scripture for Hellenistic Jews, and even those Jews still in Palestine accepted it.
Seven of these 46 books were never written in Hebrew, but were regarded as inspired anyway. These seven books (Baruch, Maccabees I and II, Tobit, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom) were used by Jews in the Holy Land, including Jesus and his disciples. Early Christians also accepted the inspired status of these seven books, since no one (not even Christ, Himself) had refuted them. Since they were later writings for an otherwise Hebrew collection, these seven books were called the Deuterocanonical Books (Deuterocanonical means "second canon"). The 39 Hebrew Books are called the Canonical Books.
The Jewish authorities did not object to these books until about 100 A.D., well after Christians had split away and created their own religion. The Temple had been destroyed around the year 70, and Jewish leaders at the Council of Jamnia in 100 A.D. looked to purify Judaism of all foreign influence, which meant removing anything not completely Hebrew. Since even the seven Deuterocanonical Books were not Hebrew, they were tossed. But Christianity was no longer affected by the decisions of the Jewish leaders, so those seven books remained a part of the new Bible. Early Christians did not view these books any differently than the 39 Hebrew ones.
Fast forward 1,400 years to the Protestant Reformation. One of the reforms Luther sought was a return to the Hebrew canon of the Bible (39 books), rather than the Greek canon (46 books) of the Septuagint. So a discrepancy exists today between the number of books in Catholic and Protestant bibles. Catholic bibles have 46 books, Protestant ones 39. Recently, some Protestant bibles have been printed with the seven other books added (notably the King James Edition), but they are placed in the back of the Old Testament, and are noted as part of the Apocrypha-Greek for "hidden."
So what the Catholic Church considers Deuterocanonical, Protestant theologians call the Apocrypha. Meanwhile, what the Catholic Church calls Apocrypha, Protestants call Psudepigrapha (meaning false writings). These are the so-called "Lost Books of the Bible." The Church never considered these books to be divinely inspired, so they were never added to the Bible at all (Catholic or Protestant). These Books include: The Assumption of Moses, the Ascension of Isaiah, the Apocalypse of Abraham, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, the Acts of St. John, and many others. None were considered inspired and were therefore left out of the Bible.
Interestingly enough, there is no debate between Catholics and Protestants over the correct number of books in the New Testament. Both editions have the exact same names and numbers (27) of Books in the New Testament.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Biblical History Part 1: 1800-587 B.C.
Here is a brief overview of the story behind the Bible's creation. To understand the history of the Bible, you have to go back to the time of Abraham (about 1800 B.C.) when the Hebrew peoples used oral tradition. The tribes of the time did not have a written language and so passed on the oldest stories by mouth. Parents would verbally (orally) hand down (the Latin word traditio) the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel, Noah's Ark, and so on. Bibles did not exist then and there was no parchment, either. It was all told by word of mouth.
Moses appeared on the scene around the year 1250 B.C. and led the Hebrews out of slavery under the Egyptians into the Promised Land. The era of Moses marked the beginning of Hebrew writing; Moses had been raised in the Pharaoh's court, and thus had learned to read and write. But the vast majority of revelation was still passed on via oral tradition, since most Hebrews remained illiterate. According to pious tradition, Moses wrote the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the Old Testament). These books were Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. There's no way to prove who the true writer was, however. Pious tradition is belief without any documented proof, and is different from Sacred Tradition, which is considered revealed, accurate, and true.
There are no more substantial writings until about 950 B.C. in the reign of King Solomon. After Solomon's death, the Hebrew Kingdom is divided into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms. The Assyrians conquered Israel in 721 B.C. and began the first diaspora, or scattering of the Jews so they wouldn't live in one area. The Babylonians conquered Judah in 587 B.C. and also scattered the locals so they were no longer an effective political force.
Moses appeared on the scene around the year 1250 B.C. and led the Hebrews out of slavery under the Egyptians into the Promised Land. The era of Moses marked the beginning of Hebrew writing; Moses had been raised in the Pharaoh's court, and thus had learned to read and write. But the vast majority of revelation was still passed on via oral tradition, since most Hebrews remained illiterate. According to pious tradition, Moses wrote the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the Old Testament). These books were Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. There's no way to prove who the true writer was, however. Pious tradition is belief without any documented proof, and is different from Sacred Tradition, which is considered revealed, accurate, and true.
There are no more substantial writings until about 950 B.C. in the reign of King Solomon. After Solomon's death, the Hebrew Kingdom is divided into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms. The Assyrians conquered Israel in 721 B.C. and began the first diaspora, or scattering of the Jews so they wouldn't live in one area. The Babylonians conquered Judah in 587 B.C. and also scattered the locals so they were no longer an effective political force.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday Off-Topic: Mass of the Oils
Every Introduction course always has its off-topic tangents, and Catholicism 101 is no different. On Sundays, we'll delve into some aspects of Catholicism that we might not otherwise get to. These areas are kind of up to my whim, but they will usually focus on unusual parts of Catholicism.
The Chrism Mass usually takes place on the Thursday before Easter, and all the priests in the local diocese are asked to be present, if possible. At this Mass, the bishop blesses olive oil in large multi-gallon containers to be distributed to each parish and priest throughout the diocese. Three types of oils are blessed at this annual Mass:
The Oil of Catechumens - Used to bless people before they are baptized. Also used for catechumens - students of the faith seeking to join the Church through baptism.
The Oil of the Sick - Used when administering the Sacrament of the Annointing of the Sick, formerly called Last Rites, or Extreme Unction.
Chrism Oil - For newly baptized members, confirmands (those being officially added into the Church) and for those being ordained into the priesthood. Chrism is made from olive oil, but balsam is added to give it a more appealing aroma.
The Chrism Mass usually takes place on the Thursday before Easter, and all the priests in the local diocese are asked to be present, if possible. At this Mass, the bishop blesses olive oil in large multi-gallon containers to be distributed to each parish and priest throughout the diocese. Three types of oils are blessed at this annual Mass:
The Oil of Catechumens - Used to bless people before they are baptized. Also used for catechumens - students of the faith seeking to join the Church through baptism.
The Oil of the Sick - Used when administering the Sacrament of the Annointing of the Sick, formerly called Last Rites, or Extreme Unction.
Chrism Oil - For newly baptized members, confirmands (those being officially added into the Church) and for those being ordained into the priesthood. Chrism is made from olive oil, but balsam is added to give it a more appealing aroma.
Biblical Interpretation
Since the Reformation, opinions have differed on how the Bible is to be correctly interpreted. Some Christians believe every word or phrase should be interpreted literally, others feel that faithful interpretation (sometimes literal, sometimes not) is the best way to go. Catholics (along with all Christians) believe that God was the Author of the Sacred Scripture, and so the Bible is viewed as the Word of God. Unlike Protestants, Catholics view the Bible as the written Word of God and Sacred Tradition as the unwritten Word of God. Catholicism uses that second half of the equation to help it interpret the biblical text. Catholics view the Bible as the inspired, revealed work of God, but also see it as a collection of sacred literature. Catholicism does not view the Bible as one big story, but as a collection of smaller books in an overall volume. It is seen as the Word of God, but recorded by man.
The Bible teaches about the history of salvation, but it is not merely a history book. It contains the Psalms of David (songs that King David wrote to honor God around the year 1000 BC), but it is also more than a hymnal. It contains poetry, history, theology, analogy, hyperbole, metaphors, prose, and on and on. Because the Bible is not purely one form of literature, one needs to be aware of the various literary forms that the Bible takes in order to be able to interpret it properly. For example, Jesus says in the Gospel, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off." The Catholic Church believes this to be a figure of speech rather than something that should be done literally. However, there are some cultures that will chop off the hands of thieves.
At the same time, Catholics literally interpret the passage of John 6:55 "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." Since individual readings would inevitably lead to disagreement over the correct meaning of biblical text, Catholicism uses the final authority of the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the pope and bishops) in order to properly instruct the faithful.
Catholics believe that a central reason for Jesus's creation of the Church was to act as an institution to protect God's revelations by authentically interpreting biblical text. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition should not be viewed as an either/or concept, the two are seen as being mutually correct. If the Bible is silent on an issue, or if the wording is ambiguous or vague (a frequent problem in the Bible), then Sacred Tradition steps in to fill in the gaps. Those who attack the Catholic Church on these matters should understand that Catholics don't view their Church as superior to the Bible, but see it as behaving like a steward and protector of the Scripture. The Church assumed the role of authentic interpreter not through its own doing, but by the authority given to it by Jesus's instructions: "He who hears you, hears me" (Luke 10:16) and "whatever you bind in Earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18). The Church views itself as an authentic interpreter on issues that are not explicitly addressed in Sacred Scripture, but only because it believes Christ gave it that power.
The Bible teaches about the history of salvation, but it is not merely a history book. It contains the Psalms of David (songs that King David wrote to honor God around the year 1000 BC), but it is also more than a hymnal. It contains poetry, history, theology, analogy, hyperbole, metaphors, prose, and on and on. Because the Bible is not purely one form of literature, one needs to be aware of the various literary forms that the Bible takes in order to be able to interpret it properly. For example, Jesus says in the Gospel, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off." The Catholic Church believes this to be a figure of speech rather than something that should be done literally. However, there are some cultures that will chop off the hands of thieves.
At the same time, Catholics literally interpret the passage of John 6:55 "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink." Since individual readings would inevitably lead to disagreement over the correct meaning of biblical text, Catholicism uses the final authority of the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the pope and bishops) in order to properly instruct the faithful.
Catholics believe that a central reason for Jesus's creation of the Church was to act as an institution to protect God's revelations by authentically interpreting biblical text. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition should not be viewed as an either/or concept, the two are seen as being mutually correct. If the Bible is silent on an issue, or if the wording is ambiguous or vague (a frequent problem in the Bible), then Sacred Tradition steps in to fill in the gaps. Those who attack the Catholic Church on these matters should understand that Catholics don't view their Church as superior to the Bible, but see it as behaving like a steward and protector of the Scripture. The Church assumed the role of authentic interpreter not through its own doing, but by the authority given to it by Jesus's instructions: "He who hears you, hears me" (Luke 10:16) and "whatever you bind in Earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18). The Church views itself as an authentic interpreter on issues that are not explicitly addressed in Sacred Scripture, but only because it believes Christ gave it that power.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Bible
Catholicism is a religion based primarily around the Bible (don't let anyone tell you otherwise). Like all other Christian denominations, Catholics hold the Bible as inspired, infallible, free of error, and the true Word of God. However, Protestants and Catholics hold different perspectives of the Bible: the belief in the channels of revelation, and the interpretation of the text. Over the next two days, we'll address these differences.
Protestant Christians view the Bible as the written word, or the only source of divine revelation. Catholics, Anglicans (Episcopals), and the Eastern Orthodox Church consider both the written word and unwritten word (also called Sacred Tradition) as coming from the same source-i.e. God. The best way of looking at this is to think of some Christians as seeing only one channel of revelation (called sola scriptura, or Scripture alone), while others see two channels: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
It is not true to say that Catholics believe only in tradition, Protestants believe only in the Bible, and never the twain shall meet. All Christians believe that the Word of God is both sacred and divinely inspired. It's just that Catholics believe that the Word of God is more than just the Bible, and also includes the unwritten word. This is really one of the bones of contention between these two groups.
Protestant Christians view the Bible as the written word, or the only source of divine revelation. Catholics, Anglicans (Episcopals), and the Eastern Orthodox Church consider both the written word and unwritten word (also called Sacred Tradition) as coming from the same source-i.e. God. The best way of looking at this is to think of some Christians as seeing only one channel of revelation (called sola scriptura, or Scripture alone), while others see two channels: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
It is not true to say that Catholics believe only in tradition, Protestants believe only in the Bible, and never the twain shall meet. All Christians believe that the Word of God is both sacred and divinely inspired. It's just that Catholics believe that the Word of God is more than just the Bible, and also includes the unwritten word. This is really one of the bones of contention between these two groups.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Faith in Revelations
Catholic faith is more than simply believing that God exists. It's also about believing in whatever it is that He reveals. You can view faith as a sum total of everything that God has revealed over time. This is called the deposit of faith, which are the Church doctrines. Also, you can look at faith as your own personal response to those revealed truths (called assent).
But what are revealed truths? And, furthermore, what do they consist of? A revealed truth is a revelation, or unveiling, by God of certain supernatural truths that humans require for their salvation. The Church believes that most of these "truths" are matters that humans could never have come up with on their own, and required divine intervention by God. An example of this is the idea of a Holy Trinity (the idea that there is only one God, but in three Persons). Humans could never have discovered this on their own, since it is unfathonable to the human mind (even the Church cannot satisfactorily explain how such a Trinity could possibly exist). God had to reveal that one.
There are other truths that humans are capable of coming up with on their own, such as the idea that stealing is sinful and wrong. However, God revealed this anyway, since not everyone understands this idea in the same way. Some revelations are presumed to be obvious to anyone with the use of reason, so people can't claim that they didn't know it was wrong (murder is such an example). But as a result of Original Sin (I'll go into this in a future post, but if you don't know what this is, I would suggest looking it up soon) some applications and distinctions of these truths require some reasoning and thinking (for example, the idea of "false gods"). In order to be fair, God revealed some important truths so that even those who don't devote themselves to reason and study know what it is that He wants.
As for what the revealed truths consist of, the best answer is that it's His Word. The Word of God is his revelation to man. Catholics believe that the Word of God comes in two forms.
The Spoken Word: Called Sacred Tradition,
and
The Written Word: The Bible, or Scripture.
Both of these come from the same source (God) and communicate the same idea-the truth. Catholics (and most Christians, for that matter) believe that His Word reflect what God wants. Since they believe that God consists entirely truth and good, His words are also truthful and full of goodness.
But what are revealed truths? And, furthermore, what do they consist of? A revealed truth is a revelation, or unveiling, by God of certain supernatural truths that humans require for their salvation. The Church believes that most of these "truths" are matters that humans could never have come up with on their own, and required divine intervention by God. An example of this is the idea of a Holy Trinity (the idea that there is only one God, but in three Persons). Humans could never have discovered this on their own, since it is unfathonable to the human mind (even the Church cannot satisfactorily explain how such a Trinity could possibly exist). God had to reveal that one.
There are other truths that humans are capable of coming up with on their own, such as the idea that stealing is sinful and wrong. However, God revealed this anyway, since not everyone understands this idea in the same way. Some revelations are presumed to be obvious to anyone with the use of reason, so people can't claim that they didn't know it was wrong (murder is such an example). But as a result of Original Sin (I'll go into this in a future post, but if you don't know what this is, I would suggest looking it up soon) some applications and distinctions of these truths require some reasoning and thinking (for example, the idea of "false gods"). In order to be fair, God revealed some important truths so that even those who don't devote themselves to reason and study know what it is that He wants.
As for what the revealed truths consist of, the best answer is that it's His Word. The Word of God is his revelation to man. Catholics believe that the Word of God comes in two forms.
The Spoken Word: Called Sacred Tradition,
and
The Written Word: The Bible, or Scripture.
Both of these come from the same source (God) and communicate the same idea-the truth. Catholics (and most Christians, for that matter) believe that His Word reflect what God wants. Since they believe that God consists entirely truth and good, His words are also truthful and full of goodness.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Knowing If You Have Faith
After spending the past month talking about church structure and hierarchy, it's time to move on to the important stuff - what the Church actually believes. For the next few weeks, the posts will deal with faith and what the Church teaches.
In order to have faith, you have to trust the word of someone else. When you demonstrate faith in a person, you believe what that other person is telling you-even if you never witnessed what they are explaining yourself. In other words, faith is trusting that a person is telling you the truth about something you don't know, even though they haven't shown you any cold, hard facts.
Using this description makes it sound like faith is believing in Santa or the Easter Bunny, but real faith is a bit more complicated. Having faith means having to live with unanswered questions, such as "Why is there evil on the Earth?" or "Why do people go to war?" (The answer "it's God's Will," doesn't really address these core issues.) Faith allows you to endure life without having all the answers. Instead of providing an explanation, faith allows a person to persevere.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a book that presents the official teachings of the Church. On the subject of faith, it says:
"Faith is, first of all, a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and
inseperably, it is a free ascent to the whole truth that God has revealed."
(Section 150)
"Faith is a personal act-the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who
reveals himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one
can live alone." (Section 166)
Catholics see faith as a gift from God, not as something a person just comes up with on their own. They believe He offers it to everyone, but it must be freely received. No one can be forced to have faith, and different people respond to it in different ways. Some people reject the gift, some view it with indifference, some treat it casually, with occasional seriousness. Some cherish their faith deeply. There is an old saying, "For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible."
In order to have faith, you have to trust the word of someone else. When you demonstrate faith in a person, you believe what that other person is telling you-even if you never witnessed what they are explaining yourself. In other words, faith is trusting that a person is telling you the truth about something you don't know, even though they haven't shown you any cold, hard facts.
Using this description makes it sound like faith is believing in Santa or the Easter Bunny, but real faith is a bit more complicated. Having faith means having to live with unanswered questions, such as "Why is there evil on the Earth?" or "Why do people go to war?" (The answer "it's God's Will," doesn't really address these core issues.) Faith allows you to endure life without having all the answers. Instead of providing an explanation, faith allows a person to persevere.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a book that presents the official teachings of the Church. On the subject of faith, it says:
"Faith is, first of all, a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and
inseperably, it is a free ascent to the whole truth that God has revealed."
(Section 150)
"Faith is a personal act-the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who
reveals himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one
can live alone." (Section 166)
Catholics see faith as a gift from God, not as something a person just comes up with on their own. They believe He offers it to everyone, but it must be freely received. No one can be forced to have faith, and different people respond to it in different ways. Some people reject the gift, some view it with indifference, some treat it casually, with occasional seriousness. Some cherish their faith deeply. There is an old saying, "For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible."
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Religious Orders
You can find hundreds of different religious orders, communities, and congregations around the world today. Each bases its spirituality on the founder of its congregation, such as St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans. St. Dominic founded the Dominicans, St. Clare the Poor Clares, St. Lucy Filippini the Religious Sisters Filippini, and Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity. Some communities specialize in teaching or social work. Some engage in apostolates (temporary service as priests), and a few devote themselves to a solitary life of contemplation and prayer.
The Sisters of St. Joseph (of which my aunt is a member) often work in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. So do the Sisters of Mercy, Religious Sisters Filippini, Dominican Sisters, Daughters of Charity, and Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodus. On the other hand, Poor Clares, Carmelites, Dominicans, and other nuns tend to spend most of their time in monasteries praying, fasting, and working for the sanctification of souls. These nuns spend most of their time cloistered (seperated) from the general public. A few nuns from the order are designated externs, living outside of the cloister, so they can buy food and other necessaries. The other nuns rarely leave the monastery, departing only for illnesses or deaths in the family. Cloistered nuns live in a monastery, in contrast with religious sisters, who work outside the convent (where they reside).
So the stereotypical image of nuns running the Catholic school is only partially correct. These are, in fact, religious sisters performing their duties.
You can tell the order of a monk, friar, nun, or sister by their habit, or religious clothing. Franciscans wear brown, Dominicans wear white, the Benedictines wear black, and the Missionaries of Charity wear white with blue stripes. Some female religious communities no longer wear veils on their heads, but instead wear a pin that identifies their order. The style of a veil is also a good indicator.
Religious brothers and sisters are not considered part of the Church clergy, but they aren't laypeople, either. They are referred to as consecrated religious, meaning that they've taken a sacred vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
The Sisters of St. Joseph (of which my aunt is a member) often work in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. So do the Sisters of Mercy, Religious Sisters Filippini, Dominican Sisters, Daughters of Charity, and Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodus. On the other hand, Poor Clares, Carmelites, Dominicans, and other nuns tend to spend most of their time in monasteries praying, fasting, and working for the sanctification of souls. These nuns spend most of their time cloistered (seperated) from the general public. A few nuns from the order are designated externs, living outside of the cloister, so they can buy food and other necessaries. The other nuns rarely leave the monastery, departing only for illnesses or deaths in the family. Cloistered nuns live in a monastery, in contrast with religious sisters, who work outside the convent (where they reside).
So the stereotypical image of nuns running the Catholic school is only partially correct. These are, in fact, religious sisters performing their duties.
You can tell the order of a monk, friar, nun, or sister by their habit, or religious clothing. Franciscans wear brown, Dominicans wear white, the Benedictines wear black, and the Missionaries of Charity wear white with blue stripes. Some female religious communities no longer wear veils on their heads, but instead wear a pin that identifies their order. The style of a veil is also a good indicator.
Religious brothers and sisters are not considered part of the Church clergy, but they aren't laypeople, either. They are referred to as consecrated religious, meaning that they've taken a sacred vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monks & Nuns, Brothers & Sisters
Technically, monks and nuns live in monasteries, which are buildings that have limited access to the outside world and where prayer and work are emphasized. Only women who are nuns and men who are monks live in monasteries-although a small number have guest rooms. Monastic spirituality is the norm in these places, meaning that all the residents worship together, pray together, even eat together, then spend the day working.
Religious sisters live in convents. Convents are more open to the outside world than monasteries. Residents will usually live and pray in the convent, but spend most of their day working in the outside world in places such as schools or hospitals.
Friaries are the male counterpart of convents. It is here that religious brothers live and pray together, but work outside the friary. St. Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi both founded the original groups of friars in the Church. Prior to that point, a man entering a life of service in the Church was limited to either a diocesan priest or a monk in a monastery. Friars are there to bridge the gap between the parish and the isolated monastery. Although brothers and sisters can be cloistered together, they are closer to the secular world than those in the monastery.
Religious sisters live in convents. Convents are more open to the outside world than monasteries. Residents will usually live and pray in the convent, but spend most of their day working in the outside world in places such as schools or hospitals.
Friaries are the male counterpart of convents. It is here that religious brothers live and pray together, but work outside the friary. St. Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi both founded the original groups of friars in the Church. Prior to that point, a man entering a life of service in the Church was limited to either a diocesan priest or a monk in a monastery. Friars are there to bridge the gap between the parish and the isolated monastery. Although brothers and sisters can be cloistered together, they are closer to the secular world than those in the monastery.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday Off-Topic: Pope's Robes
Every Introduction course always has its off-topic tangents, and Catholicism 101 is no different. On Sundays, we'll delve into some aspects of Catholicism that we might not otherwise get to. These areas are kind of up to my whim, but they will usually focus on unusual parts of Catholicism.
Since most popes were cardinals prior to their election as Bishop of Rome, they continued to wear their scarlet clothes with white ermine fur embellishing it during the Middle Ages. However, Pope St. Pius V (elected 1566) decided to keep his white Dominican habit. He adapted the cassock (a full-length clerical gown), making it white. The pope has worn a white cassock ever since. Cardinals wear red, bishops wear purple, and priests wear black.
Since most popes were cardinals prior to their election as Bishop of Rome, they continued to wear their scarlet clothes with white ermine fur embellishing it during the Middle Ages. However, Pope St. Pius V (elected 1566) decided to keep his white Dominican habit. He adapted the cassock (a full-length clerical gown), making it white. The pope has worn a white cassock ever since. Cardinals wear red, bishops wear purple, and priests wear black.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Deacons
Deacons are below priests in the church hierarchy. Permanent deacons are men who are ordained to the office of deacon who have no intention of moving on and becoming priests. They can be single or married. However, they must be married before they become deacons. A deacon is not allowed to get married. If a deacon's wife dies, he can be ordained a priest with the permission of the local bishop.
Transitional deacons are seminarians, or students in the last phase of training to become priests. After being a deacon for a year, they are ordained as priests by the bishop.
Deacons can baptize, witness marriages, perform funerals, preach the homily (the sermon given after the Gospel in the Catholic Mass), and are required to pray the Divine Office (Breviary) every day. The Divine Office (also called the Breviary and the Liturgy of the Hours) consists of the 150 Psalms and Scriptural readings that each priest, deacon, and bishop must pray every day. This is done to ensure that the Church clerics are exposed to more Sacred Scripture each day of their lives.
Permanent deacons usually have jobs outside the Church as their source of income. They also help out the priest by visiting and advising parishoners and usually hold a spot on the parish council. Deacons, priests, and bishops are considered clerics (members of the clergy) in the Catholic Church.
Transitional deacons are seminarians, or students in the last phase of training to become priests. After being a deacon for a year, they are ordained as priests by the bishop.
Deacons can baptize, witness marriages, perform funerals, preach the homily (the sermon given after the Gospel in the Catholic Mass), and are required to pray the Divine Office (Breviary) every day. The Divine Office (also called the Breviary and the Liturgy of the Hours) consists of the 150 Psalms and Scriptural readings that each priest, deacon, and bishop must pray every day. This is done to ensure that the Church clerics are exposed to more Sacred Scripture each day of their lives.
Permanent deacons usually have jobs outside the Church as their source of income. They also help out the priest by visiting and advising parishoners and usually hold a spot on the parish council. Deacons, priests, and bishops are considered clerics (members of the clergy) in the Catholic Church.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Religious (regular) Priests
Religious priests are called regular priests not because they're normal, but because they follow the regula, which is Latin for rule, or the structured life of a religious community. The Rule refers to how a religious order trains, governs itself, practices, and lives. Religious priests are usually called order priests after the order that they belong to: Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit, Benedictine, or Augustine. These priests wear particular habits (religious garb) and take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Most of these priests don't own personal possessions besides their clothes. They do not receive a salary, but instead are given a monthly allowance in order to buy necessities.
Normally, order priests live in houses that hold anywhere from 3 to 20 members. The entire community usually shares one tv set, a car or two, and any other possessions. This enhances the sense of community. Religious clergy own nothing-unlike diocesan priests, who have a modest salary.
Normally, order priests live in houses that hold anywhere from 3 to 20 members. The entire community usually shares one tv set, a car or two, and any other possessions. This enhances the sense of community. Religious clergy own nothing-unlike diocesan priests, who have a modest salary.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Diocesan Priests
Catholic priests are either diocesan (secular) or religious (regular). Diocesan priests belong to the diocese that they work in, but religious order priests (such as Dominicans or Franciscans) belong to that specific order.
Diocesan priests are called secular priests to seperate them from the religious priests who are members of a specific order. Normally, a parish priest is a diocesan priest, meaning that he belongs to that area of the diocese. He promises to be obedient to the bishop and to remain celibate.
A diocesan priest will receive a modest monthly salary from his parish, along with room and board and health insurance. A diocesan will either live alone or with other priests, but either way the living quarters are called a rectory. Parish priests are usually responsible for their own personal property (books, stereos, cars, etc.) and paying their taxes. A normal priest makes just enough to cover his costs of living along with any debts (such as student loans), but the parish might also step up to cover any necessities. It is important to point out that priests never charge a fee for baptisms, marriages, or funerals. They will occassionally receive goodwill offerings from laypersons, but Catholics (along with most Christians) believe it sinful for someone to ask for payment to perform a sacred service.
Canon law (more on that in the future) guarantees a priest one day off per week, and a month off every year (30 days of vacation). While that may seem high, remember that most laity receive two days off every week. Those 30 days of vacation disappear very quickly without that extra day off.
Diocesan priests are called secular priests to seperate them from the religious priests who are members of a specific order. Normally, a parish priest is a diocesan priest, meaning that he belongs to that area of the diocese. He promises to be obedient to the bishop and to remain celibate.
A diocesan priest will receive a modest monthly salary from his parish, along with room and board and health insurance. A diocesan will either live alone or with other priests, but either way the living quarters are called a rectory. Parish priests are usually responsible for their own personal property (books, stereos, cars, etc.) and paying their taxes. A normal priest makes just enough to cover his costs of living along with any debts (such as student loans), but the parish might also step up to cover any necessities. It is important to point out that priests never charge a fee for baptisms, marriages, or funerals. They will occassionally receive goodwill offerings from laypersons, but Catholics (along with most Christians) believe it sinful for someone to ask for payment to perform a sacred service.
Canon law (more on that in the future) guarantees a priest one day off per week, and a month off every year (30 days of vacation). While that may seem high, remember that most laity receive two days off every week. Those 30 days of vacation disappear very quickly without that extra day off.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Roles of Priests and Parishes
A parish priest celebrates Mass, hears confessions, offers marriage counseling, provides prenuptial counseling and spiritual direction, visits the sick, teaches catechism (a book that contains the Church doctrines) to both children and adults, baptizes, witnesses marriages, performs funerals, attends numerous councils and meetings, prays privately, does spiritual reading, and somehow finds time to relax with family and friends. Added to this is an annual five-day retreat that all priests are required to attend in order to receive regular spiritual direction. In other words, a priest is a really busy guy.
The Catholic Church (especially in the United States) is currently experiencing a shortage of men entering the priesthood. With over a billion Catholics worldwide and only a little over 404,600 priests to administer to them, that leaves an average of one priest for every 2,500 Catholics. Some parishes are exceptionally large, especially in urban New England, where there may be one priest administering a diocese of 6,000 people.
The parish church is where the priest works and where most Catholics will celebrate Mass every weekend. A Catholic parish will usually be named either after Jesus (Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart, and Corpus Christi are just some examples), the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Lake, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, etc.), or one of the saints (St. Joseph, St. Thomas More, St. Peter, etc.). The parish is where local Catholics will get baptized, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, get married, attend Mass, and are sometimes buried.
A few parishes have a school attached to them (mine does), and even fewer have a staff of nuns who teach there, but you can still find them. Catholic grade schools were once feeder schools into Catholic high schools and universities where students were heavily encouraged to take a vocational life. In other words, they were encouraged to become priests and nuns, or at least get a degree from a Catholic university. However, changing demographics and a decline in the number of religous brothers and sisters resulted in the closing of many parish schools. Usually, such schools are now run by the diocese.
The Catholic Church (especially in the United States) is currently experiencing a shortage of men entering the priesthood. With over a billion Catholics worldwide and only a little over 404,600 priests to administer to them, that leaves an average of one priest for every 2,500 Catholics. Some parishes are exceptionally large, especially in urban New England, where there may be one priest administering a diocese of 6,000 people.
The parish church is where the priest works and where most Catholics will celebrate Mass every weekend. A Catholic parish will usually be named either after Jesus (Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart, and Corpus Christi are just some examples), the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Lake, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, etc.), or one of the saints (St. Joseph, St. Thomas More, St. Peter, etc.). The parish is where local Catholics will get baptized, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, get married, attend Mass, and are sometimes buried.
A few parishes have a school attached to them (mine does), and even fewer have a staff of nuns who teach there, but you can still find them. Catholic grade schools were once feeder schools into Catholic high schools and universities where students were heavily encouraged to take a vocational life. In other words, they were encouraged to become priests and nuns, or at least get a degree from a Catholic university. However, changing demographics and a decline in the number of religous brothers and sisters resulted in the closing of many parish schools. Usually, such schools are now run by the diocese.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Parish Priests
The parish priest, also called a pastor, is next in the Church hierarchy after the vicar general. Pastors are appointed by the bishop and represent the bishop to a local parish-a relatively small area inside the diocese. A pastor is assisted by a parochial vicar (formerly called a curate) and sometimes by an associate deacon, religuous sister or lay parishoner as a pastoral associate.
The parish council, which usually consists of laypeople (ordinary churchgoers), advise and counsel the priest but don't have any administrative power. This is different from many Protestant church councils, which have the power to select and fire their pastor.
Priests (especially those in Europe and North America) are expected to obtain a graduate, post-graduate, or doctoral degree and are then supposed to spend an additional 4-12 years in a seminary, a special school that teaches theology. Most priests hold at least a master's degree in either divinity or theology, while many have doctorates or other higher academic degrees.
Besides theological learning, seminarians also train to be priests by apostolates, which are short assignments in parishes, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, or some other ministry. The purpose of apostolates is to unite pastoral training with philosophical and theological education.
The parish council, which usually consists of laypeople (ordinary churchgoers), advise and counsel the priest but don't have any administrative power. This is different from many Protestant church councils, which have the power to select and fire their pastor.
Priests (especially those in Europe and North America) are expected to obtain a graduate, post-graduate, or doctoral degree and are then supposed to spend an additional 4-12 years in a seminary, a special school that teaches theology. Most priests hold at least a master's degree in either divinity or theology, while many have doctorates or other higher academic degrees.
Besides theological learning, seminarians also train to be priests by apostolates, which are short assignments in parishes, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, or some other ministry. The purpose of apostolates is to unite pastoral training with philosophical and theological education.
Vicar General
Vicar generals are not military officers, but priests who serve as second in command of a diocese and are appointed by the local bishop to help him govern his region. Sometimes, episcopal vicars are appoited to head certain areas, such as vocations, personnel, community outreach, and so on. In exceptionally large dioceses, such as New York, vicars general often act as de facto auxiliary bishops, meaning that they can fulfill some of the offices of a bishop.
These priests can be given the honorary title of monsignor. There is no extra authority or salary granted with this title. A monsignor can be recognized by the color of his cassock (a long, close-fitting garment worn by clerics). Monsignor is an honorary title that the pope bestows at the request of the local bishop. There are 3 different forms:
Papal Chamberlain: Also known as Chaplain of His Holiness, the lowest ranking of the monsignor title. They can be recognized by their black cassocks with purple buttons and trim.
Domestic Prelate: These monsignors are known as Honorary Prelates of His Holiness. They wear purple or black cassocks with red buttons and trim.
Prothonotary Apostolic: This is the highest-ranking monsignor. They wear a purple ferraiolone, which is a silk cape draped over the cassock.
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the requirements for each rank were very specific and would be associated with certain duties. After 1969, the divisions became a bit more blurry, and less job-specific. The differences today between the titles are complicated and difficult to explain in a blog post. Someone is welcome to try in the comments section below.
These priests can be given the honorary title of monsignor. There is no extra authority or salary granted with this title. A monsignor can be recognized by the color of his cassock (a long, close-fitting garment worn by clerics). Monsignor is an honorary title that the pope bestows at the request of the local bishop. There are 3 different forms:
Papal Chamberlain: Also known as Chaplain of His Holiness, the lowest ranking of the monsignor title. They can be recognized by their black cassocks with purple buttons and trim.
Domestic Prelate: These monsignors are known as Honorary Prelates of His Holiness. They wear purple or black cassocks with red buttons and trim.
Prothonotary Apostolic: This is the highest-ranking monsignor. They wear a purple ferraiolone, which is a silk cape draped over the cassock.
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the requirements for each rank were very specific and would be associated with certain duties. After 1969, the divisions became a bit more blurry, and less job-specific. The differences today between the titles are complicated and difficult to explain in a blog post. Someone is welcome to try in the comments section below.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday Off-Topic: Popes Throughout History
Every Introduction course always has its off-topic tangents, and Catholicism 101 is no different. On Sundays, we'll delve into some aspects of Catholicism that we might not otherwise get to. These areas are kind of up to my whim, but they will usually focus on unusual parts of Catholicism.
Catholicism regards St. Peter as the first pope, selected by Jesus himself according to the Gospel of St. Matthew (16:18), when Jesus said "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I shall build my Church." If you count St. Peter as the first pope, then Benedict XVI is the 266th pope (or the 265th successor of St. Peter, depending on how you keep track). And you thought it was hard to remember U.S. Presidents.
There are some colorful and diverse characters among those 266 men. 78 are cannonized as saints, and 10 more are beatified, which is one step short of sainthood. In other words, about a third of the papacy has been exceptionally good. Of the rest, there are only 12 who are considered to have been corrupt or morally evil.
Although one bad pope is too many, keep in mind that no pope is perfect. Even the men handpicked by Jesus to be his original 12 apostles were imperfect sinners. The first pope, St. Peter, lied about knowing Jesus on three seperate occasions in order to protect himself, and Judas (one of Jesus's first bishops) betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. One repented, while the other hanged himself instead of seeking forgiveness.
The dubious honor of "worst pope ever" probably belongs to Alexander VI (1492-1503). If you are a student of European history, all you need to know is that he was a Borgia. For the rest of us, Alexander was a member of the Borgia family (a notorious clan of Italians who had a lot of influence during the Rennaisance). Pope Alexander VI had several illegitimate children before and during his reign as pope-two of whom grew up to lead their own infamous lives: Cesare Borgia grew up to be a ruthless aristocrat, and his sister, Lucretia Borgia, will forever have her name associated among the famous poisoners of history. Alexander VI's reign was the height of nepotism, bribery, deceit, debauchery, and everything else you can imagine (And, not coincidentally, occuring about the same time as the Protestant Reformation). The Borgias were the Sopranos of the Rennaisance. Before we completely dishonor the family, however, it should be noted that one member-St. Francis Borgia-was much respected as a humble servant of God in his own time.
Benedict IX (1032-45) is probably a close second-worst ever. Assuming the throne of St. Peter in his late teens, the playboy pope incited a riot in Rome because of his antics. One of his contemporaries, St. Peter Damian, accused him of being "a demon of hell in the disguise of a priest." Interestingly, the modern Church calls Benedict IX "a disgrace to the Chair of Peter" but does not believe that any of his writings contradict the teachings of the Bible or the Church.
Catholicism regards St. Peter as the first pope, selected by Jesus himself according to the Gospel of St. Matthew (16:18), when Jesus said "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I shall build my Church." If you count St. Peter as the first pope, then Benedict XVI is the 266th pope (or the 265th successor of St. Peter, depending on how you keep track). And you thought it was hard to remember U.S. Presidents.
There are some colorful and diverse characters among those 266 men. 78 are cannonized as saints, and 10 more are beatified, which is one step short of sainthood. In other words, about a third of the papacy has been exceptionally good. Of the rest, there are only 12 who are considered to have been corrupt or morally evil.
Although one bad pope is too many, keep in mind that no pope is perfect. Even the men handpicked by Jesus to be his original 12 apostles were imperfect sinners. The first pope, St. Peter, lied about knowing Jesus on three seperate occasions in order to protect himself, and Judas (one of Jesus's first bishops) betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver. One repented, while the other hanged himself instead of seeking forgiveness.
The dubious honor of "worst pope ever" probably belongs to Alexander VI (1492-1503). If you are a student of European history, all you need to know is that he was a Borgia. For the rest of us, Alexander was a member of the Borgia family (a notorious clan of Italians who had a lot of influence during the Rennaisance). Pope Alexander VI had several illegitimate children before and during his reign as pope-two of whom grew up to lead their own infamous lives: Cesare Borgia grew up to be a ruthless aristocrat, and his sister, Lucretia Borgia, will forever have her name associated among the famous poisoners of history. Alexander VI's reign was the height of nepotism, bribery, deceit, debauchery, and everything else you can imagine (And, not coincidentally, occuring about the same time as the Protestant Reformation). The Borgias were the Sopranos of the Rennaisance. Before we completely dishonor the family, however, it should be noted that one member-St. Francis Borgia-was much respected as a humble servant of God in his own time.
Benedict IX (1032-45) is probably a close second-worst ever. Assuming the throne of St. Peter in his late teens, the playboy pope incited a riot in Rome because of his antics. One of his contemporaries, St. Peter Damian, accused him of being "a demon of hell in the disguise of a priest." Interestingly, the modern Church calls Benedict IX "a disgrace to the Chair of Peter" but does not believe that any of his writings contradict the teachings of the Bible or the Church.
Cathedrals
The cathedral is the center of a diocese, in the same way that the Vatican is the center for the universal Church. The cathedral is the church in the diocese where the bishop's chair resides, which is the symbol of his authority as a successor to the apostles.
Ironically, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where the pope celebrates Mass, isn't the pope's cathedral church. That would be St. John Lateran, which served as the pope's residence until the move to the Vatican.
Bishops usually celebrate Mass in their cathedral. The diocese's cathedral is also the location for the Chrism Mass (also known as the Mass of the Oils), where men are ordained deacons, priests, and bishops. Cathedrals hold weekly and daily Mass in the same manner as other parishes, and can also host weddings, funerals, baptisms, and the like. However, the pride of the cathedral is its Chrism Mass.
Incidently, only the bishop can sit in his cathedra (chair). If another priest celebrates Mass at the cathedral, he must use a different seat.
Ironically, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where the pope celebrates Mass, isn't the pope's cathedral church. That would be St. John Lateran, which served as the pope's residence until the move to the Vatican.
Bishops usually celebrate Mass in their cathedral. The diocese's cathedral is also the location for the Chrism Mass (also known as the Mass of the Oils), where men are ordained deacons, priests, and bishops. Cathedrals hold weekly and daily Mass in the same manner as other parishes, and can also host weddings, funerals, baptisms, and the like. However, the pride of the cathedral is its Chrism Mass.
Incidently, only the bishop can sit in his cathedra (chair). If another priest celebrates Mass at the cathedral, he must use a different seat.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bishops, Archbishops, & Dioceses
Along with being the Head of the entire Catholic Church, the pope also serves as the Bishop of Rome. The pope is a bishop in the same way that others are bishops, it's just that his jurisdiction is bigger. The pope has authority over the entire world, while a bishop (who could also be an archbishop or cardinal) has jurisdiction over his diocese-an administrative territory.
Each individual bishop has his own authority, which comes from episcopal ordination and consecration. Episcopal means anything that has to do with a bishop, in the same way papal refers to the pope. Episcopal ordination and consecration is the sacrament by which a priest becomes a bishop. It is the third and highest level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders (1st level is the ordination of a deacon, the 2nd is ordination of a priest). Three bishops lay hands on the priest being ordained bishop, and his head his annointed with Chrism Oil.
A bishop runs a diocese. He does not serve as the Pope's ambassador, but governs his province as a successor to the apostles, in the same way that the Pope is a successor to St. Peter. The pope appoints the bishops, and they are required to make a trip to Rome every 5 years to report on their diocese. The rest of a bishop's time consists of ordaining deacons and priests, and confirming new Catholics. Only Bishops have the power to administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which ordains men as deacons, priests, or bishops. A bishop will also visit the parishes in his diocese, and serve as the head administrator in matters of business.
A local diocese consists of a collection of parishes, much like a state contains different counties. Dioceses can be large or small geographically. The entire state of South Carolina falls under the Diocese of Charleston, while New Jersey (similar in size) consists of 5 dioceses.
An archbishop runs a large diocese, known as an archdiocese. In the United States, there is an archbishop given authority in Newark, San Francisco, Denver, Hartford, Miami, St. Louis, and Omaha. Sometimes, the archdiocese is headed by a cardinal, which is the case in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit. Cardinals are the level right below pope and, when they're not meeting in Rome, spend much of their time in their respective archdioceses.
All the bishops from a country will get together at least once a year for what's called an episcopal conference. American bishops are part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Canadian ones to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), and British ones to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW).
Each individual bishop has his own authority, which comes from episcopal ordination and consecration. Episcopal means anything that has to do with a bishop, in the same way papal refers to the pope. Episcopal ordination and consecration is the sacrament by which a priest becomes a bishop. It is the third and highest level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders (1st level is the ordination of a deacon, the 2nd is ordination of a priest). Three bishops lay hands on the priest being ordained bishop, and his head his annointed with Chrism Oil.
A bishop runs a diocese. He does not serve as the Pope's ambassador, but governs his province as a successor to the apostles, in the same way that the Pope is a successor to St. Peter. The pope appoints the bishops, and they are required to make a trip to Rome every 5 years to report on their diocese. The rest of a bishop's time consists of ordaining deacons and priests, and confirming new Catholics. Only Bishops have the power to administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which ordains men as deacons, priests, or bishops. A bishop will also visit the parishes in his diocese, and serve as the head administrator in matters of business.
A local diocese consists of a collection of parishes, much like a state contains different counties. Dioceses can be large or small geographically. The entire state of South Carolina falls under the Diocese of Charleston, while New Jersey (similar in size) consists of 5 dioceses.
An archbishop runs a large diocese, known as an archdiocese. In the United States, there is an archbishop given authority in Newark, San Francisco, Denver, Hartford, Miami, St. Louis, and Omaha. Sometimes, the archdiocese is headed by a cardinal, which is the case in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit. Cardinals are the level right below pope and, when they're not meeting in Rome, spend much of their time in their respective archdioceses.
All the bishops from a country will get together at least once a year for what's called an episcopal conference. American bishops are part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Canadian ones to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), and British ones to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW).
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Next in the Rankings: Cardinals
Since the Catholic Church has more than a billion members worldwide, there are many layers under the pope who keep the system working. The levels go like this: Pope-cardinals-archbishop/bishop, vicar generals, monsignors, and priests. The rest of the Church consists of deacons, monks, nuns, brothers, sisters, and laypeople. Even though they are at the bottom, laypeople consist of 99.9 percent of the Church.
Although their primary responsibility is to elect the pope, cardinals have many other administrative responsibilities as well. The Roman Curia is the entire group of administrators that head up departments working together as the right hand of the pope. The pope governs the Church through the Curia, much like a U.S. President uses his cabinet. For example, a Cardinal Secretary of State represents the Holy See to foreign governments, since the Vatican is an independent country. A cardinal also heads each congregation, such as the Congregation for Bishops or the Congregation for Catholic Education. Overall, other Congregations include: Causes of the Saints, Clergy, Divine Worship, Evangelization of Peoples, Institutes of Consecrated Life, and Oriental Churches.
A different cardinal heads up each of several councils and commissions, along with the three high courts of the Catholic Church: the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Apostolic Signaturia, and the Roman Rota, all of which deal with canon law and its application and interpretation.
Cardinals that don't work in the Curia will run an archdiocese, mostly functioning the way an archbishop would-ordaining, confirming, and running the day-to-day business of being head of an archdiocese. These cardinals are often the metropolitans, which means that they supervise a group of two or more dioceses. A metropolitan doesn't have immediate authority over a bishop in the diocese under him, even though he oversees the region.
A metropolitan reports to Rome, however, if one of the bishops in his province is derelict in his duty or some commits some other scandalous behavior. Often, the apostolic nuncio, the papal ambassador to a country, will consult with the cardinal when vacancies arise in his province as the result of a bishop retiring or dying. For example, the Archdiocese of Atlanta oversees the diocese of Charleston (consisting of all of South Carolina), along with other dioceses in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Although their primary responsibility is to elect the pope, cardinals have many other administrative responsibilities as well. The Roman Curia is the entire group of administrators that head up departments working together as the right hand of the pope. The pope governs the Church through the Curia, much like a U.S. President uses his cabinet. For example, a Cardinal Secretary of State represents the Holy See to foreign governments, since the Vatican is an independent country. A cardinal also heads each congregation, such as the Congregation for Bishops or the Congregation for Catholic Education. Overall, other Congregations include: Causes of the Saints, Clergy, Divine Worship, Evangelization of Peoples, Institutes of Consecrated Life, and Oriental Churches.
A different cardinal heads up each of several councils and commissions, along with the three high courts of the Catholic Church: the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Apostolic Signaturia, and the Roman Rota, all of which deal with canon law and its application and interpretation.
Cardinals that don't work in the Curia will run an archdiocese, mostly functioning the way an archbishop would-ordaining, confirming, and running the day-to-day business of being head of an archdiocese. These cardinals are often the metropolitans, which means that they supervise a group of two or more dioceses. A metropolitan doesn't have immediate authority over a bishop in the diocese under him, even though he oversees the region.
A metropolitan reports to Rome, however, if one of the bishops in his province is derelict in his duty or some commits some other scandalous behavior. Often, the apostolic nuncio, the papal ambassador to a country, will consult with the cardinal when vacancies arise in his province as the result of a bishop retiring or dying. For example, the Archdiocese of Atlanta oversees the diocese of Charleston (consisting of all of South Carolina), along with other dioceses in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Vatican
The home of the pope is Vatican City, which has been recognized as an independent state since the Lateran Agreement of 1929. The Vatican consists of 109 acres in the middle of Rome, and is home to about 1,000 people. Roman persecution of Christians stopped in 313 A.D., when Emperor Constantine legally recognized the religion with the Edict of Milan. In 321, Constantine went even further, donating the imperial property of Lateran Palace to the Bishop of Rome, along with several other parcels of property that the Romans had taken from the Church in the preceding centuries.
These donations ceased around 600 A.D., but 150 years later King Pepin of the Franks gave the Pope Central Italy to govern (about 16,000 square miles). From 754-1870, the Vatican was part of the Papal States, also called the Patrimony of St. Peter. During the unification of the Italian penninsula, Giuseppe Garibaldi seized the Papal States in order to create present day Italy. This marked the end of any sort of secular rule by the Bishop of Rome. The pope of the time, Pius IX, while supportive of a united Italy, was opposed to Garibaldi and King Victor Emmanuel because of their anti-religion, secular politics.
Today, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world yet, ironically, has the most foreign embassies of any nation on Earth. Marconi (the man who invented radio) created a personal broadcast system for Pope Pius XI, and Vatican Radio launched in 1931. In addition to radio, the Vatican also broadcasts a television station and over the Internet.
Besides the Pope, the only real citizens of the Vatican are the various diplomats and officials who work for the Holy See. These diplomats consist of both clergy and laity and hail from countries all over the world. They hold dual citizenships with both the Vatican and their home nations. Dating from their mission to Rome in 1507, about 107 Swiss Guards protect the pope wearing colorful, ceremonial garb. There are also additional plainclothes officers in the Swiss Guard who use modern equipment to keep an eye on those who visit the Holy Father, especially after the 1981 assasination attempt on John Paul II.
These donations ceased around 600 A.D., but 150 years later King Pepin of the Franks gave the Pope Central Italy to govern (about 16,000 square miles). From 754-1870, the Vatican was part of the Papal States, also called the Patrimony of St. Peter. During the unification of the Italian penninsula, Giuseppe Garibaldi seized the Papal States in order to create present day Italy. This marked the end of any sort of secular rule by the Bishop of Rome. The pope of the time, Pius IX, while supportive of a united Italy, was opposed to Garibaldi and King Victor Emmanuel because of their anti-religion, secular politics.
Today, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world yet, ironically, has the most foreign embassies of any nation on Earth. Marconi (the man who invented radio) created a personal broadcast system for Pope Pius XI, and Vatican Radio launched in 1931. In addition to radio, the Vatican also broadcasts a television station and over the Internet.
Besides the Pope, the only real citizens of the Vatican are the various diplomats and officials who work for the Holy See. These diplomats consist of both clergy and laity and hail from countries all over the world. They hold dual citizenships with both the Vatican and their home nations. Dating from their mission to Rome in 1507, about 107 Swiss Guards protect the pope wearing colorful, ceremonial garb. There are also additional plainclothes officers in the Swiss Guard who use modern equipment to keep an eye on those who visit the Holy Father, especially after the 1981 assasination attempt on John Paul II.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Papal Job Security
Popes are elected to serve for life unless they resign, and they can't be pressured or forced out of office. (Pope Pontian was the first to abdicate in 235, St. Peter Celestine V left in 1294 to go back to a monastery, and Pope Gregory XII became the most recent to resign in 1415) No one can remove the pope, even if he becomes sick, insane, or corrupt. Even an ecumenical council lacks the authority to remove him. So when a bad pope does get elected (it has happened a handful of times), the best course of action is to pray for his happy death (To do this, one could ask for the intercession of St. Joseph, who was believed to have died a happy death in the arms of Jesus and Mary).
For what it's worth, of the 266 popes in the Church's history, only a dozen were real scoundrels who caused scandal. Compare that with the 78 popes who are recognized as saints. That leaves 176 pretty good, reasonable men who have held the office. That's better statistically than the Presidency, governors, or other elected officals from around the world.
For what it's worth, of the 266 popes in the Church's history, only a dozen were real scoundrels who caused scandal. Compare that with the 78 popes who are recognized as saints. That leaves 176 pretty good, reasonable men who have held the office. That's better statistically than the Presidency, governors, or other elected officals from around the world.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Ordinary Magisterium (Part 2)
Papal encyclicals are letters that the pope addresses to the world regarding current issues and concerns. Encyclical comes from the Latin word for "circular," because these documents are meant to circulate throughout the world. The letter's title is always the first two words of the document in Latin, since Latin remains the official language of the Vatican.
Encyclicals aren't the same thing as ex cathedra pronouncements. There have only been two pronouncements in the past 2,000 years. They are examples of Extraordinary Magisterium and excercise papal infallibility. Such rare occurences happen only when the pope exercises his supreme authority as the head of the Church on matters of doctrine.
Encyclicals, by comparison, are written often. They cover topics such as the church's stance on abortion or the death penalty. They can also be explanations about the nature of the Church, or spread a message of peace. Encyclicals are the routine day-to-day teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium, which is equally infallible in terms of faith and morals. Since Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit acts through the pope, they are required to accept papal teachings. There is no dissent on encyclicals.
Encyclicals aren't the same thing as ex cathedra pronouncements. There have only been two pronouncements in the past 2,000 years. They are examples of Extraordinary Magisterium and excercise papal infallibility. Such rare occurences happen only when the pope exercises his supreme authority as the head of the Church on matters of doctrine.
Encyclicals, by comparison, are written often. They cover topics such as the church's stance on abortion or the death penalty. They can also be explanations about the nature of the Church, or spread a message of peace. Encyclicals are the routine day-to-day teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium, which is equally infallible in terms of faith and morals. Since Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit acts through the pope, they are required to accept papal teachings. There is no dissent on encyclicals.
Sunday Off-Topic: Silver Mallet
Every Introduction course always has its off-topic tangents, and Catholicism 101 is no different. On Sundays, we'll delve into some aspects of Catholicism that we might not otherwise get to. These areas are kind of up to my whim, but they will usually focus on unusual parts of Catholicism.
When the pope dies, there is a simple, yet ancient, ceremony performed before the cardinals can be convened to vote on a new pope. The senior cardinal enters the room where the pontiff lies and gently strikes his forehead with a silver mallet, calling the pope by his baptismal name. If the pope does not answer by the third time, he is pronounced dead.
Naturally, the pope's physician is called in before this happens to make the medical ruling. The ritual is largely ceremonial. The pope's ring (called the Fisherman's Ring) is then smashed so that no one can use the papal seal until the election of a new pope.
When the pope dies, there is a simple, yet ancient, ceremony performed before the cardinals can be convened to vote on a new pope. The senior cardinal enters the room where the pontiff lies and gently strikes his forehead with a silver mallet, calling the pope by his baptismal name. If the pope does not answer by the third time, he is pronounced dead.
Naturally, the pope's physician is called in before this happens to make the medical ruling. The ritual is largely ceremonial. The pope's ring (called the Fisherman's Ring) is then smashed so that no one can use the papal seal until the election of a new pope.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Ordinary Magisterium Part 1
The second method of infallible teaching is taught to Catholics via the Ordinary Magisterium, which is called that because it is the more common and typical method. This consists of the consistent, and universal teachings of popes through their various decrees, documents, encyclicals, letters, etc. These do not consist of new doctrines, but explain current teachings. In other words, when the pope reiterates a belief consistent with his predecessors, that is considered Ordinary Magisterium.
The word papal is a reference for anything dealing with the pope. For example, a papal document is authorized by the pope, who usually signs it Servant of the Servants of God (or
Servus Servorum Dei in Latin). This title was first used by Pope St. Gregory the Great in the late 6th century. The pope is usually addressed as Holy Father or Your Holiness by others. The following are examples of papal documents.
The word papal is a reference for anything dealing with the pope. For example, a papal document is authorized by the pope, who usually signs it Servant of the Servants of God (or
Servus Servorum Dei in Latin). This title was first used by Pope St. Gregory the Great in the late 6th century. The pope is usually addressed as Holy Father or Your Holiness by others. The following are examples of papal documents.
- Papal Bulls
- Papal Encyclicals
- Papal Briefs
- Apostolic Exhortations
- Apostolic Constitutions
- Apostolic Letters
- Motu Proprios
Before the 2nd Vatican Council, the document used determined how much authority the pope wished to exercise by it. The lowest level was the Motu Proprio (Latin for of his own initiative). The Propio is like an international memo, its a short letter that grants a dispensation or deals with a small matter of Church discipline. An example of this is Pope John Paull II's permission to celebrate the Tidentine Mass. Papal Bulls were considered the highest authority. For example, the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854 refers to Mary being free from Original Sin by the grace of God, and carries the full weight of papal authority. Dogma means doctrine, an official teaching on faith or morals that's divinely revealed. Catholics consider the Assumption of Mary and the Immaculate Conception to be infallible teachings, because they involve the full and universal papal authority.
Since Vatican II, however, more emphasis is placed on the content and context of the document, rather than the type of document. If the pope intends to teach the Church on a matter of faith or morals, then he is exercising his supreme authority as head of the Church. For example, in 1994 John Paul II issued an Apostolic Letter called Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in which he declared that the Church has no power to ordain women. This was not an Ex Cathedra statement (see previous post), but is part of Ordinary Magisterium and is thus infallible.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Extraordinary Magisterium
Extraordinary means "out of the ordinary." When an Ecumenical (General) Council is convened, presided over, and approved by the pope, it is considered infallible, because it comes from the Extraordinary Magisterium. The Church has held a grand total of 21 councils in its history. These councils are a gathering of the world's cardinals and bishops, who ususally meet to resolve theological controversies-such as the divinity of Christ in the early days of the Church. These councils are culminated by a written letter that explains the faith, interprets Scripture, or settles topics of dispute. They never contradict the Bible, but instead apply biblical truths to contemporary times or better interpret a Church's core belief.
Here is a list and brief description of th Church's 21 councils:
-Nicea (325)-Established Church's beliefs, determined Jesus was not a man, but the Son of God.
-First Constantinople (381)- Determined that Holy Spirit was another aspect of God.
-Ephesus (431)- Condemned Nestorianism (belief that Jesus was part God/part man) as false. Called Mary the Mother of God.
-Chalcedon (451)- Established that Jesus was of a divine nature "truly God and truly man."
-2nd Constantinople (553) -Condemned the writings known as the "Three Chapters" (considered Nestorianistic)
-3rd Constantinople(681) -Established that Jesus has both a divine and human will
-2nd Nicea (787)- Allowed images of Christ, Mary, the angels, the cross, etc., to be displayed.
-4th Constantinople (870)- Symbolized the Great Schism (when Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics separated) as Council refused to recognize Patriarch of Constantinople
-1st Lateran (1123)- Eliminated secular political influence in bishop appointments. Made it Rome's decision.
-2nd Lateran (1139)- Resolved that Innocent II was true Pope, ending Church crisis, also officially banned marriage for priests, monks, nuns, etc.
-3rd Lateran (1179)- Created College of Cardinals, precautions to prevent another Schism.
-4th Lateran (1215)- Recognized transubstantiation (bread & wine's transformation into body & blood)
-1st Lyons (1245)- dealt with minor issues, most important was establishment of the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a Holy Day.
-2nd Lyons (1274)- Attempt to reunite the Eastern and Western churches after fall of Byzantine Empire
-Vienne (1312)- Withdrew papal support for the Knights Templar. Council's letter has been lost.
-Constance (1414-18)- This resolved a long and complicated controversy known as the "Western Schism," when there were 3 different men claiming to be Pope. The Church today only recognizes the council after 1415, when the true pope called the cardinals and bishops together.
-Basel-Ferrara-Florence (1431-45)- Part of Conciliar Movement, when Pope's authority was challenged by the ecumenical council. During this time, the pope was pressured to call councils every seven years (Basel, Ferrara, and Florence). Council of Florence reestablished the Pope's authority.
-5th Lateran (1512-17)- Dealt with church discipline issues, but teachings were not recognized by kings of Europe so it went largely ignored.
-Trent (1545-63)- One of the most important of any ecumenical council. Declared Protestant teachings to be false and recognized Sacred Tradition along with Sacred Scripture and the sacraments. Clarified areas of Protestant dispute.
-1st Vatican (1870)- Officially recognized the concept of papal infallibility
-2nd Vatican (1962-65)- Created the sum of all Catholic beliefs into the Catechism.
The decrees from these councils are considered part of the Extraordinary Magisterium. The other part consists of infallible teachings known as Ex Cathedra pronouncements from the pope. Cathedra is Latin for "from the chair." The chair is a symbolic tie back to the days of the Roman Empire,when the Caesar and his governors sat on a chair to make public decisions and announcements. When the pope makes ex cathedra teachings, he exercising his authority as the Supreme Teacher.
Here is a list and brief description of th Church's 21 councils:
-Nicea (325)-Established Church's beliefs, determined Jesus was not a man, but the Son of God.
-First Constantinople (381)- Determined that Holy Spirit was another aspect of God.
-Ephesus (431)- Condemned Nestorianism (belief that Jesus was part God/part man) as false. Called Mary the Mother of God.
-Chalcedon (451)- Established that Jesus was of a divine nature "truly God and truly man."
-2nd Constantinople (553) -Condemned the writings known as the "Three Chapters" (considered Nestorianistic)
-3rd Constantinople(681) -Established that Jesus has both a divine and human will
-2nd Nicea (787)- Allowed images of Christ, Mary, the angels, the cross, etc., to be displayed.
-4th Constantinople (870)- Symbolized the Great Schism (when Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics separated) as Council refused to recognize Patriarch of Constantinople
-1st Lateran (1123)- Eliminated secular political influence in bishop appointments. Made it Rome's decision.
-2nd Lateran (1139)- Resolved that Innocent II was true Pope, ending Church crisis, also officially banned marriage for priests, monks, nuns, etc.
-3rd Lateran (1179)- Created College of Cardinals, precautions to prevent another Schism.
-4th Lateran (1215)- Recognized transubstantiation (bread & wine's transformation into body & blood)
-1st Lyons (1245)- dealt with minor issues, most important was establishment of the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a Holy Day.
-2nd Lyons (1274)- Attempt to reunite the Eastern and Western churches after fall of Byzantine Empire
-Vienne (1312)- Withdrew papal support for the Knights Templar. Council's letter has been lost.
-Constance (1414-18)- This resolved a long and complicated controversy known as the "Western Schism," when there were 3 different men claiming to be Pope. The Church today only recognizes the council after 1415, when the true pope called the cardinals and bishops together.
-Basel-Ferrara-Florence (1431-45)- Part of Conciliar Movement, when Pope's authority was challenged by the ecumenical council. During this time, the pope was pressured to call councils every seven years (Basel, Ferrara, and Florence). Council of Florence reestablished the Pope's authority.
-5th Lateran (1512-17)- Dealt with church discipline issues, but teachings were not recognized by kings of Europe so it went largely ignored.
-Trent (1545-63)- One of the most important of any ecumenical council. Declared Protestant teachings to be false and recognized Sacred Tradition along with Sacred Scripture and the sacraments. Clarified areas of Protestant dispute.
-1st Vatican (1870)- Officially recognized the concept of papal infallibility
-2nd Vatican (1962-65)- Created the sum of all Catholic beliefs into the Catechism.
The decrees from these councils are considered part of the Extraordinary Magisterium. The other part consists of infallible teachings known as Ex Cathedra pronouncements from the pope. Cathedra is Latin for "from the chair." The chair is a symbolic tie back to the days of the Roman Empire,when the Caesar and his governors sat on a chair to make public decisions and announcements. When the pope makes ex cathedra teachings, he exercising his authority as the Supreme Teacher.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Pope's Infallibility
Catholicism believes that the pope is infallible, meaning that in terms of doctrine he is incapable of error. Catholics believe that when the pope asserts his authority on moral issues or matters of faith, the Holy Spirit guards against any error. This does not mean that the pope personally is perfect. He's not infallible in geographical, scientific, historical, and political matters (or anything else besides faith and morals) In essence, it's all about trust. Catholics think that the Holy Spirit protects them from false or erroneous doctrines by not letting the pope issue them.
Whether it's a subtle change of the mind or a dramatic sudden heart attack (joking!), Catholics believe God will use any means necessary to intervene and prevent a false teaching by the pope. It also doesn't mean that, personally, the pope is never in error. He can hold an incorrect opinion just as long as he does not try to impose it on the church, because the Holy Spirit would theoretically intervene.
Infallibility is widely misunderstood, even by Catholics. It differs from the beliefs of inspiration and impeccability. Inspiration (a belief shared by most Protestants) holds that the Holy Spirit gave a special gift to the sacred authors who wrote the New Testament. They recorded only what God wished to be recorded - no more, no less. The pope is not inspired, but St. Paul was when he wrote his letters to the Church.
Impeccability is the inability to commit sin. Only two people have ever had this privilege-Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother. Mary's impeccability came because of the grace of God, whereas Jesus was the Son of God. Popes are not impeccable, meaning that they are quite capable of sin. Every pope since St. Peter (who lied about knowing Jesus in order to protect himself) has had this very human weakness.
Everything written by the sacred authors in the Bible is considered inspired, but not everything the pope says is infallible. Infallibilty means that the Holy Spirit will prevent the pope from teaching false doctrines to the faithful. So no pope can declare that there are 9 commandments, instead of 10, or that Jesus was just a man.
Infallible statements aren't perfect statements-they can be improved by subsequent popes who can make clearer or more specific language. However, infallible statements can never be contradicted, refused, or rescinded. So, according to Catholic belief, an immoral pope (there are several in the Church's history) can sin and will still answer to God for his deeds. However, as head of the Church, he still retains his infallibilty on matters of faith.
In nearly 2,000 years, no pope has ever taught a false doctrine. While some have been lousy writers and philosophers, and others had false ideas about science, these are not associated with infallibility, because they do not affect the beliefs of individual Catholics.
The pope can excercise his infallibility in two ways. The first is called the Extraordinary Magisterium and the other is called Ordinary Magisterium. The word magisterium comes from the Latin word for "teacher," so the Magisterium can be interpreted literally as the teaching authority of the Church, which resides only in the pope and with the pope and his bishops.
Whether it's a subtle change of the mind or a dramatic sudden heart attack (joking!), Catholics believe God will use any means necessary to intervene and prevent a false teaching by the pope. It also doesn't mean that, personally, the pope is never in error. He can hold an incorrect opinion just as long as he does not try to impose it on the church, because the Holy Spirit would theoretically intervene.
Infallibility is widely misunderstood, even by Catholics. It differs from the beliefs of inspiration and impeccability. Inspiration (a belief shared by most Protestants) holds that the Holy Spirit gave a special gift to the sacred authors who wrote the New Testament. They recorded only what God wished to be recorded - no more, no less. The pope is not inspired, but St. Paul was when he wrote his letters to the Church.
Impeccability is the inability to commit sin. Only two people have ever had this privilege-Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother. Mary's impeccability came because of the grace of God, whereas Jesus was the Son of God. Popes are not impeccable, meaning that they are quite capable of sin. Every pope since St. Peter (who lied about knowing Jesus in order to protect himself) has had this very human weakness.
Everything written by the sacred authors in the Bible is considered inspired, but not everything the pope says is infallible. Infallibilty means that the Holy Spirit will prevent the pope from teaching false doctrines to the faithful. So no pope can declare that there are 9 commandments, instead of 10, or that Jesus was just a man.
Infallible statements aren't perfect statements-they can be improved by subsequent popes who can make clearer or more specific language. However, infallible statements can never be contradicted, refused, or rescinded. So, according to Catholic belief, an immoral pope (there are several in the Church's history) can sin and will still answer to God for his deeds. However, as head of the Church, he still retains his infallibilty on matters of faith.
In nearly 2,000 years, no pope has ever taught a false doctrine. While some have been lousy writers and philosophers, and others had false ideas about science, these are not associated with infallibility, because they do not affect the beliefs of individual Catholics.
The pope can excercise his infallibility in two ways. The first is called the Extraordinary Magisterium and the other is called Ordinary Magisterium. The word magisterium comes from the Latin word for "teacher," so the Magisterium can be interpreted literally as the teaching authority of the Church, which resides only in the pope and with the pope and his bishops.
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