The Human Person in Gaudium et Spes

As pointed out previously, during the discussions for the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), a distinction was borrowed from Trinitarian theology; the actions of the Church were described either as ad intra, and ad extra. The interior works versus the exterior works. The use of this distinction was influenced by the Belgian Cardinal Suenens, and the Commission for the Lay Apostolate.

The original seventy schemas prepared by the preparatory commissions were first reduced to twenty in December 1962 and then to seventeen in January of 1963. The earlier schema, De Ecclesia, was concerned only with works within the Church. The Theological Commission was asked to create a second schema concerning the ad extra works of the Church. The seventeenth schema was to concern the work of the Church external to itself or in the world. Schema XVII was eventually named Gaudium et Spes the title is from the first sentence in the Latin original which means "Joy and Hope." Our English title The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World comes from the earlier title of Schema XVII. The name of the Schema changed from "The Active Participation of the Church in the Building of the World" to its final title "The Church in the World of Today" (De Ecclesia in Mundo Huius Temporis). This title, "in the World of Today" is paralleled the first phrase, "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age" (GS 1).

Norman Tanner, observes that there was a definite shift in emphasis as the Council began "proposing itself and the Catholic Church as moral points of reference for contemporary society" This was a deliberate attempt to seriously respond to Pope John XXIII's desire that the Council be pastoral in character. The schema was initially presented to the council by Cardinal Cento and Bishop Guano on behalf of the mixed commission that prepared it. Cardinal Cento proposed that the Council should conduct a dialogue with the people of our time. Bishop Gauno noted that "the Church had the right and duty to respond to the needs and aspirations of the world." He also observed that the council should be "a sign and vehicle of this dialogue between the Church and mankind." Cardinal Angelo Scola observes that "the category of dialogue as explored by the Magisterium of Paul VI in the Encyclical Escclesium suam provided the keystone for the development of this different way of looking at reality" He notes further that "it was in the nature of a pastoral Constitution to remain open to later developments."

There are two difficulties which arise from the idea of promoting a dialogue between the Church and the world. The first involves the doctrinal complexity of the relationship between the Church and the world. What does 'world' mean? What is meant by 'Church'? Secondly how does one find the balance between the unchanging principles of the faith and the contingencies of the present historical reality?

Cardinal Scola highlights two fundamental principles which relate to both the content and the method of Gaudium et spes. First, the teaching of this Constitution is based on a Christocentric anthropology, or an understanding of the human person which is centered on Christ. Secondly it is founded on a pastoral dimension which is attentive to the "signs of the times" and seeking the best way to present Christ to the human family.

Clear examples of a Christocentric anthropology is seen in a great number of passages from Gaudium et spes such as GS 10, 22, 32, 38-39, 40-41, and 45.

Cardinal Scola notes that the nexus between dialogue and Christocentric anthropology is seen most explicitly in GS 10;

The Church also maintains that beneath all changes there are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, Who is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever (Cf. Heb 13:8). Hence under the light of Christ, the image of the unseen God, the firstborn of every creature, (Cf. Col 1:15) the council wishes to speak to all men in order to shed light on the mystery of man and to cooperate in finding the solution to the outstanding problems of our time. (Gaudium et spes 10).

Although the council provides many sections of Gaudium et spes which clearly offer features of an objective Christocentric anthropology they are fragmentary and seen "in embryo." Cardinal Scola's point mentioned above may be revisited; he notes "it was in the nature of a pastoral Constitution to remain open to later developments." Commenting on the reception of the Constitution after the council he notes that there is still an imperative need for "an organic reconsideration of the subject." The work of the Council that began in embryo needs to be continued to be developed by the Church and fully worked out as an objective Christocentric anthropology of the human person.

The second important dimension Cardinal Scola mentions is the pastoral dimension. This theme is expressed in terms of dialogue and resonates with themes of aggioramento and of the signs of the times. In his Encyclical Escclesium suam Pope Paul VI calls theme of aggioramento the guiding principle of the Council.

Pope Paul VI notes;

We cannot forget Pope John XXIII's word aggiornamento which We have adopted as expressing the aim and object of Our own pontificate. Besides ratifying it and confirming it as the guiding principle of the Ecumenical Council, We want to bring it to the notice of the whole Church. It should prove a stimulus to the Church to increase its ever growing vitality and its ability to take stock of itself and give careful consideration to the signs of the times, always and everywhere "proving all things and holding fast that which is good" (Cf. 1 Thes 5. 21.) with the enthusiasm of youth.

Cardinal Scola highlights three problems which arise from the above two themes.

1. The need to find a language adequate to express the dialogical (pastoral) dimension of the Council.
   
2. The problem of the pastoral nature of doctrine (particularly Magisterial pronouncements).
   
3. The question of the relationship between Christ as absolute Truth and the need for the "respect of the insuperable freedom of each person."
   

The Preface and Introductory Statement

Considerable controversy existed over what type of document Gaudium et spes should be. Was it a Constitution, or a Declaration or Decree, or even just a letter? Although many experts initially favored downgrading the documents official status, the Council Fathers voted by a fairly strong majority to name the document a "Pastoral Constitution." Gaudiaum et spes would share equal status with the other three Constitutions, thought it would maintain a greater pastoral emphasis. An idea arose in some circles that only the first part of GS was a formal Constitution. This is corrected by the official commentary on the title given in note 1 of the preface;

1. The Pastoral Constitution "De Ecclesia in Mundo Huius Temporis" is made up of two parts; yet it constitutes an organic unity. By way of explanation: the constitution is called "pastoral" because, while resting on doctrinal principles, it seeks to express the relation of the Church to the world and modern mankind. The result is that, on the one hand, a pastoral slant is present in the first part, and, on the other hand, a doctrinal slant is present in the second part. In the first part, the Church develops her teaching on man, on the world which is the enveloping context of man's existence, and on man's relations to his fellow men. In part two, the Church gives closer consideration to various aspects of modern life and human society; special consideration is given to those questions and problems which, in this general area, seem to have a greater urgency in our day. As a result in part two the subject matter which is viewed in the light of doctrinal principles is made up of diverse elements. Some elements have a permanent value; others, only a transitory one. Consequently, the constitution must be interpreted according to the general norms of theological interpretation. Interpreters must bear in mind-especially in part two-the changeable circumstances which the subject matter, by its very nature, involves. (GS, Preface, n. 1)

Once again the note emphasizes the unchanging principles on the one hand and the application of these principles in contemporary life situations which involve changeable circumstances. The preface set the tone for the whole document.

The joys and the hopes (Latin gaudium et spes), the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. (GS 1)

The decree begins from below, and is addressed to all people. The Council addresses itself "to the whole of humanity." Gaudium et spes is closely linked to Lumen Gentium, which it explicitly refers to, "having probed more profoundly into the mystery of the Church." The seven sections which follow this describe the state of humankind in today's world. This leads to some fundamental questions;

What is man? What is this sense of sorrow, of evil, of death, which continues to exist despite so much progress? What purpose have these victories purchased at so high a cost? What can man offer to society, what can he expect from it? What follows this earthly life? (GS 10).

These are to be answered by developing a Christocenteric focus. Christ is the ultimate foundation, Salvation is found in Christ alone (GS 10). "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The Council seeks to solve these fundamental human questions in the light of Christ "in order to shed light on the mystery of man and to cooperate in finding the solution to the outstanding problems of our time" (GS 10).

Article 11

11. The People of God believes that it is led by the Lord's Spirit, Who fills the earth. Motivated by this faith, it labors to decipher authentic signs of God's presence and purpose in the happenings, needs and desires in which this People has a part along with other men of our age. For faith throws a new light on everything, manifests God's design for man's total vocation, and thus directs the mind to solutions which are fully human.

Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Bendict XVII) comments on this section. He notes that the verb "detected" (animadveretre) in the original schema is strengthened to "distinguished" (discernere) or as translated above "decipher." Ratzinger calls this a felicitous touch which draws on the spiritual tradition from the idea of the discernment of spirits (discretion spirtuum). While it is certainly true that God's presence exists in the world it needs to be discerned carefully. "That of course is necessary in order that the moment of the Holy Spirit my not imperceptibly change in to the momentary spirit of the age, and what is done under the appearance of obedience to the pneuma may not in fact be submission to the dictates of fashion and apostasy from the Lord." The purpose of this discernment is to find "solutions which are fully human" (GS 11). Although in a certain sense the Church and the humanity are placed in dialogue, the Church "cannot stand outside the human race, even for reasons of dialogue. . . The Church meets its vis-á-vis [face to face counterpart] in the human race . . . it cannot exclude itself from the human race and then artificially create a solidarity."

Article 12

Ratzinger notes that a dynamic account of the human person was followed which was based on biblical data rather than on neo-scholastic tradition. This article begins answering the question "But what is man?" The Church offers an answer based on revelation,

For Sacred Scripture teaches that man was created "to the image of God," is capable of knowing and loving his Creator, and was appointed by Him as master of all earthly creatures(1) that he might subdue them and use them to God's glory.(2) (GS 12).

This text leaves a number of theological tensions which are developed later in the text (The problem of sin, (GS 13); and Christ as the recapitulation of Adam (GS 22). A crucial understanding is the notion that;

God did not create man as a solitary, for from the beginning "male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27). Their companionship produces the primary form of interpersonal communion. For by his innermost nature man is a social being, and unless he relates himself to others he can neither live nor develop his potential. (GS 12).

While the Council Fathers affirm the relationship between man and women as an aspect of being created in the image and likeness of God, they avoid making this its exclusive aspect. They highlight the essential trait of communion and the notion that man is a social being.

 

Article 13

The attempt to bring the Church out of the mindset of the Middle Ages and into the modern world had led some to ignore the problem of sin. This section was added to balance what especially the German theologians regarded as an overly optimistic perspective. Apparently the French authors of the schema were influenced by a combination of Thomistic and Greek patristic thinking which gave greater emphasis to creation and redemption. Ratzinger notes that a specific effort was made to keep the thought of Teilhard de Chardin out of the Constitution. Article 13 refers to the devil, the fall of man and to concupiscence. With the resulting affirmation that, "sin has diminished man, blocking his path to fulfillment." Ratzinger points out that because of unresolved debates regarding the exact nature of the original state of Adam and Eve and original sin, the Council Fathers chose to focus on the notion of mankind's collective disobedience quoting Romans 1:12ff instead of Romans 5. This was not a disagreement with the essential content of Trent but an attempt to not further and more precisely define these issues.

Article 14

This article combines what were originally two articles, one on the body and the other on the soul. The two were combined to emphasize the inseparable unity of the body and soul. As the opening sentence declares, "Though made of body and soul, man is one" (GS 14). Ratzinger believes that the discussion of man's "interior resources" or as the Vatican translates, "For by his interior qualities he outstrips the whole sum of mere things" (GS 14), is an echo of Blaise Pascal's Penéese (Fragment par. 308/793) with its notion of three orders, while the idea that man "probes the heart" is taken from St. Augustine. At the end of this article the Council Father explicitly affirm belief in "a spiritual and immortal soul" as opposed to reductionistic modern theories.

Article 15

The next three articles describe human spirituality under three aspects, the intellect (man's capacity for truth), the conscience (man's capacity for good), and freedom. Commenting on this section Ratzinger complains that "the phenomenon of intersubjectivity, man's essential ordination to love, is not mentioned." The modern understanding of the philosophy of the person is not yet highlighted.

"Man judges rightly that by his intellect he surpasses the material universe, for he shares in the light of the divine mind" (GS 15). The idea of the intellect as a participation in the light of the divine mind follows St. Augustine, especially as later understood by St. Bonaventure. The notion that the mind is superior to the universe is a further echo of Pascal. A contrast is made between science and wisdom (scientia-sapientia). Important achievements in science and technology make the sensible world serviceable to mankind. The Council Fathers note "the intellectual nature of the human person is perfected by wisdom" (GS 15).

Again this picks up on the Augustinian understanding that the sensible world (mundis sensibilis) may be manipulated by skill/craft/art (ars) and in this way to be made use (uti) of in the world. The sensible world is limited to appearances "in contradistinction to non-phenomenal, non-sensible, genuine reality." What is useful to man does not necessarily give him truth, in fact it may be dangerous if it taken to represent the ultimate. Instead of being merely useful (uti) it becomes "enjoyment" (frui) and holds one back from the genuine. St. Augustine notes that God alone is to be enjoyed. "And so the great question is whether human beings ought to regard themselves as things to be enjoyed, or to be used or both." The answer is that we "ought not love ourselves for our own sake, but for the sake of the one to whom your love is most rightly directed as its end" (De doctrina christiana, I.22.20). Ratzinger notes, "The advance of science and of the techniques which it makes possible, brings no certain assurance of man's future, which continues to be threatened if a lack of wisdom runs parallel with the growth of knowledge."

Article 16

This article deals with the notion of conscience. A general notion of conscience is emphasized. The conscience is transcendent in character. It is written on the heart and is objective and has a non-arbitrary character. It is "guided by the objective norms of morality" (GS 16). Although it is possible to be invincibly ignorant, it is not possible to have careless disregard for truth and goodness. A person is also culpable if they allow their conscience to grow practically sightless by degrees as a result of habitual sin GS 16).

After a lengthy quote from Gaudium et spes 16, John Paul II comments;

The way in which one conceives the relationship between freedom and law is thus intimately bound up with one's understanding of the moral conscience. Here the cultural tendencies referred to above — in which freedom and law are set in opposition to each other and kept apart, and freedom is exalted almost to the point of idolatry — lead to a "creative" understanding of moral conscience, which diverges from the teaching of the Church's tradition and her Magisterium. (Veritatis splendor, 54)

Against this false notion of a "creative" conscience John Paul II notes that, "The judgment of conscience is a practical judgment, a judgment which makes known what man must do or not do. . . Conscience thus formulates moral obligation in the light of the natural law: it is the obligation to do what the individual, through the workings of his conscience, knows to be a good he is called to do here and now. The universality of the law and its obligation are acknowledged, not suppressed, once reason has established the law's application in concrete present circumstances (VS 59).

Article 17

Ratzinger points out that this article is still in need of further development. Positively it affirms the value of freedom expressed on the basis of faith. It is affirmed that man is a free being who should not be coerced or forced to act under compulsion. The Council was concerned to correct the false notion of freedom with the absence of commitment which is used to manipulate people at the "disposition of powers which anonymously control the intellectual and economic market." John Paul II quotes GS 17 and calls attention to the role man plays in sharing in God's dominion over the earth (VS 38). This implies a type of genuine autonomy of reason. This does not imply that reason itself creates values and moral norms (VS 40). He notes (explicitly quoting (GS 17);

Patterned on God's freedom, man's freedom is not negated by his obedience to the divine law; indeed, only through this obedience does it abide in the truth and conform to human dignity. (VS 41).

It is not freedom to drive off a cliff, or speed down the lanes of opposing oncoming traffic. This may be a type of freedom, a freedom of choice but it is not genuine freedom. Freedom must be in conformity with behaviors which are consistent with the integral fulfillment of the human person.

Pope John Paul II and the New Evangelization (Part II)

Redemptoris Missio (1990)

Two years after writing the Apostolic Exhortation, Christifideles laici, John Paul II wrote a major encyclical entitled Redemptoris Missio, On the permanent validity of the Church's missionary mandate (1990). He writes this document because he observes a negative tendency in which missionary activity specifically directed "to the nations" appears to be waning (RM 2). He reinforces that the Church still believes in the real possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind (RM 9). Why do we need missions? Because in Christ alone are we set free from all alienation and doubt, he is the Good News for man and women of every age. "Those who are incorporated in the Catholic Church ought to sense their privilege and for that very reason their greater obligation of bearing witness to the faith and to the Christian life as a service to their brothers and sisters and as a fitting response to God" (RM 11). Pope John Paul II highlights a correct understanding of the Kingdom of God and the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelization. He then discusses three situations in the Church's missionary activity. The first is the mission to those to whom Christ is not known, the second is among those Christian communities for with adequate and solid ecclesial structures, and with fervent Christian living which bears witness to the Gospel with a sense of commitment to the universal mission. These communities require pastoral care. The third situation is among those countries who were traditionally Christian but where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of faith. In this case we need a "new evangelization" or a re-evangelization (RM 33). The Church everywhere must seek to overcome the difficulties of "fatigue, disenchantment, compromise, lack of interest and above all lack of joy and hope" (RM 36). He makes a special plea, "In this regard, I earnestly ask theologians and professional Christian journalists to intensify the service they render to the Church's mission in order to discover the deep meaning of their work, along the sure path of "thinking with the Church" (sentire cum Ecclesia)" (RM 36).

Pope John Paul II, then moves on to discuss the parameters of the Church's mission Ad Gentes. He notes that although the mission is universal, "the criterion of geography . . . is still a valid indicator of the frontiers toward which missionary activity must be directed." (RM 37). He also notes that "migration has produced a new phenomenon: non-Christians are becoming very numerous in traditionally Christian countries" and this provides new opportunities for mission. In the area of social communications John Paul II notes that,

"Since the very evangelization of modern culture depends to a great extent on the influence of the media, it is not enough to use the media simply to spread the Christian message and the Church's authentic teaching. It is also necessary to integrate that message into the "new culture" created by modern communications." (RM 37).

He also identifies the evangelization of culture with the "commitment to peace, development and the liberation of peoples; the rights of individuals and peoples, especially those of minorities; the advancement of women and children; safeguarding the created world" (RM 37). These are many of the issues discussed in the Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church.

He notes that by faithfully proclaiming Christ the Church is furthering human freedom. The Church should strive to promote authentic religious freedom for all people because this is "an inalienable right of each and every human person" (RM 39). He notes that we need to "direct our attention toward those geographical areas and cultural settings which still remain uninfluenced by the Gospel" particularly the south and east (RM 39).

Pope John Paul II discusses the paths of mission which begin with initial witness, "the very life of the missionary, of the Christian family, and of the ecclesial community, which reveal a new way of living" (RM 42). This is followed by the initial proclamation of Christ the Savior, which leads some to conversion and Baptism followed by entry into an existing Church the establishment of new communities which confess Jesus as Savior and Lord (RM 48). He also notes the importance of "ecclesial basic communities" which are provider centers for Christian formation and missionary outreach.

Pope John Paul II then moves on to discuss inculturation;

The process of the Church's insertion into peoples' cultures is a lengthy one. It is not a matter of purely external adaptation, for inculturation "means the intimate transformation of authentic cultural values through their integration in Christianity and the insertion of Christianity in the various human cultures."85 The process is thus a profound and all-embracing one, which involves the Christian message and also the Church's reflection and practice. But at the same time it is a difficult process, for it must in no way compromise the distinctiveness and integrity of the Christian faith. (RM 48).

In reference to foreign missionaries he notes,

Missionaries, who come from other churches and countries, must immerse themselves in the cultural milieu of those to whom they are sent, moving beyond their own cultural limitations. Hence they must learn the language of the place in which they work, become familiar with the most important expressions of the local culture, and discover its values through direct experience. Only if they have this kind of awareness will they be able to bring to people the knowledge of the hidden mystery (cf. Rom 16:25-27; Eph 3:5) in a credible and fruitful way. (RM 53).

Two principles must be followed to ensure proper inculturation, "compatibility with the gospel and communion with the universal Church." Bishops, as guardians of the "deposit of faith," will take care to ensure fidelity and, in particular, to provide discernment, for which a deeply balanced approach is required. (RM 54).

He notes also that "Inter-religious dialogue is a part of the Church's evangelizing mission" but that this should not distract in any way from "the fact that salvation comes from Christ and that dialogue does not dispense from evangelization." (RM 55). He notes that "missionaries are being recognized as promoters of development by governments and international experts" but cautions that development should always be based on authentic human development rather than "money or technology" (RM 58).

Pope John Paul II notes the need to develop missionary leaders and promote missionary institutes. He also notes that this is a special concern for all bishops and priests who "are called by virtue of the sacrament of Orders to share in concern for the Church's mission" (RM 67). This mission should also be a special concern for vocations of the Institutes of Consecrated Life, both institutes of contemplative life and institutes of active life (RM 69). He also stresses the importance of the role of the laity in missionary activity. The lay faithful are called as missionaries by means of their baptism. It is a right and duty based on their baptismal dignity, whereby "the faithful participate, for their part, in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King" (RM 71). He also highlights the need for prayer and cooperation and the need to "be open to the Church's universality, and to avoid every form of provincialism or exclusiveness, or feelings of self-sufficiency" (RM 85).

Missionary activity demands a specific spirituality: a life of complete docility to the Spirit, an intimate communion with Christ, a life marked by apostolic charity for the Church and the world, and a commitment to the way of holiness. He notes, "The universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission" (RM 90).

Ecclesia in America (1999)

In 1999, Pope John Paul II, wrote the post-synodal Apostolic exhortation, Ecclesia in America, The Church in America. The theme of the evangelization of culture is covered in Chapter V, "The Path to Solidarity." This chapter concludes with a discussion of the question of immigration and advocates a more penetrating evangelization of immigrant peoples. Chapter VI is entitled, "The Mission of the Church in America Today: The New Evangelization." He notes;

As I have said on other occasions, the new and unique situation in which the world and the Church find themselves at the threshold of the Third Millennium, and the urgent needs which result, mean that the mission of evangelization today calls for a new program which can be defined overall as a "new evangelization" (EA 66).

The center of the "new evangelization" must be "a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the person of Jesus Christ, that is, the preaching of his name, his teaching, his life, his promises and the Kingdom which he has gained for us by his Paschal Mystery" (EA 66). Christ must be proclaimed by the witness of each one's life. We must have a preferential but not exclusive concern for the poor. One current problem is the neglect of those in leading sectors of society with the resulting secularization of political, economic, union-related, military, social or cultural sector of society. There is a need for an evangelization of the leadership sector, and a special formation of consciences on the basis of the Church's social doctrine.

Pope John Paul II discusses the means of evangelization and notes that the first impulse for witness comes about from our personal encounter with the Lord. He then moves on to discuss the importance of catechesis. He notes;

The new evangelization in which the whole continent is engaged means that faith cannot be taken for granted, but must be explicitly proposed in all its breadth and richness. This is the principal objective of catechesis, which, by its very nature, is an essential aspect of the new evangelization (EA 69).

Pope John Paul II points to two essential resources for this ministry, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the General Directory for Catechesis. Pope Benedict XVI has recently added to this the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II moves on to discuss the evangelization of culture and quotes Pope Paul VI's remark that, "the split between the Gospel and culture is undoubtedly the drama of our time." As mentioned above, the Council Fathers note the "breach between faith and daily life among so many must be considered one of the more serious errors of our time" (GS 43). Pope John Paul II quotes the Fathers of the extraordinary synod, "the new evangelization calls for a clearly conceived, serious and well organized effort to evangelize culture". This implies the need to inculturate preaching "in such a way that the Gospel is proclaimed in the language and in the culture of its hearers" (EA 70). This can occur through Catholic centers of education inspired by Catholic principles. This includes universities and schools. He notes that in "the overall work of the new evangelization, the educational sector occupies a place of honor",

A special effort should be made to strengthen the Catholic identity of schools, whose specific character is based on an educational vision having its origin in the person of Christ and its roots in the teachings of the Gospel. Catholic schools must seek not only to impart a quality education from the technical and professional standpoint, but also and above all provide for the integral formation of the human person (EA 70).

He also highlights the need for evangelization through the media,

For the new evangelization to be effective, it is essential to have a deep understanding of the culture of our time in which the social communications media are most influential. Therefore, knowledge and use of the media, whether the more traditional forms or those which technology has produced in recent times, is indispensable. Contemporary reality demands a capacity to learn the language, nature and characteristics of mass media. Using the media correctly and competently can lead to a genuine inculturation of the Gospel. At the same time, the media also help to shape the culture and mentality of people today, which is why there must be special pastoral activity aimed at those working in the media (EA 72).

Pope John Paul II then discusses the problems created by the proselytism of sects which violate people's freedom and conscience with their methods. He points out "the urgency of prompt evangelizing efforts aimed at those segments of the People of God most exposed to proselytism by the sects" (EA 72). Along with this he notes, "it is more necessary than ever for all the faithful to move from a faith of habit, sustained perhaps by social context alone, to a faith which is conscious and personally lived" (EA 72). There is also still an urgent need "among those on this continent who do not yet know the name of Jesus" such as "indigenous peoples not yet Christianized or of the presence of non-Christian religions such as Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism, especially among immigrants from Asia" (EA 74).

Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte (2000)

In his Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, Pope John Paul II names Mary as the "Star of the New Evangelization" (MNI 74). He proposes that a "new apostolic outreach is needed, which will be lived as the everyday commitment of Christian communities and groups" (MNI 40). Christianity will have to respond effectively to inculturation, and to the pastoral care of young people (MNI 41). The Church must become a witness to love, the home and the school of communion. We need to promote vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life as well as the specific vocation of the laity (MNI 46). In relation to this, "another important aspect of communion is the promotion of forms of association, whether of the more traditional kind or the newer ecclesial movements, which continue to give the Church a vitality that is God's gift and a true 'springtime of the Spirit'" (MNI 46). Special attention should also be given to the pastoral care of families.

Failed condom campaigns

Chinwuba Iyizoba | Thursday, 2 April 2009

link to www.mercatornet.com

Bleak stories behind failed condom campaigns

Before blanketing the continent with condoms to stop AIDS, why don't you live in rural Africa for a while? 

Sub-Saharan Africa has two-thirds of the world's HIV/AIDS cases. So you would think that Western journalists and politicians might condescend to ask us what we think about how to fight AIDS. But they haven't. A pity, because they would have found that many of us support Pope Benedict XVI's scepticism about the effectiveness of distributing condoms. [more]

Dissent from the Magisterium

All teachers in Catholic schools are catechists. The following post explains the role of the catechist in the Church and the proper attitude all Catholics should have toward the Magisterium.

“The New Evangelization” (part I)

(part I)

The term New Evangelization became a characteristic expression of Pope John Paul II during his pontificate. Pope Paul VI called evangelism the 'deepest identity' of the Church and Pope John Paul II continued and extended this vision. Beginning with his address to the Latin American Bishops in 1983, Pope John Paul II noted,

The commemoration of the half millennium of evangelization will gain its full meaning if it is a commitment on your part as bishops, together with your priests and faithful: a commitment, not to re-evangelization, but to a new evangelization, new in ardor, methods and expression. Permit me in this regard to sum up in a few words and dwell with you on those aspects which seem to me to be fundamental for the new evangelization.

Following up on the Puebla conference of Latin American Bishops on "Evangelization at Present and in the Future of Latin America" (1979), Pope John Paul II explains, that the New Evangelization means a need to arouse fresh vocations to the priest hood and to "train them properly in the spiritual, doctrinal and pastoral aspects of their calling." Secondly in regard to the laity, both because of the lack of priests but also in light of the self understanding of the Church as seen in Second Vatican Council, bishops ought to be "engaged in forming an increasing number of laity who are ready to collaborate effectively in the work of evangelization" (Origins Vol. 12.41).

Together with the synod Bishops, Pope John Paul II reviewed and extended the goals of Pope Paul VI's Evangelii Nuntiandi in his own Apostolic Exhortation,Christifideles laici, On the Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in The World (1988). The idea of "the self understanding of the Church as seen in Second Vatican Council" mentioned in 1983, is greatly expanded and clarified in Christifideles laici.

This document begins noting the fundamental dignity and grace received by all the faithful through baptism. Through baptism the lay faithful participate in communion with Christ and become sharers in his ministry through the Church which is his body.

The participation of the lay faithful in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King finds its source in the anointing of Baptism, its further development in Confirmation and its realization and dynamic sustenance in the Holy Eucharist. It is a participation given to each member of the lay faithful individually, in as much as each is one of the many who form the one Body of the Lord (CL 14).

The lay faithful are characterized by a special manner of life. Pope John Paul II notes; "The Second Vatican Council has described this manner of life as the 'secular character': 'The secular character is properly and particularly that of the lay faithful' (LG 32)." Pope John Paul II observes that in ordered to full appreciate the lay vocation one must gain a deeper understanding of the theological nature of this secular character. All the members of the Church are sharers in this secular dimension but in different ways (CL 15). According to the council the way which is "properly and particularly" theirs is to be expressed in its "secular character" (AA 5). Pope John Paul II explains this secular character by referring to the text of Lumen Gentium;

The laity, by their very vocation, seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God. They live in the world, that is, in each and in all of the secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very web of their existence is woven. They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven (LG 31).

He explains, "The 'world' thus becomes the place and the means for the lay faithful to fulfill their Christian vocation, because the world itself is destined to glorify God the Father in Christ." This vocation does not take the lay faithful out of the world, or into seclusion, quoting The Apostle Paul, he notes, "So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God" (1 Cor 7:24).

The prime and fundamental vocation of the lay faithful is the call to holiness. The universal call to holiness is "an undeniable requirement arising from the mystery of the Church" and is rooted in baptism (CL 16). The lay faithful exercise this call to holiness "in a particular way in their involvement in temporal affairs and in their participation in earthly activities" (CL 17). The specific manner of living his out is highlighted in the Pauline scripture, "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:17). John Paul II notes,

Likewise the Synod Fathers have said: "The unity of life of the lay faithful is of the greatest importance: indeed they must be sanctified in everyday professional and social life. Therefore, to respond to their vocation, the lay faithful must see their daily activities as an occasion to join themselves to God, fulfill his will, serve other people and lead them to communion with God in Christ"(Propositio 5).

As we noted above the Fathers of Second Vatican Council admonished us, the "breach between faith and daily life among so many must be considered on of the more serious errors of our time" (GS 43, cf. AA 4). The universal call to holiness implies a response of apostolate and missionary effort. The particular place for this effort for the lay faithful is in the midst of the world and is lived by demonstrating a faithful to a unity of life.

Holiness, then, must be called a fundamental presupposition and an irreplaceable condition for everyone in fulfilling the mission of salvation within the Church. The Church's holiness is the hidden source and the infallible measure of the works of the apostolate and of the missionary effort. Only in the measure that the Church, Christ's Spouse, is loved by him and she, in turn, loves him, does she become a mother fruitful in the Spirit (CL 17).

John Paul II moves on to discuss the Church as communion, the diversity and complimentarily of the Spirit's gifts to the Church. He notes;

The various ministries, offices and roles that the lay faithful can legitimately fulfill in the liturgy, in the transmission of the faith, and in the pastoral structure of the Church, ought to be exercised in conformity to their specific lay vocation, which is different from that of the sacred ministry (CL 23).

Quoting the exhortation the Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, the Synod Fathers again highlight the secular nature of the fields of evangelizing activity open to the lay person, "the vast and complicated world of politics, society and economics, as well as the world of culture, of the sciences and the arts, of international life, of the mass media. It also includes other realities which are open to evangelization, such as human love, the family, the education of children and adolescents, professional work, and suffering" (CL 17). John Paul II discusses the role of charisms of the Spirit in the life of the Church and the role of the lay faithful in individual and group participation in parish life.

The Chapter on mission notes the intimate connection between being in communion with Christ and the necessity for mission. John Paul II exhorts, "Communion and mission are profoundly connected with each other, they interpenetrate and mutually imply each other, to the point that communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion" (CL 32).

John Paul II notes that there is a need to re-evangelize those regions that were once Christian but have given in to the "constant spreading of an indifference to religion, of secularism and atheism" as well as the spread of sects (CL 34). He notes that, "Only a re-evangelization can assure the growth of a clear and deep faith, and serve to make these traditions a force for authentic freedom" (CL 34). We must work to mend the fabric of society, to "first remake the Christian fabric of the ecclesial community itself present in these countries and nations" (CL 34). This is accomplished but revealing Christ's saving power to the "confines of states, and systems political and economic, as well as the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development (CL 34). In a vital synthesis, the lay faithful must allow the Gospel to shine and give testimony in their daily lives. John Paul II notes,

This re-evangelization is directed not only to individual persons but also to entire portions of populations in the variety of their situations, surroundings and cultures. Its purpose is the formation of mature ecclesial communities, in which the faith might radiate and fulfill the basic meaning of adherence to the person of Christ and his Gospel, of an encounter and sacramental communion with him, and of an existence lived in charity and in service (CL 34).

Clearly something more than regular parish life is envisioned here. These communities must offer active participation in the life of the community through words, and testimony but also through missionary zeal. Related to this missionary outreach is the need for the lay faithful to offer systematic work in catechesis, especially parents to their children.

Much of the previous section relates to the mission of the lay faithful in the midst of their ordinary lives. John Paul II continues with a more extraordinary ministry of the lay faithful, who following the example of Aquila and Priscilla (cf., Acts 18; Romans 16:3ff.), will agree to 'go' as missionaries to other countries.

 

Pope Benedict is Right!

Harvard AIDS Expert Says Pope is Correct on Condom Distribution Making AIDS Worse

Edward C. Green, director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, has said that the evidence confirms that the Pope is correct in his assessment that condom distribution exacerbates the problem of AIDS. . . . [more]

 

Dr. Edward C. Green, is the Director, of AIDS Prevention Research Project, Senior Research Scientist, Harvard School of Public Health and Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University.

Link to Dr. Edward C. Green, Harvard University

Evangelization and Pope Paul VI

Apostolic Exhoration, Evangelii Nuntiandi, Proclaiming the Gospel
By Pope Paul VI

We must remember firstly that Pope Paul VI was the pilgrim pope who named himself after the greatest missionary apostle, St. Paul. Although Pope Paul VI is best known for his work at the close of the Second Vatican Council, he was also the first pope to engage in extensive world travel. His encounter with the devastating poverty and conflict of the Third World caused him to write an important social encyclical on peace and development, called "Populorum Progressio" or "On the Development of Peoples." He was also drawn to express a deep fatherly concern for evangelization.

Evangelii Nuntiandi is an apostolic exhortation which followed a synod of Bishops in 1975. Pope Paul VI begins by discussing the model of Christ as evangelizer. Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God and caries this out through innumerable signs. Those who accept the Good News become a community which in turn evangelizes. Pope Paul VI notes that the task of evangelization is the essential mission of the Church, "Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity." (EN 14). The whole Church receives the mission to evangelize.

Pope Paul VI discusses what he calls the essential elements of the concept of evangelization in continuity with the Second Vatican Council. He notes, "Evangelizing means bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new" (EN 18). This transformation reaches the depth of human culture.

For the Church it is a question not only of preaching the Gospel in ever wider geographic areas or to ever greater numbers of people, but also of affecting and as it were upsetting, through the power of the Gospel, mankind's criteria of judgment, determining values, points of interest, lines of thought, sources of inspiration and models of life, which are in contrast with the Word of God and the plan of salvation (EN 19).

Pope Paul VI notes that there is a need to evangelize culture (more correctly cultures). This evangelization cannot proceed in a merely decorative manner. Rather than "applying a thin veneer "cultures must be evangelized "in a vital way, in depth and right to their very roots, in the wide and rich sense which these terms have in Gaudium et spes, [GS 53] always taking the person as one's starting-point and always coming back to the relationships of people among themselves and with God"(EN 19). Every effort must be made to ensure the full evangelization of culture starting with a proclamation by witness. The lives of Christians will stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of others which can be a form of initial evangelization, which must then be made more explicit by "a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Speaking of the steps involved in full evangelization Pope Paul VI observes,

In fact the proclamation only reaches full development when it is listened to, accepted and assimilated, and when it arouses a genuine adherence in the one who has thus received it. An adherence to the truths which the Lord in His mercy has revealed; still more, an adherence to a program of life - a life henceforth transformed - which He proposes. (EN 23).

Fully understood evangelization is "a complex process made up of varied elements: the renewal of humanity, witness, explicit proclamation, inner adherence, entry into the community, acceptance of signs, apostolic initiative" (EN 24). The center and foundation of all evangelization is the clear proclamation that Jesus Christ, died and rose for the dead offering salvation to all men and a gift of God's grace (EN 27). Evangelism also needs to take into account our personal and social life. Pope Paul VI clarifies, "This is why evangelization involves an explicit message, adapted to the different situations constantly being realized, about the rights and duties of every human being, about family life without which personal growth and development is hardly possible,[60] about life in society, about international life, peace, justice and development . . ." (EN 29). This involves a properly understood notion of preaching liberation, of building structures which are more human (EN 36). He notes that the Church cannot accept violence and revolution as a means of liberation (EN 38). We must ensure fundamental human rights and freedom of religion (EN 39).

On the question of the methods of evangelization he notes that they will naturally "vary according to the different circumstances of time, place and culture, and because they thereby present a certain challenge to our capacity for discovery and adaptation" (EN 40). Again he highlights the necessity of the witness of an authentically Christian life (EN 41), and of the necessity of preaching (EN 42), as well as systematic catechetical instruction (EN 44). Again he notes that evangelization must touch lives and give them new meaning (EN 47), especially through the sacraments, and carefully guided popular piety.

The recipients of evangelization are firstly those who have never heard the Gospel, but also those who have been baptized but who live outside the Christian life (EN 52). He notes, "This first proclamation is also addressed to the immense sections of mankind who practice non-Christian religions" (EN 53). Even though the interaction with these immense groups raises "delicate questions that must be studied in the light of Christian Tradition and the Church's magisterium" it is also true that "the Church holds that these multitudes have the right to know the riches of the mystery of Christ" (EN 53). Pope Paul VI addresses the problem of secularism and the development of small communities, as well as the universal vocation to mission that individual Churches share in. (EN 62). He then discusses the problem of inculturation. Evangelism "loses much of its force and effectiveness" if it is not adapted to the people (using their language, their signs and symbols), but it must not sacrifice its truth and universality (EN 63).

In his final section Pope Paul VI notes that the whole Church is called upon to evangelize, but that there is a "diversity of services in the unity of the same mission" (EN 66). The Holy Father has the "preeminent ministry of teaching the revealed truth" (EN 67). The bishops as successors to the apostles receive authority to teach the revealed truth and are teachers of the faith (EN 68). The religious bear witness to holiness and the radical demands of the beatitudes (EN 69). They play a role in evangelization when some men and women live a life consecrated to prayer, silence, penance and sacrifice. "Other religious, in great numbers, give themselves directly to the proclamation of Christ" (EN 69). Lay people who live there vocations in the midst of the world, "exercise a very special form of evangelization" (EN70). The lay faithful exercise this evangelization through their ordinary lives.

Their own field of evangelizing activity is the vast and complicated world of politics, society and economics, but also the world of culture, of the sciences and the arts, of international life, of the mass media. It also includes other realities which are open to evangelization, such as human love, the family, the education of children and adolescents, professional work, suffering (EN 70).

In this last field of life Pope Paul VI the special importance of "the evangelizing action of the family in the evangelizing apostolate of the laity" (EN 72) as well as the apostolate among young people (EN 72). Finally he notes that some lay persons may also feel called "to work with their pastors in the service of the ecclesial community for its growth and life, by exercising a great variety of ministries according to the grace and charisms which the Lord is pleased to give them" (EN 73).

Pope Paul VI concludes with some foundational notions related to evangelization. First, he reminds us that it is not a matter of technique but a work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelization (EN 75). The evangelizer must be authentic and not artificial. We must seek to promote unity among Christians (EN 77). The evangelizer must have reverence for the truth (EN 78), and "an ever increasing love for those whom he is evangelizing" (EN 79). The evangelizer must not impose on the consciences of others. We must propose the truth with clarity and respect for free opinions (EN 80). Pope Paul VI concludes by entrusting the task of evangelizing "the hands and the heart of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary" (EN 82).

The Concept of Evangelization at VC II (expanded)

Cardinal Dulles points out,

Vatican I spoke rarely of evangelization. They used terms such as "missionary activity, "the propagation of the faith," and "the planting or extension of the church.". . . Building on the kerygmatic theology of the preceding decade, Vatican II made use of evangelical terminology. A comparison with Vatican I, which reflected the 19thcentury mentality, is instructive. Vatican I used the term "Gospel" (evangelium) only once and never used the terms "evangelize" or "evangelization." Vatican II, by contrast, mentioned the "Gospel" 157 times, "evangelize" 18 times and "evangelization" 31 times.

In the Second Vatican Council Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), the Fathers describe the Church as the People of God. Using this image they describe the missionary mandate of the Church to proclaim the Gospel "until such time as the infant churches are fully established and can themselves continue the work of evangelizing" (LG 17). Later in the Constitution the Fathers define evangelizing in the chapter on the laity as the, "announcing of Christ by a living testimony as well as by the spoken word" and note further that this "takes on a specific quality and a special force in that it is carried out in the ordinary surroundings of the world" (LG 35). They note, "Consequently, even when preoccupied with temporal cares, the laity can and must perform a work of great value for the evangelization of the world" (LG 17).
The lay faithful are to perform the apostolate of proclaiming the Gospel both with their lives and their words "in the ordinary surroundings of the world" (LG 17). In order to be equipped for this task, the laity must "strive to acquire a more profound grasp of revealed truth", and to insistently beg God for the gift of wisdom (LG 17).
In the Second Vatican Council Decree on the Mission activity of the Church (Ad Gentes), the council Fathers refer both the work of specialized missionaries, and to the ordinary mission of the lay faithful. Specifically in discussing the cooperation of the lay faithful, they note;

Since the whole Church is missionary, and the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the People of God, this sacred synod invites all to a deep interior renewal; so that, having a vivid awareness of their own responsibility for spreading the Gospel, they may do their share in missionary work among the nations (Ad Gentes 35).

In the Second Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (Apostolicam Actuositatem), the specific mission of the laity is referred to as "the apostolate of evangelization and sanctification" and it is seen to both penetrate and perfect the temporal order (AA 2, 6). Specifically they state the lay faithful;

. . . exercise the apostolate in fact by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men and to the penetrating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of the Gospel. In this way, their temporal activity openly bears witness to Christ and promotes the salvation of men. Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of the spirit of Christ. (AA 2)

There are several features to note in the previous discussion. First the Church has a duty to proclaim the Gospel. This is not something new, but rather the very nature of her being. Recently the CDF issued a statement on this topic affirming the continued need to evangelize. Although there have been some who have misinterpreted the Second Vatican council documents as teaching that evangelism is not longer necessary, a close reading of the documents shows exactly the opposite. The duty to evangelize is not just a special calling for some, but the duty of all the faithful. The entire lay faithful have a special mission to carry out "the apostolate of evangelization and sanctification" in order to both penetrate and perfect the temporal order (AA 2, 6). The mission field becomes the world each of us live in, in the midst of our temporal affairs we must become the light of Christ to the nations. Even secular culture must be evangelized through the actions of the lay faithful.

Themes in Lumen Gentium Part II

Membership

Ratzinger calls the most controversial point in Lumen Gentium point number 8 that the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic subsists in the Catholic Church. (2005, p. 144) The Constitution notes; "This Church constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in (subsistit ) the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him" (LG 8). In 1985 the CDF issued a notice concerning Leonardo Boff's "ecclesiology of relativism" (2005, p. 145). Boff denied that the historical Jesus' thought about or founded a Church. There was no "catholic" Church but merely various local Churches. Although some modern scholars have taken this misguided view, the fact that Jesus gathered and group of Apostles and consciously gave them a mission to fulfill in his absence, makes such thinking fruitless to anyone who accepts the historical reliability of the New Testament.

In reference to the passage cited from Lumen Gentium 8, Vatican II changed the earlier formula of Pius XII's Mystici Corporis Christi: "The Catholic Church is (est) the one Mystical Body of Christ." Cardinal Ratzinger comments on the distinction between subsistit and est:
 

The term subsistit derives from the classical philosophy, as it was further developed in Scholasticism. The Greek word corresponding to it is hypostatis, which plays a central role in Christology, for describing the unity between divine nature and human in the Person of Christ. Subsistere is a special variant of esse. It is "being" in the form of an independent agent. That is exactly what the Council is trying to tell us here. The Council is trying to tell us that the Church of Jesus Christ may be encountered in this world as a concrete agent in the Catholic Church. p. 147

The Universal Call to Holiness

Chapter 5 contains four sections (LG 39-42), including a preamble and three paragraphs, and is the shortest chapter of the constitution. This does not indicate that it is not important; on the contrary, it has a central place because it recalls the principal teachings. (de La Soujeole, p. 40)

The placement of this chapter five in Lumen Gentium is interesting. The Constitution begins with a chapter on the Mystery of Church. The word mystery echos Ephesians 1:9 in the Pauline corpus. The Greek term mysterium is equivalent to the Latin sacramentum. The Fathers of the council tell us, "The Church exists in Christ as a sacrament or instrumental sign of intimate union with God" (LG 1). Having shown the oneness of the Church in Christ the next chapter as the Chapter highlights the catholic nature of the Church. The Church is the People of God, and beginning with Adam and Eve the story of God's salvation history unfolds. God chose Israel to be his special people and now through Christ we too have been "grafted in" to God's People (Romans 11:17). By virtue of our union with Christ all of the faithful share in His priestly and prophetic ministry (LG 10, 12) and share in the missionary character of the Church (LG 17). Chapter three discusses the hierarchical nature of the Church and the episcopate, chapter four is on the laity, chapter five is on the universal call to holiness and chapter six is on the religious state. Chapter six on the religious state explicitly states that the council fathers did not want to describe the religious as an intermediate condition between the clerical and the lay, so they placed it after chapter five. The way in which the chapters are organized underscores the nature of the Church as one, catholic and apostolic before discussing its inherent holiness
(see the chart below). While the faithful of the Church may enjoy many callings the vocation to holiness is universal. The council father's note; "Though there are different ways of life and different duties, it is the same holiness which is cultivated by all who are led by God's Spirit. . ." LG 41.

The Church As a Living Organism*

*adapted with changes from Benoît-Dominique de La Soujeole, O.P.

 

1.The mystery of the Church (permanent identity)	One and unique	Nature of the Church
2.The People of God (The mystery in history)	Catholic
3.The hierarchical structure of the Church (the mediation between Christ and the Faithful)	Apostolic	Edification of the Church
4.The Laity (receivers of Apostolic mediation and mission)
5. The universal call to holiness in the Church	Holy	Vocation of the Church
6. Religious
7. Eschatological nature of the pilgrim Church and its union with the Church in heaven		Realization of the Church
8. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the mystery of Christ and the Church

 

The preamble begins by restating that the Church is a mystery and that consequently only faith can grasp its profound identity. The particular issue to believe here is the holiness of the Church, which comes from its union with the only Holy One, Christ Jesus. This holiness is not, however, given and definitive; rather, it calls for the holiness of each member of the community, which is their sole purpose. (de La Soujeole, p. 40) What about the contradiction, the Church is holy, but its members are sinners? Fr. de La Soujeole notes; "It is necessary to distinguish the sancta (i.e., the Church's holy and sanctifying realities: the truth of the Gospel and the authentic sacraments) and the sancti (i.e., the people who receive the sanctifying realities)." p. 41. Fr. de La Soujeole notes;

Thus in remaining faithfully connected to the sources of grace--the Gospel and the authentic sacraments--holiness, as a gift of God, begets holiness when accepted, as the human vocation, which is progressively realized (p. 41).

We can define holiness as the assimilation to Christ and the Gospel's penetration of all aspects of life (p. 41).What about the ways and means of holiness? Lumen Gentium does not give a specific plan but emphasizes the sacraments, the Word of God, prayer, asceticism and sacrifices. Through the practice of virtue the lay faithful should imbue culture and human activity with genuine moral values; they will better prepare the field of the world for the seed of the Word of God" (LG 36). Even daily work "should climb to the heights of holiness and apostolic activity" (LG 41). Later in the Second Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity the council Fathers note;

"The laity should vivify their life with charity and express it as best they can in their works. They should all remember that they can reach all men and contribute to the salvation of the whole world by public worship and prayer as well as by penance and voluntary acceptance of the labors and hardships of life whereby they become like the suffering Christ." (Apostolicam actuositatem, 16)

References:

de La Soujeole, Benoît-Dominique O.P. "The universal Call to Holiness" in Matthew L. Lamb and Matthew Levering, eds. Vatican II: Renewal Within Tradition. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008).

Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal "The Ecclesiology of the Constitution Lumen Gentium", in Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith: The Church as Communion. Trans. Henry Taylor (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2005) pp. 123-152.

 

Gospel Commentary Fifth Sunday of Lent (preview)

Each of our Gospel accounts gives us a unique picture of Jesus' life and ministry. John's Gospel tells us about a number of journeys Jesus made back and forth between Jerusalem and Galilee. Much of St. John's narrative recounts events which take place near Jerusalem. The Gospel also mentions three separate Passovers (John 2, 6, and 12) and this is how we know Jesus' public ministry lasted three years.

Even though the Gospel covers three years of Jesus' life it does not cover them equally. The first long section of John's Gospel (1:19-12:50), which scholars sometimes call the book of signs, covers almost three years. Chapter 12 begins with the six days prior to the final Passover. The next long section from 13:1-20:29 recounts in slow detail Jesus' final night with his disciples and then his passion, death and resurrection. The narrative slows from covering three years of time, to a single night, until finally it recounts the long awaited 'hour' when the Son of Man will be glorified. St. John highlights the climax of Jesus' ministry, the 'hour' of his glorification in the final chapters of his narrative. The 'hour' of Jesus' glorification means his passion, death and resurrection.

The notion of Jesus' glorification is an echo of a passage from Isaiah 53:13 "Behold my servant shall prosper: he shall be lifted up and glorified exceedingly." Jesus identifies himself with the Suffering Servant Songs of Isaiah. Jesus has already made reference to being lifted up earlier in John's Gospel, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up (John 3:14, cf. 8:28). Jesus points to the same idea in the climax of his speech in this Sunday's Gospel, "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32).

Jesus leaves no doubt concerning his mission; "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains just a grain of wheat but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (John 12:24). Jesus will freely offer his suffering and death as an act of obedience which will substitute for our disobedience. We must follow Christ and like him we must also become a servant. Jesus says, "Where I am, there my servant we be also" (John 12:26). The cost of discipleship is great.

In the anguish of his sacred humanity Jesus cries out, "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour" (12:27-28). The use of 'now' links Jesus anguish to the 'hour' he just mentioned (v. 23). This incident is followed by a miraculous voice from heaven. In the other Gospel accounts we have already seen a voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism and at the transfiguration. The reference to thunder reminds us of Psalm 81:7, "In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder." Even this miraculous revelation, can only be understood through faith in Jesus. The crowd offers various interpretations of the heavenly voice but fails to understand its meaning (cf. 12:37-42).

Jesus makes a clear parallel between the grain of wheat that "falls into the earth and dies" and the Son of Man who is "lifted up from the earth" to draw all men to himself. Discipleship involves becoming one with the Master. St. Paul uses this idea to demonstrate the essential key to our unity with Christ. Referring to our baptism, St. Paul writes, "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). Through baptism we have been joined to Christ. St. Paul makes the same point in Galatians 3:27. He writes, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." We have been incorporated into Christ by means of baptism and the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

St. Augustine comments on the deeper significance of our oneness or communion with Christ in his commentary on Psalm 26. He notes that the practice of anointing in the Old Testament was normally reserved for either the king or the priest. But Christ now holds both offices as both Priest and King in virtue of his anointing or literally being the Messiah or Anointed One. Speaking of Christ, St. Augustine observes, "But not only was our Head anointed; but his body was too, we ourselves. . . . From this it is obvious that we are the body of Christ, being all anointed. In him all of us belong to Christ, but we are Christ too, because in some sense the whole Christ is Head and body" (Exposition 2 of Psalm 26). St. Augustine has perfectly captured the emphasis St. Paul is helping us to understand. We not only become like Christ in Baptism but we actually become a New Creation which is joined to the New Adam—Christ Jesus. This is not a mere exterior conformity but an interior transformation which results in us in a sense becoming Christ himself.

In a more direct way a priest is referred to as an alter Christus, other Christ, or ipse Christus, Christ himself, but St. Paul is saying that all the faithful share in this unity but not in the special powers or munera of the priest. Again St. Augustine notes in his City of God, "all who have been anointed by his chrism we can rightly call christs and yet there is one Christ: the whole body with its Head" (City of God XVII, 4). The Catechism reminds us that, "The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, 'each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ'" (CCC 1547).

By means of our incorporation into Christ through baptism we all share in a common vocation to holiness and apostolate to the world. We are called to literally be Christ to our neighbors and to be transformed into a new creation in Christ. As St. Paul says in Second Corinthians, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Holy Mary, Virgin Most Faithful, Queen of Apostles, pray for us this Lent.

Themes in Lumen Gentium: Part 1

Joseph Ratzinger, Autumn of 1964

 

 

While still a cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger complained that instead of viewing the Constitution on the Church in its broad theological context, "people have pounced upon individual phrases and slogans and have thus fallen short of the great overall perspectives of the Council Fathers." (Ecclesiology of the Constitution Lumen Gentium, p. 125-126). The Constitution on the Church deliberately follows the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy. "The Church derives from adoration, from the task of glorifying God. Ecclesiology, of its nature, has to do with Liturgy" (p. 126) In the following section I will examn a number of the themes in the Constitution on the Church.

 

The Church as Sacrament

The first Chapter of the Constitution deals with the mystery of the Church. The Pauline term mysterium is equivalent to the Latin equivalent sacramentum. Dulles notes, "For Vatican II, the idea of the Church as sacrament is of foundational importance. Four times in Lumen gentium (LG I, 9, 48, 59) and six times in other documents (SC 5 and 26; GS 42 and 45, AG I and 5) it so designates the Church. A sacrament is a symbolic expression of the great mystery of grace and salvation centered in Jesus Christ. For the New Testament and the fathers, Christ is the great sacrament or mystery of salvation, but Christ is not complete without the Church, which is his visible and effective presence on earth" (p. 26-27). The theology of the Church as a sacrament has roots in St. Augustine and was likely brought to the Constitution by the German bishops. Some modern scholars have introduced a false notion of the Church as a Sacrament by making a false distinction between the Church as "a mere sign (sacramentum) that points to the reality of salvation" as opposed to the Kingdom of God (res sacramenti). Controversial Catholic scholar, Richard McBrien took the position that while all are called to the Kingdom, only some are called to the Church. Cardinal Dulles points out, "According to the council, the Church and the Kingdom, without being in all respects identical, are intimately conjoined. The Church is "the Kingdom of Christ now present in mystery" (LG 3). In proclaiming and extending the Kingdom, the Church "becomes on earth the initial budding forth of that Kingdom" (LG 5)." (p. 29).

 

The People of God

The image of the People of God is a distinctive emphasis in Lumen Gentium. Following certain Protestant exegetes this image popularizes popularized "the idea of the Church as the pilgrim People of God still en route to its eschatological destiny" (Dulles, p. 30) This is a biblical image which emphasizes the humanness and humility of the Church against triumphalism. The image has less merit in the Bible and Church Fathers than some suppose. Ratzinger points out, in some detail, that the term could be used to express the unity of the history or salvation that comprehended both Israel and the Church. ("The Ecclesiology of Second Vatican Council", p. 17) The Term is not used in the New Testament except in reference to the Israel. He notes that "Christians can only be the people of God through inclusion in Christ, the son of God and the son of Abraham" (p. 19). Christology must remain at the center and the Church becomes the People of God through the sacraments, hence the notion of the Church as a sacrament. "One only remains faithful to the Council if one always takes and reflects on these two core terms of its ecclesiology together" (p. 19). Did the council intend to elevate the role of the laity by placing this section first before the section on the hierarchy? "It is therefore absurd when from the fact that the chapter on the people of God precedes that on the hierarchy people want to deduce a different conception of the hierarchy and of the laity, as if in fact all the baptized already bore within themselves the powers conferred by ordination and hierarchy were merely a matter of good order" (p. 19). We must remember that as a young theologian, Joseph Ratzinger was at the council.

 

Communion (communio)

Although the term "communion" does not occupy a central place in the council, the extra ordinary synod of 1985 chose the idea of communion-ecclesiology, correctly understood, as a way of synthesizing the essential elements of the conciliar ecclesiology. (Ratzinger, 2005,p. 130-131) "All the essential element of the Christian concept of "communion" are to be found together in that significant sentence from 1 John 1:3:"that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." RSV

"Fellowship with God is mediated by fellowship of God with man, which is Christ in person; the encounter with Christ brings about fellowship with him and, thus, with the Father in the Holy Spirit; on this basis it unites men with one another. All this is directed towards perfect joy: the Church bears within herself an eschatological impulse" (Ratzinger, p. 130). He continues "the Term "communion" thus has, on the basis of this central biblical meaning, a theological and Christological character, on associated with the history of salvation and also ecclesiology. Thereby it carries within it the sacramental dimension; which appears quite explicitly in the writings of Paul:

 

¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

 

"'Communion' ecclesiology is in its inmost nature a Eucharistic ecclesiology" (Ratzinger, p. 131). The idea of communion is concrete yet spiritual, and both transcendent and eschatological. Later misunderstandings of communion, however, "reduced to the theme of the relationship between the local Church and the Church as a whole" and questions of authority (Ratzinger, p. 132). Eventually the Church had to issue a correction, "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Certain Aspects of the Church as Communion" (1992)

 

References:

Congar, Yves M. J. Lay People in the Church: A study for a Theology of Laity Trans. Donald Attwater (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1959).

Dulles, Avery Cardinal "Nature, Mission, and Structure of the Church" in Matthew L. Lamb and Matthew Levering, eds. Vatican II: Renewal Within Tradition. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008).

Gaillardetz, Richard R. The Church in the Making: Lumen Gentium, Christus Dominus, Orientalium Ecclesiarum (New York: Paulist Press, 2006) [This work is highly unreliable and contradicts the CDF on several points]

Kloppenburg, Bonaventure The Ecclesiology of Vatican II. Trans. Matthew J. O'Connell (Chicago: Franciscan Herald, 1974)

Komonchak, Joseph "Toward an Ecclesiology of Communion" in History of Vatican II ed. Giuseppe Alberigo: English version edited by Joseph A. Komonchak. Vol. VI, The Church as Communion.

de La Soujeole, Benoît-Dominique O.P. "The universal Call to Holiness" in Matthew L. Lamb and Matthew Levering, eds. Vatican II: Renewal Within Tradition. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008).

Philips, Gérard "History of the Constitution" in Herbert Vorgrimler, Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, Vol 1,(New York: Crossroad, 1989, reprint original 1967) p 105-137.

Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal "The Ecclesiology of the Constitution Lumen Gentium", in Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith: The Church as Communion. Trans. Henry Taylor (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2005) pp. 123-152.

_______, "The Ecclesiology of Second Vatican Council" in Church, Ecumenism and Politics Trans. Robert Nowell, (New York, St Paul, 1988) p.3-28

Constitution on the Church

The History of the Schema

For the Constitution on the Church

The Latin title of the Vatican II constitution on the Church is known by its first words, "Lumen Gentium," or the "Light of the Nations." It is Jesus who is the Light of the Nations and the Church shares in this mission through its incorporation into him. As I pointed out in a previous blog, any attempt by the council to modernize or renew the Church was based a rediscovery or resourcement of the Church's past. The new is connected to an organic growth in Tradition. As Cardinal Dulles points out, "Every renewal of the Church," for the council, "essentially consists in an increase of fidelity to her own calling" (UR 6). (Vatican II: Renewal Within Tradition, p. 26).

The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War had prevented Vatican I from debating its planned constitution on the church. Only the constitutions on the Catholic faith (Dei Filius) and a second on the papacy (Pastor Aeternus) were promulgated at Vatican I. A preparatory schema for the constitution was prepared entitled De Ecclesia, which had eleven chapters.

Chapter 1: The Nature of the Church Militant

Chapter 2: Church Membership and Necessity of Church for Salvation

Chapter 3: The Episcopate as Highest Grade of Holy Orders; The Presbyterate

Chapter 4: Residential Bishops

Chapter 5: The States of Evangelical Perfection

Chapter 6: The Laity

Chapter 7: The Teaching Office (Magisterium) of the Church

Chapter 8: Authority and Obedience in the Church

Chapter 9: Church State Relations and Religious Tolerance

Chapter 10: The Necessity of Proclaiming the Gospel to All Peoples of the World

Chapter 11: Ecumenism

Its teaching was a blend of the teaching of Pope Pius XII in his encyclicals, Mystici Corporis and Humani Generis and the neo-scholastic ecclesiology of the Roman seminaries. This schema was not well received and a sub-commission was set up comprised of some of bishops and periti (experts) to rework the text. A number of alternate texts had already been written, and the subcommittee chose to follow the proposed text of the Belgian peritus Gérard Philips. The title of the first chapter changed in the second draft of the Schema. Philips recalls the title shifted from , "the nature of the Church militant" to the Pauline term mysterium with its Latin equivalent sacramentum. ("History of the Constitution," p. 111)

Another critical development occurred under the influence of the Belgian Cardinal Suenens, and the Commission for the Lay Apostolate. Borrowing from a distinction in Trinitarian theology, the actions of the Church were described as ad intra, and ad extra. The current schema, De Ecclesia, was concerned with the works within the Church, while the Theological Commission was asked to create a second schema concerning the ad extra works of the Church.

The Second schema comprised of four chapters:

Chapter 1: The Mystery of the Church

Chapter 2: The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church and the Episcopate in Particular

Chapter 3: The People of God and the Laity in Particular

Chapter 4: The Call to Holiness in the Church

There was an immediate proposal to split chapter 3 into the People of God and the Laity and to make the section on the People of God the second Chapter which after some debate was eventually followed as the proposal incorporate a section on Mary into the schema as a sixth chapter. Under the direction of Pope Paul VI a series of "straw" votes were held to pole the bishops on some controversial issues such as collegiality and the nature of the Bishops authority. At the end of the second session the evolving schema now was comprised of six chapters:

Chapter 1: The Mystery of the Church

Chapter 2: The People of God

Chapter 3: The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church and the Episcopate in Particular

Chapter 4: The Laity

Chapter 5: The Universal Call to Holiness

Chapter 6: The Role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church

Further revision of the schema was made during the 1964 intersession. Chapter five on holiness was separated into two chapters, one chapter on the universal call to holiness and a second chapter on professed religious life. The completed schema on the church was sent to the council fathers on July 3, 1964, by Pope Paul VI and with very slight revisions resulted it the following;

Chapter 1: The Mystery of the Church

Chapter 2: The People of God

Chapter 3: The Hierarchical Constitution of the Church and the Episcopate in Particular

Chapter 4: The Laity

Chapter 5: The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church

Chapter 6: Religious

Chapter 7: The Eschatological Nature of the Pilgrim Church

and Its Union with the Heavenly Church

Chapter 8: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church