Social Justice and the Error of Time and Place

It seems to me that many, and by far not all, Catholics in the Social justice Movement have forgotten the root mission they were sent to accomplish. Part of the key to this is that they were sent, they did not pick or choose this ministry, they were called, culled, chosen and sent, much like the Apostles. True, they always had the right to say no and they chose to say yes, but isn't that the same with any job or mission. "Your mission", the old TV show began, "should you choose to accept it...". Called, culled, chosen and sent; so goes the missionary. If someone is sent on a mission then while it is their mission they must be guided by the greater mission of whoever sent them. If a soldier is sent on a mission deep into enemy territory he or she must know not only the immediate goal but some part of the long term goal even if it is only "to win the war" It is conceivable that a person working in Social Justice for the Catholic church must also know the long term goal of the church as well as the short term goal of their mission. Suppose the soldier is sent to blow up the proverbial bridge. The greater mission is the protection of a nearby town from enemy incursion. Arriving at his target and without this knowledge the soldier might choose to lower personal risk and use a high explosive that damages or destroys the town very town he was sent to save. Not only must he know both goals, he must remember them and use them to achieve his success. So what is the long term goal of Catholic Social Justice? The ultimate goal of the catholic Church is enable its members to enter the gates of heaven. By its teaching, its example, its penances and traditions the faithful should be led to accept the truths of the Gospel and the teachings of the church and act on them to help them get to heaven. While we know that Jesus is all loving we also know that those found unprepared will be left outside like the foolish virgins while the bridegroom tells them, "I know you not" So the long term goal of Catholic Social Justice is the enable those being served to enter heaven. This does not mean they must become Catholic. Mother Teresa helped many who were not catholic and by the love she showed them they became better people and may find grace with God. Through the work and teaching of Catholics in Social Justice the person should be so uplifted that they may find grace and forgiveness with God and enter in despite their current circumstances. Suffering on this earth is transitory. Suffering in hell is permanent. If I relieve all of your earthly suffering and then condem both you and I to hell where is the gain? What is the goal? If the goal is charity in the name of Jesus then that charity should not allow woerldy views and pleasures to overshadow the true christian charity of helping that person into heaven. My goal in aleviating suffering in this world should become so primary as to lead to suffering in the next. Sounds simple, right? So where is the problem? Many Catholics seem to believe that in order to help poor young women we have to give them birth control pills and condoms regardless of catholic teaching on the subject thereby telling them that illicit and sinful sex is OK. By focusing solely on the current needs and forgetting the future need they are sending souls to hell instead of heaven even though they have the best of intentions. We live in two worlds, the Temporal and the Spiritual. The root of temporal is tempo or tempor, Latin for time. The temporal world is limited by time. The spiritual is not. Giving condoms to someone with Aids is not looking to the future need of avoiding hell but is simply looking to an avoidable, temporary, physical need that may also endanger countless other people. By only seeing this world they run the risk of Ezekiel 3 and having the blood of the people they serve held to account on them so that not only is the person lost through erroneous teaching but they themselves are also lost. We must remember, as Catholics that our primary and ultimate goal is to enter heaven. Anything else is trasnitory. While important it must be weighed in the balance of that ultimate goal. Heaven or hell, where does this piece of the puzzle lead us? "What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his imortal soul?", Matt 16:26. We would do well to take on the oath of doctors, "Do no harm." Do no harm, how much harm is an eternity in hell?

In This Great Future

I guess I will be the lone cowboy on this one, or at least it might feel that way. So let me start right off. I am a Catholic, I am 55 years young, I grew up with the Old Latin mass, served it as an Alter Boy, and I like the New Vernacular mass. I like it a lot. I smile when Father leaves the ambo to speak to the congregation. I smile because I know that someone in the congregation is composing their letter to the bishop because of such an egregious abuse of the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal).



I have nothing against the Latin Mass and I agree that we need more reverence in the New Mass. I have no argument with the Holy See revising the missal and making it more attuned to the Latin. The language could be tightened up to be more precise. Precision in language is a dying thing, but what you say and how you say it important. Ambiguous statements about belief and principle can lead one to think that you believe nothing and have no principles. We could review the song books too. There are many, many, many songs we could do without. That is the subject of a whole 'nother blog. However, all things considered, I like the Novus Ordo mass.



Why? Good question. I like having more involvement of the laity. I like EME's. I like readers. I have been one of each and I received many graces from doing it and I would hate to see it go away. I am not a reader now. I don't feel called to it. Not that I don't want to, but that is ego and not service. Let's face it, for two minutes or so your the focus of people's attention. But when it gets to be about you and not the service to God, it's time to stop. I am an EME currently. I prayed about it and felt led toward this. There is no place in the Tridentine mass for this type of service. I think it is a gift to the church and to the people doing the service. For many it has led to a deepening of their spiritual life and a prayer life they never had before. Many churches and dioceses hold retreats just for these ministries and I am sure more than one deacon found his calling from this work.



I like having Father face me during the consecration. When I was a child I always wondered, "What is he DOING with his back toward me?" Given that the bread and wine are transubstantiated I am often surprised there is no flash of light or angels trumpet at the moment of consecration.



I know the argument. When father faces away, Ad Orientum is the Latin, he is leading us in the open faced worship of God instead of a circle where we are all staring at each other. I also know that the church is supposed to face east because that is where Christ shall come again. Sorry. It doesn't sell me. As for where Christ shall come He is right there on the altar and we can all see Him. I don't have to face east or west to where He may or may not come when He comes, He is right there in front of us and we are all still facing Him, from the moment of consecration until he is replaced in the tabernacle. It makes more sense to me. When you have dinner at home, when you have a party with a guest of honor, when there is any event the guest of honor sits where everyone can see him, except at a Tridentine mass. Sorry, it doesn't make sense to me.



The last time I went to a Tridentine mass was about six years ago in New Orleans. I went twice on two separate Sundays to give myself the best experience. The first was to refresh my memory, the second for the actual mass. Yes, in many ways it was beautiful. But I still prefer a Novus Ordo.



Christ is still present in the Eucharist, The Gospel is still preached. The people are still edified. As for reverence I put it down to two things. One is that parents didn't raise their children reverent and two is that the church as a whole did not encourage reverence. So yes, as a parent I am largely to blame for the lack of reverence. I will say this though. I applied for the diaconate in New Orleans a few years ago. They wisely decided it was not my call at the time and I agree. One of the classes was held in the sanctuary of a church. Possible a hundred to a hundred and fifty deacons, candidates and their wives entered the sanctuary and very few genuflected. If our clergy does not show proper respect, why should the pew sitting Catholic? No matter which mass people attend they have to re-learn reverence. It needs to be demonstrated by us and taught by the catechists and clergy. Bulletin notices and pulpit announcements would go a long way toward this education. When one enters a church if one does not feel the presence of God I have to ask why? If the tabernacle is present in the church, preferably in the sanctuary I agree, then Christ is present in the church. If He is there and you don't feel Him I have to ask you, why?



I am not opposed to the Latin mass. I think our church is grand enough and strong enough to offer both. Clergy abuse during mass used to bother me until I realized that I was missing out on the mass while paying attention to where Father stood or how. Greater minds than mine can work on that aspect. We have bishops to enforce and to teach their clergy.

I CANNOT attend an SSPX church under any circumstance to fulfill my Sunday obligation. It may be a valid mass, but how can I enter a church where the overseeing bishop has been excommunicated and is not in full communion with Rome? How can I fly int he face of church teaching? Either be Catholic or not. Either be in union with Rome, or not.



Bob Marley said in his song "No Woman, No Cry", "In this great future you can't forget your past." I agree. The past of the church is the building blocks used to build on the foundation of Christ. The church has a great future. It has survived persecution, even in the modern world. It has survived heresy, scandal, bad Popes, schisms. As it is guided by the Holy Spirit the church will not only survive the current times but thrive on it as a candle destroys the deepest darkness. Our candle of faith will shine forth into the world and dispel whatever darkness is placed against it. Our church will do it in Latin, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Indian and a hundred other languages because our God has told us so.

Where were you when we needed you?

I didn’t go to Viet Nam, I was too young to fight.
Truth is I wasn’t sure in 73 I wanted to go.
In ’76 when I joined I was spit on anyway,
Called a killer and burner, I just wanted to serve.

Now people come and say
Thank you for your service.
Sometimes I want to shout
Where were you when we needed you?
Where were the thanks and applause?

Men still died and mothers still cried
Women still bled in green and blue
They were the brave, the proud, the few.

We’re still free cause of what was done
On Asian soil and foreign land
Even the VFW turned them away.

Are you proud of us now?
Where were you when we needed you?

My Father died and they gave us a flag.
On behalf of a grateful nation they said.
I thought, this nation doesn’t care.

Now our leaders waste time thinking
While young folk are bleeding
Will they be asking 30 years from now
Where were you when we need you?
What did you do beside stick a magnet on your car?

A ribbon is nice when I come home tonight
But it won’t stop a bullet in the air.
Where were you when we needed you?

Thirty years all told I did.
I’m proud of every day.
If you send them now send them to win
Not stop short and die.
Don’t waste their blood for some
Political gain, it’s to precious and in short Supply.

If you want to support a soldier, grab a gun and serve
There is room on the line tonight.

Who died today? Will you remember tomorrow?
Whose son is without a dad or mom will you waste
The sacrifice?

Support your soldiers with the things they need
And send them love. It’s you their fighting for.

We forgot that day in 2001 when the towers came down
It’s been too long to think about.
But it will happen again without that soldier on the ground.

So if you want to thank me send them what they need.
Or join them and be free.
Service to our country is where you ought to be.

Don’t make them ask in years to come,
Where were you when we needed you?