2010 July archive at Being Frank

Archive for July, 2010

Jul

…..

By Methuselah's Beard Closed

Categories: Being Frank...

Yeah about that title…. hmmm…well…

Today’s post is somewhat of a rarity in that I wrote it on Tuesday night a whole 3 days and nights before. I’m only doing this because I’m off to Barcelona on Wednesday evening, so by the time you’ve read this, I’ve probably already visited the Sagrada Familia, taken in some of the other Gaudi designed, Modernisme styled buildings, and am probably sunning myself on the (hopefully) sunny beaches of Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava. It’s going to be quite warm though so hopefully you will all feel sorry for me sweltering in the heat.

Anyway one of the big things in the news over here at the moment is the freeing of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi last year. At that stage he was apparently suffering from terminal prostate cancer and was allowed to go back to Libya to enjoy a peaceful death surrounded by his family. He was assumed to have 3 months to live but a year down the track is still alive. There’s been a bit of an uproar lately over whether or not BP had anything to do with the release of the prisoner in exchange for exploratory rights in Libya (someone correct me if where I’m wrong please).

As good Catholics, maybe our position would be to say the other cheek is to be turned, and let Mr al-Megrahi live out the rest of his days peacefully. He’s already done some time and his continued suffering in prison is unlikely to bring any further comfort to the victims’ families. But this guy murdered about 270 people and as a common arguement goes, he didn’t show any mercy to his victims so why should mercy be shown to him.

To be honest I’m leaning towards the ‘should have kept him in prison’ side. It is justice after all, and what is justice if it’s circumvented? I guess that’s what separates the saints (and other good Catholics) from myself….

Jul

Aids in Africa

By Filia Day 4 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

I know we’ve discussed this topic til we’re collectively blue in the face but I did stumble across an article and an opinion piece in the New York Times this week, which I thought were food for thought.

Apparently, scientists have discovered a way of reducing the Aids contraction rate by providing women with a “microbicidial gel” they can use before the sexual act. Apparently, the women who used the gel were 39% less likely to contract H.I.V. You can view the article here. The article doesn’t mention whether it is a spermicide but I could imagine, if they could increase the success rate of this drug, this would be a huge consolation to women who are married are unable to engage in sexual intimacy with their husbands – or are forced to.

I was also intrigued by the other study the article mentions where women and families were given monetary payments each week. It was shown that this reduced their chances of contracting H.I.V. because it reduced sexually activity (women waited longer before they became sexually active, had fewer sexual partners, and did not engage in sexual acts as frequency etc) The article also mentions that, as a result of the payment, women were more financially independent, and as a result were less likely to exchange sex for gifts
and other financial incentives (apparently this is quite common).

I’ve raise this before on the site but I question whether we are putting a band aid on a bloody wound. While these are definitely positive measures in reducing the spread of aids, I have to question what initiatives are being taken to change what appears to be quite a misogynistic culture (that, in some cases, appears to reduce the position of women to mere servitude) – particularly when it comes to relations between women and men in African culture. Is anyone aware of any such initiatives?

The opinion piece is by Desmund Tutu and is critical of the Obama administration’s reduction in funds to assist the region in the fight against aids. Controversially, the article argues the Bush Administration did more. Interesting Stuff.

Jul

The Incorruptibles, Miracles, and Proof.

By Inkling 25 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

“I think miracles exist in part as gifts and in part as clues that there is something beyond the flat world we see.” – Peggy Noonan

Very recently I discovered the existence of the ‘Incorruptibles’, the number of Roman Catholic saints whose bodies have miraculously and quite inexplicably remained intact and incorrupt after their deaths. How is it that more has not been made of this? Why is this not more widely known?

There are many tangible inexplicably miraculous things in the world – the statue that wept blood, the miracle cures at Lourdes, the altar stained with the blood that poured from the Blessed Sacrament as the doubting priest raised it above the altar, the miraculous movements of the sun witnessed by thousands at Fatima. It is easy enough for anyone hearing about something like this second hand to dismiss it as not true – is seeing believing?

There is a quote (I can’t find it again) to the effect that miracles are not meant to convert people, but to give encouragement to believers. Seeing is not necessarily believing – even some of those living at the time of Our Lord and seeing what he did still did not believe in him.

People seek scientific proof as validation for a fact or theory. There is of course a difference between science and miracles; one can be rationally explained and one can’t. It is hard to trust people we do not know and who have a vested interest in promoting a particular explanation for something. With regards to the recent IPCC data fixing troubles, it seems that believing scientific fact or proofs also requires a certain measure of faith in those conducting the experiments.

How much of a difference is there, then, between the visual proof of science and the visual proof of a miracle?

Jul

?

By The Dumb Ox 4 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

I see that a new viral video (that was a home video apparently) is causing quite a lot of controversy around the globe at the moment.

The video features a Holocaust survivor dancing at Auschwitz concentration camp, and other Holocaust sites, along with his kids and grandkids, to the disco anthem I Will Survive.

It’s hard to know what to make of this one, but when all is said and done, something just doesn’t sit right here.

Yes, this man is a Holocaust survivor, but what purpose does such a video serve?

I can’t see how it in any way aides the healing process after such a terrible event, and so the only other possible motive (because I am confident that his daughter – the one who actually thought up this video – isn’t trying to make light of the Holocaust) is that it is meant to be some sort of defiant middle finger to the Holocaust.

But who exactly is being flipped the birdie here?

The Nazi architects, leaders and Holocaust masterminds are all long dead, and the German people have issued public statements of guilt and shame, and even enacted strict laws, in order to try and make amends for their national association with the horrific Nazi genocides.

It seems to me that all this sort of poorly considered video does is turn a very horrific moment in history into a joke.

I don’t think that’s what the creator of this home video intended, but sadly it seems that they didn’t really think through the actual consequences of making such a video and then sharing it with the world via YouTube.

The mere fact that neo-Nazis were the ones to spread this video online speaks volumes about its problematic nature.

Like I said, I am confident that the creator of this video had no ill intent, all I know is that if I had family members who had been killed at one of those sites featured in this video, it would be hard to watch other people engaged in parody at those very same places – no matter what the motivation behind the parody was.

I think the biggest issue for me here is the fact that they actually chose to use the real Holocaust sites for this video, and that they chose to put the video online.

I feel that in doing so they have actually ended up disrespecting the memory of the millions of people who never made it out of those places alive.

I just fail to understand the mentality which would think that it would be appropriate for any sort of light hearted celebration to take place at a death camp, or any other site, which was a place of mass slaughter of so many innocent people.

Jul

New words. Deeper meaning. Same Mass.

By James the Least 88 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

There was a pastoral letter read out from our bishops yesterday at Mass. Unfortunately, I missed it, as I was with my son in Children’s Liturgy. “No matter,” I thought, “I will simply download it later from one of the many parish or diocesan or even national websites.”

I have been unsuccessful in finding the text of the letter so far, but if anyone out there has more success, please post a link in the comments and I will update my post.

I could spend this post lamenting the Church’s collective inability to work as though it is the year 2010 with, you know, the internet and email and stuff, but rather than get my blood pressure up, I thought I’d give props where props are due, and reflect a bit more on the specific changes, now that they’re out there for all to see.

How can I do this? Well, as I’m assuming was the same for your parishes, we were all handed a professionally produced booklet entitled “New Words. Deeper Meaning. Same Mass. Understanding the Revised Mass Texts.” So, first of all, props to the Bishops’ Conference on getting this little number produced. It is clean, clear and to the point, and seems (after my first, skim read) to give a good explanation of what the changes are, and why they are taking place.

See – we do old, dead-tree-based media quite well! ;)

As to the changes themselves, given the amount of coverage on this blog and others as well as Catholic newspapers, magazines, websites and watercoolers, I have to say that all the fuss seemed to be about not a lot.

Now, granted, I haven’t yet been to a Mass using the new text, but my 22-page booklet outlines the changes and there don’t seem to be that many. I was surprised to see the Creed change, and the first part of the Gloria is all different. But apart from that, the other changes seem relatively minor.

No massive rejection from me then. ;) And I have to say that those who would (and who have already…pre-emptively!) got up in arms about this would seem to have too much time on their hands, just quietly :)

Hey, maybe it’s all a “journey”. My wife tells me that our celebrating priest explained that he hadn’t been a fan when he’d heard change was coming, but that after exploring the changes themselves and receiving some guidance from a visiting American priest, he now thinks the changes will be a good thing.

I thought (and had heard) that the changes were going to be more…well, more. For example, there is nothing in the book about striking the breast when praying the confiteor, nor about when extraordinary ministers of Holy Comunion should approach the altar, nor changes to the Our Father…nor any of the other myriad of little things and “tidy-ups” various sources had led me to believe were coming.

So, all-in-all, not really the explosion of change I was expecting. I now will try and make the time to read through this interesting little book – which looks to be doing a damn sight more catechesis about the parts of the Mass than what I think I have ever received! If I’m not alone in that, then I would say this whole exercise is already bearing good fruit.

Jul

NZ – a ‘secular state’?

By Joan of Arc 38 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

I was flicking through the NZ Herald online this week when I came across this article: ‘Church forces ‘secular NZ’ retreat’

The Catholic Bishops were not happy with the statement that religion is only for the “private sphere”. Understandably so. For starters we would miss out on lots of good debates! But seriously… as a keen anthropologist I know that many cultures would think we’re crazy trying to separate spiritual beliefs from political systems and everyday social issues. The Church’s input is necessary in politics and public life. If the Pope hadn’t got involved in political matters more than a few international situations may have turned out quite differently (for the worse). The Church has poured so much of herself into the public sphere in terms of service and the common good. I know that I might be slightly biased as a Catholic, but I think we should be more thankful for what the Church has done in NZ history.

As for NZ being described as a secular state… well I guess I’ve probably talked about ‘our secular society’ more than once in terms of attitude and behaviour… and we don’t have a specific prescribed state religion…hmmm… I was pondering this when I recalled a morning a couple of weeks ago when I was teaching a Canadian our NZ national anthem (as you do), and was rather proud in telling her that our national anthem is really a prayer (actually I’m quite interested to know how atheists and people of other beliefs deal with this… do you refuse to sing? change the words? or stand with everyone else at the test match dressed in black and sing along pretending the words don’t mean anything?).

One other thing caught my attention in the Herald article – the mention of “the so-called fourth article” of Te Tiriti O Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi). Not many Catholics I talk to know that this fourth article was insisted upon by Bishop Pompallier, first Catholic Bishop of NZ. The article protects the right to religious freedom.

I have been to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds twice in the last two years and both times had guided tours. The first time our tour guide told us all about this fourth article and the French Bishop who pushed for its inclusion. The second time, with a different guide, the article wasn’t mentioned at all. This was getting on my nerves so like a true ‘goody-goody’ I put up my hand and said, “I’ve heard there was a fourth article”. The guide didn’t seem too impressed with my interjection and explained, “well, yes, a Catholic Bishop turned up at the last minute from the Hokianga and wanted an agreement on another article but it was only agreed on verbally” (in fact, my research tells me that it is actually written in the Waitangi Treaty but only in the Maori version). It seems everyone has their own version of history to tell.

The Bishops of today are following in the footsteps of Pompallier, making sure the Church’s voice is heard. Good on them, I say.

Jul

Counter-cultural Carmelites

By Voice in the wilderness 1 Comment

Categories: Being Frank...

Yesterday was the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patroness of the Carmelite order. I find contemplative orders like the Carmelites fascinating and I see many people spiritually drawn to them. I think the reason they are so interesting is that they are counter-cultural in the extreme.

I have had the privilege to meet and interact with the Carmelite community here in Christchurch a few times and each time in the 15-30 minutes I see and talk with them I feel refreshed in my faith. Perhaps it is the interior, spiritual recognition that this group of humble women have given their lives as a free gift to the Lord and that their lives are fruitful in a mystical, eternal way.

A few words from Papa Benedetto XVI…

These brothers and sisters silently witness that in the midst of daily vicissitudes, at times extremely convulsive, God is the only support that never falters, the unbreakable rock of fidelity and love. “Todo se pasa, Dios no se muda” [Everything passes, God is unchanging], wrote the great spiritual teacher Teresa of Avila in her famous text.

I think that phrase rings true, “Everything passes, God is unchanging”. In the turbulent, changing world with innumerable fashion, entertainment, spiritual and technological trends, the contemplative community weathers it all, relatively unchanging.

These places, apparently useless, are, on the contrary, indispensable, like the green “lungs” of a city: They are beneficial for all, including for those who do not visit them or perhaps do not know that they exist.

As I mentioned above, the fruitfulness of the Carmelites is eternal and mystical, and thus cannot be measured by us in a secular way. Perhaps when we die we will see all the effects of their prayer and the great foundation they are four our dioceses and our Church.

There are some youtube interviews with Sr Cushla that provide an insight into the Carmelite life (in four parts) and there is a Mass in honour of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Sunday in Christchurch.

Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Pray for the Carmelite order and for us!