2011 December archive at Being Frank

Archive for December, 2011

Dec

Anglican Church vs. Mary, Mother of God

By Kereopa 37 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

Another year and another offensive billboard by the Anglicans. And by offensive, clearly I mean “thought-provoking”, as if anyone could think otherwise.

The billboard depicting the Virgin Mary holding up a pregnancy testing kit has made international headlines; unhelped by the “Catholic Action Group” (whoever they are) causing it damage.

I was very proud, however, of the 100-plus Catholics who walked up inner-city Auckland protesting with the Rosary and standing up for Our Lady. But I’m divided as to whether the CAG ripping the billboard further helps the Catholic cause or helps the Anglicans in theirs.

What strikes me most is how lowest common denominator this all is. It’s just plain dumb from the Anglicans. Their message – to get people to think about how scared but courageous Mary was – is completely lost among the sexual innuendo and the doubt it casts on Mary’s character.

I’m an honest Christian. My first impression when I saw it was that that Family Planning was trying to make some Christmas-themed jab around the issue of contraception or that someone was out to cast doubt on Mary’s legitimacy as the Blessed Mother.

The problem with this PR fail is that once again the Anglicans have forgone their Christian heart to serve a secular worldview. Its a textbook cutting off the nose to spite the face. And so close to Christmas, its tragic.

No wonder the Anglican Church is in strife.

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Dec

Permanent Diaconate and Women Religious

By Voice in the wilderness 12 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

What’s up with all the hesitation about bringing in the permanent diaconate into NZ dioceses? Correct me if I am wrong, but it is a legitimate vocation in the Church, yet some dioceses are making no provision for men who are receiving this call from God.

I have had a chat to a relativley high ranking diocesan official in both Christchurch and Dunedin, and I have asked both about the hold up in regard to establishing the permanent diaconate in their respecive dioceses. Both have said, in pretty clear terms, that groups of women, especially “nuns” or women religious have been very against its implementation.

A few things strike me as very concerning. Why are so many women religious in NZ so dead set against anything to do with Holy Orders? Imagine if a group of people in the church came out against the sacrament of confirmation, or baptism. Would people like bishops start thinking ‘hmmmm, if I keep confirming people, then the nuns are gonna get upset and give me even more jip, I better stop administering that sacrament…” Ahh, no, I think if that started happening, there would be severe repercussions. Although, a very high ranking religious in the NZCBC Office once told me that her community had moved on from confession and they prefered to sit in a circle, express sorrow and take a little stick from a pile in the middle of their circle. Hmmmmm…..

Secondly, why do so many women religious in NZ seem to be doing anything but living a radical call to serve the poor and needy. I am NOT saying that no women religous are living their vocation radically – in fact they are probably so busy doing so that they do not pop up and get noticed a whole lot.

And lastly, I know it is difficult, but why do women religious seem to be the Achilles heel of bishops? I know that they need to pastoral and charitable and sensitive to the long history of women’s religious orders in NZ, however, they are putting the spiritual welfare of thousands of NZers as a latter priority to these things.

A few years back Bishop Barry Jones spoke out against Sister Joan Chittiser speaking at Catholic venues in CHCH, however, other NZ religious are teaching very similar errors in our Catholic education offices, tertiary institutions and even seminary…

Blessings and thanks to those women religious out there faithfully serving the Church, the Body of Christ.

Dec

“Hey, since when is Christmas just about presents? Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of this day — the birth of Santa?”

By Methuselah's Beard 1 Comment

Categories: Being Frank...

Apologies for the lack of Friday postings recently but having a new born around the house really does eat away at your free time. Why I haven’t even touched the X-Box in almost 24 hours. Was Jesus really a baby like my little one? Hard to imagine but I guess that is one of the beautiful things about our Tradition.

Well since I last posted, a new government has been sworn in (well a new old government), summer has well and truly arrived (rain is good right?), the Black Caps finally won a test (despite having a batting line up weaker than Melbourne’s conscientious objection rules around abortion), and we are almost all the way through advent. It’s been a real blink and miss it advent so far for me but I saw the pink candle being lit last week so that’s all good I think. Actually I saw it when it was lit, not while it was being lit so maybe I’m not allowed to participate in Christmas.

So as we approach the last week before the (assumed) birth daay of our Lord, I’m sure I don’t need to remind anyone on the extra signifcance that Christmas holds for us over and above the pending giving and receipting of presents.

Dec

25 Books that Saints Cherished.

By Opthomistic Closed

Categories: Being Frank...

Second post for the day, because I think if I wait a week most people will be on holiday and will miss a chance to benefit from this list.

Okay, so the other day I was pondering what helped the Saints become Holy. It occurred to me that there are many things that can help all of us on the path to Sainthood (even if not canonical). One of those is the books we read. So, after much research, I have compiled a list of twenty five books that Saints read.

I didn’t want to just say “The Bible”, because presumably all the Saints read the Bible. And I have tried to give a good representation to books by people who are not canonised saints, because it is interesting, as well as books by other Saints, because it is sanctifying.

You will note that there is definitely a few reading chains we can follow back from Saint to Saint to Saint, from which we can suppose is due to a combination of:

(A) It is easier to know that a Saint read a particular book if said Saint wrote a book to
and (B) Reading books by Saints will encourage you in holiness, thus making it more likely that you will advance to the state that the Church would consider canonising you. Continue reading ’25 Books that Saints Cherished.’

Dec

An Advent Conspiracy.

By Opthomistic Closed

Categories: Being Frank...

I won’t comment on the finer details of its execution, but this video has a very good point.

What if we diverted a small fraction of our holiday spending towards helping people in the Third World?

If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide those of the needy without waiting for them to ask you. Especially anticipate the needs of those who are ashamed to beg. To make them ask for alms is to make them buy it.

- St. Thomas of Villanova

Dec

Losing tradition?

By Inkling 8 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

At the end of Mass the other day, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, someone struck up the hymn ‘Star of the Sea’, and most of the Mass-goers joined in chorus – but despite my Catholic education and having been Catholic for most of my life, I could not join in because I didn’t know the words. The words came as a matter of instinct to all parishioners over a certain age – but looking about, I was not the only one under that certain age who was struggling.

The songs children are taught in kids’ choirs and schools these days are exciting, up-beat, feel-good and simplistic. This may be what adults believe kids want; this may be what some adults believe is the only thing kids can understand. But kids are smart, and kids want to know things; they want to be extended – it’s a sign that adults have faith in their capacity to understand.

This is not to say that we should never teach kids new songs, of course – tradition is not a stagnant, immovable thing, as T.S. Eliot once wrote. I’m talking about the quality of the new songs. I think the charm of old hymns is in the depth one can find in their words, and the respect and capacity for reflection one can find in their melodies.

I’m not saying we should never sing new songs – I’m saying we need to think more carefully about which new songs we take on and teach our kids – and I don’t think there’s any harm in teaching young generations old hymns. We have to know where we’ve come from to understand what’s going on today – and to know what’s worth keeping and what isn’t.

T.S. Eliot wrote, “what we can do is to use our minds.. to discover.. what in the past is worth preserving and what should be rejected; and what conditions, within our power to bring about, would foster the society that we desire”.

Dec

Who hates Latin?

By Marty Rethul 29 Comments

Categories: Being Frank...

For some light reading, the other evening, I settled down with a copy of Sacrosanctum Concilium.

It is an interesting read, especially when one sees how its broad provisions and recommendations have been interpreted and implemented. One section struck me with particular force:

36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.

2. But since the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its employment may be extended. This will apply in the first place to the readings and directives, and to some of the prayers and chants, according to the regulations on this matter to be laid down separately in subsequent chapters.

3. These norms being observed, it is for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art. 22, 2, to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used; their decrees are to be approved, that is, confirmed, by the Apostolic See. And, whenever it seems to be called for, this authority is to consult with bishops of neighboring regions which have the same language.

Reflection time.

It is clear, from this, that Latin is intended by the council fathers to remain the predominant language of our rite. That is not to say that we cannot have the vernacular, as points 2 and 3 attest; rather, the vernacular is to be given a certain freedom. This freedom, however, was never meant to constitute a total replacement.

Barbarians abound however, and we now see not only the vernacular, but many different tongues being given a place in the liturgy. Many there are who, for whatever reason, have destroyed our linguistic patrimony, just as they destroyed our sanctuaries, devotions and, in some cases, belief.

The saddest thing about it is that it is we ourselves who have been the worst enemy of our own sacred language.