Per Christum

I make no apologies for it. I love apologetics.

I also love conversion stories. They seem to go hand in hand.

Every Monday, if I can, I try to watch “The Journy Home with Marcus Grodi” on EWTN. Going stroing for 300+ episodes, it is coming up on a tenth anniversary.

The basic format of the program is simple - it is a one-hour live talk show where Marcus Grodi interviews an individual (sometimes couples). The host generally introduces the guest and then allows for the guest to tell a little bit about his or her faith journey and how he or shey or they came to the Catholic faith.

Guests come from a variety of backgrounds - Pentecostal, Evangelical, Jewish, Orhtodox, secularism, organized crime, reversions… As I have noted before, at least ONE member of this blog (not me) and his lovely wife have appeared on this program as well as at least three other folks from the CEC.

Well some few months ago, a venerable soul who is well respected in the Evangelical community decided to return to the Catholic Faith. It caused NO small amount buzz in the Christian press and on websites and blogs throughout the blogosphere.

Why?

Well he happened to be the serving president of the Evangelical Theological Society at the time.

Meet Francis J. Beckwith or better yet, visit his website.

Dr. Beckwith will be joining Marcus Sept 24, 2007 on EWTN @ 8pm EST, live.

Mark your calendars.

For our wedding preparation, our priest required Jennifer and I to take three classes on Natural Family Planning with The Couple-to-Couple League. They went well, and we learned a lot. I am glad he required us to take classes, because we were planning on doing it anyway.

Natural Family Planning, for those unfamiliar with the concept, is using the wife’s normal biological cycle of fertility and infertility to space births for just reasons. Before I explain what NFP is, let me explain what it is not. It is not artificial conception, universally condemned by the Church Fathers and Christians of all stripes until Anglicans allowed its use in the 1930s. Since then, most other mainline Protestant denominations have followed the Anglican Communion’s lead in allowing artificial contraception. The Catholic Church (and most Orthodox Churches) still oppose artificial contraception (except for medical reasons).

I admit, when I was considering becoming Catholic, Catholic opposition to contraception was pretty frightening. Growing up evangelical, and spending over four years in the Episcopal church, I found that one thing both groups agreed on was contraception. Even Anglican “conservatives” for the most part accept the use of artificial contraception, even though in the 1930s, the Anglican church did a “new thing” by allowing contraception, much like it did in 2003 when practicing homosexual Gene Robinson was consecrated bishop of New Hampshire. While I do not believe allowing contraception necessarily led to the mainlines’ general acceptance of abortion, I do think approving contraception signaled a major theological shift in the way the mainlines viewed the sex act. Related to this, my current main issue with contraception (besides of course the theological and historical objections) is that it objectifies women, allowing men total sexual access to women without consequence and without concern for the woman (or man’s) personhood. Is it any wonder many men don’t stick around as fathers these days? Could it be that our contracepting culture has taught men that women are there simply there for man’s sexual pleasure? When Pope Paul VI, in 1968, issued the controversial encyclical Humanae Vitae, which upheld the Church’s prohibition against artificial contraception, critics raged. However, time as shown that the late pontiff was dead-on accurate. As Jonathan summarizes:

Paul VI predicted that declaring birth control moral would a) cause a rise in “conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality,” b) result in men selfishly using women with no concern for their welfare c) present a “dangerous weapon. . .in the hands of those public authorities who take no heed of moral exigencies” and d) humans would believe that they have “unlimited dominion over their bodies.” Wow, did he get it right or what?

Despite the Church’s opposition to artificial contraception, natural family planning is permitted for just reasons, because even though it avoids pregnancy, it does so using the natural female cycles created by God. For a good article that discusses why NFP is not simply “Catholic contraception” see Is Natural Family Planning a Heresy? At any rate, the method the CCL teaches is called the “sympto-thermal method” and uses a variety of measurements to determine when a woman is fertile, and when she is not. This includes taking temperature and recording the nature of the vaginal mucus. When used properly, it is around 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, accomplished without the use of synthetic chemicals (but requiring a little effort — and occasional abstinence!). Several small studies have shown that the divorce rate of couples that use NFP is 3%, although the studies are small, and this could be because of other factors (strong opposition to divorce of NFP users, etc). For more information, visit the Couple-to-Couple League, or check out their publication, The Art of Natural Family Planning. Jennifer and I are currently helping the CCL test NFP charting software, which I hope will be available to everybody soon!

I think the more NFP is promoted, the more you will find married Catholics and even non-Catholics, embracing it as a drugless, natural, and moral, alternative to artificial contraception.

Father and son ordained to diaconate together!

John & Christopher Riehl, father and son, received holy orders together May 18, 2007!

Talk about keeping it in the family!

This father-son pair came before the Rt. Rev. Joseph E. Kurtz, Bishop of Knoxville, TN to recieve the sacrament of Holy Orders as deacons.

Christopher is preparing for the priesthood. John, the father of seven, was ordained a little earlier (by a month) than the rest of his class of 29 diaconal candidates so that this momentous event could take place side by side.

As it turns out, these two would not be the only father-son(-to-be-turned-Father)-diaconal duo (ordained at the same time) for long. 24 hours later, 1200 miles away, they were joined by Paul Lara, 38, and Rafael Lara, 64 who were two of 28 men ordained to the Diaconate by Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, TX.

Paul, a member of the Legionaries of Christ, was given special permission to leave the LC seminary in Rome to join his father to recieve ordination apart from his class. He returned to Rome to join the rest of his classmates who had been ordained to the diaconate in Rome. He is to be ordained a priest in December.

What come’s first, the father’s vocation or the sons? For the Lara’s, the son had already been in formation with the Legion of Christ for some 5 years when the dad began formation for the diaconate.

But sometimes it happens the other way…As it turns out, this is not even the first time that a father and son have both been deacons. In the Diocese of Trenton, Deacon Gregory Wallack (ordained in 1984) served as a deacon at his son’s own diaconal and priestly ordinations in May and December of 2004 respectively. That is pretty cool.

Of course neither of these duos are the first families to have two generations in Holy Orders side by side. The two Greek Catholic priests shown here are Frs. Mikhail & Vitalii Shelemba. They are shown carrying the remains of martyred Soviet-era bishop, Bl. Theodore Romzha when his relics were transported to a new place of repose in Ukraine.

Remember all of these great men in your prayers - that they are give the strength for many faithful years of service, and in doing so inspire others to do likewise.

The following are vocations from the Eparchy of Van Nuys - A Byzantine Catholic Diocese covering over 15 States from Anchorage to Las Vegas. At last count 20 parishes…

1 seminarian, 1 postulant, and 6 oridnations to the diaconate this year.

Keep them in your prayers!

* Ms. Melissa Morrow from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Albuquerque, entered Holy Annunciation Monastery of the Byzantine Carmelite Nuns in Sugarloaf as a postulant on July 16.

* Mr. Diodoro Mendoza of Our Lady of Wisdom Church, Las Vegas, has been accepted as a candidate to study for the holy priesthood at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary for the Fall Semester of the 2007–2008 Academic Year.

* Mr. Brian D. Escobedo was ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on July 22 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Albuquerque.

* Mr. John Bradley will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate July 29 at Saint Anne Church, San Luis Obispo.

* Mr. Michael Mandelas will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on August 19, 2007, at Saint John Chrysostom Church, Seattle.

* Mr. James Danovich and Mr. Michael Hanafin will be ordained to Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and Diaconate on August 25 at St. Stephen’s Pro-Cathedral, Phoenix.

* Mr. Michael Sullivan will be ordained to the Minor Orders, Subdiaconate and the Diaconate on August 26 at Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Gilbert, Arizona.

Hat tip to Sophia Wannabe from the Byzantine Forum for the info.

His Grace, +JOHN (The Eparchy of Parma, OH) already ordained 5 men to the diaconate this year:

* Fr. Dcn. William Frederick (St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church Brecksville, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Paul Latcha (St. Basil Byzantine Catholic Church Sterling Heights, MI)

* Fr. Dcn. Jeffrey Martin (St. John Chrysostom Church Columbus, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Daniel Surniak (St. Mary Magdalene Church Fairview Park, OH)

* Fr. Dcn. Nicholas Szilagye (St. Luke Church Sugar Creek, MO)

Recent ordinations by Bishop Andrew to the diaconate for the Eparchy of Passaic (Covering most of the Eastern searboard down to Florida):

June 23, 2007 at St. Mary Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

* Fr. Dcn. Edward Frey
* Fr. Dcn. Soroka
* Fr. Dcn. Lawrence Worlinsky

July 1, 2007 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Rahway, NJ.

* Fr. Dcn. Mark Koscinski
* Fr. Dcn. Charles Laskowski

Please understand that the largest two or three Roman parishes in the US have more members tha all of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America put together. Most of our parishes are so small they would not have full time priests in most Latin Diocese. At the last training period at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary there were 16 candidates from 3 of the 4 eparchies in the Metropolia present.

16 men ordained across the country from a population of some 30,000 or so just this summer. As a Greek Catholic, to me that is very special, and encouraging. We are a little flock in the great sea of America that did not even ordain married men deacons ten years ago.

Even a flock that is small in numbers yet large in faith can offer much fruit. Sometimes we look around at the low Mass attendance in churches built to hold much more and we think to ourselves “There should be more!” and despair. Well there in fact SHOULD be more, but there is no room for despair!

Many faithful years to them all! Keep them in your prayers!

I was sorting through some old papers of mine the other day, and I found an application I made for an Episcopal scholarship. This scholarship was for those studying for the Episcopal priesthood. Some of you may be aware I was a postulant in the Southern Ohio diocese of the Episcopal church for a few months, until the consecration of Gene Robinson. I didn’t actually think I had a chance for the scholarship, after all, being a white male means the mainlines aren’t exactly in a hurry to court you (at least this was my experience). At any rate, this vague and virtually meaningless question was asked of all applicants:

Have you ever had an ah-ha moment where an experience in your life has exposed your mind to facts and your heart to feelings, thus allowing you to come to realize a deeper understanding? Explain.

Papal retreat video.

What the Pope does on vacation…

Take a look at this video clip to see how the Pope started out on his summer papal retreat.

I am sorely missing Fr. Kimmel’s Pontifications….

I still have..

Jimmy Akin’s Blog Interesting, timely and sometimes offbeat.

The Ochlophobist An Orthodox blog I much admire. Very insightful - the combox can get lively!

Roman Catholic Blog Lately a bit slow in the posting of new articles. The authors of it can be very erudite and interesting.

Shrine of the Holy Whapping A bunch of Notre Dame folks who are just having too much fun being Catholic.

Sacramentum Vitae Sometimes over my head. What I can understand, I rather appreciate.

Amy Welborn Tagline “She could never be a saint, but she thought she could be a martyr if they killed her quick” that sets the tone.

Fun forums…..

Byzantine Forum

Catholic Answers Forums

Ancient and Future Catholic Forum

On Our Way Home

What are you reading?

It has come to my attention that a bobble-head is being made of our Supreme Pontiff. Not to mock or make fun, but in the world of bobble-heads it is a bit of an honor.

The history of bobblers - according to venerable wikipedia (my first best source for all really odd minutae):

“The modern bobblehead first appeared in the 1950s. By 1960, Major League Baseball had gotten in on the action and produced a series of papier-mache bobblehead dolls, one for each team, all with the same cherubic face. The World Series held that year brought the first player-specific baseball bobbleheads, for Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Willie Mays, still all with the same face. Over the next decade, after a switch in materials from paper-mache to ceramic, bobbleheads would be produced for other sports, as well as cartoon characters. One of the most famous bobbleheads of all time also hails from this era: The Beatles bobblehead set, which is a valuable collectible today. By the mid-1970s, though, the bobblehead craze was in the process of winding down.“

I want one.

Is that wrong? I already have one of Teddy Roosevelt. I think they could be buddies on my shelf - Ole Rough & Ready Teddy meets Our German Shephard.

They also make a JP2 bobbler… but for some reason I think I would rather have have the JP2 commemorative Christmas ornaments.

When it comes, however, to the action figure loving papist in your life (and we all know at least one), perhaps this Pope Innocent III action figure is in order!

Armed with his formidable power of excommunication and an intimidating scroll inscribed with Latin text, this 6″ (15.2 cm) tall, hard vinyl model of the 176th Pope will soon have all your other action figures lining up for confession.Read the back of the package and you’ll find that Pope Innocent III was a good guy in all respects. He was a patron of the arts, cared about orphans, built a hospital and reunified the Papal States.Comes with removable fancy Pope hat!

Boy, had I had one of those as a child, my afternoon play might have been very different. What chance did Hordak have against the threat of excommunication? (If you don’t get the reference, you probably just weren’t born in the 70s…)

For the petite papist in your life, a “pope doll” from Germany may be in order. I have not been able to determine what accessories can be bought for this delightful doll. Vestments, croziers, mozzetta, cloak (tabarro) , papal slippers, and papal Prada… Is it too much to hope?

Only 156 shopping days left before Christmas!

I took this quiz that was linked to the blog Crossed The Tiber. I guess I would not have thought of myself as 14% modern liberal, but perhaps this is a good thing… I can’t be accused of being a total reactionary then can I? I am 29% classic liberal! Almost fully a third. Who knew?

(On the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 2007) In the city I grew up in, there was a monastery for women located in the inner city. Well, more accurately, it was nestled into a cemetary.

Located at the end of a long drive in an old brick building with vines creeping all over the façade, I had figured it was yet one more empty old church building that had seen better days. One more testament to more active days, with more vocations. I had assumed the grounds were kept due to its location on a cemetary where folks are regularly still interred for their period of physical repose before the Second Coming.

I was wrong.

Home to 15 nuns who engage in contemplative life, without active apostalate into the world but rather for the world in prayer, there were still quite active. And, blessedly, attracting every few years, a young member to keep their median age rather lower than a good deal of the orders out there.

Good for them. Better for us!

What is it about the monastic cloistered life and the pursuit of Christian perfection that calls some to - against all impulses instilled in our fallen nature and fallen culture - to leave the world and pursue such a vocation? My best guess would be pure Love.

The image at the start of this post is Bl. Mary of Mary of Jesus Crucified. An Eastern Catholic Carmelite of the the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Palestine of the 1800s and a stigmatist at that she achieved much sanctity even in the context of a belagured and persecuted culture among Catholic Christians in withdrawing to contemplative life. She did not less that participate in the establishment of a missionary Carmel in India. All this in an age where travel was not easy, Christians were especially persecuted in these places, and women traveling abroad were definately targets.

Now I have come to find out that here in America a Carmel has just established its 25th Jubilee in the Byzantine Catholic Church. In Sugarloaf, PA, it has not only been going strong for 25 years, it now has established a daughter Carmel back in Europe after the collapse of Communism, it is now the home of 5 Carmelites from India of the Syro Malabar Church!

So what do these sisters do? They pray. For you. For me. That is what they do.

On the side they do some baking and raise mini-horses…. Yea, I don’t get the mini-horses thing either. (Maybe they get better MPG?) But their true apostalate and goal is prayer.

Folks interested in learning more about the good Byzantine Sisters may visit their website (http://www.byzantinediscalcedcarmelites.com/) or write them at:

Holy Annunciation Monastery
Byzantine Carmelite Nuns
403 West County Road
Sugarloaf, PA 18249

If you could happen to find some extra change between your couch cushions or in the bottom of the washing machine, I am sure they could use it.

Folks interested in hearing the good sisters in prayer and seeing video of their chapel should check out: http://www.byzantinediscalcedcarmelites.com/page17.html The recording was made some several years ago (Pope John Paul II is commemorated in the opening litany) when the community was slightly smaller. I would rather love to hear recordings of them today. I am not sure if any are available.

But what can these folks teach those of us who are not called to monastic life? In a word faith. In two words, hope & faith.

Remember, no matter how over-grown the façade of the Catholic Church becomes in some areas, how abandoned it looks, how quiet it seems, worthy prayers are being offered therein, with total faith and hope.

Pray for this simple sinner.

Nil desperandum! Never despair!

We have reason to celebrate.

12+ years ago when I first started to get the clue that what was being handed to me as “Catholic” in school was not kosher, what resources did I have? Now we have the net, more orthodox books being written and more reprinted than EVER before in history.

Thousands of Catholic websites and resources for teaching, apologetics, spirituality, Church history…

In 2 years the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter will turn 20 - they are celebrating ordinations monthly. I am no insider, but from what I hear, their seminary in Nebraska - Our Lady of Gudalupe - is bursting at the seems. (Same too for their German seminary). Senior seminarians are graciously agreeing to “double bunk” in rooms intended to be single rooms for senior seminairians… and that was built way back… oh, 8 years ago?

It was full the day building was complete.

The Norbertines in Orange County are having a vocations crunch- they are too crunched in to a small property and need a BIGGER place…

In less time than the most orders have been around Bl. Theresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity have grown to over 4,500 nuns and is active in 133 countries. The numbers of the priests and brothers are ALSO growing.

The Diocese of Arlington is about to have more priests than rectories to put them in. What to do? They do have a “Vocations crunch” too… They have 60 parishes… “Of those 60 parishes, only 42 are now staffed by diocesan priests. “We’ll ordain 22 men in the next 14 months,” Father Gould the vocations director points out. “The real problem will be finding 22 beds for them.

The Archdiocese of Newark recently did ordain 17 men to the priesthood.

So did the Archdiocese of Denver…

Do you know what else Denver, Newark & Arlington have in common? For all their vocations, none of them can be found on the list of the top-12 diocese with the highest seminarian to Catholic ratio which includes:

1. Lincoln ( 38/93,988)
2. Juneau (2/5473)
3. Tulsa (17/55,462)
4. Rapid City (7/25,729)
5. Cheyenne (13/49,121)
6. Duluth (18/68,037)
7. Peoria (43/174,008)
8. Denver (93/384,611)
9. Wichita (28/120,527)
10. Lexington (11/48,070)
11. Tyler (14/61,390)
12. Bismarck (14/62,898)
13. Fargo (18/82,891)
14. Nashville (15/69,400)
15. Spokane (21/97,655)
16. Pensacola-Tallahassee (14/65,209)
17. Memphis (14/67,342)
18. Mobile (14/67,434)
19. Yakima (16/77,149)
20. Sioux City (17/87,528)

In the past 20 years over 1000 Orthodox clerics - the descendants of the crushed Greek Catholic unia - have returned to Rome and they built a new university in Ukraine…. You would not have seen this many seminarians in the Greek Catholic seminaries of Eastern Europe 20 years ago. Well, you would not have seen a Greek Catholic seminary period. It was illegal to be a Greek Catholic in many places 20 years ago.

In the past 20 years over 500+ Evangelical ministers have joined the ranks of the Scott Hahn march to Rome sweet home…

In the past 20 years over 400 ministers of the Anglican communion have “poped.”

Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist haven’t finished building their new motherhouse yet and are already almost out of room…

There are now over 16.6K permanant deacons in the US. On balance, we have MORE clergy in the US than we did 40 years ago when they are counted. They are not priests, but they are under the grace of Holy Orders and many of them are working doing amazing things… Currently there are 3.5K men in various stages of formation. It is reasonable to expect that there will be over 20,000 deacons in the US within 10 years.

Not Too Shabby Greek Catholics is an article that points to the growth of the diaconate in 2007 among the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian) parishes in the US. The Eparchy (Diocese) of Van Nuys now enjoys the distinction of having the highest deacons to faithful ratio in America.

Community Of St. John: 32 Years, 500 Members & Growing is another well kept secret in America… founded in 1975 by five or six university students under the guidance of a Dominican priest, Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe. They are now a Congregation of diocesan right, approved by the Church, with over five hundred members, about two hundred of whom are priests. Not extremely well known in the US, I believe they soon will be. They have set up in NJ and Texas and by all accounts they are doing land-office business in attracting new vocations.

Also from France, but not yet here in the US… The Canons of Lagrasses. These worthy gents have just (as of 2004) moved into and begun to restore an ancient abbey in France that was looted and closed during the French Revolution. They are the Canons of Lagrasse.

The seminarians that are in place to become priests in the US are a rather impressive breed these days. Gone are the watered down, effete guys who seem like they would do better as social workers..

I give you some of the seminarians from the Diocese of Saginaw:

And the gals that make a cameo? They are The Intercessors of the Lamb a community that was erected May 27, 1998, as a Public Association of the Christian Faithful. They now have over 65 members and are going rather strong. They include sisters, brothers and priests. They pray for priests and are involved in family formation.

The Missionaries of the Poor: “The Missionaries of the poor is an international monastic order of Brothers dedicated to Joyful Service with Christ on the Cross to serve the poorest of the poor. The order was started in 1981 by Father Richard HoLung and has now grown to over 300 brothers.”

Here is a list of orders that are growing and that celebrate the Tridentine Mass (a rite the most of the bishops in dying diocese would likely cross the street to avoid!):

* Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
* Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
* Canons Regular of the Mother of God
* Religious Institute of the Holy Cross of Riaumont
* Benedictines - Triors
* Benedictines - St. Pierre de Clairac
* Benedictines - Randol
* Benedictines - Le Barroux
* Benedictines - Gaussan
* Benedictines - Fontgombault
* Benedictines - Clear Creek
* Institute of St. Philip Neri
* Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrer
* Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

One such group, consists of a group of priests and faithful who were fully and wholly reconciled to the Holy See under Pope John Paul II.
* Apostolic Adminstration of St. John Mary Vianney

Converts?

Exciting new movements?
*Miles Jesu
*Heralds of the Gospel

Watch This: Vocations Crisis - Is There One?

Divine Word ordinations in the Phillipines

Opus Dei in Rome

Dominicans in Poland

Passionists in the Phillipines

Dominicans in the Phillipines

Keep your eyes on the prize, brothers and sisters - Catholics are called to joy even in suffering. But at times, if you look closely, you can be fortunate enough to notice, it is not all suffering.

Years ago, iconic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen took the the airwaves in America as one of the earliest religous broadcasters in this new and fascinating medium. Some years later, as many folks in radio did, he transitioned to television with a television show that became an overnight sensation - Life is Worth Living. Airing opposite Milton Berle, he gave Mr. Television a strong run for his money.

Some three decades later, a new player in Catholic broadcasting would come unto the American media scene. Ohio native, Mother Angelica, foundress of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in the heart of the Deep South - Irondale, AL (Diocese of Birmingham) began her “adventure in broadcasting.” With much imagination and little funding she launched the cable network Eternal Word Television Network or EWTN.

Broadcasting a mix of televised Masses, documentaries, Catholic films and miniseries, including - a favorite of mine hosted by fellow Ohioan Marcus Grodi - The Journey Home .

(At least one member of this venerable blog has appeared on that great show on this great network that is available in 38 million homes in 49 states, and every Latin American capital 24 hours a day. I won’t say whom, I will just hint, his last name rhymes with “bambino”…)

Well It appears the next step in the Catholic wave of mass communications teaching & preaching is upon us. Podcasting.

Proving that http://www.youtube.com/ can be used for more than broadcasing clips of your basenji offering a unique accompaniment to Carmen Copola’s most known movie theme, I give you That Catholic Show.

That Catholic Show - You Are a Priest Forever

That Catholic Show - Sit, Stand, and Kneel

That Catholic Show - Statues and Icons

That Catholic Show - Charity and Mercy

That Catholic Show - Candles and Light

That Catholic Show - Night of the Living Catechism

Really, it is a joy to see such happy Catholics who are so happy to BE Catholics and talk about it. Not much of that in the mainstream media.

Maybe if you know some folks who have wanted to know more about the Catholic faith, you might consider passing some of these links on to them.

Besides the new document on the Latin Mass, news outlets are having a field day with a recent release from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document, Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church, reaffirms Catholic Teaching that is outlined in the Catechism and in Dominus Iesus. Essentially the document affirms what informed Catholics and Protestants have known for some time, that the Catholic Church considers herself “The Church” (as do the Orthodox), and that non-Catholic churches are defective in some senses, although Orthodox Churches are considered “true particular churches.”

The reaction from the news media, and from many Catholics and non-Catholics is anger and/or a lack of understanding about the document. For instance, this article in the Irish Times says:

For the second time in four days Pope Benedict XVI has laid out a traditionalist marker in a document released yesterday proclaiming that the “one Church of Christ . . . subsists in the Catholic Church”. It also said Reformed/Protestant churches were not churches “in the proper sense”, but were “ecclesial communities”.

This may be a “traditionalist marker,” but everything mentioned above is hardly news, and has been taught consistently since Vatican II.

Liberal Episcopal priest blogger Fr. Terry Martin writes in From the Office of the Inquisition: You Are All Heretics:

Nothing really new here, except that this new Pope continues to attempt to undo anything that was accomplished through Vatican II.

So, remember when you enter through those pearly gates and walk past the Roman Catholic mansion to drop your voice to a whisper. It is the polite thing to do. It would be poor form to destroy the illusion that they are the only ones there.

Once again, we see this document viewed as a return to pre-Vatican II beliefs, which is not true. Fr. Martin also suggests that we Catholics believe we will be the only ones in heaven (although it may just be sarcastic hyperbole, since Fr. Martin probably knows better), which is not true either, as a basic reading of Catholic magisterial documents shows. I wrote an article on the issue of salvation for non-Catholics entitled What About the Salvation of Protestants and non-Catholics?, in which I try to explain the issue accurately and charitably. Unfortunately, some commenters over at Fr. Martin’s blog have a strong hatred for the pope, and have resorted to outrageous, emotion-driven attacks (e.g. claiming the pope was a Nazi).

While many are accusing the Catholic Church of hindering ecumenical efforts here, the truth is that the Catholic Church is willing to do ecumenical work, but without sacrificing revealed Truth. Unfortunately, mainline ecumenism has often taken a “lowest common denominator” approach, which creates a kind of false unity, e.g. the Evangelical Lutheran Church sharing communion with the United Church of Christ, despite lacking any real common Eucharistic theology. The Catholic Church has two issues to deal with here, a commitment to ecumenism, as well as Catholic dogma. You cannot jettison the latter to simplify the former.

Again, this is not news, and given the nature of Catholic Teaching, it cannot be a surprise. I find the Catholic approach to ecumenism both self-differentiated (i.e. the Church must continue to be true to herself and cannot rid herself of revealed dogma) and open (i.e. the Church will do what it can to achieve unity, even though it is limited, as stated above), which will not appeal to those wanting a mainline Protestant approach, or those with a disdain for ecumenism, but this balance seems reasonable to me. After all, the Catholic Church most certainly affirms that the Holy Spirit operates in non-Catholic churches; Catholic Teaching is simply that based on how the Catholic Church defines the term “Church,” other churches are defective. I suspect most Protestants would happily admit that their ecclesiology is different than Catholic ecclesiology, and would be a bit offended if the Catholic Church smoothed over the differences in a superficial manner, rather than simply stating the obvious.