Gratitude

Christ Ascended to Heaven.

I thought up a blog last night that I wanted to right relating to the Ascension and waiting for Pentecost but to be honest I think today is a day to just be grateful for God's love - for his death, for his defeat of Satan, for his resurrection and of course for his Ascension.

I'm enjoying a wonderful day with my family. We're making potato salad - my family's recipe which I have missed. There is something about making family recipes that makes you feel at home. Thank you God for blessings - for food - for memories - and for a future full of hope. Thank you for my wife - who loves me despite so many failures - my daughter who is our reminder of the creative and healing power of God's love. Thank you for my ministry here in Winston and through this blog. You have chosen your unworthy for a task that is so rich with rewards and challenges and I am just so blessed to be called to this work.

Thank you readers, friends - new and old. It has been a great journey these few months sharing life with you. I have found new friends that I am very grateful for though this blog. I'm excited to meet some of you in person soon at speaking events and I'm excited to continue to share this journey together.

Today I will not offer insight or wisdom - merely gratitude. So many things to be grateful for - but I want to go eat my incredibly yummy potato salad and maybe kiss my wife.

I pray that your day and your week is full of blessings and love.

In Christ,
Chris Faddis

Does Christopher West Misrpresent JPII's Thought?

I am including here an excerpt of David Schindler's critique of Christopher West with links to read the full story. I would love for you to come back here and comment with your own thoughts on the matter. Do you agree with Schindler and others who are critical of West? I'd love your thoughts - feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.

EXCERPT

Christopher West's Theology of the Body

by David L. Schindler
Provost/Dean and Gagnon Professor of Fundamental Theology at the Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family

Regarding his interview on Nightline, Christopher West says that his remarks were taken out of context. In some sense, this is surely true. However, the comments as aired are the latest in a long list of statements and actions not inconsistent with the context set by the Nightline editors.

Though occasioned by West’s Nightline appearance, the present statement addresses his theology as a whole.

Let me stress that I agree with those who vigorously defend West’s intention of fidelity to the Church. Certainly he has had positive results in drawing many Catholics into a deeper understanding of their faith. As for myself, I do not initiate anything about West in my classes, but only respond when asked a question. Then I begin by emphasizing West’s intention of orthodoxy. As I have often put it, "he would throw himself in front of a bus for the Church." It is important to understand, however, that good will is not synonymous with sound thought; and I must say, not without reluctance, that West’s work seems to me to misrepresent in significant ways the thought of John Paul II. - From Headline Bistro

Go here to view the full piece

For the full story regarding the Nighline interview and my thoughts you can view this post from last week.

Please leave your comments below.

Sainthood and Surrender: Kidney Transplant Fund

From Todd Lemieux:

Today I found out that I am a perfect match to donate a kidney to my brother who has been suffering from kidney failure for the past few years.

I need to make two round trips to Dallas so that he can get the kidney and get on with teaching at the University of Dallas and life with his wife and son.

READ MORE:
Sainthood and Surrender: Kidney Transplant Fund

Because I Said So.

Because I said so.


It has long been a favorite phrase of many parents.

For one thing it is the quickest and easiest answer to pretty much any question of authority that a child brings to the table. It is also kind of a power thing - in the end it doesn't matter what reasoning I give to my child for not allowing a certain thing - I am the authority and I do say so - and so the final answer is NO!

While "because I said so" certainly works and as the parent you have the right to make decisions for your children without having to explain yourself - there is something to be said for actually answering your child when they ask "why" you are making them do or aren't letting them do a certain thing. Parenting experts say that it is better to teach your child right from wrong and help them to understand consequences so that they can know how to make good choices in life.

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The Church was the "because I said so" parent for a long time - at least on the ground level.

Faithful: "Can I have sex before marriage?"
Priest: "NO!"
Faithful: "Why not?"
Priest: "Because Mother Church says so!"

Faithful: "Can I get a divorce from my husband - we just "fell" out of love?"
Priest: "NO!"
Faithful: "But why not - everyone else is doing it?"
Priest: "I don't care what your friends are doing - Mother Church says so!"

And the list goes on. For too many years we have given the answer "No" without explaining the incredible "Yes" that is the reason for every no.

Faithful: "Can I have sex before marriage?"
Priest: "No, you can't have sex before marriage - because you will be selling yourself short. Because there is an incredible YES that God has in store for you in the Sacrament of Marriage and if you wait, if you hold out for that you will experience a joy that is better than any lustful encounter you can have today."

Faithful: "Can I divorce my husband, we just fell out of love?
Priest: "No you can't get a divorce because no man can divide what God has joined. Besides when you got married God gave you an incredible YES - in that Sacrament - that YES meant that God's grace would be available to you throughout your marriage no matter what. That Sacrament also means that God is in your marriage - an integral part of it - God is the third person in your marriage - and if you involve him in things - even the difficult things - he will give you the Grace to love each other again."

These days the Church is responding with many more reasons why and why not. The Bishops are being more forthcoming in explaining Church teaching and Priests are taking time to explain Church teaching to the faithful. Yet, still we have this childlike tantrum every time we hear anything sounding like "no".

We whine and complain about why things aren't a certain way, why we can't change things to fit our needs, desires, wants. We don't understand why our "stupid, out of touch, over-reaching" parents are getting into our business and "ruining our lives". Even now that the Church through her Bishops and Priests (our parents in the faith) is making her teachings available so that all of the faithful (her children) can know why she teaches what she teaches - Catholics continue to disobey - all the while justifying their beliefs. Even many priests and religious justify this disobedience.

While our parents (the Bishops) are clarifying the "reasons" why, her children continue to proselytize with their own "reasons" why they can do as they wish. This has led to many Catholics being "disobedient" to their parents. This disobedience is in one regard sinful - in another it is the first step away from a faithful walk with God.

As Christians, Christ calls us to put away the old self and take on a new image. - of course it is His image He is speaking of. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we have the Word of God which is the "heart of Christ" and through this Word of God we can come to know what God wills for us - what is "good and pleasing and perfect" (Romans 12:2). It is also through the teachings of the Church - guided by the Holy Spirit that we come to know this same "will of God." Through God's constant revelation - given through the Magesterium of the Church and through the inspired words of Scripture we can be transformed into this "new image" that scripture speaks of.

This happens by being obedient to God and those he has placed in authority. When St. Paul tells us "Do not conform yourself to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." (Romans 12:1) He is not asking us to do this in a vacuum using our own reasoning and basing it on our own wishes. We do this by submitting ourselves to God's Holy will which is understood through the Church. No single person (bishop, priest, or lay person) is capable of understanding the whole depth and mystery of God's love - nor is one person capable of discerning "what is good and pleasing and perfect" on his or her own. It is through the combined discernment and prayer of countless Bishops, Saints, Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, and faithful over 2000 years that we come to know the Truth - through the Holy Spirit.

As Jesus tells His disciples "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." (John 16:12-13)

We, the faithful, as children of God must come to understand why obedience to God and to His Church are so important. This obedience takes on a spiritual dimension in that it requires a surrendering of our own will. When we find ourselves at odds with Church teaching we are being given an opportunity to grow deeper in understanding. If we fight it, if we ignore it, if we disobey it we will find ourselves in conflict with that "new creation" that Christ wants to make us into. In turn, rather than God making us in His image we we begin to make God in our image.

However, if we surrender our will, our desire, our own thinking and allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewal of our minds - we will grow more into that new creation. I can't tell you how many times I have had to let go of my own thinking on a certain issue and allowed myself to accept Church teaching - this surrender of my will to God's will leads to a closer walk with Him. In turn I have found that through this surrender, my own understanding becomes greater and I begin to see why the Church teaches a certain way - indeed I become a new creation.

Obedience is a difficult thing. Surrender is a difficult thing - but Christ never said that following him was easy. Think of how many times Christ's disciples must have had to surrender their own understanding to accept what Christ had to say.

Surrender your will today, be obedient always, seek to know "what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect," (Rom. 12:2) so that you too can become a new creation.

Notre Dame has chosen to abandon its Catholic identity for its new identity “Secularism”

My good friend and former boss Fr. Peter Rossa, Pastor of St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Scottsdale, AZ posted today the text of his homily regarding the "Notre Dame Flap". I was very moved by the conviction of his words. By now most of you have heard of the issue and outcry that was created when Notre Dame invited Barack Obama to speak and their Commencement. However, many people are still wondering "what's the big deal?"

I have stayed out of it as I figured much more intelligent and articulate people are writing on it. But when I read Fr. Rossa's homily today I was very convicted by his words and felt he gave a very good explanation of why this Notre Dame business is such a big deal - not politically but in regards to our faith. Fr. Peter is a wonderful Priest and I am grateful that he has given me permission to share his Homily with you. Feel free to leave your comments below and I'll be sure that he get's them.
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Fr. Peter Rossa - Homily - 6th Sunday of Easter

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This week, a non-parishioner and a fellow catholic, asked me a simple question. What is all the Notre Dame flap about?

I was sort of amazed. In my mind the answer was obvious. The so-called flap was all about life and our nations growing lack of respect for it.

As I thought a little more before I answered, I realized that I’ve wrestled with this flap for some time in trying to reconcile the Faith of the Church with my daily attempt to live my life in the public square.

And yet, many others have not.

Jesus tells his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.” “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.” “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

The Gospel proclaimed today goes to the heart of this persons question: what is all the Notre Dame flap about?

In case you missed it, the University of Notre Dame has invited President Obama to speak at its commencement ceremony and will be presenting him with an honorary law degree. Over 60 bishops in the United States have been united in voicing their displeasure and objection to the university’s presidents decision; many bishops have asked that the U.S. President be disinvited, some have suggested Fr. Jenkin’s, Notre Dame’s president, should resign, others have asked Fr. Jenkin’s religious superior to intervene. And now, there is a groundswell of people contemplating and encouraging the removal of the university’s privilege to call itself Catholic.

Yesterday, I was saddened at the irony unfolding before my eyes as I watched both CNN and Fox News. Truly news worthy, this story is being covered so thoroughly because it is so divisive, energy filled, and reveals an ongoing identity crisis within some Catholic Universities. Passions abound everywhere.

I sat shocked as I witnessed an 80+ year old man, an elderly woman, and even an elderly priest kneeling down praying the rosary while several police officers prepared stretchers, arrested them, and carried the faithful off with rosary beads still grasped in their hands.

The reporters stated that these people were unwelcome protesters at the university and that the police were acting under orders to arrest them from the university president-a catholic priest!

At any other time of the year that old man, elderly woman, and priest would have been welcomed on the university grounds; they would have been considered an example of prayer and maybe even a source of inspiration for a homily honoring their example.

But yesterday, because the university has chosen to separate itself from the beliefs of the Catholic faith, Catholics praying for the defense and sanctity of human life, were perceived as a disturbance, a source of civil disobedience and a threat to the commencement ceremony.

This is incredibly uncomfortable for us Catholics.

I, like many others, have spent much of my life in defense of our country, and our country’s freedom. Together, we’ve spent much of our lives so that others might live and be free to express themselves and their beliefs without fear of being arrested-especially while praying for the safety and conversion of others.

It seems that we’ve lost something as citizens. It saddens me that our president isn’t welcome at a Catholic University. Unfortunately, his legal thought and belief system cannot be reconciled with the Church’s most fundamental call to defend the most innocent and defenseless of people.

Jesus constantly reminds us in the Gospel that the ways of the world are not the ways of God; that being united to him brings division, and that the world’s hate will be levied against those who are united to Jesus and love him because the world hated Jesus first.

Jesus tells us today “It was not you who chose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” “This I command you: love one another.”

“Love one another.” “Bear fruit that will remain.” These words are at the heart of the Gospel message. The Gospel urges each of us to reflect on how we are to live out our faith in a manner that honors Jesus’ call to holiness.

The mission of a Catholic University is to hand on the faith. Faith first really matters. The university has lost its identity and its soul has been corrupted by a form of secular political correctness that has consistently and deliberately divorced faith and reason. Faith and reason are now seen as incompatible foes; secular reason has become the standard bearer and measure for truth.

The fact that God revealed to the world, through Jesus, that Jesus “is the way, the truth, and the life” has been lost.

At the university, revelation is no-longer dogma; there is a new dogma: academic freedom. In other words, freedom from religion. Not coincidentally, the secularism that has rooted itself at Notre Dame, as in other places, has provided nourishment for the growth of a second dogma: jurisprudence. This dogma, void of natural law, is what enabled the deaths of 40 million children because of Roe v. Wade. A decision supported by the President and opposed by the Church.

Secularism, void of divine revelation, is the greatest threat to the Gospel since the founding of Christianity because it deems itself to be the arbiter of truth and denies God who is the truth.

Christ, reminds us, and has warned educators through the successors of the apostles, our bishops, that academic freedom is only free so long as it remains rooted in the truth, Jesus Christ.

Some will say that there really isn’t much to this flap.

They say that it’s not such a big deal to invite the President to give the commencement speech and award him an honorary law degree. Providing an honorary law degree to a president who’s legal views are in conflict with the fundamental beliefs of the Church is a very big deal. Some say it’s not a big deal so don’t get too excited over it; if it isn’t that big a deal why wouldn’t they just disinvite the president? Why not say we can’t give you the degree?

It’s an honor to have the President speak, and it’s an honor to receive a degree.

This event has great meaning and value, and that is why the bishops are being so vocal.

The university has chosen to abandon its Catholic identity for its new identity “Secularism.” Say and think what you will, but the images on the news are the best evidence of the loss of faith at Notre Dame.

Peaceful Catholics being hauled off to jail while praying the rosary for a respect of human life by police under orders from a Catholic University President, who is a Roman Catholic Priest, reveals just how far, and what a threat secularism, indifference and complacency have become.

I pray that the university rediscovers its true identity by loving one another as Jesus loved us for it was he who chose and appointed us to go and bear much fruit. Love one another as I have loved you.

There is no greater honor and love than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Faithfully in Christ,
Fr. Pete Rossa

Join the Sainthood Project

Todd Lemieux is building an army - an army of people who take sainthood seriously. He's looking for 1000 people who want to strive for Holiness - who will hold one another accountable by prayer, by sharing in the journey, and by being honest w/their struggle in seeking holiness.

Todd Lemieux is the real deal - a man after God's heart. I'm in, I'm a part of the Sainthood Project and I want you to join us. Sainthood is not easy - it will take sacrifice, it will take a willingness to struggle through the hard times and allow God to prune us. I agree with Todd that together we can find our way - together we can boldly proclaim that we are seeking sainthood. I want to encourage you to join Todd and I and the other folks who are ready to seek Holiness at all costs.

Check out Todd's post: "Now Everything Changes" for a background to what he is trying to do. Then go here to find out how to join the Sainthood project.

Be not afraid!

Theology Lived - How do you model ToB?

"Theology Lived" is a new feature that will be on my blog - on my new site which will be launched soon it will be on it's own page. It will be a weekly question regarding a theological or spiritual topic where I ask you the reader to respond and share your thoughts.

UPDATED 2:47pm 5/14/09

My wife often discuss parenting and how we are going to instill the Gospel values in our children. I have often thought about the problems of my own childhood and adolescence and oh, how I wish I had been raised with an understanding of God's plan for me and for my body. If only Theology of the Body was something my family had known about. I am also asked by parents often how they should teach the principles found in Theology of the Body to their children - young and old.

As a youth minister I have seen firsthand the wounds of a culture that is so confused by sexuality and personhood. I have watched beautiful young men and women's lives be destroyed as they fell prey to the false truth that is offered to them.

I have also watched as lives were transformed by the truth of God's divine plan for men and women. I've seen people be completely renewed as God redeemed them from their sin and they became a new creation in Christ.

I believe that our generation of Catholics - that is the generation I would call the JPII Generation is called to set a new course for future generations. (I use the term Generation loosely - as it is probably about three generations that fall into this category.) Through the work of the Church over the last twenty-five to thirty years we have been called to a new level of holiness.

Our generation still has lots of wounds - many of us were raised by parents who did not understand this truth and despite their best efforts they failed to protect us from the dangers of this destructive culture. However, John Paul II was a voice of reason in this chaos and for those of us who have heard the message of God's plan for our lives and who are trying to to answer that call - striving for holiness, being faithful to our vocation, battling sin, allowing ourselves to be transformed by the renewal of our minds - it is now up to us to raise a new generation of Catholics who have been redeemed by the truth of God's divine plan for us.

So how do we teach or model Theology of the Body for our children? A few people have asked me if there are any resources out there that parents can use to teach their children. As of yet I do not know of any. (UPDATE: A friend emailed me to say that http://wholelifecurriculum.com has a curriculum that incorporates ToB in age-appropriate lessons for K-8. - check it out) I do believe however that Theology of the Body holds within it many profound truths that need to be taught to our children from a young age. I am not proposing that you teach your five year old about sex. - In fact I'm not proposing that you teach them about sex at any certain age - that is up to you and ultimately up to when your kid begins asking questions. Theology of the Body is about much more than sexuality. It is an understanding of who we are as people and who God calls us to be as redeemed people. If we understand God's plan for us and who we are meant to be and if we are raised in a way in which we live this truth - then all the questions about our sexuality will fall in line and in many ways answer themselves.

So I pose this question to you the readers. I will pose the question in a couple different ways and you can choose to answer as you like - but please do leave your comments. I will publish the comments in a follow up post.

- Should the principles of Theology of the Body be taught in the home?
- How should we instill the values of the Theology of the Body in our children?
- What principles of Theology of the Body should we teach and at what age?
- How do/have you instilled these values in your children?