Fides et Ratio: A few thoughts - Part I

As some of you may have read in earlier posts, I am giving a presentation on Fides et Ratio this friday. It is a small venue and the group is small, but it is my first "public" presentation of any type in Alaska. The topic is "Faith and Reason." I am going to briefly explaining Fides et Ratio, the encyclical, and then I will try to explain the purpose, setting, and meaning of the encyclical to a newly formed apostolate. The purpose of this apostoalte, or its Charism if you will, is still uncertain but seems to be that of apologetics and the building of well formed Catholics.

While preparing for my presentation, I started having doubts about whether I should be tackling the subject matter, which is deep and philosophical and based in complex Catholic Theology. These are some thoughts I had:
Reading this encyclical, and understanding it is quite the task. As a person who was trained in history and philosophy, I have a strong foundation for this type of work, and the concepts contained within. I am by no means an expert though. Added to that is my legal degree from a Catholic law school rooted in the Natural Law tradition. Again, this gives me no expertise. So I started to have doubts if I was qualified... but then I began to think, "Who would be qualified to explain this?" Maybe a theological or philosophical scholar... if they were well trained. A Bishop or Priest, versed in this area? What about a philosopher that has more education than me... say a Ph.D in philosophy? Well... maybe, maybe not.

A section struck me that made me realize, that although encyclicals are generally aimed at Bishops, they are intended to help guide Catholics. So we as lay Catholics, should read them to help understand the direction and teaching of the Church. So then, maybe I am qualified, if nothing else, to at least interpret and help others discern the meaning of this text...right?

I wasn't so sure. Again, I felt... as if maybe I was treading in water, that I shouldn't be swimming in. But then I read this passage:

...some philosophers have abandoned the search for truth in itself and made their sole aim the attainment of a subjective certainty or a pragmatic sense of utility. This in turn has obscurred the true dignity of reason, which is no longer equipped to kow the truth and to seek the absolute.

If philosophers have abandoned the search for truth; VERITAS, the are they really philosophers? This question seems to be a tangent down a dirt road that I dare not travel right now, but it most definitely calls into question their credentials as to whether or not they are "qualified" in such ideas. Doesn't it?

I think as the Body of Christ, we are called to learn about our faith and understand it as fully as we can. We must not settle for the pragmatic or subjective certainty. That is the easy way out. If Christ is the TRUTH and THE WAY, should we not then seek him to his full end? The ABSOLUTE END? Shouldn't we strive for ABSOLUTE TRUTH, and not just some "educated" persons opinion of what that truth might be? Should we listen to the "philosophers" words of warning, that Truth exists not in absolute, but instead only in a conception of some set of norms or rules?

There is much more  I want to say about this, but I am still trying to fully formulate these ideas. It is interesting to re-read a work like Fides et Ratio after a period of time. I am able to gleem much more from it, now that I have finished law school, have worked in the world, and have studied my faith more deeply. It is interesting to see how Faith and Reason, which seem so intangible, are actually quite important to the day to day life of a Catholic.

The Battles To Come...

I started this blog a little over 3 months ago. It was in response to some conversations I had with my best friend concerning the current state of the Catholic Church in America, the culture of American Catholic families, the dualistic nature of the Church in terms of the Traditionalist movement ["reform of the reform"] versus the more modern Progressives congregations [this is not meant to be read in a pejorative sense], and how socio-political aspects of American life and politics juxtapose against these facets of American Catholicism. In short we were talking essentially about what it means to be an American Catholic in todays day and age. [We also spoke specifically of our vocations as Husbands, Fathers, and Lawyers]

Both my friend and I were in our last year of law school, married, and expecting our first child in our respective families. We realized that the country and culture we were raised in no longer existed, at least not fully. We also saw the changes occurring in our faith because of the culture of the world. Vatican II was meant to be a development within the Church to explain and evolve the way in which our faith existed within the modern world. Unfortunately, here in America it came during the social chaos of the 1960's and 1970's. A once stoic and traditional Catholic Church had become something modern and incongruent with the past. It rested its laurels less on rubrics and tradition and more on comfort and relativism. The Church had been devolving in many regards since then; although not necessarily because of Vatican II but more the state of our world in terms of culture and belief.

As we talked we realized that our families, faith, and country were in battles. ["the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violenceand the violent are taking it by storm." Matthew 11:12] I know for many this seems highly exaggerated but it isn't. Just turn on the the TV and watch the way prime-time shows portray families and culture. Watch the commercials and see the products they push and the families the use to push them. We realized for sure that there was a culture war. We also saw the same thing in our church. Granted we went to a Catholic law school, so we definitely had more traditionalist beliefs and tendencies but we saw the way the Church was no longer the same across the board. Walking into some churches you felt as if kneeling and latin were prohibited whereas walking into others you were close to excommunication if you weren't constantly kneeling and only speaking latin. It seemed as if the war had engulfed even the Church itself turning brother against brother - a sort of Civil war.

So this blog was born... as a way to get these ideas out there. The first 3 months the posts were a little scattered. Yet as I move forward I hope to be more focused. I plan to concentrate on the wars waging over our families, faith, and country. It should be obvious as to what some of these topics will be and others I am sure will develop spontaneously as such things have a tendency to do.

• I hope to cover more family pertinent issues as my first child is about 2 weeks from birth. I think that more so than ever natural Catholic families are under attack. The way we raise our children in their faith, in the American culture, and their educational opportunities are under constant attack from relativism and secularism. I plan to discuss all the ways in which we can fight to preserve our traditions, needs and desires when it comes to our children and families. ["You may not be rich; you may be unable to bequeath any great possessions to your children; but one thing you can give them; the heritage of your blessing. And it is better to be blessed than to be rich." - St. Ambrose]
• I also hope to cover the way in which our marriages are constantly under attack. Whether it is the way that the family dynamic is portrayed or the way in which the roles of husbands and wives exist in our culture. As Catholics, our marriages begin with the Sacrament of Matrimony. A tri-union with ourselves, our spouse and our God. ["...a threefold cord is not easily broken." - Eccl. 4:12] We must fight to preserve them as a true union with God and an everlasting fidelity to love.
• Our Church, our faith, the liturgy, and tradition are undergoing a revolution. As with all revolutions there is the chance that it could end badly and leave nothing more than a shell of what we had prior to the uprising. Yet, it could also leave in its wake the fertile ground unto which a grand and glorious garden could grow - with a multitude of fruits and graces. It is up to us those - the Body of Christ, to ensure that this "reform of the reform," that this revolution occurs properly and in the right way. That we uphold true traditions with meaning and purpose and not solely for the sake of tradtion. We must also embrace the reforms of Vatican II, those that have been done properly and for the Holy purpose of bringing Greater Glory to God. It our job as members of the Church Militant to instill in our children and families the proper way to balance tradition with modernity to ensure growth and love in the Church and in our world. ["Take heed to thyself and to doctrine: be earnest in them. For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." 1 Timothy 4:16]
• There is also a need to expose and discuss the Anti-Christian and Anti-Catholic tone that exists in American Politics. As more and more of our elected officials vote against Catholic teaching and morals we need to exert our voices and our voting power upon them. Especially those that wave the flag of Catholicism only to support legislation contrary to its teaching. Explaining such actions away through some relativistic explanation. There is certainly a separation between Church and State, and it should exist to the proper degree - but not at the cost of the extermination of religion. Our country was not, is not, and should not be a secularist one. ["And Jesus answering, said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Mark 12:17]
• Finally, I hope to show how the intercession and protection of St. Michael, the Archangels, and all the angels and saints can protect us in these battles. We cannot do this alone - we must implore the help and protection of the angels. 

So moving forward... there are many battles to come. I hope that this blog can be a place to help prepare all of us for such battles, and the overall war against evil. Don't get me wrong - I do not think of myself as anything great or even capable of doing such a thing. I only feel that God has inspired me to do such in a way that through Him, if it be His Will, then I will be capable of achieving such a feat. 

A final note; I am a traditionalist for sure. I have a great place in my heart for the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine & Dominican Rites), latin prayers and hymns, and the practices of Catholicism that are more traditional. This does not mean though, that I abhor all new and modern means of worship. In fact, I live in a place where the "New Order" (Novus Ordo) is the only one in which I can attend. I understand that when done correctly, its beauty is befitting the extent of mans ability to worship God. So my preference for the traditional should not be taken as an indictment of the modern. Instead I hope to show that the age and maturity of the older form show how stability and focus on the Mystery and Eucharist allow the Church to flourish. The older form, latin, and the traditional practices have had almost 500 years to attempt to perfect themselves. Whereas the new Mass has had only 40. [In essence it is like comparing a 50 year old with a 4 year old in terms of knowledge and refinement.] So I hope to show through the comparison of the new to the old the ways in which we must center and focus our attention as Catholics. Not in attempt to simply reclaim tradition, but instead to ensure that the meaning of our woship and faith is Christ centered and not people centered. 

In conclusion I hope this blog will touch all of you, and hopefully bring some of you to a greater relationship and understanding of our God. I hope that it brings Greater Glory to God and upholds the Holy Catholic Church in all of Her Glory and Graces.