tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25956082476657597342024-03-05T05:16:48.161-08:00Deacons Today: Musings on Diakonia and DiaconateDeacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-24774183657189462902013-11-27T16:57:00.004-08:002013-11-27T21:24:34.077-08:00"Deacons Today" has moved to WordPress!Dear Friends who have followed this blog in the past,<br />
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I've moved the blog over to <a href="http://billditewig.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/welcome/">WordPress, since that seemed a bit easier to manage!</a><br />
<a href="http://billditewig.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/welcome/"><br /></a>
<a href="http://billditewig.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/welcome/">Please join me there!</a><br />
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In case you still need the link, <a href="http://billditewig.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/welcome/">click here</a>.<br />
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http://billditewig.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/welcome/<br />
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I will be deactivating this site in about a week. <br />
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God bless,<br />
<br />
Deacon Bill<br />
<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-22259505134704749962013-03-30T10:47:00.000-07:002013-03-30T10:55:58.726-07:00An Easter Vigil Reflection: New Life Springs ForthFor Christians, we have entered into the <em>chairos</em> time of the Sacred Three Days (<em>triduum</em>) of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Some around us will choose to celebrate Easter as simply a secular holiday, complete with colored eggs and a bunny. Easter as a rite of Spring, a sign of new life in the natural order of things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjnjPM9TMt_ggMdUo4qDo8qM_xOvvyoFCJy1Tnc7zMBwwtXlR7G_4zZTdYqa_pDiHGh2bXguky-YHAN1FVZu_OL-4HhiLzBcKSRyHhU7N9Cr90FEC0VlaMeOx34aHZBp1ZhhmcjGP2r5O/s1600/pope-feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjnjPM9TMt_ggMdUo4qDo8qM_xOvvyoFCJy1Tnc7zMBwwtXlR7G_4zZTdYqa_pDiHGh2bXguky-YHAN1FVZu_OL-4HhiLzBcKSRyHhU7N9Cr90FEC0VlaMeOx34aHZBp1ZhhmcjGP2r5O/s320/pope-feet.jpg" width="320" /></a>For others, though, including many Christians, the focus will be on the historical events surrounding the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth more than two thousand years ago. Some Christian churches will re-enact the Last Supper as part of a Maundy Thursday service. More specifically, Catholic Christians will celebrate the command of Christ to wash each others' feet. Recent press coverage of the agitation caused in certain "conservative" circles over the actions of Pope Francis as he washed, dried and kissed the feet of young men and women, Christian and Muslem, show just how serious this ritual is taken, and how those who are upset by the pope's actions feel that he has somehow dishonored the actions of Christ. Both approaches, the ignore-the-religious-implications-of Easter approach, and the "let's-do-what-Jesus-did" approach, in my opinion, miss the whole point.<br />
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For the secular approach, one often hears, "I'm not a Christian and it's just as silly to talk about a crucified man who lived and died 2000 years ago who somehow is supposed to have come back to life, as it is to believe in the Easter Bunny. And at least the Bunny brings chocolate." For the historicist approach, the <em>triduum</em> is little more than a Passion Play that we watch from our seats. Various people have their favorite parts to perform in the drama, but when it's over, it's over until next year. <em>Godspell</em> without the music.<br />
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May I suggest, on this Holy Saturday, that we all challenge ourselves to go deeper? For those inclined to the secular, "rational" approach, may I suggest that Easter isn't about Jesus, or at least, not ONLY about him. Easter is about finding those ways in our lives in which a loving God, whether one "admits" of God or not, finds new ways every day to give us life, joy and peace. To the extent that we find those things in our lives, we know that they do not come from within ourselves, nor are they of our own making. They are gifts from One who loves us even when we don't reciprocate that love. <br />
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For those Christians inclined to the historical Jesus approach, might I suggest that there be a "so what?" moment of reflection. Yes, we believe that Jesus the Christ did all of these things.<br />
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But so what?<br />
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How does Christ's self-emptying love, leading all the way to the Cross, find meaning in what I do today? What difference does it make in my life and the lives of those around me? If my focus is all on the historical, how do we engage the present and envision the future? How does the kenotic become theotic? <br />
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Tonight, at the great Easter Vigil, I too will have a part to perform, a ministry to exercise, as deacon. In fact, one of the great joys and challenges for me will be the singing of the Exultet, the ancient hymn of praise which opens the Vigil. Standing in the light of hundreds of candles, held in the darkened church by those who are recalling the candles received at their own baptism, I will do my best to proclaim the true meaning of Easter. There is a section of the Exultet which often "causes me to tremble" as I chant it. While we have a newer translation in place, I offer here the following words of comfort and challenge Please read them slowly, reflectively, prayerfully:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlWhqSWCshDdKMlxfrasOuElreioT-fsyqrU1TSaSBoD1JoeZGj098cSmTfEwoU27oRkTlF8kucRr1xSzyQtY4D2ZLoK-6ecMKVmzTz_w0OdbyKTJn1SsXoJat4BSXV6SOXjX_8OG9PRu/s1600/Exultet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlWhqSWCshDdKMlxfrasOuElreioT-fsyqrU1TSaSBoD1JoeZGj098cSmTfEwoU27oRkTlF8kucRr1xSzyQtY4D2ZLoK-6ecMKVmzTz_w0OdbyKTJn1SsXoJat4BSXV6SOXjX_8OG9PRu/s320/Exultet.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The power of this holy night: </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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dispels all evil,</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
washes guilt away, </blockquote>
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restores lost innocence,</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
brings mourners joy;</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
it casts out hatred, </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
brings us peace,</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
and humbles earthly pride.<br />
</blockquote>
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Easter isn't about the Bunny and it isn't just about Jesus. What we see around us in Spring: new life, now becomes a reality within ourselves as well. Easter IS about new life, new chances, new beginnings for ALL people, rich or poor, women or men, gay or straight, black or white. In Mark's Gospel, when Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John, we are told that "the heavens were opened". The Greek word used there is "schizomenous", and given the Jewish cosmology of the time, we might easily translate that word as saying that the heavens "were shattered": that in Christ there is no longer anything to separate creation from the Creator. God and creation are joined. It becomes our mission to live that good news in the way we treat others. As Pope Francis demonstrated so beautifully on Holy Thursday, that includes caring and loving ALL people, with no consideration of anything other than that they are sisters and brothers from the same God.<br />
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Happy Easter Sunday! But the real test will be: How will you live Easter on MONDAY?Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-79596771889727202802013-03-28T12:19:00.001-07:002013-03-28T15:27:47.139-07:00Pope Francis: The Deacon's Pope UPDATEDAlready I'm hearing from some deacons who are all upset that our new Pope, Francis, has only made one reference to "deacons' since becoming pope. I've seen all kinds of speculation about the diaconate in Argentina and how the former Jorge Mario Bergoglio just didn't have the chance to get to know his deacons, and on and on. OK, I get it: in the short time he's been pope, he hasn't mentioned us much.<br />
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Big deal.<br />
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Far more important, in my opinion, is the fact that this man IS a deacon in everything he is modeling and teaching us. Even as Archbishop, he consciously made the decision to change his stole before washing feet: he reconfigured his stole into the diaconal mode. That's a conscious decision, telling me that he wanted to be sure that his actions would be seen as diaconal in form and in substance. THAT's a big deal. UPDATED: The latest news from the Vatican offers the photo from today's ceremony at the juvenile detention center, and it appears that the Holy Father is continuing his tradition of rearranging his stole to be worn as a deacon. I'm adding that photo below.<br />
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Not unlike previous popes, Francis speaks from his own experience and that, frankly, is generally priestly. But is it such a stretch to take his absolutely wonderful Chrism Mass homily -- focused intentionally on the priesthood -- and adapt it to deacons? I think not. <a href="http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-homily-for-chrism-mass-full-text">Here's the full text</a>: for the most part, you could simply replace "priest" with deacon, and "dalmatic" for chasuble, and you have a perfect exhortation to deacons.<br />
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From his appreciation of carrying the people on our shoulders and in our hearts, to his emphasis on "unction, not function," there is a strong diaconal message for all people, and certainly a model for those of us humbly honored to be a part of the Order of Deacons.<br />
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Like his namesake Francis of Assisi, our Francis "gets" the diaconate, thinks like a deacon, and acts like a deacon -- whether he "names" us or not.<br />
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Welcome aboard, Holy Deacon Francis!<br />
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Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-9137313406594461482013-03-28T12:07:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:07:07.515-07:00From the Management. . . .Once again I apologize for not blogging as frequently as I would like. On the other hand, the reasons are wonderful ones: my ministries on behalf of the diocese, the teaching I am doing, especially graduate students in pastoral ministry, and the ministries of our parish are all life-giving and time-consuming. All of which is wonderful!<br />
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I have also been considering prayerfully whether to keep this blog running in any case. Without re-hashing what is now ancient history, I was recently "uninvited" from a scheduled talk in an archdiocese on the East Coast over concerns related to my writing and research. Unfortunately, that work was largely misinterpreted or (in at least one example) unread. The decision, we are told, was also based on concerns raised in certain unspecified "blog postings." Not knowing whether that was a reference to something I may have written here on this blog, or comments made by other bloggers, was never fully revealed. Needless to say, I have been reticent to return to such a nebulous environment.<br />
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What has changed my mind has been the election of Pope Francis. As I have written before, I was a seminarian during the papacies of John XXIII and Paul VI. The world has changed drastically since those years, but I can safely say that I have not experienced the nearly universal outpouring of hopeful enthusiasm over the papacy which we are now experiencing since the days of John XXIII. I do not write this from some naive expectation that "he will change church teaching," as some like to say. Rather, it is in the way he is approaching his ministry as Bishop of Rome (his preferred style of self-reference). He is clearly a man of the people, and the people are responding in kind. People who might be complaining that all he has done thus far is more "style" than "substance" are missing their Marshall McLuhan, that "the medium is the message." I also find an echo of John XXIII's insight during his opening address to the Second Vatican Council, that religious truth is one thing, timeles and unchangable, but the ways and means by which we communicate that truth is quite another. Where Pope Benedict was brilliant at communicating religious truth through the theological enterprise, Pope Francis is demonstrating through his earthiness.<br />
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A parishioner recently complained to me that she was upset about all of the media "hype" surrounding Pope Benedict's retirement, the run-up to the conclave, and then the conclave itself. She felt that all of this attention from the media trivialized the moment. I can understand her concern, but at the same time, I felt completely the opposite: the world -- and not just the Catholic world -- was genuinely interested in what was going on and who might appear in the (black) shoes of the fisherman. What I felt was the hunger of people who had often been disappointed by other people in the name of Church, but who still longed to be a part of all of the wonderful aspects of church that thrive despite our best efforts sometimes to sabotage. Francis is emerging as the best example of a true <em>pontifex</em> -- builder of bridges -- that we have seen in a long, long time. I saw all of that media involvement as a marvelous example of evangelization at its best, an opportunity to be in dialogue with others about what matters most.<br />
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What Pope Francis will do in the future remains to be seen. What he has already done has generated hope and enthusiasm for the papacy itself and the Church. One person admitted to me recently that, as a gay man, he struggled with many aspects of the church's approach to homosexuals. I reminded him that he shouldn't expect the new pope to make any substantive changes to the teaching itself. He readily acknowledged that, but then said something quite remakarkable: "Oh, I understand that, Deacon. But you know something? There's just something in this new pope's approach that shows me that I am loved by God. If the teaching doesn't change, I can live with that because I know now that God loves me and that this pope truly cares."<br />
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The medium AND the message.<br />
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Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-29161968853655581962012-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:002012-10-22T12:18:09.643-07:00Vatican II at Fifty: One Deacon's Reflection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>The following was written last week, but only posted now because of technical difficulties. </i><br />
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October 11, Vatican City: 1962, 2012<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6Bgn_7jiHItKZeeOOFYFjMI1p-1tuVr9WF56a9jko7D0UNVhknRDmw1oMBHS24B7JiaXIk3kvfNBqcvAAJ5PUcj99Poah1r2snrkz-U1-JNVaAEhctCrF1YA0cKR-ytJol53otsnmnvE/s1600/2012-10-11+21.00.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6Bgn_7jiHItKZeeOOFYFjMI1p-1tuVr9WF56a9jko7D0UNVhknRDmw1oMBHS24B7JiaXIk3kvfNBqcvAAJ5PUcj99Poah1r2snrkz-U1-JNVaAEhctCrF1YA0cKR-ytJol53otsnmnvE/s320/2012-10-11+21.00.45.jpg" width="240" /></a>I apologize for not being an active blogger since last July, but what better time to start up again than today, the fiftieth anniversary of the Solemn Opening of the Second Vatican Council? Through the generosity of my bishop and my university, I am here in Rome as I write this reflection. I am here primarily to attend meetings related to our new St. Lawrence Institute here in Rome; a marvelous coincidence of events put us here for this grand celebration surrounding Vatican II and the initiation of a Year of Faith for the New Evangelization.<br />
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It will take many years, probably the rest of my life, to reflect fully on this day. This is but a poor initial attempt.<br />
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First, a word about the cassock I am wearing in this photograph, for those who might be interested/curious/upset/confused/angry/offended! The communication with the Holy See about those of us who were to assist with the liturgy was, to say the least, confusing. One day we'd get an e-mail that said to bring no special attire or vestments at all. Then the next day, we would be told to bring cassocks (<i>sottani</i>), and then the next day, we were to bring albs only. And around it went. So, finally, I brought a cassock and an alb. Tonight, I was still in it from earlier. More about THAT in a moment as well. And for those who still are confused: what I'm wearing is CLERICAL attire, not simply PRIESTLY attire. Since deacons are clergy, it's OK. Not something I want to do every day, but somehow it seemed to fit here and at this celebration.<br />
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This morning's papal Mass was exciting of course. We were told to be at the altar at 8:00 AM for a final rehearsal. I was part of a team of 12 deacons who were going to distribute communion to the cardinal/bishop concelebrants. There were dozens of other priests and deacons who distributed communion to the non-concelebrating priests and bishops and deacons and the faithful. The rehearsal went well and we were taken to a special sacristy where the 12 of us were to vest along with all the Cardinals. The bishop-concelebrants vested in another sacristy. Why they put us with the Cardinals is a Vatican mystery. I spoke briefly to Cardinal Rigali before vesting. I didn't see Cardinal Dolan until later. Then, personal disappointment struck. It seems that the only dalmatics they had for the 12 of us were very, VERY short ones. So short, in fact, that when I put mine on, it looked like a surplice, not a dalmatic. The Franciscan priest who is the head Sacristan scurried around trying to find something else, but in that style there was nothing, so two of us tall guys had to drop out of the group. I was given a good seat among the bishops and priests just to the side of the papal altar, however, so I was able to see what was going on. I would have loved to assist, of course, but that was a personal disappointment that in the grand scheme of things just doesn't matter.<br />
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Some general observations, and these are just mine. I haven't read or seen any press accounts yet so I don't know what else has been said. First, during the whole run-up to this event, the correspondence has focused on this Mass as the beginning of the Year of Faith for the New Evangelization. Almost no mention whatsoever was made about this being the golden anniverary of Vatican II. As an Italian friend put it, "Many here don't really want to focus on the Council." Yesterday, before our first rehearsal, I spoke with some of the pilgrims who had come, and it was clear how much work remains to be done. One lady asked me, as she entered St. Peter's Basilica, what all the preparations were for. I explained that the pope was going to have a big celebration today, "Oh," she said, "does the pope say Mass in this church?" Still another pilgrim asked what the big Mass was going to be for, I responded that it was to commemorate the beginning of Vatican II. "What's that?", he asked, and then laughing at his own wit, he continued, "so there was a Vatican I sometime, huh?" For these folks, the Basilica was simply an interesting sight to see on vacation without any particular connection to their daily lives. And certainly, Vatican II had no more meaning for them than any other distant event of history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Y3wp1Ol-OXUKPYtJCcW-rABI9OpsOJaEWq5XanCgHWDe-0EoH5tBanX_xRv0NNBRWg6Hi9h-Hjz8cJkR9CQlgDhKfdTMfcg1ooCiODEHqnhlFg6Lhj2-x8gwH_oDtlx6uoY06bTHpqx9/s1600/2012-10-11+12.04.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Y3wp1Ol-OXUKPYtJCcW-rABI9OpsOJaEWq5XanCgHWDe-0EoH5tBanX_xRv0NNBRWg6Hi9h-Hjz8cJkR9CQlgDhKfdTMfcg1ooCiODEHqnhlFg6Lhj2-x8gwH_oDtlx6uoY06bTHpqx9/s320/2012-10-11+12.04.20.jpg" width="240" /></a>Today, however, the Pope, in his homily, spoke warmly of the Council, as did Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew. Another connection to the Council came at the end of the Mass. First, a bit of history. On December 8, 1965, at the solemn closing of the Council, a series of "Messages" were given from the Council Fathers to various groups of people: to statesmen and politicians, to artists, to young people, to medical professionals, to workers, and so on. At that time, these messages were given by various Council Fathers, and they were presented in French. All of this was to communicate that the messages were coming from all of the Council Fathers and that they were intended for wide distribution; French at that time was considered the language of international communication and diplomacy, a kind of "universal" language. At today's Mass, the Pope invited up representatives from each of these same groups and presented a souvenir copy of the original messages. Curiously, I thought, however, the souvenir copy was printed only in Latin and in Italian, not in the original French. I admit that I was somewhat disappointed by this, since it seems to miss the "universal" intent of the messages themselves. Still, it was a nice nod to the Council.<br />
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However, there was another aspect of the Mass which I found even more disconcerting. On the upper platform were hundreds of bishops and Cardinals, priests and deacons; two choirs, multiple Masters of Ceremonies: all of the pomp and ceremony one could expect at a papal Mass. About halfway through the Mass, however, I turned to look at the rest of St. Peter's Square and I was struck by the fact that there seemed to be almost no one there. Using the famous obelisk as a reference point, it was clear that the crowd in the Square didn't even come close to extending that far. The impression from where I was sitting was that, essentially, the Square was empty. Given the fact that this was the occasion being used to inaugurate a Year of Faith dedicated to the New Evangelization, the relative emptiness of the Square seemed to emphasize both the lack of "connectedness" the average person has for the institutional dimensions of Church today. Obviously it also highlighted the need for the Church to find more powerful ways to reach out and to connect with the everyday lives of people. That was the whole point of the Council fifty years ago, and it remains as vital a mission today!<br />
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After Mass, my two friends and I agreed upon where we would meet later in the day for supper and planning for our meetings the next day. So, for supper (<i>cena</i>) we met at a little place a few hundred years from St. Peter's. We then decided to walk over to the Square and see what was going on. What was going on was remarkable. But first, some more history.<br />
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Fifty years ago, one the opening night of the Council, thousands upon thousands of people came to St. Peter's Square to pray for the success of the Council. <a href="http://youtu.be/snMCpvJw2bc">I'm attaching a link here so you can watch it.</a> It was a stunning sight, to say the least! If you look at the video closely, you will see that the crowd not only fills the entire Square: it looks like it reaches back to the Tiber! And then, the best bit: Pope John XXIII comes to his window and addresses the crowd. He speaks of the moon looking down on this wonderful spectacle, so his remarks are sometimes referred to as the "Discourse to the Moon" ("<i>discorso della Luna</i>") or similar titles. At the end, he tells everyone to go home and to embrace their children, and to tell the children that this embrace is from the Pope. For people who were there, this event was one of the most significant of their lives.<br />
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Now, fifty years later, my friends and I walked into the Square and it was full of people, many carrying candles, singing songs and praying. It wasn't nearly as large as that original crowd fifty years ago, but it was still a stunning sight. As "empty" as the Square had seemed that morning was contrasted vividly by how full it was tonight. HERE and NOW the Church was connecting with people. Sure enough, the light in the papal apartment was lit, and at 9:00 PM Rome time, Pope Benedict appeared at the window. He recalled Pope John's famous remarks, and the crowd roared its appreciation of that memory.<br />
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Leaving the Square tonight, I was left with a feeling that this desire for connectedness is the heart of what we seek in our understanding of <i>communio</i> and evangelization. The whole point of Vatican II was to serve as an act of evangelization, and Pope Paul VI himself referred to the Council as "the great Catechism of our day." The "New Evangelization" is not really so new; it is, and remains, the perpetual mission of the Church since Pentecost: to offer Christ to a world in pain in the Spirit of God who loves, sustains and provides for us.<br />
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For now, I've rambled long enough. More soon.Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-38256288412745894362012-07-20T20:57:00.000-07:002012-07-26T20:29:14.595-07:00The Council, Conscience, War and Birth Control: One Faded Memory UPDATED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have written extensively about the connections between the Second World War and the Second Vatican Council. Many people assume that, since the Council took place from 1962-1965, the Council was about the world of the 1960s. A friend of mine once remarked that he remembered the Second Vatican Council. "That was when the Catholic Church," he said, "sold out to the Beatles!" The truth, however, is much more complex. After all, as the Council opened in 1962, the Second World War had been over less than twenty years. One can ask: If a 62-year old French bishop was processing into St. Peter's on 11 October 1962, where had he been twenty years before, in 1942? What would he have experienced as a teen and young man during the First World War and the rise of, eventually, three totalitarian regimes, a second World War, the Holocaust, the advent of the nuclear age and the Cold War? And how might that experience have affected what he did at the Council?<br />
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UPDATE: I am indebted to Helen McDevitt-Smith for acquainting me with one such bishop: Pierre Francois Lucien Anatole Boillon, Bishop of the Diocese of Verdun, France. <br />
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Pierre was born in 1911, and was ordained a priest in 1935. In 1962, at the age of 51, he was ordained a bishop less than a month before the opening of the Council. He served first as an auxiliary bishop of Verdun, and then became the diocesan bishop of Verdun from 1963 until his retirement in 1986; he returned to the Lord in 1996. But what about those all-important years between 1935 to 1945?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-RYozlr9kUmQX2ci41Z-vRJcebO50XCKDRfJZbuV6F6ez5WzdIJoUSSPGCX0QPpfv7_8EnJ-19Ir6oBiurGGiNWV-3Kmw2FzXJLbmDgVoryMb_o48f8DXmgLn3MsqU6aC9gsVHZIKhKT/s1600/220px-Huelgoat._R%C3%A9sistants_2%C3%A8me_guerre_mondiale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-RYozlr9kUmQX2ci41Z-vRJcebO50XCKDRfJZbuV6F6ez5WzdIJoUSSPGCX0QPpfv7_8EnJ-19Ir6oBiurGGiNWV-3Kmw2FzXJLbmDgVoryMb_o48f8DXmgLn3MsqU6aC9gsVHZIKhKT/s1600/220px-Huelgoat._R%C3%A9sistants_2%C3%A8me_guerre_mondiale.JPG" /></a>Young Father Boillon served, as did many priests, in the French Resistance. So it would come as no surprise to find out that in 1965, as the Council Fathers were debating issues related to war and peace for <i>Gaudium et spes</i>, Bishop Boillon rose to speak strongly in favor of total military disarmament; he had seen the horrors of war first-hand. But there's more to this story.<br />
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After the Council, Bishop Boillon continued his work as Bishop of Verdun and the implementation of the Council. His name turns up again in a remarkable account of the French bishops' conference and their 1968 response to Pope Paul VI's famous encyclical <i>Humanae Vitae</i> ("On Human Life"), which had just been promulgated. <a href="http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/15th-november-1968/1/charity-by-french-bishops">Here's a link to an archived article on the topic.</a> It gives us many things to consider prayerfully, and shows the complex relationships involved. Some highlights:<br />
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"Vatican officials expressed appreciation this week of the 'deep spirit of charity' contained in the statement on birth control with the French bishops issued last Friday. The 120 members of the French episcopate said in their statement that although contraception was always 'disorder,' it need not imply moral guilt on the part of married couples who practiced it. This was a matter for the couples to decide themselves after serious reflection before God."</blockquote>
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Bishop Boillon of Verdun served as the spokesman of the French episcopal conference in presenting this statement to the press. He explained that "a Catholic who felt compelled to use artificial means of birth control need not confess it to a priest and could take communion with a clear conscience." In attempting to balance the duties of marriage and the teachings of the Church, the French bishops wrote that "a couple must prayerfully decide which duty took precedence." They continued that "contraception can never be good. It is always a disorder but this disorder is not always guilty."<br />
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It is here where Bishop Boillon draws on his own wartime experience. "I killed four Germans," he said. "I try to justify myself before God, but I did not accuse myself at confession of a sin. I had a conflict of duty between the duty of defending my country and that of respecting human life. Killing those Germans was evil but not a sin."<br />
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I find much here that is profitable for our reflection today. Among other things, the statement of the French bishops accurately presents the role of conscience and the formation of conscience required by every individual. It also respects that each individual must ultimately form that conscience himself or herself; no one can do it for another. As the Council itself taught, the conscience is a "crucible" in which a person is alone with God. The French bishops respect this religious freedom and responsibility.<br />
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The recognition that in life a person can be faced by competing "goods" ("duties") which require hard choices is also refreshing. At least in my own pastoral experience, most people do not set out to do bad things; they are, rather, trying to do their best in often extraordinarily difficult circumstances. While seeing things in black-and-white can seem to make human choices seem simple, life is far more often lived in various shades of gray.<br />
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This account, to me, captures much of the wonderful complexity that is reflected in the Second Vatican Council and the very human bishops who struggled with the extraordinarily difficult tasks facing the church and world.<br />
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As I researched more of this story, I was reminded of a powerful scene from the 1968 move, "The Shoes of the Fisherman," with Anthony Quinn playing a former bishop-prisoner in a Siberian gulag who is elected Pope. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4alJgx7MdrI">In this scene, his character speaks of the moral tightrope we all must walk. Given Bishop Boillon's own account, perhaps this is not as fictional as one might originally have thought. Regardless, it is worthy of great reflection. </a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-47909778184359970132012-07-08T15:00:00.000-07:002012-07-08T15:00:42.834-07:00Women and the Diaconate: Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After my last posting on women and the diaconate, the conversation on Deacon Greg Kandra's Facebook page continued, and I received several interesting e-mails.<br />
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<![endif]-->1) One deacon observed that "We've had this discussion for a few years now, although
Phoebe is mentioned by name, I would like to draw attention to the following;
many have stated that Rome hasn't spoken clearly on this subject, yet it seems
to me, that they have clearly spoken "men" for ordination. . . ." He then recounts the facts surrounding Vatican II's renewal of the diaconate. And yet, for all of the quotations he offers, none really applies to the specific question of the admission of women to the diaconate. All of the citations could just as easily and appropriately apply to women as well as men. The fact that the current renewal has not yet included women is not alone dispositive. After all, prior to 1967, there hadn't been a married deacon in centuries as well in the Latin Church! I would also point out that the Canon Law Society of America, in 1985, examined this question and determined that there were no major canonical issues that couldn't be rather easily revised if the Church were to decide to ordain women as deacons. In other words, just because we're not doing something right now doesn't necessarily mean that we might not do something in the future.</div>
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As I have said many times elsewhere, we MUST keep the question of the possibility of ordaining women as deacons quite distinct from the question of ordaining women as presbyters. WHY? Well, one major reason is that the Holy Father, both now and in his previous ministry as Prefect of the CDF, has done precisely that! So, it's not helpful for people to get all excited about this question by somehow equating all three orders. Prior to the renewal of the diaconate as a permanent order, a neo-Scholastic understanding of the Sacrament of Order might have seen things that way, but the renewal of the diaconate has signaled a paradigm shift in understanding. And the church has been refining this new understanding over the last twenty or so years and this is evident in changes made to the catechism and subsequent documents (detailed in our book on women deacons).</div>
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2) Deacon Jim, the original "commenter" I referenced in my last blog post, offered a number of further observations. He clarified that he had not been using the term "definitively" in the technical sense used by theologians. He also wrote that "it seems arbitrary to make the claim that, of all the uses of 'diakonos' by Paul or others in the NT, that in Phoebe's particular
case (but not in any other), it has to mean 'ordained deacon'." Another friend<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--> also wrote in an e-mail, concerning Phoebe, that "When it comes to Romans 16:1 it became
clear that whether or not the particular scholar saw it as evidence for the
female diaconate, it was not clear what the term "deacon" in this
context referred to holding an ecclesial office. Most noted that it was likely
too early to attribute to her an established office in the Church, let alone
one received by ordination." I couldn't agree more with both comments! Let me explain.</div>
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St. Paul refers to "our sister Phoebe" as deacon of the Church of Cenchraeae. Period. We have absolutely no
clue what being "deacon of the Church of Cenchraeae" meant in her
day. What's more, we have no clue HOW she received that designation; was
it simply something bestowed on her in Paul's letter? Some kind of ritual
acknowledgment? We have no idea. Nada. Zilch. I get
that, and I accept it fully. I know of no one who would seriously suggest otherwise. On the other hand, however, there is something going on with Paul's use of the word. I can't believe that Paul, whose first language was Greek, somehow screwed
up the grammar with the sentence; therefore, his attribution of a
"title" of "diakonos" must have meant SOMETHING, and the fact is, whatever it meant, it went beyond some generic kind of
"service", since that ought to have been rendered more accurately
with a more generic attribution, such as "diakonissa." So,
while we don't know any specifics, we can tell that it was something special,
using a "title" that had acquired some kind of technical meaning in
Paul's usage (as found in other correspondence).</div>
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Deacon Jim also points out the various other ministers who are apparently referred to as "deacons". The problem, as he correctly points out, is with the language of translation. In the case of Phoebe, we have a masculine form of the "title" being used with a woman; it is a rather glaring use of the language. With the men being referred to has "deacon" the challenge is greater, since it could be that the word is being used as a title of ministry, but it could be used in the more generic sense of "assistant" or "servant" without any reference to ecclesial ministry. This is because it is a masculine form of the word being used to describe males, so we have to let the context help us a bit. Perhaps some of these men were "deacons"; then again, they might simply be assisting in some other capacity.</div>
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3) Deacon Jim also writes that "any claim that the Seven are
somehow separate from Deacons seems, in my view, to be as weak as claims
against the 'Trinity' as being Scriptural since the word 'Trinity' isn't used, say, at the Annunciation, or the Baptism of the
Lord. If the 'Seven' aren't deacons, what are they? If Philip isn't a
Deacon, what is he?"</div>
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Again, my earlier concern is that people be quite clear on what sources we're relying on for our information. Many people honestly don't realize that scripture itself does not allude to Stephen and the rest of the Seven as deacons. As I've said before, we Catholics do not hold a <i>sola scriptura</i> understanding of Divine Revelation, seeing the Revelation of God coming to us both through Scripture and from Tradition. So, while scripture itself is silent on the whole Seven-as-Deacons idea, Tradition since the time of Irenaeus HAS seen the Seven as coming to represent the diaconal order. I have no problem with that; we simply need to be careful in how we make our assertions. In other words, SCRIPTURE doesn't make the claim here; Tradition does. That's an important distinction for scholars and anyone else interested in the matter.</div>
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Now, as to Jim's questions, "If the Seven aren't deacons, what are they? If Philip isn't a Deacon, what is he?" let's consider. FROM SCRIPTURE, we can tell nothing about "what" they are. For example, I have done some research into Second Temple Judaism, and there are some talmudic sources that suggest that each synagogue had a "board" of persons who were responsible for the charitable outreach of the synagogue, and quite often this "board" consisted of seven persons. Could Peter have been asking those Greek-speaking Christians of Jerusalem simply to use the existing Jewish model for service? We don't know, but what we DO know is that Luke -- who would have been familiar with the term "diakonos" and "diakonoi" in the technical sense -- chose NOT to use that term vis-a-vis the Seven. It's also interesting, of course, that while Peter says that he wants the Seven to take care of the "daily distribution" so that the Twelve can take care of preaching the Good News, the only actual ministry we see two of the Seven doing (Stephen and Philip) is preaching and catechizing! (I often remind deacon candidates that they should remember that Stephen was martyred precisely because of his powerful preaching, and they should expect no less!) What we do know about the Seven FROM SCRIPTURE is this: they were picked from among their own community, were of good repute and filled with the Holy Spirit, and they were ordained (hands were laid upon them by the Apostles) into ministry. As I wrote above, later Tradition will describe that ordination as diaconal.</div>
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Why do I persist in making this distinction? I have encountered some people over the years who would like to say that contemporary deacons should only do what we see the "deacons" in scripture doing. The problem is that we don't really know WHAT the deacons of scripture were doing, and trying to limit ministry to such scant evidence would not be helpful. Imagine if we tried to suggest that limitation on presbyters or bishops! But that's something for a different post.</div>
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I have delayed putting this post up, because I have reviewed so many previous posts on this subject and it seems like so much of the material -- both the objections to the question, and my responses -- is simply repetitive. Many things have changed over the last couple of decades with regard to church teaching as well as historical and theological research on the matter, so I strongly recommend that this later material (starting with church teaching itself!) be studied carefully. </div>
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<br /></div>Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-17897201027287968352012-07-04T19:23:00.001-07:002012-07-07T15:17:58.260-07:00The Debate Continues: Women and Diaconate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let me start with one preliminary observation: There are numerous unresolved issues related to a contemporary theology of the renewed order of deacons in the Church today; the ordination of women as deacons is simply one of those issues. In my own research, writing and teaching on the diaconate, I have not focused exclusively on this issue, feeling that other fundamental matters needed to be attended to first. However, the question of ordaining women as deacons can help us address issues related to the nature of diaconal ministry today. And, for full disclosure, I have had the pleasure of looking into this issue with more intensity as one of the authors of <i>Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future</i> with Gary Macy and Phyllis Zagano.<br />
<br />
The new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), now-Archbishop (soon-to-be Cardinal) Gerhard Ludwig Mueller has written on the diaconate and priesthood, as well as participating as a theologian on the International Theological Commission (ITC), which developed a paper on the diaconate. Ten years ago, he was interviewed on this question as part of that effort, and that is available <a href="http://www.zenit.org/article-3431?l=english">here</a>. I would observe, and will detail below, that much has happened SINCE that interview which would lead me to question whether he would still hold some of the same views today. <br />
<br />
I bring all this up because the mention of Mueller's decade-old interview sparked quite a debate over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deacongreg.kandra">Deacon Greg Kandra's Facebook page</a>, and some points were made there that I think need to be addressed. One of the comments made was the following:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">"The all-male diaconate
definitively and historically emerges from the ministry of the apostles
in Acts. Just as Jesus did with the Twelve, the Apostles do with the
"Seven"--both excluding women. I would suggest reading our new Prefect's
book "Priesthood and Diaconate" as well as Martimort's "Deaconesses"
for the historical context that makes clear that, while the Church
ordained "deaconesses" as a separate "order" in the Church, the order of
deaconesses was never viewed as a participation in the Sacrament of
Holy Orders any more than other orders were (porter, lector, acolyte,
etc). While there has been no contemporary clarification that women
cannot be deacons (though they obviously *can* be deaconesses if that
"order" is ever restored), the history/practice on this point is
explicit both in Scripture and Tradition."</span></blockquote>
1) The claim is made that an all male diaconate "definitively and historically" is grounded in Acts 6-8 and the selection of the Seven. The commenter later admits that a separate group known as "deaconesses" existed later, although not on a sacramental par with male deacons (more about that later). However, on this first point I'm concerned about the terms "definitively" and "historically," especially based on a reading of Acts. Scripture alone cannot sustain this claim, since the passage does not explicitly refer to the Seven as "deacons." Certainly scripture knows of deacons (one need only turn to the letters of Paul and the pastoral epistles to find that evidence), but Luke does not refer to the Seven as deacons. It is later Tradition (at least 200 years later) that begins to refer to Stephen and his "classmates" as the first deacons. (In fact, the only deacon referred to by name in the New Testament is actually Phoebe, who is referred to as deacon -- not by the feminine form <i>diakonissa</i>, but by the masculine form <i>diakonos</i>, leading some scholars to suggest that "deacon" has already emerged as the title of a particular office in the ancient Church.) So, I would be very hesitant to attach a "males only" argument simply to the passage from Acts, especially using terms such as "definitively" and "historically."<br />
<br />
2) The fact is, the Church has never spoken "definitively" on the subject of the ordination of women as deacons. The term "definitive" was applied to the question of ordaining women to the PRESBYTERATE by Pope John Paul II in his encyclical <i>Ordinatio Sacerdotalis</i>, but that is a question distinct from the diaconate. I would also point out that the working document released by the ITC (with Mueller as a member) also agreed that the Church has not yet spoken definitively on the subject, and that "it pertains to the Church's ministry of discernment" to address the matter. <br />
<br />
3) The commenter suggests that people read Mueller's text on <i>Priesthood and Diaconate</i> as well as Martimort's work <i>Deaconesses</i>. That's good advice, but incomplete. First, Martimort was not writing in a vacuum. He was engaged in an extended scholarly debate with Roger Gryson, who took an opposing view of the same historical evidence; so, I would encourage people to read BOTH men and analyze their arguments. Second, this debate took place in the 1970's, and the historical record has been greatly augmented by more recent research, both in Eastern and Western sources. Simply put, we have more historical data to consider today than those two scholars did.<br />
<br />
4) Mueller and Martimort would agree that women were commissioned/installed/ordained as "deaconesses" but that this role was not sacramentally equal to that of male deacons, nor was their ministry on a par with male deacons. The argument was that such women were installed to provide ministry to other women. However, the historical record reveals that there is considerable variety in the roles "deaconesses" and "women deacons" (sometimes these terms are used equivalently, sometimes not) actually played in various cultures and places. Furthermore, recent study of ordination rituals indicates that some women were ordained WITHIN the sanctuary (as contrasted with blessings and installations which took place OUTSIDE the sanctuary), with the laying on of hands by the bishop, and even -- in some cases -- the use of the exact same prayer of consecration used for both male and female deacons. I am not suggesting that this practice was universally followed; but I am saying that it did take place alongside the historical practice alluded to by Martimort and Mueller. Any attempt to justify one practice or another is methodologically and historically incomplete, since all of these practices were done, and there was great diversity of understanding and practice.<br />
<br />
5) Mueller and others often argue for the "unicity" of the Sacrament of Order, so that what applies to one order applies to the others. Certainly we all agree that there is but one Sacrament of Order (now described as the orders of deacon, presbyter and bishop, although until 1972 the sacrament included subdeacon (a major order), and the minor orders of porter, lector, exorcist and acolyte), the way these orders relate to one another has received considerable official attention over the last 20 years or so. The result of this work, led largely by then-Cardinal Ratzinger while he was Prefect of the CDF, has been to develop the notion of two modes of participation within the one Sacrament of Order. Namely, there is the diaconal mode of participation and the priestly mode of participation which is shared by presbyters and bishops. "Priests" (presbyters and bishops), we are told, "receive sacred power to act in the person of Christ the Head," while deacons "receive a special strength [<i>vigor specialis</i>] to serve the People of God" in a ministry of Word, Sacrament and Charity. Such distinctions within the one Sacrament of Order are quite helpful in overcoming the sense that the diaconate is simply an abridged, or lesser, form of the priesthood itself. The image I often use in teaching on this subject is that of a teeter-totter: one the one hand, there is the unicity of Order; on the other is the diversity within the Order. In my own theological opinion, one must keep the teeter-totter balanced. If we go too far to the side of unicity, we lose the inherent <i>communio</i> of the Order; if we go too far to the side of diversity, we risk creating two or three separate sacraments. According to other members of the ITC, then-Father Mueller and his colleagues engaged in quite interesting debates during their sessions!<br />
<br />
6) Finally, I would simply caution against "elevating" Archbishop Mueller's theological judgments now that he is Prefect of the CDF. Just as the pope himself continues to publish his own personal theological research under the name "Joseph Ratzinger" -- realizing that his function as theologian is quite distinct from his role as the Pope -- so, too, must we continue to distinguish what "Gerhard Mueller's" own theological research might support contrasted to positions he may take as Prefect of the CDF.<br />
<br />
In conclusion, I would simply affirm the official position of the Church: that the question of ordaining women as deacons remains -- according to papal and curial pronouncements -- an unresolved question, and the call to continue "the Church's ministry of discernment" on the question is ongoing. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-17752375198116362802012-06-29T08:39:00.001-07:002012-06-29T08:39:45.967-07:00A Comment on Comments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Gentle readers,<br />
<br />
I have decided to join my blogging friends, like Deacon Greg Kandra, who do not have a "comments" section on their blogs. Let me explain this decision.<br />
<br />
I'm a teacher, and I thrive on the give-and-take of the classroom. However, I find that here on the blog I have a tendency to want to respond and reply to each and every comment, and there's simply insufficient time and energy to do that.<br />
<br />
So, if any of my reflections inspire comments, corrections, or uncontrollable rage, feel free to e-mail me off-line.<br />
<br />
Thanks for understanding!<br />
<br />
God bless,<br />
Deacon BillDeacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-66504867038478311542012-06-28T07:09:00.000-07:002012-06-28T09:56:03.102-07:00On "Magisterium": Who or What? UPDATED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the most misunderstood and misused words associated with the Church is the Latin term <i>magisterium. </i>If a quick survey of certain web sites is any indication, many people seem to think that <i>magisterium</i> is a "who": the Pope, for example, or the Pope and the world's bishops, or the Pope and the curia in Rome. Actually, this is not accurate. <i>Magisterium</i>, linguistically, is a neuter noun; it is a "what", not a "who." It is "the teaching authority of the Church." And, as we all know, "the Church" is more than its episcopal leadership. Let's consider a few basics.<br />
<br />
Why do we claim any sort of teaching authority at all? It seems rather presumptuous to think that we human beings can teach with authority about spiritual matters. Remember that this was shocking to some of Jesus' own listeners, when they observed that "this man teaches with authority." <i>Magisterium</i> is founded on the promise of Christ that the Holy Spirit will remain present and active in the community of disciples. Consider John 14:26: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2595608247665759734" name="51014026">"The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will
send in my name -- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." It is the Holy Spirit who teaches, no human authority.</a><br />
<br />
The Holy Spirit is given to everyone at Baptism, and indeed, through all of the sacramental life of the Church. In the Middle Ages a distinction was introduced between the <i>ecclesia docens</i> (the teaching Church) and the <i>ecclesia discens</i> (the learning Church). However, of course, all of us participate, in a variety of degrees, in the one and the same teaching-and-learning Church. The role of the ordained is often highlighted. Vatican II spoke of the teaching role of bishops and presbyters as their primary obligation (the <i>primum officium</i>); subsequent documents have extended this as well to the renewed (permanent) diaconate as well. While one can sometimes read (usually in very derogatory terms) that others are claiming magisterial authority as well (consider some recent nasty blog posts about "the <i>magisterium</i> of the nuns" when criticizing the LCWR, for example), the medieval Church DID extend its understanding of <i>magisterium</i> beyond the bishops themselves. No less a theological giant than Thomas Aquinas in the 13th Century, wrote of the <i>magisterium </i>of university theologians; at the great Council of Trent in the 16th Century, and at Councils before that, the theological experts were often given a vote on conciliar texts! Trent, for example, referred to the theologians as <i>minor theologians</i> and the bishops as <i>major theologians</i>. Some votes included them all; some were restricted to the bishops alone.<br />
<br />
<u><b>UPDATE</b></u>: After my initial post, I was doing some research on Blessed John XXIII's opening address o the world's bishops at the Second Vatican Council. I was struck by how he used the term <i>magisterium</i>, clearly using it the term accurately, and in the way we all used to use it until relatively recently. Look at how he introduces the term at the beginning of his address:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In calling this vast assembly of bishops, the latest and humble successor to the Prince of the Apostles who is addressing you intended to assert once again the <i>magisterium</i>, which is unfailing and perdures until the end of time, in order that this <i>magisterium</i>, taking into account the errors, requirements and opportunities of our time, might be presented in exceptional form to all people throughout the world.</blockquote>
<br />
Clearly, the pope is <i>not</i> referring to the college of bishops, with pope at the head of that college. Here's another wonderful example. The pope turns his attention to the previous 20 ecumenical (general) councils of the Church:<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ecumenical Councils, whenever they are
assembled, are a solemn celebration of the union of Christ and His Church, and
hence lead to the universal radiation of truth, to the proper guidance of
individuals in domestic and social life, to the strengthening of spiritual
energies for a perennial uplift toward real and everlasting goodness. The testimony of this extraordinary <i>magisterium </i>of the Church in the succeeding epochs of these twenty centuries of Christian history stands before us collected in numerous and imposing volumes, which are the sacred patrimony of our ecclesiastical archives, here in Rome and in the more noted libraries of the entire world.</span></div>
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Finally, consider this famous passage:<br />
<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The substance of the ancient doctrine of the
deposit of faith is one thing, and the way in which it is presented is another.
And it is the latter that must be taken into great consideration with patience
if necessary, everything being measured in the forms and proportions of a
<i>magisterium</i> which is predominantly pastoral in character.</span></div>
</blockquote>
"Good Pope John" (as the Italians still refer to him) shows us the proper understanding of this very complex term.<br />
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We are all expected to "follow the <i>magisterium</i> of the Church." But this means so much more than simple obedience to the institutional structure of the external Church! After all, bishops alone are not given full knowledge of all religious Truth simply by virtue of their ordination as bishops! Like everyone else, they too grow "in wisdom, age and grace." "Following the <i>magisterium</i>" is not some kind of loyalty test; it means being attuned to the full "teaching office" found within the entire People of God, great and small.Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-38855600361892631002012-06-25T14:57:00.000-07:002012-06-25T14:57:16.145-07:00Up and Running: Back to Blogging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6NWn1iqJcXpWyo2HkcviHfVhgH2leKSUazRyQl8ykDK_hXkfA2T_vad2tWydaaqpf0MWVBfSRX-G8PKegmMSFAEw2x7gG-9ybT988riJTUDoqOMdER5TrF6UYvEjg0iwdJ2Jz2_n4LOB/s1600/How+to+get+more+productive+as+a+blogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6NWn1iqJcXpWyo2HkcviHfVhgH2leKSUazRyQl8ykDK_hXkfA2T_vad2tWydaaqpf0MWVBfSRX-G8PKegmMSFAEw2x7gG-9ybT988riJTUDoqOMdER5TrF6UYvEjg0iwdJ2Jz2_n4LOB/s200/How+to+get+more+productive+as+a+blogger.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It's been a month or so since I took my sabbatical from blogging. As I indicated then, I was feeling quite overwhelmed with work responsibilities, teaching, traveling and writing. Over the last several weeks I've been involved in all of those things, including attending the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) Convention in St. Louis during which I gave a paper, then directing the diaconate retreat for the Diocese of Pueblo at a retreat center in Colorado Springs. The highlight, however, has been the opportunity to take some much needed time for family: my wife and I have had the chance to visit our family spread out around the country. We've seen our four children and all nine grandchildren (which included meeting our newest granddaughter for the first time!), my Mother and sisters, and many other family members. I even got to baptize a new great-nephew! It's been a truly blessed time. This weekend, before heading back to the office, some of my former students -- now all involved in various ministries -- will be gathering for a small reunion. All in all, then, this has been a very life-giving time, for which I am eternally grateful!<br />
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Now is the time to return to the blog. You might notice that I've done a little refreshing of the design to signal my renewed effort. More important, while I will certainly find things to blog about, it would also be helpful to know of any particular questions that you may have, so feel free to send along questions and suggestions for blog entries.<br />
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May all who pass by find this a place of peaceful yet challenging reflection. <br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-68208428676350843032012-05-29T09:35:00.002-07:002012-05-29T09:35:49.943-07:00Signing Off. . . at least for nowGentle Readers,<br />
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As has been obvious, I have found it increasingly difficult to post on this blog with any regularity for quite some time. The fact is, I have dedicated much of my professional and ministerial life for the last 25 years to promoting, studying and teaching about the renewed diaconate in the Catholic Church. I had hoped that starting a blog would facilitate some of that effort, and it has been, for me, a real act of love.<br />
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However, I have found that various other priorities -- family, diocesan ministry, teaching, parish ministry, writing (I am currently working on four book projects, plus I'm a regular contributor to <i>Priest</i> and <i>Deacon Digest</i>) and traveling to direct retreats and to present at convocations of priests and deacons -- are just keeping me from being able to give the necessary attention to the poor blog. What I need is a good blog editor who would be willing to take that on for me! Comments from readers critical of my sporadic postings (as well as criticizing what I DO choose to post; seems like others had a view of what this blog -- my personal blog, no less -- should be!) have confirmed me in this decision.<br />
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So, at least for the foreseeable future, I'm signing off the blog. If you have any need to contact me, please find me on Facebook or e-mail me at billditewig@msn.com.<br />
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God bless all here, and be good servants to each other!<br />
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Bill<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-83711370256710609842012-05-23T15:28:00.000-07:002012-05-23T15:44:06.214-07:00Indiana Jones and Liturgical TranslationOn several levels, I find the recent article by John R. Donahue, SJ in <i>Commonweal</i> to be a brilliant and insightful example of liturgical and theological scholarship at its best. In fact, I have begun giving the article to students as a good example of academic methodology. <a href="http://commonwealmagazine.org/cup-or-chalice">Read the whole article right here</a>. In "Cup or Chalice? The Large Implications of a Small Change," Fr. Donahue focuses on just one of the recent liturgical changes, and one that seems fairly innocuous at first. But small changes considered cumulatively can add up to something quite significant. Before turning to specific concerns, let's first consider some basic tenets of communications.<br />
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Whether we refer to the vessel used by Jesus as a "cup" or a "chalice" may not seem like much at first, but as Fr. Donahue illustrates, it matters greatly. What some of those involved in these translations seem to have missed is something that every first year student of communications theory understands well. Let's consider some basics. We begin with an idea which we desire to communicate to another person. It's deep inside my head and heart, however, so I have to find a way to encode what I mean in a variety of ways. Perhaps I will choose words as these symbols; perhaps I will draw a picture or sing a song; perhaps I will simply do something that expresses the inner reality. Once the internal message is "encoded" we need to find the best medium by which to transmit that message. Perhaps I will write a book or compose a poem. And then comes the challenging part: I know what I want to say, and I've worked hard to find the best words and other symbols to assist in communicating that message; however, the recipient of my communication must be able to receive and "decode" those words and other symbols in a manner that comes close to replicating my original meaning. With any luck, that internal reality that was in me has now found resonance in the other person. In other words, it's not just important that I get the words right; the recipients need to be able to "get them right" as well, or any attempt at communication will be lost. How do we know whether this has happened? This takes place through the most important part of the communications loop: the feedback loop. This is how we know whether or not our message has been understand as we intended. How many times in life have we had to say, "Oh, that's not what I meant!" when someone responded to something we've said or written or done?<br />
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After seven months of the "new" translation, what is being communicated via that "feedback loop"? Fr. Donahue mentions the stumbling over prayers (especially, I would note, the Collects) by presiders, the "resignation" of all to the various archaic English expressions which were supposed to evoke a sense of elevation, reverence and awe, according to the proponents of the translation. Instead, the language in many cases simply sounds and feels remote and artificial according to the many comments made by parishioners. Furthermore, and this is something not mentioned by Fr. Donahue, but something that I feel is quite significant: From what I have experienced over these months in assisting as deacon at many Masses presided over by many different priests has been a tendency to "re-write" (especially the Collects) the prayers, usually on the fly, in order to help them be more understandable in proclaimed form. While I applaud the pastoral sensitivity involved, I would simply point out that this opens the door to increasing adaptation of the very texts which its designers sought to avoid!<br />
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More disturbing, of course, is the further "distancing" caused by many of the choices made in the new translation. By focusing exclusively on the Latin text, and despite the claims of proponents to the contrary, we have distanced our liturgical language from our more ancient scriptural and liturgical roots. "Faithfulness to the Latin" -- and even how well that claim stands up to scrutiny is a matter of debate in itself! -- has undercut the intentions of both <i>Dei Verbum</i> and <i>Sacrosanctum Concilium</i> by cutting us off not only from the more ancient terms found in Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew, but from the rich tapestry of meanings those ancient terms sought to convey. Vatican II wanted the sacraments to be characterized by a "noble simplicity", and in language accessible to all with ease.<br />
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Turning to Fr. Donahue's specific question, I would only add that, in my opinion, the repeated use of "chalice" constitutes an anachronism. The term "chalice" in modern times has come to mean the kind of liturgical vessel familiar to many at Mass; we don't speak of wine "chalices" in our homes, or even in fancy restaurants. The term is almost exclusively used in reference to a church vessel. As Fr. Donahue points out, there was a Greek version of a more ornate liturgical vessel reflected by its own Greek word, but the fact is, such a Temple cup was NOT what Christ used, nor is that what is referred to throughout most of Judeo-Christian scriptures! What IS referred to is a cup, plain and simple. To retroject the word "chalice" into the liturgical language is, in short, anachronistic, misplaced, and misleading. Put simply, the focus of the translation seems to be on the first half of the communications loop: finding the right symbols and meanings to translate the Latin text, without paying any real significant attention to the second half of the loop: How will all of this be received, translated and interpreted by the people receiving the message?<br />
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I find it interesting and amusing that even Hollywood understands all of this quite well, and perhaps the proponents of the change from "cup" to "chalice" might have benefited from re-watching that great theological epic, <i>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade </i>(which, I might point out, was all about the quest for the Holy Grail: the CUP that Jesus used at the Last Supper). In the climactic scene the villain and the hero must choose which vessel was the one used by Christ. The villain chooses the most ornate "chalice" of all the vessels there, saying that this was truly worthy of "the King of Kings"; in doing so, in "choosing poorly" (as the ancient guardian proclaims), the villain is doomed. The hero, conversely, chooses the "cup" of a carpenter's son; he has "chosen wisely" and is able to find renewed life.<br />
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<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-_IlNbsILLE&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>As a deacon, linguist and theologian, I have found the journey of "reception" of the newest translation of the Roman Missal to be a mixed bag at best. These "little" examples ("cup" vs. "chalice", "many" vs "all", and of course who can forget "dewfall," "consubstantial" and "oblation"?) add up to an effective rejection of the positions taken by the world's Catholic bishops gathering in council at Vatican II: that the liturgy should be expressed in language easily understood, grounded in the most ancient Tradition of the church, and in ways that would ensure the "full, conscious and active participation" of all. I find that just the opposite is happening, and that many of our parishioners are finding that when coupled with so many other examples of ecclesial "distancing" from the real lives and problems of people, this becomes just one more reason to walk away from the institutional dimensions of the Church.<br />
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The symbols chosen for us are not being interpreted and understood as intended, which means we must go back to the drawing board and try again. We must choose wisely.<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-36678664485005636592012-05-04T16:33:00.001-07:002012-05-04T16:33:33.978-07:00Vatican II, Conscience, Error and RightsMuch has been written lately about "conscience" as it relates to public policy in the United States. There have been statements about policies which would expect "the Church" or "institutions of the Church" (such as hospitals and schools) to "violate their consciences." It seems to me that a helpful and necessary first step in reflecting on all of this is a quick review of the Church's teaching on the nature and exercise of "conscience." To do that, we turn to the Second Vatican Council.<br />
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In the Council's <i>Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World</i> (#16) we read: "Deep within his conscience a person discovers a law which he
has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling
him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells him inwardly
at the right moment: do this, shun that. For a person has in his heart a law
inscribed by God. His dignity lies in observing this law, and by it he
will be judged. His conscience is man's most secret core, and his
sanctuary." This quote gives us one of the best descriptions out there about the conscience. Notice that this is not a corporate conscience, but a radically individual conscience: "There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths."<br />
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Later in the same document (#76), the public impact of individual conscience is described: "It is of supreme importance, especially in a
pluralistic society, to work out a proper vision of the relationship
between the political community and the Church, and to distinguish clearly
between the activities of Christians, acting individually or collectively
in their own name as citizens guided by the dictates of Christian
conscience, and their activity acting along with their pastors in the name
of the Church." Perhaps this is precisely the point we find ourselves struggling with at this point of time in our political life: we are involved in trying to "work out" that vision.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8hw5qo-sdKzgpLKjVRonxxigFOjLiWdH3pHwOzyBW1VISeS42Nz72J8_CeNR_f-TxsSnVrx_z3tKys1Hi7XgEgrMMz2ZKiMhnaIai6LxJBmQI4Z8I5UqCXMgmet2zCeJZ5qaUP3QlOxj/s1600/Bea+and+John+XXIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8hw5qo-sdKzgpLKjVRonxxigFOjLiWdH3pHwOzyBW1VISeS42Nz72J8_CeNR_f-TxsSnVrx_z3tKys1Hi7XgEgrMMz2ZKiMhnaIai6LxJBmQI4Z8I5UqCXMgmet2zCeJZ5qaUP3QlOxj/s200/Bea+and+John+XXIII.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardinal Bea with Blessed John XXIII</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardinal Bea</td></tr>
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The other day, during a conversation on some of these issues, a person quoted the old cliche that "error has no rights" and, in his opinion, that ended the argument! I came across a wonderful insight from one of the great leaders of the Second Vatican Council: Cardinal Augustin Bea. Cardinal Bea, a Bavarian Jesuit and a close friend of Pope John XXIII, was a long-time scripture scholar who had been Pope Pius XII's confessor. Pope John created Fr. Bea a Cardinal (he was not a bishop) in 1959, and he became the first head of the office promoting Christian Unity and the relationship of the Catholic Church to other faiths. On 13 January 1963, after the second session of the Council, Cardinal Bea gave a lecture at Pro Deo University in Rome. During his talk, he spoke of the liberty of conscience and that he would be working on the document which would address "the inviolability of the human conscience as the final right of every person, no matter what his religious beliefs or ideological allegiance." He referred to the axiom that "error has no right to exist," but he proclaimed that although this is a popular expression used "glibly by"certain Catholic apologists," this statement is "<b>sheer nonsense</b>." He correctly (in my opinion) points out that "error is an abstract concept incapable of either rights or obligations." Rather, it is human persons who have rights, and even when persons are in error "their right to freedom of conscience was absolute."<br />
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I'll wrap this up for now, although I'm sure we will all continue to reflect on all of this over the days, weeks and months ahead.<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-31024108838070005402012-05-02T19:57:00.000-07:002012-05-02T19:57:14.856-07:00Pastoral Ministry in a "Time of Testing"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XOWer6evJ6ShhG-C2OOMNb236cpegErWSLh-QY5ILHX7-lVQH7td8AG3RhNz8lwFzyfnuSpSxQ4Qxw7d9FafjBYbE9dERi5mUmURgCANq-5Sg-0uqpa9pg360PQXKMMmkBArmsVYEVIP/s1600/3545774_1_Wunibald_Mller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XOWer6evJ6ShhG-C2OOMNb236cpegErWSLh-QY5ILHX7-lVQH7td8AG3RhNz8lwFzyfnuSpSxQ4Qxw7d9FafjBYbE9dERi5mUmURgCANq-5Sg-0uqpa9pg360PQXKMMmkBArmsVYEVIP/s320/3545774_1_Wunibald_Mller.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Wunibald Muller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Benedictine Father Anthony Ruff, at the <i>PrayTell</i> blog, recently offered a translation of a talk given by psychologist Wunibald Muller at a recent conference at the University of Graz in Austria. Fr. Ruff's post may be read in its entirety <a href="http://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2012/04/28/a-time-of-testing-for-pastoral-ministers/">here</a>. The talk gives some fascinating insights into the mind of the pastoral ministers who have consulted Dr. Muller, including the following:<br />
<br />
1) He speaks "a growing chasm between personal convictions and what
is expected by church employers, between personal dialogue and a 'clericalist manner'. . . . Many pastoral workers suffer from being overburdened,
oftentimes along with health problems such as burn-out."<br />
<br />
2) He describes church ministers who “went into ministry <strong style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">under completely different conditions</strong>, with <strong style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">completely different expectations</strong>.” Church workers report with ever greater frequency that they strive to be loyal to the church, but this makes them feel “<strong style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">disloyal to their own soul</strong>.”<br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">3) </span>Muller reports that many of the church workers he works with (including members of the clergy) expend much of their energy “<strong style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">maintaining the external facade and hiding what they really think and live</strong>.”<br />
<br />
4) Dr. Muller concludes that the Church's ministers today need an ability to cope with conflict and resilience. “If we as church coworkers do not
wish to become resigned, we must be ready to take up the balancing act
of dealing with the concrete situation in the church on the one hand, <strong style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">without selling our heart and soul</strong> on the other hand.”<br />
<br />
I think many of us in ministry can find much value and resonance in what Dr. Muller has found in his work with other pastoral ministers. He refers to a need for ministers to find "crisis energy" in dealing with this "chasm." I also think all of us can benefit from a serious reflection on where we find ourselves in this issue. The results of dealing with such a crisis on a personal level can lead to ministerial burnout and worse. In keeping with my last posting, regarding the balance between contemplation and action, much of our prayerful contemplation must include an honest assessment of where we find ourselves in terms of personal conviction and public responsibilities.<br />
<br />
What do you think?Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-42843296956706797262012-05-01T14:12:00.001-07:002012-05-01T14:12:30.778-07:00Diaconal Balance: Contemplation and ActionOver at "Whispers in the Loggia," Rocco <a href="http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/">recently reported</a> on the papal audience of 25 April, in which Pope Benedict reflected extensively on <i>Acts </i>6. Since this passage has often been associated throughout the Tradition as having particular relevance for deacons, I offer the following.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbD0pm2axvgejPDkjvbEia7t0CW8uvW0yYplOjHG8x9FKMKrB0JqHTGLBap2lH_AePBIKRWCexdP7F5rGI2c5hbIhrF8ROk0sNUn1jTGPQXR_p3hAoaLCvT05BLHLqc0biGfx9S2gvhWKI/s1600/Contemplation+then+Action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbD0pm2axvgejPDkjvbEia7t0CW8uvW0yYplOjHG8x9FKMKrB0JqHTGLBap2lH_AePBIKRWCexdP7F5rGI2c5hbIhrF8ROk0sNUn1jTGPQXR_p3hAoaLCvT05BLHLqc0biGfx9S2gvhWKI/s320/Contemplation+then+Action.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplation -- then, Action!</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The pope, in his remarks, drew attention to Peter’s understanding of
the problem being faced by the growing number of Christians living in Jerusalem:
On the one hand, the needs of the Greek speaking community of Jerusalem needed
to be met, and quickly; on the other, the Twelve recognized that they couldn’t
do it all by themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They needed to
remain free for prayer and preaching the Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both contemplation and action were needed as
part of the Christian community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
pope noted: “In every age the saints have stressed the deep vital unity between
contemplation and activity.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I have written often about the balance that is
essential in the ministry and life of a permanent deacon: balance between
family and ministerial obligations, balance between his secular employment and
ecclesial ministry, and even the balance that should exist between and among
the deacon’s participation in the three-fold service of Word, Sacrament and
Charity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the pope has pointed
out perhaps the most fundamental balancing act for all of us in ministry: the
balance between prayerful contemplation and ministerial action.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Prayer, nourished by faith and enlightened by God’s word,
enables us to see things in a new way and to respond to new situations with the
wisdom and insight bestowed by the Holy Spirit,” observed the pope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This form of “contemplative seeing” should be
at the heart of all Christians, especially those called and ordained to serve
others in the person of Christ and in the name of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter directs the community to find seven
persons of good reputation who are filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three attributes are important.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Good reputation” means that those selected already have
credibility within their own community prior to any subsequent responsibilities
they may assume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We frequently remind
seminarians and candidates for the diaconate that we are looking for people who
are already living lives of service; our vocations come from God, not something that
we choose or can be “trained” to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Good reputation” has a practical dimension as well: such people will be
more effective in the community because they have already established a
relationship of trust and responsibility within the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wisdom” has long been associated with the
very nature and presence of God within our Tradition; so much more than simple
human knowledge, wisdom sees as God sees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finally, it is only through the action of the Holy Spirit that anything
can be accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is particularly
noteworthy that Peter asks the community to identify candidates who already
have all three of these attributes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
does not say that the candidates will “receive” these traits after ordination;
good reputation, the Holy Spirit and wisdom are all prerequisites for the ordination
that will come later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHse4yObTRLfCvEZvrsCBmPCqrcMbMr-XUYOOKTw0-CNj9Mnob5yZfQP3BFFbiIjlQcXETiFiBMy3uMfA7hEoVzwcmhi72Zmdd5QsSsvPKGv0kvNeUcpbFyX1gbiNnCq42wUGvbLK2yE5/s1600/jesus-desert1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHse4yObTRLfCvEZvrsCBmPCqrcMbMr-XUYOOKTw0-CNj9Mnob5yZfQP3BFFbiIjlQcXETiFiBMy3uMfA7hEoVzwcmhi72Zmdd5QsSsvPKGv0kvNeUcpbFyX1gbiNnCq42wUGvbLK2yE5/s320/jesus-desert1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplation -- then, Action!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">How are we doing on keeping this
balance in our own lives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we find the
time for prayer and contemplation, and then, do we find the opportunities to
take concrete action to serve the real needs of people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pope Benedict observed that the Seven “cannot
just be organizers who know what they are doing, but they must do so in the
spirit of faith, with the light of God, in the wisdom of the heart and
therefore their function, although mainly practical, however, is a spiritual
function. Charity and justice are not only social actions, but they are
spiritual actions made in light of the Holy Spirit.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The pope concludes his reflection with an insight that,
while applicable to all disciples, should certainly be inscribed on the hearts
of all the ordained: “In our own daily lives and decisions, may we always draw
fresh spiritual breath from the two lungs of prayer and the word of God; in
this way, we will respond to every challenge and situation with wisdom,
understanding and fidelity to God’s will.”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-80018203538946213392012-03-19T17:33:00.000-07:002012-03-19T17:33:23.191-07:00Permanent Deacons and Politics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LMSfqAlrJtpAm5yu2Ywjbj0R2_UWie2kQ7w2PY4JR9MA1C-X6m1GzEuRVvIlY_bUC6EO2CLk5mxhyGwhjqHK3KMJnKfzsRcjczGJvf7qwpX2g5vCPWD7A5lBbP7JSUZnEPmmAYVMngx7/s1600/politics-religion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LMSfqAlrJtpAm5yu2Ywjbj0R2_UWie2kQ7w2PY4JR9MA1C-X6m1GzEuRVvIlY_bUC6EO2CLk5mxhyGwhjqHK3KMJnKfzsRcjczGJvf7qwpX2g5vCPWD7A5lBbP7JSUZnEPmmAYVMngx7/s200/politics-religion.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
In a forthcoming column for a national magazine intended for Catholic priests, I discuss the participation of deacons (and in particular, those commonly referred to as "permanent" deacons) in politics, based on the provisions of canon (universal) and particular law. This question is made especially important given the growing presence of deacons and priests in the blogosphere and in other social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. So, I thought I would put the substance of what I wrote here as well.<br />
<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span> A</span></span>s the political primary season continues,
nothing could be more current than a review of the rather unique situation of
the deacon in the political life of a nation, with a particular view of the
deacon in American politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems
especially appropriate since increasingly deacons are joining millions of other
Americans in their use of social media and are blogging, tweeting, writing,
speaking and teaching at every conceivable level, and even venues formerly
considered more informal, such as Facebook, have become sources of public
discourse on the political process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is important to reflect on our own participation in such exchanges in light of
our responsibilities as clergy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
often not what we say, or don’t say, from the pulpit that can influence others,
but our casual “status update” on Facebook, a blog entry or even a tweet can
have far-reaching effects.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Canon 285
directs that “clerics are to refrain completely from all those things which are
unbecoming to their state, according to the prescripts of particular law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The canon continues in §3: “Clerics are
forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise
of civil power,” and §4 forbids clerics from “secular offices which entail an
obligation of rendering accounts. . . .”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Canon 287, §1 reminds all clerics that “most especially, [they] are
always to foster the peace and harmony based on justice which are to be
observed among people,” and §2 directs that “they are not to have an active
part in political parties and in governing labor unions unless, in the judgment
of competent ecclesiastical authority, the protection of the rights of the
Church or the promotion of the common good requires it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
However,
c. 288 specifically relieves permanent deacons (transitional deacons would
still bound) of a number of the prior canons, including cc. 285 §§3 and 4, and
287 §2, “unless particular law establishes otherwise.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Particular law in this instance is provided
by the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">National Directory on the
Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States</i>,
which states at #91: “A permanent deacon may not present his name for election
to any public office or in any other general election, or accept a nomination
or an appointment to public office, without the prior written permission of the
diocesan bishop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A permanent deacon may
not actively and publicly participate in another’s political campaign without
the prior written permission of the diocesan bishop.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The diocesan bishop may also create
particular law within his own diocese on such matters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one case, a diocesan bishop notified his
clergy that if anyone could even infer, through their speech, manner or
demeanor, which political party or candidate the cleric was supporting, then
that cleric had gone too far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we
are each entitled to form our own political decisions for ourselves, we must
always be aware of the political lines we must not cross.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Let’s
put this all together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deacons, although
clerics, may participate in political life to a degree not permitted other
clerics under the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, they are
required by particular law in the United States to obtain the prior written
permission of their diocesan bishop to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I find that two other aspects of this matter are too often
overlooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, is the requirement
under the law that all clerics (and, most significantly, permanent deacons are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> relieved of this obligation) are
bound by c. 287 always “to foster peace and harmony based on justice.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is such a critical point for reflection
for all clerics: How do my actions, words, and insinuations foster such peace
and harmony, or are my actions serving to sow discord and disharmony?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since permanent deacons may become more
engaged in the political sphere than presbyters (with the permission of their
bishop), this will take on particular relevance for deacons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second is the whole area of participation in
political campaigns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deacons may only
participate in their own <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or someone
else’s</i> political campaign with the prior written permission of their
bishop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, when political support is
often reflected through the social media, all of us might well reflect on how
our opinions stated via these media constitute active participation in someone’s
political campaign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">
All of
us, lay and cleric, are obliged to participate appropriately in the political
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as clerics – and in a
particularly challenging way, deacons – we must walk a fine moral tightrope in
doing so.</div>
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-10502890494548725842012-03-19T17:20:00.000-07:002012-03-19T17:20:12.329-07:00The Institute of St. Lawrence of Rome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I reported in my last post, I have recently been to Rome for meetings at the Vatican. A new graduate studies institute is being created, with the formal approval of the Holy See, which will focus on all matters related to <i>diakonia</i> and the renewed diaconate in the Catholic Church. The Institute of St. Lawrence has been founded by three deacon-professors: Deacon Dr. Enzo Petrolino of Italy, Deacon Rob Mascini of the Netherlands, and myself.<br />
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The new Institute will be headquartered at the Lateran University in Rome, with courses being taught at several of the other so-called "Pontifical" universities as well, such as the Biblicum, the Angelicum, the Augustinianum (or Patristicum), and so on. The courses will all be taught for graduate credit, and are not designed for those in formation for ordination, unless those candidates already have significant theological background and are pursuing either a Master's or Doctorate. In short, any person who is eligible for graduate education in Theology is welcome. The goals of the Institute are quite simple: to provide an opportunity for advanced research on the diaconate, and to create an archive of such research to support future scholarship.<br />
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Students will be able to proceed in one of two ways. They may either take all of the courses offered over a three-year summer program and obtain a Master's degree in diaconal study from the Lateran, or they may take courses to be applied to an existing program at another accredited institution. For example, if one of our graduate students at Santa Clara University wishes to take a couple of the courses and apply those credits to their program here at Santa Clara, that will be perfectly fine. All of the Institute's courses are fully accredited.<br />
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Each course will consist of significant work (background reading, research) prior to coming to Rome for a one week intensive seminar; normally, there will be lectures in the mornings, with afternoons free for research, group study, and other activities related to the course. Then, after students leave Rome, they prepare a major research paper or project. We intend to offer three of these one-week sessions each summer for a three year cycle. So, if a student simply wants one of the three courses, that's fine; if they wish to do all three (!) then in theory they could stay for the whole three weeks.<br />
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The Institute will be launched in June 2013 when we begin our first courses. Once the dates and other course information is finalized in a month or so, I will be publishing the information extensively through the USCCB, Deacon Digest, and a variety of other sources.<br />
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This is an exciting project and I ask for your prayers for its success.<br />
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Oh, and while I was walking down the street one day in Rome, this white golf cart pulled up. . . .<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-23959010221110026052012-03-04T10:14:00.001-08:002012-03-04T11:47:44.410-08:00Preghiamo, tutti!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I write this, I'm at JFK International. I just finished giving a couple of talks at a Deacon Convocation nearby, and now I'm preparing for a flight to Rome later this afternoon. I ask for your prayers as my colleagues and I finalize some details for a new graduate Institute of Advanced Studies on the Diaconate in Rome.<br />
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The Institute will bring together scholars from all over the world who will teach graduate courses on every aspect of diakonia and diaconate. Archeologists, theologians of every specialization, canon lawyers, and so on are all welcome. Each course will involve extensive preparatory work, often online, before coming to Rome for a one-week long intensive seminar. Each student will then prepare a research paper after Rome. The opportunity in Rome will include lectures offered at the appropriate pontifical university (for example, courses on the spirituality of diakonia would be offered at the Teresianum), the opportunity for fellowship and social interaction with students from around the world, and access to significant research materials available in Rome and the Vatican.<br />
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The three "founders" of the Institute include a deacon-professor from Italy, another from the Netherlands, and myself. The Institute has already been granted an official "recognitio" from the Holy See, so the courses will be offered for credit either through the professor's home university, or through the Lateranum.<br />
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I'll post as I can over the next week, but for now I simply ask for your prayers!Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-38190347332429954182012-02-27T11:42:00.001-08:002012-02-27T12:22:39.838-08:00Wandering in the Lenten Desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my 62 years of life, all of which I have spent as a Catholic, including more than a quarter of a century of Catholic education from elementary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate schools, this Lent feels the most dismal of them all -- at least to me. There is so much that is absolutely grand and wonderful in our Catholic expression of Judaeo-Christian faith! All of the efforts of so many good people: lay persons who give of themselves over and over again for the good of their neighbors; religious women and men who are dedicated to the visions of their founders in prayer and outreach; the many dedicated people of all states of life serving on parish, diocesan, national and international staffs doing their best to help. The bishops, deacons and priests who are good, normal, down-to-earth pastoral and loving men who want only to be the best ministers of the Gospel they can be.<br />
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And yet, so many of the human elements of the institutional side of the church have succeeded in tarnishing, trashing, and for so many people of good faith, demolishing the whole experience. The Church is so much more than the "institution", as Jesuit Avery Dulles always stressed, but it is this external edifice that usually draws the most negative attention to itself. And it is often those externals that have affected our families, our friends, and ourselves most significantly. Is it any wonder that so many people find peace in saying that they are people of faith, but that they are not "religious"? We can try to correct that view by saying that religion is more than the externals, but those words can sound awfully hollow and false to someone suffering great pain at the hands of external religious practices and authorities.<br />
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<i>America </i>magazine's associate editor Kevin Clarke recently wrote a very thoughtful piece for the Washington Post, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/lent-in-a-time-of-a-catholic-culture-war/2012/02/21/gIQAR9u6SR_blog.html">which can be read in its entirety here</a>. Clarke writes in part:<br />
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Outsiders are locking miters with the U.S. Catholic bishops, but
inside the church itself a creeping factionalism accelerates the animus.
On the left, Catholic “progressives” mock the bishops, seeing them as a
crooked gang of celibate old men making rules for women; and on the
right, conservative firebreathers continue their scorched church policy,
offering new directions toward exit doors for Catholics caught in the
middle. See these Christians: how they love to fight each other.</blockquote>
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This is not what I signed on for. Where’s all the good stuff that
used to energize me about being Catholic? Where’s all the feeding of the
hungry, the clothing of the naked, the caring for the sick, the loving
as we have been loved? Where is the community gathered to break bread
not heads? The broader secular culture already regards us as somewhere
between delusional and dangerous, we seem to be hurrying to confirm that
diagnosis.</blockquote>
Speaking for myself at least, I find Kevin's reflection an exact echo of my own feelings this Lent. <br />
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I have the sense that we Catholics, this Lent, have some serious soul-searching to do during this period of Purification and Enlightenment (as we refer to it in the RCIA). Anyone who has followed the blogosphere or any number of media outlets covering the latest scandals, the latest lawsuits, the latest public debates on religious freedom realizes that it is not only WHAT people are saying that is so disturbing, but HOW they are saying it! Is this REALLY how Catholic Christians should engage in the kind of serious, reasoned discourse that our contemporary world -- and its amazingly complex realities -- deserves? How does this kind of public behavior reflect the inner transformation that should mark our ongoing <i>metanoia</i> as people of faith?<br />
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Specifically for readers of this blog (assuming there are any! LOL!): how can we deacons best serve the common good of all peoples? How can we find ways to reconcile and unite rather than continue the vitriolic alienation of good people who are simply trying to do their best with their lives?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oxxSag-A2MJw57pXujxOHHgzzdRKSKaN2RQrlyRyXnf551QJcsru8QtBbk_Z-F1YqhyKc1jW3m9KYJdr4lUGwSeFtRV5RWY-gJ0kAcf-JHwbBYgun39XoqzuuDrzl3HXSI-LUJa4jFBo/s1600/jesus-desert1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oxxSag-A2MJw57pXujxOHHgzzdRKSKaN2RQrlyRyXnf551QJcsru8QtBbk_Z-F1YqhyKc1jW3m9KYJdr4lUGwSeFtRV5RWY-gJ0kAcf-JHwbBYgun39XoqzuuDrzl3HXSI-LUJa4jFBo/s320/jesus-desert1.jpg" width="320" /></a>In Hebrew numerology, the number 40 is always associated with a period of human preparation and testing for a mission. It is, in a way, a kind of spiritual "boot camp" to prepare people for what is to come next. The forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert on their way from slavery into the freedom of the Promised Land were to help prepare them for their new covenant with God. The forty days and nights of the great Flood were to prepare the people for the new covenant with God. The forty days Jesus spent in the desert being tempted were to prepare him for his own public ministry.<br />
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May our own desert wanderings this Lent help us find ways to move from the slavery of our own passions, anger, resentments and pain into a Promised Land of freedom of the Christ who came to reconcile all things, to heal and to save. We need that Light today more than ever, not the Darkness that seems so often to be engulfing us.<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-47383194345309169802012-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:002012-02-08T13:12:00.798-08:00Sorry for the silenceJust a brief note: I am sorry that I have been so remiss in posting anything here lately! Not only have things been particularly busy in my ministerial and professional responsibilities, but we have been dealing with some family matters that have demanded attention.<br />
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So, I ask for your prayers and understanding.<br />
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I hope to be blogging more regularly shortly!<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-396236289372204292012-01-25T20:14:00.000-08:002012-01-25T20:17:07.300-08:00Marking a Wonderful MilestoneWhile personal and professional obligations have kept me from blogging over the last couple of weeks, I hope to get back on track soon. I could not, however, let the day pass without honoring a most significant date in Church history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLNKCHfpZbilw-q71i_6enzPUomTcew8A9qzdNOQl-mZjcN4pSnMLJfdy21dchEg5SMz9cJyoC-M_v_BxidDDZYZkX-DbOhsMMHSFpIP49JnQhxee9ZzwQ9K6SIRuxmpM0xp22LzbA9xJ/s1600/john_xxiii_san_paolo_1959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLNKCHfpZbilw-q71i_6enzPUomTcew8A9qzdNOQl-mZjcN4pSnMLJfdy21dchEg5SMz9cJyoC-M_v_BxidDDZYZkX-DbOhsMMHSFpIP49JnQhxee9ZzwQ9K6SIRuxmpM0xp22LzbA9xJ/s320/john_xxiii_san_paolo_1959.jpg" width="320" /></a>On this date, 25 January 1959, 53 years ago, Blessed Pope John XXIII announced his intention to convoke the Ecumenical (General) Council which would come to be known as the Second Vatican Council. You can read an excellent take on this event <a href="http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/curial-horror-greeted-john-xxiiis-announcement-ecumenical-council">HERE</a>. What is interesting, and quite disturbing, however, are some of the negative responses about the Council found in the comboxes following the article! As someone who lived through and studied the Council ever since, I find the misconceptions and downright disinformation about the Council that exists "out there" to be most appalling.<br />
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Most scholars of the 21 ecumenical councils recognized by the Catholic Church agree that it takes many decades, perhaps 100 years or so, for a Council to be "received" substantively. If that's accurate, we're only about half-way there!<br />
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Keep the Council alive! <br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-22906411594960376172012-01-08T17:13:00.000-08:002012-01-08T17:13:07.571-08:00"But I can't see Jesus": A Reflection on the EpiphanyFor nearly the last time this Christmas season: Merry Christmas!<br />
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Today, of course, is the great celebration of the Epiphany. The Greek word means "manifestation" or "showing"; in the Eastern part of the Church, the feast is called the Theophany,which means "manifestation of God." Unfortunately, we often find our communities focusing their attention on "the Three Kings" and miss the larger vision behind it. Certainly, the story of the magi coming to give homage to the Christ is the heart of the Gospel, but the fact behind the magi is that God has manifested Himself to the entire world in the child Christ. This was brought home to me this morning at the first Mass of the day by one of the most astute of our parishioners: a little girl sitting with her family.<br />
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This morning, our nativity scene near the front of the church was completed with the addition of the figures of the three kings. After the Opening Collect, as we were all sitting down for the first reading, this brilliant child turned to her mother and said, in a clear voice, "But I can't see Jesus!" Exactly! The Epiphany is about seeing God in Jesus.<br />
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Two things were brought home to me through our young parishioner.<br />
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First, what do I/we have to do to help her see God in Jesus? What would we do, in practical terms? We could, for example, lift her up so she can "see" better. What can I do to "see" the Christ better? Just as I might have to "stretch" to "see better", how must I stretch myself spiritually to see the Christ? How can I help others to stretch themselves? At the same time, what is obstructing the view? How might I be able to remove those obstructions? It's all about seeing God in Jesus.<br />
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Second, God wants to be a part of lives. God comes to us and is visible to us. The truly remarkable thing is that the all-powerful, all-loving God could come to us in any number of ways. God chose to come to us in the most vulnerable way imaginable: as a human child. Just we find ourselves drawn to this child, we should be finding ourselves drawn to God-With-Us ("Emmanuel" = "God with us").<br />
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Finally, we can see this spelled out in the Profession of Faith, the Creed. Nearly everyone realizes that the English word "creed" comes from the Latin word "credo": "I believe." However, not as many people know that the word <i>credo</i> itself comes from two other Latin words: <i>cor</i> (heart) and <i>do</i> (I give). Literally, when we pray the Creed at Mass, we are saying, "I give my heart to Almighty God. . . , I give my heart to Jesus Christ. . . , I give my heart to the Holy Spirit. . . ." Think of when we might use that expression in our daily lives: it's focus is on the relationship involved. The Creed, therefore, is not some list of theological propositions that we treat as some kind of "Christian check list". It is, rather, a cry from the heart about the relationship we put at the heart of who we are: our relationship with God.<br />
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"I can't see Jesus": Let's do all we can to remove the obstacles to our relationship with God, to stretch ourselves, and to help others do the same!<br />
<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-68610099323573760852012-01-02T12:16:00.000-08:002012-01-02T17:39:12.080-08:00"Only a deacon": A New Year's Reflection on the Role of the Deacon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a couple of months I will celebrate 22 years of service as a deacon. The photo at left was taken during the Mass of ordination, with Cardinal James Hickey of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC as principal celebrant, Fr. Jack Smith who was my pastor at the time and Fr. Tom Henseler, a friend of mine for many years, as concelebrants (Fr. Tom Kalita was also a concelebrant, but he's not visible in the photo). Even though this photo is from the Concluding Doxology of that Mass, with me elevating the chalice next to Cardinal Hickey, it brings back so many wonderful memories of that day and of the entire ordination ceremony.<br />
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One of the parts of that ceremony includes the bishop asking a series of questions of the candidate, so that he is assured that the candidate is free, ready and willing to assume the responsibilities of the order to which he is to be ordained. In conjunction with that, I've been thinking about the number of times over those years that I've heard the expression "only a deacon."<br />
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-- "Since you're only a deacon, what can't you do that Father does?"<br />
-- "Oh, he can't do that -- he's only a deacon."<br />
-- [sometimes even deacons get it wrong]: "Oh, I'm not a leader; I'm only a deacon"!<br />
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Some years ago a friend pointed me to a wonderful homily preached at the ordination of deacons. This ordination was within the Episcopalian Church, and the bishop-homilist was Bishop John W. Howe of Central Florida. Just as within the Catholic Church, the bishop was about to ask his ordinands a series of questions. Here's what the bishop had to say:<br />
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“In a few minutes I’m going to ask the ordinands this
question: “Do you believe you are truly called by God and his Church to the
life and work of a deacon?”</div>
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This isn't one of the questions we get asked in the Catholic Church, but it's a good one! The bishop went on in his homily to describe the work of those first two men traditionally associated with being deacons: St. Stephen (the protomartyr) and St. Philip, who's stories are found in Acts 6-8. St. Stephen, of course, is described as a powerful preacher and witness of Jesus Christ, who ultimately is martyred for his strong preaching. St. Philip is described as being filled with the Holy Spirit (like Stephen) and being led by the Spirit to various place to catechize. In particular we find Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, explaining the scriptures to him and, at the official's request, baptizing him before being led by the Spirit someplace else. The bishop continues:</div>
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So: in the stories of these two men, Stephen and Philip, I
suggest we have the beginning, at least, of the job description of a
deacon. A deacon is to be: a person of
good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, full of grace and
power, with a servant’s heart, available to God for menial tasks, or to confront
the authorities, speaking truth to power.
A deacon is to be a channel for signs, wonders, healings and even
exorcisms; an evangelist, a student of scripture, obedient to the promptings of
the Spirit, willing to minister to the one or the many; blind to color, race,
or station, courageous in witness, and faithful unto death. </div>
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If your answer to my question is “Yes,” I don’t ever want to
hear any of you say 'I’m only a deacon.'</div>
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So, having just celebrated the feast of St. Stephen last week, all of us -- and in particular, deacons -- can take a good lesson from the bishop's homily. And don't let me ever hear any of you say, "I'm only a deacon"!<br />
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Merry Christmas!Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595608247665759734.post-20374362451560002562011-12-29T17:06:00.000-08:002011-12-29T17:06:41.611-08:00"A Deacon! A Miserable Deacon!": St. Thomas Becket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today we remember the famous saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his own cathedral by knights under the influence of the king and Becket's former friend, Henry II. What many people forget about St. Thomas is that he was a deacon; in fact, he was once the archdeacon of Canterbury under Archbishop Theobald. He left that office (of archdeacon) when asked by his friend Henry to take over as Chancellor of England.<br />
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Back in college seminary, I took the role of Becket in a production of Jean Anouilh's play of the same name. While many critics have rightly criticized Anouilh's historical accuracy, no one can doubt that he captures the personalities involved beautifully, and many actors have enjoyed playing these roles, including Richard Burton (Becket) and Peter O'Toole (Henry) in the movie version of of the play.<br />
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One bit of history that Anouilh appears to have appreciated accurately is the fact of Becket's diaconate! In one of the early scenes of the play (watered down in the movie), the king has just presented his new Chancellor to the Archbishop and other Church leaders. While the Archbishop is gracious enough, it is clear that the other bishops in attendance are not pleased, especially when they realize that young deacon Thomas is "switching sides":<br />
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Becket: My Lord and King has given me his Seal with the Three Lions to guard. My mother is England now.</blockquote>
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Folliot (the bishop of London): A deacon! A miserable deacon nourished in our bosom! Traitor! Little viper! Libertine! Sycophant! Saxon!</blockquote>
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I suppose there have been other pastors who have felt the same way about their deacons! One lesson that we can all learn from Becket, of course, is his courage in speaking truth to power, whether that power is found in the structures of the church or in secular authority. May God continue to grant us all the same courage in our own lives and ministry!<br />
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<br />Deacon William T. Ditewig, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11525431509279159558noreply@blogger.com2