But if it were to seep into the Church, “it would be infinitely more disastrous than any other worldliness which is simply moral”.[71]. It constantly seeks to communicate more effectively the truth of the Gospel in a specific context, without renouncing the truth, the goodness and the light which it can bring whenever perfection is not possible. Some of its manuscripts contain a brief mention of a female pope named Johanna (the earliest source to attach to her the female form of the name), but all these manuscripts are later than Martin's work. In addition, I have sought advice from a number of people and I intend to express my own concerns about this particular chapter of the Church’s work of evangelization. No to a financial system which rules rather than serves, 57. From the heart of the Gospel we see the profound connection between evangelization and human advancement, which must necessarily find expression and develop in every work of evangelization. ibid., 81-87: Enchiridion Vaticanum 15, Nos. 30. These gifts are meant to renew and build up the Church. On 7 October 855, Benedict III issued a charter for the Abbey of Corvey. From the heart of the Gospel [34-39], IV. [176] John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici (30 December 1988), 37: AAS 81 (1989), 461. It is the convergence of peoples who, within the universal order, maintain their own individuality; it is the sum total of persons within a society which pursues the common good, which truly has a place for everyone. As the Son, he rejoices eternally to be “close to the Father’s heart” (Jn 1:18). [174] We need to be convinced that charity “is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones)”. A true missionary, who never ceases to be a disciple, knows that Jesus walks with him, speaks to him, breathes with him, works with him. We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. 70. It has to do with the lifestyle of a given society, the specific way in which its members relate to one another, to other creatures and to God. These are words that are suitable in theology or catechesis, but whose meaning is incomprehensible to the majority of Christians. It may be that the Lord uses our sacrifices to shower blessings in another part of the world which we will never visit. Each meaningful economic decision made in one part of the world has repercussions everywhere else; consequently, no government can act without regard for shared responsibility. [150] All Christians, their pastors included, are called to show concern for the building of a better world. In the end, what we are seeking is the glory of the Father; we live and act “for the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph 1:6). God’s word is unpredictable in its power. 166. Intercession is like a “leaven” in the heart of the Trinity. Saint John of the Cross says that “the thicket of God’s wisdom and knowledge is so deep and so broad that the soul, however much it has come to know of it, can always penetrate deeper within it”. [198] The sacred writings of Islam have retained some Christian teachings; Jesus and Mary receive profound veneration and it is admirable to see how Muslims both young and old, men and women, make time for daily prayer and faithfully take part in religious services. A missionary heart is aware of these limits and makes itself “weak with the weak... everything for everyone” (1 Cor 9:22). This inseparable bond between our acceptance of the message of salvation and genuine fraternal love appears in several scriptural texts which we would do well to meditate upon, in order to appreciate all their consequences. At times our media culture and some intellectual circles convey a marked scepticism with regard to the Church’s message, along with a certain cynicism. As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality,[173] no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems. God created that person in his image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory. So too, Saint Paul, after his encounter with Jesus Christ, “immediately proclaimed Jesus” (Acts 9:20; cf. Something truly new brought about by the Spirit need not overshadow other gifts and spiritualities in making itself felt. 8. The Lord and his people speak to one another in a thousand ways directly, without intermediaries. [141] John Paul II, Message to the Handicapped, Angelus (16 November 1980): Insegnamenti, 3/2 (1980), 1232. This communication takes place in so many different ways that it would be impossible to describe or catalogue them all, and God’s people, with all their many gestures and signs, are its collective subject. All of us need to grow in Christ. 69. The process of secularization tends to reduce the faith and the Church to the sphere of the private and personal. A financial reform open to such ethical considerations would require a vigorous change of approach on the part of political leaders. It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but “by attraction”.[13]. The Father’s free gift which makes us his sons and daughters, and the priority of the gift of his grace (cf. To evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in our world. I encourage everyone to apply the guidelines found in this document generously and courageously, without inhibitions or fear. He vehemently asserted his own authority as patriarch over that of the pope in Rome, and would have made the most of any scandal of that time regarding the papacy; but he never mentions the story once in any of his voluminous writings. But it does not mean that we can weaken the distinct and specific emphasis of a text which we are called to preach. [88] In the diversity of peoples who experience the gift of God, each in accordance with its own culture, the Church expresses her genuine catholicity and shows forth the “beauty of her varied face”. In taking up this task, also among ourselves, we fulfil the ancient prophecy: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares” (Is 2:4). 50. We incarnate the duty of hearing the cry of the poor when we are deeply moved by the suffering of others. We must admit, though, that the call to review and renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented. He said: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). It serves only to offer false hopes to those clamouring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more serious conflicts. 237. [162], The special place of the poor in God’s people. Hus's opponents at this trial insisted that his argument proved no such thing about the independence of the Church, but they did not dispute that there had been a female pope at all. The apostle James exhorted: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness” (Jas 3:1). The message of peace is not about a negotiated settlement but rather the conviction that the unity brought by the Spirit can harmonize every diversity. In this Exhortation I claim only to consider briefly, and from a pastoral perspective, certain factors which can restrain or weaken the impulse of missionary renewal in the Church, either because they threaten the life and dignity of God’s people or because they affect those who are directly involved in the Church’s institutions and in her work of evangelization. The Church’s closeness to Jesus is part of a common journey; “communion and mission are profoundly interconnected”. He then goes on to say: “But I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (Jn 16:22). Salvation came to us from the “yes” uttered by a lowly maiden from a small town on the fringes of a great empire. When evangelizers rise from prayer, their hearts are more open; freed of self-absorption, they are desirous of doing good and sharing their lives with others. II. Th., II-II, q. Various authors, in the 16th and 17th centuries, occupied themselves with Pope Joan, but it was from the point of view of the polemic engaged in between the partisans of Lutheran or Calvinist reform and the apologists of Catholicism. The Gospel tells us that when the first disciples went forth to preach, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message” (Mk 16:20). Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of hope! It is not enough that evangelizers be concerned to reach each person, or that the Gospel be proclaimed to the cultures as a whole. [17] Fifth General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, Aparecida Document, 29 June 2007, 548. The Church acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to society through the sensitivity, intuition and other distinctive skill sets which they, more than men, tend to possess. Migrants present a particular challenge for me, since I am the pastor of a Church without frontiers, a Church which considers herself mother to all. To some extent this is because our “technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy”. [19], In 1601, Pope Clement VIII declared the legend of the female pope to be untrue. We have spoken at length about joy and love, but the word of God also speaks about the fruit of peace (cf. Taking the first step, being involved and supportive, bearing fruit and rejoicing. [84] Each people in the course of its history develops its culture with legitimate autonomy. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (cf. Once looked down upon, popular piety came to be appreciated once more in the decades following the Council. This attitude becomes a prayer of gratitude to God for others. The work of evangelization enriches the mind and the heart; it opens up spiritual horizons; it makes us more and more sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit, and it takes us beyond our limited spiritual constructs. 253. The Church has no wish to hold back the marvellous progress of science. 97. Would not this approach be the greatest and most effective presentation of the good news of the kingdom?”[169] Without the preferential option for the poor, “the proclamation of the Gospel, which is itself the prime form of charity, risks being misunderstood or submerged by the ocean of words which daily engulfs us in today’s society of mass communications”.[170]. The People of God is incarnate in the peoples of the earth, each of which has its own culture. Evangelization consists mostly of patience and disregard for constraints of time. [77] John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia (6 November 1999), 19: AAS 92 (2000), 478. A dialogue which seeks social peace and justice is in itself, beyond all merely practical considerations, an ethical commitment which brings about a new social situation. At the Synod, the presence of the Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomaios I, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Rowan Williams, was a true gift from God and a precious Christian witness.[193]. The Church urgently needs the deep breath of prayer, and to my great joy groups devoted to prayer and intercession, the prayerful reading of God’s word and the perpetual adoration of the Eucharist are growing at every level of ecclesial life. A completely new culture has come to life and continues to grow in the cities. 177. The whole is greater than the part. [58] John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia (6 November 1999), 7: AAS 92 (2000), 458. Today, as the Church seeks to experience a profound missionary renewal, there is a kind of preaching which falls to each of us as a daily responsibility. 244. 138. [38] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, 11. [112] John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Dies Domini (31 May 1998), 41: AAS 90 (1998), 738-739. [93] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th. And this is the way that Mary, for many years, lived in intimacy with the mystery of her Son, and went forward in her pilgrimage of faith”.[217]. Let us not say, then, that things are harder today; they are simply different. [92] John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa (14 September 1995), 61: AAS 88 (1996), 39. It never closes itself off, never retreats into its own security, never opts for rigidity and defensiveness. Something similar happens in a homily. The sign of this unity and reconciliation of all things in him is peace. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and marginalized: without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape. Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. The story was widely believed for centuries, but most modern scholars regard it as fictional. In the presence of God, during a recollected reading of the text, it is good to ask, for example: “Lord, what does this text say to me? This has been eloquently stated by the bishops of Brazil: “We wish to take up daily the joys and hopes, the difficulties and sorrows of the Brazilian people, especially of those living in the barrios and the countryside – landless, homeless, lacking food and health care – to the detriment of their rights. 30, a. The Greek author Emmanuel Rhoides' 1866 novel, The Papess Joanne, was admired by Mark Twain and Alfred Jarry and freely translated by Lawrence Durrell as The Curious History of Pope Joan (1954). We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them. The book is a hardly subtle critique of the present bishop of Rome. Such an economy kills. The New Pope, review: it's Jude Law vs John Malkovich in this deeply weird papal drama 3. 131. If the whole Church takes up this missionary impulse, she has to go forth to everyone without exception. She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. Mk 1:27). It is a subtle way of seeking one’s “own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:21). However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Consequently, we need to grasp the variety of things in their multiple relationships (cf. 81. In this dialogue, ever friendly and sincere, attention must always be paid to the essential bond between dialogue and proclamation, which leads the Church to maintain and intensify her relationship with non-Christians. All of society can be enriched thanks to this dialogue, which opens up new horizons for thought and expands the possibilities of reason. She is also the one who carefully keeps “all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). In many places an administrative approach prevails over a pastoral approach, as does a concentration on administering the sacraments apart from other forms of evangelization. In this effort we may need but think of some ordinary human experience such as a joyful reunion, a moment of disappointment, the fear of being alone, compassion at the sufferings of others, uncertainty about the future, concern for a loved one, and so forth. Saint Ambrose, De Sacramentis, IV, 6, 28: PL 16, 464: “I must receive it always, so that it may always forgive my sins. The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. [48] This warning, issued many centuries ago, is most timely today. Our redemption has a social dimension because “God, in Christ, redeems not only the individual person, but also the social relations existing between men”. 1070-1076. 55. [152] Apostolic Letter Octogesima Adveniens (14 May 1971), 4: AAS 63 (1971), 403. This Christian identity, as the baptismal embrace which the Father gave us when we were little ones, makes us desire, as prodigal children – and favourite children in Mary – yet another embrace, that of the merciful Father who awaits us in glory. [23] The Second Vatican Council presented ecclesial conversion as openness to a constant self-renewal born of fidelity to Jesus Christ: “Every renewal of the Church essentially consists in an increase of fidelity to her own calling… Christ summons the Church as she goes her pilgrim way… to that continual reformation of which she always has need, in so far as she is a human institution here on earth”.[24]. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 36. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. It is worthy remembering that “the liturgical proclamation of the word of God, especially in the eucharistic assembly, is not so much a time for meditation and catechesis as a dialogue between God and his people, a dialogue in which the great deeds of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the covenant are continually restated”. According to Jean: Concerning a certain Pope or rather female Pope, who is not set down in the list of popes or Bishops of Rome, because she was a woman who disguised herself as a man and became, by her character and talents, a curial secretary, then a Cardinal and finally Pope. As a true mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God’s love. The reason for the configuration of the chair is disputed. A preaching which would be purely moralistic or doctrinaire, or one which turns into a lecture on biblical exegesis, detracts from this heart-to-heart communication which takes place in the homily and possesses a quasi-sacramental character: “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (Rom 10:17). 276. These unilateral and incomplete proposals only reach a few groups and prove incapable of radiating beyond them because they curtail the Gospel. The dignity of each human person and the pursuit of the common good are concerns which ought to shape all economic policies. These are three evils which fuel one another. A Church which “goes forth” is a Church whose doors are open. Social dialogue as a contribution to peace [238-258], Dialogue between faith, reason and science [242-243] Ecumenical dialogue [244-246] Relations with Judaism [247-249] Interreligious dialogue [250-254] Social dialogue in a context of religious freedom [255-258], I. 204. [140] I would now like to share my concerns about the social dimension of evangelization, precisely because if this dimension is not properly brought out, there is a constant risk of distorting the authentic and integral meaning of the mission of evangelization. Whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something new about God. All of the virtues are at the service of this response of love. 61. [8] With this newness he is always able to renew our lives and our communities, and even if the Christian message has known periods of darkness and ecclesial weakness, it will never grow old. Today and always, “the poor are the privileged recipients of the Gospel”,[52] and the fact that it is freely preached to them is a sign of the kingdom that Jesus came to establish. Who would claim to lock up in a church and silence the message of Saint Francis of Assisi or Blessed Teresa of Calcutta? [148] Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 9. Instead, we waste time talking about “what needs to be done” – in Spanish we call this the sin of “habriaqueísmo” – like spiritual masters and pastoral experts who give instructions from on high. He assured those burdened by sorrow and crushed by poverty that God has a special place for them in his heart: “Blessed are you poor, yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk 6:20); he made himself one of them: “I was hungry and you gave me food to eat”, and he taught them that mercy towards all of these is the key to heaven (cf. A joy ever new, a joy which is shared [2-8], II. It is out of sequence, and in a different hand, one that dates from after the time of Martin of Opava. Jude Law's Pope Pius XIII (aka Lenny) isn't dead when HBO's The New Pope picks up, but let's just say this—he's not doing great. I take for granted the different analyses which other documents of the universal magisterium have offered, as well as those proposed by the regional and national conferences of bishops. Jesus himself is the model of this method of evangelization which brings us to the very heart of his people. It has to do with bringing the Gospel to the people we meet, whether they be our neighbours or complete strangers. [13], Alain Boureau quotes the humanist Jacopo d'Angelo de Scarparia, who visited Rome in 1406 for the enthronement of Gregory XII. The play Top Girls by Caryl Churchill featured Pope Joan as a character, who was invited to a restaurant along with other historically important women in the past by a modern-day woman, Marlene, to discuss the restriction of feminism in the past. In catechesis too, we have rediscovered the fundamental role of the first announcement or kerygma, which needs to be the centre of all evangelizing activity and all efforts at Church renewal. The same Spirit who inspired the Gospels and who acts in the Church also inspires the preacher to hear the faith of the God’s people and to find the right way to preach at each Eucharist. Behind this attitude lurks a rejection of ethics and a rejection of God. Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”.[55]. Pope Clement describes the hierarchy of the New Covenant, contained in the Lord Jesus Christ himself and concretized in the mission of the apostles. This is a tremendous corruption disguised as a good. Perhaps the most exciting invitation is that of the prophet Zephaniah, who presents God with his people in the midst of a celebration overflowing with the joy of salvation. 1 Tim 1:3-5), Paul also gives them rules for their personal lives and their pastoral activity. [33], The sede stercoraria, the throne with a hole in the seat, now at St. John Lateran (the formal residence of the popes and center of Catholicism), is to be considered. 100. The kingdom is here, it returns, it struggles to flourish anew. God constantly renews his faithful ones, whatever their age: “They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint” (Is 40:31). For all this, I repeat: Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of the joy of evangelization! While painfully aware of our own frailties, we have to march on without giving in, keeping in mind what the Lord said to Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). There has been a growing awareness of the identity and mission of the laity in the Church. At the same time, the spiritual life comes to be identified with a few religious exercises which can offer a certain comfort but which do not encourage encounter with others, engagement with the world or a passion for evangelization. A few examples will suffice. This Exhortation is not a social document, and for reflection on those different themes we have a most suitable tool in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, whose use and study I heartily recommend. In various countries, conflicts and old divisions from the past are re-emerging. We also evangelize when we attempt to confront the various challenges which can arise. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. Let us try a little harder to take the first step and to become involved. It is not a show where we count how many people come as a result of our publicity; it is something much deeper, which escapes all measurement. Though it is true that this mission demands great generosity on our part, it would be wrong to see it as a heroic individual undertaking, for it is first and foremost the Lord’s work, surpassing anything which we can see and understand. Here our model is not the sphere, which is no greater than its parts, where every point is equidistant from the centre, and there are no differences between them. This is, on the one hand, a human reaction to a materialistic, consumerist and individualistic society, but it is also a means of exploiting the weaknesses of people living in poverty and on the fringes of society, people who make ends meet amid great human suffering and are looking for immediate solutions to their needs. 110. Let us never forget that “the expression of truth can take different forms. In this way it becomes possible to build communion amid disagreement, but this can only be achieved by those great persons who are willing to go beyond the surface of the conflict and to see others in their deepest dignity. 89. We can say that God’s heart is touched by our intercession, yet in reality he is always there first. As the bishops of the United States of America have rightly pointed out, while the Church insists on the existence of objective moral norms which are valid for everyone, “there are those in our culture who portray this teaching as unjust, that is, as opposed to basic human rights. [85] This is due to the fact that the human person, “by nature stands completely in need of life in society”[86] and always exists in reference to society, finding there a concrete way of relating to reality. It penetrates to the depths of our hearts, sustaining and ennobling us. The same thing happens when we speak more about law than about grace, more about the Church than about Christ, more about the Pope than about God’s word. [68] This is a false remedy which cripples the heart and at times the body as well. Instead, it is the polyhedron, which reflects the convergence of all its parts, each of which preserves its distinctiveness. Coins exist which bear both the image of Benedict III and of Emperor Lothair, who died 28 September 855; therefore Benedict must have been recognized as pope before the last-mentioned date. Jn 16:12-13). While Pope, however, she became pregnant by her companion. 144. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. It is the responsibility of the State to safeguard and promote the common good of society. It has to do with the deepest and inmost decisions that shape their way of life. Saenz y Arriaga was perhaps the first publicly sedevacantist priest. How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Here we find the source and inspiration of all our efforts at evangelization. The human person is always situated in a culture: “nature and culture are intimately linked”. The Church, in her maternal concern, tries to help them experience a conversion which will restore the joy of faith to their hearts and inspire a commitment to the Gospel. 234. Yet lowering our arms momentarily out of weariness is not the same as lowering them for good, overcome by chronic discontent and by a listlessness that parches the soul. Many try to escape from others and take refuge in the comfort of their privacy or in a small circle of close friends, renouncing the realism of the social aspect of the Gospel. Sometimes examples are used to clarify a certain point, but these examples usually appeal only to the mind; images, on the other hand, help people better to appreciate and accept the message we wish to communicate. One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and zeal is a defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, “sourpusses”.
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