Quo vadis, Benedictus?

On the hit CBS TV program, NCIS, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs lives by a code of 50 rules.  One of the Gibbs' rules notes that "there is no such thing as coincidence."

Call it timing.  Call it coincidence.  Nonetheless, I found it rather interesting that less than a week after Pope Benedict XVI stunned Catholics the world over by announcing his resignation, Turner Classic Movies aired the Oscar-winning film, "Quo Vadis".  TCM probably had this planned some time in advance because of its Oscar celebration, but, the timing was, nonetheless, thought provoking. While the movie's premise centers around a love story between a Roman commander and a Christian woman, the midpoint of the film carries a more profound aspect of love, that between Christ and St. Peter.

Set in the time of the macabre reign of the Roman Emperor Nero, "Quo Vadis" gives us a snapshot of the persecution inflicted on the nascent Church.  Nero has just burned the Eternal City and, at the insistence of his vain queen, decides to blame the followers of new religious sect, the Christians.  Peter, having been in Rome for quite some time, is urged by the faithful to flee the persecution and decides to journey to Greece.  As he is journeying along the Via Apia, he encounters a vision that resumes the conversation that he and the newly risen Christ had on the shores of the Sea of Galilee some thirty years before.  

At that time, Peter was a young fisherman, still trying to process having seen his Master, whom he had denied three days earlier.  Filled with remorse over what he had done, he went out to fish, joined by the rest of the surviving Apostles.  When Jesus calls out to him and tells him to cast his net to the other side of the boat, a miraculous bounty of fish is caught, prompting St. John to announce that it was the Lord who had made this happen.  Peter impetuously leaps from the boat and swims to where Jesus is.  It is there, over a charcoal fire where the fish are being cooked, that Jesus asks St. Peter three times if he loves him.   Recall that Peter made his denial while warming himself over a charcoal fire.  Now, Jesus gives him the chance to undo the triple error.  Each time Jesus asks him and Peter responds "Yes", the Lord tells him to "feed his sheep, tend his lambs."  At Jesus' third query about Peter's love, the burly fisherman is flustered, blurting out, "Lord, you know all things.  You know that I love you."   After telling Peter a third time to "feed his sheep", Christ predicts that when Peter grows old, someone else will put a belt around him and lead him where he does not want to go.  St. John alludes to the fact that the Lord is predicting the kind of death by which Peter will glorify God.  Jesus then adds the words, "Follow me."

And now, Peter is an old man.  We do not know how old, but, one could guess that he is probably entering his 70s.  He is escaping the persecution in Rome when he encounters Christ on the road going in the opposite direction.  "Quo vadis, Domine," Peter asks.  "Where are you going, Lord?"  "To Rome,"  Christ replies, "to be crucified anew." Suddenly, Peter realizes that the time for his ultimate witness has come, the time for the fulfillment of Christ's prophecy is fast approaching.  He is being led to where he does not want to go. He returns to Rome and, at least in the movie, he boldly goes to the Coliseum right before the Christians are being slaughtered, and courageously confirms them in the Faith, giving loud witness to Christ before the crowds, thus drawing Nero's deadly ire.   Peter is immediately arrested and thrown in the same cell as the Roman commander and his beloved Christian girl.  In the next scene, we see Peter absorbed in prayer as the camera cuts away to Nero who is plotting Peter's death.  Peter seems at peace, resigned to whatever the Lord has deigned for him.  When the centurions come for Peter, they inform him that he will be led to Vatican hill where he will be crucified.  Peter tells them that he does not deserve to die as Jesus did and asks to be crucified upside down.

I saw this part of the film while I was getting ready for Mass this past Sunday.  About five hours earlier, I woke up to see the live telecast of the recitation of the Angelus with St. Peter's successor, Pope Benedict XVI.  Looking at the Holy Father, I could not help but wonder why he did this.  Quo vadis, Benedictus? Where are you going, Benedict?  You asked us to pray for you that you might not flee for fear of the wolves and now, eight years later, you seem to be doing just that.

It was not until I read the comments made by papal biographer, Peter Seewald, that I realized that perhaps Benedict was entering into his own fulfillment of the words that Jesus spoke to St. Peter so long ago in Galilee.  This is the same reading that was used when Pope Benedict XVI was installed as our Supreme Pastor on April 24, 2005.  This is also the same reading that was used for the funeral of Blessed John Paul II.  Christ entered the dialogue with both of these men, imparting the same message but seeking a different fulfillment.  We all saw Blessed John Paul's sufferings play out on the world stage.  We felt the pain of seeing him suffer.  In Benedict's case, the martyrdom has been quiet, but, no less painful.  Joseph Ratzinger knew the heavy costs of assuming the papacy.  Who knows how many times he refused the post until he could not deny the call that Christ was now making to him.  But now, his body is betraying him.  His eyes, once vibrant and blue, have now clouded.  His hearing, once so attuned to the sounds of Mozart, has now wired itself to one voice, that of Christ's.

When the devil tested Jesus in the desert, he tempted him with food, pride and power.  Jesus showed him and us that true power comes not from who is under your control or how many, but, on service.  One of the Pope's titles is servant of the servants of God.  For Benedict, his power lies not in lording it over the Church; rather, it comes in being its most loving servant.  Wisdom comes in knowing when to say when.

Peter wanted to flee Rome perhaps to save himself.  But, following Jesus' example, he returns to Rome to face the inevitable.  Benedict is not necessarily fleeing Rome.  Upon his retirement, he will actually live at the Vatican.  He is also not necessarily fleeing us because he will forever be united to us in prayer.  He will be praying with us and for us.  I do believe that Benedict had his "quo vadis" moment with Christ in prayer.  Perhaps the Lord told him that this loving German theologian could best serve him and the Church in prayer.  Perhaps the Lord asked him to offer up his sufferings and his infirmities for the good of his flock.  He can still feed the flock by praying for it.

"When you were young you went as you pleased, but, now that you are old, you someone else will fasten your belt and take you where you do not want to go."  Pope Benedict XVI, we do not want you to go, but, you go the way that Christ has laid out for you.  As you go, you will take me in your heart.

The Bavarian Bear finds rest

It's not the kind of news one wants to wake up to on a dreary Monday morning.  I was in a fog when the San Antonio television newscast blurted out words that I never thought I would hear: "Breaking news:  Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation."

Forget the snooze button. The words that rolled off the anchor's lips took away whatever grogginess I was experiencing.  I stared at the television transfixed, in stony silence.  A wave of anger, sorrow and disbelief swept over me.  Betrayal even reared its ugly head.  As I got ready for work, I was still trying to process the news.

I love Pope Benedict XVI, loved him even before April 19, 2005.  Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was my hero.  He was like an extended member of my family.  Through his books and writings I was able to grasp the faith and to deepen my love for Christ and the Mass.  How could he do this to me, to the Church?

I heard the words over and over again on my way to work.  But, it was not until I actually sat down to read the text that the German professor (with a lot of help from one of my dearest friends via Skype) was able to knock some sense into this thick Italian skull.  The spirit in Pope Benedict is certainly there.  His mind retains its sharpness and its agility.  But, the body cannot keep up.  The Holy Father had the humility to see that.  He had the grace to literally let go and let God.  As I re-read the text, I realized that perhaps Pope Benedict XVI was living out Christ's prophecy to St. Peter, "When you are older, they will fasten the belt around you and lead you where you do not want to go."  He had come to that point and freely made his decision to step aside in humility and in love for the Church.

Pope Benedict leaves behind a Church that is all the richer because she had him as her Supreme Pontiff.   He set the wheels in motion to restore sacredness to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  At his installation Mass, he told us that Peter must feed the sheep.  Feeding means loving and he opened up his Bavarian heart and found a space for all of us.  He fed us with eloquent homilies that reminded us of God's love for us and challenged us to return that love.  His pastoral heart desired unity and he opened the door for Anglican to return to the Faith and even invited them to bring the rich patrimony of their rites with them, infusing these liturgies with the Truth of the Church.  He remains the best gift that God could have given to His Church.

I am sorry I was selfish earlier today.  I wanted Pope Benedict XVI to stay with us for a long time.  I wanted him to keep guiding us along this vale of tears.  However, in my selfishness, I did not see that this is indeed a crushing load for him.  He once called himself God's pack animal, citing the example of the bear on his coat of arms that had to carry a load for a saint.  Now it is time for the mighty Bavarian bear to rest.   I have no doubt that Pope Benedict still carries all of us in his heart.  As long as I live, he will remain forever in mine, whether he is Benedict or Joseph Ratzinger.

On Courage and the Culture of Communion

Blogger's Note:  An abbreviated version of my article ran in this morning's edition of the Laredo Morning Times.  Below, is the story that I wrote,  in its entirety.

HOUSTON, TX— On the night before his Crucifixion, Christ prayed that “all be one, one flock under one shepherd.”  While there have been divisions in the Body of Christ, there is a slow and steady movement towards fulfilling Christ’s plea for unity.

Although many individuals have found their way back to the Catholic Church, in recent years, there has been a movement of wholesale conversions from the Anglican Communion.  Many parishes, including their pastors, have petitioned Rome for full communion.  In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI, through the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, formally paved the way for this reunification to occur.  The United Kingdom took the first step in 2011 with the establishment of the Ordinariate (similar in some ways to the more familiar diocese) of Our Lady of Walsingham.  On these shores, the Vatican formally erected the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, basing this new structure in Houston, Texas in 2012.  In establishing the American Ordinariate, the German Pontiff chose Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, a former Anglican bishop, now an ordained Catholic priest, to serve as its first leader, or, Ordinary.  

“This is the Pope’s personal project,” explained Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, during his address at St. Mary’s Seminary, in Houston on Saturday, February 2, 2013.  The Vatican’s chief doctrinal official was on hand to mark the American Ordinariate’s first anniversary at a symposium.  “It can be said that in creating this new structure, the Holy Father was responding to a movement of the Holy Spirit.  It is the Spirit that draws the disciples of the Lord together, fashioning them into the ecclesial Body of Christ.”

However, this has not always been an easy journey.  The German prelate recognized that the members of the Ordinariate made significant sacrifices to join Rome.  “I am well aware that many of you have experienced conflict and division in the years leading up to your decision to seek full communion with the Catholic Church,” he told the group of about 300 participants from all over the United States and Canada.  However, he noted the immense courage that they displayed in crossing the threshold into the Catholic Church.  “This is an exercise in great courage,” Müller said.  “It has meant leaving behind what is familiar and comfortable in order to put out into unknown and deep waters.  Actually, it takes a great deal of courage to be Catholic, and so I say to you, be courageous.”

The Vatican official noted that this first anniversary comes in the midst of the Catholic Church’s Year of Faith, which Pope Benedict XVI opened this past October.   He stressed that the Church must promote the “Culture of Communion”, imitating the communion of the Blessed Trinity. “True communion is rooted in the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a communion in which the diversity of the Persons is constituted and sustained by their essential relations” he told the group.  This, he added, is in direct opposition to the secular world’s viewpoint of unity.  “The history of the world demonstrates again and again that human beings often go about trying to construct unity by enforcing uniformity.  Uniformity tends toward the elimination of those who do not conform or comply.”

The Church, in this Year of Faith, the archbishop noted, proposes something different. “We are called to discipleship and grafted onto the ecclesial Body of Christ through Baptism,” he explained.  “Our unity with one another as members of the one Body does not destroy our distinctiveness.  Our distinctiveness and interdependence is a blessing for the Church and a source of its vitality.”

While his words were primarily meant for Anglican converts, the Prefect added that they apply to Catholics as a whole.  For South Texas, where other denominations have made some inroads within Catholics, Müller urged the faithful to look to the courageous example and the zeal of the Anglican converts as an example.

“One becomes Catholic by conscience,” he said.  “We belong to Jesus Christ through Baptism and we must do all that is possible to come to a closer communion with him.  Yes, there are struggles, but, we must realize that in these struggles, we encounter Christ. Communion with Jesus Christ in the sacramental sense is important and the doctrinal identity with the Apostolic Church is fully realized in the Catholic Church. Courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the Holy See’s delegate for implementation of Anglicanorum Coetibus in the United States, added that along with courage, Catholics, in general, need to rediscover the Faith.   “The New Evangelization is about helping all of us renew our faith, intellectually and effectively,” he explained. “ It’s a matter of mind and heart.  We need that across the Church.  In addition to knowing the Faith, we need to be confident in its truth. We have to be willing to share it.”

Marcus Grodi, a Catholic convert familiar to many Laredoans who watch EWTN, further encouraged the faithful to re-examine their relationship with Christ.  “This is important so that the enthusiasm we have is authentic,” he explained. “We are not simply passing along something because we know it.  The way we will help other Catholics has to be based on our relationships with each other.  We need to re-establish our friendships.” 

Orienting ourselves during the Year of Faith...and beyond

We are now four months into the Year of Faith.  While many dioceses throughout the United States have launched several initiatives to mark this important occasion, I believe that perhaps the most integral part of this sacred and privileged time involves learning more about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

If we are to truly understand the meaning of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, we need to first examine the liturgy.  The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy calls the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass the "source and summit" of our life as the Church.  If we do not ground our activities in this sacred act, then whatever good we do loses its meaning and its orientation.

I have written much on the issue of liturgical orientation, mainly the posture that the celebrant takes when offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Others, more learned than myself, have written extensively on the matter.  Nonetheless, whether it comes from famed liturgical scholars or simple bloggers such as myself, the matter certainly bears repeating as there remains much misunderstanding and misconstruing whenever a priest chooses to celebrate Mass in this matter. 

Fr. Z, in his excellent blog, "What Does that Prayer Really Say", relates with filial joy (an expression that I wholeheartedly share) that the Bishop of the Diocese of Madison (Wisconsin), the Most Rev. Robert Morlino, is actively promoting the posture of ad orientem for priests celebrating the Mass in his territory.  Not only is the good bishop fostering this posture, he is taking it upon himself by leading by example.  Of course, the one who has shown us the ultimate example of celebrating Mass ad orientem is no less than the Holy Father, himself, Pope Benedict XVI, as seen in the above photograph.

If we are to understand the Mass and live the Sacred Mystery that we celebrate, it is certainly important that we have the proper orientation. When the celebrant and the faithful turn towards the Lord during the Mass, we renew the prayer of Ancient Israel that is so beautifully expressed in the Psalms, when David beseeches God to turn His face towards us.  As Pope Benedict XVI observed, Moses turned towards the Lord when making supplications on behalf of the Hebrews.  Through this posture, Moses was leading the people in prayer towards God.

Even though there are parts of the Mass wherein the Roman Missal and its General Instruction call for the celebrant to face the faithful, it is not assumed that he will take this posture throughout the entire Mass.  There are certainly words that are directed towards the gathered assembly; however, there are more orations that point directly to God.  In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, for example, the orientation of these prayers, from the Offertory through the recitation of the Pater Noster, are all directed towards the Father.  Only a few times does the Roman Missal mention that the celebrant faces the people.  He explicitly faces the faithful when he prays, "Orate fratres" and "Dominus Vobiscum", and then when he shows the Sacred Species after the consecration of each.  He then faces them once again when he invites the people to pray the "Pater Noster", imparts the Sign of Peace and then at the "Ecce Agnus Dei".

While some may argue that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a community prayer, there seems to be more of a focus on the horizontal than on the vertical dimension of our worship.  Remember, though, that the cross is made up of horizontal and vertical beams.  The vertical dimension is longer than the horizontal one. 

And so it is with our Faith.  Through Baptism, we are incorporated into Christ's Body, the Church.  We are invited into a communal relationship with one another as sons and daughters of the one God.  But, we are, first and foremost, in a relationship with Christ, Himself.  When we pray as a community, we do not focus on ourselves, but on the One who unites us.  Our prayer is directed towards Him.  Our spiritual compass should orient itself to Him.

Tia Maria's Gift

Throughout most of Advent, I had been somewhat despondent about the state of our liturgical celebrations down here in the South Texas hinterland. A couple of parishes had decorated for Christmas rather early (even before Advent), a new, somewhat substandard bilingual Mass setting was introduced that lacked any semblance of the sacred, and a couple of celebrants took excessive liberties with the Mass, either inserting a song into the Eucharistic Prayer or, as in the case of last night's Mass, substituting the Gloria for "Angels We Have Heard on High". It was enough to almost make me pull a Charlie Brown lament. "Isn't there anyone who knows the real meaning of the sacred", I interiorly screamed.

After last night's Christmas Eve Mass, as I was getting ready to go back home and spend the evening watching TV with my father, someone called my name. I turned around and felt bad because I did not recognize the woman who reached out to me. It turns out that she was my maternal grandfather's niece. I had not seen her since I was a small child. She invited me to annual family gathering at my great-great Aunt Maria's house (she has since died, but the family retains the house). It had been years since I had gone over there. The last time I was there was when I was five or six. I gladly accepted the invitation.

On my way over there, I called my Dad to let him know where I would be. He was happy, as he remembered Christmas Eve at Tia Maria's house. I then called three of my surviving aunts and they were excited. The streets were quite familiar, almost as though my Jeep knew the route, no need for Siri's directions.

Suddenly, it came back. The house was just as I had remembered it, right down to the familiar sill where the Nativity Scene was placed. Tia Maria's daughters greeted me, picking up where we left off so many years ago. As the rest of the family arrived, one of Tia Maria's daughters announced that we would be praying the Rosary. This was the long-standing tradition that Tia Maria had every Christmas Eve. Two of us led the Second and Fourth Joyous Mysteries in English (the one break with tradition), while three others led the rest in Spanish.

The prayers were just as I remembered them, insofar as the introductory ones were concerned. My cousins meticulously preserved the ritual even down to the smallest detail. I mused that they were more faithful to Tia Maria's venerable custom than, sadly, some priests are to the rubrics. Everyone who was able knelt, much as we did when I was a child. Young and old joined in the chorus of prayers in their language of choice. I felt as though I had walked back in time. In my mind's eye, I could see my Mom kneeling beside me in prayer.

After we prayed the Rosary, we embarked on the second of Tia Maria's customs, the veneration of the Child Jesus. A couple held a basket bearing the Christ Child and each of us, carrying a lit candle, went to venerate the Infant King as we sang a Christmas carol. As we venerated the Baby, we each got a candy. Then, we ate! Even the menu was scripted by Tia Maria, tamales, beans, rice and bunuelos! This time, I got to sit with the adults.

We shared stories about my mother and my Aunt Mattie, whom we lost this year. We also talked about the beauty of preserving these beautiful traditions. As I was bidding everyone farewell, I could not help but be grateful to the Christ Child for restoring my hope and my joy. Even though I do have many burdens and hardships (mostly of my own making), He gave to me what Linus had given to Charlie Brown.

A priest friend of mine had lamented about how he feared that families are not sharing the Faith with their children and handing shown the traditions. I believe that there is one family he does not have to worry about, as Tia Maria has done an excellent job in handing down the Faith!

An Open Letter to the USCCB

Your Eminences and Dear Bishops:

Grace and peace in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

These initial weeks of the Year of Faith leave much for the Church in the United States to pray about and ponder.  The results of last week’s Presidential election may lead many of us to assess the strength of our Catholic identity.  It is interesting that while many of our Catholic faithful may know the platforms of particular political parties, not a few are probably unfamiliar with the basic tenets of our Faith.

This should certainly be a cause for genuine concern, not only for you, as our archbishops and bishops, but, for us, as lay Catholic faithful, as well.  The question at hand is an urgent one:  What do we do to restore our Catholic identity?

The answer that I propose is two-fold: re-infusing the sacred back into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and strengthening our Catechesis.  These two go hand in hand.

Sacrosanctum Concilium reminds us that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the “source and summit” of the life of the Church.  I humbly submit that the Mass is the most important, most sacred act that the Church engages in because it is her greatest treasure.  Yet, as Blessed John Paul II pointed out in Ecclesia de Eucharistia, the Holy Sacrifice, sadly, is not without its shadows.  In 2004, Redemptionis Sacramentum sought to correct these shadows; however, some of them persist.

Perhaps, the USCCB could, I humbly suggest, conduct a survey to gauge the progress our liturgies have made since the promulgation of Redemptionis Sacramentum.  If problems persist, maybe the Congregation for Divine Worship could send officials to assist dioceses and parishes that need support.  This may take additional resources, but, it is an investment that is well worth it because it involves no less than Christ, Himself.

Along the lines of strengthening our worship, the issue of the music used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass needs serious and dire consideration.  In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI, noted with concern in his Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis, that

“Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another. Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided. As an element of the liturgy, song should be well integrated into the overall celebration (128). Consequently everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, the structure of the rite and the liturgical seasons (129).”

Although the USCCB made a statement on music through the document, Sing to the Lord, problems with the music used in our sacred liturgies remain.  Not a few compositions in English and, in many cases, in Spanish, do feature the particular musical genre that the Holy Father warned against.  When the new Roman Missal was promulgated last year, there was hope that the music would be elevated to fit the sacred texts of the prayers, but, as I have experienced it, this has not been the case.  There is a strong disconnect, in many cases, with the nobility of the prayers and the musical settings that are used.  We are also not using the Propers of the Mass; instead, we are making the fourth option, hymns, the default setting.  The Church gives us magnificent texts to use, but, in many cases, we are not using them.  While independent composers and organizations have taken it upon themselves to set the Propers to chant, it seems to me that the mainstream publishing houses have not seen fit to give these pieces the place they deserve.

The lyrics of many of the songs used at Mass are also problematic in that they emphasize more the horizontal aspect (i.e. social justice) than the vertical (God).  Prior to releasing Sing to the Lord, the USCCB had made a Power Point presentation calling attention to this particular problem; however, a review of the music published by the two main publishing companies indicates, at least to me, that the problem persists.  Some of the lyrics feature watered-down theology that does not accurately reflect our Faith.

If we hold to the axiom, “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi”, then how and what we pray at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should reflect our belief, our Faith.  This is where Catechesis enters into the discussion.  I live in an area in South Texas that identifies itself as Catholic; however, much remains in evangelizing our faithful.  Protestant sects, the Jehova Witnesses and the Mormons have, sadly, made inroads.  Catholics who are, perhaps, not properly catechized, have strayed into these particular denominations.  In many cases, catechesis ends after the Sacrament of Confirmation has been imparted.  Along the same lines, my area of South Texas is also heavily Democratic.  However, when I have engaged some of my fellow Catholics and Democrats, I have found that, while they know what the party stands for, they are not well-versed in the Faith.  They are not aware of the five non-negotiable principles.  I believe that catechesis is a life-long process.  We can never learn enough about our Faith. 

Your Eminence and Excellencies, I am not a degreed theologian; I am just one of the faithful in the pews.  I spent much time in prayer and reflection before I put my fingers to the computer keyboard because these are issues that are paramount to our rediscovering our Catholic identity.  Too much time has been devoted to social justice matters and other concerns and not enough has been given to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Catechesis.  While it is certainly important to have an authentic Catholic voice in the Public Square, we must also give greater importance to the basics of our Faith, the Holy Eucharist and the Church’s Teachings.  The Holy Father cannot do this alone.  All of us need to collaborate with him, to be co-workers in the Truth.  Granted, there are many bishops who have made great strides in the area of restoring the sacred nature of the Liturgy, but, all of us need to work together, hierarchy and laity alike.

In your filial service, I remain,

Michelle Marie Romani

Regaining Our Catholic Identity

As we move forward into this Year of Faith, this New Evangelization, one subject that certainly merits our attention is the importance of maintaining our Catholic identity.  

In this ever-increasing secular world, we seem to be experiencing an identity crisis when it comes to our Catholic faith.  This is not unlike the identity crisis that many a teenager experiences during adolescence.  The youngster knows who his family is. He know about academics and pop culture, but, he might not know much about himself.  Sometimes, he might wind up experimenting with new things, hanging around with different kids and taking on a new attitude that may or may not be for the better. 

Can we not say the same thing about ourselves as Catholic?  Many of us were baptized in the Faith of our ancestors.  We know about God the Father, Christ, His Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Yet, our knowledge of the Faith tends to stop after Confirmation.  Some of us, like the adolescent, want to explore new things, hang out with different people and seek another route. 

The former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger accurately diagnosed this problem on April 18, 2005, when, during the holy that he preached at the Mass to start the Conclave, he said that we faced the "dictatorship of relativism."  When we lose our identity as Catholics, we might tend to think that everything is alike and allow ourselves to be thrown by every wind.

Yesterday's daily Mass reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, the same Epistle proclaimed at that particular liturgy seven years ago, pulls no punches:

"And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipment of saints, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried by every wind of doctrine, buy the cunning men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles."

The situation is critical, but, the man who would emerge from that Conclave as Pope Benedict XVI gives us a solution, Christ Jesus.  Christ is the cornerstone of our identity as Catholics. His Church, built on the firm Rock of St. Peter's faith, constantly invites us to moor our little boats unto the Barque of Peter.  If is no coincidence that the logo for the Year of Faith, which I posted in my previous blog post, depicts no less than the Barque of Peter, that strong steady ship which is not easily rocked by strong winds.  

But, how do we go about regaining our Catholic identity?  Again, we turn to Pope Benedict XVI for the answer to this crucial question.  In the homily that he preached at today's closing Mass for the Synod of Bishops, the Holy Father seemed to have picked up where he left off back in 2005.  He gives us the beginnings of what I consider to be the Benedictine plan of action:

"I would like here to highlight three pastoral themes that have emerged from the Synod. The first concerns the sacraments of Christian initiation.  It has been reaffirmed that appropriate catechesis must accompany preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.  The importance of Confession, the sacrament of God's mercy, has also been emphasized.  This sacramental journey is where we encounter the Lord's call to holiness, addressed to all Christians.  In fact it has been often said that the real protagonists of the new evangelization are the saints: they speak a language intelligible to all through the example of their lives and their works of charity.  

"Secondly, the New Evangelization is essentially linked to the Missio ad Gentes.  The Church's task is to evangelize, to proclaim the message of salvation to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.  During the Synod, it was emphasized that there are still many regions in Africa, Asia and Oceania whose inhabitants await with lively expectation, sometimes without being fully aware of it, the first proclamation of the Gospel.  So we must ask the Holy Spirit to arouse in the Church a new missionary dynamism whose protagonists are, in particular, pastoral workers and the lay faithful.  Globalization has led to a remarkable migration of peoples.  So the first proclamation is needed even in countries that were evangelized long ago. All people have a right to know Jesus Christ and His Gospel; and Christians, all Christians - priests, religious and lay faithful - have a corresponding duty to proclaim the Good News.

"A third aspect concerns the baptized whose lives do not reflect the demands of Baptism.  During the Synod, it was emphasized that such people are found in all continents, especially in the most secularized countries.  The Church is particularly concerned that they should encounter Jesus Christ anew, rediscover the joy of Faith and return to religious practice in the community of the faithful.  Besides traditional and perennially valid pastoral methods, the Church seeks to adopt new ones, developing new language attuned to the different world cultures, proposing the Truth of Christ with an attitude of dialogue and friendship rooted in God who is Love.  In various parts of the world, the Church has already set out on this pat of pastoral creativity, so as to bring back those who have drifted away or are seeking the meaning of life, happiness and, ultimately, God.  We may recall some important city missions, the "Court of the Gentiles", the continental mission, and so on.  There is no doubt that the Lord, the Good Shepherd, will abundantly bless these efforts which proceed from zeal for his Person and his Gospel."

This last aspect hits particularly close to home, especially in our country.  It seems to me that well-meaning Catholics seem, at times, to be tossed around by "every wind of doctrine", especially during this election season.  Rather than using the Church as their guide, these individuals follow the dictates of a particular party.  Many of them seem to be more familiar with party platform than with the Church's catechism and her teachings.  It's as though the party has substituted the Faith.  

Lamentably, it's not necessarily the faithful's fault.  In many of our local churches, catechesis ends the minute that the Sacrament of Confirmation is conferred.  We don't do enough to educate the adults in the Faith of the Church, whether young or old.  It's no wonder that when political parties come calling, or people from other religious denominations come knocking on the door, these folks do not know how to respond when the Faith is challenged.  They wind up being swayed by the other side, almost as though the proverbial winds from every doctrine have capsized their little boats.  How can we engage in dialogue when our Faith is challenged when we do not know enough about our beliefs to be able to explain it ourselves?  As I noted in my previous blog post, we need to learn about our Faith so that we an know Jesus.  Spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  Even if you sit there in silence, that is a good first step.  He will lead you to what you need to do.  Take part in your parish's activities.  Volunteer for the next festival coming up or sign up for an adult religious education class if you believe you need a refresher.  Above all, learn about the Mass.  While this is the Church's most sacred, public prayer, this also affords us with the most intimate time spent with Jesus, when we come into direct contact with him.  

The work of the New Evangelization should not rest squarely on the shoulders of bishops and priests.  It is part of our baptismal responsibility.  As St. Paul notes in the aforementioned excerpt from his Epistle to the Ephesians, we may not all be called to the same role (we can't all be Apostles, Teachers and the like), we each have a responsibility in this sacred act of evangelizing, whether it's serving as a catechist, writing a blog or just giving simple witness in the public square.