In Brief

Holy Father's Intentions

Pope John Paul II has announced the following general and missionary intentions for March and April 2002:

March

For the ecclesial organizations and groups engaged in social action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently the Gospel of love.

That the peoples of the African continent, receiving with a generous heart the Gospel's message of truth and liberation, may dedicate themselves actively to promoting reconciliation and solidarity.

April

That in the many rapid changes taking place in today's world the importance of the family may be recognized in its fundamental vocation as cradle of life and school of faith and right values.

That, sustained by the heroic testimony of the martyrs of our time, the ecclesial communities may announce Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, with renewed courage.

Can Bishops Compel Priests to Use Altar Girls?

The Vatican's prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments says that a bishop cannot impose the use of altar girls on priests of his diocese. In a letter published in late December, Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez wrote that the diocesan bishop has the authority to "permit" altar girls but cannot "require" diocesan priests to use them: "[He] may not, in any way, exclude men or, in particular, boys from service at the altar, nor require that priests of the diocese would make use of female altar servers, since it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble Tradition of having boys serve at the altar. Indeed, the obligation to support groups of altar boys will always remain, not least of all due to the well known assistance that such programs have provided since time immemorial in encouraging future vocations."

The letter pointed out that the laity do not have a "right" to serve at the altar, but that they are "admitted" to such service by the pastors. In addition, the letter reminded bishops that if they found it opportune to permit altar girls, it is "important to explain clearly to the faithful the nature of this innovation, lest confusion might be introduced, thereby hampering the development of priestly vocations." The Vatican said this letter is "normative," that is, it applies universally.

For more information on this subject call CUF's Information Services department toll-free at (800) MY-FAITH (693-2484).

Promoting Ordained Ministry and Consecrated Life

Pope John Paul II's message for the 39th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be observed on April 21, expressed his "heart-felt congratulations for an initiative that deals with one of the pivotal problems of the Church in America and of the new evangelization of the continent." The Pope was referring to The Third Continental Congress on Vocations to Ordained Ministry and Consecrated Life in North America, scheduled for April 18-21, 2002, in downtown Montreal, Canada. Canadian and American bishops responsible for the event are working closely with the Vatican as well as with religious leaders and vocation directors from Canada and the United States One of the goals of the Congress is to awaken the whole Church to her responsibility to promote and nurture vocations to the ordained ministry and consecrated life.

The Holy Father says that the vocation to ordained ministry "is essentially a call to holiness," a call which means "intimacy with God" and "imitation of Christ, who was poor, chaste, and humble." In calling the apostles to be His companions, Jesus "expects a surpassing faithfulness from them."

The shortage of priests and religious today, the Pope says, "must not lead us to expect less and settle for a mediocre formation and spirituality. Rather, it should urge greater attention to the selection and the formation of those who, once constituted ministers and witnesses of Christ, will be called upon to confirm, with holiness of life, what they announce and celebrate."

The Holy Father exhorted the bishops "to adopt all means to ensure that vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, essential for the life and holiness of God's People, are continuously at the center of spirituality, of pastoral action, and of the prayer of the faithful."

The Pope pointed out that families must play a "decisive role": "Families are called to play a decisive role for the future of vocations in the Church. The holiness of marital love, the harmony of family life, the spirit of faith with which the problems of daily are confronted, openness toward others, especially toward the poorest, and participation in the life of the Christian community form the proper environment for their children to listen to the divine call and make a generous response."

For the complete text call CUF's Information Services department toll-free at (800) MY-FAITH (693-2484).


Back to the Basics: Jesus

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, addressed the world Synod of Bishops in Rome on October 6. Speaking about some of the ills plaguing the Church today, the Cardinal told the Synod: "The central problem of our day seems to me to be the emptying of the figure of Jesus Christ," and this "emptying" offers us a Jesus who "cannot be the one Savior and mediator." Cardinal Ratzinger said that we must return "to the Jesus of the Gospels," because He is the true historical Jesus.

The Cardinal explained that a "God without Christ's humanity becomes distant, an almost abstract idea, and man takes this idea and abuses it as an instrument of his own egoism, of his own fanaticisms. To be at the service of hope means to proclaim God, the God with the human face, with the face of Christ."

The bishop, as teacher of the faith, must "unmask the falsifications of the Gospel and of our hope," Cardinal Ratzinger continued, otherwise "Jesus becomes substituted with the idea of the 'values of the kingdom,' which in reality has no precise content and becomes a hope without God, an empty hope." Noting that the bishops have the mission as judges in matters of faith and doctrine, Cardinal Ratzinger cautioned them not to base their decisions "on the questions of the specialists," but "on the recognition of baptismal faith, the foundation of every theology."

The Cardinal told the Synod that bishops are "credible messengers" only if they become Christ's contemporaries and have Christ living in them. Only then, he said, "will the Gospel we proclaim demonstrate the presence of Christ today and touch the hearts of our contemporaries."

Servants of the Gospel, published by Emmaus Road Publishing in anticipation of the synod, is on sale for a limited time at the low price of $3.50 plus s/h, and can be ordered by calling (800) 398-5470.


Legal Troubles for Abortion Clinic Employee

A new initiative by Life Dynamics, Inc. focuses on how workers in abortion facilities can be in legal trouble for participating in, or not exposing, illegal activities.

A new website provides details about how to detect illegal activities. These activities include income tax evasion, Medicaid fraud, insurance fraud, money laundering, sexual harassment of patients and employees, health and safety issues within the clinic, and consumer fraud, among others.

Life Dynamics says that those activities are rampant in the abortion industry because abortion clinics are the most unregulated surgical facilities in the nation. Pro-life people are encouraged to alert clinic workers to this situation by means of a poster and business cards available through the website, www.clinicworker.com, or by calling (940) 380-8800.

.

Catholic Exchange and Catholic Scripture Study

Catholic Exchange (www.catholicexchange.com) is an Internet portal where Catholics can receive news, weather, sports, financial information, and more right next to the daily readings of the Church, homilies, bishops' articles, and Catholic commentary. Catholic Exchange has also created an online Bible study called Catholic Scripture Study, edited by CUF board member Jeff Cavins and featuring the work of CUF chairman of the board Dr. Scott Hahn, as well as other outstanding Catholics. Check it out.

Chastity in a Box

Dating and Courtship and Vocations and Life Issues are two high school pro-chastity courses offered as a "Course in a Box," designed by Foundation for the Family to help parents fulfill their important responsibility as primary educators of their children.

The Dating and Courtship course is comprised of two videos, an audiotape, a Vatican document, eight informative brochures, and a few miscellaneous items. The 23-minute video, Reality Check, stresses chastity before marriage and explains how chastity is a decision people must make everyday. College students encourage youth to be pure, and viewers are introduced to the teaching of marriage as a covenant. The 54-minute video, Sex Has a Price Tag, features Pam Stenzel discussing important topics about God's plan for sex and marriage and the inevitable pain that comes with sex outside marriage, and the video also provides information on STDs and other relevant topics.

In addition, Dating and Courtship offers I Kissed Dating Goodbye, an audiotape of 21-year-old Joshua Harris, who shares his personal journey of discovering God's truth about love, purity, and singleness. Brochures include topics such as examination of conscience, contraception, cohabitation, and more. The course also contains the Vatican document, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, which is intended primarily for the parents.

The Vocations and Life Issues course is comprised of three videos: LifeWork: Finding God's Purpose for Your Life, a sixty-minute video that discusses the single life, the married life, and the religious life; It's Not Gay, a thirty-minute presentation of facts about homosexuality; and The Greatest Cruelty and I Don't Feel No Love, two 30-minute programs about nurturing children under three, the benefits of breastfeeding, and other parenting issues. The course also offers the excellent audiotape, Contraception: Why Not? by Janet Smith; two books, Handbook on Population by Robert Sassone and The Missionary's Catechism by Russell Ford; two encyclical letters: Humanae Vitae and Evangelium Vitae; and nine brochures. A resource list is provided to aid parents who choose to use additional materials.

To obtain "A Course in a Box" or for more information, write: Foundation for the Family, P.O. Box 111184, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211, or call (513) 471-2000, or visit www.foundationforthefamily.com.

Click here to view past issues.