Communion for Divorced and Remarried Catholics?

Communion for Divorced and Remarried Catholics? At this year’s forum in honor of St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family, Fr. Brian Harrison, O.S., S.T.D., will speak on this topic.  It’s the now-famous proposal (promoted with particular vigor by Cardinal Walter Kasper and other German-speaking bishops) to officially relax the Church’s discipline that debars divorced and civilly remarried Catholics from receiving the Eucharist. This is without any doubt the most burning and controversial question on the agenda for the upcoming Ordinary Synod of Bishops in October 2015, dedicated to marriage and family issues!

Paragraph 52 of the Final Relatio of last year’s Extraordinary Synod raised this question (although it received less than the 2/3 majority of votes required to make it an official recommendation of the Synod). It tentatively asks whether psychological or social factors might in some cases reduce the subjective guilt for such objectively adulterous unions from the level of mortal to only venial sin (or maybe even no sin at all), thereby opening the way for such couples to receive Holy Communion. Paragraph 52 calls for “deeper study” of this question as part of the preparation for this year’s Synod.

Don’t miss Fr. Harrison’s own answer to this call, in which he will argue the case for maintaining the Church’s discipline in this matter, as recently confirmed by Pope St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, no. 84.

The Reverend Brian Harrison, O.S. is an Australian-born Roman Catholic priest and theologian. Harrison is a prolific writer on religious issues and an emeritus professor of theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (1989–2007). He is also an associate editor of Living Tradition, a publication of the Roman Theological Forum hosted by the Oblates of Wisdom in St Louis, Missouri, United States, where he currently lives at the order’s study center. Harrison was baptized in the Methodist Church and brought up in the Presbyterian Church. He spent a few years with a Lutheran mission in New Guinea, where he became a Roman Catholic in 1972. A great many articles written by Fr. Harrison may be found here.

Logistics
Click here for a registration form. Registrations must be received before Wednesday, 18 March in order to get a count to the caterer. Realistically that means the deadline to get your registration in the mail is Friday 13-March. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call 314-435-8494.
The Forum is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Ave in Clayton, Missouri. Dinner served at 6:00 with talk to follow. Parking is free. Take a ticket as you enter the parking garage off of Carondelet or at 7777 Bonhomme. Take the orange level bridge to the hotel. The gate will be open when you leave, no charge.

Dinner Menu
House Salad, Rolls, Beef Lasagna, Chicken Marsala, Roasted Root Vegetable Medley, Layer Cake for Dessert, Coffee, Tea and Water. Cash bar available.

Communion for Divorced and Remarried Catholics?

6 PM Sunday March 22^nd in Clayton

Communion for Divorced and Remarried Catholics? At this year's forum in honor of St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family, Fr. Brian Harrison, O.S., S.T.D., will speak on this topic.  It's the now-famous proposal (promoted with particular vigor by Cardinal Walter Kasper and other German-speaking bishops) to officially relax the Church's discipline that debars divorced and civilly remarried Catholics from receiving the Eucharist. This is without any doubt the most burning and controversial question on the agenda for the upcoming Ordinary Synod of Bishops in October 2015, dedicated to marriage and family issues!

Paragraph 52 of the Final Relatio of last year's Extraordinary Synod raised this question (although it received less than the 2/3 majority of votes required to make it an official recommendation of the Synod). It tentatively asks whether psychological or social factors might in some cases reduce the subjective guilt for such objectively adulterous unions from the level of mortal to only venial sin (or maybe even no sin at all), thereby opening the way for such couples to receive Holy Communion. Paragraph 52 calls for “deeper study” of this question as part of the preparation for this year's Synod.

Don't miss Fr. Harrison's own answer to this call, in which he will argue the case for maintaining the Church's discipline in this matter, as recently confirmed by Pope St. John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, no. 84.

The Natural Desire to See God A Conversation With David Bentley Hart and Lawrence Feingold

THE NATURAL DESIRE TO SEE GOD

A Conversation With
David Bentley Hart and Lawrence Feingold

Friday, March 20^th, 2015 2 PM

Anheuser-Busch Auditorium, John Cook School of Business
Saint Louis University

Free and Open to the Public

Does every human being desire to see God? How ought we interpret the legacy of Henri de Lubac, S.J. and his assessment of St. Thomas Aquinas and his interpreters? What are the implications of these questions for the
ecclesial-cultural situation today?

David Bentley Hart, Ph.D., Danforth Visiting Professor of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University. Hart is the author of many books, including The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of Christian Truth and The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, and Bliss.

Lawrence Feingold, S.T.D., Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. Feingold is the author of The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters.

For questions or to confirm your attendance, please contact Dr. Randy Rosenberg at rrosenb3@slu.edu.

The Event is sponsored by the Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University

Lenten Day of Recollection, Saturday February 22nd

The Day of Recollection has been cancelled due to weather. It MAY be re-scheduled, stay tuned. Registration fees will be refunded.

The theme of this year’s Lenten Day of Recollection will focus on temptations in our lives. The morning conference will be given by Fr. Fadi Auro on "The Temptations of Christ and Their Meaning in the Christian Life". Credo Spiritual Advisor Fr. Brian Harrison will give the afternoon conference, on "Keeping Our Balance in a Conflicted Church", which elucidate temptations we all need to resist at a time of tension, confusion and division within the Church.
The day will begin at 10:30 AM and lunch will be served about 1 PM, after Holy Mass.
We return this year to the Chapel of St. Anselm at the Oratory of Ss. Gregory and Augustine in Creve Coeur, located on the grounds of The Abbey, at 530 Mason Rd. Coming from I-64, it is the second driveway, down the hill.

$25 per person. Lunch is included.

Registration must be received by postal mail Tuesday, February 17^th in order to give the caterer an accurate count.

Click here to download a registration form. Print it out right away and register.

Christus Rex and the New Evangelization

Attention!!

Due to the expected traffic snarls and the possibility of worse in Clayton, we have decided to POSTPONE the Christ the King Form with Fr. Meconi until Sunday, 7-December-2014.

Tonight's talk examines the meaning of “Kingdom” as evidenced throughout the Magisterium's Compendium of The Social Doctrine of the Church and how Christ the King is the ultimate goal of what St. John Paul II meant by the term “New Evangelization.”  Here the Kingdom is presented not as a place but as a living task entrusted to those in union with Christ.  As such, the “Kingdom of God” must be fostered in terms of relationship, as Christians seek a three-fold peace: with the divine Trinity, with their own brothers and sisters, and with the creation entrusted to their care.

Click here to register on-line, before Wednesday, November 19^th December 3^rd. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call 314-435-8494 or click here to contact us by e-mail. If you prefer to register by postal mail, click here for a registration form. If you’re registering by mail, realistically that means the deadline is Friday, November 14 28^th.  

All Roads Lead to the Rome of the West

[caption id="attachment_2008" align="alignleft" width="141"] Bishop Rosati[/caption]

Joseph Rosati: the Story of an Italian Vincentian, recruited by a French Sulpician, who enlisted the services of an Austrian priest serving at an Italian court to build the German Catholic community for an Irish Archbishop, helping to make Saint Louis “The Rome of the West.”

Who said Church History is boring? This being the 250^th anniversary of the founding of our city, we thought it would be great to celebrate the history of our Archdiocese. Join us Sunday, August 10^th at 6 PM for a romp through this history with Monsignor John Witt.

Click Here to register on-line, before Wednesday, August 6^th. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call 314-435-8494 or click here to contact us by e-mail. If you prefer to register by postal mail, click here for a registration form. If you’re registering by mail, realistically that means the deadline is Friday, August 1^st.

Scott Hahn in St. Louis Saturday April 26

Dr. Scott Hahn will give three talks at a day-long conference at Chaifetz Arena (St. Louis University) on April 26^th. Doors open at 8 and first talk is at 9 a.m. The talks are: The Lambs Supper, Hail Holy Queen and Evangelizing Catholics. Professor Hahn has written books by each of these titles.

Breaks will be at least 30 minutes, and a good hour for lunch. Concession stands will be open. The St. Louis University Mass Choir will provide music during breaks. The day will wrap up by about 3:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and may be purchased 3 ways, Ticketmaster, Chaifetz box office, or send a self addressed stamped envelope to St. Elizabeth Holy Name Society, 2300 Pontoon Rd, Granite City, IL 62040. Include a check made out to same and number of ticket wanted. St. Elizabeth Holy Name Society is sponsoring the event. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. 1 South Compton Ave, St. Louis, Missouri 63103.

Day of Recollection for Lenten Season 2014

Our annual Day of Recollection for the Lenten Season 2014 will be 10:30 AM — 4:30 PM Saturday April 12^th at St. Mary of Victories. The day will include two conferences by Fr. James Richardson, Holy Mass, Confessions, and more.

$25 includes lunch. Do not let the registration fee be an obstacle for your attendance. Just call and we’ll take care of everything.

Register by clicking here before Tuesday April 8^th. If you have questions, call (314)481-2512.

Fr. Richardson is a member of the St. Louis Oratory of St. Phillip Neri. Their Facebook page is here and the beginnings of a website is here. If you have a subscription to the St. Louis Review, an article about Fr. Richardson and his new community is here.

As we get more details, this post will be updated.

If you are not signed-up for Credo's free monthly e-newsletter, click here & fill in the form to get event reminders and links to the latest articles on the website.

Schedule & Directions follow...

Prudential Judgment and the Death Penalty

Frodo: I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum. … he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.

Gandalf: Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it.
— J.R.R. Tolkein. The Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring. Book One. II. The Shadow of the Past

The Great State of Missouri executed three men since November and that prompted me to get down to work on this essay again. It had been cooking in my mind since this past summer. I don't recall the circumstances, but a conversation had turned to the topic of capital punishment. I'd cited the Catechism on the point, and asserted that in Missouri in 2013 capital punishment isn't licit. I heard something like this in reply:

The Church is not against the death penalty – she leaves it as a matter prudential judgment by Catholics, and that means the plain, everyday Catholics. The Church does not tell them they have to take college courses in theology, or do advanced research before making prudential judgments; she trusts them to make these prudential decisions for themselves. My prudential judgment is for capital punishment.

AHC Lecture Series 13: Creation and Covenant

The thirteenth lecture series, sponsored by the Association of Hebrew Catholics and given by Dr. Larry Feingold began on Jan. 29, 2014. The series is entitled: Creation and Covenant. Dr. Feingold is a Credo Advisory Board Member, the AHC Director of Theology, and Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis. The twelve lectures of this series, along with the question/answer sessions, may be listened to or downloaded to your computer at no cost, after they have been posted to our web site. The lecture notes are also posted and may be downloaded. When all the lectures have been given, they will also available from our web store as an mp3 disc.

For those who wish to attend, the lectures are given on Wednesdays, from 7:00-9:00 pm in the Gannon Room of the Cathedral Basilica Rectory. Entrance and parking is on the west (left) side of the Rectory. You may request more information here.

The Value of Preaching to the Choir

When we say, “preaching to the choir,” we mean “preaching to the converted.” It suggests that a lot of energy is being squandered trying to convince people of something about which they are already convinced, which is why preaching to the choir, whom we assume to be among the converted, is considered a waste of time.

So why do it? Chesterton and Dale Ahlquist tell us in this article from the Bellarmine Foundation Forum.

Steve Wood: The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World

Engaged? Just Married? Been at it awhile? What have you gotten yourself into?

Don't miss this free talk!
RSVP Greatly Appreciated. Click Here.

2 PM Sunday, March 16^th, 2014
Christian Brothers College High School

Steve will give you a glimpse of the great adventure of family life according to the mind of the Church. If you already know Steve Wood, you know his practical, down-to-earth analysis and advice is the best out there for Catholics. If not, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Come find out.

Economic Wisdom

The current controversy over same sex "marriage" and the increasing level of social acceptance of a variety of other socially destructive behaviors and entertainments should be alarming to all of us, especially in view of the fact that the past has been prologue , and is likely to be so in the future. Each of us is a sinner, of course, no exceptions; the problem is acceptance of our destructive behaviors as harmless when, in reality, they're sins precisely because they're destructive.

Here's a telling observation by a nineteenth century French economist, Frederic Bastiat: "When misguided public opinion honors what is despicable and despises what is honorable, punishes virtue and rewards vice, encourages what is harmful and discourages what is useful, applauds falsehood and smothers truth under indifference or insult, a nation turns its back on progress, and can be restored only by the terrible lessons of catastrophe."

Wouldn't it benefit everyone to take note, and maybe take action, even if politically incorrect, to avoid the "terrible lessons of catastrophe"?

R. E. Hurley, M.D.

Is Christ Still King? Sunday November 24 6 PM

We have heard a great deal about Religious Freedom the past couple of years, but what does that really mean? What about The Social Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ? Is Christ still King or has that teaching been dropped?

At this year’s Christ the King Forum, Fr. Brian Harrison, O.S., S.T.D., will address one of the gravest doctrinal issues that has troubled and divided the Church since Vatican Council II. Many traditionalist Catholics complain that the Council's Declaration on Religious Freedom has "dethroned" Christ the King from his rightful sovereignty over human social and political life by embodying a twofold contradiction of weighty papal documents from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Its first error, they say, is to present Church-State separation as the best constitutional arrangement for all nations, even those with predominantly Catholic populations. Secondly, they read the Declaration as teaching that non-Catholics, in every historical period and in every country on earth, have a natural right to civil freedom (i.e., immunity from government coercion) in publicly manifesting their false religious beliefs.

Click here to register before Wednesday 20-November

AHC Lecture Series: Introduction to Theology, Faith Seeking Understanding

The twelfth lecture series, sponsored by the Association of Hebrew Catholics and given by Dr. Larry Feingold began on Sept. 25, 2013. The series is entitled: Introduction to Theology: Faith Seeking Understanding. Dr. Feingold is a Credo Advisory Board Member, the AHC Director of Theology, and Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis. The eleven lectures of this series, along with the question/answer sessions, may be listened to or downloaded to your computer at no cost, after they have been posted to our web site. When all the lectures have been given, they will also available from our web store as an mp3 disc.

For those who wish to attend, the lectures are given on Wednesdays, from 7:00-9:00 pm in the Gannon Room of the Cathedral Basilica Rectory. Entrance and parking is on the west (left) side of the Rectory. You may request more information here.

What Young Catholics Truly Want

One advantage I suppose to the condition of never quite having grown up is I spend time with young adults. This is becoming more and more difficult as I am less and less young myself -- before my hair turned entirely grey I could fit in a little easier. Still, one thing I hear from time to time is a cry in the wilderness about what young Catholics truly want.  Maybe I get to hear it because I'm 1) not their parents, and 2) not a priest. But especially from the better educated or more sensitive, some variation on this is common

The problem is all these pastors, youth pastors and music directors keep telling us young folk what bores us, what we really like, what we find interesting. And guess what, THEY’RE WRONG!

There's a young woman with a blog who calls herself Rachel and wrote an essay What Young Catholics Truly Want. I recommend it. Some of the comments are evidently from priests who seem to know what Young Catholics Truly Want and want (evidently) to give it to them, but they're afraid of alienating Catholics my age on up. I don't quite know what to tell them about that particularly, but it sure looks to me like the concept of Youth Ministry should be revisited. Any Young Catholics reading this? What do you think?

HHS Mandate A Blessing in Disguise? 11 August 2013 6 PM

As of January 1, 2014 the HHS Mandate will take full effect for religious institutions. But the Mandate itself is only one of a series of issues that have challenged religious freedom in the United States in the last few years.

Did you hear about the photographer in New Mexico (Elane Photography) who was sued for refusing to photograph a gay wedding? How about the florist in Washington (Arlene’s Flowers) who was sued – by her own state’s Attorney General – for refusing to provide flowers for a gay wedding? Or the baker in Colorado (Masterpiece Cakeshop) who faces not only fines but even jail time for his refusal to provide cakes for gay weddings?

In many different kinds of cases we’re seeing that the fundamental push in our culture is not really to ‘promote diversity’ or even ‘tolerate’ everyone’s views, but to enforce a new set of cultural and legal norms – even at the cost of violating religious freedom. The evidence is mounting that – as Robbie George said – the days of comfortable Catholicism are over.

How should Catholics respond when our religious freedom is threatened? And how can these challenges actually be a blessing in disguise – an invitation to draw closer to Jesus?

Click here to register before Wednesday 7-August

Logistics

This Forum will be held at the Rigali Center, not at the Crowne Plaza hotel as usual. The address is 20 Archbishop May Dr; St Louis, MO 63119, but that doesn’t help very much. The Rigali Center is off of S. Laclede Station Road, about 8/10ths of a mile north of Watson Road. Click here for a map.

Our August Forum with Archbishop Carlson will include a delicious buffet dinner, catered by Genesis. You may recall that they served us in some of our past forums and received rave reviews of their food quality.

We’re going to get underway at 6 PM sharp, so please arrive early enough to get checked-in beforehand.

Help us Promote this Forum

Click here to download a flyer. Distribute at your church or school. Give one to your RCIA leaders. Send a link to a friend. Share on Facebook. Bring a friend.

Archbishop Carlson's Sermon

In case you missed it, here is a transcription of Archbishop Carlson's Sermon given at the closing Mass of the Fortnight For Freedom, July 3rd, 2013. For the time being at least, you can click here to hear and see the St. Louis Review's video made at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, with about 1,500 in attendance. It may go behind the paywall, we don't know. The transcript was made from the video by a Credo Board member, and he added some footnotes and hyperlinks. The opening greetings have been omitted. Without further ado, the Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis:

… As I welcome you to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, as we gather to pray this day for the protection of Religious Freedom, we do so on the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. St. Thomas is probably best remembered for the passage in today's Gospel that speaks about his doubt of the resurrection of our Lord. But through God's great mercy and love, he was able to encounter in a personal way as each of must Jesus Christ. And through God's good Grace, his heart was opened. And he said to the Lord as we read in today's Gospel making his great act of faith “my Lord and my God¹”.

Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord Archbishop Robert J Carlson

Archbishop J. Carlson has written a pastoral letter for the Year of Faith titled Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord  wherein he gives a forthright recitation of what Credo Co-Founder Ken Jones called Leading Catholic Indicators, asks what it means for the future, and moves on to examine what caused it and what can be done about it.

He identifies three causes: 1) Confusion following Second Vatican; 2) Secularization, and 3) Personal Sin, which his Excellency called “Personal Choices”. But he wrote unequivocally about sin. He hints at solutions in this section: leadership, education, engagement and personal holiness.

New Life in Renewal A Response to Vatican II

In response to the challenge that the Second Vatican Council presented to religious congregations, which was to renew the charism of their institute according to the authentic and original spirit of their foundress, seven sisters participated in an experiment that ultimately led to the forming and founding of a new branch of  Mercy.

The vision of Mother Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the congregation, was to establish Houses of Mercy. The Sisters strive to develop and amplify this vision within the mission of comprehensive health care, understood as the care of the entire person (spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional) and the Church has approved this for their particular institute.

Register on-line before Wednesday 5-June by clicking here.