So ... writing and stuff.

Obviously it has been some time since I've written anything and my apologies for that. Been busy with moving, discerning the next step in my life and whatnot.

As I am preparing to ask to enter St. Andrew's Abbey in Cleveland as a Benedictine, I am not sure how much ability I will have to maintain the blog, as sparsely as I do. Hopefully I can continue to post essays and whatnot. I will update how things go with my life as I prepare for my postulancy when I can.

Civic Writing - Bloggers Emerge!

A good friend of mine who teaches at Framingham State College in Massachusetts has created a program for her students in civic writing via the use of blog writing. I'd encourage people to check it out and see what they are up to. Be kind and offer constructive criticism please ... it is for them a learning experience!

Civic Writing @ FSC

Darwinism, Intelligent Design and the Queen of the Sciences

So I just finished watching Ben Stein's document "Expelled" where he talks about Darwinism vs Intelligent Design in Academia. Now this documentary has been portrayed to me via Facebook discussions as some super pro-religious betrayel on the part of Stein against truth. I myself was not interested in someone espousing Creationism to me ... a concept I very much disfavor academically. What I was suprised to discover was that Stein was not attempting to espouse Intelligent Design or Darwinism. He was simply following a line of logic and inquiry in what is going on in academia today, in particular in the sciences, in regards to Darwinism and Intelligent Design. I honestly had not educated myself very much on Intelligent Design. As a Catholic, I have a very good understanding of the role of science and its purpose in relation to our true relationship with the Trinity. In other words, science does not scare me. I do not shrink from it, on the contrary I embrace it enthusiastically (in particular astromony and astrophysics). Nor has evolution ever been a problem for me. I am able to very comfortably and with excitement reconcile evolution with the story of the Creation, etc. In fact that is the wrong way to put it ... no reconciliation is required. They are melodies which form a harmonious accord.

So as I watched this documentary, I was able to get an understanding of Intelligent Design as I had not had before. What I realized was that the scientific establishment has denied the possibility that there can be a harmonious accord. There is only the one melody, that is science. And science is both the means AND the ends. A pursuit of truth is not something which is desired, because if the ultimate goal of science IS the pursuit of truth (which by the way it is) than one must allow the freedom of inquiry to scientifically theorize on the possibility of Intelligent Design.

This got me to thinking about Theology as it was once referred: "The Queen of Sciences". What does that mean? If the modern scientific establishment holds as it golden calf Darwinism, with all its faults ... and yes all of its scientific truths ... how does it once refer to its Queen? Obviously it doesn't regard it at all. Science is the tool we, as human beings, use to understand the world and ourselves by Reason. Two of the principle aspects of science is practical knowledge and speculative inquiry guided by Reason. Theology utilizes and in fact defines science. It sets itself above science because it is not dependent on it ... Theology is Human Reason reaching and yearning for the Knowledge of God. It then inserts this definition of itself into the sciences and through them uses practical knowledge of the world and speculative inquiry of what we do not know in order to Reason and understand Creation. Theology is what gives science its meaning.

"[T]heology . . . may find itself the one discipline capable of integrating the otherwise unconnected disciplines that constitute the modern university. . . . 'the purpose of the university is to find love at the heart of all things, for love is the cause of the world. This does not mean that the study of atoms is going to show that love rather than neutrons and protons is to be found. Rather, once the atomic structure has been explicated the question of how such ordering analogically facilitates the possibilities of love, harmony, beauty, and truth is vital, and is another way of recognizing the ethical and methodological dimensions of the disciplines.'" Stanley Hauerwas, "Theology as Knowledge: A Symposium" First Things (May 2006)

I believe the quote above defines what I am attempting to say very well. And so to bring us back to Darwinism. Here is a beautiful scientific pursuit which does help us understand and speculate about ourselves as human beings. But when you remove the higher purpose of science from it ... when you remove that "love at the heart of all things" it becomes an instrument of destruction, as Stein's documentary very well maps out. Darwinism without love and dignity of the human person as a priveleged being leads ultimately to eugenics. And eugenics is nothing more than the willful extermination of fellow human beings in the name of science, which dirties and sullies the beauty that is Science itself. One of my favourite sayings comes from the Talmud, which I will paraphrase here:

"Even the lowliest, dirtiest human being walking down the lowliest, dirtiest alley is preceded by a host of angels proclaiming: 'Make way! Make way for the Image of God!'"

The established scientific community so clinging to Darwinism as a means and ends in and of itself sees only a lowly and dirty human being, unfit to survive in a world of survival of the fittest. Darwinism set rightly and understood through Reason with Intelligent Design ... rightly within the loving embrace of Theology ... sees the Image of God. And what a wonderful world that is.

Fr. Richard John Neuhaus passes away

Sad news today as I learned that Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, one of my contemporay heroes passed away today. A truly great priest and theologian.

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=31452

Victory in Iraq Day - Nov 22!!!!

Those wonderful patriots over at Zombietime.com are declaring Nov. 22nd as Victory in Iraq Day. It is a great tribute to the troops and well deserved. Here at The Dumber Ox, we'll be celebrating this day along with other blogs. So get ready and take a look at what Zombietime has to say HERE.

The Public vs Private Sinner - The Question of Denial of Communion

I was recently asked by a friend on Facebook for my reaction to some articles:

Hey Aaron: I'd like to hear your reaction to
this:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j-epjBHqtK6FvYWhAwBzReQHZytAD94EBDS00

It seems much like this:

http://articles.latimes.com/2004/may/15/nation/na-bishop15

Because Wall-to-Wall discussions on Facebook limit space too much I'll answer it here for my friend.

There are some doctrinal nuances here that are important to keep in mind. We have three things to compare. The first is the denial of a politician of communion for pro-abortion stance. The second is this quote from Bishop Sheridon:

“Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside of full communion with the church and so jeopardize their salvation,” Sheridan wrote. “Any Catholics who vote for candidates that stand for abortion, illicit stem cell research or euthanasia suffer the same fateful consequences.”

And the last is what Father Newman said in South Carolina in the other article:

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

First lets discussion the denial of communion to a politician who is publically pro-abortion. The key here is "publically". One must understand first the difference between private and public sin and private and public penance or absolution. The politician is a public figure and in the case of Senator Kerry as in the article, he publically supported a pro-abortion position. His sin, therefore, was public. Because it was a sin to involve oneself in the instrinsic evil of abortion, he is denied communion. Because it was done publically, the priest or bishop may publically announce this denial. Now the private person who privately, in the voting booth, votes for a pro-abortion candidate (when there is a choice between a pro-abortion and a pro-life candidate) has also involved themselves in the intrisinc evil of abortion. Therefore communion is denied that person until they receive absolution. Now because it was a private act, that person could keep taking communion even without absolution because the priest cannot read people's hearts when they come up for communion during Mass. If that person consequently publically declared they voted for the pro-abortion candidate, than the priest could deny communion publically until absolution was granted.

In the LA Times article the columnist says:

His letter is likely to have little practical effect, since most people receiving communion aren’t quizzed about their political beliefs beforehand.

Which is incorrect. People are NEVER quizzed about their political beliefs beforehand, while this statement suggests that it does happen by saying "most people". The most egregious sinner could step up and receive communion, and will receive it if the priest is unaware of the state of their soul. None of the priests in these articles have stated that they will question people's vote or political beliefs. They have only said what the Church has said for 2,000 years. If your soul is in a state of sin, you jeapordize your salvation and place yourself out of full communion with Christ until you receive absolution and commitedly contrite. If we were talking about stealing or adultery or any number of other sins, they would say the same thing. What is really being talked about with the politicians and public/private sin is something called Canon 915, part of canon law. I won't get into the legal definition of it because well ... its a legal definition. But here is a good description of what we're talking about here with an example that someone posted on a canon juris forum:

"Conduct is never a sin. Sin requires conduct AND knowledge AND consent of the will. If knowledge and consent of the will are lacking, then the conduct may be sinful but there's no sin. You have to engage in conduct that is sinful, knowing it is sinful, and deciding to do it anyway.

Canon 915 deals primarily with scandal, so it addresses conduct which would be sinful if done deliberately and with full knowledge. Canon 915 also deals with conduct that appears sinful, but is not.

Example: Peter and Mary Jane live in a small community and are Catholic. They fall away from the faith and move in together. At this point, since everybody knows they're not married and cohabitating, the ministers may not give them Communion. Now imagine that through the pastor's heroic efforts Peter and Mary Jane understand the problem. They receive sacramental absolution, agree to live as brother and sister until their wedding night, and move into separate bedrooms. Well, now they are not in a state of sin. However they still can't receive Communion publicly because the public does not know that they've changed their heart, received absolution, and ceased sinning. You now have a situation where there's no sin, but canon 915 still applies."

So back to the South Carolina case which is the most recent. Here is what the priest said again:

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

He is saying that those people who voted for a pro-life candidate "should not receive Holy Communion". He is not saying, "I will question each communicant on how they voted and deny them Holy Communion accordingly." The burden of action here lies on the sinner, not the priest. They must realize what they did and willfully deny themselves communion until they receive absolution, just as they willfully sinned by acting in "material cooperation with intrinsic evil." This statement could have easily read "Driving the getaway car during a bank heist constitutes material cooperation with an intrinsic evil ... etc." Stealing is a sin.

Now reading the articles at face value one could read some sort of gestapo like questioning by the priests and bishops. But that is how the LA Times and AP have chosen to portray these statements. This type of reporting about the Catholic Church, where either through misunderstanding or willful distortion the Church is portrayed incorrectly is just something one needs to learn to parse through.

I apologize if this is all poorly explained. I am neither a canon lawyer nor a theologian. If anyone has further interests in Canon 915 or related matters please just let me know and I can point you in the right direction.

A Prayer for our United States

On this election day I think it would benefit us all greatly to keep in mind where our true source of our inalienable civil rights come from. And so whether a believer or not, Republican or Democrat and no matter how you vote, I just wanted to offer to all of you these prayers. The first composed by our first President, George Washington. The second is a Catholic prayer to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception who is the patron saint of the United States:

Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.

And finally that Thou will most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplications, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And the second to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception:

“Most holy trinity: Our father in heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as your spouse; God the son, who chose Mary as your mother; in union with Mary, we adore your majesty and acknowledge Your supreme, eternal dominion and authority.

“Most holy trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom, which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners – on all who are in need.

“Mary, immaculate virgin, our mother, patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves to your sorrowful and immaculate heart. O’ sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary pierced by the sword of sorrow prophesized by Simeon save us from degeneration, disaster and war. Protect us from all harm. O’ sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, you who bore the sufferings of your son in the depths of your heart be our advocate. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine son, we may live and die pleasing to God. Amen.”