Fr. P. Breen, O.Carm.

Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches

From the death of Christ the Church began to grow and to spread geographically. For many years it was simply known as “the Christian Church.” In time a divide developed. Those who first travelled west into Europe brought the message to the people and also particular liturgical rituals. Those who travelled north and east from Israel brought the same message but their liturgical ritual was slightly different, as was their governing structure. In time, those who west into Europe became known as the Western or Latin Church (because Latin was the predominant language of the Roman Empire) while those who went north and east became known as the Eastern or Greek Church (because Greek was the predominant language in their region). As a result, these two sister Churches believe the same things (with very few exceptions) and celebrate the same sacraments with the same understanding of each. For many years both Churches attended the same Ecumenical Councils – these councils were meetings of the bishops which settled disputes regarding theological issues, amongst other things. But in 1054 a split took place which, sadly, exists to this day, though relations are now improving. Both Churches flourished and spread geographically. The Eastern Church also uses the title ‘Orthodox Church’ which simply means that they are faithful to the teaching of Christ as handed on by the Apostles.

All large institutions and systems require an ‘overhaul’ or a reform as the years pass by. By the Middle Ages the Latin Church was in great need of reform. Martin Luther, a German Augustinian friar, set this reform in motion and sparked the Protestant Reformation which gave birth to a number of ecclesial communities which did not accept all that the Latin Church taught. Some, for example, only hold two sacraments – Baptism and Eucharist – and most do not accept all the Latin Church’s canon of sacred scripture. With the split the term ‘Catholic Church’ became more widely used for the Latin Church. The Latin Church rejected the ‘reforms’ which the Protestants instituted. It did acknowledge the need for reform and thus the Council of Trent took place from 1545 to 1563. Among the reforms at the Council was the standardisation of the celebration of the sacraments. Up to this time, there were many different rites for celebrating the sacraments, some of which can still be seen in places today. Rome had a standard way of celebrating the sacraments and, as clergy from other regions and countries visited Rome, they brought the Roman rite back home with them, thereby spreading a standard way of celebrating and also strengthening the unity of the Church and the position of Rome as the head of the Church. In time, the term ‘Roman Catholic’ became common for the Latin Church because of the role that Rome came to play. It is used more and more today to differentiate between the Latin Church headed by Rome and the Protestant communities who see themselves as catholic.

Structure

While the word ‘church’ designates a particular building in which people gather for worship, it has a much greater meaning for Roman Catholics. The Church is also the Mystical Body of Christ here on earth. As the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church includes all the baptised. The baptised people of God are not just members of the Church but they are the Church. There is a third meaning for ‘church’ and this refers to the faithful in a particular geographical area, and is referred to as the ‘local Church.’ Each local Church has a leader or shepherd in the person of its bishop. In the early years after Christ’s death, a local Church was no bigger than the village in which it was found and the bishop, or over-seer, was able to look after it alone. As these local Churches grew the bishop delegated some of his authority and duties to priests in his area. Today, the area a bishop is responsible for is known as a ‘diocese’ which covers several parishes. This is the local Church for which the bishop is the shepherd.

All the local Churches together form the ‘Universal Church’ which is also headed by a bishop. In the Roman Catholic or Western Church, this person is the ‘pope’ who is Christ’s vicar on earth. “The Roman Pontiff, as successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and the faithful.” (Lumen gentium, 23) Over the centuries the authority of the papacy grew more and more as people looked to Rome for advice and leadership. The first pope was St Peter to whom Christ entrusted the care of his Church (Matthew 16:13-20). Peter eventually travelled to Rome and it was here that he died for the faith. Over his tomb today is built the basilica dedicated to him in Rome, in the small independent country known as the Vatican, or the Holy See. As the popes are the successors of Peter, so the bishops of the Church are the successors of Peter and his fellow apostles. As the first Apostles grew old they selected successors who would carry on their duties and over-see the Church. They laid their hands on these chosen ones and invoked the Holy Spirit upon them. Today’s bishops do likewise and through this ritual they can trace their line to the original apostles, which gives rise to the term ‘Apostolic Succession’ in the Catholic Church. It is the same in the Orthodox or Eastern Church. “The Roman Pontiff, as successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and the faithful.” (Lumen gentium, 23)

While all members of the Church are equal there is a particular structure necessary for the ‘running’ of the Church. As already said, the head of the Church is the pope who is also the Bishop of Rome. As his advisors he has the ‘College of Cardinals’ who are themselves bishops and whose numbers are limited by papal decree. Since apostolic times the leaders of the Church have had special advisors and over time this evolved into the College of Cardinals. It is this sacred college which elects the new pontiff, though one need not be a cardinal to be elected. In earlier times, cardinals tended to be exclusively Italian but this ended during the twelfth century. Cardinals now come from all five continents.

Next to the cardinals are the bishops and they form the ‘College of Bishops.’ The pope and cardinals are also bishops and all work in unity together. Every diocese is headed by a bishop and a group of dioceses together in one area form a metropolitan area. The bishop in the main diocese of a metropolitan is known as an archbishop, though this does not give him any authority over the bishops in neighbouring dioceses.

Assisting the bishops in their task of ministering to the people and the running of the local Church are priests and deacons. To these they delegate certain duties and responsibilities. The geographical area looked after by a priest is called a ‘parish.’ The faithful are ministered to by the clergy and work with them wherever possible for the building up of the kingdom.

This, in a nutshell, is the basic structure of the Church. Yet, while the pope may be treated with utmost respect it does not mean that he is any greater than any other member of the Church. All are equal members of the Church through their baptism though each serves Christ in his or her own way. All the members of the Church are human and all struggle to live a life worthy of the Gospel.

Orders, Institutes, Congregations, etc

As part of the Mystical Body of Christ we are called to witness to the Gospel of Christ. Some are called to serve the Lord in the ordained ministry while many others are called to serve in the lay state. No matter what our status in life or our occupations we can all witness to Christ and to the Gospel by the way we live and how we interact with our fellow men and women. Within the Catholic Church there is another form of service which is known as ‘religious life.’

In religious life men and women join particular communities which are known as religious orders or institutes of religious life. In religious life the individual makes three vows – poverty, obedience and chastity – which they vow for the rest of their life. Religious live together in communities and hold all material goods in common, being obedient to the community’s superior and, if there is one, their regional superior. They also live a life of chastity, committing their entire life to Christ. Some religious take an active and public apostolate or ministry in that they may run schools or teach in them, they may be part of a parish team, or work with the poor, or in hospitals, or on the missions, etc. Others take prayer and contemplation as their apostolate and live in monasteries. Each order or religious institute has its own charism and spirituality, and its own particular reason for having been founded. For example, the Order of Preachers (better known as the Dominicans) was founded by St Dominic to preach the word of God at a time when the Albigensian heresy was rife in Europe. The contemplative Carmelite nuns were founded to live a life of contemplation and prayer and, for this reason, they live in enclosed monasteries which they rarely leave, spending their day praying for the world beyond their walls.

All of these religious orders, institutes and congregations are Roman Catholic and are not separate churches or systems of belief. Each brings out in its way a different aspect of the Kingdom of God which they bring closer to those they come into contact with.

Some of the larger and older orders also have special ‘associations’ or lay organisations for lay members. Those who are not called to the religious life but who wish to participate more closely in the spirituality of the order and to serve Christ in a different way, may join these associations. They take three promises of poverty, obedience and chastity, though there is a different understanding of these than for those who are ‘full’ members of a religious order. They promise poverty in that they accept what they have been given as gifts from God and which they share with those who are less well off. They promise obedience in that they will be obedient to their local bishop and to the Church. They promise chastity in that they will live a chaste life, though this does not mean celibacy. All are members of their local parish but they have an extra commitment in their lives.

C. O’Donnell, O. Carm.

On the 25 March in 1858 the twelve-year old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous felt drawn to the grotto where a beautiful lady had been appearing to her frequently since 11 February that year. Bernadette asked her who she was, and the lady in white said in the local dialect, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”  It would be difficult to say how much that statement might have meant to the barely literate Bernadette. The clergy knew its significance. Only four years earlier Pius IX had defined the Immaculate Conception as a dogma of faith.

There can be some confusion about the meaning of this doctrine. Some people confuse it with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. No. The Immaculate Conception is the conception of Mary. But it is still a big mouthful. The problem is with the word “immaculate.” This is a negative word, meaning, “not spotted or stained.” The stain in question is of course original sin. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception can be put quite simply, “whatever original sin is, Mary never had it.” But original sin is also negative. Sin is a privation, namely something missing, in this case the grace of Christ. The doctrine of original sin means that all are born in a state of lacking grace and salvation. Each one is in need and has to receive grace as a gift. A child born of two saints is still a child that is short of grace. Grace, in other words, cannot be inherited.

At this point we can say that the Immaculate Conception means that Mary was never in a state of lacking grace. We can state the doctrine positively and say that from the very first moment of her existence, Mary was the most beloved of God and enjoyed grace, which made her holy, sharing in the life of the Trinity.

The Eastern Orthodox and other Churches do not celebrate this feast; they do not accept the doctrine either. Original sin was a Western problem, and this doctrine was hammered out in North Africa through St. Augustine’s controversy with Pelagius, who more or less stated that we could save ourselves. Not so, replied Augustine. We need grace. The Eastern Churches have a major celebration of the Presentation of Mary on 21 November. The idea that Mary was presented in the Temple as a young girl is making the same point: Mary always belonged to God.  She was always full of grace.  Thus far from being negative, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a positive affirmation about God’s gift of grace and holiness to Mary.

If we wish to reflect deeper on the Immaculate Conception, the obvious place to go is the Mass text for the feast. In particular we should read the Preface, that is the opening part of the Eucharistic Prayer that comes before the Holy Holy.  Whenever we celebrate Mass the preface reminds us  why, today, we should thank God.  It may be for a great feast like Easter or Christmas; it may be for a penitential season like Lent; it may be the occasion of a funeral or a wedding. All of these have their own prefaces which invite us to praise and thank God for the mystery we are celebrating on a particular day. There are also more general prefaces in use for weekdays or when there is no special occasion, feast or season.

When we look at the preface of the Immaculate Conception we find two themes interwoven: this feast of Mary is related to both to her Son and to the Church. It reads:

Father all powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.

You allowed no stain of Adam’s sin to touch the Virgin Mary.

Full of grace she was to be a worthy mother of your Son,

your sign of favour to the Church at its beginning,

and the promise of its perfection as the bride of Christ, radiant in beauty.

Purest of virgins, she was to bring forth your Son,

the innocent Lamb who takes away our sins.

You chose her from all women

 to be our advocate with you and our pattern in holiness.

In our joy we sing to your glory wit all the choirs of angels, Holy, holy…

The preface is relates Mary to her Son. One reason for the Immaculate Conception according to this lovely preface is that it would have been completely inappropriate for the Mother of the Second Person of the Trinity to have been under the reign of sin.  In our time we have lost both a sense of sin and a sense of holiness, so that we may not feel or appreciate the urgency of sinlessness in the Mother of God.There is utter incompatibility between God and sin. By God’s grace, Mary was then to have been “a worthy mother of your Son.”  In being the mother of God she was to be “purest of virgins to bring forth your Son.”

But the preface also points to Mary’s relationship to the Church, to us. She is God’s “sign of favour to the Church at its  beginning, and the promise of its perfection as the Bride of Christ, radiant in beauty.” For a world that has no hope apart from God, the Immaculate Conception affirms that sin can be overcome, that the sin that weighs down the Church will be conquered by Jesus Christ, and the Church will one day be radiant in beauty. The Church is to be patterned on Mary: she is chosen uniquely to be our advocate and our pattern in holiness.    The perfection of God’s place is already visible in Mary; we wait for God’s salvation to clothe us perfectly too.

The feast is therefore a celebration of what God has done for Mary because she was destined to be the Mother of God; it also celebrates what God has done for the Church by giving it Mary as advocate and model of holiness, as well as the perfect holiness and beauty that God will eventually give the Church. These truths are not a complete account of all God’s favours to Mary. But they are themes that we do well to consider as we begin our liturgical pilgrimage once more to walk with John the Baptism and Mary y and so prepare to marvel once more at the wonder of the Incarnation.

To return to Lourdes. “I am the Immaculate Conception” is clearly a confirmation for the Church of the proclamation of Pius IX in 1854.   But can one go further? Given Mary’s total love of God, surely one of the gifts that she treasured most was to have always been in God’s love, never, even for an instant been separated from his love and grace. To have been sinless is not an achievement but pure gift. A gift of perfect love for the God she loved so perfectly is surely one of Mary’s deepest joys.

Tom Zeitvogel, T.O. Carm.

It is a privilege and honor to have been asked to write these few observations, or perceptions if you will, about a Carmelite friar who has endeared himself to the hearts of a multitude of Lay Carmelites throughout the world. Fr Redemptus Maria Valabek, O.Carm. was unquestionably our friend, our mentor and our advocate. It is for this reason that the comments I’d like to share in this brief article include thoughts from other Lay Carmelites who have been kind enough to provide them to me.

To do this, I’ve decided to organize these perceptions into four categories: Fr Redemptus, the Author and Editor; the Communicator; the Defender of our Traditions; and our Advocate in Rome. With the permission of the reader, I would also like to take the liberty of addressing Fr Valabek as simply “Fr Redemptus.” This is because I believe it is quite safe to assume that many Lay Carmelites may not even recall his last name, but nonetheless have a unique affinity for this special Carmelite friar they simply know by his religious name.

Author, Editor and Man of Peace

As has been the case for so many Lay Carmelites, I first became acquainted with Fr Redemptus through his many writings, such as Mary, Mother of Carmel (Vols. 1 & 2), Prayer Life in Carmel, and as editor of Carmel in the World. Since then, his work on Profiles in Holiness has added to the testimony that defines who he grew to be in the hearts of so many Lay Carmelites.

My first actual meeting with this exemplary friar was during Easter Week of 1991 while participating in a meeting of Lay Carmelites from around the world at The Friars, in Aylesford, England. Among other initial impressions, it became clear that one could differ with him on a given point without becoming alienated from him. A particular case in point was a breakout session where discussion between the merits of retaining a separate “rule” for the “Third Order” of Carmel should be the accepted position or whether we should opt for a “constitution” type of document. That session included both friars and Lay Carmelites, including myself. Although the proponents of each position vigorously articulated and defended their positions, Fr Redemptus was the one who, by word and example, insured that animosity did not follow us out of the meeting. I saw this unique trait exhibited on numerous occasions in meetings since that initial encounter with this remarkable Carmelite friar.

Communicator

Lay Carmelites from many regions around North America and the world have shared with me how much the cards, notes, letters, phone calls and faxes from Fr Redemptus meant to them. I gladly and thankfully include myself in this group. Through these various means of communication, Fr Redemptus never seemed far away. He was always there when we needed him, and baffled many of us on how he found the time to maintain these communications! He became our one constant.

A few excerpts from some of the letters that he sent to Lay Carmelites who were kind enough to share them with me may help to substantiate how Fr Redemptus became a “real” person to us, even from his far-off residence in Rome. I would like to first quote verbatim from a letter I received from a Lay Carmelite, who would prefer to remain anonymous, that truly summarizes this point. She writes:

When I consider the over 55 letters I have saved from Fr Redemptus, and I sit here reading them again, I marvel at the time and energy he so lovingly spent caring for my soul. Then again it was in 1987, the Marian Year, that I first met him in Rome and sensed that here was a Carmelite priest living the fullest of his vocation in Carmel. I saw him at retreats no more than five times after that first encounter of grace. I kept in touch with letters. He always made a person feel that he was special in Carmel and encouraged particularly Lay Carmelites to advance in holiness. His response to my letters was as if I were truly his sister in Carmel, inspiring me for continuing the work (in my area) among our Lay Carmelite family. Spiritual direction, encouragement and personal attentiveness were his characteristics in the letters he wrote. Love was always present as the presence of God continued to channel the graces of Our Lady and Our Blessed Lord Jesus whom he loved so dearly: I will always be grateful that this beautiful saint came into my life. He will be remembered always as one of the greatest and most prolific Carmelite writers in our time.

In another letter (he always began his letters with “Dear Fellow Carmelite”) one gets a glimpse of how Fr Redemptus relates our difficulties in today’s world — even within our immediate family — to the message of John of the Cross. He says:

... You mention that you are finding your painful sanctification within your own family circle. How many times this happens. It’s the normal way that the Lord has of purifying us and of leading us on the path to great holiness. At least He invites us to the heights. St. John of the Cross was convinced that too many of us prefer paths that prevent us from a rapid, direct climb of Mt. Carmel. This is why he seems too negative. He is reacting to those who should be on the road to perfection, but who like to take their time about it, and call the shots for themselves rather than being submissive to the Lord and accepting the crosses that he sends us in our normal living, whether it be in our family ambience or in the context of a religious community. We often think of spiritual growth in grandiose terms, whereas the Lord in his goodness links it to our humdrum everyday existence. It’s a lot less glamorous, but much more effective…

A brief note sent just prior to Easter hints at the physical pain that had consumed so much of Fr Redemptus’ physical strength in recent years:

Thank you for your Easter prayers, greetings and message. I too wish you a grace-filled Holy Week and Solemnity of Easter, the highpoints of our yearly re-living of Christy mysteries. May we year by year grow in depth in the meaning of these mysteries in our own lives, because as Christ’s Passion is forever — in us — so is his Resurrection/Glorification ... Like yourself my feet give me many problems, but as you say, others have far more serious problems with their health, both physical and spiritual ...

And finally yet another note on a postcard to a Lay Carmelite relates to us the mind and heart of Fr Redemptus, as he empathizes with tender concern about our spiritual growth.

I find it very disconcerting that we sometimes get bogged down on juridical matters and critiques and forget ‘the first thing necessary. I believe that we Carmelites have to be more and more faithful to our charism of fostering divine intimacy, i.e. seeing the hand of God in our concrete histories, and in the history of our times. When God gives us the spiritual sensitivity to be aware of his mighty loving presence, it is the height of charity to share this grace with others. Don’t you (agree) that this is the most important aspect of our Carmelite witness?

Another enormous “service” that Fr Redemptus rendered to us Lay Carmelites was the untold number of days of recollection and retreats he graciously led for so many of our groups here in North America. These were done almost always during his summer “vacation” time, and were clearly remarkable ways in which he communicated by example and word what genuine holiness and love for Carmel can be. It was infectious and exemplary — from his demeanor in the wearing of his habit and priestly garb, to the traditional basis of his teachings which were always in tune with the Magisterium of the Church. This was a constant that could always be counted on from Fr Redemptus.

Additionally, the spiritual direction he provided for an untold number of Lay Carmelites, both in person and with correspondence (as testified to in just some of his personal letters that were quoted above), will unquestionably have eternal value for these individuals.

Defender of Traditions

It is a fact that we are living in an era of permissiveness with tremendous pressures from well-meaning individuals. They often suggest and articulate vocally and in writing positions that are seemingly justified straying from solid traditional expressions of not only our Catholic roots, but also even from our roots in Carmelite spirituality This ranges from several aspects of the liturgy, to misinterpretations and even challenges some of the long-standing characteristics of our spirituality. Fr Redemptus remained a fiercely staunch advocate of the Order’s long-standing charisms. This was a common perspective related to me by many Lay Carmelites.

But even when it came to debates such as whether or not Lay Carmel should have its own “rule” or evolve to a “constitution”, the debates were never marred by animosity but, always conducted with charity and understanding. Both positions never questioned our “tradition,” but one always knew that Fr Redemptus was speaking from what he strongly believed was the true tradition of the Order. Lay Carmelites will forever be grateful for his example in this regard.

Advocate in Rome

For many years, Fr Redemptus was the promoter of causes for Lay Carmelites. I shall never forget the many times he would share with me the stories of the lives of Carmelite laity in the far-flung regions of the world who lived even hundreds of years ago; but how baffled he was that so many of them have not yet been officially canonized. In the same conversation he would always marvel at the heroic holiness being lived out by many Lay Carmelites today. These were edifying conversations that filled those of us privileged to be part of them with renewed hope in our own Carmelite vocations.

With his language skills in English, Italian and French, I personally witnessed Fr Redemptus on many occasions quietly but firmly argue on behalf of all Lay Carmel during meetings at the Order’s headquarters in Rome. But that was only the tip of the iceberg in the legacy he established for himself on our behalf for many many years — even within the various offices of the Vatican. It can truly be declared that he was our champion in Rome!

For me personally, I will always consider Fr Redemptus as my primary advocate in Rome. I give him full credit for the opportunities that I have had to work with the International Commission, to give a major talk at the 2001 Sassone Congress, to champion the work I have done with formation materials, and in so many other ways. This makes his passing an even deeper personal loss; however, I pray that he will not forget us from his eternal home above.

So on behalf of all Lay Carmelites who knew, respected and loved this great Carmelite, I say ... Thank you Fr Redemptus. You will be sorely missed by those of us who remain in this vale of tears, but we now ask your continued influence from your place with Jesus and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Please help us all to be with you one day with you when our time has finally come to leave our earthly journey.

n August 2003, Redemptus Valabek, O.Carm. died tragically in a road traffic accident while on holidays in the United States. Redemptus had been the editor and driving force behind “Carmel in the World.” This edition is therefore dedicated to him and contains tributes to him.

On account of the 450th anniversary of the birth of St. Mary Magdalen de’Pazzi, the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted that all Carmelite monasteries be places where people may obtain a plenary indulgence throughout this year, beginning on the 2nd of April, 2016 and ending on the 25th of May, 2017. The same applies to churches and chapels dedicated to her.

On the 2nd of April, the date of her birth in 1566, there will be a solemn opening of the centenary year in the monastery of Careggi (Florence, Italy) where her body is venerated.

Christus resurrexit!
Resurrexit vere! AlleluIa!

In Pascha Domini
A.D. 2016

Fernando Prior Generalis
Domusque Generalis Communitas

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Camerino, Italy, was held 19 March 2016. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. M. Teresita Marino, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:   Sr. M. Paola Colletta, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr. M. Simona Staffieri, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M. Paola Colletta, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Simona Staffieri, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:  Sr. M. Grazia Di Palma, O.Carm.

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genoa, and President of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

On 24 November [2008], at the Quadrivium Hall in Genoa, Italy, a meeting was held on the theme: "justice and Mercy". It was the first in a series of lectures entitled "Giving freely without boundaries". The following is a translation from Italian, of excerpts of the conference given by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, Archbishop of Genoa, and President of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

The conviction reached by the Church in light of what she has witnessed during the 2,000 years of her history with biblical Revelation, is that... fallen order and broken harmony are not perfectly re-established without the unity of justice and mercy. I repeat: unity between them.

Indeed, it would be a real crime if in the current circumstances — facing the divisions prevalent in humanity and in individual countries, as well as the rivalry that sets tribes, families and individual peoples against one another one were to conclude that speaking of justice and mercy was utterly pointless.

Instead, I believe that despite the difficulties present in certain situations, one can and must speak of them. It is particularly important to do so when it is clearly understood that justice and mercy are not alternative terms, nor do they signify opposing goals. Considering the relationship between secularism and faith as if they belonged to two unrelated spheres is exactly how a certain contemporary sensibility likes to describe them.

John Paul II said in his fundamental Encyclical, Dives in misericordia, states that "It would be difficult not to notice that very often programmes which start from the idea of justice and which ought to assist its fulfillment among individuals, groups and human societies, in practice suffer from distortions. Although they continue to appeal to the idea of justice, nevertheless experience shows that other negative forces have gained the upper hand over justice, such as spite, hatred and even cruelty" (n. 12).

In fact, the experience of the past and of our time shows that human justice is always fragile and imperfect, exposed as it is to the limitations and conditioning of individuals or groups, and must therefore be exercised and in a certain sense — supported by mercy, which is the interior form of love. Indeed, John Paul II explains further, "it becomes more evident that love is transformed into mercy when it is necessary to go beyond the precise norm of justice —precise and often too narrow (ibid., n. 5).

The question of the relationship between justice and mercy is an ancient one that has marked the development of Western civilization from the outset. Every time that the mind has attempted to put order between tendentially adverse opposites, such as personal freedom and social order, sin and punishment, recovery and redemption the relationship between justice and mercy has arisen regularly.

Christianity entered into this speculative effort that was so prevalent in the Greek world — from Socrates to Aristotle and Plato — and in the Roman world — from Cicero to Seneca and to Marcus Aurelius — proposing a daring synthesis that was new while at the same time containing much classical thought; thus was it to leave its mark on history. In this synthesis the ordo iustitiae and the ordo amoris are distinct yet, at the same time, deeply permeate each other.

With the Christian proclamation, justice and mercy stopped being alternatives once and for all. They became virtues that are not only interconnected but also indispensable to each other.

"Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution", St. Thomas was to say, adding that "justice without mercy is cruelty". It is a symbiotic relationship in which the dignity of the person is nevertheless its crucial compass, delegated to confer upon justice its own true dynamism, its true value. Thus it impels justice towards ever loftier goals which, finding fulfilment in mercy, bring humanity's journey to correspond ever more closely to the image of God impressed upon the human face.

Love "does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right", St. Paul says (I Cor 13:6). In fact, true mercy first requires justice, the necessary basis of social life, in which the order of Good must prevail. Those who wish to be merciful must first of all be just and feel the inner pangs produced by the "hunger and thirst for justice" of which Jesus speaks in the Sermon on the Mount.

If it wishes to take its full course mercy must first produce justice. For this reason, mercy neither opposes nor creates alibis for justice but rather contains justice as its principal expression and essential moment. Mercy, therefore, inspires and commands justice, giving it life and light so that it is better able to surpass its own rigid and formal definitions.

The most exalted expression of this perspective is found in the teaching and life of Christ. The Lord, in many Gospel passages, while manifesting what we today would call "respect for the institutions" and for the laws of the epoch, at the same time points out the way to a superior justice that goes beyond narrow, psychological justice and transfigures it.

And he does so until his very last breath. Tortured, violated and hung on the cross by the very representatives of the law, he is implored only by the "good thief", by a criminal. But it was to be precisely the "good thief" who, through his gesture of humility and repentance, was to first merit Paradise.

This is an effective realization of what Jesus himself had predicted to a social class that considered itself formally to be honest and observant of the law par excellence; that is, that "the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you" (Mt. 21:31)

As we were saying, the admirable balance between laws and love, between justice and mercy, was never something peacefully acquired. Rather, it was a depositum that the Church sought to preserve and to continuously propose anew in the light of the acquisitions of time and of the ever greater self-knowledge that mankind gains through the generations.

As a specific example, let us think of St. Augustine and his monumental work De civitate Dei. Particularly in chapter XIX on "true justice", the Bishop of Hippo shows with incomparable effectiveness the depth of the relationship between justice and mercy, which in the Christian vision alludes to the mystery of the relationship between the City of man and the City of God.

Yet, to return more directly to us and our time, it is interesting to note that the most recent Pontiffs have desired to give us precious instructions precisely on this topic, framing them in their most remarkable teachings. One can think that the prospect of the "Civilization of Love", in the Pontificate of Paul VI, represented an ideal of life proper to those who desire to be filled with truth and love, justice and mercy.

Or let us think for a moment longer of the new meaning that John Paul II desired to give to the word "mercy", whose true and proper meaning "does not consist only in looking, however penetratingly and compassionately, at moral, physical or material evil: mercy is manifested in its true and proper aspect when it restores to value, promotes and draws good from all the forms of evil existing in the world and in man. Understood in this way, mercy constitutes the fundamental content of the messianic message of Christ and the constitutive power of his mission"  (Dives in misericordia, n. 6).

I do not think it is wrong to say that the Pope who came from the East — and thus familiar with the stone-cold, anti-human regimes which then existed in that part of the continent — rehabilitated the word "mercy", extricating it from the pietistic vocabulary in order to hand it over to modernity as a convincing and plausible perspective.

Benedict XVI moves along the same lines. Significantly, he entitled a chapter of his first Encyclical, Deus caritas est, "Justice and Charity". "The just ordering of society and the State is a central responsibility of politics. As Augustine once said, a State which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves" (n. 28).

This is why, moreover it should never be forgotten that "love — caritas — will always prove necessary, even in the most just society. There is no ordering of the State so just that it can eliminate the need for a service of love" (ibid.).

Benedict XVI demonstrates that in the world, whatever degree of progress in justice is achieved by politics, there will always be suffering, there will always be loneliness, there will always be inadequacy with regard to the expectations of the human heart. In other words, there will always be a need for charity expressed in sharing and compassion: "The State which would provide everything, absorbing everything into itself, would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy incapable of guaranteeing the very thing which the suffering person — every person — needs: namely, loving personal concern" (ibid.).

Thus it is not only a question of gaps to discover and filled, but of intelligence and of the execution of public action, in its implementation as an act of justice. The common conviction that just structures would make any charitable work superfluous, in the Pope's opinion, masks "a materialistic conception of man: the mistaken notion that man can live 'by bread alone' (Mt 4:4) — a conviction that demeans man and ultimately disregards all that is specifically human." (ibid.).

This is a reminder that sounds particularly valuable at a time in history when the Church's practice of mercy risks being crushed, deceiving oneself that on the basis of a Promethean conception of secularism the State on its own can successfully attain perfection in justice. This would be a fatal illusion. Justice and mercy either go hand in hand, each preparing the steps of the other, or they both limp along, groping in the fog.

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
14 January 2009, page 13

Devotion to St. Joseph was a hallmark of St. Teresa of Avila.  Teresa attributed her miraculous cure to Saint Joseph.  When she was living in the Incarnation Convent in Avila, she was struck with an ailment that left her half-dead.  She was paralyzed and was presumed dead at one point.  She prayed and prayed to Joseph and her prayers were answered.  Her paralysis was cured and she was able to walk again even though her health had always been fragile after that.

Saint Joseph is an example of a life so hidden and yet so pleasing to God.  Scriptures did not record for us a word he uttered.  But what the Gospels show is that Joseph was a doer of God’s Will.  He was always on the go, always on the move to do God’s bidding- waking up from the dream to journey to Bethlehem for the census, fleeing to Egypt with Mary and the Infant Jesus to escape Herod and his murderous band, journeying back to Nazareth at God’s command after Herod had died.  These were important events but nothing was recorded of Joseph’s account or words.  Even in the life of the Holy Family, the Gospel writers did not deem it necessary to give an account of the life in Nazareth.  The only indication we have that Joseph was respected and known in the local community is the passage in the Gospel where the townspeople were figuring out the source of Jesus’ power,  “How did this man come by this wisdom and the miracles? Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:54-55).

Saint Teresa has this to say about St. Joseph: “

 “I took for my advocate and lord the glorious Saint Joseph and commended myself earnestly to him; and I found that this my father and lord delivered me both from this trouble and also from other and greater troubles concerning my honor and the loss of my soul, and that he gave me greater blessings than I could ask of him. I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant. I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint, and at the perils from which He has freed me, both in body and in soul. To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace to succor us in some of our necessities but of this glorious saint my experience is that he succors us in them all and that the Lord wishes to teach us that as He was Himself subject to him on earth (for, being His guardian and being called His father, he could command Him) just so in Heaven He still does all that he asks. This has also been the experience of other persons whom I have advised to commend themselves to him; and even to-day there are many who have great devotion to him through having newly experienced this truth.” “I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I have never known anyone to be truly devoted to him and render him particular services who did not notably advance in virtue, for he gives very real help to souls who commend themselves to him. For some years now, I think, I have made some request of him every year on his festival and I have always had it granted. If my petition is in any way ill directed, he directs it aright for my greater good.”

“I only beg, for the love of God, that anyone who does not believe me will put what I say to the test, and he will see by experience what great advantages come from his commending himself to this glorious patriarch and having devotion to him. Those who practice prayer should have a special affection for him always. I do not know how anyone can think of the Queen of the Angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Child Jesus, without giving thanks to Saint Joseph for the way he helped them. If anyone cannot find a master to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint as his master and he will not go astray.” (Autobiography Chapter 6).

Fr. John Flader

A gift from Christ

Some years ago when I was chaplain in a university residential college, a student who had recently returned to the practice of confession after a long time, came to me and said: “Father, please pray for a friend of mine. We are going away on a study weekend, and I am trying to get him to go to confession during this time. I told him that if he goes, I personally will do 500 times the penance the priest gives him.” Needless to say, I was astounded and we quickly calculated how long it would take him to say 500 Rosaries, in case the confessor proposed a generous penance! When I caught up with the student again in the middle of the following week I asked him how it had gone with his friend. He said, with an obvious look of joy on his face, that he was doing 100 times the penance. Intrigued, I asked him what had happened. “The offer of 500 was only valid for the weekend”, he said with a smile, “but he went to confession today.” When I asked him what the penance had been, he answered with a look of relief: “an act of thanksgiving”.

I relate this anecdote because it highlights both the great joy experienced when someone goes back to confession after a long time and the resulting eagerness to share that joy with others by encouraging them to go as Well that joy is experienced by too few, as far fewer people go to confession than was the case 50 years ago. The queues of people waiting to confess their sins in years by, are today to be found in few churches. So much is this the case that Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et paenitentia in 1984, bluntly stated that “the Sacrament of Penance is in crisis.”

Great treasure

This situation is most unfortunate, because, in my opinion, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the greatest treasures of the Catholic Church. It is a gift from Jesus Christ, indeed his first gift to the Church after the resurrection. On the afternoon of that first Easter, when he appeared to the Apostles in the Upper Room “he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit; when you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven, when you hold them bound, they are held bound’.” (Jn 20:22-23) If Jesus himself has given us this gift we would be most ungrateful and even foolish if we did not make use of it. Having heard many thousands of confessions over the years, I can attest to the fact that the ministry of the confessional is one of the greatest blessings for the priest as well as for the penitent. It is a forum in which one experiences the grace of God acting in a gentle yet powerful way, always leaving the penitent with a great peace and joy.

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Fisciano, Italy, was held 1 March 2016. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. M. Arcangela Parisi, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:   Sr. M. Regina Di Serafino, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr. M. Carmela Massaro, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M Arcangela Parisi., O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. M. Regina Di Serafino, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:  Sr. M. Giuseppina Albano, O.Carm.