Adult_Faith_Education

During the past few months, several people have contacted the Adult Faith Education Office concerned about what the media has reported regarding the Church’s role in dealing with accusations of sexual abuse on the part of her clergy. Some are quick to condemn the Church for failing to act appropriately. While the Church has much to repent of, as our Pope has made very clear, not all of the accusations have been justified or fair. These accusations have been made primarily due to a misunderstanding of the Church’s Code of Canon Law, its purposes and functions.

This past June, the US Council of Catholic Bishops sponsored a seminar for members of the media to address these misunderstandings. The texts of the four presentations, as well as videos of the presentations themselves are available on-line at www.usccb.org/canonlawseminar

The first and most useful address was given by Fr. Kevin McKenna, entitled ‘Canon Law and Civil Law: Working Together for the Common Good’.

In short order, he delivered a summary of ‘20 centuries of canon law in one minute and a half’, then continued to point out the differences between canon law and civil law. It is here that most misunderstandings arise, because most people assume that the principles of the two systems are the same. On the contrary—they are radically different.

Although a brief summary is given at http://www.zenit.org/article-29600?l=english, Fr. McKenna’s address is easy to read and would be most helpful for those concerned about what is being said about our Church in the media today. Therefore I would encourage the faithful to read and discuss this essay, as appropriate, in order to be a leaven in society, working to dispel the misconceptions many people have about our Church.

The other three addresses focus more directly on issues relating directly to canon law and its relation to sexual abuse. They are also well worth reading.

On 19 June, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed the opening of the Year of the Priest. This year is ‘meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for the sake of a more forceful and incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world.’

During this time, the laity has been asked to support our priests in our prayers as they seek to open themselves more fully to the working of God’s grace in their ministry.

While the priests are meditating on their vocations, Bishop Thévenot has asked the laity in our Diocese to think about our own calling to the universal priesthood conferred at our baptism. Just as the body cannot function without a head, nor the head without the body, so it is in the Church. Christ cannot function in the world without His body the Church, nor the Church without its head. Similarly, the local churches cannot function without their Bishop or his priestly representatives, nor can they function without the laity, which is their body.

Because head and the body depend on each other to be able to function in theworld, the best way the laity can support their bishop and priests is to be faithful in their own calling as part of the body of Christ. In his first letter, S. Peter writes, ‘You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ (I Peter 2:9)

Take some time during the course of this year to reflect on what it means to you to belong to that ‘royal priesthood’ and think about how you, in your particular circumstances ‘proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ The Diocesan Resource Centre has many materials that could be used to assist you in your meditations, and either Sr. Rose-Marie or Michael Averyt would be more than pleased to help you find what you need. The Adult Faith Education Office is also working on a short Resource and Study Guide on the Priesthood of the Faithful for adult study groups or individuals, to be available later in the year.

Easter 2009 message
After Easter, the world could never be the same. Such good news could not be hidden, and nor could that good news fail to change the attitudes and actions of those who trusted that message. Even those sceptics who refused (and still refuse) to believe about Jesus’ resurrection accept the fact that the belief of those who believed it dramatically changed the course of history.

During the Sundays of Easter the Church reads the Book of Acts at her daily celebrations of the Eucharist. This book chronicles how the message of the gospel spread during the years following our Lord’s resurrection, working like leaven in the dough of the Roman Empire.

But the story doesn’t stop there. The proclamation of the Gospel continues down to our own day, and still the message changes people’s hearts, attitudes and actions, thus affecting our present world.

Those who have been participating in the RCIA programme and were initiated into the church at the Easter Vigil are now in the period of mystagogy—at time when they look back on their experience of Easter and how it will affect their future.

All of us would do well to follow their example. Eastertide is a time for looking at our history. So, take a few moments during these weeks to consider how God has worked in the past. Our Diocesan Resource Centre has a number of items that might help you do this. If you want to know more about what happened after the last chapter of the Book of Acts, check out one of our videos on the church fathers, or the popes. Or, you might want to look at something on the lives of one of the saints. They accomplished what they did in response to the good news of Easter. Then again, if you are interested in social concerns, we have materials relating to many facets of social. It is the Easter message of forgiveness and hope that forms the basis for the church’s understanding of her role in working for social and economic justice in the world. Sr. Rose-Marie or Michael Averyt would be only too happy to assist you in finding something interesting and helpful to you.

In thinking about how the work and mission of the Gospel expanded over the centuries into our own generation, do not forget to make this personal. Think of your own parish. Ask one of the long-time members of your parish about the high points of parish life during their years as parishioners, about the challenges they have faced and how God has helped them to meet them. Finally, consider your own life and how it has changed because of the message of Easter. That can only be good news. Because Christ lives, so will we. After Easter, nothing can remain the same.

As you know, Lent is a season of preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mysteries—the events of the last week of our Lord’s earthly life when He won for us our eternal salvation by His death and resurrection. Since the days of the early church these forty days were set apart for considering our relationship with God and our neighbour and how we live out that relationship in prayer, almsgiving and fasting. These three disciplines are powerful tools that enable us to draw closer to God and our fellows.

Depending on where we are in our spiritual journey, we will find ourselves putting more emphasis on one of these disciplines than another. Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation will help us determine which of these three areas we might wish to work on this year. In addition to the pointers our confessors and spiritual directors will be giving us in the next few weeks, the Diocesan Resource Centre has a number of resources that can assist us in mapping out our course us during the next few weeks as we travel toward the Easter feast. Come and check them out. Sr. Rose-Marie or Michael Averyt will be most happy to help you find something useful for you or your study group. If you are unable to come to Prince Albert, give one of us a call, tell us what you are looking for and we will mail appropriate material to you.

Last Fall, the Bishops at the Synod on ‘The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church’ strongly urged all the faithful to recognize ‘the encounter with Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, as an event of grace that reoccurs in the reading and hearing of Sacred Scripture.’

Taking the Synod’s admonition to heart, Fr. Jim Kaptein is encouraging—and challenging—the parishioners at St. Eugene’s, Nipawin to read the entire Bible over the course of a year. To assist his people with this project Fr. Jim, assisted by the Adult Faith Education Office, has devised a table of readings for each day. The table is organized around the Liturgical Year. Reading the Scriptures in this way has proven to be more helpful to people rather than ploughing straight through from Genesis to Revelation.

Click on the attached link to go to this table. It is designed to fit on two sides of an 11 x 14 inch sheet of paper. Those who may prefer, may obtain a copy from the Adult Faith Education Office at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Prince Albert.

A note on translations: Fr. Jim has based the table on the chapter and verse system of the New American Bible. Those using the NRSV Catholic Edition (NRSV, Catholic Edition) will find some differences, for instance in the book of Esther, in which some sections are placed in a different order. The reasons for these differences are complex, and would make a good subject for an adult study group to consider. Do not be dismayed by these differences, which, simply put, have to do with the various manuscripts used for the official editions of the Vulgate over the last 500 years. If anyone as questions about this, or wishes further information, do not hesitate to ask your parish priest or contact Michael Averyt at the Adult Faith Education Office.//w

Benedict XVI Is Latest YouTube Star
Pope Gives Thumbs Up to Vatican Initiative

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 23, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican launched today a channel on YouTube that will provide video news clips on the Pope's activities, currently in four languages, including English.

One or two video clips will be provided each day at www.youtube.com/vatican.

According to Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, the Holy Father is the first supporter of the initiative.

"The Pope has been personally informed of our project and has approved it with his customary poise and warmth," he said. "For us, this is a great motivation."

To read the rest of the article, please click here
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On the Net:
Vatican channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/vatican
H2O on YouTube www.youtube.com/h2onews .cbc.ca/ideas/features/man-of-the-roads/index.html