Educational Emails

Consulting the faithful in matters of doctrine

06/29/2020

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Sometimes emails I receive from my parishioners can be very educational. That is, I learn a lot from the laity. This particular parishioner was alarmed by an article in the Arkansas Catholic diocesan newspaper entitled, “Trump Tweets: ‘Honored’ by Vigano Letter.” Did you see that article in last week’s paper? The petitioner had several concerns and questions about the article, but he boiled it all down to one, asking: “Is this the official view of the Catholic Church?”

His concern came from the impression given by including the article in the official diocesan paper without any further clarification of the matter. In other words, was Archbishop Vigano’s various assertions about the pandemic being political, a deep state conspiracy, the so-called “children of darkness,” and freemasons what the Catholic Church official taught? Clearly, this Catholic parishioner disagreed with Archbishop Vigano’s letter, and I agreed with the parishioner’s disagreement.

This parishioner’s email reminded me of John Henry Newman’s landmark essay in 1859 called “On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine.” Newman insisted that lay people play an essential role in handing on the authentic tradition of the Church. When one archbishop haughtily scoffed: “Who are the laity anyway?” Newman rejoined: “The Church would look very foolish without them.” In other words, shepherds would look foolish if there were no sheep.

But more to the point, Newman saw the lay people as a “mirror” in which the clergy would look and learn things about themselves and even the faith. He wrote: “Well, I suppose a person may consult his glass (British for mirror), and in that way may know things about himself which he can learn in no other way.” That’s like how I might need you to tell me if I have food on my face when we eat dinner. That was the net effect of this parishioner’s email: to point out the food on the face of Archbishop Vigano’s letter. Maybe it was a pie.

Today is the feast day of the two great pillars of the Church: Sts. Peter and Paul. I love to see the larger-than-life statues of Peter and Paul welcoming pilgrims in the piazza of St. Peter’s Basilica. These two apostles were likewise larger-than-life in the history of the Church. This feast not only highlights how big they were, but also that they were brothers in the faith, who loved the Lord more than life itself. So, we read Paul’s words in 2 Tim. 4:6, “I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

Today, traditionally, newly appointed archbishops travel to Rome to receive their pallium – a wide, white collar woven from sheep’s wool – from the hands of the Holy Father. That ancient gesture is supposed to symbolize the close fraternal relationship between Peter and Paul, brothers in the faith. Modern pope and bishops, therefore, should be brothers in the faith and collaborate closely to build up the Kingdom.

That brings me back to the educational email from my parishioner. In it, he also asked: “Isn’t the former Archbishop Carlos Maria Vigano the one who asked Pope Francis to resign?” Do you recall that bold assertion and implicit accusation? Again, this pious parishioner was pointing out more pie on the face of the clergy – like when prelates fight in public – and being a good mirror like John Henry Newman described the function of the laity.

Maybe that is the deeper reason for this annual feast day: to ask the laity to pray for the clergy, especially those called to the highest ranks of Church leadership, as pope and bishop. Sometimes lay persons perceive the genuine faith with an instinct that comes from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the laity catch what the clergy fumble. And they express that instinctive faith in educational emails. So, keep the emails coming, even if I do not like them, and especially if I do not like them.

Praised be Jesus Christ!