Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex

In an effort to bring back the Vagina Monologues, the Honors Program at Marquette University will present the play as an academic event . The associate professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program, Anthony Peressini, collaborated with the students and found a way to address the graphic sexual issues of same-sex orgasms, child rape gratification, S&M, etc… from an academic standpoint. This year, after the play, there will be a panel of experts who will present academic perspectives of sexual assault, feminism and human rights.

This program is being allowed on campus as being consistent with a Decree in the Documents of the 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus: Jesuits and the Situation of Women in Church and Civil Society, which calls “all Jesuits to listen carefully and courageously to the experience of women.” The website Gop3.com was successful last year in leading the charge in denying the Monologue performance on campus. They intend to do so again and give 7 reasons why it should be banned as an academic assembly.

Also by gop3.com: The list of the Jesuit universities planning to perform ‘The Vagina Monologues’ this year.

Karen Kubby, clinic director of the Emma Goldman abortion clinic, recently marketed her abortion services as being instrumental in providing pro-life benefits for the woman and families who choose abortion. She believes that pregnant women will make a decision on whether or not to have an abortion based on their “equilibrium“. If she chooses abortion, it’s because the loss of a child would consequently result in a gain for that woman and her family. Therefore, she concludes, the decision for abortion is decidedly pro-life.

I am pro-life. I believe strongly in the value of living beings on this planet. I celebrate life in a variety of ways through my daily activities and spiritual life. I recognize the lives gained through abortion. I see the lives of women and their children who are stronger and more stable because of a decision toward abortion…. A decision about abortion is decidedly pro-life. It is a respectful and moral option….

In summary, Kubby feels the end of gaining a quality of life for women justifies the means of abortion. I mean, what woman wouldn’t want to tap into a respectful and moral means of gaining strength and stability for themselves and their children? Using her cost/benefit ratio- “equilibrium”, I wonder how far beyond the “respectful and moral option” of scrambling the brains of living children outside of the womb would she be willing to go? To what extent does she really covet the authority and ultimate power given to women, which exceeds that of any man, as sole judge and executioner over another human being?

Source - Prolife Blogs

An editoral by the Chicago Times comments on the illogical spin by sexpert eduators on why it’s actually a good thing for young, teen girls to sexually express themselves on-line. Just another fine example of why kids equate their bodies to tools and toys, rather than the sacred objects they were always meant to be. Who are these ladies, and what have they done with their common sense?

There appears to be growing concensus among the elite in the psychiatric community who contradict the logic of using evidence based medicine to appropriately diagnose and effectively treat patients afflicted with gender dysphoria; choosing, instead, to collaborate with the illness and authorize a cosmetic mutilation commonly called a sex change operation. The scientific facts are that chromosomes, not genitals or cognitive discernment, determine gender. While in the womb, prenatal hormones shape the brains of the child, so rest assured, there is no invasion of a body waiting to trap a brain of it’s opposite sex.

Given the scientific evidence of gender development vs. a two year old insisting that he is a girl, I tend to support science. Unfortunately, there is resistance to provide any type of documented, long term follow up for those who undergo a sex change. I wonder why that is? Could it be the physicians and therapists who support this type of intervention ignore the facts that point to the appropriate diagnosis of Gender Identity DISORDER, so subsequently, they leave an illness untreated?

As for a story of the 12 year old boy who is undergoing hormonal therapy in order to protect his personality, I’m trying to understand how a denial of reality and deception used in conjunction with hormonal injections are supposed to nuture a healthy personality. As for the theory of a male being trapped in a female’s body, why do you suppose some men who have had their gentalia removed to become a pseudo-woman have wives and girlfriends? Thankfully, I don’t get “it”.

Catholic teaching in this area is clear. It is impossible to “change” a person’ sex.

Some relevant posts that we have done on this issue include: Extreme Makeover: The Tragic Edition and Sex and Human Personhood: Sex Differences.

In the last week, the issue of what is exactly meant by “active participation” in the liturgy, on the part of the laity has come up, so of course having a blog one must take the opportunity to vent.

I have been consulting with a rather large diocese that is trying to develop a catechetical certification program. As part of this consultation, they asked me to review several existing catechetical programs for applicability to their requirements. Several of these existing programs are offered on-line, so I have been observing some of the classes.

Unfortunately, these classes offer ample post material (which in part explains many of the problems we still experience in the liturgy) but I will stay on topic here. One class I have been monitoring on the Sacraments had a discussion going on this topic but it was not on the meaning of “active participation. ” Rather all the participants seemed to presuppose the answer and discussed how active participation could be increased among the parishioners.

I agreed with the general thought that more adult catechesis is needed but that is as far as my agreement went. In addition to the usual suspects (get more people involved being lectors, “Eucharistic ministers,” etc.) here were some gems.

• Open the Mass up to the congregation in order to let them share their thoughts and feelings
• Allow parishioners to choose during the Mass which songs they want to sing next (by voting I suppose?)
• Allow parishioners to have more influence about how the Mass is done so that they can feel that their opinions were being taken seriously, and of course
• Make sure that everyone is clear that the Mass comes not just under the authority of the clergy (your guess is as good as mine on this one)

There is a priest facilitating this class. I was hoping that he would correct this erroneous line of thinking and explain that active participation is an active intention to offer to the Father, the work of the “People,” in other words the work of the Church and our personal prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, joined to the Sacrifice of the Cross for the reparation of sins and the building up of the Church. In other words, I was hoping that he would explain that “active” means an involved and engaged attention to what is taking place during the Mass, its significance, and the part we are called to play in it, all within the context of the approved rubrics of the Mass.

Rather, what the class got was an affirmation of their ideas but the warning that such an approach might make some people angry.

Now this mistaken idea of active participation can also be found at otherwise, solid parishes as well. For example, at a parish in which I know the priest to be quite orthodox, during Catholic schools week the students were given the responsibilities for lectoring. Besides the fact that most times the students are not very good at being lectors, this again feeds the mistaken notion that to be actively “involved” one must do some extraordinary activity. If this were the case, then there would still be very little opportunity for all parishioners to be “actively involved” every week, which is not the case.

Add to this that in our worship, we must offer back to God the best we have. This ought to be the case, par excellence, in the Mass. Thus, the Mass must not be used (abused) as a “Toastmasters” venue or a way of making people feel more part of the Church. Preparing people to be good lectors must come outside of the Mass and they should be scheduled during Mass only at that point in time in which they are sufficiently prepared. As with the music, those who are truly gifted at lectoring, ought to be those whom we appoint as lectors. Making people feel more part of the Church, especially children, ought be done through other means, such as catechesis.

It is no wonder, that most of the laity has lost their sense of the Transcendent Mystery that is the Mass. With our tepid and banal music, and the lack of excellence that we have come to expect in our execution of the liturgy (not to mention that lack of respect we have for the rubrics), it is a wonder that we have as many Catholics come to Mass as we still do, since most do not have a clue about what they are celebrating.

Liturgical excellence is possible and when we understand what the Mass is, I do not understand how anyone can imagine offering anything less. While part of the answer is better seminary formation for our priests, better catechesis for our adults and children, I think a greater part of the answer is a change of heart for all of us as well.

By the way, if you haven’t been to their website yet, here is an excellent example of a parish that demands and delivers liturgical excellence: Our Lady of the Atonement.

Interesting article at the Catholic Exchange on eulogies and funeral Masses:

It would probably come as a surprise to most Catholics to learn that such eulogies at funeral Masses are prohibited by longstanding Church teachings.  Last year, a priest in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, made local news by letting his parish know that he would start enforcing that prohibition. (more)

Kris’s thoughts on abortion. Nice commentary from a new blog I think many of you may enjoy.

The British Sunday Times printed an article called “Science told: Hands off Gay Sheep“, which explained how scientists were conducting experiments that had the potential of changing the sexuality of ‘gay’ sheep which raised the possibility of scientists having the capability of “out-breeding” homosexuality in humans. Well, it turns out that the whole story was a scam orchestrated by PETA to disrupt and distract the animal research being done at the Oregon Health and Science University.

I believe that the Gay Sheep story specifically targeted those with same-sex attraction in order to exploit their already over-sensitive emotions and self-perceived victim status. How ironic that an organization which is supposedly against cruelty, couldn’t care less about human pain and suffering in their own cruel efforts to elevate the status of animals above that of the human person.

- The director of PETA asked Yasser Arafat to spare animals when conducting suicide bombings (no mention of humans);

- PETA’s “milk sucks” campaign falsely claimed “dairy products are linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases;”

- The 2005 “Are Animals the new Slaves?” campaign juxtaposed images of black slaves and child labourers with chained elephants and dead cows;

- The 2003 “Holocaust on Your Plate” campaign equated six million exterminated Jews with six billion broiler chickens.

I tend to believe that this is further evidence of how emotional scars and an unforgiving heart can wreak havoc in the human heart.

A High-ranking Scientologist, David Miscavige, believes that in the coming years Tom Cruise will be worshipped like Jesus all over the world as he becomes a prophet for the religion. A source close to the actor has said: “Tom has been told he is Scientology’s Christ-like figure. Just like Christ, he has been criticised for his views. But future generations will realise he was right, just like Jesus.”

Update: Comment #3 by Greg,” Scientologists appreciate Tom Cruise’s efforts as a spokesperson of many of our Church’s initiatives. But he’s just an actor, holds no rank within our Church, and is by NO MEANS a “prophet” – and I am certain he himself would be embarrassed at the thought.” (more in comment box)

The Catholic League is requesting that the US Department of Justice investigate a Sundance film called Hounddog, for depicting the rape of a twelve year old girl. The point of the Catholic League is that the graphic scenes of a 12 year old girl being raped involves a real 12 year old acting the part in the movie. In the Saturday edition of the LA Times, the director of the film stated that there was no graphic nudity and that the scene was tastefully done. Prosecutors in North Carolina, where the film was originally filmed, eventually dropped their case after finding it did not violate child porn laws.

Can anyone explain to me how in the world anyone could describe a rape of a child as tastefully done? What purpose does filming a scene involving a rape of a child serve, and why would anyone desire to see such an image that could possibly be replayed over and over in their mind? The perverse nature of filming the violent sexual exploitation a child is a perverse, disordered act that reveals a culture that has lost it’s sense of decency and innocence. May God have mercy on the parents of this child, the director, and on all of us for not doing more to protect innocent children from the perversion of our sexually sick culture.

I’m once again late on giving you an update on Dappled Things, the Catholic Cultural On-line magazine. I highly recommend you go take a look. Here is a summary from the editor in the issue that came out prior to Christmas:

The new issue features various works of prose, poetry, and art that I think you and your readers will find very interesting. These include a thorough essay by Matthew Alderman on the “ad orientem” celebration of the liturgy, and an excellent article in which Amy Welborn explores a hidden gem of Catholic literature. Also, given the nature of your blog, I think readers of Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex will be especially interested in a poem titled Timeless Embrace, in which DT editor John Di Camillo ponders the meaning of the marital act in light of the Creation.

Does anyone know any more about this girl?

[wmv width="320" height="240" http://tinyurl.com/yxewot[/wmv]

On the first day of classes the other day, I had a student ask me how I intended teaching this class on Catholic Morality. It is in a public institution so I thought that this was a fair question. I explained the difference between religious studies and theology, where the latter presupposes belief and that would not be the approach. I then explained two possible approaches to religious studies, an outside, sociological approach, and an interior approach that looks at the material from the perspective of those whom one is studying and trying to understand what and why they believe as they do. I indicated that this would be our approach in the class.

That was fine, but it really didn’t address what he was getting at. He wanted to know if we were going to be looking at the material objectively or subjectively? Now, I suspected that I knew what he was getting at but I asked him to explain. He replied that he really didn’t understand how one could possibly teach a course on morality “objectively” because morality is all “subjective.” What he meant, I take it, was that it was all a matter of personal opinion, preference, etc.

Now I suppose that this is not an uncommon view these days, unfortunately. I just wonder why he would sign up for any course on morality with that kind of world view. However, in reality it appears that he is not alone with this view, in this class. There seems to be a real curiosity with many of these students, who reject the idea of limits on libidinous activities, with exactly what the Catholic Church teaches and why. I explained to the first student that in fact we would objectively look at what is taught by the Catholic Church and the rationale behind it. I explained the difference between revealed truth and natural law and how we will explore both and they would be left to judge the reasonableness of the beliefs.

It will be an interesting semester trying to explain (and justify) the giveness of nature to so many cultural nihilists.

Today is the first day in the octave of Prayer for Christian unity that John Paul the Great encouraged Catholics to participate in. It begins on the 18th of January and culminates with the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on the 25th.

Ut unum sint– that all may be one! This was the name of the encyclical that our late Holy Father, John Paul the Great, penned on Christian unity. It is hard to imagine a contemporary personality with more zeal for Christian unity than John Paul II. He was driven by, what I believe was a unique, mystical insight into the terrible horror of the wounds to the Mystical Body of Christ caused by Christian disunity. He also recognized that charity, supernatural love enkindled by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Christians, is the only way home to a visible unity in the Mystical Body.

I am reminded in this of St. Augustine’s meditation on the 6^th chapter of John’s Gospel. Specifically, beginning in verse 16 of this Bread of Life discourse, in which St. Augustine sees the ship being tossed by the seas as an image of the Church, the bark of Peter, and explains the primary cause of Her experience of tribulations:

As the end of the world approaches, errors increase, terrors multiply, iniquity increases, infidelity increases; the light, in short, which, by the Evangelist John himself, is fully and clearly shown to be charity, so much so that he says, “Whoso hates his brother is in darkness;” that light, I say, is very often extinguished; this darkness of enmity between brethren increases, daily increases, and Jesus is not yet come. How does it appear to increase? “Because iniquity will abound, and the love of many will begin to wax cold.” Darkness increases, and Jesus is not yet come. Darkness increasing, love waxing cold, iniquity abounding,—these are the waves that agitate the ship; the storms and the winds are the clamors of revilers. Thence love waxes cold; thence the waves do swell, and the ship is tossed (Tractate 25, 5).

Love waxes cold daily in my heart too I am afraid. In our everyday lives we have so many tasks pressing upon us, daily struggles, and urgent obligations that such a seemingly impossible goal as visible Christian unity can often seem to spare of our time, little more than a pious nod in assenting to this intention. But it is so often this disunity that comforts unbelievers in their belief that they need not seriously investigate the claims of Christianity. It so often is also the cause of questioning in the hearts of Christians as well. The current situation is certainly not that of which Jesus prayed, that the unity of the Church be that of His unity with the Father.

Please consider using this first day of prayer for an increase in our own charity. Specifically, that through God’s grace we be given the ability to fully possess ourselves and when we do, that we may be enabled to give ourselves totally to God and that through this increase in our charity the Church may move one step closer to Her calling of visible unity.

In recognition of this week, the Institute of Catholic Thought is hosting an ecumenical discussion of the problem of Christian disunity. If you are in the area, we would be honored if you would join us on Tuesday evening with your thoughtful questions and comments as we seek to know one another better and pray together for more visible unity in the body of Christ.

Can Jesus’ Prayer Still Be Fulfilled?

Discussion on Christian Unity

January 23, 2007 (7PM)

Lewis Lounge

St. John’s Catholic Newman Center

604 E. Armory Ave. Champaign, IL

On the night before his death, Jesus prayed that all his disciples might be one. Yet Christians today find it hard to believe that unity is possible in a world where there are thousands of Christian churches. What is the real meaning of Christian unity? Does it mean mutual love without organizational unity? Is unity of heart possible without unity in truth? What would Jesus want Christians to do today to express a greater unity?

Representatives of three major Christian traditions come together to address these questions by considering the meaning of Jesus’ high priestly prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John. Jointly sponsored by The Institute of Catholic Thought (of St. John’s Catholic Newman Center), Urbana Theological Seminary, and the Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church, this evening of dialogue returns to the fount of our knowledge of Christ in the New Testament. Our three presenters, all intimately acquainted with the pastoral needs of the church, will speak to the issue of Christian unity by twenty minute reflections on Jesus’ prayer. Ample time is allotted for questions and discussion.

All are welcome as we ponder one of the most pressing problems in world Christianity today. It promises to be an evening of enlightenment, encouragement and thoughtful prayer.

Where: Lewis Lounge, St. John’s Catholic Newman Center

When: January 23^rd at 7:00-9:00PM

Contact: Kenneth J. Howell, Director of the Institute of Catholic Thought. khowell@sjcnc.org or call 344-1184.

Presenters and Discussants

Presenter to be determined, Urbana Theological Seminary.

Fr. George Pyle, Pastor of Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church.

Kenneth J. Howell Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Catholic Thought and Professor of Religious Studies, UIUC.

Father Chris Carpenter has decided to leave the priesthood over same-sex issues and other matters after taking a yearlong leave of absence, while a diocese spokesman reported that Fr. Carpenter remains a priest in good standing with the Diocese of Phoenix. One of the issues that has bothered Fr. Carpenter is his opinion of the Church attempting to use it’s authority, in the same way it did when it was culturally respected and accepted. If I understand the article correctly, he was committed to bringing the homosexual lifestyle into the Church. Since Bishop Olmsted’s arrival to the diocese, there have been six priests who have left the priesthood and another four are on leave of absence.

Sometimes it drives me nuts when I don’t accept the fact that some of us see some things so differently from others; like priests, for example, who appear to ignore the most essential and simple parts of what it means to be Catholic, and then spin it into a bad thing. It’s a wonder why some of our dissenting priests even ’sign up’. If not for changing the Church to what way they think it should be, what’s the point? Without humility and obedience, love is reduced into a relative term and measured according to one’s own imperfect emotions. More prayers here, please.

Father Rodney Rodis, who was indicted last week on embezzlement charges for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from two churches in Virginia is suspected of living a double live as a priest and a married father of three. Neighbors of 3 1/2 years were surprised to learn that he was priest, as he portrayed himself as a married man and never dressed the part. Father Rodis is listed on a court document as living with a woman and three children, to which he has admitted, but denies being married. He is no longer an active priest and moved away from the diocese after he retired, but as a priest, he is required to continue to live his life with holiness, including celibacy.

We need to pray for Father Rodis and those in most need of mercy.

Jens Galschiot will be moving his controversial sculpture, “In the Name of God” from the Lutheran Cathedral in Copenhagen to the World Social Forum in Nairobi to protest on “the Christian fundamentalists’ crusade against contraception.” The sculpture is supposed to be the artist’s interpretation of what religious fundamentalism has done to teen mothers. He hopes it will help in the fight for the rights of teenage girls to be provided with contraception and sexual education and blames President Bush and the Pope as a major part of the problem by forcing women and teenagers to bear the brunt of the disastrous consequences through the ban on condoms based on ´Christian´ morality.

Since I don’t recall President Bush ever having a specific policy on contraception, I will make a short comment on the Pope’s influence on the decision making process of contraception in the secular world. What goes through the mind of most, young and unmarried women (and men for that matter) who consider having a sexual encounter outside of marriage? Whether catholic or not, are we to believe she makes the conscious decision to omit ALL of the morality issues of the Church that concerns consenting to an illicit sexual act, EXCEPT one - contraception? I challenge anyone to find a case where a chaste teen became pregnant or transmitted a sexual disease. I would love to hear how the artist’s logic makes any sense at all.

How many blank stares do you think you would get if you went around the world and asked any teen to explain the views of contraception as they relate to the Pope and President Bush? If one uses plain common sense, the biggest culprit in the propagation of the AIDS epidemic, abortion rate and unwanted pregnancies is no other than the failed policies of the secular world. They don’t believe or take into account that we live in a fallen world, and when combined with the immature frontal lobe brain development of adolescents and young adults (which leads to impulsive, risk taking behaviors) who are not protected by the graces and appropriate guidance of responsible adults; all the contraception and sex education in the world won’t change the hearts and minds of our sexually active teens. I find it difficult to find a more irresponsible and immature approach to solving one of the most serious issues of our times than to search out and blame two of the most hated men in our present day?

After being investigated by the FDA for over 4 hours, Jennalee Ryan is reportedly tired of all of all the negative press about her home based business. Ryan is a broker who constructs her own custom made embryos from sperm donors who must be attractive and have doctorates, and eggs from a young, intelligent, and attractive white female. Anyone who uses her services have the limited options of choosing embryos already devised by Ryan’s personal creations, “based on what I feel that people want. Who wants an ugly, stupid kid?” She also markets her service where parents can get better babies.

Aside from the obviously grave immorality of genetically engineering children, I also have a concern over the emotional and spiritual development of a child who has been raised by the types of parents who would purchase their child based on the criteria of beauty and intelligence. Dysfunctional adults usually come from dysfunctional parents. Somehow, I have a feeling there would be a lot of pressure for the manufactured child to measure up to parental expectations and provide some sort of return on their investment. Children are not a manufactured commodity which is bred, but the fruit of the unconditional love between husband and wife.

Live births from a transplanted uterus was first accomplished in mice about four years ago, Scorpion Stalking Duck found that organ donor networks now have the capability of supplying human uteruses for transplantation. Can you just imagine the possiblities?

U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II allowed three men to proceed with their law suit against the Vatican, as the sole defendant, over allegations of sexual abuse by catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Louisville. The trio accused the Vatican of secretly allowing priests and bishops who were suspected sex offenders to continue their ministry in the Church without properly warning the public or local authorities.

Are there delusions of grandeur of putting the pope on the stand and asking him, “what did you know, and when did you know it?”

I wonder if the motivation behind this law suit is a calculated attack against the church, or angry sex abuse victims who have descended into a state of despair, or maybe it’s just a get rich quick scheme, or a combination of all three. What ever the reason, it comes from a culture with a conspiracy theory mentality and a distorted sense of how the Catholic Church governs itself.

Update: Jeffrey Lena, a California-based attorney for the Vatican, said the ruling was in many respects favorable to the Holy See because the remaining allegations rely on the unproved assumption that U.S. bishops act as agents of the Vatican. He predicted that claim would not be borne out as the case proceeds.