MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUSIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING ON A STAR?

So last week as you may be aware I was on a short vacation.  Too short.  Not the usual too short – too short because crammed between a wedding and a holy day there were only a couple of days available to go.  But my sister who lives in town here was dead set about going to New York (with Sebastian) to see our eldest sibling who lives in the Adirondacks in order to see the meteor shower that was taking place that weekend and that weekend only.  So it had to be the week that I only had a couple possible days to be away.

If you want to see sky though, there are not many places to see it.  Your area has to be pretty free from light pollution if you really want to see the sky – something that most people will never experience in the United States.  If you really want to see stars you must go searching for them otherwise the only place you see them is in text books and Google Images.

So we drive 11 hours to our New York sister’s house almost non-stop.  There are not many places one may take a dog along the highway.  It was already dark and we ate a little, aired out the dog, and then set up Adirondack chairs in her garden and waited for the show.

Funny thing about shooting stars.  One must be awake to see them.

Eventually I did see some.

The night was so clear we could even see satellites in the sky; something I’d never experienced before.  I had no idea it was even possible.

Then just like that it was time to take the 11 hour ride back home, something that had to be rushed even more because I had to take at least one of the holy day Masses.  That is when the texts started coming in.

Normally Fr. P would never bother me on a vacation but we were tag teaming parish work this week.  As soon as I walked in the front door of the rectory he was going to go out the back on his vacation.  He was just waiting to see the whites of my eyes to make sure that there would be someone to say Mass.  That is why these texts started appearing concerning funerals came in:

No good vacation goes unpunished!

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: THE QUIET SACRAMENT

Sorry that there was not a post yesterday.  Coming back from a short vacation there was simply not time to do all that was necessary around the parish and get the blog up and running again.

The sacrament of confession has no traditional social rites attached to it though in this day and age we tend to have a celebration for just about any achievement no matter how minor including “graduating” from kindergarten.  Occasionally after a first confession there might be a small token of celebration such as the family being together and perhaps having a special treat.  But what is happening here is a healing; a spiritual healing - so the proper response would be one of thanksgiving, not of merry making.  For example, upon leaving a doctor’s office cured of a sore throat one does not have a party, (though in celebration of being able to swallow again one might enjoy an ice cream cone while giving thanks to God for being made whole again.)

True manners, when going to confession, is being prepared and doing that which one is called upon to do.  This includes being punctual.  Seeing that confessions are from 7 to 8PM and showing up a few seconds before 8 is not being punctual.  The priest may need to begin Mass or some other function.  It is best to show up earlier in the confession time to assure that you have your confession heard.

It is also polite to all others to be prepared.  The confessional is the wrong place to start doing an examination of conscience or to read through an examination and say, “Okay, I didn’t do that one.  This one I kinda did . . .”  Upon entering the confessional one should be ready with their sins in mind ready to confess them.  Also, avoid explanations and excuses for sins and other people’s culpabilities in them.  (But he makes me so mad when he chews with his mouth open like that!)  Take my word for it that God already knows all of this.  If the priest needs more information in order to understand, he will ask you.  Also, Mrs. Fenner rightly recommends avoiding Lent and Advent seasons for making a general confession during the posted hours since these can go on for quite some time.  One must always keep in mind those waiting in line (or who might show up while you are in the confessional) waiting to have their sins forgiven – that they might not miss out because confessions are going unnecessarily long and either they or the priest must leave.  How sad a thought that is.  (N.B.  That is NOT to say that it cannot be done during these times if your spiritual life is in danger, only that if it can be avoided, it should be.)

There are times for general confessions, questions, and longer detailed confessions.  I highly recommend making an appointment for such a confession.  In this way there is no fear of someone behind you having to be turned away from the sacrament and the priest not being distracted about time.  Any priest worth his salt will make such an appointment available to you.

Bear in mind that the confessional is not, generally speaking, a time for counseling.  Though some may take place, counseling occurs at other times.  This time is set aside for individuals to celebrate this sacrament.

In waiting in line or going into the body of the church to pray afterword, one moves away from the confessional so as not to be able to hear what is going on in there.  If anything is heard, it is ignored, forgotten, and forever unspoken.  Making conversation with fellow penitents in the confessional line is rude and disturbing to those who may be trying to recall (or keep in mind) their sins or trying to do their penance and should be avoided except when absolutely necessary.  The point is to make confession as private and meditative for others as you wish for it to be for you.  This includes communal confessions (different from general absolution) when one is obliged to remain in the church until all have gone to confession and have prayed the prayer of thankgiving together at the end of the service.

And good manners are good manners even with God.  After receiving absolution it is good practice to stop in the church even if one’s penance does not call for it, and give thanks to God for the sacrament received.

MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUCIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: MYSTERY EXCURSION

N.B.  I am going out of town until Wednesday evening.  There will be no more posts until Thursday.

Well,

I told you that I was going to explain why last week’s Monday Diary was late and I had pictures and all to go along with a story but I lost them somewhere on this computer.  I downloaded them and knew that there was something amiss but didn’t have time to cope with it at the moment.  They are here somewhere but I don’t know how to find them.  So I'll do my best with pen and ink.

Anyway, here is what happened.  I was invited on a mini retreat.  It was not exactly clear where I was going but that is somewhat by design.  “Just tell me when to have my bags packed and assume all the rest of the planning,” is my traveling motto.

A very generous person donated the use of a private jet to take a small band of us to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. 

You might know the Shrine better for its most famous resident, Mother Angelica.  About an hour ride past dozens of Baptist churches from the Birmingham airport the Shrine rises out of an otherwise rural area like the fabled Brigadoon.  It was made all the more fantastical for us having spotted a grand rainbow just before coming upon it.  Then suddenly there were white fences, rolling acres of grass and trees and cows and horses. 

One passes through a giant rough iron gate welcoming people of all faiths to the shrine.  The first building encountered is the “barn” where I would be staying and where a new order of which I was completely unaware, is taking shape.  By barn, I mean one of the nicest retreat centers for priests I have ever encountered.  That it looks like a barn on the outside is a bit misleading.

“The Knights of the Holy Eucharist” is a new order set up by Mother Angelica.  These young men serve the needs of the sisters who are cloistered at the Shrine.  “They serve Masses, Healing and Benediction services, give public witness to the profound reverence and devotion befitting such a sacred service.  They also provide assistance, tours and talks to the many pilgrims who visit the Shrine.  The Knights also generously attend to the needs and maintenance of the Shrine.”

But that is not all they do.  Oh no.

Brother Michael who served as our host not only took very good care of us, but showed us some of his projects: repairing statues, making wine and beer, cooking, making jerky, all of which we got to sample. 

The shine itself is breathtaking.  Here is their website and some pictures from online since I cannot find my pictures.

The day we were there was spent in adoration, prayer, and dining.  I will admit that I was a bit intimidated by the prospect of the trip when I found out where it was that we were going.  Sometimes “holy people” scare me.  One never seems to be able to live up to the level of holiness that “holy people” like and they let you know it.  I must say that there was not a soul that we came across that was not joyful, welcoming, accepting, and willing to share and accommodate.

In addition to the Knights, we were in the company of Franciscan priests and were able to visit with the cloistered nuns in one of their parlors.  A parlor is a sort of living room with a grill that cuts it in half.  The nuns there were so happy and joyful (how excited they were to get some chocolate!) that one had not the sense that they were locked in but that we were locked out.

It was only 24 hours but it filled my tank.  I recommend visiting the Shrine which is one of the most visited sites in Alabama.  40% of the visitors there are not even Catholic.  And the EWTN studios are only 45 minutes away.  I think of returning there one day when I the trip can be a bit more restful. 

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: BAPTISM BASHES

You don’t have to have a party following a baptism, but it is a good excuse to have one.  If you are too stressed or if your finances do not allow it, do not have one.  Occasionally I hear of someone not doing something in the Church because it is so expensive (then you have to rent a hall and feed the people and hire a band . . .)  No you don’t.  You can.  And it is nice for your guests if you can and want to do it.  But nothing is as important as the sacrament itself.  The party is a second desert.  Completely unnecessary but great none-the-less.

So who do you invite if you are thinking of having a gathering?  The only ones that must be invited are the godparents and the officiating priest, but do not expect the priest to be in attendance.  As our hostess for this series, Mrs. Fenner, states, “The priest is seldom free at such a time to accept the invitation, but it must always be proffered.”  It is a courtesy.  Unlike many non-Catholic Churches, the priest is not simply the hired minister for the community (as close as he may be to his people), the priest is the spiritual father for the congregation, given by the Church to the local parish family.  As a spiritual father he has just brought your child into the Christian family and made him a child of God and will hopefully have a relationship with him in his spiritual life.  After that you may add who you will: grandparents, aunts and uncles and so forth.

Many have chosen to take the baptismal gathering to a restaurant, which is understandable, for it saves the new mother (and father) much trouble.  But a traditional baptismal party is really not much.  Here is what Mrs. Fenner has to say:

“To the guests the parents serve a small, white cake, iced like a bridal cake . . . and champagne or champagne punch to toast the health of the little new Christian.  This is all that is required and if kept to this minimum, it is really not much trouble or expense.”

Of course you can raise the bar from there.  But at all times it must be remembered that a sacrament is being celebrated.  So “the service of intoxicants is held to a strict minimum.”

GIFTS

There is no requirement for anybody to give a gift to the baby (and it is really to the baby, not the parents.)  It is customary for godparents to offer a present, often grandparents, and after that, only those who feel so moved.  In any event, like all celebrations, this is not an opportunity to get things.  Gifts are graciously accepted on behalf of the baby with appropriate surprise that someone should be so thoughtful.  Presents should not be expected or worse yet, requested.

One may give whatever one wishes.  A baby’ sized, silver spoon, knife, and fork are relatively inexpensive presents that can be put to immediate use.  (Monsignor Manners still has his silver spoon and his medal of St. John the Evangelist which were given to him at his christening.)  Other suitable gifts and ones that might stay with the child through his adult years might be a statue of the Blessed Virgin, an infant of Prague, or some such thing.  If you are of a mind, it might be a savings account (Monsignor Manner’s father’s friends did that for me at the Barb-O-Brass Savings and Loan.  It was a very modest amount but none-the-less a reminder of the day and the importance of the event in the life of the community.)  Savings bonds and stocks are also appropriate.  Practicality is great.  If it has a religious connotation it is all the better.  Prayers and your presence are the true present.

Next week:  Penance

HAY HORSE, WHY THE LONG FACE?

Only one of our depictions of saints in our church has a smile.  The rest are all deadly serious.  St. John Vianney is the only one who looks like he just got away with stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.  The rest look like as though they are in a heavy rain trying to make out the license plate of a rapidly receding car that had just side swiped them.

Now, of course someone like St. Sebastian, who is usually depicted as having arrows stuck in his side, would look far out of character with a smile on his face.  One would wonder what pharmaceuticals he must be on rather than the depth of his love for God.  That being said, I think we have done ourselves a grave disservice equating holiness with severeness of demeanor.  That is not to say that there is not a place for a stern approach from time to time, but holiness should lead to joy.  You can’t have holiness without an underlying joy (even if it is through tears and pain) and you can’t have true joy without holiness.

There are those that are joyfull, but the faith underneath it is at best full of empty calories and covered with lots of powdered sugar.  When really tried, it fails to give you the strength you need and the joy (which would be closer to happiness than real joy) fades and so can, and usually does, the faith. 

At the other end is person with faith who is also as grave as the grave.  This person tends to look down upon those who do not live up to their standards of (at least outward) holiness.  Their type of faith might be strong, but it is unattractive and unfruitful.  Who wants to join anything that will make you constantly appear constipated?

So last week (I will share more about it later) I was going to a place that has a reputation for being a “holy place.”  I had some trepidation about it.  It was certainly orthodox from the rising of the sun to its setting, but I had concerns about the temperament of those I would encounter.  “Would I not be ‘Catholic’ enough for them?  Would I be made to feel like a second class Catholic?” 

I am happy to report that such was not the case.  The joy that I experienced there from the priests, nuns, and brothers bubbled over.  They were extremely welcoming and accommodating.  There was an excitement to share what they had freely and openly, and a sense of underlying joy that was attractive and tempting.

If your faith is not leading you to joy, something is wrong.  If you faith is not attractive, something is wrong.  (Notice I am not talking about happiness which is merely an emotion.  Joy is an inner strength and conviction, knowledge of meaning and the blossom of hope.)  If you do not have joy, you do not have what Jesus wants for you.  If you do not have joy, your faith will not be as fruitful as it could be.  If you do not have joy, something needs to change.  We do not need any volunteer statues in church.

P.S., Yes, I know the title should be "Hey Horse!"

A FEW SQUARE FEET ON THE TOP OF A TABLE

Consider you funeral for just a moment.  (Don’t worry this won’t be morbid.)  Now consider John Paul II’s funeral.  Do you see a lot of difference?  There might be less than you think.

In comparison with JP II’s funeral our will seem a modest affair but in their essentials they are much the same.  Consider the huge building that is St. Peter’s and the thousands of clergy, the heads of state, the mobs of people, and all the media piping the ceremony all over the world.  At the heart of all that, the whole things boils down to a few square feet of table, one principal celebrant saying a set of words, exactly what it will boil down to at our Mass.  Granted, there is a lot more gewgaw at the Vatican, but that is like the doily under the cake: while pretty and worthwhile if it is there, you can’t eat it and you only look at it long enough to scoop your slice of cake up off of it.  The important thing is the cake!

I have prayed Masses in straw and mud churches in Zimbabwe and at St. Peter’s at the Vatican.  My prayers changed not one jot between the two.  I may have had to walk further, wear different quality vestments, surrounded by different quality art, but the Mass was the Mass for those who were there and what was important came down to a few square feet on the mensa of an altar, bread made from wheat and flour, and plain wine. 

In this way kings and paupers are buried alike.  Third world countries and first receive Jesus from the same Mass.  Christ is equally present to all.  That is the genius of Christ’s institution of the Mass at which He is always the principal celebrant.  It is what shows you that in God’s eyes, you are anyone’s equal in the inheritance of heaven.  Strip away the bells and whistles, everyone’s Mass sounds the same. 

This is another reason why priests have no right to change parts of the Mass.  It is not theirs to change.  Each person has a right to the Mass as the Church celebrates it and an obligation to celebrate Mass as the Church celebrates it.  Thereby we are fed with the same spiritual food, we are baptized with the same water, we are confirmed with the same oil, we are forgiven with the same formula, we are bound in matrimony with the same vows, we are healed with the same ceremony and are buried with the same Mass.  No man made institution has ever accomplished such a feat. 

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CCLXVII

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND:  "The Church may have some power over a really bad man who knows he is bad and confesses it - but never over a respectable fraud!"  from Marie Correlli's "Holy Orders"

QUOTE II:  "It's our business to try to change the external faults of the Church - the vulgarity, the lack of scholarship, the lack of intellectual honesty - wherever we find them and however we can."  Flannery O'Conner

IN OTHER NEWS:

Frank sent this site: a view from the top of the Eiffel Tower of which Bill Bryson wrote in his book, "At Home," "Never in history has a structure been more technologically advanced, materially obsolete, and gloriously pointless all at the same time."

There is a free course on Catholicism being offered on line for free.  For more information look here.

Harry sent this in about Oxford becoming home to a Chesterton Library!  The revolution continues.

Russ sent this two minute video in:

MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUSIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: THE NEW PUPPY

Greetings,

Yes, today's post is very late, the reason for which will probably be the topic if next week's Monday Diary.  This week's, however, will deal with new developments in the St. Sebastian Rectory.  I received a phone call from the seminary this past week asking if I would kindly take in a seminarian for his live-in experience before his first year of theology.  I told Fr. P. that I had to go to the seminary to pick up a seminarian to bring home to stay with us for a little while and he said it sounded vaguely like I was bringing home a new dog.  And you know what?  He was right.  The story did seem to parallel well:

So I went and picked him up.  It required getting a bed ready, going to the store and buying food and other necessary things.  It wasn't much different getting a seminarian.  Then there was the initial introduction to their new home:

Then there was the essential training of how things are done around here - what is acceptable behavior and what is not:

In fact there is very little difference save that one is allowed to eat at the table and one is not.  But I imagine it will not take very long until we allow the seminarian to leave the children's table and join us and Sebastian.

There is even an economy of having both around.  What seems to work for one seems to work just as well for two with not much extra effort:

Joking aside, it is quite swell to have a young wanna be in the house and quite an honor that we get to be part of his training.  If you think of it say a prayer for him and for all of our seminarians.  And if you see them, they like treats. 

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: BAPTISM: A PICTURE PERFECT DAY

There are a few topics that, when brought up with a flock of priests, starts us all going like a field full of agitated geese.  Nobody has answers.  It is one of the great sadnesses of the Church that Jesus did not deal directly and cleverly with some of these issues.  Photography for example.  “Let he who is without pride be the first to have his picture taken,” or, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a great photographic event that always gets the best shot from the best angle.”

So you want pictures?  We have some rules at the parish about pictures taking in general usually to the ire of one or two individuals a year.  They involve such things as not running up and taking a picture as your child is receiving their first Holy Communion or standing outside the confessional to get “that first moment after.”  Church is not picture taking event at which a sacrament occurs; it is rather a sacramental event at which pictures may be taken under certain circumstances.  “But things like this only happen once and I want that money shot!”  I know, I know.  But tell me the last time you went through all of your wedding photos.

Just the same the rule is, whether one is hiring a photographer for a baptism (really, save the money and put it toward their Catholic grade school education) or taking them yourself, ask the priest what the policy of the parish is so no one need be embarrassed.  At St. Sebastian the general rule for baptism is “don’t get between me, the water and the forehead.”  Any person, professional or otherwise, should do their job as unobtrusively as possible. 

Professionals seem to have taken to wearing all black thinking that they are in a Japanese puppet play where we are to suspend disbelief and pretend that they are not there.  IT DOESN’T WORK.  Especially when black means a black T-shirt.  Photographers should dress like the guests.

THE OFFERING

Now for the delicate subject of the offering.  It is customary to give an offering at baptism.  As Mrs. Fenner wrote, “The offering is made by the child’s parent.  It is placed in a plain white envelope with the parent’s calling card and is handed unobtrusively to the priest before the group leaves the church.”  Interestingly this is still how I find it done at this parish though occasionally it is also accompanied by a note if the parents have something special to say.

The offering is not payment for the sacrament.  It is a token of appreciation and acknowledgement of the pastoral care given by the priest.  It is a custom, not a law.  If one cannot afford it, it is not expected.  A note of thanks however is always just good manners especially if one does not have this means.

If you are giving a monetary gift however there is one thing you should know.  If you write on the envelope or address the check or say to the priest, “This is for Saint Soandso,” by canon law that gift goes into the general fund for the parish.  You must make the check out to, say, or in some way indicate that the gift is for the priest if it is your desire for him to have it.

THE FABRIC CONUNDRUM

Here is a back note from last week concerning what babies are to wear at baptism.  It’s great information.

“Dear Father Valencheck,

“What little I know of children's historic clothing includes that up to the early 1900's boys and girls clothing weren't differentiated much and all wore white gowns and had long hair. My theory is it was because you can just wash white in hot water and you're good to go. I don't know if it was at school age that colors and haircuts were introduced. Interestingly, at that time pink was the boy color and blue was the girl color, which explains all those pictures of the Child Jesus wearing pink.

“With regard to taffeta, satin and chiffon, there are two differences between these and the other fabrics mentioned; first, taffeta and satin are stiff, second, all three are fabrics associated with evening clothes rather than day clothes. They also wouldn't be so soft and comfortable as the other fabrics mentioned.”

Thanks Nan!

We will, absolutely positively, finish next week with the after events of infant baptism.

WHAT DID YOUR MOTHER TEACH YOU?

A couple of Thursdays ago we had our jazz festival held out of doors on our property.  In a not so wise move I prayed for rain at the opening collect for Mass that morning.  It rained like all get out for the first time in weeks.  Then I started worrying that perhaps we had prayed too hard because it was getting closer and closer to the time of the festival and it was still raining like Gos was trying to get rid of overstock.  So I prayed that it would stop raining and it did.  We dodged that bullet!

Some time after it struck me how fortunate we were weather wise.  It rained when we needed it.  It stopped when we needed it.  The ground dried enough and the cloud cover made an otherwise sweltering summer bearable.  And I didn’t thank God.  I thought how lucky we were, but I forgot to stop and really say thank you.

There is an old Slovenian saying that goes, “He who is polite to you but is rude to the waiter is not a polite person.”  This saying came to mind during the last St. Sebastian Chesterton meeting as we read the “The Ballad of the White Horse” where Chesterton described God as a servant:

“And well may God with serving-folk

Cast in His dreadful lot;

Is not he too a servant,

And is not He forgot?

“For was not God my gardener

And silent like a slave;

That opened oaks on the uplands

Or thickets in graveyard gave?

“And was not God my armourer,

All patient and unpaid,

That sealed my skull as a helmet

And ribs for haulberk made?”

It goes on but you get the idea.  Even if we count not what we perceive as “special favors” there is still so much for which we should be grateful from our servant-God.  And thankfulness comes not naturally, it is a discipline hard won and no greater one is there deserving thanks than the One who made it possible for us to offer it.  He who says thanks to the cashier but not to God is not a polite person.

 

So if you haven't lately, remember a prayer of thank you.  Your Mom would be proud.

GUEST BLOGGER: HERE CHICKIE CHICKIE CHICKIE

Actually "Guest Blogger" is not a being exactly honest.  In actuality I am reprinting Cardinal George's words about the whole Chick-fil-A controversy.  Before that, however, I must say that I was listening to NPR yesterday and heard them handle this issue.  They covered it well taking both sides of the issue (though everyone interviewed was for SS marriage) and asking hard questions of those on both sides of the debate.  I was astounded.  So since I point out their foibles so often I thought to give them a nod today.

It is a difficult topic to talk about.  How do you uphold your faith in the Catholic Church and not sound like a bigot?  One way on this topic is to not get side tracked about SS marriage.  This is about government decreeing favors or hinderances depending on your (currently anyway) perfectly legal point of view.

It is not adequate to debate Jesus here.  One of the persons being interviewed yesterday (and I am quoting loosely but not far off) that "Don't get me wrong.  The Bible is an important document in our history.  But it is outdated.  It is nearly 3,000 years old.  We have moved beyond it.  After all it condoned stoning wives and keeping slaves."  (I know, I know, it didn't.  That the problem with bumper sticker debating.)

Anyway, Cardinal George had some intelligent things to say on this so I thought to share it with you today.

Recent comments by those who administer our city seem to assume that the city government can decide for everyone what are the “values” that must be held by citizens of Chicago. I was born and raised here, and my understanding of being a Chicagoan never included submitting my value system to the government for approval. Must those whose personal values do not conform to those of the government of the day move from the city? Is the City Council going to set up a “Council Committee on Un-Chicagoan Activities” and call those of us who are suspect to appear before it? I would have argued a few days ago that I believe such a move is, if I can borrow a phrase, “un-Chicagoan.”

The value in question is espousal of “gender-free marriage.” Approval of state-sponsored homosexual unions has very quickly become a litmus test for bigotry; and espousing the understanding of marriage that has prevailed among all peoples throughout human history is now, supposedly, outside the American consensus. Are Americans so exceptional that we are free to define “marriage” (or other institutions we did not invent) at will? What are we re-defining?

 

It might be good to put aside any religious teaching and any state laws and start from scratch, from nature itself, when talking about marriage. Marriage existed before Christ called together his first disciples two thousand years ago and well before the United States of America was formed two hundred and thirty six years ago. Neither Church nor state invented marriage, and neither can change its nature.

Marriage exists because human nature comes in two complementary sexes: male and female. The sexual union of a man and woman is called the marital act because the two become physically one in a way that is impossible between two men or two women. Whatever a homosexual union might be or represent, it is not physically marital. Gender is inextricably bound up with physical sexual identity; and “gender-free marriage” is a contradiction in terms, like a square circle.

Both Church and state do, however, have an interest in regulating marriage. It is not that religious marriage is private and civil marriage public; rather, marriage is a public institution in both Church and state. The state regulates marriage to assure stability in society and for the proper protection and raising of the next generation of citizens. The state has a vested interest in knowing who is married and who is not and in fostering good marriages and strong families for the sake of society.

 

The Church, because Jesus raised the marital union to the level of symbolizing his own union with his Body the Church, has an interest in determining which marital unions are sacramental and which are not. The Church sees married life as a path to sanctity and as the means for raising children in the faith, as citizens of the universal kingdom of God. These are all legitimate interests of both Church and state, but they assume and do not create the nature of marriage.

People who are not Christian or religious at all take for granted that marriage is the union of a man and a woman for the sake of family and, of its nature, for life. The laws of civilizations much older than ours assume this understanding of marriage. This is also what religious leaders of almost all faiths have taught throughout the ages. Jesus affirmed this understanding of marriage when he spoke of “two becoming one flesh” (Mt. 19: 4-6). Was Jesus a bigot? Could Jesus be accepted as a Chicagoan? Would Jesus be more “enlightened” if he had the privilege of living in our society? One is welcome to believe that, of course; but it should not become the official state religion, at least not in a land that still fancies itself free.

Surely there must be a way to properly respect people who are gay or lesbian without using civil law to undermine the nature of marriage. Surely we can find a way not to play off newly invented individual rights to “marriage” against constitutionally protected freedom of religious belief and religious practice. The State’s attempting to redefine marriage has become a defining moment not for marriage, which is what it is, but for our increasingly fragile “civil union” as citizens.

Francis Cardinal George, OMI