The Gadfly “To persuade and reproach” - Socrates, The Apology
Vol. XI, Iss. I September 8, 2009
Franciscan Leftovers Welcome back to Franciscan University, the Catholic university with pep to spare. Smiling faces greet you everywhere you go. It’s cool to go to Mass every day and hard core to do it at 6:30 a.m. Yes, we are all constantly reminded of the unique atmosphere here at Franciscan, and if you’re new, then you probably have been starting to feel this uniqueness for the first time. In fact, if newbies are anything like I was when I first came then they’ll be impressed by how well the University handles orientation and acclimating new students, but even though new students are
given great opportunities to meet each other and are often invited to become involved on campus, there are still those who slip through the cracks. While it is the job of the University to greet newcomers with a sense of welcome it is really the job of us veteran students to actually befriend these students after the excitement of orientation has settled down and the grind of the semester kicks in. Although anyone can feasibly come here as a new student and end up feeling left out, some people are more likely to go from an excited prospective student to a
wallowing Franciscan Leftover. If a student is not particularly outgoing then they may find themselves simply uninvited to events and gatherings. More liberal students will be overwhelmed by the strong conservative thinking on campus. Protestants may keep their mouth shut when points of difference come up in conversation. Although it is true that our campus is filled with people who would always love to invite a new person into their group, our campus is also filled with people who get very close to one another very See “Franciscan Leftovers,” page 5
AMERICAN POLITICS AND THE CHALLENGE OF CARITAS IN VERITATE A seminarian friend of mine warned me a few months ago that a new encyclical was coming out – one that would shake things up and make people feel a little uncomfortable. In Caritas in Veritate, released on June 29th, Pope Benedict hits a number of hot issues on the head with fundamental Church teaching. The document is truly prophetic and magisterial in that the Holy Father powerfully brings the wisdom of God to the contemporary temporal scene shaking up the sleepers – left and right alike.
This document has the potential to change – or at least tweak – how we as orthodox Catholics view the world. To begin, it means that while the right to life is rightly the key issue for Catholics in politics today, Pope Benedict teaches that this fundamental issue builds onto and supports other issues – issues that we may not readily associate it with because of the limits of our American political environment. For example, in Caritas in Veritate, the Holy Father speaks very strongly in terms not only of charity but justice of the political responsibility those nations and individuals with means
in our affluent and technologically advanced times to help provide opportunity for underdeveloped peoples at home and abroad who cannot help themselves. He also emphasizes our responsibility to give reasonable care for the environment as stewards of creation. The Holy Father emphasizes the dignity of the individual human person, but also his need for the help of community and his duty toward it. Thus he teaches that justice isn't just about sticking with your agreeSee “American Politics”, page 4