Cathedral News “Evangelizing the Nones” Bishop Barron Reflects on the Path Home for Fallen and non-Catholics
Inside: Calling Fallen/Aggrieved Catholics Back Home Inviting Others to Holy Family School St. Monica: A Patron for Conversion and Evangelization
Holy Family Cathedral
Newsletter, January 2018
“EVANGELIZING THE NONES” by Bishop Robert Barron, STD Edited by Very Rev. Chukwudi Jovita Okonkwo, Ph.D.
Editor’s note: Recently, Bishop Robert Barron, the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, wrote a very moving article on the subject matter at issue in this edition of the Cathedral News. Given that we want to focus on evangelization and bringing home fallen Catholics, non-Catholics, used-to-be-Catholics, and as Monsignor Gier would say, ought-to-be-Catholics, I thought that Bishop Barron’s article provides the tool needed to embark on this difficult project. The article “Evangelizing the Nones” was published in the January edition of the First Things magazine. After reading and rereading it a couple more times, I became convinced that his suggestion to adopt new tools for the new evangelization is the appropriate way to go. Bishop Barron lays out a pastoral plan that involves appeal to the power of the beautiful that is very copious in our faith. Though it is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are obvious embodiments of the beauty in our faith that will not fail to intrigue. Many of nones who left the faith or are ambivalent about it remain fascinated by the beauty of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Basilicas of Rome, the Pieta of Michelangelo, and so on. When beauty inspires, the result is often a contemplation of that which lies at the heart of the beautiful. Bishop Barron continues by laying out the proper avenue through which beauty escorts the intellect in seeking understanding. This process of faith (inherent in the beautiful) seeking understanding is what we call theology. A step by step approach to do theology for the nones, according to Barron, will include: the doctrine of God, the interpretation of the Bible, theodicy, religion in relation to violence, and religion in relation to science. In this edition of the newsletter, I’ll present excerpts from Bishop Barron’s articles that discuss the first two strategies, and in the February edition, I’ll presents the five step approach that he recommends. The article is published with permission from First Things magazine. The subtitles are added by me for easier perusal of the content. Here’s Bishop Barron in his own words:
DISTURBING STATISTICS “By far the fastest-growing “religious” group in the United States is the “nones,” that is, those who claim no religious affiliation. In the latest Pew Research Center survey, fully 25 percent of the country—80 million people—say that they have no formal religion, and the growth of this cohort is nothing short of startling. In 1970, only 3 percent of the country self-identified as nones. In the last ten years, the number has gone from 16 percent to the current 25 percent. When we focus on young people, the picture is even more bleak. Almost 40 percent of those under thirty are nones, and among Catholics in that age group, the number rises to 50 percent. Of all the Catholic children baptized or confirmed these last thirty years, half no longer participate in the life of the Church. These statistics are, in many ways, an unnerving commentary on the effectiveness of our evangelical strategies, despite all the encouragement from popes, councils, and encyclicals. They are certainly a wake-up call for teachers, catechists, evangelists, apologists, priests, and bishops. I would like to propose a number of paths that effective evangelization should follow. My suggestions are born not only of theoretical musing, but also of my nearly fifteen years of practical experience evangelizing nones, atheists, agnostics, and seekers who dwell in the shadowy but fascinating space of the virtual world, our version of Paul’s Areopagus. THE WINSOME ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE BEAUTIFUL As Balthasar demonstrated [in his reflections], the beautiful has been a theme in classical Christian theology at least from the time of the PseudoDionysius, but typically it had been subordinated to the good and especially the true. Balthasar intuited something in the middle of the twentieth century, just as the postmodern critique was getting under way: that initiating the theological project with truth or goodness was a nonstarter, since relativism and skepticism in regard to those transcendentals was powerful indeed. But there is something less
Holy Family Cathedral
threatening, more winsome, about the beautiful. Balthasar was deeply influenced by Paul Claudel, who famously underwent a conversion to Catholicism on Christmas Day 1886, while he was standing in Notre Dame Cathedral, gazing at the north rose window and listening to sung vespers. It was not argumentation that brought Claudel to faith, but a visceral experience of the beautiful. Now, why precisely should this work? How does the beautiful evangelize? Following Dietrich von Hildebrand, we should say that the truly beautiful is an objective value, to be distinguished from what is merely subjectively satisfying. This means that the beautiful does not merely entertain; rather, it invades, chooses, and changes the one to whom it deigns to appear. It is not absorbed into subjectivity; it rearranges and redirects subjectivity, sending it on a trajectory toward the open sea of the beautiful itself. In our radically relativistic time, it is advisable to commence the evangelical process with the winsome attractiveness of the beautiful, and thank God, Catholicism has plenty to offer in this regard. As Ewert Cousins pointed out, part of Catholicism’s genius is that it never “threw anything out.” Accordingly, there is a “grandma’s attic” quality to the Church. At our best, from the time of John Damascene onward, we have resisted the iconoclastic temptation, and thus we have Chartres Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the haunting icons of the East, Dante, Mozart, and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This last reference is a reminder that evangelically compelling beauty does not exist merely at the rarefied level, but at the popular level as well. John Paul II had a deep appreciation for the finest of the fine arts, but he also had a sure feel for forms of popular devotion and religiosity. The same can be said of Pope Francis, who loves German opera and whose spirituality draws from the wells of the devotional lives and piety of ordinary believers: processions, relics, statues, and images of the saints. Of course, as John Paul in particular realized, the Church is most beautiful in her saints. Just as we might instruct a young person in a given sport by showing examples of the greatest practitioners of that game, so we show the nature of Christianity best, perhaps, in its heroes.
Newsletter, January 2018
SEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING (QUAERENS INTELLECTUM) John Henry Newman said that one of the principal indicators that Christianity is properly developing and not falling into corruption is that its representatives are stubbornly thinking about the data of revelation. For the great English convert, Mary, treasuring the events of salvation history in her heart, is the model of a faith that is consistently and seriously quaerens intellectum. At its best, the Catholic tradition has resisted Tertullian’s suggestion that Jerusalem should have nothing to do with Athens. Instead, it has treasured figures, from Irenaeus to Ratzinger, who insisted that the dialogue between faith and reason is indispensable to the evangelizing mission of the Church. [I]n the years following the [Vatican II] council, a debilitating anti-intellectualism came to hold sway in the Church, at least in the West. To make the faith accessible through appeals to emotion and common experience was the preferred catechetical method, and within a properly theological context, the experientialism of Schleiermacher and his disciples was all the rage. Accordingly, during this “banners and balloons” period, biblical distinctiveness and theological precision were, to put it mildly, underplayed. Some years ago, the late Francis Cardinal George showed me his fourth-grade religion book from the 1940s. My jaw dropped at the complexity, intellectual rigor, and technical vocabulary on offer, especially in comparison to the texts that my generation had read for religious instruction. RESURGENCE OF APOLOGETICS The dumbing down of the faith has been a pastoral disaster, contributing to the mass exodus of two generations from the Church. A childish, intellectually shallow religion cannot stand in the face of the trials of life and the questions of a skeptical mind. One of the most deleterious consequences of this anti-intellectualism was an almost total compromising of the apologetic art in the context of evangelization. My generation was indoctrinated to consider apologetics antiProtestant, arrogant, hostile to the culture, defensive, rationalistic, and so on, and this indoctrination was accompanied by a naive
Holy Family Cathedral
embrace of the wider culture, as though reading the signs of the times entailed accommodation. “The world sets the agenda for the Church” was the wrongheaded watchword of that time. When significant segments of the culture turned against the faith in the wake of the sex-abuse scandals and the events of September 11, we were left in most cases defenseless against our enemies. For evidence of this, witness the pathetic performance of the vast majority of Christian spokespeople against the sharpest of the New Atheists. What is desperately needed, if the work of evangelization is to move forward, is a new apologetics. Drawing on years of frontline engagement with a skeptical culture, I would identify five major areas of focus: the doctrine of God, the interpretation of the Bible, theodicy, religion in relation to violence, and religion in relation to science.” (Editor’s concluding note) In conclusion, I prayerfully commend you to the maternal solicitude of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom and Most Admirable Mother that she may show you the beauty in the face of Christ and flood your mind with divine wisdom issuing from the inspiration of the Holy and Divine Spirit, her Most Holy Spouse.
(To be continued in the February edition of the newsletter. To read the entire article from First Things magazine log on to https://www.firstthings.com/ article/2018/01/evangelizing-the-nones)
Newsletter, January 2018
Calling Fallen/Aggrieved Catholics Back Home By Matthew Lauderdale with excerpts from catholicscomehome.org
Most of us probably know at least one person who used to be Catholic or was raised Catholic, but does not practice the faith anymore. In fact, many of us probably know quite a few people who don’t practice Catholicism anymore. It’s not hard to look around to find people who have left the Church for a wide variety of reasons, whether it’s because the disagree with the Church’s teachings, they had a bad experience with the Church, or they simply don’t care about the faith. These people range from immediate family members, to close friends, to relatives, to celebrities, and even to random people you encounter in everyday life. To those of us who love our Catholic faith because we have tasted and experienced the joy and fulfillment that only God can provide, this can be incredibly painful to see so many people looking in other directions to find their purpose and fulfillment in life. So what are we to do? The answer is: evangelization. In order to bring people back to their true home, we need to first live the Gospel in our own lives, and then we need to proclaim the Gospel in our words and deeds. Catholicscomehome.org is a website devoted to bringing people home. They have numerous resources to tackle the issues and problems that many people face. Start here to begin the process of bringing our brothers and sisters back to God. It all begins with an invitation. EXPERIENCE LOVE & ACCEPTANCE BY COMING HOME TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. There’s an old saying that goes, “Once a Catholic, always a Catholic.” Maybe you have been away from the Church for a little while or for quite some time, but now you feel a tug at your heart calling you back to the Catholic Church. Listen to that tug. It’s your Heavenly Father reaching his arms out to you, the Holy Spirit whispering in your ear, hoping to draw you home.
Holy Family Cathedral
We hope you accept this as your invitation to rediscover the truth, wonder and mystery of the Catholic faith. As your brothers and sisters in our worldwide Catholic family, we want you back. We’ve missed you, and our Church is not the same without you. Regardless of why you left or got out of the habit of going to Mass, you can always come home and return to the practice of the sacraments and the fullness of relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church he founded. We are Catholic. Welcome home.
Newsletter, January 2018
purpose that God has for all of us. And when we live out God’s will for us, we find extreme joy and peace in life. 2. We need God’s forgiveness and healing for our failings and God’s mercy to help us become better people. Perhaps you’ve been carrying around deep spiritual wounds or painful sins that have burdened you for years. The Catholic Church gives us a way to bring our faults, failings, and hurts before God in the Sacrament of Confession, so He can take the yoke off our shoulders and bring us healing and peace, giving us a “new start” every time we need it.
3. Our families need to be built on strong foundation of faith and we need to live in community with others. You may have heard the phrase “a family that prays together stays together.” It is true! Many WHY DOES IT MATTER WHAT CHURCH I BELONG studies—and experience—have shown that families TO? who live out their faith together are stronger and The Catholic Church is not just one denomination happier. If you want to give your children the among many. In fact, it can trace its founding roots greatest treasure in the world, give them the gift of back to Jesus Christ, who started our Church. For faith. The Church also provides us with a community 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has guarded the of faith-filled friends in which we can find support truth that Jesus has taught, whether in or out of style. and strength for our life’s journey. In the Church today, one can experience the most personal relationship with Christ through the Holy 4. The Catholic Church has the sacraments—and we Eucharist, the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood to us. especially long for the Eucharist. Since its founding, the Catholic Church has continued It is in the Catholic Church that you experience the to be the largest body of Christians on earth. fullness of the seven sacraments, which Christ Though it’s not perfect, nor does it have perfect bestows on His Church to help fill us with grace to members, the Church still contains the fullness of draw us closer to God. As Catholics, we have the truth, which Jesus promised would set us free. ultimate privilege of receiving Christ in the most personal way possible—in the Holy Eucharist. FIVE REASONS FOR COMING HOME Countless Catholics have returned to or entered the 1. We hunger for meaning and purpose in our lives. Church because of their longing for Jesus in the We all want answers to why we are here and what Eucharist. He longs to feed us with Himself! we were made for. The Catholic Church has the answer. God made us to know, love, and serve Him 5. Catholicism is true! in this world, so we can be with Him forever in The only really good reason to believe something is heaven. The Catholic Church helps us to fulfill this because it is true, and Catholicism is true! The
Holy Family Cathedral
Newsletter, January 2018
Catholic Church is the one Church established by Holy Family Cathedral School 2017-2018 Christ 2,000 years ago (Matt 16:18). It is the Church to which God calls all of His universal family to Dear Holy Family Parishioners, belong. The Catholic Church offers us deep union with Christ through the Scripture, Sacraments, The new year brings with it an opportunity for prayer, and community. renewal at so many levels. Here at the school we are looking forward to the chance to revitalize our mission with the children through a heightened understanding of the joy promised and fulfilled by the truth of Christ. As we return to school this month, we will begin preparations for enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year. We encourage you to consider whether a move to Catholic education may be the key to establishing or furthering faith formation for you DISCOVER A BEAUTIFUL FAITH IN THE CATHOLIC family. Our school, your school, offers daily religious CHURCH. instruction, community building, and service G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “The difficulty in opportunities, and a rigorous academic curriculum explaining 'why I am a Catholic' is that there are ten for students in preschool through eight grade. We thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that invite you to tour the school at our annual Open Catholicism is true.” Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus House scheduled for Sunday, February 4th from Christ founded the Catholic Church to preserve the 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. truth He gave us and hand it down through the We also encourage you to renew your support centuries, helping people all around the world for the school. As we enter 2018 there are encounter the love of God in every age and in numerous giving opportunities. First up is the annual every corner of the earth. Mike Petzet Spaghetti Dinner set for 6:00 P.M. on Over the years, there have been an untold Saturday, January 27th. This event raises number of questions and objections raised about the scholarship funds for deserving students in memory Catholic Church’s teachings and practices. The of beloved first grade teacher Mike Petzet. answers are there, and it’s worth your time to find Saturday, February 3rd is our annual Knights of a them. As the Venerable Fulton Sheen once said, Thousand Stars dinner and auction. Our “A Little “There are not even 100 people in this country who Night Music” event promises to be a fabulous hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who evening of friends, food, and music celebrating arts hate what they think the Catholic Church to be.” education. Please check the weekly bulletin for The Lord wants us all to know and understand additional details. As a final note, we at the school His truth, so we can embrace it wholeheartedly and wish to thank you for all of the prayers and support live by it. Christ reminds us, “The truth shall make you have provided this last year and to ask that you free” (John 8:32). you continue to remember us in 2018. Yours in Christ, Mrs. Southerland
Holy Family Cathedral
Holy Family Faith Formation 2017-2018 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 St. Monica is a woman for all ages; loving wife and mother, strong in difficult circumstances, and unwavering in her mission. Yet, without the testimony of her famous son, Saint Augustine of Hippo, she may have been hidden from history. She was married young to a pagan man known for violent temper, drinking and womanizing. Despite the challenges presented her in marriage, she remained firm and resolute to convert her husband and pass on the Catholic faith to her three children. So wise was she in navigating her circumstances, it is said the women of the town came to her for marital advice. Eventually, her husband Patricius came to accept the faith from her strong witness and was baptized about a year before his death. Following the death of her husband, her greatest challenge had just begun to take shape. Her young son was beginning to turn away from her teaching, seeking adventure and ‘truth’ in other places. Later in life Augustine wrote of those years in his book Confessions. He was as far as anyone could be from living a Christian life. Undeterred by his behavior or hurtful words, Monica maintained a presence in his life even following him when he moved to new cities. Always prayerful and continually offering sacrifices on his behalf, a bishop once told her “the child of those tears shall never perish.” Augustine not only converted, but went on to become a very important figure in the history of the Church. His written works have stood the test of time
Newsletter, January 2018
and are still studied and debated today by theologians, philosophers, and lovers of literature, both Christian and non-Christian. In fact, Confessions contains the famously quotable text “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” Many of us know the pain of a loved one who has left the practice of the Faith. We have shed tears, offered prayers and offered Masses for them. Perhaps we have given up hope. This beautiful story of love and sacrifice is as relevant today as it was 1,700 years ago. Thankfully, we are not alone! We share in the communion of saints. St. Monica is a powerful intercessor and tremendous witness to the need for persistent prayer. Entrust your loved ones to her and ask her never to cease praying on their behalf. Dear St. Monica, troubled wife and mother, many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime. Yet you never despaired or lost faith. With confidence, persistence and profound faith, you prayed daily for the conversion of your beloved husband, Patricius, and your beloved son, Augustine. Grant me that same fortitude, patience and trust in the Lord. Intercede for me, dear St. Monica, for (mention your petition here) and grant me the grace to accept His will in all things, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen. Feast day: August 27 Patronage: alcoholics, married women, mothers, difficult marriages and difficult children; conversion of relatives and particularly one’s own children Monica Conro Director of Family Evangelization
Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 Electronic Service Requested
Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa Most Rev. Edward J. Slattery, Bishop Emeritus Very Rev. Jovita C. Okonkwo, Rector Rev. John Grant, Associate Pastor Rev. Msgr. Gregory A. Gier, Rector Emeritus Deacon Tom Gorman Deacon Greg Stice Deacon Kevin Tulipana Deacon Jerry Mattox Deacon B.D. Tidmore Deacon Jon Conro Holy Family Cathedral Parish PO Box 3204, Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 918-582-6247 HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com TulsaCathedral@gmail.com Holy Family Cathedral School 820 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119 918-582-0422 HolyFamilyCathedralSchool.com
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA OK PERMIT 381
Weekend Mass Schedule: 5:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 Noon, and 5:00 p.m. Sunday Weekday Mass Schedule: 12:05 p.m. Monday 7:00 a.m. & 12:05 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 7:00 a.m., 12:05 & 5:05 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. Saturday Tuesday-Saturday daily Masses are usually in the Chapel of Peace. Confessions: Ten minutes before all Masses, and 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Saturday Friday Evening Holy Hour: 5:05 p.m. Mass, followed by Adoration and Benediction until 6:30 p.m.