Friday, August 31, 2012

Postcards From Mars; an Embarrassing Arrest; and a New(ish) Website

I am not making this up:The dateline for that article is Lima, Peru. In a way, it's nice to know that America doesn't have monopoly on - colorful? - folks.

We do have an election coming in November, though. There are some very important issues at stake: none of which I'm writing about today. The closest I get is my opinions about an archbishop's arrest last Saturday: for DUI.

More importantly, I think, the Vatican has a new(ish) website with resources for the upcoming Year of Faith.

Finally, Curiosity sent back 'postcards' from Mars - plus the first voice transmission from the red planet, and a song.

Quite a bit more has happened this week, some of which may be more important than what happened in Peru, or on Mars. But this is what I've decided to write about:

1. Year of Faith/Annus Fidei: Online Resources

"Pontifical website aims to help lay Catholics worldwide"
David Kerr, CNA/EWTN News (August 29, 2012)

"The Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Laity is positioning its website as a resource for lay men and women ahead of Pope Benedict's Year of Faith, which will kick-off in October.

" 'It is directed to all the lay faithful that want to know more about their vocation, about their role within the Church,' Ana Cristina Betancourt of the Pontifical Council's Women's Section told CNA in Rome.

" 'So, it is a way of being in contact with what we do day-to-day and that was our aim in having it, to make more known the things that we do, the reflections that we have, the things that we are thinking about and also the guidelines that the Pope is giving the laity to better live their vocations.'..."
When Betancourt said "...live their vocations," she wasn't necessarily talking about how we earn money. I'm pretty sure that, since she'd "all the lay faithful," she had this definition of "vocation" in mind:
"VOCATION: The calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter. God has created the human person to love and serve him; the fulfillment of this vocation is eternal happiness (1, 358, 1700). Christ calls the faithful to the perfection of holiness (825). The vocation of the laity consists in seeking the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will (898). Priestly and religious vocations are dedicated to the service of the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation (cf. 873; 931)."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary)
When I visited www.laici.va, the server sent me to www.laici.va/content/laici/en.html, the English-language version of Pontifical Council for the Laity. The website is also available in Italiano/Italian (www.laici.va/content/laici/it.html), Spanish/Español (www.laici.va/content/laici/es.html), and French/Francais (www.laici.va/content/laici/fr.html).

Pontifical Council for the Laity's has a pretty good selection of articles and publications, including:
There's even a trailer for next year's World Youth Day in Rio.

"WYD Rio 2013 - Promo Trailer"

JMJRio13, YouTube (June 12, 2012)
video, 2:48

I don't expect that the Pontifical Council for the Laity's website will be updated daily - or even weekly. But it looks like a pretty good place to go for background on a fairly wide range of topics:

The Pontifical Council for the Laity has been around since 1967 - or since 1976, when it was re-founded as a permanent department in the Roman Curia.

2. Drunk Driving and Rorschach Tests

First, a little background about driving and DUI (Driving Under the Influence) in America.

Statistics and Driving Drunk

About 2/3 of all Americans are licensed drivers: of the 307,000,000 Americans in 2009, 210,000,000 were drivers. The same year, some of those 210,000,000 drivers got drunk or stoned: resulting in 1,440,409 arrests for impaired driving in 2008. (Federal Highway Administration, U. S. Department of Justice)

If I did the math right, that means that a little over one half of one percent of American drivers got caught in a DUI violation in 2009.

I think driving while impaired is a really bad idea. It's a decision that can have lethal consequences: which is why I think legal sanctions against drunk driving are sensible.

DUI and News

DUI arrests generally aren't 'news,' unless there's a celebrity involved. Archbishops aren't, quite, celebrities: not the way Hollywood glitterati are. San Francisco's incoming archbishop, Salvatore J. Cordileone, is an exception. He's scheduled to take over that job on October 4: and was arrested for DUI last Saturday.
"Police confirm DUI arrest of future San Francisco archbishop"
Hillary Senour, CNA/EWTN News (August 27, 2012)

" The San Diego Police Department verified the weekend arrest of the Archbishop-designate of San Francisco for driving under the influence.

"San Diego police spokesperson, Detective Gary Hassen, confirmed for CNA Aug. 27 that Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone was arrested just after midnight on Aug. 25 and held in county jail.

"After passing through a DUI checkpoint near the San Diego State University, Archbishop Cordileone was further evaluated by the police and then taken into custody.

"Just before noon that same day, Archbishop Cordileone was released on bail, Hassen said. The legal blood alcohol content limit for California is 0.08 percent...."
As far as I know, Archbishop Cordileone's arrest hasn't been used as 'proof' that the Catholic Church supports child abuse and is plotting to destroy the environment. But quite a few folks are offering opinions, analysis, and assertions: some of them sensible, some not so much.

The way I see it, the archbishop's arrest:
  • Shows that
    • Archbishops are
      • Human
      • Affected by original sin
      • Not exempt from traffic regulations
        • In San Diego, California
    • DUI laws
      • Are enforced
        • In San Diego, California
      • Set minimum standards for sobriety
  • Doesn't show that
    • Same-sex marriage is
      • Okay
      • Opposed by drunk drivers
        • Who should shut up
    • The Catholic Church
      • Hates homosexuals
      • Wants to spoil everyone's fun
      • Shields drunk drivers
But I'm a practicing Catholic, so I would say something like that.

This is an election year in America, so I figure we'll be seeing Archbishop Cordileone's DUI arrest replayed in news and op-eds for weeks. Maybe longer.

More about the archbishop, from a counter-cultural point of view:

Seeing What We Expect to See

What I've read suggests that Archbishop Cordileon's DUI arrest is like the old Rorsaschach test. Some folks may see this news as 'proof' that the Catholic Church is icky: because it's what they expect to see.

I'm one of those people who think Catholic clergy, from priests up to the Pope, are human beings. I think the archbishop's DUI arrest indicates that San Diego police had reason to think that he was driving while 'under the influence.'

Driving with alcohol in one's system is a really bad idea, and I expect that Archbishop Cordileon will experience whatever legal sanctions the law requires.

But my faith isn't shaken. A DUI arrest, although serious, is far from the worst trouble a member of the clergy's had in the Church's millennia-spanning history.

3. Voices From Mars

"First Recorded Voice from Mars"
Mission News, NASA (August 27, 2012)

"The following statement by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was returned to Earth via the Mars Curiosity rover.

"Hello. This is Charlie Bolden, NASA Administrator, speaking to you via the broadcast capabilities of the Curiosity Rover, which is now on the surface of Mars.

"Since the beginning of time, humankind’s curiosity has led us to constantly seek new life…new possibilities just beyond the horizon. I want to congratulate the men and women of our NASA family as well as our commercial and government partners around the world, for taking us a step beyond to Mars...."
I enjoyed listening to Administrator Bolden's speech.

It's a 'first,' although we've had the technology for sound transmissions from Mars for more than a decade. Curiosity's Monday voice transmission was, I think, more about encouraging folks to think about what we can look forward to, than a technical or scientific milestone.



I tweaked the embed code NASA provided, in an effort to fit their video player's controls into this blog's format. It worked for me: but if you have trouble, I recommend viewing "Interplanetary Voicemail" on NASA's website.

I also made a low-resolution version, in case NASA reorganizes their site before you see this post:

"First Recorded Voice from Mars"

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology (August 27, 2012)
video, 1:33 (file size: about 10.8 MB)

The server for the low-res. version is nowhere near as fast as NASA's, so the file may take quite a few minutes to load.

'And Now, a Song'

There's another recording stored on Curiosity: "Reach for the Stars," by will.i.am:
The audio quality was pretty good, although I was a little disappointed with the musical style. In the NASA video, will.i.am explained why he chose a rather 'classical' orchestral approach. I see his point: and agree that it was probably important to show a very 'human' sound coming from Mars.

Sounds of Mars - Maybe Next Time

The Mars planning FAQ page says that Curiosity doesn't carry a microphone, so we won't be hearing 'live from Mars' broadcasts. This time.

A late-20th-century Mars expedition carried a microphone. Signals from Mars Polar Lander ended on December 3, 1999, during descent to the Martian surface:

Should We Stay, or Should We Go?


(from NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, used w/o permission)
"...This image is a portion of a larger image taken by Curiosity's 100-millimeter Mast Camera on Aug. 23, 2012. See PIA16104. Scientists enhanced the color in one version to show the Martian scene under the lighting conditions we have on Earth, which helps in analyzing the terrain...."
"NASA Rover Returns Voice, Telephoto Views From Mars"
Mission News, NASA (August 27, 2012)

"...In spoken words radioed to the rover on Mars and back to NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) on Earth, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden ... said curiosity is what drives humans to explore.

" 'The knowledge we hope to gain from our observation and analysis of Gale Crater will tell us much about the possibility of life on Mars as well as the past and future possibilities for our own planet. Curiosity will bring benefits to Earth and inspire a new generation of scientists and explorers, as it prepares the way for a human mission in the not too distant future,' Bolden said in the recorded message.

"The voice playback was released along with new telephoto camera views of the varied Martian landscape during a news conference today at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif...."
My faith doesn't depend on learning more about this astonishingly vast and complex creation. On the other hand, I don't see a point in cultivating ignorance of the wonders God surrounds us with.

Postcards From Mars

Here's a closer look at the center of that photo.


(from NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, used w/o permission)
"...For scale, an annotated version of the figure highlights a dark rock that is approximately the same size as Curiosity. The pointy mound in the center of the image, looming above the rover-sized rock, is about 1,000 feet (300 meters) across and 300 feet (100 meters) high."

Scientists figured the terrain in Gale Crater would be interesting. I don't think they expected to see something like this, though:


(from NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, used w/o permission)
"This image taken by the Mast Camera (MastCam) on NASA's Curiosity rover highlights the interesting geology of Mount Sharp, a mountain inside Gale Crater, where the rover landed. ... "
What's intriguing about this photo are the strata - more-or-less horizontal layers on the face of Mount Sharp. What's unusual about this set of layers is that the upper ones are tilted quite a bit more than the ones underneath. the dividing line between those two zones runs roughly across the middle of the photo.

Strata being at different angles isn't at all unusual here on Earth - it has to do with plate tectonics, according to a fellow in a NASA news conference. But around here, it's normal for the upper set of layers to be much more horizontal than the lower ones: the opposite of what's happened on Mars.

It's another puzzle - I'm pretty sure that we'll find more. I hope so, anyway: maybe some answers, too.

Related posts:
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Opinions, Jesus, and a Really Important Task

As a Catholic layman, I'm obliged to look for the Kingdom of God in everyday life. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 898-900) I'm also, like any Christian, expected to tell people about Jesus. (Catechism, 425)

"Proclaiming Jesus:" One Task, Many Options

I've got quite a few options for how I go about "proclaiming Jesus." (Catechism, 425)

I could imitate Coleridge's grey-beard loon. That sort of 'street preaching' worked in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," but it's not my style.

Some folks post Bible verses at regular intervals. If I did that, and followed the liturgical calendar, I would have ready-made material for each day of the year.

For example, today is the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, so I could copy at least part of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18; and Mark 6:17-29: and be done for the day.

But you can look up daily readings quite a few places online, including the USCCB's calendar. With 'official' sources like that available, I don't see a point in duplicating their efforts.

1 Corinthians 12 discusses a variety of assignments God has for us. There's even a place for relatively unglamorous jobs like administrator. (1 Corinthians 12:28)

I've decided to do my "proclaiming Jesus" by sharing what I learn about my faith, and what it's like being a Catholic in America.

Whose Opinion Counts?

Decades back, my father and I were discussing something that involved God, authority, and whose opinion mattered. My dad noted that "at some levels of authority, argument is pointless." I agreed then, and still do.

I think my opinions about how food tastes, whether or not flip-flops are appropriate foot wear, and other details of everyday life, matter - to me. But I'm not allowed to take my opinions, and present them as God's unchanging law:
"In catechesis 'Christ, the Incarnate Word and Son of God, . . . is taught - everything else is taught with reference to him - and it is Christ alone who teaches - anyone else teaches to the extent that he is Christ's spokesman, enabling Christ to teach with his lips. . . . Every catechist should be able to apply to himself the mysterious words of Jesus: "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me." '16"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 427)
That last quote is from John 7:16.

'It's Not About Me'

"Catechesis" means telling people who Jesus is, and what my Lord said. Folks who do catechesis are called catechists, and I went over that last week. (August 22, 2012) Some of these posts mention Jesus and what the Son of God taught: so sometimes they're catechetical, sort of.

When I write about Jesus, I'm supposed to focus on my Lord: not try to pass off my attitudes and opinions as God's:
"...Christocentricity in catechesis also means the intention to transmit not one's own teaching or that of some other master, but the teaching of Jesus Christ, the Truth that He communicates or, to put it more precisely, the Truth that He is. ... Above all, he [every catechist] will not try to inculcate his personal opinions and options as if they expressed Christ's teaching and the lessons of His life...."
("Catechesi Tradendae," 6)
As I've said before, it won't be more than a few decades, tops, before I get a very serious interview with my Lord. (Catechism, 1021-1022) I think my particular judgment will go much more smoothly, if I remember that presenting the Gospel is about Jesus: not me.

'It's About Me'

This blog's description says that it's about my experience, being a Catholic in America: so quite a few of the posts are about me, more or less. I don't see a problem with that, as long as I remember that 'God's God, I'm not.'

Related posts:
More:
  • "Catechesi Tradendae"
    On Catechesis in Our Time
    John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation (October 16, 1979)
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Monday, August 27, 2012

"The Beauty of Marriage and the Family"

More posts about "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth)
"Caritas in Veritate"
The idea that people need to have children, if a society is going to last more than several decades, should have been obvious. That detail seems to have been overlooked for about a half-century now.

Some folks, like researchers in Japan, noticed declining birth rates, crunched some numbers, and didn't like the results. (June 9, 2012)

Benedict XVI discussed why having babies - and families - is a good idea in "Caritas in Veritate," 44.

It's a longish section, and I think the Pope made sensible points, so I've been taking my time posting about babies, economics, and all that, for two weeks. Three, counting this post:
Basically, since human beings don't last more than about a century, tops, we need new people on a regular basis, to replace folks who die. That's a blunt, even grim, way to put it: but that's the way things are.

Replacement Levels; Bad News; Good News

When a country's birth rate drops below the 'replacement level,' the population gets older, on average. And smaller. Eventually there aren't enough folks around who can get jobs done, and fewer folks who might work out innovative ways to deal with the problems.

That's the bad news. The good news, from my point of view, is that we've got 7,000,000,000 or so folks around: many of whom haven't stopped having kids.

"The Primary Vital Cell of Society"

Getting pregnant, and letting the child live, is just part of the the picture. Somebody's got to take care of us as we grow into adults. That's where something called "family" comes in:
"...It is thus becoming a social and even economic necessity once more to hold up to future generations the beauty of marriage and the family, and the fact that these institutions correspond to the deepest needs and dignity of the person. In view of this, States are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman, the primary vital cell of society...."
("Caritas in Veritate," 44)
Deciding to become husband and wife takes a sort of commitment that hasn't always been fashionable: and which goes far beyond 'dollars and cents' concerns.

Maybe "the beauty of marriage and the family" sounds too idealistic. I don't think so.

Expecting a 'perfect' marriage and family isn't prudent.

But working toward an ideal? That, I think, is a good idea: one which could involves human relationships, marriage, and more topics than I want to try covering today.
More posts about "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth)
"Caritas in Veritate"
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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Rock 'n' Roll and Searching for the Infinite

I like music, including Bach's (Johann Sebastian and P. D. Q.), Artie Shaw's, and Aerosmith's. I'm fond of traditional American hymns, and enjoy my parish's annual polka Mass.

I like Kenyan folk songs, Gregorian chants, and techno.

I even like rap: although many of the lyrics are regrettable.

"Church Music"

Then there's a particular sort of harmonically and rhythmically simple music, often played on a piano or organ: what my native culture calls "church music." I like that sort of music, too.

The Catholic Church says music is an important part of worship. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1156-1158) We're not locked into music arranged for soprano, alto, tenor, and base, though:
"The harmony of signs (song, music, words, and actions) is all the more expressive and fruitful when expressed in the cultural richness of the People of God who celebrate...."
(Catechism, 1158)
There's more about music and the liturgy, and that's another topic. Topics.

Rock and Religion

I remember the 'good old days,' when rock and roll was denounced as Satanic on a fairly regular basis, along with other aspects of American culture that some painfully pious folks didn't like.

That was about a half-century back. Some folks still don't like rock, I still do, which may be why this headline jumped out at me:
"Music journalist explores religious qualities of rock 'n' roll"
David Kerr, CNA/EWTN News (August 22, 2012)

"Rock 'n' roll is innately religious and expresses a desire for the infinite, according to one of Ireland's leading music journalists.

" 'This music is generated in the heart of man and is therefore fundamentally of the religious need, which is the fundamental original need of man; to know who made him, who he is, where he is bound,' said John Waters in an Aug. 21 interview with CNA.

"Waters is the creator of a new exhibition entitled 'Three chords and a longing for the truth; rock 'n' roll as a seeking for the infinite.'..."
I put a longer excerpt at the end of this post.

Loud Music, Words, and Image

I think Mr. Waters has a point, although I'd probably have said "spiritual," or maybe "philosophical," instead of "religious."

I also think he's right about the media's version of rock: that rock is just "...some kind of extravaganza of sensation and noise and stardom and narcissism and ego mania...." There's an element of truth in that image, and I'll get back to that.

Rock, the Pope, and Sound Bite News

"...Beyond the 800,000 visitors to this year's Rimini Meeting, Waters wanted to offer his hi-tech, interactive exhibition to one person in particular – Pope Benedict XVI.

" 'When he was elected in 2005, all the hostile journalists dug back through all of his articles and speeches and tried to find things that would discredit him,' Waters said, recalling how the media finally unearthed a 1996 article in which Cardinal Ratzinger had opined, in the words of Waters, that 'rock 'n' roll only appeals to the lower emotions of man and was therefore dangerous.'

"Waters believes that Pope Benedict 'is right in a certain sense,' that our modern culture only wants rock 'n' roll to be about 'exaggerated sexuality, self-indulgence and narcissism.'

"But he also wanted to show the pontiff a deeper reality....
(David Kerr, CNA/EWTN News)
Some rock seems to have about as much depth as an oil slick, and lives down to the media stereotype:
"...Shake it up, shake it down
Move it in, move it around, disco lady..."
"Disco Lady" Johnny Taylor (1976)
Johnny Taylor, via www.oldielyrics.com
I agree with Waters, though, and think that there's more to rock than "Disco Lady."

A Catholic: Saying the Pope is Wrong?!

I think it's possible that Benedict XVI, before he became Pope, might have made a mistake. Coming from a practicing Catholic, that's not as shocking as a person might think.

Maybe you've heard that Catholics think the Pope can't make mistakes. That's almost true. In a way. Sort of.

Papal infallibility is part of Catholic belief. But it applies to doctrinal statements, not opinions about music.2

I'm getting off-topic, which isn't all that unusual.

My guess is that back in 1996, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote an article in which he made a statement about rock music, simple emotions, and danger. It's possible, although not at all certain, that he made it sound like he thought all rock songs were dangerous.

Christians, Rock, and U2

Waters gives U2 as an example of a rock band who were "hammered by critics" because they admitted to being Christian. U2 decided to stay in the business, changed superficial details, and carried on.1 I'm inclined to believe him.

An important point there is the distinction between content and style.

The Basics of "Base"

Backing up a bit, Cardinal Ratzinger seems to have said that rock appeals to "base" emotions. I think it's a good idea to know what words mean, and I'm a recovering English teacher, so - you've been warned - here's a short list of what "base" can mean:
  1. Noun
    1. Lowest support of a structure
    2. A place that the runner must touch before scoring
    3. The fundamental assumptions from which something is
      • Begun
      • Developed
      • Calculated
      • Explained
  2. Verb
    1. Use as a basis for
    2. Situate as a center of operations
  3. Adjective
    1. Of low birth or station
      • 'Base' is archaic in this sense
    2. Not adhering to ethical or moral principles
    3. Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality
    (Princeton's WordNet)
Is it any wonder that software developers have a hard time getting robots to understand English? And that's yet another topic or two.

Cardinal Ratzinger's 'base emotions' comment seems to fit definitions 3 C and D.

As far as songs like "Disco Lady" are concerned, I think he's right. But there's more to rock than that.

Another Side of Rock

The rock songs I remember, some of them, had more depth than "Disco Lady." These examples aren't specifically Christian, but I don' t think they're "base," either.
"...Don't you see no matter what you do
You'll never run away from you
And if you keep on runnin'
You'll have to pay the price...."
"Kicks" (1966)
Paul Revere and the Raiders, via www.oldielyrics.com
"...Creature comfort goals
They only numb my soul
And make it hard for me to see...."
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" (1967)
The Monkees, via lyrics.wikia.com
"...There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking...."
"Stairway to Heaven" (1971)
Led Zeppelin, via www.sing365.com
"...All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind...

"...Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy..."
"Dust in the Wind" (1977)
Kansas, via www.sing365.com
I don't 'believe in music,' like another song said. I certainly don't think someone has to have my taste in music to be a 'real' Catholic. That would be silly.

But, until I learn differently, I'm going to assume that it's okay to be aware of the culture I'm in: and appreciate the occasional reflections of truth I find there.

Somewhat-related posts:
1 CNA/EWTN News excerpt:
"Music journalist explores religious qualities of rock 'n' roll"
David Kerr, CNA/EWTN News (August 22, 2012)

"...'The media always present rock 'n' roll simply as some kind of extravaganza of sensation and noise and stardom and narcissism and ego mania. But we are saying that within this shell of superficiality there is a hard core of fundamental content which is really the cry of man expressed in a modern idiom.'...
"...'I wanted in a way to take the Pope by the elbow and lead him into this music and say, "come, there's more, look at these artists, look at Bob Dylan, listen to what he is saying, listen to Leonard Cohen, listen to U2, see the sincerity of these people with the great questions that face man. And don't be taken in by the exterior, by the noise, by the sensation, by the headlines." '

"At 57 years-old, Waters has been writing about rock 'n' roll for over 30 years, having started out in journalism in Dublin with the Irish political-music magazine Hot Press in 1981. At the same time and in the same city, the band U2 was beginning its ascent to rock stardom. Waters believes that the Irish group, fronted by lead singer Bono, is a classic example of, what he calls, a cultural 'Trojan horse.'

" 'When U2 began they were a very overtly Christian band but they got hammered by the critics, particularly in the U.K., and after several albums they began to realize that they couldn't survive in this medium if they didn't change.'

"What changed, however, was only their exterior. 'They became more ironic, they dressed differently, they moved differently, but their music remained the same.'

"Thus U2 managed to win over the same critics, he said, which then 'allowed them to bring their music even further into the center of the public square.'

"Waters contests that there is an 'Atlantic divide' when it comes to the 'credent pillars of modern pop and rock 'n' roll,' with a 'British model' that is more ideological and destructive, standing in contrast to its American counterpart.

"The British model, as exemplified by the 1970s punk movement, 'always seemed to believe that rock 'n' roll should be a political form of rebellion which implicitly became socially left-wing,' Waters said. But the American model has 'always had a far more existential dimension, a far broader dimension,' a characteristic that he traces to its 'relationship with the primal music of the Blues and Gospel.'

"So while the British model has tended to inform the analysis of music critics, it is 'not necessarily the impulse that is to be found in the music,' he said, holding up legendary American artists such as Sam Cooke, Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen as examples.

" 'They play the game of the modern culture, speaking to the communications media in a certain language, and yet in their songs they speak an entirely different language.'..."
2 Papal infallibility:
"INFALLIBILITY: The gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church whereby the pastors of the Church, the pope and bishops in union with him, can definitively proclaim a doctrine of faith or morals for the belief of the faithful (891). This gift is related to the inability of the whole body of the faithful to err in matters of faith and morals (92)."
("Catechism of the Catholic Church," Glossary)
(Also see "Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2035)
" 'The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith - he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,' above all in an Ecumenical Council.418 When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine 'for belief as being divinely revealed,'419 and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions 'must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.'420 This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.421"
("Catechism of the Catholic Church," 891)
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Friday, August 24, 2012

'Think Nice Thoughts About Eugenics,' and Good News

I tend to take the principles of eugenics personally, since I'm 'unfit' from some points of view. (February 3, 2009) An Italian book about eugenics could be an effort to restore public acceptance of the term, the result of shoddy scholarship, or 'none of the above.'

On happier notes: an American judge has dismissed an attempt to sue the Vatican; and an Olympic medalist showed 'world class' off the field.
  1. Eugenics: 'It Can't Happen Here?'
  2. Suing the Holy See: Dismissed
  3. Good News From Spain
Some folks seem to think that science is evil. Others seem equally convinced that religion requires believers to be willfully ignorant.

I don't agree with either view. On the other hand, I can see how the notions might seem plausible.

Some Victorian-era intellectual fashions with "scientific" trappings could be related to a later effort to remove 'unfit' folks from Europe's gene pool. Some painfully religious folks don't seem to like much of anything that's happened since around 1850.

But I don't think a systematic study of God's creation leads inevitably to Dachau and the Tuskegee experiments. And I certainly don't think faith requires ignorance.

1. Eugenics: 'It Can't Happen Here?'

What Allied troops found when they reached places like Dachau and Auschwitz was unpleasant, to put it mildly.

Photographs, accounts by survivors, and documentation of what 'improving the race' actually involved were a serious public relations problem for supporters of eugenics.

Dealing with Unpleasant Realities - or Not

One approach is to claim that the systematic extermination of Jews, Poles, and other 'inferior' people, never happened. There's simply too much evidence for more than the most dedicated believers to take the claim seriously. It's a perennial favorite, though: and that's almost another topic.

Another, more successful, approach has been to drop the word "eugenics," and present abortion as a matter of 'compassion.' When I was a youth, "quality of life" was supposed to be a good reason for killing the unfit.

I didn't buy it: partly because I wasn't leading a 'quality lifestyle.' I preferred being alive, anyway: and still do.

Rehabilitating Eugenics?

"Eugenics," that good old-fashioned word for ridding the world of 'unfit' people, may become fashionable again. I hope not: but it's possible.

A bioethics expert, Carlo Alberto Defanti, has a good idea. He thinks it's a good idea to learn from history. How he applied that idea, that's another matter. His new book, "Eugenetica: un tabù contemporaneo. Storia di un'idea controversa" ("Eugenics: a contemporary taboo. History of a controversial idea"), doesn't quite tell the whole story about applied eugenics.

Some linguistic oddities in this article indicate that it's a translation into English, and that is another topic.
"Through the darkness"
Lucetta Scaraffia, L'Osservatore Romano, via News.va (August 22, 2012)

"Carlo Alberto Defanti, a neurologist and expert in bioethics, has written a book called Eugenetica: un tabù contemporaneo. Storia di un'idea controversa (Turin, Codice edizioni, 2012, 309 pages, € 23) [Eugenics, a contemporary taboo. History of a controversial idea], with the courageous intention of clarifying a doubt that is spreading in our society and that we often seek unsuccessfully to eliminate: 'whether or not the horrors of the so-called Nazi euthanasia', then those of the Shoah, were a possible off-shoot of eugenics.

"Defanti rightly thinks that to answer this question it is necessary to go back to the 19th century, to the birth of eugenics in Darwin's England and to the rapid dissemination of this new science in the Western countries, even including Nazi Germany. It is not the first time that Defanti tackles an important aspect of bioethical reflection: the need for historical reflection for a better understanding of certain issues, such as euthanasia.

"Reconstructing the history of eugenics is no easy undertaking, despite the many studies on the topic that have been published in recent decades, because it involved a sort of scientific trend which then often became political policy. In turn this spread successfully in the Western countries...."
Defanti's book may or may not be translated into English and sold here in America. I think we can count on his ideas making the rounds on this side of the Atlantic, though. I put a longer excerpt from the article at the end of this post1 - and recommend reading it on News.va's website.

Don't Worry, But Don't Look at Sweden

Basically, Defanti says that eugenics and what happened in in Germany during during the national socialist administration aren't connected. He also says that nice democracies don't have to worry, because eugenics is okay and what happened in Germany didn't have anything to do with genetic issues.

I'm over-simplifying, of course.

Apparently Defanti has taken a sophisticated approach to the 'Dachau didn't happen' argument. Instead of denying that lots of folks were killed because they weren't sufficiently pure, Defanti simply ignores inconvenient facts:
"...Defanti's bibliography, moreover, has vast lacunae, especially regarding the application of eugenic ideas in the United States and in the Scandinavian democracies. If he had read Colla and Dotti's on eugenic practices in Sweden, for example, he would have seen that social democracy can also exercise an oppressive bio-power over the weak, and especially over lonely and poor women, which is damaging to personal freedom. It is they, in fact, and not the sick, who accounted for more than 80 per cent of the victims of sterilization and eugenic abortion policies...."
(Lucetta Scaraffia, L'Osservatore Romano, via News.va)

"Lacunae?!"

I know what "lacunae" are: thanks to knowing a little Latin; a year studying for a Library Science degree; being Catholic; and loving language. "Lacunae" are more than one lacuna, and "lacuna" means "a blank gap or missing part." (Princeton's WordNet) In other words, there are big holes in Defanti's bibliography.

Too bad: because his basic idea, that it's a good idea to look at the history of an idea, is sensible.

2. Suing the Holy See: Dismissed

Yes, I know about the 'pedophile priests' What some priests did over the last half-century was a bad thing. Moving on.

America's cultural assumptions about the vast riches of the Vatican may or may not have been part of the motive for this effort to extract money from Rome.

I know that victims of abuse are hurting. I also know that dioceses in America are paying for what a few individuals did - in this case, about five decades back.

It's very regrettable that some folks got hurt. Justice needs to be served. On the other hand, I don't think justice means shaking down whoever is thought to have the most money.
"Federal judge dismisses abuse lawsuit against Vatican"
Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News (August 21, 2012)

"A federal judge dismissed a sex abuse lawsuit against the Holy See on grounds that the Vatican was not an employer of the accused ex-priest and cannot be held financially liable for the abuse.

"Jeffrey Lena, counsel for the Holy See, told CNA on Aug. 21 that the ruling is 'particularly important.'

"It follows a years-long legal examination of whether the Vatican has sovereign immunity protecting it from such lawsuits.

"On Monday U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman in Portland, Ore. ruled that the laicized Servite priest Andrew Ronan, who allegedly molested the plaintiff as a teenager in 1965 and 1966, did not have an employee-employer relationship with the Vatican...."
Some bishops did shield some abusive priests. That was wrong. The notion that the Catholic Church is dedicated to protecting icky people? It's popular in some circles, but not true. "Laicization" is a technical term for kicking someone out of the priesthood:
"...He [Jeffrey Lena] said that only the Servite order knew of the abuse until it petitioned for the laicization of Fr. Ronan in 1966.

"When the Holy See learned of the abuse, Lena said, 'it dismissed Ronan from the clerical state very quickly, in just five weeks.'..."
(Kevin J. Jones, CNA/EWTN News)

America's Hate Affair With the Catholic Church

I'm an American citizen, and think this country is a good place to live. Our national and regional cultures have room for improvement, though. I think, and hope, that my native country's attitude toward the Catholic Church will continue to mellow.

Practicing Catholicism has never been officially criminalized, but some 'real Americans' probably would have supported a Constitutional amendment prohibiting papists from becoming citizens.

Traditional antipathy toward Catholicism will almost certainly change. Meanwhile, I think it's prudent for Catholics living in America to avoid living down to expectations: which doesn't mean accepting the status quo, and that's yet another topic.


(From Thomas Nast Portfolio, Ohio State University, used w/o permission.)
"The American River Ganges, a cartoon by Thomas Nast showing bishops attacking public schools, with connivance of Boss Tweed. Harper's Weekly, September 30, 1871." (Wikipedia)


(from H.E. Fowler, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"Crowley, Jeremiah J. (1913) 'The Pope: Chief of White Slavers High Priest of Intrigue,' p. 430"

From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ. Copyright was not renewed.
(Pillar of Fire Church, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"From ''Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', 1926. Published by the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, NJ...."


(Chick Publications, via FoxNews.com, used w/o permission)

3. Good News From Spain

"Spanish swimmer dedicates Olympic medals to Virgin Mary"
CNA/EWTN News (August 17, 2012)

"Spanish swimmer Mireia Belmonte offered her two silver medals from the London 2012 Olympic Games to Our Lady of Monserrat in Barcelona.

"The 21-year-old - who won silver in the 800 meter free-style and the 200 meter butterfly - posed for a picture before the image of Our Lady of Monserrat and posted the photo on her Twitter account, which has grown from 7,000 followers to 56,000.

"In an Aug. 4 press conference, Belmonte, the only Spanish swimmer to win two medals in London, said both were of 'equal value' to her.

" 'One cost a little bit more effort than the other because it was a longer race,' she recalled. 'But all of my rivals were very tough and before it starts you don't know what is going to happen because everyone is very strong.'..."
It's good to see an athlete with this attitude. Very good.

Related posts:
1 Excerpt from the news:
"Through the darkness"
Lucetta Scaraffia, L'Osservatore Romano, via News.va (August 22, 2012)

"Carlo Alberto Defanti, a neurologist and expert in bioethics, has written a book called Eugenetica: un tabù contemporaneo. Storia di un'idea controversa (Turin, Codice edizioni, 2012, 309 pages, € 23) [Eugenics, a contemporary taboo. History of a controversial idea], with the courageous intention of clarifying a doubt that is spreading in our society and that we often seek unsuccessfully to eliminate: 'whether or not the horrors of the so-called Nazi euthanasia', then those of the Shoah, were a possible off-shoot of eugenics.

"Defanti rightly thinks that to answer this question it is necessary to go back to the 19th century, to the birth of eugenics in Darwin's England and to the rapid dissemination of this new science in the Western countries, even including Nazi Germany. It is not the first time that Defanti tackles an important aspect of bioethical reflection: the need for historical reflection for a better understanding of certain issues, such as euthanasia.

"Reconstructing the history of eugenics is no easy undertaking, despite the many studies on the topic that have been published in recent decades, because it involved a sort of scientific trend which then often became political policy. In turn this spread successfully in the Western countries....

"...Defanti's bibliography, moreover, has vast lacunae, especially regarding the application of eugenic ideas in the United States and in the Scandinavian democracies. If he had read Colla and Dotti's on eugenic practices in Sweden, for example, he would have seen that social democracy can also exercise an oppressive bio-power over the weak, and especially over lonely and poor women, which is damaging to personal freedom. It is they, in fact, and not the sick, who accounted for more than 80 per cent of the victims of sterilization and eugenic abortion policies. And he would have realized that financial reasons (that is, complaints about the cost of care for the sick) constitute the first and most widespread reason for the eugenic practices implemented by democratic governments.

"The author's certainty that we in democratic regimes are not in danger from Nazi-type eugenics is therefore belied by history. Yet, while the conclusion of the book – which would like to dispel the fears that hover around a eugenic use of science today – is far from convincing, Defanti's idea that to judge the present we must review the past and, in particular, come to grips with the ghost of Nazi eugenics, is interesting."
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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Still Shining in the Darkness: or, Be Not Afraid of Geekness

Jesus told John, Peter, and the others, to "make disciples of all nations;" and to teach us "...to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus and a Vital Message

I'm a Catholic layman, so my duties include dealing with "social, political, and economic realities" I run into: or that run into me. (Catechism, 898-900)

Like any other Christian, a very important part of my job is "to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth." (Catechism, 900) That's a tall order.

The "divine message of salvation" brings me back to Jesus:
" 'At the heart of catechesis we find, in essence, a Person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, the only Son from the Father . . . who suffered and died for us and who now, after rising, is living with us forever.'13...."
(Catechism, 426)
"Catechesis?" That's a particular sort of teaching:
"CATECHESIS: An education of children, young people, and adults in the faith of the Church through the teaching of Christian doctrine in an organic and systematic way to make them disciples of Jesus Christ. Those who perform the ministry of catechists in the Church are called 'catechists'
(5, 426-427)."
(Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Don't Try, But Don't Stop Trying

So, what can I do to "make disciples?"

This paradoxically intriguing post, in another blog, outlines one approach. (A tip of the hat to Fr. Christian Mathis, on Google+, for the heads-up on his post.)
The message in Father Mathis' post seems to be that a hard-sell approach, he calls it "zeal," can drive folks away from faith. He outlines how to share faith through personal relationships. I think it's a good idea.

Working with What I've Got

I'm one of those people who say things like "paradoxically intriguing," and read dictionaries for fun. If I had more finely-tuned social skills, I might be a geek. As it is, I've been told I'm a nerd, and I agree:
Which reminds me of that famous line from "Twelfth Night:"
"Be not afraid of geekness: some men are born geeks, some achieve geekness and some have geekness thrust upon them."
(with apologies to William Shakespeare)
A cartoon explaining distinctions between geeks and nerds is at the end of this post.

I've decided to settle for being me: a man who loves language and digging through piles of information; and who is pretty good at putting words together. Writing these posts seems like a reasonable way to use my skills and experience.

Shining in the Darkness

John, who stayed with my Lord at the cross, explained who Jesus is:
"1 2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

"He was in the beginning with God.

"3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be

"through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

"4 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. "
(John 1:1-5)
Two millennia later, the darkness still "has not overcome it."

And that's another topic.

Related posts:
More:
  • "Catechesi Tradendae"
    On Catechesis in Our Time
    John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation (October 16, 1979)
Geeks and nerds, from 909sickle.com/s:

(from 909sickle.com/s, used w/o permission)
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Monday, August 20, 2012

Freedom: A Privilege for 'Us,' and not 'Them?'

Folks trying to correct problems often form groups, naming the new organization after some famous person associated with their interests. Identifying with heroes is a good idea, I think: but it can result in a bit of confusion.

I ran into the Thomas More Law Center in an online discussion group over the weekend. The name sounded very familiar. I was pretty sure that I'd find at least one post where I'd mentioned it.

I was wrong.

I found two outfits with similar names and goals:
"Thomas More Law Center" hadn't shown up in this blog, though.

Saint Thomas More?

Finding the Thomas More Law Center online was easy enough. I noted that they referred to More as "Saint Thomas More" in their "About" section:
"...Described as 'A Man for All Seasons,' Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England in the 16th Century, is one of history's most admired figures. An outstanding lawyer, author,judge and diplomat, he rose to the highest office in England, next to the King. Yet, he chose death rather than betray his conscience. Moments before he was beheaded for his faith, he humbly described himself as 'the King's good servant, but God's first.'..."
("About the Thomas More Law Center")
Using the title "Saint" impressed me, since in the part of America where I grew up, the former Chancellor was referred to as "Sir Thomas More."

That was understandable, since the title "Saint" is used by Catholics. In the regional culture, quite a few folks assumed that Catholics weren't Christians. By their standards, calling an English official "Saint" somebody might have felt 'un-American.' Not everyone was like that, and I've told how 'Bible-thumpers' helped me become a Catholic before.

Support: Wisely

Charity is a virtue. (Catechism, 1822) So, I think, is being careful about acting charitably. (March 17, 2011) That's why I'm careful about what organizations I support, financially and otherwise. Mostly "otherwise," given my household's resources. And that's another topic.

Freedom: For Us?

What I saw in that discussion group made me hope that the Thomas More Law Center was helping America rediscover religious liberty. Here's what I found on their "About" page:
"About the Thomas More Law Center"
Thomas More Law Center (www.thomasmore.org)

"The Thomas More Law Center is a national nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, dedicated to the restoration and defense of the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It also supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America....."
There's more, including graphics that show a sword over a cross and shield, an Eagle, and George Washington kneeling. Very patriotic, and quite nicely designed.

Freedom: For Everyone

I like being an American, and think this country has many good qualities: so it's fairly easy for me to follow Catholic teaching about being a good citizen. (August 5, 2012)

Because I'm Catholic, I have to support religious freedom. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104-2109)

That's religious freedom for everyone (Catechism, 2106) I've been over this before.(April 7, 2011)

Maybe the Thomas More Law Center recognizes Catholics as Christians. Maybe they're even more broad-minded, and think that the principle of religious freedom should apply to everybody. Then again, maybe not.

Abraham, Zoot Suits, and All That

I've encountered folks who apparently either didn't distinguish between their personal and community preferences, and God's principles - or didn't realize that there's a difference.

In my youth, radio preachers and dreadfully earnest Christians took "Christian values" very seriously.

The problem was that they seemed to think that 'Biblical' values were the same as those of a particular part of America's middle class, around the 1940s. I like 1940s fashions. I even see an appeal in zoot suits.

But I don't think God commands that men should for all time dress the way 'real men' did in the days of Abraham, or Truman. I also don't think it's 'sinful' for women to wear slacks, and that's yet another topic. (September 26, 2009)

I do not think that there's only one 'right' way to design clothing; and I do not want to get back to the 'good old days.' I remember them: they weren't.

The Becket Fund; Thomas More Society

After looking over the very American Thomas More Law Center, I went back to The Becket Fund and Thomas More Society. Here's what I found:
The Becket Fund For Religious Liberty
"Our Mission"

"The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute that protects the free expression of all faiths. The Becket Fund exists to vindicate a simple but frequently neglected principle: that because the religious impulse is natural to human beings, religious expression is natural to human culture. We advance that principle in three arenas - the courts of law, the court of public opinion, and the academy - both in the United States and abroad...."
I'm more comfortable with The Becket Fund, since they acknowledge that freedom isn't a privilege for 'us,' and not 'them.' Their international scope doesn't trouble me: I like being an American, but see everyone as "neighbor." (Catechism, 1825)
Thomas More Society
"Mission"

"The Thomas More Society is a not-for-profit, national public interest law firm that exists to restore respect in law for life, marriage, and religious liberty. Based in Chicago, the Thomas More Society defends and fosters support for these causes by providing high quality pro bono legal services from local trial courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court...."

"...The Thomas More Society ... continues to litigate cutting-edge cases including:
  • "Protecting the First Amendment rights of those who pray and counsel outside our nation's abortion facilities
  • "Defending laws that protect human life from conception to natural death
  • "Ensuring the free expression of religion in the public square
  • "Restoring respect for marriage as the sacred union of one man and one woman..."
The Thomas More Society is more specifically 'American,' since they concentrate on legal action within American courts. I don't have a problem with that, particularly since they don't specifically restrict "religious liberty" to "Christians."

'Protecting' America

Like I said before, I like being an American: and as a Catholic I'm obliged to be a good citizen. But having grown up in this country, I realize that 'America' means different things to different folks. I think 'America' is a place where folks are - or should be - free to:
  • Express their opinions
  • Worship as they see fit
    • Or not
  • Work for someone else
  • Start their own company
  • Raise a family
Over the last 236 years, quite a few folks liked what they heard about America, and moved here. I don't have a problem with that, partly because my ancestors did the same thing. It's not so much that I'm broad-minded: I think we all benefit when new folks with new ideas and fresh enthusiasm move in.

Not everyone sees 'foreigners' the same way, though:


(from H.E. Fowler, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"Crowley, Jeremiah J. (1913) 'The Pope: Chief of White Slavers High Priest of Intrigue,' p. 430"

And that's - yet again another topic. Topics.

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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.