The National Catholic Weekly Sept. 12, 2011 $3.50 of Many Things

THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY SEPT. 12, 2011 $3.50 OF MANY THINGS

PUBLISHED BY JESUITS OF THE UNITED STATES fter 9/11 fear of Islam and of Keep asking for a life full of equality . Muslims took deep hold of the And if someone asks you to hate, EDITOR IN CHIEF American psyche. The echo say no. Drew Christiansen, S.J. A I am the child of today, the trans- chamber of our 24/7 media feeds this formation of tomorrow. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT hostility, but as M. J. Rosenberg pointed MANAGING EDITOR out in a blog post last week, there is also The Somali-born rapper K’naan, Robert C. Collins, S.J. a network of defense intellectuals and Wright reports, has become a “rapper- EDITORIAL DIRECTOR conservative funders that has been philosopher.” In “Take a Minute,” he Karen Sue Smith fomenting fear and hatred of Muslims explores how redemption may be found ONLINE EDITOR (http://huff.to/o4EMXj). Without in the most desperate of situa- Maurice Timothy Reidy them, the summer of 2010 might have tions. Meditating on the selfless exam - CULTURE EDITOR lacked major protests over the so-called ples of Mandela and Gandhi, he sings: James Martin, S.J. ground zero mosque or legislative cam - LITERARY EDITOR paigns against Shariah law. Tell ’em the truth is what my dead Patricia A. Kossmann By chance I recently encountered homies told me, POETRY EDITOR what may be the best antidote to I take inspiration from the most James S. Torrens, S.J. heinous situations, Islamophobia, Rock the Casbah , by the Creating medications out of my ASSOCIATE EDITORS journalist Robin Wright, an account of own tribulations. Kevin Clarke the anti-jihadist cultural and social cur - Dear Africa, you helped me write Kerry Weber rents running through the Muslim this, Raymond A. Schroth, S.J. Edward W. Schmidt , S.J. world. To those who ask, “Where are By showing that to give is priceless. the moderate Muslims?” Wright’s ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Ratcliffe answer is: everywhere—in countries Muslim hip-hop is a success because poetry is still a valued mode of expres - ASSISTANT EDITOR from Morocco to Indonesia—and in Francis W. Turnbull, S.J. every medium: in hip-hop music, sion in Arab-speaking lands. One of Wright’s heroes is the Saudi poet Hissa ASSISTANT LITERARY EDITOR among pink-hijab feminists, among Regina Nigro poets, dramatists, comedians, satellite Hilal, who came to prominence on a sheikhs and YouTube imams. televised poetry slam, “The Millions’ GUEST EDITOR Francis X. Hezel , S.J. In one field after another, Wright’s Poet.” Dressed from head to foot in a highly conservative black niqab, she stories demonstrate that the world’s BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Muslims, especially the young, want to shocked an approving audience with radical criticism of the intolerance of CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER be part of the new global village. Most Lisa Pope of all, they reject jihadism, violence and Muslim clerics: extremist interpretations of their faith. I have seen evil from the eyes 106 West 56th Street Even as they seek to seize their rights Of the subversive fatwas New York, NY 10019-3803 and dignity from authoritarian rulers, In a time when what is permitted Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596 they also want to find their own way as Is confused with what is forbidden. E-mail: [email protected]; Muslims in the modern world. [email protected] For me, the eye-opening essay was Challenging the imams’ support for Web site: www.americamagazine.org. Wright’s chapter “Hip-Hop Islam.” I am suicide bombers, she declaimed: Customer Service: 1-800-627-9533 no fan of hip-hop, but I can’t ignore its © 2011 America Press, Inc. popularity as a musical form. Wright When I unveiled the truth, A monster appears from his hiding acknowledges, moreover, that rap has place; had a hard time escaping the violent, Barbaric in thinking and action, sexist, street-gang culture from which it Angry and blind; arose. While they too have grown up Wearing death and a dress amid violence, Muslim hip-hop artists And covering it with a suicide belt. Cover: The vice president of student are using the music to spread a message government at St. John’s University of nonviolence. “Hip-hop,” she writes, “is If you read one book this year on in Jamaica, N.Y., Christina Islam, let it be Rock the Casbah. Zaccarelli, right, helps a new student the counter-jihad in a nimble cadence.” during freshman move-in day. The Palestinian group DAM sings: DREw ChRISTIANSEN, S.J. CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz. CONTENTS www.americamagazine.org Vol. 205 No. 6, WholE No. 4943 SEPTEmbEr 12, 2011

ARTICLES 11 A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE Three ways to combat biblical literalism Brian B. Pinter

16 BEYOND CATECHESIS What is the proper role of theology? Michael G. Lawler and Todd A. Salzman

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 4 Current Comment 16 5 Editorial Libyan Freedom 6 Signs of the Times

10 Column Risking the Darkness Margaret Silf

23 Faith in Focus Student Teachers Jay Cormier 36 Letters

39 The word Justice in the Reign of God Barbara E. Reid 23 BOOKS & CULTURE 26 FILM What ‘The Help’ has to say BOOK REVIEW The Wow Factor

ON THE WEB ON THE WEB Christopher Pramuk revisits the album “The Rising,” by Bruce Springsteen, right, on the anniversary of Sept. 11. Plus, bishops and theologians discuss the role of theology, and Brian B. Pinter talks about youth ministry on our pod - cast. All at americamagazine.org. 26 CURRENT COMMENT

much more difficult to speak for eight minutes, Shelly says, Art and Toil than to preach for 20. In the words of Archbishop Fulton This month, in which the nation honors working men and Sheen: “If you want me to speak for an hour, I’m ready. If women, the American worker, whose skills and sweat have you want me to speak for 10 minutes, I’ll need a week.” built this country, seems especially vulnerable. Not only In workshops with preachers, Father Shelly employs a has organized labor run up against governors in neat teaching tool. First he asks the preacher to summarize Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and New Hampshire deter - his message in one sentence. After the sermon is delivered, mined to weaken collective bargaining, but 25 million parishioners are asked to write down a one-sentence sum - Americans cannot find full-time jobs. mary of what they heard. These are collected and reviewed An 11-panel, 36-foot-wide mural painted by Judy Taylor later by the preacher. could inspire them with its ennobling depictions of Maine’s In addition to brevity, preachers should be persuaded to workers, including its children before the enactment of stay focused on the week’s readings. Avoid using the pulpit child labor laws. Since 2008 the mural graced the lobby of to speak about service trips or the March for Life. There the state’s Department of Labor, but last spring the gover - are other times and places to address such subjects. Well- nor, Paul LePage, had it removed. He said he received com - prepared, Scripturally grounded sermons are essential to a plaints that the mural was “pro-union” and “propaganda.” good liturgy. They could both satisfy a spiritual thirst and And his administration has a pro-business agenda. bring disaffected Catholics back to the pews. Removal of the mural brought federal litigation, still unresolved, over the public’s access to the art. Because of Internet attention, millions outside Maine have now seen Competitive Conservation photos of the mural. One panel depicts Frances Perkins, the Two dozen states have spent federal stimulus dollars to U.S. secretary of labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt and the upgrade the energy efficiency of their public schools. So first female cabinet member in American history. The presi - high are the returns on these investments that other states dent and Ms. Perkins (who is buried in Maine) have been are making loans to their school districts so they, too, can beloved by millions for creating millions of jobs during the conserve energy. Depression and for setting up other protections for workers: Conservation pays. According to recent news reports, Social Security, unemployment insurance, the minimum New York City schools have reduced their energy expenses wage, the 40-hour work week and the right to organize. by 11 percent since 2008. The schools installed motion Catholic support for workers and organized labor detectors in classrooms to turn lights on and off, became bedrock social teaching with “Rerum Novarum,” unplugged refrigerators and freezers in summer and used Pope Leo XIII’s landmark encyclical. Bishop Stephen E. long-lasting light bulbs. With more than 1,000 schools in Blaire of Stockton, Calif., head of the bishops’ Committee the city, the savings are significant. On Long Island, a sin - on Domestic Justice and Human Development, quoted it gle school district saved $350,000 on energy last year; in his Labor Day statement. The encyclical “lifted up the using sticky notes, an energy manager placed a message to inherent dignity of the worker in the midst of massive eco - turn out the lights on every light switch and “ticketed” nomic changes,” he said, adding that the pope issued a those who failed to comply. Nearly half the school districts “prophetic call for the church to support workers’ associa - on Long Island have hired energy consultants. tions for the protection of workers and the advancement of Ways to save energy should be widely broadcast, imitat - the common good.” Workers need to hear Pope Leo’s ed and improved by others. The Environmental Protection words and to see art like Judy Taylor’s mural. Agency has already thought of one way and is now spon - soring its second national contest among commercial buildings (hospitals, banks, schools and churches), which Time of the Preacher waste some $300 million in energy each year. Called the Eight minutes, tops. That is how long an average Sunday Battle of the Buildings, the contest has attracted 245 con - sermon should last, according to the Rev. Roy Shelly of the tenders, who have saved $3.7 million at the halfway mark. Loyola Institute for Ministry in New Orleans. On week - Winners will be announced in November. days, sermons should be even shorter: three to five minutes. Surely private foundations, environmental organizations The goal is not to shorten the liturgy, as some restless pew and corporations could also sponsor energy-saving compe - sitters may wish, but to be succinct and stay on point. It is titions.

4 America September 12, 2011 EDITORIAL Libyan Freedom

he unexpectedly rapid fall of Tripoli revealed one to play a useful international unambiguous winner: the Libyan people. Armed role, even without U.S. leader - Tsometimes only with hope and frustration, they set ship, has been demonstrated. in motion a sometimes haphazard resistance that brought Still, the success in Libya an end to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s 42-year regime. of the doctrine of the responsi - Media speculation about whether President Obama’s bility to protect presents two Libyan policy counts now as a political victory for him is dangers. The air campaign was costly and hazardous both to beside the point. The relatively quick collapse of the loyalist service members put in harm’s way and to the reputations of forces in the capital city, accelerated by the active participa - politicians and republics alike that participated. The air tion of its residents, made clear, were there any doubts, that campaign also took significantly longer than anticipated. this uprising was a mass revolt of the Libyan people. Their Qaddafi proved more durable than expected; but so, too, did heroism in vindicating their own rights should not be NATO’s ad hoc Libyan coalition. The length of the air cam - demeaned. paign contributed both to its expense and to the risk that it Another “victor” in the conflict has been the case for would turn ugly and thus diplomatically damaging. Those multilateralism. President Obama’s decision to approve a concerns may still cause hesitation in the face of the obliga - limited role for U.S. forces in the international effort to oust tions of R2P when the next humanitarian crisis arises. the colonel was much derided by critics from the left and the A related danger is that success may prove intoxicating right as simultaneously too much and too little. Confidence to some, who may rush into the next intervention without in multilateralism may be restored by the outcome in Libya. properly assessing the risks and possible outcomes. Some The patience and effort to put together a real coalition not may come to see R2P as an international obligation to be only saved U.S. face and finances; it also spread the risk and met merely or most effectively through a military response. the burden of the use of force in a manner that was deemed But the doctrine remains best served by proactive, non- acceptable to all parties. lethal diplomatic persuasion, economic pressure and peace - And the success of the Libyan uprising is more than building initiatives. another flower in the Arab Spring. It is a palm of achieve - The outcome in Libya remains far from certain. It is ment for the novel international doctrine of the responsibil - no longer in danger of becoming another Syria, where gov - ity to protect. Endorsed by major powers, including the ernment forces repress dissent. But will it become like Iraq, United States, at the 2005 U.N. World Summit, R2P still riven with sectarian and tribal violence, or like Turkey, S r

E lacks full support from politicians and policymakers in some where a moderate Muslim government exercises power in a T u E r

, countries. It proposes that the world community has an democratic state? The character of the new Libyan state will y N u obligation to intervene when a state fails to respond appro - depend only in part on the political will and practical com - o T i Z l i priately to a humanitarian catastrophe or, worse, is itself an mitments of the world community to the Libyan people. By a m S i

/ agent of genocide or crimes against humanity within its own opening up frozen Libyan assets, the United Nations has o T o borders. The doctrine has emerged in recent years out of made it possible for Libyans to avoid a humanitarian disas - h P

N abject failures to intervene in Rwanda, the Sudan and the ter in the wake of the conflict. Libya will have the means to c

. 3 2

Democratic Republic of the Congo. procure what the nation needs. Returning expatriates and a . g u a

Colonel Qaddafi’s threat to reduce Benghazi to the restored civil service, however, can bring the nation only so , i l o P

i Stone Age was the R2P-based justification for the NATO far. A new constitution must be drafted and the rule of law r T

r air campaign. (It was pretty clear from the beginning, how - established. In addition, measures need to be taken to re- a E N

E ever, that NATO was inclined to put an end to Qaddafi’s establish trade with its neighbors and to diversify an econo - T a r b rule.) Until now the enforcement provisions of R2P had not my too reliant on oil exports. Winning the armed struggle E l E c

been applied. Emphasis has been instead, appropriately, on was the easy part; securing the peace and building a nation S h T

u prevention and on reconstruction after conflict. Now the will be harder. In this new effort, it will befit the United o y

N utility of a limited use of force as part of R2P has been vin - States to maintain the reduced profile that President a y b i l dicated in the skies over Tripoli, and the ability of NATO Obama set during the armed struggle.

September 12, 2011 America 5 SIGNS OF THE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 11 Foreground: A steel beam from the World Trade Center on display in New Jersey; back - Tenth Anniversary ground: construction on the center's site in Prompts Spiritual Reflection lower Manhattan. s Chief Joseph W. Pfeifer of the New York City Fire Department sees it, the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks A of Sept. 11, 2001, provides a transformative opportunity for the world community to pause and think about the tragedy’s spiritual dimen - sion and its aftermath. On Sept. 11, 2001, Pfeifer was chief of the 1st Battalion, one of the first on the scene and in charge of directing fire - fighter response in the north tower of the World Trade Center. “People were angry at God and they had every right to be, but that was not my experience,” Pfeifer said. His brother, Lt. Kevin Pfeifer of the F.D.N.Y., died at the World Trade Center that day. “I was walking back to the firehouse from the site on the second day, when we knew there would be no more survivors. It was completely dark except for the lights we had brought in. There was no power and there was smoke everywhere. “Instead of anger, I felt an encounter, as if I were coming back to an old friend, or putting on an old sweat - shirt,” he remembered. “How do you back in complete sadness, but it was a emergency preparedness and address - encounter spirituality and what is your place I’d been to before.” es groups of people in many parts of personal experience of God? Mine was Pfeifer is currently the fire depart - the world. “We used to think the 9/11 very much on West Street, walking ment’s chief of counterterrorism and attacks were just New York and D.C.,

U.S. BISHOPS of unions in the workplace.” He com - mends bishops in Wisconsin, Ohio Annual Statement Seeks and elsewhere who outlined Catholic teaching on worker rights, “suggesting Common Ground on Labor Day that difficult times should not lead us to ignore the legitimate rights of work - he annual Labor Day state - support for organized labor in ers.” ment from the U.S. Catholic social teaching. Since “Rerum Although the church did not Conference of Catholic Novarum” in 1891, “the Church has endorse “every tactic of unions or every T consistently supported efforts of work - Bishops may prove notable this year outcome of collective bargaining,” because of observations that in the ers to join together to defend their Bishop Blaire writes that it still affirms past would hardly raise an eyebrow. It rights and protect their dignity,” “the rights of workers in public and includes a thorough reiteration of the Bishop Blaire writes. private employment to choose to come U.S. church’s historical support of The tension surrounding the issue together to form and join unions, to organized labor and an acknowledg - of the collective bargaining rights of bargain collectively, and to have an ment of the American labor move - public sector workers across the coun - effective voice in the workplace.” ment’s intricate relationship with the try was an obvious focus of the state - Perhaps anticipating an outburst of U.S church. ment. Bishop Blaire notes “some criticism from certain quarters of the Penned by Bishop Stephen Blaire efforts, as part of broader disputes church that have become doubtful of Stockton, Calif., “Human Costs and over state budgets, to remove or about the legitimacy of the social role Moral Challenges of a Broken restrict the rights of workers to collec - of organized labor, Bishop Blaire adds, Economy” notes the long tradition of tive bargaining as well as limit the role “This does not mean every outcome of

6 America September 12, 2011 people could see that all local acts of from that church. On Nov. 12, three terrorism, whether in Ireland or Israel days after the last funeral, Msgr. or Afghanistan, were represented at Geraghty was celebrating the 9 a.m. the World Trade Center. “It gave the Mass when an American Airlines victims of terrorism an international flight bound for the Dominican voice and showed that terrorism is a Republic crashed one block from the crime against humanity,” he said. church, killing all 260 people on the People encounter spirituality in plane and five on the ground, includ - different ways, he said, and the 10th ing parishioners. anniversary will allow people to con - “At Christmas 2001, a friend from nect their individual experiences Michigan asked if I was ‘over it yet’,” with those of people in a larger Msgr. Geraghty said. “I told him it’ll group. One such larger group devas - never be over for us. It has been a tated by the Sept. 11 attacks lives in defining moment in the lives of fami - Rockaway Peninsula, at the south - lies here.” He said, “There is an ongo - west tip of the Diocese of Brooklyn, ing role for people. The message of the home to firefighters, police officers, Gospel didn’t become irrelevant that emergency responders and day. We’re just at the beginning; 2,000 financiers. Seventy residents were years hasn’t been long enough for our killed in the disaster. tribal human hearts to absorb the mes - and Pennsylvania, but they were more Msgr. Martin T. Geraghty was pas - sage of Jesus Christ.” than that,” he said. “It was a global tor of St. Francis de Sales in Belle “We’re at the beginning of this. God trauma; an entire world-encounter Harbor in 2001. Twelve of the World is calling us out of tribalism into a dif - and transformation occurred” when Trade Center victims were buried ferent understanding,” he said. bargaining is responsible or that all doubt be welcomed by unionized nomic life: business and labor, private actions of particular unions—or for laypeople, even if it promotes teeth- enterprise and public institutions, for- that matter employers—merit sup - grinding elsewhere. But further along profit and nonprofit, religious and port. Unions, like other human insti - in the statement is Bishop Blaire’s per - academic, community and govern - tutions, can be misused or can abuse haps most poignant insight into the ment.... We can look for common their role.” nation’s recent dilemmas related to the ground and seek the common good.” The annual message arrives at a dif - economy. “Sometimes eco - ficult time for organized labor in the nomic troubles bring out the United States. The pensions, health worst in us,” he wrote. benefits and collective bargaining “Uncertainty and fear compel rights of public sector workers are us to fight for our own inter - being challenged across the country ests and to preserve our own during a period of continuing union advantages.” decline. While they may still represent How can Catholics inter - a little over 32 percent of public sector rupt such dysfunctional workers, unions represent just 6.9 per - cycles? Bishop Blaire writes: cent of the private workforce and alto - “We can understand and act gether just about 11 percent of the like we are part of one econ - total U.S. workforce, far below their omy, one nation, and one historic highs. human family.… We can Bishop Blaire’s qualified renewal of clearly respect the legitimacy Public sector workers on the job during Hurricane vows with organized labor will no and roles of others in eco - Irene in Asbury Park, N.J., on Aug. 28.

September 12, 2011 America 7 SIGNS OF THE TIMES

U.S. Childhood Gets Poor Grades NEWS BRIEFS The Anne E. Casey Foundation The National Cathedral in Washington and released its “2011 Kids Count Data St. Patrick’s Church in Baltimore, Md., were Book” on Aug. 17, and it did not make among the structures left with the most seri - for encouraging reading. According to ous damage after a 5.8 magnitude earth - the report, after showing historic quake struck Virginia on Aug. 23. • Church improvement in the period 1996 to leaders in southern India who hoped to “curb 2000, when the child poverty rate fell the flow of liquor in Kerala” opposed the by nearly 30 percent, the condition of state’s liberalized liquor policy with a 24-hour Damage at the National children in the United States has been fast on Aug. 24. • The retired auxiliary bish - Cathedral in significant decline. The cause is not op of Hartford, Peter A. Rosazza, warned in an opinion piece pub - hard to identify: growing national lished on Aug. 21 that “budget cuts that negate assistance to our poverty. Anne E. Casey’s researchers cities” could make U.S. urban areas “ripe for explosive riots such as report: “The economic recession of the those we saw in the 1960s.” • Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda , for past few years effectively wiped out all years criticized by retired Bishop Paul Duffy for neglecting the of the gains we made in cutting child nation’s poor, expressed sorrow upon hearing of the bishop’s death poverty in the late 1990s.” In 2009, 20 on Aug. 23. • After a tour of the new Republic of South Sudan, percent of children (14.7 million) were Janice McLaughlin, M.M. , president of the U.S.-based Maryknoll growing up poor, up from 17 percent Sisters, urged its leaders to set as its priorities peacemaking, recon - in 2000. As the jobless recovery con - ciliation and efforts to disarm and demobilize ex-combatants. tinues, just about every state in the nation recorded increasing numbers of children growing up in households without a breadwinner, a startling 31 percent of U.S. families in 2008. “Right now in Egypt there is much number of people entering the church fear and uncertainty because, after a has dropped below one million. The Be Not Afraid, period of euphoria” and unity after the Great Recession appears to have had a fall of President Hosni Mubarak, “it significant effect on U.S. fertility, and Middle East Christians seems that the more fundamentalist infant baptisms have tracked that “There is great uncertainty and great parties are prevailing,” he said. In overall decline. And now hastening the fear” among Christians in Egypt and Syria, “Christians were and still are descent below one million has been a Syria, said Pierbattista Pizzaballa, treated with great respect,” but the still unexplained collapse of “non- O.F.M., on Aug. 24. But Christians protest movements against the govern - infant entries” (teens and adults) into should take courage. “We must not be ment have led to concerns that the the church that began in 2001. A afraid...to say how things really are respect they were guaranteed for CARA researcher noted that “some - with clarity, but also maintaining a decades may be threatened. thing happened” the following year, Christian attitude of witness, open - beginning the decline. That something ness, welcome and trying in every case Church Membership may not have been the crisis of sexual to reconstruct dialogue and relation - abuse by clergy, because numbers of ships,” he said, speaking during a con - Trends Downward non-infant entries actually went up ference sponsored by the Communion A brief report from the Center for briefly during the height of that trau - and Liberation movement in Rimini, Applied Research in the Apostolate at ma in 2002 and 2004. But the decline Italy. The changes sweeping through Georgetown University in Washing- has been just about constant since countries across North Africa and ton, D.C., offers some statistics worth then. extending to Syria obviously give rise worrying over. For only the second to hopes, but also concerns, he said. time period since 1947, the annual From CNS and other sources.

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Risking the Darkness Sufi story tells about a man beyond the narrow circle of light into apparently easy way to keep going who lost his keys one night in the deep dark. along this primrose path. Meanwhile A the street outside his house. The darkness continues to sneak my real freedom lies where I first lost Desperate to find them, he made for away with our lost pearls of great it—in the darkness. To regain it, I will the nearest lamppost, which shed a price. It stalks through the Middle have to go there and discover what I do small pool of light on the ground. A East, concealing our humanity and our not want to know—that my freedom long time passed, and the man had no compassion. It slithers through the lies in living within my means, repay - success. Eventually a passerby joined corridors of power, wearing its beguil - ing what I owe and adjusting my him. ing disguise of market forces and easy lifestyle accordingly. “What are you looking for?” he credit and wreaks havoc in the lives of If I have lost my health and my asked. the poorest among us. shape through over-indulgence, I “I have lost my keys,” came the And still we walk in cir - might search for it by reply. cles around the tiny pool of Ten years spending money I can - “I’ll help you,” offered the passerby. light that our inadequate not afford on easy Soon others joined the search until minds and hearts can shed. ago this “cures,” special diets and quite a crowd was there, circling the We will not find what we September books that promise to lamppost. Time wore on and still no are looking for in these nar - melt away my pounds in keys. row circles of flickering we lost days. But to find what I “I don’t think your keys are here. light. But what would it have lost, I will have to Are you sure you lost them here?” mean to go and look for something go into the dark place asked one of the helpers. what is lost in the place very where I lost it and dis - “Oh, no,” the man replied. “I lost where we lost it—in the cover that it can be them over there in that dark corner.” darkness? precious. recovered only through “So why are you searching for them If I find myself in con - self-discipline and exer - A Fundamental Challenge here?” his helper asked. flict with someone, how do I get to the cise. And I do not want to go there The man answered: “Because this is root of the problem? I might complain either! where the light is.” to my friends or try to gather support No one wants to go into the dark. Ten years ago on a bright sunny, for my side of the argument. I will have How would we begin to search for September morning, we lost some - an armory of excuses to justify my own that lost treasure where there is no thing very precious. We lost our sense behavior, and because I am human I light? God’s answer is clear. God offers of security. We lost our trust in one will exercise my unlimited ability to us a light that shines in the darkness another, in our world, perhaps even in delude myself. I am searching in the and that the darkness can never extin - God. We lost a great deal of tolerance light of my very small lamppost for a guish. All that is asked of us is the and willingness to be present to the harmony that I actually lost in the courage to take that first step into the “other.” We lost these things in a very dark, when what I really need to do is darkness we dread, to make the first dark and painful place. And perhaps approach my adversary and genuinely phone call suggesting a conciliatory we have been searching for them ever listen to another point of view. I do not meeting, to make that first resolve to since. Like the people in the story, we want to go there! reverse the process of unbridled walk around in desperate circles with - If I have lost my peace of mind by acquisition. in a patch of light, and yet we will find surrendering to the seductions of a And, for myself, I can say that I find what we seek only by daring to go “spend now, pay later” culture, I might the key into this necessary darkness try to search for it by taking out yet only when I withdraw to a quiet place, another loan and surrendering even stop the frenzied searching and listen, MARgARET SILF lives in Scotland. Her latest books are Roots and Wings , The Way of more of my freedom to my creditors. instead, for the still small voice of Wisdom and Compass Points . My little pool of light offers me this God.

10 America September 12, 2011 Three ways to combat biblical literalism

A Fundamental Challenge BY BRIAN B. PINTER

led a Bible study series recently at a parish in Manhattan, where most of the partic - ipants were hip, advanced-degree-holding professionals. I worked hard to prepare for the classes, and during my presentations on the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis I used the best of historical-critical exegesis by respected Catholic schol - Above: Christopher ars. We explored the differences among various literary forms, examined the histor - Loyek, a Franciscan ical contexts in which the Genesis accounts took shape and considered the function of brother, helps Maria I Pascual study the Bible. foundation myths in ancient Near Eastern cultures. When the participants raised questions g

about scientific theories concerning the origins of the universe and humankind, I made ref - N u a m erence to the 2004 statement by the Vatican-sponsored International Theological D i V a

Commission, which spoke positively about the Big Bang theory. I also quoted Pope John D / o T

Paul II’s affirming remarks on the theory of evolution. o h P

Nonetheless, a number of individuals were shocked at the suggestion that the first and N c

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second chapters of Genesis did not contain literal, historically accurate accounts of creation. T o h

One woman protested, saying, “How do you know the world wasn’t made that way? You P

BRIAN B. PINTER is the director of campus ministry at Regis High School in New York and a graduate stu - dent in Bible at The General Theological Seminary in New York City.

September 12, 2011 America 11 can’t prove otherwise!” Another was flabbergasted that I did a school’s policy of teaching intelligent design in science not affirm the historicity of the talking serpent in Genesis 3: classes, or Alabama gubernatorial candidate Bradley Byrne, “Are you saying that God can’t create a talking snake?” who was lambasted by his opponents for suggesting that Finally, an irate young man sent me e-mail to tell me, among not all the Bible was meant to be read literally. Many other things, that my treatment of Genesis had no place in Catholics, fearing a secular attack on the inerrancy of a Catholic parish and that I should consider becoming Scripture, see literalism as the only way to protect the sanc - Protestant. tity of the Bible. I attempted to reassure those who took exception to my Since most Catholics have very little experience reading nonliteralist approach by emphasizing that the ideas I and interpreting the Bible, they default to inadequate taught were based not on my personal opinions but on the notions of what Scripture is. Many Americans, Catholics best of contemporary Catholic scholarship and on the tradi - among them, see the Bible as a rule book, a play book or a tion of the church. A few asked me, “If this is Catholic user’s manual for life. These designations lead one to believe teaching, how come I’ve never heard it before?” that the Bible has all or most of the answers to life’s ques - tions. But as Prof. Dale B. Martin of Yale University, author The Catholic Literalists of Pedagogy of the Bible, notes, if the Bible is a rule book, “it While Catholic scholarship has moved beyond literalism in is an awfully confusing and incomplete one.” As for the Bible its interpretation of the Bible, many of the faithful have not. as user’s manual, says Martin, “it needed a better author and Familiarizing Catholics with the Bible and its interpretation editor. And unlike really useful owner’s manuals, our Bible is a contining challenge. According to many studies, came to us without illustrations.” People of mature faith Catholics are among the most biblically illiterate require a more nuanced approach to Scripture than these Americans. While teaching Bible basics remains a major popular but simplistic definitions can provide. task, a more pressing and troublesome concern is the A former student of mine now studying at St. Louis growth among Catholics of biblical literalism, also known as University had this to say about the problem of biblical lit - biblical fundamentalism. Fundamentalists assert that the eralism: “It’s sad that fundamentalism still persists among Bible is without historical or scientific error and should be some Catholics. Reading the Bible that way misses out on so read literally in all its details. According to a 2007 Gallup much of the church’s rich tradition of biblical interpreta - survey, 21 percent of U.S. Catholics identify themselves as tion.” For Catholics, reading the Bible has always been an biblical literalists. Considering that the Pontifical Biblical exercise of both head and heart. Commission pointed out in 1993 that “fundamentalism While we Catholics believe that God is speaking to us actually invites people to a kind of intellectual suicide,” this through the words of Scripture, we recognize that we must percentage is not insignificant. use our powers of reason to discern the meaning of those The fundamentalist positions assumed by many words. Contemporary methods of Catholic biblical inter - Catholics today could be described as unconscious or naïve. pretation, for example, are informed by the findings of Most Catholics who are literal readers of the Bible do not archaeology, historical and cultural studies of the biblical realize that this method is not a part of their faith tradition periods and the analysis of the texts in their original Greek, and that such interpretations have been repeatedly discour - Hebrew and Aramaic languages. aged by Catholic scholars, pastors and bishops. Complementing this scientific approach are the spiritual Three causes for this “unconscious fundamentalism” insights into the Bible given us by the patristic writers as deserve attention: the association of religiosity with biblical well as the saints and mystics. This tradition of scholarship literalism in American culture, a failure to explore the ques - and spirituality serves as a rich resource in our quest to tion: “What is the Bible?” and, finally, ignorance of the unlock the meaning of Scripture. Unfortunately, many Catholic tradition’s reason-based approach to biblical inter - Catholics remain unaware of it. pretation. Consider the first cause: the culture. Nearly one-third of What Is the Bible? the U.S. population holds that the Bible is the literal word Religious educators, Bible-study leaders and preachers can of God. In the public square, one’s religiosity is often counter the three causes of fundamentalism by keeping in judged by how well one knows the Bible. The media are mind a few principles and strategies. fond of pitting biblical fundamentalists who defend the First, those who are responsible for teaching the Bible to “truth” of Scripture against those who see the Bible as children and adults must be well qualified and trained. Too nothing more than a collection of ancient fables and myths. often biblical literalism is promoted by inadequately pre - One need only recall the publicity surrounding the case of pared catechists. By second grade, for example, most chil - Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, which challenged dren know that The Cat in the Hat is a different kind of

12 America September 12, 2011 September 12, 2011 America 13 book than Who Was Abraham Lincoln? Yet too few adults variety of media—stained glass, statuary, paintings and are taught that the creation accounts of Genesis are to be icons. Likewise Scripture invites us to contemplate God’s read differently than the Gospels, which in turn cannot be communication to us through such methods as historical read in the same way as the Book of Revelation. Un- narratives, poetry, wisdom sayings, prophecy, apocalypse nuanced, uncritical reading of Scripture is what in part and letters. As with our experience of a beautiful worship defines the literalist approach. While it would be unwise to space, encountering the Bible alone will be different than try to teach contextual methods of biblical interpretation to when the community is gathered to hear it. children, they still must be given a foundation in interpret - When we encounter Scripture as a sacred space, says ing the Bible on which they can build later, not faulty or Martin, we are “moving around in its communicative rich - misleading information they will have to ness, allowing our imaginations, our very correct later on. ON THE WEB selves, to be changed by the experience.” Toward the goal of improving the qual - A conversation This model can also accommodate the ity of Bible instruction, some dioceses with Brian B. Pinter. variety of interpretive methods that are a have instituted comprehensive, multi-year americamagazine.org/podcast part of the Catholic tradition. Like art - training programs that cover every book work in a cathedral, the individual or of the Old and New Testaments as well as methods of inter - community is free to interpret Scripture through historical pretation. This type of preparation is invaluable. Strong for - and spiritual lenses. In this way the words of the Bible, like mation does more than head off problems. It equips those a piece of religious art, can say something about the original who teach the Bible to address the challenging questions author’s intention as well as the meaning being discerned by about biblical texts that both children and adults are sure to contemporary readers. raise. Students can easily become frustrated with Bible Third, Catholic leaders and teachers must work proac - study if teachers consistently respond to questions with the tively to engage the faithful with the Scripture texts of the stock answer: “It’s a mystery.” Proper training can help to Lectionary. The liturgical reforms derived from the avoid this unsatisfying and often unnecessary bromide. Second Vatican Council have brought more of the word of Second, Catholics must be invited to engage the ques - God to the people; but many preachers still shy away from tion, “What is the Bible?” Professor Martin has proposed using the Lectionary as a biblical teaching tool. Instead, that we think of Scripture as a sacred space we enter, like a sermons are more often used for expounding on points of church or cathedral. The Bible functions in much the same doctrine or addressing contemporary moral issues. As an way as a sacred building: its very presence orients us toward alternative, preachers might use their exegetical skills to God; and once we enter, we find many things inside to con - connect the themes of the readings of a particular day or template. A church building communicates the story of the of the liturgical season. In this way the Lectionary could be Christian experience of God, past and present, through a used to nourish the life of the congregation and help the faithful to see that the Bible has much to say about everyday living as a disciple of Jesus. The Bible has an undeniable appeal— even non-Christians find it enriching and fascinating. The church can capitalize on this. We must remember, however, that there is a Catholic way of reading the Bible, and it is not literalism. Above all, our church wants people to read the Bible in a way that encourages them to “grow in grace and knowledge” while avoiding “dis - torted” and “destructive” interpretations (2 Pt 3:16, 18). The Catholic tradition of biblical interpretation invites us to engage Scripture critically and spiritually. This approach allows us to encounter the Bible in a manner that respects both its complexity and the challenge of applying God’s word to modern life. A

14 America September 12, 2011 September 12, 2011 America 15 Beyond Catechesis What is the proper role of theology? BY MICHAEL G. LAWLER AND TODD A. SALZMAN

hen Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of bear upon the faith of the Catholic Church….” In support of Phoenix accused St. Joseph’s Hospital of Sister Johnson, the board of directors of the Catholic performing a direct abortion to save the Theological Society of America issued a brief response: life of a mother and withdrew its status as While the bishops’ statement recognizes “the complemen - Wa Catholic hospital, a question was raised: Could any such tary but distinct vocations of the theologian and the perceived lack of fidelity to Catholic teaching be applied to Magisterium,” the C.T.S.A. was troubled that the statement Catholic universities as well? The question is especially pertinent because the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is approaching its 10- year review of the application of “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” Pope John Paul II’s apos - tolic constitution on the Catholic universi - ty. What if the U.S. bishops were to apply the Phoenix standards to the teaching and . a .

research of Catholic S . T . c

theologians? E h T

If it comes to this, f o

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: o leges and universities T o h may want to keep in P mind an essential Faces of theology: Peter Phan, Maria Pilar Aquino and Bryan Massingale at a C.T.S.A. convention distinction between catechesis (as in catechism) and the academic discipline of “seems to reflect a very narrow understanding of the theo - theology. logical task.” This narrow understanding appears to reduce The tendency among members of the hierarchy is not to the theological task of the theologian to catechesis. This make this distinction, a tendency evident in a recent state - same understanding of the theologian’s role is present in the ment by the U.S.C.C.B. Committee on Doctrine that eval - “Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian,” uated Quest for the Living God, a book by Elizabeth A. published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Johnson, C.S.J. The committee concluded that the book in 1990, the same year as “Ex Corde Ecclesiae.” “contains misrepresentations, ambiguities, and errors that The Charism of the Theologian MIChAEL g. LAwLER is professor emeritus and TODD A. SALzMAN is The instruction begins by emphasizing that the discipline of a professor of Catholic theology at Creighton University, Omaha, Neb. theology is “important for the church in every age” as a means

16 America September 12, 2011 to a deeper “understanding of the realities and the words opmentally appropriate. handed on” in Catholic tradition. The document refers The instruction, however, clearly emphasizes the second vaguely to “moments of crisis and tension” and never speci - mediation, which it highlights in its treatment of the canon - Beyond Catechesis fies the nature of the theologian’s charism until it addresses ical mission or mandatum required of “those who teach the - dissent, but it does note that theology “offers its contribu - ological disciplines in any institute of higher studies” (Can. tion so that the faith might be communicated” (No. 7). 812). In “Ex Corde” “the theologian is officially charged with It is easy to conclude that the instruction identifies the the - the task of presenting and illustrating the doctrine of the ologian’s charism, as did Pope Pius XII, with catechesis. The faith in its integrity and with full accuracy” (No. 22). This great 20th-century ecclesiologist Yves Congar, O.P., agrees charge is part of the theologian’s vocation, but it does not that the charism of didaskalos, or teacher, in the primitive exhaust that vocation. church was more like catechesis than scientific theology. But he also points out that the theological schools that developed ‘Unsafe’ Dissenters and flourished in the second and third centuries and there - In the first phase of mediation, the magisterium relies more after moved away from catechesis to speculative thought on heavily on what could be called safe theologians for consul - the nature of the faith and salvation. Tension developed tation —that is, those who hold a single, Roman theology between the theologians’ spec - and serve as methodological ulation and statements that and theological apologists were traced to apostolic suc - Many theologians are classified for the magisterium. As a cession. Defining the charism result, other theological voic - of the theologian in terms of as dissenters because they were es are silenced or ignored, catechesis in the instruction and the two-way mediation and locating this definition in deprived of a consultative voice. is short-circuited. the section on dissent appear Theologians considered to send a message: To avoid unsafe—those whose posi - conflicts with the magisterium that may lead to investigation tions differ from the magisterium’s on open or noninfalli - and censure, the theologian should focus his or her efforts on ble questions—are discounted. This procedure is a dou - explaining and defending magisterial positions. ble-edged sword. One edge permits the magisterium to Nevertheless, the distinction remains important. claim that the pronouncement has been made with theo - “Catechesis is an education in the faith…which includes logical consultation and agreement; the other edge pro - especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted…in vokes a response from theologians who have not been con - an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the sulted. Determining whether a pronouncement communi - hearers into the fullness of Christian life” ( Catechism of the cates the faith of the entire church is settled ahead of time Catholic Church, No. 5). Theology may include catechesis, by safe theologians, leaving those excluded with no option but it is also more than that. Theology uses scholarly prin - but to offer a critique after the pronouncement has been ciples not only to communicate the truths of faith but also made. If their response is critical, these theologians are to explore the meanings of those truths and contemporary unfairly labeled dissenters. ways of articulating them. This biased process serves no one well. For the magis - terium, it creates polarization between itself and both the Theologians as Mediators faithful who disagree with the doctrinal pronouncements Theologians play a mediating role between the magisterium and the theologians who articulate this disagreement. Since and the faithful. Francis A. Sullivan, S.J., explains that this theological reflections are restricted to either affirming or two-way mediation is “from the faith, culture and question - critiquing magisterial pronouncements arrived at without ings of the people toward the magisterium; and from the broad consultation, the process makes it appear that dissent pronouncements of the magisterium back to the people.” among theologians and faithful is not “limited and occa - The first mediation takes place before magisterial pro - sional” but rampant (“Veritatis Splendor,” No. 4). nouncements are issued; it requires theologians to do the In fact, however, many theologians are forced into the preparatory work to elucidate the questions, issues and con - inaccurate classification of dissenters because they have cerns of the faithful. The magisterium relies on this theo - been deprived of a consultative voice that might have been logical work to address any concerns in its pronouncements. helpful in the beginning. Basing pronouncements on the The second mediation comes after magisterial pronounce - arguments of only those who hold a single Roman theology ments; it requires theologians to interpret those pronounce - oversimplifies the complexity of a doctrine that would be ments for the faithful in terms that are culturally and devel - better clarified by open debate. This oversimplification may

September 12, 2011 America 17 result in pronouncements that rely more on ideology than Lay and Third World Theologians on sound theological reasoning. There is yet another consideration: Both the demographics Polarization permeates the theological community as of theologians and the nature of their enterprise have well. The magisterium, by consulting only those it expects evolved. Until the Second Vatican Council, almost all the - to agree with it, implicitly endorses one school of theology ologians were clerics who taught primarily in seminaries. over another and provides a quasi-sanction for that school’s Since the council, however, theology has become largely a work. Then debates are settled by a claim of authority, as lay profession exercised predominantly in both Catholic and when Bishop Olmsted ruled that St. Joseph’s Hospital in non-Catholic colleges and universities. This change has Phoenix was no longer Catholic and the U.S.C.C.B. issued introduced voices, especially women’s and third world voic - “rebukes” of Sister Johnson’s book instead of using logical es, that had never before been part of the conversation. argument. These new voices challenge the traditional, male, hierarchi - The lack of broad theological consultation, which freezes cal and Eurocentric voices that historically dominated out the “unsafe,” also damages the entire body of the faithful Catholic tradition. They demand that the magisterium take who detect the tension between the magisterium and a large seriously both the fullness of that tradition and the com - majority of theologians. These tensions are frequently aired mitment to human experience as an essential component of in the media and often escalate into outright hostility. One theological reflection espoused by Pope John Paul II and need only peruse online blogs about church-related stories Pope Benedict XVI. The reflected-upon experiences of the to see the level of acrimony between “traditionalist” and lay faithful and theologians are a Spirit-breath that requires “revisionist” Catholics. In this hostile climate of charge and communal and charitable discernment to decide whether it countercharge, complex issues are seldom presented accu - confirms or challenges magisterial pronouncements. rately or fairly, serving neither side well and leading to sus - Roughly 100 years before Vatican II, Cardinal John picion, distrust and cynicism among the faithful. Since Henry Newman published a famous essay, “On Consulting many lay theologians are not consulted, magisterial pro - the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine,” in which he discussed nouncements can appear detached from the lived reality of the sensus fidelium and proposed a “conspiracy theory” for the laity. This has been noticeably true on women’s issues exercising authority within the church. In a recent address to and issues of sexuality. the annual gathering of the Association of Catholic Colleges

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18 America September 12, 2011 and Universities, Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., Catholic laypeople. For its part, the magisterium must be claimed that in this essay Newman “asserted that the faith patient in allowing open debate on open, controversial comes to us and is received by us through a dialectical rela - topics among theologians and slow to intervene prema - tionship between the authority of the magisterium and the turely to close debates. That patience requires what John Sensus Fidelium, the teacher and the taught are in communi - Paul II called a “dialogue of charity” between the magis - cation.” Bishop Kicanas implied that the magisterium is the terium and theologians, without threat of disciplinary or teacher and the sensus fidelium results from punitive action (“Ut Unum Sint,” Nos. the faithful being taught. But Paul ON THE WEB 17, 51 and 60). Crowley’s definition of this relationship, Responses to Michael G. Lawler “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” does emphasize which Bishop Kicanas cites approvingly in and Todd A. Salzman. community and dialogue, but unfortu - americamagazine.org his address, is a more accurate reading of nately these values have not always been Newman. Professor Crowley describes sen - realized in practice. Bishop Kicanas sus fidelium as “the mutual inspiration by the Holy Spirit of asserts: “Clearly there needs to be room in an academic teachers and learners in the Church, the pastorum et fidelium community for disagreement, debate, and a clash of ideas conspiratio ...the delicately balanced relationship between the even in theology. Such debate and engagement can clarify teaching function of the church and the role of the laity in and advance our understanding. In discussions with local arriving at an explicit knowledge of the content of faith.” bishops, faculty need to be able to disagree and question True dialogue recognizes that both are gifted with “the with mutual respect.” There remains, however, a great deal charism of learner-teacher,” the charism that is available to of suspicion among Catholic theologians that patience and the whole communion—church, bishops, theologians and charity are extended only to “safe” theologians to promote the entire body of the faithful alike. catechesis over theology. The collective responsibility of theologians as teachers We hope that as the bishops’ conference reviews the from and of the whole church has profound implications application of “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” they will strike a bal - for them and their relationship with the magisterium. ance between Pope Benedict’s call for “intellectual charity” For their part, theologians must be prudent in their pre - in the reform of Catholic higher education and the aca - sentation of open, controversial, theological issues to demic freedom of all. A

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September 12, 2011 America 19 The Catholic University of America School of Theology and Religious Studies

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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Washington, D.C. 22 America September 12, 2011 FAITh IN FOCUS Student Teachers What I learned from my class about the faith BY JAY CORMIER

few springs ago, the dean of dents write 100 words on a ques - a nearby Catholic college tion I distributed at every class, A called and asked if I could and everyone would share their take over a section of the school’s couple of paragraphs at the next required freshman religion seminar. class. On paper it looked great: a twice-a- Oh, it was a struggle. Handing week seminar on such topics as the in the final grades was a relief. I Trinity, the Eucharist, forgiveness, jus - was never happier to see a tice. It seemed like an interesting chal - semester end. It was a sad and lenge, an opportunity to engage stu - humbling experience. dents in meaningful dialogue about I do not even know if any of the faith, to stimulate mature considera - students got anything from the tion of the things of God. course. But looking back, I realized I was wrong. that those students had taught me At the first meeting it was clear that a great deal about faith. I learned these freshmen were neither prepared more from that course than from for nor interested in such a dialogue. any earlier classroom experience— They were parked in their chairs only whether as a teacher or as a stu - because the course was required. dent. In fact, I was the student and Religion was barely on their radar they were my teachers. They a D screens. Most students had no experi - taught me some hard but valuable i m a l ence of church, and those who did had lessons. a S

N very negative feelings about it. a D

: T

Welcome Before Dogma r

So I did something that I had never a done in 30 years of teaching: At the Religion is not so much about second class, I announced that I was believing as it is about belonging. myself for demands for cooler art and throwing out the syllabus (anathema These young adults were not as inter - entertainment. But what the students to a control freak like me). Instead, I ested in dogma as in understanding. valued above all else was being wel - made it up as we went along. We did a I assigned a reflection paper on comed, feeling that they had some - highlight reel of the Old Testament: Luke’s Gospel: What parable of Jesus thing valuable to contribute. They also Abraham, Moses, David. We read the did you find most meaningful? I wanted liturgy that engaged them, Gospel of Luke together. We dis - expected most essays to name the sto - prayer that enabled them to partici - cussed essays by writers like Kathleen ries about the good Samaritan or the pate. And they wanted sermons that Norris and Anne Lamott. prodigal son, but more than half wrote made sense on Monday morning. I also threw out the term paper about Jesus’ admonitions on not judg - The class gave me a new apprecia - requirement; instead, I had the stu - ing others, verses that barely registered tion for hospitality and the importance in my consciousness. This generation of celebrants and ministers to help JAy CORMIER teaches communications and can teach us a great deal about toler - people become fully engaged partici - humanities at St. Anselm College and edits the ance and understanding, acceptance pants in prayer. homiletics resource Connections. His latest and respect. book, Table Talk: Beginning the Being in Love With God Conversation on the Gospel of Mark, will I also asked the students to design be published this fall by New City Press. the “perfect” church setting. I steeled I used to think that believers first dis -

September 12, 2011 America 23 cover God in nature, what one theolo - in The New Man, we grow up only irony of our time: that the Internet has gian I read not long ago called “the when we discover that we are not the not united us but has fractured us footprint of God.” But we really can - center of the universe, that the world is according to interests, skills, politics, not understand or encounter God bigger than we are. values, gender and so on. until we fall in love. The reality is that we have become We can encounter God only once Love calls us beyond ourselves, so used to getting what we want when we move beyond ourselves. Once we pulls us out of our self-centered orbit we want it that we cannot see beyond realize our ability to love another and and into the orbit of another. We dis - our own needs to the greater and more the complete joy of the experience, we cover God in the joy of loving someone desperate needs of others. The stu - can then begin to conceive the idea of else, in the gratitude we feel in the dents in my seminar were just begin - God. Love is irrational, unreason - assurance that we are loved—despite ning to find that out. They were begin - able—and irrational, unreasonable ourselves. As Thomas Merton writes ning to realize the great technological love is God. Many of these students could not relate to a theoretical con - cept of God. They helped me under - stand that God is not so much a noun as a verb—the verb to love. I will forev - er be grateful to these students for teaching me how to be a more compas - sionate teacher. Most of these young people were working full-time jobs to pay for school. They did not have the grades in high school that win scholarships and merit grants. A few were trying to OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON YOU! escape horrible family situations. It is sobering when a student apologizes for her term paper being late because the night before she had to run from her PLEASE apartment because her abusive boyfriend started to hit her—again. REMEMBER Or an embarrassed student asks for a AMERICA make-up assignment because she could not come up with $10 to see the IN YOUR WILL movie I had assigned. They reminded me that I am not teaching a subject, I am teaching human beings.

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service or change of address. Allow 3 to 4 weeks for change of address to take effect. Thank you l a , w l 9 a M w c 5 their better angels. They take very seri -

w 0 Name: r

t o 3 i s 9 i ously Jesus’ command: “Love one 2 v

Address: r x o o

B another.” It is not a suggestion, not a

City: State: ZIP: . O .

P key to better living. It is “my com - E-mail: mandment.”

24 America September 12, 2011 Revealing the Unseen God The group’s most enthusiastic response to any of the things we did was to Martin Doblmeier’s film “The Power of Forgiveness,” stories of peo - ple who forgave and were forgiven under most extraordinary circum - stances. The students were stunned by the very idea that people could forgive so completely and so generously, that it was possible to rebuild the train wrecks of their lives and find happi - ness and fulfillment, meaning and joy in forgiving with such outrageous self - lessness. That was a new idea for most of them—that religion could be joyful, that church could be affirming, that faith could be humble without being self-denigrating. That is our challenge as a church. M. Craig Barnes put it beautifully in OurOur priests araree his book The Pastor as Minor Poet: whether we are pastors, teachers, min - messengers of hope isters or congregants, we are called to point to the God who “is always pre - friendship waits to be born between a family in Illinois sent but not usually apparent.” Any A andand a little girl living in poverty in Honduras. Before preacher can go on and on about how long a teenage boy in the Philippines and a parish youth terrible things are; any homilist can groupoup in Connecticut are going to become acquainted point to the evil in our midst—that is through the exchange of encouraging letters. In Idaho a easy. The harder challenge is to find womanwoman with grandchildren of her own will soon enter into good in the midst of evil, to point to a blessed relationship with an elderly woman in need of God’s presence when God seems to be help in Kenya. totally absent. We are called to witness as John the Baptist does in the begin - AllAll they need is a CFCA priest to bring them togethertogether.. ning of John’s Gospel, “There—there The priests who work with CFCA celebrate Eucharist in is the Lamb of God!” John calls us to behold Christ’s presence in every act of parishes across the country while sharing the good news generosity that challenges selfishness ooff our Hope for a Family sponsorship program. They travel and injustice, in love offered uncondi - for weekend assignments only and accept as many or as tionally in response to anger and ffewew assignments as they like. We especially need bilingual hatred, in hope that perseveres despite priests, and we offer just compensation. fear and despair. IIff you would like to learn more about preaching It was a hard semester. And frankly, forfor CFCA, contact Tim Deveney at I would not want to go through it again. But in these students I had the chance (800)(800) 875-6564 or [email protected]@cfcausa.org. to see the future church. It will be a humbler and more welcoming church, a more engaged and engaging church ChristianChristian Foundation for Children and Aging is an international movementmovement of people who support and encourage children, youth and, as a result, a more faithful and and the aging in developing countries. Founded by lay Catholics faith-filled church. Whether we realize acting on the Gospel call to serve the poorpoor,, CFCA works with it or not, that future church begins in people of all faiths. TToo learn more, visit www.hopeforafamily.hopeforafamily.or.org. our own church—now, here, today. A

September 12, 2011 America 25 BOOKS &CULTURE

FILM | MICHAEL V. TUETH he Help is a film adaptation ThE SONg OF AIBILEEN of Kathryn Stockett’s best- Tselling first novel about telling stories and the impact such What ‘The Help’ has to say tellings can have. The story is good; the telling of it, not so much. After her graduation from the University of Mississippi in the fateful year of 1963, Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) moves back into the family mansion and finds a job writing a homemakers advice column for the local newspaper, a typical assignment for a college-educated white woman at that time. Skeeter sees the job as a first step toward her dream of becom - ing “a journalist or a novelist, or both,” as she describes it. She decides to draw on the “housemaking” experi - ences of a friend’s black maid, Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis). But she soon realizes that she would rather write about how Aibileen and other maids see and feel about their lives and work in Mississippi in the 60s. Interracial contact, however, is dangerous for African-Americans. It is legally punishable by imprison - ment, though more likely to spark vigilante violence or even murder by the White Citizens Council or the Ku Klux Klan. Aibileen enlists her best friend, Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer), to join her in talking to Skeeter, who takes notes. Eventually, .

as abuses against the maids multiply D E V r

in the town, more than a dozen E S E r

domestics meet with Skeeter to tell S T h g their stories. i r

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The upper-class society to which

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Skeeter has returned is ruled by Hilly , . o c Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), an N o i T

active segregationist. Hilly’s major u b i r

project is the promotion of what she T S i D

i i calls her Home Health Sanitation S k r

Initiative, which aims at legally o W m a

requiring black workers to use sepa - E r D

Above: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer; below: Emma Stone, center, in “The Help.” rate bathrooms in the homes of their ©

26 America September 12, 2011 employers. One white woman, the vivacious Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain from “The Tree of Life”), a newcomer to the town who has mar - ried a wealthy plantation owner, is ostracized by Hilly and her ladies but adds comic relief and poignancy to the story. The two-and-a-half-hour film Daily Prayer for Today’s Catholic chronicles the oppression of the maids, the alienation of Skeeter from the attitudes of her social circle and, finally, the publication of Skeeter’s book, The Help, and its consequences. While racial segregation and the Jim Crow laws are the film’s focus, it also portrays the segregation of gen - New! ders in genteel Southern society. Men appear only on the outskirts of the X narrative and have no significant influence on its action. Skeeter’s father and her brother, the newspaper X editor, the other husbands, the preacher in the black church, the X waiter at the diner, a couple of brutal policeman, a racist bus driver and one of Minny’s children are the only men X in the film. A few of the maids’ sons are mentioned but never appear on X screen. Male presence in the film amounts to 12 minutes, tops. And that is the point. The novel and the film succeed in creating a totally female universe. All action is initiated and endured by women. The Give Us This Day™ maids, who do the housework, cook - Editorial Advisors Give Us This Day ing and cleaning, also care for the t'S+BNFT.BSUJO 4+ makes an ideal gift children. Skeeter acknowledges that a t'S3POBME3PMIFJTFS 0.* black maid, Constantine (Cicely for friends and family! t#JTIPQ3PCFSU.PSOFBV Tyson), raised her. One little girl even tKathleen Norris tells Aibileen, “You are my real moth - t4S*SFOF/PXFMM 04# er.” The white mothers’ lack of t'S5JNPUIZ3BEDMJGGF 01 parental involvement almost defies belief. They live in a cosseted world of bridge parties, charity benefits and gossip, depending on Hilly for guid - ance, especially on race relations. Viewers see that women can be as SubscribeSubscribe or givegive a gift subscription! prejudiced and unjust as their male counterparts. The portrayals of these wwww.giveusthisday.orgww.giveusthisday.giveusthisday.org society women show the delicate, or call 1-800-858-5450 LLITURGICALLITURGICITURGICAL PRESS helpless, “ultrafeminine” white

September 12, 2011 America 27 women described by Eldridge Cleaver in his 1968 work, Soul on Ice. The film shows these women alongside smart, independent and courageous young women like Skeeter (who comes to the rescue) and hard-work - ing, gifted and dignified women like the maids. Perhaps the most touching injus - tice occurs when Skeeter’s mother is pressured by her luncheon guest, the national chairwoman of the Daughters of America, to fire Constantine. Such tyranny among women can be seen in hindsight in the larger context of their imprison - ment in the “feminine mystique,” which would not be given that name until a few years later, by Betty Friedan. Several episodes point out the per - vasive violence that hovered over the lives of black people at the time. Minny recounts how her cousin’s car was set on fire because she dared to walk up to a voting registration booth. Another maid, desperate to find $75 to send her sons to college, steals a ring, only to be arrested and publicly beaten with a policeman’s nightstick. As a contemporary backdrop, the bru - tal murder of Medgar Evers empha - sizes the possible consequences to Skeeter and the others if their illegal conversations are discovered. Yet the story could have been stronger had several significant details been explained. Where, for example, did our heroine acquire her liberal views? A university education might have raised her consciousness, but “Ole Miss” was hardly a hotbed of civil rights or feminism in the early 1960s. Why is only one of the many black people in the film—Minny’s husband, Leroy—presented as less than noble? Much attention is paid to bathroom matters. The changing of children’s diapers becomes symbolic of the maids’ work. Use of racially separated bathrooms is the most consistently

28 America September 12, 2011 vivid issue of racial injustice in the film. Skeeter rebels against Hilly Holbrook’s Home Health Sanitation Initiative by inviting people to plant toilets on Hilly’s front lawn. The bath - room motif becomes a central plot ele - ment in an episode involving human excrement. But while the crude action is arguably funny, the multiple refer - ences to the event become tiresome and unworthy of the film. Many episodes tug at the heart - strings. The last half hour, though, shifts into emotional overdrive. The firing of Constantine and the linger - ing portrayal of her heartbroken reac - tion will remind viewers of Tyson’s iconic television role as Miss Jane Pittman. In this film, though, Tyson’s tearful scene is followed by a tri - umph: the publishing of The Help and the conscience-stricken reactions of many of the book’s readers. In a tender reconciliation scene, Skeeter’s mother tells her daughter, “I have never been more proud of you.” In another reversal Celia and her hus - band, Johnny, invite Minny into their dining room to feast on all the food Minny has taught Celia to cook. And at the black church, the preacher pre - sents Minny and Aibileen with a copy of the book, which the congregation has signed. When Minny and Aibileen visit Skeeter to show her the signed book, they, as wisdom figures, urge her to take a publishing job she has been offered in New York. “Go find your - self” is their solemn mandate. The specter of “spoiler alert” prevents me from recounting the film’s final sequence. It involves abundant tears shed by Aibileen, her white employer and the white family’s little girl. Still, one wonders how much will change for these characters. Viola Davis’s portrayal of Aibileen—her overflowing affection for the children in her care, her burden of bitterness and pain, her consistently noble reactions to threats and insults

September 12, 2011 America 29 and her courageous decision to tell her The film’s cast includes some of surprise, and wonder of children in story—is as affecting as that of her Hollywood’s brightest newcomers and order to come at the Truth afresh?” Oscar-nominated most distinguished O’Malley helps us tackle this challenge five-minute appear - ON THE WEB veterans. but not before asking, “Is it just possi - ance in the film John P. McCarthy reviews The film has a ble you’ve been treating your ‘soul’ no “Seven Days in Utopia.” “Doubt” three years americamagazine.org/culture great cast and differently from the way an atheist ago and of her Tony- inspiring story, but would?” winning perfor - how many tugs can In good Ignatian fashion the author mance in August Wilson’s “Fences” on one’s heartstrings take? Time, and the encourages his readers to read Broadway last season. Davis is one of box-office receipts, will tell. Scripture with all of their senses, but our generation’s most admirable cautions not to settle for a false image MIChAEL V. TUETh, S.J., is associate profes - actresses, whose every gesture and sor of communication and media studies at of God. God is neither a micromanag - remark registers sincerity and integrity. Fordham University in New York. er nor the “dewy-eyed Jesus of our cowboy hymns who just wants us to ‘be not afraid’ and leave the driving to SUSAN LANG ABBOTT him.” Jesus cherishes us, but don’t ignore the Jesus who also challenges hELPLESSLy ExUBERANT us. Here is the promise: “Something exhilarating could happen to your liv - ing if you ever owned the truth that THE WOW FACTOR the Unspeakable Holy One, the Bringing the Catholic Faith Architect of infinite quasars and To Life infinitesimal quanta—the Ultimate By William J. O’Malley, S.J. Wow—knows you by name, calls you Orbis Books. 180p $16 his, finds you precious.” How do we come to own that The Jesuit priest and educator truth? Much of the book examines William O’Malley has long poked, how we understand and teach the prodded, cajoled and inspired his read - sacraments of reconciliation and con - ers. The Wow Factor is vintage firmation. This dimension of the book O’Malley but also new and timely. It makes it essential reading for all offers challenges and caveats as well as engaged in sacrament programs. inspiration and hope. His initial chal - Like many involved in adolescent lenge: “We’re educated. And Catholic. catechesis, O’Malley takes issue with But probably very few are educated celebrating confirmation before or at Catholics.” Ouch. O’Malley declares, puberty. We’re just not ready to com - “This book is about all the things that prehend the enormity of the sacra - should have happened at confirmation ment. Citing Prof. Monica Hellwig, and almost certainly didn’t .” It is a O’Malley tells us that baptism is an book for “people who have spent a lot Easter event—an experience of resur - of time looking for causes .” Causes as in the table: “I’m trying to sell a very rection. But confirmation is a Why?, not causes as a reason for unpopular attitude: surrender.” We’re Pentecost event—missioning. It can - protest. Always in touch with popular off and running. not be perceived as just a commission - culture, O’Malley mentions reality Lack of wonder is rampant today, in ing; it must be a felt commitment. TV, noting that we live in a world our spiritual lives and in the world. Most of us at the time of our confir - “where instant gratification takes too Not even moon landings excite us. mation, and adolescents today, are long.” Consider, then, the paradox of Having been warned that “pondering incapable of grasping what it means to the Christian who follows a book God is an adult activity,” we are chal - be adult Christians. We have not called The Good News , which promis - lenged again: “Can we be grown-up internalized the gifts of the Holy es resurrection but only after Calvary. enough to surrender at least in part Spirit even though we recite them How do these worldviews co-exist? By our hard-won knowledge and sophis - facilely. This critical observation is fol - page six the author puts his cards on tication to re-grasp the imagination, lowed by a warning that sacraments

30 America September 12, 2011 “almost always come with an unset - tling challenge attached.” With empowerment comes God’s insistence What’s New that we put the gift of the sacrament to good use—there is no backing out. No about the Mass excuses. Moses, O’Malley asserts, was Maureen A. Kelly more like Elmer Fudd than Charlton Heston. “God is notoriously on the This resource explains the prowl for dullards to inspire.” changes in the Mass texts As for the sacrament of penance, at a very simple level so that the author’s examination is both Order code: children who have already encouraging and nettlesome. O’Malley WNM $1.50 learned the parts of the reminds us that “sin isn’t a debt to a Mass will understand the Banker, but an insult to a Friend and changes in the texts at Benefactor.” Jesus did not come to Mass. • Saddle stitched, make us feel guilty but to offer us free - 3 3 5 ⁄8 x 8 ⁄8, 48 pages dom. Caveat: don’t be lulled into a fuzzy security. Indeed, Jesus does talk www.LTP.org about punishment. The God who A12AMR1O 800-933-1800 offers us unconditional love is not a “Cosmic Patsy.” Bland indifference, smug complacency, arrogance, self- absorption and ingratitude are the sins that will be our undoing. Any book on the spiritual life worth its salt helps readers take the next steps. As this one draws to a close, “…we leave the theoretical for the down-to-earth…practical ways to bring ungraspable truth into our everyday hands.…” O’Malley suggests nine exercises toward that end. They are wonderful, helpful and rich. In jus - tice, they cannot be summarized; they must be read and pondered. O’Malley is “helplessly exuberant” about being Christian, admitting, “It is difficult to ponder a crucifix and still content oneself with being ‘reserved’.” Throughout the book readers get a glimpse into the author’s unreserved faith. Jesus and the real presence in the Eucharist have been the “bulwarks” of NEED TOMORROw’S his nearly 80 years, what he calls “my validation, and my incentive to keep wORD TODAy? going.” Visit americamagazine.org This is a lovely book, even in, or perhaps because of, its challenges and and click on “The Word” in taunts. the right-hand column SUSAN LANg ABBOTT is the director of the under the “Print” heading. Office of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Boston.

September 12, 2011 America 31 CLASSIFIED Parish Missions INSPIRINg, DyNAMIC PREAChINg : parish missions, retreats, days of recollection; www .sabbathretreats.org. Positions ThE ART OF gIVINg A DIRECTED RETREAT. This internship is designed to complement and deepen the skills of spiritual directors, pastoral ministers, chaplains and formation directors. The practicum is intended for persons who have made an individually directed retreat and complet - ed a training program in spiritual direction. Feb. 12-18, March 2-4, 2012. Ph: (845) 876-4178 ext. 305; [email protected]

ThE DIOCESE OF ST. AUgUSTINE is currently recruiting for a DIRECTOR OF DEVELOP - MENT/STEWARDSHIP. This new position will be responsible for implementing the Bishop’s vision of stewardship throughout the diocese. It will also provide leadership to enhance the long- term financial stability of the diocese through major campaigns, appeals, grants and planned giv - ing. Qualified candidates will possess a college degree, three to five years of demonstrated success in major fundraising efforts, proficiency with a development database and a personal commit - ment to the concept of stewardship within the Catholic faith. The position will be based at the Catholic Center in Jacksonville, Fla., and will include a comprehensive package of employee benefits. Interested candidates should mail a cover letter, “Employment Application” and résumé to: Office of Human Resources, 11625 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32258. The “Employment Application” can be found on our diocesan Web site (www.dosafl.com) under “Employment.” Retreats BEThANy RETREAT hOUSE, East Chicago, Ind., offers private and individually directed silent retreats, including dreamwork and Ignatian 30 days, year-round in a prayerful home setting. Contact Joyce Diltz, P.H.J.C.; Ph: (219) 398- 5047; [email protected]; bethanyretreat house.org. Translator SPANISh TRANSLATOR. Luis Baudry-Simon, specialized in religion/human sciences, will trans - late into Spanish any book, article, essay, blog or Web site. Also available for Spanish copywrit - ing/editing and S.E.O. Contact: luisbaudrysi - [email protected], (815) 461-0321. Wedding Planner SMART, EASy wAy for clergy and engaged cou - ples to plan wedding liturgies collaboratively online. Engaged couples choose U.S.C.C.B. and ICEL nuptial liturgy texts. Clergy configure couple

32 America September 12, 2011 the Catholic Funding Guide

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Over $8 billion in annual grants by private foundations 1,189 funding sources – private, corporate, and religious 410 new entries International Catholic grantmakers

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34 America September 12, 2011 John Tracy Ellis, 1986 D

Rosemary Haughton, 1987 R Timothy O’Meara, 1988 A W

Walter J. Ong, S.J., 1989 A

Sidney Callahan, 1990 T ON S

T I F DAY John T. Noonan Jr., 1991 O N SITY Louis Dupré, 1992 IVER A N I HE U E Monika K. Hellwig, 1993 T ES TH R OUNC HE Philip Gleason, 1994 A N T M AN N OF J. Bryan Hehir, 1995 O E TATI Charles Taylor, 1996 SEN H RE Gustavo Gutiérrez, 1997 T P IST RIAN Rev. David Tracy, 1998 F A O 1 M Jill Ker Conway, 1999 201 S

Marcia L. Colish, 2000 T

O N D T Mary Ann Glendon, 2001 AR E AW Mary Douglas, 2002 I P

Peter Steinfels, 2003 I C

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels, 2003 E R

Avery Dulles, S.J., 2004 David O’Brien, 2005 S U

Cyprian Davis, O.S.B., 2006 O I

David Hollenbach, S.J., 2008 V

Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J., 2009 E R

Ron Hansen, 2010 P LAMIN SANNEH, PH. D. An author and scholar of religion who has made an outstanding contribution to the intellectual life.

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September 12, 2011 America 35 LETTERS nity conscience? The community at Considering the Whole large instinctively understands that Picture The Deficit’s Real Cause saving the life of the mother in the case My thanks to Nicholas Cafardi for Wow! I am glad someone said it, and I of a non-viable fetus is the only moral “Keep Holy Election Day” (7/18). For am not surprised that it was your edi - option. I believe that this intuitive several years I lived in Philadelphia torial, “The New Americanism” (8/1). sense of right and wrong rests on where Catholics were mentally hound - I have noticed the disturbing presence “objective...theological reasoning.” The ed by priests and bishops on the abor - of Catholics lining up on the side of church’s prohibition of abortion stems tion issue at voting time. I oppose privilege entrenchment—that is what from an underlying imperative to pro - abortion. I feel, however, that the voter this whole manufactured “crisis” is all tect human life. In a medical emergen - needs to look at the whole picture about. The deficit was caused in large cy when the life of an 11-week-old when deciding on a candidate. While measure not by spending on welfare fetus cannot be saved, the written pro - abortion is not the only issue, it is also programs and Pell Grants but by two hibition against abortion cannot apply. not the only moral issue. The voter has wars, an unfunded drug mandate and Saving the child’s life is medically to pick the candidate best suited for irresponsible tax cuts. And it is an impossible. Then saving the mother’s the office for which he or she is run - extension of those privilege-entrench - life emerges as the only relevant moral ning. If my candidate is pro-life, I ing tax cuts that are the true objective imperative. rejoice. If not, I hope for the best. I of Congressman Paul Ryan. Thanks to Were the administrators of Catholic should not have to vote against my America for bringing Catholic social hospitals to allow the deaths of both conscience in order to avoid a pro- justice to shine its light on the debate. the mother and the fetus the human, choice candidate. JOHN D. FITZMORRIS moral and legal consequences would be ROSE CUVA, S.N.D. New Orleans, La. Baltimore, Md. enormous. The U.S. bishops and the Committee on Doctrine would do well Bishops, Rethink the Policy Be My Friend, Please to re-examine the absolute prohibition In “Rights of Conscience” (8/1) Kevin I have just finished “Forgive Us Our in similar cases. O’Rourke, O.P., speaks of individual JACK KEHOE Debts” (6/20), by William O’Malley, conscience, but is there not a commu - Sugar Land, Tex. S.J., who taught me at McQuaid High

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36 America September 12, 2011 School in Rochester, N.Y. Father An “apostle” is one who is sent and Shortly after my ordination, the O’Malley not only taught us well, he actually “becomes” the sender. In this American Psychiatric Association said lives life with gusto. He told our 1978 case, when I was ordained in May that “those who were abused could senior class, “As soon as you leave this 1971, I was “sent” by Cardinal become abusers.” What I heard, how - room seek out your classmates who are Humberto Medeiros to preach the ever, was that I would become an abus - not popular, athletic or scholarly and good word. But I had been raped in er. I then started building walls around make them your friends! Do what August 1970 while stationed as a dea - me so I would not be hurt again—or Jesus would do. Bring friendship to con at Sacred Heart Parish, hurt others. them now. Otherwise in 20 years you Roslindale, Mass. I ministered until 2001, when I will regret it.” The nine months between rape and had a flashback. I continued in min - I immediately sought out one who ordination saw a lot of soul-searching. istry until 2006, but by that time I had borne the brunt of four years of All the doubts and fears of the previ - was so overwhelmed with the betray - mocking and chastisement, rolled up ous seven years of seminary training al of the hierarchy that I could no my sleeves and let him know he was a were revisited. Should I be a priest? Of longer in conscience be an “apostle.” “good guy.” We remain friends to this course, since I had no idea that the In short, the only way I can find heal - day, though I do not believe he is any bishops had been covering up all these ing is for all the hierarchy who had more popular now than he was then. I abuse cases, that did not enter into my any input into the coverup to step do not regret befriending him, even decision. In my naïveté, I reasoned that down and let the church pick up the though as a result I too then had to the little good that I could do as a pieces and begin again. submit to weeks of mockery from the priest would offset the evil that I had JAMES F. MORAN “popular” guys. encountered. Alexandria, Va. BRETT HUTHER Webster, N.Y. To send a letter to the editor we recommend using the link that appears below articles on America ’s Web site, www.americamagazine.org. This allows us to consider your letter for publi - cation in both print and online versions of the magazine. Letters may also be sent to America ’s When Abby Met Greeley editorial office (address on page 2) or by e-mail to: [email protected]. They should Thank you for Michael Leach’s be brief and include the writer’s name, postal address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. “People of the Book” (8/1) with its recollection of the Thomas More Book Store, where I worked for a year while matriculating at Loyola Universty Chicago. Shall I ever forget the bags and bags of mail orders we had to process, by hand, for weeks after “Dear Abby” recommended one of Andrew Greeley’s titles? Quelle Joie ! CRAIG B. M CKEE Daytona Beach, Fla.

Why I Cannot Serve Re your editorial “Ahead of the Story” (8/15): As a priest and a victim of sex - ual abuse by a clergyman, I consider myself a victim, not a “survivor.” I can become a survivor only when the hier - archy of the church faces up to its wrongdoings.

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September 12, 2011 America 37 38 America September 12, 2011 ThE wORD Justice in the Reign of God TwENTy-FIFTh SUNDAy IN ORDINARy TIME (A), SEPT. 18, 2011 Readings: Is 55:6-9; Ps 145:2 –18; Phil 1:20 –27; Mt 20:1 –16 “Friend, I am doing you no injustice” (Mt 20:13)

he parable in today’s Gospel A woman at a Bible study work - cannot be earned and does not depend seems so unfair. Don’t people shop many years later helped me on how much you work. Twho work longer and harder understand this parable from This explanation seems to be deserve more pay? How can it be just a whole other angle. She much closer to what Jesus’ origi - that the vineyard owner pays all the was a single mother nal audience of people strug - laborers the same when they have not raising three children gling to survive would have worked the same amount of time? alone after her hus - understood. The assertion of These troublesome questions arise band deserted them. the vineyard owner that he is when we stand in the place of those She had little educa - doing no injustice to the ear - who were hired first and who worked tion and few mar - lier hired workers challenges the whole long day in the sun. ketable skills. Day those in privileged positions It was at my grandfather’s funeral after day she stood in to examine their sense of enti - that I first heard an interpretation of line at the unemploy - tlement. Does it take anything this parable that made sense to me. The ment office, hoping away from the first hired if the priest spoke about how my grandfather, against hope for a job. who converted to Catholicism on his As she read the parable, she PRAyINg wITh SCRIPTURE deathbed, was like those who were remarked that the ones standing idle • What does this parable say to us about hired last in the parable. He talked all day long in the marketplace were treatment of immigrants and migrant about how some people, when they are not lazy. They would gladly work if laborers? going on a train trip, buy their tickets anyone would hire them. But they • Pray to be able to look with the eyes of far in advance, ensuring their reserved were always left behind because they God, desiring good for all persons. seat. Others rush into the station at the were old, infirm and unskilled,

• Reflect on how there are no degrees of E very last moment, buy their ticket and unable to work as hard as the more N N

salvation; in the eternal vineyard, all u D reach the same destination at the same robust. They were like her and the receive the full reward. D a T

time as those who planned ahead. The people who thronged to the unem - T r assurance that my grandpa had arrived ployment lines these days, she said. a at the same heavenly destination that all As she reflected on the ending of the last hired receive the same wage? of us were striving for was very com - parable, she observed that if the The vineyard owner’s question in forting to me as a youngster. landowner had given the laborers that verse 15 points out the destructiveness I thought the key for those first were hired last anything other than one of evil-eye envy in a community. The hired was to love the ones who got in day’s wage, what good would that do? owner asks, literally, “Is your eye evil just under the wire. But how to foster How would they feed their children? [poneros ] because I am good [ agathos ]?” that love for everyone was a question Sure, she admitted, the first hired had The question is about God’s goodness, that still stumped me. worked all day in the hot sun, but they which is extended equally to all, and also had the satisfaction of knowing all how difficult it is for us not to look envi - day long that at the end of the day they ously on goodness poured out on oth - BARBARA E. REID, O.P. , a member of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, Mich., is would be able to feed their family. ers, even as it has been lavished upon a professor of New Testament studies at Justice, in God’s reign, she proposed, ourselves. Is it not, however, a great relief Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Ill., is about everybody being able to eat at that God’s justice does not mean that where she is vice president and academic dean. Her latest book is Abiding Word: Sunday the end of the day, no matter what each people get what they deserve? Reflections for Year B (Liturgical Press). one’s capacity to work. God’s justice BARBARA E. REID

September 12, 2011 America 39 Enhance YYourour Ministry Deepen YYourour Faith

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