Volume 6 Issue 1 Official Publication of the St. Thomas More Society February 2001 FEBRUARY 21st The Catholic Church MEETING: & BISHOP JAIME SOTO Indulgences Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Fr. Hugh Barbour, O. Praem, Ph.D. Model for the Church Today Our Chaplain Bishop Soto grew up in Orange County at- Question: How can any- tending St. Polycarp School and Mater Dei High one hold that the compli- School. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Phi- cated system of the losophy and a Master’s Degree in Divinity Stud- Catholic Church in giv- ies from St. John’s Seminary. Ordained in 1982, he served as an associate pastor at St. Joseph’s ing out indulgences can parish in Santa Ana. He attended Columbia Un i- be justified from the versity where he earned a Master’s Degree in Word of God? Social Work. On his return, he assumed a pos i- tion as Associate Director of Catholic Charities Answer: Pope Paul VI in the Apostolic of Orange. He was appointed by the Most Rever- Constitution Indulgentiarum Doctrina end Norman F. McFarland, Bishop of Orange, as of 1967 provided the Church with a very the Episcopal Vicar for the Hispanic Community clear and beautiful exposition of the “For every good on March 3, 1989. He was named a prelate of man is bounden honor by his Holiness, Pope John Paul II, in teaching behind indulgences. This teach- between truth and 1990 and given the title of Monsignor. While ing is extensively offered again in the falsehood, the continuing to work as the Episcopal Vicar for the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the Catholic Church Hispanic Community Msgr. Soto was appointed numbers considering the Sacrament of and heretics, by the Most Reverend Tod D. Brown, Bishop of Penance. The pope wisely points out, "If between God and Orange, as Vicar for Charities on March 1, 1999. we wish to understand exactly the doc- the devil, to be Reservations are not required. For more infor- trine of indulgences and its benefits in partial, and plainly mation, contact Dave Belz at (949) 347-0447 practice, we must remember truths which to declare himself [email protected], or Anne Lanphar at (714) to be full and whole 800-3225 [email protected]. V Indulgences (Continued on page 2) upon the one side and clear against FEBRUARY MEETING: the other.” Inside This Issue: TOPIC: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Thomas More Chaplain’s Message Page 1 a Model for the Church Today From Thomas The Closing of the Jubilee: Page 3 A Pilgrim’s Perspective More: Portrait of SPEAKER: BISHOP JAIME SOTO Courage WHEN: Lunch ($10) Mtg An Invitation to Daniel’s Inn Page 5 st Noon Wed. Feb. 21 But It’s A Mess! Page 7 Editor’s Note: “Ad Veritatem” PLACE: First American Title is Latin for The Writings of More Page 8 “toward the truth”. 3 First American Way, Santa Ana From the Library Page 10 Page 2 Ad Veritatem Thomas More Society (Continued from page 1) Indulgences of men? Didn't he refer to the devotional Executive Committee: the whole Church, enlightened by God's practice of the early Christians of being Word, has always believed.” The neces- baptized on behalf of the dead? Penance, David Belz Kuhn & Belz sity of expiation for personal sins, the re- prayer for others, even for the dead, ality of the communion of saints, the works of mercy; all of these might seem Steve Cotugno Wonderware Corporation power of binding and loosing given to complicated, but they are very practical the apostles and their successors, purga- responses to the needs and realities of the Hon. Mary Erickson Orange County tory, heaven and the development of doc- spiritual life. The Word of God involves Superior Court trine under the guidance of the Holy the Christian in some very complicated John Flynn Spirit Who leads the Church "into all activities, indeed. This is because the Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliott truth”: all of these go into the under- Word is practical, meant to be carried out standing of the practice of granting in- in the extremely varied aspects of human Ron Gable Economic & Financial dulgences to the faithful. A full answer life. Indulgences are just a practical out- Analytics, Inc. would have to explain each of these doc- growth of the life of the Christian Deborah Knefel trines, and how they interrelate. Church, who, in Her wisdom, encourages Anaheim Deputy Your question calls indulgences a prayer, penance and works of mercy for City Attorney "complicated system.” Rather, indul- the spiritual growth of the Body of Anne Lanphar gences are a practical result of a deep un- Christ, which has been wounded by our First American Title Insurance Company derstanding of the ways of God with own personal sins. men. Are works of mercy, visiting the Our Lord Jesus Christ, unlike Mo- Hon. David McEachen Orange County sick, clothing the naked, feeding the hun- hammed or modern Protestant apologists, Superior Court gry sometimes very complicated to ar- never promised that the Gospel would be Michael Shonafelt range? Is meditating on Scripture, sing- simple and uncomplicated, only that it Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliott ing God's praises with correct harmony would be powerful, and so practical. The and rhythm, giving or hearing a sermon Catholic Church is like a good mother to Wally Wade complicated? Are these natural and even Her children, both powerful and practical Orange County District Attorney’s Office necessary aspects of Christian life? Do in Her application of the Gospel. V Greg Weiler they have value in the sight of God? Palmieri Tyler Weiner Complicated things are usually the Wilhelm & Waldron practical ones. Didn't St. Paul say, "I Our Chaplain: chastise my body and bring it into sub- Fr. Hugh Barbour, jection, lest having preached to others, I O. Praem, Ph.D. St. Michael’s Abbey myself might become a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27)? Didn't he order that prayers Ad Veritatem Editors: be offered up for all sorts and conditions Anne Lanphar Ron Gable SIMPLE TRUTHS Fulton J. Sheen "Those ages which have an inordinate interest in the reformation of society are often those who are most heedless of the reformation of the individual. That group of educators who say that evil is nonexistent and that there are only complexes are like those who say that there are no diseases in the body, but only imagination." V Ad Veritatem Page 3 The Closing of the Jubilee: A Pilgrim’s Perspective By Michael Shonafelt, Esq. The inspiration was sudden, unmistakable, and The Church, and in particular, the Holy Father, irresistible, like a voice: “Go to Rome before the know the power of the pilgrimage to boost flagging Jubilee Year ends.” It came just before New Years spiritual lives burdened with the concerns of the Day, leaving my wife and me only a week to make world. For the Pope, the power of pilgrimage was travel arrangements. We called several airlines for an especially potent symbol during the Jubilee, travel packages. No one could put together a when the Church embarked on its own journey into package on such short notice. But the message was a new millennium: clear. It had to be in the Jubilee Year, or not at all. I have often stopped to look at the long queues Our last call was to a local travel agent. To her of pilgrims waiting patiently to go through the Holy amazement, she booked the flight and found the Door. In each of them I tried to imagine the story hotel with no trouble. “Someone wants you to go to of a life, made up of joys, worries, sufferings; the Rome,” she said. story of someone whom Christ had met and who, in We had perceived the need for a pilgrimage in dialogue with him, was setting out again on a the same way one perceives a need for fresh air. journey of hope … As I observed the continuous We had fallen into the old snare of letting the flow of pilgrims, I saw them as a kind of concrete “ordinariness” of our daily concerns numb us to image of the pilgrim Church, the Church placed, as Saint Augustine says, "amid the persecutions of the dumbfounding marvels of grace that we breath in and out every day. It was time for something world and the consolations of God.” We have only extraordinary to lift us out of our ordinary cares, if been able to observe the outer face of this unique just for a moment, and allow us to recall the eternal event. Who can measure the marvels of grace realities that give meaning to our existence. There wrought in human hearts? It is better to be silent is nothing like a sacred journey to cure spiritual and to adore, trusting humbly in the mysterious doldrums and turn the water of our daily lives to workings of God and singing his love without end: wine. "Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo!". “Man,” as Thomas Merton noted, “instinctively We arrived in Rome on the eve of the regards himself as a wanderer and a wayfarer, and Epiphany, just as the holy doors to three of the four it is second nature for him to go on pilgrimage in ancient patriarchal basilicas, kept open only for the search of a privileged and holy place, a center and Jubilee year, were closing. The Pope was to close source of indefectible life.” Unlike angels, human the holy doors at Saint Peters the next day. When beings are both matter and spirit, therefore, these gigantic bronze portals first opened Christmas physical acts, like touching holy water, clutching a of 1999, they symbolized the opening of the rosary, or embarking on a journey can be touched floodgates of grace.