Fr. Francis Martin
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Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly President’s Letter ............................................William L. Saunders FROM THE EDITor’s DESK ........................ Rev. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J. 40 ARTICLES Numbers 3/4 Letter to Pope Francis .................................Rev. Thomas G. Weinandy, O.F.M., Cap. Fall/Winter 2017 In Memoriam for Fr. Francis Martin ...................................................... Barry Levy The Confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and Other Pro-life Developments in the First Part of 2017 ......................................................William L. Saunders The Kingliness of Friendship .............................................................Clara Sarrocco Same-Sex Parenting and the Vindication of Church Teaching ...Msgr. Robert J. Batule Pierre Manent and Rémi Brague on the Future of Europe ..........Jude P. Dougherty Jesus Christ the Way and the Goal: Accompaniment and Discernment in Christ ................................................ Rev. Robert Imbelli Jesus Emerges from the Historical-Critical Fog ......................... Jerome D. Gilmartin Durkheim’s Populism ...................................................................Jude P. Dougherty BOOK REVIEWS Particles of Faith: A Catholic Guide to Navigating Science by Stacy Trasancos .........................................................Laurie Tollefsen The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam by Douglas Murray ..........................................................Jude P. Dougherty Teaching and Learning the Love of God: Being a Priest Today ISSN 1084-3035 by Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI .................... Rev. Joseph Koterski, S.J. Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World Fellowship of Catholic Scholars P.O. Box 495 by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput .............................Thomas W. Jodziewicz Notre Dame, IN 46556 The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation catholicscholars.org by Rod Dreher ....................................................Thomas W. Jodziewicz Fr. Joseph Koterski, SJ, editor [email protected] BOOKS RECEIVED Prof. Elizabeth C. Shaw, associate editor [email protected] OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS THE PRESIDENT’S LETTER FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Friends— by Rev. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J. practical charity. But, given the apparent intractabil- Fordham University ity of the issue in our society, it also seems necessary t is my pleasure to greet you upon the for those who enjoy the privileges of academic life to issuance of this new edition of the Quarterly. n seventh grade, I had the good fortune to have assume its obligations too. It means being prepared for As always, it brings to you some of the best had a teacher who suggested to our class that we discussions and debates with those who hold views thinking of our members—and our guests— keep a list of the books we had read. I’ve done antithetical to our own, and it includes writing seri- Fellowship of Ion important matters related to our Faith and it faithfully ever since—mostly because it is fun ous reviews of bad books. Personally, I would love Catholic Scholars friendship, under the quite capable leadership of Ito look back once in a while and see if I can even to see the pages of this Quarterly have many respect- Scholarship Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Fr. Koterski and Elizabeth Shaw. remember what the books that intrigued me along the ful but hard-hitting reviews of books that need to be in Service to the Church We have just concluded our 40th annual con- way were about. answered. It is an aspect of our métier more honored in vention in Arlington, Virginia, just across the river The value of keeping such a list, however, is more the breach than in the observance. from our nation’s capital. It was a well-attended than mere sentimentality. Each January, when I look over From the title and the cover, I thought that this PRESIDENT'S LETTER .......................................................... 2 and successful convention, with top-flight speakers. the list from the past year, I ask myself whether I have book by Colb and Dorf might be one given to plead- Indeed, several people have remarked to me that read enough in my field, and enough novels, and enough ing the case for the babies and the beasts. Thumbing FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK .............................................. 3 they thought it was our best yet! poetry, and enough books that I disagreed with. I doubt through the book, I found some hope of this rising ARTICLES Next year, in a change from our usual pro- that I am alone in reading lots of authors whose views I from the very presence of the term “pro-life.” Perhaps, cedure of having our conventions at hotels, our Letter to Pope Francis ............................................................6 share. But in this annual examination of conscience, there I thought, the authors were planning to include the convention will be held at Benedictine College in is good reason to say a mea culpa if I haven’t cracked the unborn in the coverage they envisioned to be a part of In Memoriam for Fr. Francis Martin .....................................9 Kansas. This is a wonderful Catholic college that I spine of at least a few of the other kind. “animal rights.” It did not turn out to be so. The thesis The Confirmation of Neil Gorsuch .................................11 am sure you will want to see, and it is where the It was one of the summers during graduate school of the book is that it is possible—in fact, to state the The Kingliness of Friendship...............................................16 Fellowship’s Vice President, Susan Traffas, teaches. when I really got this point. At a used book store I had thesis more accurately, all but required—to be “pro- Same-Sex Parenting and I also note that our awards will go to board mem- picked up an inexpensive but badly dog-eared copy choice on abortion and fully committed to animal the Vindication of Church Teaching ...............................20 ber Fr. Tom Weinandy (Founder’s Award), scholars of Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind. It was heavily rights.” Pierre Manent and Rémi Brague on Nick and Mary Eberstadt (Cardinal Wright Award), the Future of Europe ........................................................25 marked up with angry comments in thick black ink It is interesting—but ever so sad—to see the au- and Carl Anderson of the Knights of Columbus from someone who disagreed with Kirk from stem to thors explicitly acknowledge that legal abortion in- Jesus Christ the Way and the Goal ...................................29 (Cardinal O’Boyle Award). I am sure you will want stern. What roused my admiration was not the nature of volves the deliberate destruction of a human life and Jesus Emerges from the Historical-Critical Fog ............35 to be present to hear from the awardees, as well as the marginalia, but the brute fact that the annotator— then give their reasons for approving the practice. How- Durkheim’s Populism ............................................................48 the other speakers. The dates are September 28-30, whoever it was—had kept on marking up the book to ever much the moral foundations of our culture have 2018. Please make plans now to attend! BOOK REVIEWS the very last page. weakened as the culture has grown more regressive, it is Particles of Faith: A Catholic Guide There was no indication of any change of mind apparent from a volume like this that these authors feel Cordially, to Navigating Science ........................................................51 or any lessening of the choleric reactions. I could not that the times still require academic justifications to be William Saunders The Strange Death of Europe: help, however, admiring someone who disagreed so provided for repugnant positions. Immigration, Identity, Islam ..............................................52 profoundly and yet rendered the author the honor of The tactic here is one that we have seen now for Teaching and Learning the Love of God: reading and thinking with him to the end of the book. several generations. Prof. William Brennan of St. Louis Being a Priest Today ...........................................................54 There is an incredible civility in the practice that could University wisely identified it years ago as semantic Strangers in a Strange Land ................................................55 counter the dismissive witticisms, enraged soundbites, gymnastics. For Brennan, that strategy was threefold: The Benedict Option ...........................................................55 and unfair judgments of the present era. using misleading terminology to hide the reality, di- Lest I have nothing to report in this category next viding up the actual tasks involved in the destruction BOOKS RECEIVED ............................................................. 58 January, I recently decided to read a book that I would of innocent human life among diverse people so as just as soon have passed over when it crossed my desk to minimize the pangs of conscience, and getting re- OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS .......................................... 59 in the philosophy department. It is a book with a thor- spected authorities like politicians, physicians, clergy, oughly awful thesis called Beating Hearts: Abortion and and professors to lend their authority and prestige to Animal Rights by Sherry F. Colb and Michael C. Dorf the approval of practices that contradict the received Reminder: Membership