Benedict XVI: the New Encyclical Gerald O’Collins
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Jan. 21–28,America 2008 THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY $2.75 Benedict XVI: The New Encyclical Gerald O’Collins John J. Hardt on a father’s choice Andreas R. Batlogg on Alfred Delp HE CAREERS OF SCHOLARS usual- tory that pioneered in the study of ly last longer than those of typhoons. America stock car racers. Two 90- Miguel Bernad knew personally most Published by Jesuits of the United States year-old Jesuits living halfway of those about whom he writes; and, as Taround the world from each other he says, there are many others whose sto- Editor in Chief demonstrated this last year by publish- ries he might have included. ing new books. Among those remembered is an Drew Christiansen, S.J. To be exact, the books were copy- American, Carl W. J. Hausmann (1898- Acting Publisher righted in 2006 but actually appeared 1945), who died in January 1945 of star- James Martin, S.J. some months later. Since America is vation on a Japanese prison ship, where sponsored by Jesuits, it may be allowed to he had heroically ministered to his fellow Managing Editor call attention to two items not likely to be prisoners. The last and next to youngest Robert C. Collins, S.J. displayed on the book racks in airports. of those memorialized is Teodoro Arvisu The publishers in these cases do not (1920-57), who served in the Philippine Business Manager have household names. One is the Jesuit Army after Pearl Harbor and died far too Lisa Pope Communications Foundation in Quezon young, humanly speaking, of a brain City, the Philippines, which has brought tumor five years after his ordination. Editorial Director out Unusual and Ordinary: Biographical Father Bernad’s book nourishes opti- Karen Sue Smith Sketches of Some Philippine Jesuits (249p) mism about the human condition, by Miguel A. Bernad, S.J.; and Orlando because it evokes the images of good men Online Editor Truth Inc. of Tangerine, Fla., has pub- who got things done. Father Gerhard’s Maurice Timothy Reidy lished The Miraculous Parallelisms of John book is also encouraging, because the (168p), a close and sophisticated analysis word for him is steady. Except for a peri- Associate Editors by John J. Gerhard, S.J., of underlying od from 1953 to 1957 when he was a Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J. literary patterns in the Fourth Gospel. U.S. Air Force chaplain, he has been a George M. Anderson, S.J. Father teacher most of Bernad has the time since Dennis M. Linehan, S.J. drawn profiles his ordination James P. McDermott, S.J. of 20 deceased Of Many Things in 1949. For Matt Malone, S.J. Jesuits who some 30 of James T. Keane, S.J. worked in the Philippines at one time or those years, he was a professor of theolo- another between 1866 and 2006. Their gy at St. John’s University in New York Literary Editor number includes Spaniards, Americans City, with furloughs for sabbaticals in Patricia A. Kossmann and Filipinos. When this period began, biblical studies. jurisdiction over the Philippine Mission Some exegetes have said that first-cen- Poetry Editor of the Society of Jesus was exercised by tury editors of the Fourth Gospel dislo- the Jesuit Province of Aragon, Spain. In cated its original order. Father Gerhard James S. Torrens, S.J. 1927 that care was transferred to what argues, on the contrary, that a careful Assistant Editor was then known as the Maryland-New study of this Gospel reveals literary pat- York Province. The Philippine Province terns—concepts and passages that are Francis W. Turnbull, S.J. was established in 1958; today it has some matched and harmonized with one Design and Production 330 members, of whom 29 are Americans another—that were imposed upon the who entered the Society of Jesus in the text by an inspired writer who was its Stephanie Ratcliffe United States. principal author. Advertising Father Bernad himself joined the At Father Gerhard’s request, a firm of Society in the Philippines in 1932, when actuaries calculated the mathematical Julia Sosa he was 15 years old. He was ordained in probability of these parallelisms having 1946 at Woodstock College, the former occurred by chance and concluded that 106 West 56th Street Jesuit house of studies in Maryland, and the odds against this are 9,999 to 1. New York, NY 10019-3803 in 1951 he received a Ph.D. in education Of course, Father Gerhard’s book is Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596. from Yale University. For more than a not for people who want something to E-mail: [email protected]; half-century since then, he taught lan- coast through while watching television. [email protected]. guage and literature in three Jesuit It is a technical work aimed at biblical Web site: www.americamagazine.org. Philippine universities and has been an scholars, some of whom are skeptical of Customer Service: 1-800-627-9533. editor of scholarly journals. the study’s methodology. John Gerhard © 2008 America Press, Inc. The essays collected here are arranged is serenely collecting these disagree- in chronological order beginning with an ments. Not long ago, he remarked that account of a Spaniard, Federico Faura he will consider those objections in a Cover photo Pope Benedict XVI waves as (1840-97), a largely self-taught scientist revision of his book—a project he is he arrives to lead his general audience in who developed a small meteorological working on right now. the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Jan. 2. station in Manila into a versatile observa- John W. Donohue, S.J. (CNS photo/Max Rossi, Reuters) www.americamagazine.org Vol. 198 No. 2, Whole No. 4801 January 21–28, 2008 Articles 11 Church Teaching and 11 My Father’s Choice John J. Hardt ‘Medically ordinary’ does not always mean morally ordinary. A Martyr to the Nazis 19 Andreas R. Batlogg Hitler wanted Alfred Delp forgotten, but his way of resistance still inspires. Saved by Hope 27 Gerald O’Collins Pope Benedict’s new encyclical is full of insights. Current Comment 4 Editorial A Time for Unconventional Wisdom 5 Signs of the Times 6 Life in the 00s 9 Dynasties Terry Golway Poem 30 St. Vincent Angela O’Donnell Faith in Focus 31 Boston’s Labor Priest 19 Joseph J. Fahey and Thomas A. Kochan Book Reviews 35 35 The Battle for Rights in the United States Catholic Church; Quest for the Living God; Circling My Mother Letters 44 The Word 46 The Light of Hope; A Christian Essential Daniel J. Harrington On our podcast, John Paris, S.J., discusses end of life care and other bioethical dilemmas. Plus, the editors on “Hitler and the Jesuits,” and “In All Things,” our new group blog. All at americamagazine.org. Current Comment that is unable, and possibly unwilling, to extend the reach Harambee of the law to its own tribal territories. It is a U.S. ally in One of the political cornerstones of modern-day Kenya is the war on terror, but elements in the military and intelli- harambee. This Kiswahili term can be loosely translated gence establishments have ongoing ties with the Taliban “communal self-reliance” or “pulling together.” Harambee and Al Qaeda. Furthermore, while President Pervez has been an essential element in the relative success of this Musharraf’s rationale for emergency measures has been East African country, which hosts over 40 distinct ethnic defense against terrorists, he has repeatedly deployed the groups, many of which live in close proximity to one military and police against his political opponents rather another. than against Islamic militants. Pakistan offers no ready The violence that has followed December’s presiden- options. The best that can be hoped for is an orderly tran- tial elections in Kenya, in which President Mwai Kibaki, a sition to democratic rule along with restraint by the mili- member of the Kikuyu ethnic group, ws challenged by tary. While ways should be found to thwart further collu- Raila Odinga, a Luo, shocked those who imagined the sion between elements of Pakistan’s military and Islamic country was free of the ethnic tensions that plague its militants, the long-term focus of U.S. policy should be on neighbors. On Jan. 1, in the town of Kiambaa, 50 Kikuyus enhancing the institutions of civil society, so that were killed after taking refuge in a mud-and-wattle Pakistanis’ desire for democracy can take deeper root. church, which was torched by a mob angered over the election results. Charges of corruption raised by local offi- cials and international observers, like the European Games and Rights in Beijing Union, enraged some supporters of Mr. Odinga, who The 29th Olympiad, to be celebrated next August in vented their anger on neighbors. And Kikuyus fought Beijing, could offer China a chance to improve its poor back. Among the hardest hit areas were the gargantuan human rights record. The executive board of the slums of Nairobi, Mathare Valley and Kibera, where mil- International Olympic Committee met in December in lions of people eke out a living while dwelling in crowded Switzerland, and human rights organizations are urging it hovels. Hundreds have been killed, and Kenya, long a host to use the 2008 Olympic Games as an occasion to press for country for refugees from surrounding countries, became needed reforms. These include ending detention without itself a source of refugees. trial, limiting use of the death penalty (China leads the Kenya may be less likely to follow the path into pro- world) and protecting rights advocates from punishment longed violence than its neighbors, since many members for opposing government policies.