Eastern Catholic Life Official Publication of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic VOL. LIV, NO. 6 JUNE 2018 Fifty Years After Release, ‘Humanae Vitae’ ByPraised Kelly Sankowski Catholic as NewsProphetic Service, Washington—article Encyclical and photo used with permission urrounding the 1968 release of “Humanae Vitae” (“Of Human Life”) was the cultural context of theS sexual revolution and a widespread fear about overpopulation following World War II, said Donald Critchlow, a professor of history at Arizona State University. At the time, there were movements in support of eugenics, abortion rights, and sterilizations in an attempt to curb popula- tion growth, Critchlow told an audience at The Catholic University of America April 5. Those who thought voluntary family planning was not enough proposed other, more coercive ideas, such as requiring cou- ples to get a license to have a child or requir- ing sterilization for couples with more than five children, he added. Critchlow was one of several speakers at a 50th anniversary symposium on Blessed Paul VI’s encyclical “Humanae Vitae” April 4-6 hosted by Catholic University. Key- Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, with concelebrants notes and a number of workshop sessions The majority of the people on the com- “It was immediately met with wide- sonalization of sexual acts we see today in mission recommended that the use of the spread dissent and vocal opposition,” he America,” Critchlow added. birth control pill should be accepted and said. “I was surprised to see such vehement church teaching on the subject should be rejection.” Noting Pope Francis’s call to be in touch changed. with realities people are facing in their daily Cardinal Wuerl also recalled the quick lives, Mary Eberstadt, an author and speak- Blessed Paul rejected the commission’s action on the part of what was then the er on issues of American culture, spoke report and in “Humanae Vitae” affirmed National Conference of Catholic Bishops about how the sexual revolution and the the church’s teaching on the sanctity of in writing a pastoral letter to support and teachings of “Humanae Vitae” fit into that human life and its opposition to artificial explain the encyclical after it had been is- reality. contraception. In the document, the pope sued. The NCCB had as its president then- warned of the harm that widespread use of Pittsburgh Bishop John J. Wright, for whom “The promise for sex on demand without contraception would cause in society, such the future Cardinal Wuerl was serving as restraint may be the biggest temptation hu- as lowering of moral standards, marital infi- priest-secretary. manity has been faced with,” she said. delity, less respect for women, and the gov- In the face of that temptation, the teach- ernment’s ability to use different methods During that time, Cardinal Wuerl said he ings of “Humanae Vitae” are difficult, “but to regulate life and death. learned about the importance of the teach- ing role of the pope as the successor of Pe- to confuse hard (teachings) with wrong is Critchlow said many priests and lay- ter. an elementary error,” said Eberstadt. people, particularly in the United States, “If we are truly to lean into reality as Pope dissented from this teaching. Students and “We accept and follow the teaching of the Francis has asked us to do ... there is only faculty went on strike at The Catholic Uni- Roman pontiff because it is true,” said Car- An Eastern Catholic priest gives the homily one conclusion ... the most globally reviled versity of America after the board of trust- dinal Wuerl. “We know it is true because of and widely misunderstood document ... is ees denied the tenure of a professor, Father the authority with which he teaches it.” also the most explanatory and prophetic of Charles E. Curran, who publicly disagreed examined the teaching and legacy of the While historians note that “Humanae Vi- our era,” she added. with the encyclical’s teaching. Cardinal document on the regulation of birth issued tae” “constitutes a high-water mark in silent Patrick O’Boyle disciplined 39 priests in July 25, 1968. lack of reception on the part of the faithful,” While many proponents of contracep- the Archdiocese of Washington for their Cardinal Wuerl said, “we take confidence in tion support it as a way to reduce the num- dissent from the document. Thousands of The symposium was titled “Embracing the reminder that a lack of reception of the ber of abortions, Eberstadt said it is now scientists wrote a petition published in The God’s Vision for Marriage, Love and Life,” teaching does not negate its truth.” “clear beyond a reasonable doubt that con- and brought together experts on a variety New York Times that criticized the encycli- traception also led to an increase in abor- of topics related to the encyclical’s teach- cal. Indeed, throughout the anniversary tion,” as rates of out-of-wedlock births ex- ings on human sexuality and family life. symposium, people continually praised the ploded at the same time that people were In his homily for the symposium’s clos- prophetic message of the document, which increasingly using modern contraceptive ing Mass at the Basilica of the National In a session exploring the historical con- still “stands as a profound and affirmative” methods. Shrine of the Immaculate Conception April text of the times when the encyclical was defense of traditional values and family life, 6, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washing- released, Critchlow noted that prior to the said Critchlow. When the availability of abortion made drafting of “Humanae Vitae,” a commission ton recalled that he had been given his first the birth of a child “a physical choice of the was appointed to give suggestions for the assignment as a priest just a year before the “In the end, what ‘Humanae Vitae’ mother,” it also made fatherhood a social Catholic Church’s response to new forms encyclical’s release. proved was to be prophetic in its warnings choice for the father, who no longer felt of contraception. of the breakdown of family and the deper- equally responsible for the out-of-wedlock continued on page 7 Clergy Appointments—p3 Obituaries—p4-5 Parish News—p6 Trip to the Holy Land—p9 Page 2 Eastern Catholic Life JUNE 2018 I Lift Up My Eyes... Pastoral Reflections of Bishop Kurt Pilgrimage to Máriapócs come a monk of Máriapócs 70 years ago, one knew why lime juice prevented scurvy. other scientist who worked on vitamin C. and finally, God has made me a monk of As you may know, the sailors in the British Máriapócs. Before, I didn’t understand Actually, there is an Egyptian papyrus navy used to be called “limeys” because of why Father Abel came to America, but now from over 35 centuries ago that describes their citrus ration, a nickname sometimes I realize that he came to take me home.” the disease of scurvy, and recommends on- used for all Englishmen as well. If things Father Basil is also resident in the town, ions as a cure. In fact, raw onions do have had gone differently, they might have been but he had a bad fall recently and is in a some vitamin C in them. In 1535, French called “peppies” or “paprika boys.” nursing home and doesn’t recognize most explorers in the Saint Lawrence River people anymore. I had the wonderful ex- area had an outbreak of scurvy from poor Whenever you visit Máriapócs, there will n the past few years, the Pope has perience of celebrating the Divine Liturgy diet. The local Indians recommended a be plenty of miracle stories to inspire you. Igreatly expanded the structure of our in the monks’ chapel at the monastery of tea made from a certain tree bark—and it One evening we walked down a lane to visit church in Eastern Europe. Although we Máriapócs along with Father Joseph and cured them. The only animal (besides us) a field where Pope Saint John Paul II cele- are called the Byzantine Catholic Church Metropolitan Archbishop William Skurla. that must ingest vitamin C is the guinea pig. brated an outdoor mass in 1991. Reported- here in the United States, we are called Archbishop Skurla then spent some time All the other animals make their own. As a ly, the pope was disappointed in the crowds the Greek Catholic Church in Eastern Eu- photographing the beautiful paintings in result, researches began to use guinea pigs in Budapest, and believed that the faith had rope, and our closest relatives are the Greek the chapel with his new camera. to test diets, trying to discover what the es- been badly destroyed under communism in Catholics in the former Austro-Hungarian sential chemical was. Hungary, but as his helicopter approached Empire. It’s been one hundred years since In the summertime in Eastern Europe, Máriapócs and he saw the vast crowds wait- the western powers of England, France, and the food is always fresh. Whatever is in sea- Albert Szent-Györgyi was a third genera- ing for him in east Hungary (which is the the United States dismantled the Austrian son is what the people eat. The first time tion scientist and enrolled in the University Greek Catholic part of Hungary) he was Empire, and the forces of nationalism have I visited it was cherry season, and we ate of Budapest before World War I. He was overcome with emotion. Today there is a divided our church, but our clergy still try cherries three time a day. We had plates of fervently anti-war, and wounded himself monument in the field and a tower you can to maintain some unity in these strong cherries at every meal, and at least once a in order to get out of the army and return climb to get a better view of the country- currents, often swimming upstream to do day we had cherry soup—a famous Hun- to research.