The Dalai Lama at Blackfriars

Having already hosted Cardinal Walter Kasper this term, Blackfriars received another distinguished visitor in the person of the Dalai Lama who came to take part in a colloquium on 'Christian and Buddhist Contemplative Prayer'.

The proceedings were opened by Fr Paul Murray, an Irish Dominican who lectures at the Angelicum in Rome. He spoke about contemplative prayer in the Dominican tradition, drawing in particular on the writings of three of the Order's great spiritual teachers, John Tauler, Catherine of Siena and Meister Eckhart. The difficulties of the 14th century, in which these three lived, reflect our own difficulties in many ways, he said, and their experience of and teaching about contemplative prayer can lead us also to compassion and service.

Fr Eugene McCaffrey, an Irish Carmelite from Tabor Retreat House in Preston, spoke about contemplative prayer in the Carmelite tradition. He spoke particularly about St John of the Cross, and of the 'dark nights' that accompany the experience of prayer, times when the one who prays feels that they have lost everything, including, and especially, God. These experiences enabled John of the Cross to write the most beautiful of all spiritual poetry in which the soul's loss is made good beyond her expectations in her union with, and even transformation into, the beloved (amada en el amado trasformada): then everything becomes hers, even God.




The Dalai Lama spoke about his involvement in conversations with Christians, in the first place with Thomas Merton who spent three days with him at Dharamsala. He remembers the great boots Merton was wearing and also their discussion about the Buddhist belief in endless life compared with the Christian belief in one life alone. 'Only this life, created by God', His Holiness quoted Merton as saying, and repeated it ... 'only this life, created by God'. Which implies, he continued, an extraordinary intimacy between God and the one who is thus created. It seems as if Merton thus succeeded in communicating one of the central teachings of Christianity to the Dalai Lama and that he has pondered it ever since.

In speaking about Buddhist contemplation His Holiness said that he could agree with all that had been said by the Christian speakers if the term 'God' were substituted  with the phrase 'ultimate reality'. Buddhism also recognises three stages in seeking understanding and wisdom, the stage of knowledge when one learns about things from teachers, the stage of critical enquiry when one engages in study and reflection, and the stage of meditation or contemplation when one seeks to understand reality and illusion. In both Buddhism and Christianity there is the emphasis on compassion and on the fact that contemplative prayer must issue in service of others and a concern for peace.





There was then some discussion about various aspects of Buddhism and links with Christian traditions of prayer. The most fascinating question was whether the reality that is sought in prayer, whether it is called 'ultimate reality' or 'God', is a reality that seeks us.





It was a wonderful moment for Blackfriars. The Dalai Lama had joined the community for midday prayer before the colloquium: his prayerful reverence towards the altar, the tabernacle, and the brethren, was very deeply moving. He spoke as powerfully in the way he was present with us and to us as he did by his words.

The Visitation Luke 1: 39-56

Imagine that you are Mary, having just been told that you are going to be the Mother of the Messiah and then you decide to go and visit your aged cousin who is pregnant. What would cause you to do such a thing? Well, if we look at the previous section of this gospel (Luke 1:26-38), we may be able to find our answer. In 1: 38: “Mary said, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your Word. Then the angel departed from her.” Mary effectively said yes to God when she said may it be done to me according to your Word.

Through her interaction with the angel, Mary’s status is changed because he whose name is Holy (1:49) now dwells within her because of her YES. As a result of this indwelling of the Holy One, Mary’s whole life becomes graced and transformed, so much so that the focus is not on her own needs, desires, joys and struggles as a young woman who is pregnant, but on the needs of others, namely her cousin Elizabeth.

Charity is the characteristic of Mary’s relationship with Christ, because she conceived him in charity of heart and now extends that same charity to her cousin Elizabeth. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, “grace (charity) helps to inform the will and intellect of the human person, guiding and directing them to their final and perfect happiness, which is God, since it is impossible for any created good to constitute man’s happiness. For happiness is the perfect good which lulls the appetite altogether, else it would not be the last end, if something yet remained to be desired” (Summa theologiae I.II 2,8). From this it is possible to see that because Mary was open to the will of God, she was able to prefer the good of visiting and caring for her cousin Elizabeth, to other lesser goods, especially because her final and perfect happiness was in serving (doing the will of ) God, who had “looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness” (1:47).

We too are called to share in the joy and happiness Mary experienced in serving her God and we are also encouraged “not to be afraid” (1:30) to serve him because when we come to the Eucharist, we also receive the Holy One, who is able to provide us the necessary graces for preaching and sharing the good news as he did for Mary in her service of her cousin Elizabeth’s needs.

Sacred Heart of Jesus

Modern times have seen a decline in the practice of piety such as the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with some people fearing that these devotions smack of a nineteenth-century overly emotionalistic piety. Such a decline in devotion to the Sacred Heart has been compounded with the mistaken view that it is founded solely upon the private revelations made to St Margaret Mary Alacoque, a simple and humble seventeenth-century French nun. Sadly, this has meant that many people now view the devotion as something incompatible in some sense with the spirit and culture of ecclesiastical life in the wake of Vatican II. Nothing could be further from the truth!

When Pius XII wrote the encyclical Haurietis aquas (15 May 1956), the devotional form though certainly still strong was nonetheless in crisis. Moves towards liturgical reform sought an extreme sobriety in expression, together with a theological mindset that sought to steer entirely by Scripture and the Fathers. Pius XII sought to display the enduring significance of Sacred Heart devotion, deeply linked as he saw it to the central mystery of Christ. Joseph Ratzinger would later point out that the questions addressed in Haurietis aquas were presupposed, rather than superseded, in the liturgical reform of Vatican II.

Pius XII begins with the prophetic words of Isaiah 12:3, of which Jesus proclaims himself the fulfilment in his Easter mystery in John 7:37–39. This, he writes, comes naturally to mind when recalling the reasons for the institution of this feast throughout the Church by Pius IX. Haurietis aquas seeks to prove that Sacred Heart devotion is not invented by Margaret Mary Alacoque; rather, the revelation she received yields nothing new. It was because the private revelation received by her was so in keeping with theological tradition that the devotion revealed to her was promulgated. Pius XII writes: “the devotion […] to the love of God and to Jesus Christ for the human race by means of the revered symbol of the pierced heart of the crucified redeemer has never been altogether unknown to the piety of the faithful, although it has become more clearly known […] in quite recent times.” Thus, devotion to the Sacred Heart is deeply rooted in Scripture and patristic theology, a worship of the love with which God, through Jesus, loved us, and at the same time, an exercise of our love by which we are related to God and to other people.

The essence of this devotion is a veneration of the person of Jesus Christ from the perspective of his divine and human love. This love was revealed through his sacred humanity, and is symbolised by his wounded physical heart. In the words of Pius XII: “When we adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, we adore in it and through it both the uncreated love of the divine Word and His human love , […] because both loves moved our Redeemer to sacrifice Himself for us and for the whole Church, his spouse.”

optimism of mission

The Feast of the Translation of St Dominic

There is something very striking in the life of Dominic de Guzman. Many see it as a little pearl among the many stories about lives of saints, and it has become one of the Order of Preacher’s most valuable assets. What is it? It is Dominic’s ingenuity concerning the setting out of the mission of the Order and his attitude towards the brethren. What is so exceptional about it?

Dominic did not write a new rule of life for his community, nor did he invent any new mission for his brethren. Instead he set the very mission of the Church at the heart of the mission of the Order: the preaching of the Gospel. Dominic gave his brethren the rule of St. Augustine which suited this mission very well. Consequently from the very beginning the community busied themselves not with establishing a way of life for its own sake, but rather it tried to find such a model of life that would make it always possible to preach the word of God, especially to those who are lost or do not yet believe.

And this is what has become the Dominican tradition: our way of life should never be a burden or impediment to the mission. We live together for the sake of the mission, holding the life of the apostles as our model and inspiration.

The other thing is Dominic’s ultimate optimism concerning human nature. This optimism was expressed in his great trust towards the brethren: he was quick to send them out on mission, believing in them even before they had sufficient confidence in themselves. Another expression of this optimism is the fact that the Order is governed in a democratic way, with the general chapter of brethren having the highest authority. The Order is not a place for a badly perceived seniority, it is no ‘pecking order’, and this means that brethren have been able to live in an unprecedented unity and peace even to this day. As a result, the members of the Order lead a very self-conscious life trying to abandon any ideologies, customs and practices that no longer serve its mission and therefore threaten the life of the community.

These two ideas are in fact at the heart of the universal Church and this is perhaps why the figure of St. Dominic is so valued by the brethren. He gave them a mission that is in fact no less than the mission of the universal Church, and he trusted that they would be able to live up its demands, for he deeply believed that the Lord does not deny help to those work in his name.

Dominican Pilgrimage to Walsingham

It has become customary for the Dominican family and friends to go on pilgrimage to Our Lady's Shrine at Walsingham on the third Sunday of May. This year, our new Provincial, fr John Farrell OP, joined us and preached at the Shrine Mass for the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Following the Mass, we had a convivial lunch in the grounds of the Shrine and then walked in procession to the village while praying the Rosary and singing hymns. One of our novices, following an ancient custom, removed his shoes outside the 14th-century Slipper Chapel, and walked the Holy Mile barefoot. When we arrived in the village, there was some time to explore the village and pay an ecumenical visit to the Anglican shrine. We ended with sung Vespers, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. 

Below are more photos from this event:



The brothers from Oxford outside the priory before the blessing of the pilgrims and coach that marked the start of the pilgrimage


Sr Miryam OP, who is chaplaincy assistant at the Cambridge University Catholic Chaplaincy, with students


The Provincial talking with Cambridge University students after the Mass


fr Martin OFM Cap with fr Thomas Skeats OP


fr Fabian Radcliffe OP and fr Leon Pereira OP, the new prior of Leicester, with students from the Leicester University chaplaincy


The novices lead the procession, bearing the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham to the village church






The Dominican 'Salve Regina' is sung outside the village church of the Annunciation


"The angel's greeting does not leave Mary at home ... She is propelled on a journey, which will take her to Elizabeth's home, to Bethlehem, to Egypt, to Jerusalem. It is a journey that will lead to her heart being pierced, and to the foot of the cross. It is a journey that will eventually carry her to heaven and glory ... So the Rosary is also the prayer for those who journey, of pilgrims ... it is a prayer of pilgrimage around the Order."

- fr Timothy Radcliffe OP

Quodlibets - ask us more questions!

Our regular readers will know that we sometimes have posts labeled 'quodlibet'

The quodlibet, roughly meaning whatever it pleases, was a form of teaching employed in the medieval university at which questions on any topic which pleased the audience were put to a teacher. These questions and answers were sometimes written up and published, most famously in the Quaestiones de quodlibet of Thomas Aquinas.

Once again we invite you therefore to propose questions which you feel we might be able to answer - whatever it pleases you to ask. Are there any aspects of Catholic teaching or practice that puzzle you? Do you wish to know more about how our faith helps us face the challenges of modern society? Are there any aspects of the Dominican life that you don't understand? We will attempt to answer your questions and to stimulate further debate.

Please email your questions to godzdogz@gmail.com.

The Sanctity of Human Life

On 4 May, Br Lawrence Lew OP was invited to talk with the Lay Dominican Fraternity of Bl. Adrian Fortescue about the Sanctity of Human Life. Below is an edited version of his talk:

 

In the Creed, we profess that the Holy Spirit is “the Giver of Life”; the one who vivifies. I shall use this appellation as a starting point for our reflection. In Genesis 2:7, we find this beautiful description of the vivifying spirit – or the breath – of God: “the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”. In this regard we can see the verses of psalm 104 as a commentary: “When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Breath, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground”. Hence the word revealed to both Jews and Christians is that God bestows life on human beings and he does so by breathing his divine Spirit into us. Thus the Catechism teaches that “The Word of God and His Breath are at the origin of the being and life of every creature.” In this sense, then, all creation owes its being to God, and so, is sacred, and this reverence for created matter is something that distinguished Jewish thought from the more dualistic tendencies of other ancient cultures. It is on account of such a revelation that our ancestors in Faith held such unique views on the goodness of all creation.

 However, although all creation is good, there is something specifically special and holy about human life that distinguishes us from the rest of creation. As such, to be ‘pro-life’ concerning the human person is not to be equated with being ‘pro-life’ concerning foxes or other sentient creatures. While it is a laudable thing to care for the welfare of animals, the fact that we do care, debate, reflect and argue is a manifestation of uniquely human activities, and this care and concern is arguably a living out of the stewardship over creation given to us by God. So, it seems apparent to me that there is something different about us humans and Aristotle famously calls humankind the rational animal. 

Christian anthropology believes that this difference is due to the fact that we are inspired; God’s Spirit animates us, we bear God’s image, and it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. Not only are we made by God's creating Spirit, like the rest of the created order, but we have been made in His Image. Therefore, St Thomas Aquinas would understand the image of God within us as the gift of a rational intellect that makes us desire to know God, and capable of loving him.
 
However, as we know, this potential is thwarted by sin, and so we often fall short of the mark, of God, who is our true aim. St Basil says that “he who no longer lives according to the flesh but is led by the Spirit of God and is called son of God, made in the image of the Son of God, is [properly] called spiritual.” Therefore, the Holy Spirit is not just the breath of life within us, but he is God who vivifies us, the living water that wells up within us, and so leads us from the living death of sin into the fullness of life that Jesus says he has come to give us. The Spirit of God wells up to eternal life when we grow in love for God and we recognize Him to be the consummation of all our human desires. It is on account of this friendship with God, which is the unique goal of truly human fulfillment and flourishing, that we believe that human beings are unique in the order of creation. It is on account of the intrinsic value of this human destiny that we say that human life has dignity and worth. It is on account of the indwelling of God’s Spirit in each and every human person that we say that all human life – from conception to natural death – is sacred. Thus in Genesis 4:10, we see that when human blood is shed, it cries out to God from the ground, the ground from which we are all created.

 Moreover, as Joseph Ratzinger put it: “In the human being God enters into his creation; the human being is directly related to God. The human being is called by him… Each human being is known by God and loved by him. Each is willed by God, and each is God’s image… Hence the Bible says that whoever violates a human being violates God’s property (cf Gen 9:5). Human life stands under God’s special protection, because each human being, however wretched or exalted he or she may be, however sick or suffering, however good-for-nothing or important, whether born or unborn, whether incurably ill or radiant with health – each one bears God’s breath in himself or herself, each one is God’s image. This is the deepest reason for the inviolability of human dignity, and upon it is founded ultimately every civilization. When the human person is no longer seen as standing under God’s protection and bearing God’s breath, then the human being begins to be viewed in utilitarian fashion… and [society] tramples upon human dignity.” Notice the scope of human dignity and the sanctity of human life: there is no doubt that this great vision of humanity offers a challenge to all of us.
 
Often issues of life are confined to questions considered 'controversial', particularly those questions concerning the transmission of new life, or the abortion of the unborn child, or so-called euthanasia. All these questions are certainly important, emotive and relevant issues, and it is not surprising that they should solicit such strong passions, for they touch us intimately. However, our belief in the sanctity of human life also means that we share an equal dignity regardless of wealth, intellectual ability or social standing, etc. Our belief in the sanctity of human life means that human beings are not viable matter for scientific experimentation; that even the most sin-wounded criminal is loved and willed by God; that where a brother or sister is struggling to live – and this can be socio-economic, psychological or physical – we are called to notice and to help. Where the blood of a human being is spilt, we are to cry out from the ground. It also means building a ‘culture of life’ based on deep respect for the human person. As Cardinal Christoph Schönborn OP has noted, “Even today’s widespread cult of the body supports in principle a culture that is hostile to life. If only the strong, healthy, sexually attractive body has any worth, then consciously or unconsciously this promotes an attitude of ‘selectivity’ that leaves no room for the weak and the sick, the handicapped and the dependent. A comprehensive defense of life is animated by an awareness that every human life without exception is precious in God’s eyes and is included under his protection.” Clearly, then, the ambit of pro-life issues which ought to concern a Christian is very broad. I can only touch on some of these issues and do not wish to dwell on any in depth. Rather, by reminding us of the reasons we Christians consider life to be sacred at every stage, I hope to offer a basis on which we may prayerfully reflect on the questions that arise with regards to ‘life issues’. 

I believe that in these areas concerning the sanctity of human life, the position we are called to adopt is no less counter-cultural than it was when the Jews, moved by revelation, affirmed the fundamental goodness of the created order. Christians, also moved by revelation and by the teaching of the whole Christ – by which I mean the Church in union with Jesus Christ, her Head – are called to show to the world a position which is challenging and different precisely because it is based on a radical Christian anthropology, the likes of which the world has never seen. For which other faith teaches that God dwells in us, feeds us with His own Body and Blood, enlivens us with his own Spirit, and divinizes us so that we will share in the very life of the Triune God, and so become gods? If one’s hope is not fixed on these promises of Christ, which came to be because of the Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, then one will indeed have a vision of life that is somewhat morose, functionalistic and ultimately, unappealing. Is it any wonder that those societies who have lost the lofty Christian vision of the dignity of the human person have become so bored of life that new distractions and entertainment are constantly being demanded? Or that life has been devalued, and so, become meaningless and expendable? 
 
Historically, I am reminded of the early Christians who lived out their faith in the Roman Empire, a world which is in some respects not too different from ours. According to Paul Veyne’s ‘History of Private Life’, the Romans habitually exposed or drowned malformed infants, some abandoned their children because they were poor or wished to bequeath a decent fortune to their surviving heirs and the middle class “preferred to concentrate their efforts and resources on a small number of offspring, for reasons of family ambition”. Moreover, “all classes of the population certainly made use of contraception” and “even the most stringent moralists… never dreamed of according to the foetus a right to live.” Consider too, the fact that condemned criminals were often given over to gladiatorial sport or crucifixion, and we have a picture of a society in which life was expendable. It is in this context of a 'culture of death' that, inspired by their faith, the early Christians derived a counter-cultural ethics of human life. As Robin Lane Fox notes, “Most of the early Christian texts attack abortion simply as ‘murder of the creation of God’” such as is found in the 2nd-century Didache, and contraception was associated with “the beastly habits of the Gnostics” and roundly condemned by St Augustine. Therefore, from the beginnings of the Church, Christians were engaged in life issues, and offering a counter-cultural witness. This witness, as part of our preaching of the gospel, is what we Dominicans have to offer to the world. As Timothy Radcliffe OP has said: “If the Church simply accepts modern sexual mores, then the dangers are just as serious. We would appear to be assimilating ourselves weakly to the modern world, lacking the guts to stand for what we believe. If the Church’s teaching is true, then surely we must proclaim it.”

 The proclamation of this Gospel, which is by no means easy, is one that is vivified by the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who will lead us into all truth and the Spirit who can illumine our minds and help us to understand and live the teachings of Christ. It is the Spirit who will convince us of the truth, and this can be a rather gradual and slow process. It is also a process which one must desire, and this is helpful to recall whenever we are preaching the Gospel. As Origen said, “Christ does not win victory over anyone who does not wish it. He conquers only by convincing, for he is the Word of God.” So, we are not converted to the truth by force, or by the might of authority, or threats and fear but by God’s patient and loving Word. In this regard, I am reminded of our holy father Dominic who spent the whole night patiently convincing the Albigensian inn-keeper of his errors, and with the grace of the Spirit, drawing him towards the light of truth. It is this model we must keep before us as we preach the truth.

I am sure that if we contemplate the Word and ask the Spirit of God to lead us into all truth, then we shall be able to hand on the fruit of our contemplation to a world which needs it so much. The gift we Christians can offer to the world, to our contemporaries, is the very real and lived experience of our faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life whose Spirit gives us abundant life. Permit me to end with a final quotation from Ratzinger. He says: “The ethical recognition of the sacred character of life and the commitment to ensure the respect for life require a context and a perspective, and these are supplied by faith in creation… Christianity is the remembrance of the look of love that the Lord directs to mankind, this look that preserves the fullness of his truth and the ultimate guarantee of his dignity. The mystery of Christmas reminds us that in the Christ who is born, every human life – from the very beginning – is definitively blessed and welcomed by the look of God’s mercy. Christians know this and stand with their own life under this look of love; with this look they receive a message that is essential for man’s life and for his future. This means that they can humbly and proudly accept today the task of proclaiming the good news of the faith… In this task of announcing the dignity of man and the duties of respecting life that flow from this dignity, they know they will probably meet with derision and hatred. But the world cannot live without them.”

Quodlibet 10 : The seal of the confessional

Is it true to say that even if a priest knows through confession that he is clearly dealing with a serious criminal, such as a serial rapist, killer or child abuser, he may not under any circumstances reveal any information that may lead the police to question or even arrest that person?

In Quodlibet 1 we quoted the Church's Code of Canon Law, which says:

"The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion." (canon 983 §1)

So there is indeed no way that a priest can tell the police about a penitent's confession, no matter how serious the crime. In fact, if the priest were to do so, he would automatically be excommunicated (canon 1388 §1). The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that this secrecy "admits of no exceptions" (para. 1467) and that it "cannot be violated under any pretext" (para. 2490). Nor can the priest use information he learns from confession to the penitent's detriment (canon 984 §1).

The priest can, however, use what he has learned from confession to prevent harm, provided he doesn't betray the penitent or use the knowledge he has gained to the penitent's detriment. The classic example is the penitent who has confessed to poisoning the cruet of wine that the priest is about to use for Mass. In such a case the priest can safely dispose of the poisoned wine and use fresh wine instead, without danger of betraying the penitent or to the penitent's detriment.

Similarly, there might be ways that a priest could seek to avoid harm being done by someone who has confessed to being a murderer/rapist/abuser of children: for example, by taking special care not to leave vulnerable people alone with such a person. But the priest must always remember that the seal of confession is inviolable. He may never disclose or even hint at what has been confessed to him.

The priest hearing a confession has a vitally important responsibility to help the penitent towards healing from his sin. That would include helping the penitent realise the steps he needs to take to stop sinning and to avoid the "occasions of sin", those situations where the penitent might not be strong enough to resist temptation. With the sort of sins that the questioner mentions, one possible way for the penitent to avoid future occasions of sin and obtain the psychological help he may need would be to hand himself over to the police. It might be appropriate for the priest to suggest this. Although the priest cannot make it a condition for absolution (cf. canon 980), a truly contrite penitent will certainly want to take the steps necessary to avoid sin and the danger that others might come to harm in the future.

So while the answer to the question is that the priest may never reveal what has been confessed to him under any circumstances, he nevertheless has a crucial role in seeking to avoid harm being done.

The answer to this question is provided by Fr. Ben Earl, a canon lawyer, who teaches at Blackfriars, Oxford, and is the Provincal Bursar of the Province.

Cardinal Kasper in Oxford

Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, was in Oxford recently for two days. The main reason for his visit was to deliver the inaugural lecture in a new series organised by the Catholic Halls of the University in honour of John Henry Newman. On Sunday 4 May, the Cardinal began his visit with dinner at Blackfriars hosted by the Dominican community.






The next day, Monday 5 May, Cardinal Kasper fielded a broad range of questions from the theology faculty and students of the University. Events took place at Christ Church College, at Greyfriars and at St Benet's. In the afternoon, he delivered the inaugural John Henry Newman Lecture to a full auditorium at St John's College. Entitled 'The timeliness of talking about God', the Cardinal expressed the need for good theological discourse as a response to secularisation and 'the new atheism'. We hope to have excerpts from his talk online in due course. The lecture was followed by a reception in Blackfriars.






Above, Cardinal Kasper with fr Richard Finn OP, who is Regent of Studies.