Denver, Colo., Jan 30, 2019 / 04:05 am (CNA).- Pope John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla, a man from a small town in Poland who lost all of his immediate family – mom, older brother, an infant sister, and father – by the time he was 20 years old. Shortly thereafter, he vowed a life of celibacy as a Catholic priest. And yet, Wojtyla would go on to be remembered as “Pope of the Family.”
25 years ago next week, on Feb. 2, 1994, Pope John Paul II penned his “Letter to Families,” the subject of which was spurred by the United Nations’ declaration that 1994 would be the “Year of the Family.”
At the time, U.S. divorce rates were higher – about 4.6 per 1,000 people, compared with 2.9 in 2017. But marriage rates were also higher – 9.1 compared with 6.9 for those same years. Legalized same-sex marriage was still considered a taboo political idea, and would remain so for more than a decade. And Bruce Jenner still went by Bruce Jenner.
But even though it was written 25 years ago, many Catholics in family life ministries believe that the Church is only beginning to see the fruits of John Paul II’s message to families.
Although he was a celibate priest, Wojtyla became very close to a circle of young people whom he pastored while serving as chaplain to university students in Krakow. As they married and had children, Fr. Wojtyla offered spiritual and pastoral guidance to their families that would inform his work well into his years as Pope John Paul II.
“He was able to support these young families, to help them live the faith at a time when Communist society was really trying to undermine the family,” said Jared Staudt, who is the director of formation for the Archdiocese of Denver, where he also leads Building Family Culture retreats for families.
When the Communist Party ruled Poland, family’s work and school schedules were arranged in such a way that they spent as little time together as possible. The state, and not the family, was, according to the government, the ultimate good and end of society.
“So he was in this battle for family life very directly in Communist Poland,” he said of Wojtyla.
Much of what Wojtyla came to know about the sanctity and importance of marriage and family life can be found in his 1994 “Letter to Families.”
Man, woman and child – the family as vocation
John Paul II wrote prolifically on the family, but this letter is one of his more personal and concise works detailing much of his thought on marriage and family.
He was known for elevating the idea of the vocation of marriage and family life to a level that had not yet been articulated in the Catholic Church.
“John Paul literally started a revolution when it comes to the Catholic Church and family,” said Steve Bollman, founder of family ministry Paradisus Dei.
“What John Paul did is he truly identified the family as the pathway to holiness,” Bollman said. “In this letter, it’s the family that’s placed at the heart of the great struggle between good and evil, between life and death, between love and all that’s opposed to love.”
In his letter, John Paul II wrote that men and women, particularly in their roles as fathers and mothers in the family, are key to building up a “civilization of love,” in which families are able to give and receive love at individual and societal levels.
“If the first ‘way of the Church’ is the family, it should also be said that the civilization of love is also the ‘way of the Church’, which journeys through the world and summons families to this way; it summons also other social, national and international institutions, because of families and through families. The family in fact depends for several reasons on the civilization of love, and finds therein the reasons for its existence as family. And at the same time the family is the centre and the heart of the civilization of love,” John Paul II wrote (LTF 13).
Bollman said that by telling families that they were at the heart of the Church, it called them to holiness in a way that hadn’t yet been articulated.
“The vast majority of people become holy as a husband and father and wife and mother, not in spite of that,” Bollman said. John Paul II’s teachings on the family are at the foundation of Bollman’s work at Paradisus Dei, which includes a couple’s ministry, and That Man is You, a ministry for men that particularly focuses on their roles as husbands and fathers.
“Our tagline is, “Helping families discover the superabundance of God.” That’s what we are is we’re all about family and finding God within the family,” he said.
The family in crisis
Staudt called John Paul II’s letter “prophetic”, because it addresses not only the crucial importance of the family’s place in society, but some of the key ways it is under attack.
And if attacks on the family were urgent in 1994, they are all the more so today, Staudt said.
“John Paul’s famous line from the letter: ‘The history of mankind, the history of salvation, passes by way of the family,’ is actually chilling at this point,” Staudt noted, “because what we’re seeing is that we don’t have hope for the future, we’re not investing for the future of society or for the Church. We’re just living for the present moment for our own selfish desires. So I think John Paul was already recognizing that the foundation of society itself is already in jeopardy, if people are not getting married, if they’re not having kids, they’re saying no to the future.”
According to Pew Research, the marriage rate in the United States is currently hovering at around 50 percent, meaning half of U.S. adults aged 18 and older are married, a steep decline compared to the peak rate of 72 percent in 1960. The fertility rate is also at a 30-year low in the United States, and sits below replacement levels. As of 2014, less than half of children were living in a traditional nuclear home with their married mother and father.
By many measures, marriage and family life today are in crisis, in ways that are perhaps even more pronounced than when John Paul II wrote this letter.
“I think the ‘crisis of concepts’ that John Paul II speaks of is an enormous challenge for the family today,” Sr. John Mary, S.V., of the Sisters of Life, told CNA.
“Who can deny that our age is one marked by a great crisis, which appears above all as a profound ‘crisis of truth?’” John Paul II wrote. “A crisis of truth means, in the first place, a crisis of concepts. Do the words ‘love’, ‘freedom’, ‘sincere gift’, and even ‘person’ and ‘rights of the person’, really convey their essential meaning?” This crisis now seems to be even more profound than when the Pope first wrote these words, Sr. John Mary, S.V., a Sister of Life, told CNA.
“Even more so today than when the Letter to Families was written, modern culture does not recognize the truth of who the human person is, what we are made for, what constitutes a family, what freedom and human rights are,” she said. “So to truly live Christian family life becomes more and more radically countercultural. John Paul II addresses this in the letter by proposing the anthropology that corrects this crisis of concepts and allows for a civilization of love to grow by way of marriage and family,” she noted.
Another major challenge faced by families is the “radical individualism” present in current culture, Sr. John Mary said, which is something else John Paul II addressed in the letter.
According to John Paul II, radical individualism is “based on a faulty notion of freedom and proposes personalism as the antidote,” Sr. John Mary said. “The family is the first place where love is given and received. But if parents do not model authentic, self-giving love to their children, families become groups of persons pursuing their own selfish ends,” she said.
The ‘antidote’: John Paul II’s cure for a sick society
Though John Paul II’s descriptions of these crises and the current state of affairs of marriage and family in the world paint a dark picture, John Paul also provides for families and the Church a way out.
Bill Donaghy is a senior lecturer and content specialist with the Theology of the Body Institute. The mission of the Institute is to educate and train men and women to understand, live, and promote John Paul II’s teachings in his Theology of the Body.
Donaghy told CNA that not only does he consider John Paul II’s Letter to Families the blueprint to how to live a holy life personally as a husband and father, he also considers it the “antidote” to everything that goes against a “civilization of love.”
“Without a doubt in my mind, in the providence of God Who could foresee today’s crisis in marriage and the family, the attempt to redefine marriage and the explosion of gender ideologies that detach our identity from our humanity, St. John Paul II’s thought is the antidote, the cure, the clear truth of who we are and how we are to live as human persons made by Love,” he said.
“I think the vision presented in this letter is actually more relevant now than it was 25 years ago,” he said. “It contains the secret for our joy, the mystical meaning of marriage, the way home for the prodigal sons and daughters who’ve tried everything else to bring us joy and failed to find it.”
For himself, Donaghy said building the “civilization of love” starts in his own home – by treating his wife with love and respect, by spending time with and listening to his children, by modeling sacrificial love. At the parish level, he said the Church must help families by creating space for “real human interaction, conversation, and formation.”
“Again, the ‘Letter to Families’ is a goldmine of a teaching, a school of love for humanity. But we’ve got to make time and space for it to enter into the everyday dynamics of our own family,” he said.
Staudt too told CNA that the words and teachings of Pope John Paul II on the family have deeply inspired his work in family ministry.
“It really is through John Paul’s teachings, the letter and his other teachings…that I’ve discerned that the way to build Christian culture is through family life,” Staudt, who is also the father of 6, told CNA.
For the Building Family Culture retreats that he leads, Staudt said that he focuses on teaching families how to pray, the importance of which is heavily emphasized by John Paul II in his letter.
“Prayer must become the dominant element of the Year of the Family in the Church: prayer by the family, prayer for the family, and prayer with the family,” John Paul II wrote. “Prayer increases the strength and spiritual unity of the family, helping the family to partake of God’s own ‘strength.’”
“I think we take that for granted, that families know how to pray, and I don’t think they do. So I think that’s the foundation, that’s the core, and John Paul does talk a lot about that,” he said. After prayer, he also focuses on how to build a family culture, which includes doing things that form children’s imagination in positive and beautiful ways.
Staudt said he hopes that more in family ministry “wake up” to the urgency of helping families become what John Paul II has called them to be.
“I don’t think enough people have woken up to the urgency in supporting family life and really making that a priority in their parishes, their dioceses, in catechesis, in evangelization,” he said.
“John Paul I think is truly prophetic in pointing us to the fundamental realities of man, woman, human love, family life as crucial for the Church and society at this time, that these are the key issues that we need to face.”
Sr. John Mary and the Sisters of Life say they help build a “civilization of love” through the women they help in crisis pregnancies, the women they counsel after abortions, or the young people who are early on in their journey of faith.
Sr. John May said that because John Paul II was speaking about universal truths of the human person, his words will continue to be relevant for families and the Church throughout time. “John Paul’s Letter to Families explores universal truths: the goodness of the human person, the dignity of marriage, and the very real challenges facing families today,” she said. “Marriage and family are God’s plan to satisfy the universal longings of the human heart, so speaking of them is always timely.”
“We are all called to do something great with our life and our love,” she added. “We are made for love and communion with God and others. John Paul II reminds us of this lofty call, and encourages us that true love is possible.”
[…]
“Who am I to judge?”
Hey, at least Navarro isn’t identifying as a sister, eh?
The bishop has dutifully passed his judgement in regards Mr Navarro’s actions. As the bishops states Navarro is “being disengenuous and dishonest.” Also, let Navarro wear a policman’s or fireman’s outfit and act as one and see what happens.
I suppose this young man thinks that the Church has failed him and so he must set about to correct her? Is that what is going on here?
“We’re following the rules, we’re following the guidelines,” he asserts. Really? And he adds, “it’s a free country, so to speak.” The appeal to “a free country” is both disingenuous and irrelevant. The country probably doesn’t give a tinker’s dam.
Holy Mother Church, however, does care, even if She has strange ways of showing it at times.
And that “so to speak” speaks volumes. It is Navarro speaking for (to put it bluntly) the father of lies. “I will not serve,” he says in Milton’s account. That is, I will not serve another, certainly not one who has the status of authority given, delegated to him–and not simply assumed.
It is just one more instance of the arrogance of an overweening autonomy at work. In time, perhaps he will learn better.
Note: The role of the so-called social media in phenomena like this is only too predictable. Imagine: without it, Mr. Martin would likely never have even thought to exercise his pretentions.
How many religious congregations and monastic communities can be regarded as living authentic religious life? More the frat house and sorority life at best, more likely assisted living facility. All with the legacy of an erroneous “spirit of the council.”
Having absolutely no knowledge of Brother Martin or the Oblates of Saint Augustine it must be said that there are not a few aware and faithful Roman Catholics who have serious reservations regarding who exactly in the Church is accurately regarded as disingenuous and dishonest — the shepherds or the sheep?
Sheep deliberately deprived of accurate catechesis and scattered, what could that verdict be?
Regardless of what wrong are going on in the Church, doing what this man is doing is not the right way. In effect, he is trying to start another branch of the Catholic Church within the Church. One that suits his views. He’s no better than all the other breakaways who got disillusioned with the Catholic Church so decided they could do better. They never do, of course. There are approximately 40,000 different Christian denominations, all started by somone who thought they could do better. It will fail, like they all do.
James: There are lots of faithful religious communities. You’re not looking in the right places…start here:
http://www.religiouslife.com
“Bishop Johnston intends any further communication to be private.”
That is as it should be, and so methinks that we can depend on Navarro to keep this whole matter as public as possible, because he knows he has no real legs to stand on. This being so – he knows he must depend on people who don’t really know what’s going on to keep this going.
FYI – I oppose the suppression – a strong term but one which I am using – of the Traditional Latin Mass, which I find profoundly moving both spiritually and musically, not being a fan of ‘glad tambourines’.
Yea let’s get the Trads!
From the Wikipedia article titled “Clerical collar”:
Catholicism
In the Catholic Church, the clerical collar is worn by all ranks of clergy, thus: bishops, priests, and deacons, and often by seminarians as well as with their cassock during liturgical celebrations.
Bishops, superiors, and popes only have authority over you if you give it to them. And given their constant abuse of authority and corruption they have no authority. This isn’t the Papal States in the Middle Ages. “Sorry Bishop. I don’t really care what you think. Have a nice day.” Granted, that was Luther’s attitude, but Frankie loves Luther. You reap what you sow.
You are mistaking the ability to use force with authority. They have authority from Christ whether they use it well or not, or can bring force to bear or not.
A few things…it seems to me that a young man starting a religious community out of the blue seems to be the height of arrogance. It’s as though he’s saying that there are no recognized communities or Orders in the entire Church that meets his standard of holiness. He is barely old enough to be ordained let alone be the founder and superior of a religious community.
Secondly, initiatives like these seem to be just a high level of medieval cosplay. What exactly makes this guy a traditional Augustinian? Does he have an Augustinian formation or did he just read some books? One can’t just wake up one day and say “Hey, I’m an Augustinian now.”
Lastly, it seems like he just showed up in the diocese of the Bishop (wearing a cassock and presenting himself as a religious when he is not) and then demanded some sort of official recognition. The Bishop is right to be wary and to not grant his approval. The Bishop has no idea who this guy is, and yet this guy presumes ecclesiastical approval. Moreover, he makes public his private communication with the Bishop and casts himself as a martyr. Lots of red flags. The Bishop is right.
Sounds like Francis, the Saint not the pope.
Padre: At every stage of St. Francis’ life, he submitted himself and his Order to the judgement of the Church.
“What exactly makes this guy a traditional Augustinian? Does he have an Augustinian formation or did he just read some books?”
Andrew, why don’t you contact him through the website of the Oblates and ask him? Maybe he was originally formed in another Augustinian community. And if he simply doesn’t join an existing community maybe that is because there is not an existing community in the Church which adheres both to Augustinian spirituality and traditional liturgy. As to starting a community out of the blue, usually a religious order begins informally with men (or women) coming together to live a communal life of prayer and then if it seems to thrive, formal approbation from Church authorities is requested and formal constitutions can be approved. That seems to be all [Br.] Martin is asking for at this stage. That said, he definitely needs to get off social media, since it is hard to imagine a religious brother – traditional or otherwise – being on Twitter. One aspect of this story that seems to be overlooked, is Pope Francis’s handcuffing of bishops and taking away their authority to approve new religious institutes on the diocesan level without approval from Rome. Yet another of the hypocrisies of the current pontificate: always talking about synodality and the authority of bishops, but in reality limiting their legitimate prerogatives. It is and should be up to Bishop Johnston whether he wants to give formal approval to the Oblates of St. Augustine; the outrageous thing is that Francis won’t let the bishop do it, even if he wants to.
Peter: I don’t need to ask him anything as his bishop has rendered his decision.
As for starting a community, he can do that informally (as you say) without the unauthorized use of habits, religious titles etc. He can also get a job and suspend the fundraising which seems to be done under the pretence that he has a properly established religious community (which he does not). From there he can start quietly living his life of prayer and then humbly approach the Bishop. What one does NOT do is show up in a diocese. Wear a habit, call yourself Brother (when you are not), say your an Oblate of St. Augustine and then start fund raising and holding vocation weekends and demand recognition from the Bishop before approval. He’s not asking, but demanding and now that the Bishop has answered in the negative, this guy is throwing a public tantrum.
Again, this is just medieval/church cosplay and the religious fantasies of some guy. Sadly, the bishop’s response will probably just fuel his “remnant of the true Church/persecution” delusions. I’m really sick of Trads that act like this.
He has already started founding the community informally, it’s called a de facto private association of the faithful. It doesn’t require the Bishops permission. It’s just a canonical term for a group of Catholics who come together to live under a common rule.
He didn’t just show up out of nowhere and decide to be a monk. He spent a number of years in other communities but wants to found a new group around the Old Mass and Breviary.
He also does not wear a cassock and collar currently, he stopped doing so at the request of the Bishop months ago. The reporter who wrote this story is misrepresenting him by using an outdated screenshot. They currently wear something that resembles a habit but technically is not a habit. What do you want him to wear? Jeans and a t-shirt?
There is nothing out of the ordinary about what he is doing. It’s just that the Bishop is opposed to working with him to recognize founding a community.
If the National Catholic Reporter — widely subscribed to across the spectrum of the clerical world — can mask itself as Catholic, why should this community not describe itself as it pleases.
Should we need ask ourselves who exactly is responsible for the erosion of accurate Roman Catholic nomenclature?
The ecclesiastical machine has done this to themselves and intentionally. In that context the good bishop stands on quicksand. The episcopate and the current pontificate have undermined themselves. They should not attempt to exercise an authority they have deliberately debased — it only magnifies their impotence.
James: Thanks for that hilarious example of circular reasoning and non sequiturs. Great satire of Trad arguments. Bravo! Lol.
If he is a priest, he is dead WRONG. It wouldn’t be the first time I see an american priest disobeying a bishop, going against God and priestly hierarchy; remember Fr Corapi?
This guy is more interested in his twitter audience, is more interested about promoting himself!!! Simple as!!!
Regardless of what wrong are going on in the Church, doing what this man is doing is not the right way. In effect, he is trying to start another branch of the Catholic Church within the Church. One that suits his views. He’s no better than all the other breakaways who got disillusioned with the Catholic Church so decided they could do better. They never do, of course. There are approximately 40,000 different Christian denominations, all started by somone who thought they could do better. It will fail, like they all do.
Another sad example of someone who thinks he is above the Catholic Church law. I guess you can call yourself anything you want but that doesn’t make it true. If he wants to be a brother so much why doesn’t he go through the correct process? He thinks he knows more than the collective wisdom of the Holy Catholic Church. He does not. He is disobedience personified. Shame on those 11,000 people following him. He is leading them astray and they are allowing themselves to be led astray. He appears to be acting outside of the Church. What is seems to be is that he is setting up his own personal Catholic Church. So, in effect, just a layperson who thinks he is smarter than the collective Catholic Church. He is just exercising a willful stance, going against direction from a Bishop.
This poor soul is looking for purpose in his life. I wonder if this began with the lockdown and the rush to virtual Mass, and this is his solution? Currently it seems almost comical, if not for the underlying deception and potential scandal. I hope the poor soul does not sink deeper into his self deception. If anyone reading this is within convenient access, please reach out to him over breakfast or coffee and find out what’s bugging him and offer him sound council and prayer.