Fr. Thomas Reese’s quixotic, irrational battle with Greek philosophy
The former editor of America magazine would do well to read Benedict XVI’s 2006 “Regensburg Address” and Vatican II’s documents on seminary training and Catholic education.
Fr. Thomas Reese, the former editor of the Jesuit magazine America, has apparently launched himself on a new crusade: the dehellenization of Catholic seminary education.
In a recent column for Religion News Service that was published by the dissident National Catholic Reporter, Reese laments that seminarians are still being given instruction in Greek philosophy—in particular, the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle—before going on to study Catholic theology.
Reese is exercised over the fact that Catholic seminarians have to learn dogmatic terms derived from such philosophical systems because they’re “unintelligible” to modern man, and rooted in notions that he regards as outdated, such as “rigid categories and rules” and “certitude”. Reese’s lexicon of objectionable vocabulary even includes terms that are contained in the dogmatic canons of ecumenical councils.
“Sadly, the church does expect seminarians to learn Greek philosophy before studying theology, which results in them spouting unintelligible concepts like ‘transubstantiation’ and ‘consubstantial,’ writes Reese, lamenting that “Catholic conservatives were brought up in a church that presented itself as unchanging because in Greek philosophy the perfect cannot change.” He calls such an approach “ahistorical” and “doomed to failure.”
Such people “see the world as ideologues with rigid categories and rules. They have absolute certitude in their views and are not open to new questions. They are incapable of dialogue or learning from others,” bewails Reese.
Ironically, Reese pushes this nonsense in the name of defending, of all people, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the man many believe ousted him from America in 2005 for making the magazine into a sounding board for dissidents. Reese seeks to place Benedict in the same camp as the Francis regime, making them both the victims of wicked theologians of the traditional (and therefore, Hellenistic) variety who oppose the doctrinal innovations of the Francis papacy.
Apparently Reese has forgotten (or worse, hasn’t) that one of the most memorable moments in the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI was his prophetic address to representatives of science at the University of Regensburg in September of 2006, when he warned against the dehellenization of Christianity in explicit terms, observing that the Christian faith was formulated within the milieu of Greek language, culture, and philosophy, elements that permeate the Scriptures and the writings of the earliest Church Fathers.
In his address, Benedict notes that the enemies of the Catholic faith have long sought to attack its Hellenistic dimension, beginning with the Protestant rejection of Aristotelian scholasticism in the 16th century, and continuing with the assault against the supernatural elements of the Christian faith in the 19th century by liberal theologians such as Adolf von Harnack, who attributed such elements to Greek philosophy. He then arrives at the third and most recent stage of dehellenization advocated by the likes of Reese: the claim that Greek thought is not relevant in other social contexts, and should therefore be dropped in favor of other more culturally-relevant worldviews.
“This thesis is not simply false, but it is coarse and lacking in precision,” said Benedict at Regensburg. “The New Testament was written in Greek and bears the imprint of the Greek spirit, which had already come to maturity as the Old Testament developed. True, there are elements in the evolution of the early Church which do not have to be integrated into all cultures. Nonetheless, the fundamental decisions made about the relationship between faith and the use of human reason are part of the faith itself; they are developments consonant with the nature of faith itself.”
And that, it would seem, is the crux of the matter. Those who rail against the influence of Plato, Aristotle and their Scholastic successors are not moved by an immoderate enthusiasm for cultural diversity. Rather, they are vexed by the most essential aspect of Greek philosophy: its application of reason to theology, with its so very troublesome requirements, such as consistency of thought, and non-contradiction. The Law of the Excluded Middle would seem to be the greatest obstacle standing between neo-modernists and their project to overthrow the Catholic Church’s traditional and authentic doctrines. If only Aristotle weren’t standing guard over Catholic theology, insisting that A is indeed A, they could have their heretical cake and eat it too.
Heaping irony upon irony, Reese tries to somehow tie Thomas Aquinas to his dehellenization project as well, insinuating that the Angelic Doctor was a cultural relativist who was simply speaking the language of his day when he used Greek philosophy, and urging that theologians imitate him by embracing modern intellectual fashions. This, however, is more modernist bunkum; sound philosophy isn’t a language or a cultural style—it’s a universally valid way of using reason to arrive at truth. Aristotle’s thought, and particularly his logical treatises, had long been respected in the Catholic Church precisely because they were a component of the Greek philosophical tradition that had informed the Church from the beginning, and the rediscovery of Aristotle’s forgotten works were naturally received with openness by most theologians, even if some of his doctrines were disputed.
Reese then casually repeats the silly but convenient historical myth that Aquinas’ works were condemned and burned by the archbishop of Paris, which supposedly proves that we can’t trust the Church’s judgments against dissident theologians. The reality is that in 1277 the archbishops of Paris and of London issued condemnations of a very long list of propositions that were mostly aimed at other theologians, but included some propositions that may have been derived from the doctrines of Aquinas. However, Aquinas was not named in the condemnations, and his works were never banned and certainly never burnt. An investigation into the orthodoxy of Aquinas’ works appears to have begun in 1277, but was never concluded. His works continued to be used by theologians and were universally embraced and defended by Dominicans, and soon became the template for Catholic theology in most of the Church.
Reese even wants to enlist Vatican II in his favor, implying that somehow the council would favor his desire to rid Catholic education of Greek philosophy. It will be of immense disappointment to the man, if he someday bothers to read the documents themselves, to find that they positively require that seminarians and university students be taught the very Hellenistic thought of Aquinas.
Optatam totius, the council’s decree on priestly training, dictates that “in order that they may illumine the mysteries of salvation as completely as possible, the [seminary] students should learn to penetrate them more deeply with the help of speculation, under the guidance of St. Thomas, and to perceive their interconnections.” It also requires students to learn the Church Fathers, whose thinking was heavily influenced by Neoplatonism (also pooh-poohed by Reese for its supposed irrelevance in the modern context).
Gravissimum educationis, the council’s decree on Christian education, contains a whole paragraph contradicting Reese’s claim that novel philosophies are necessary to speak to modern man, urging that students be taught the doctors of the Catholic Church, particularly Aquinas, so that “as questions that are new and current are raised and investigations carefully made according to the example of the doctors of the Church and especially of St. Thomas Aquinas, there may be a deeper realization of the harmony of faith and science.” Thus students will be “molded into men truly outstanding in their training, ready to undertake weighty responsibilities in society and witness to the faith in the world.”
Search as he may, Fr. Thomas Reese is not going to find in the tradition of the Catholic Church any inspiration for banishing Greek philosophical thought from the instruction of seminarians, or indeed of Catholics in general. It is only in the camp of dissidents, to which he was exiled in 2005, that he will find a sympathetic ear for his desire to impose such a wreckovation on our already badly compromised Catholic educational system.
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Matthew Cullinan Hoffman is a Catholic essayist and journalist, and the author and translator of The Book of Gomorrah and St. Peter Damian's Struggle Against Ecclesiastical Corruption (2015). His award-winning articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, London Sunday Times, Catholic World Report, LifeSite News, Crisis, the National Catholic Register, and many other publications. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, with a focus on Thomism.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square during his Angelus address on June 25, 2023. / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Jun 25, 2023 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Pope Francis has urged Christians not to be afraid of suffering criticism, economic loss, and persecution for being faithful to what the Church teaches.
“There is a cost to remain faithful to what counts. The cost is going against the tide, freeing oneself from being conditioned by popular opinion, being separated from those who ‘follow the current,’” Pope Francis said on June 25.
In his Sunday Angelus address, the pope underlined how Jesus’ words “do not be afraid” still apply today. He reflected in particular on Jesus’ warning in the Gospel of Matthew: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” (Mt. 10:28).
Pope Francis said: “It was like saying: You do not need so much to be afraid of suffering misunderstanding and criticism, of losing prestige and economic advantages to remain faithful to the Gospel, but of wasting your existence in the pursuit of trivial things that do not fill life with meaning.”
The pope explained how Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid shortly after telling them about the persecutions that they would have to undergo for the Gospel, something, he noted, that still applies today.
“Since her beginning, in fact, the Church has experienced many persecutions, along with joys—of which there have been many. It seems paradoxical: the proclamation of the Kingdom of God is a message of peace and justice, founded on fraternal charity and on forgiveness; and yet it meets with opposition, violence, and persecution,” he said.
“Jesus, however, says not to fear, not because everything will be all right in the world, no, but because we are precious to his Father and nothing that is good will be lost.”
Pope Francis added that Jesus’ warning means that the only true fear one should have is of throwing one’s life away chasing things that do not ultimately matter.
“Even today, in fact, some are ridiculed or discriminated against for not following certain fads, which, however, place second-rate realities at the center – for example, to follow after things instead of people, achievement instead of relationships,” he said.
The pope gave the example of a priest or religious sister who dedicates his or her time to service, while forgetting to dedicate time to being with Jesus, falling into spiritual worldliness, or parents who spend all their time working to provide for their family without spending enough time with their children.
He added that young people can also get so caught up in sports, school, social media, and their cell phones that they focus too much of their time on “passing things.”
“All of this requires some renunciation regarding the idols of efficiency and consumerism. … Think of the least who are often treated like waste products and unwanted objects,” Pope Francis said.
“What matters is not to throw away the greatest good: life. This is the only thing that should frighten us,” he added.
After praying the Angelus prayer in Latin with the crowd gathered below in St. Peter’s Square, the pope gave a shoutout to volunteers with Radio Maria Italy who held up a long banner inviting everyone to place themselves “under the mantle” of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The pope said that he was saddened to learn of the prison riot in the Támara Women’s Penitentiary Center in Honduras earlier this week in which 46 inmates were killed.
“Terrible violence between rival gangs sowed death and suffering,” he said. “I pray for the deceased, I pray for the family members. May the Virgin of Suyapa, Mother of Honduras, help hearts open to reconciliation and make room for fraternal coexistence, even within prisons.”
“I would like to use this anniversary to express, once again, my closeness to the family members, especially her mother, and assure them of my prayers. I extend a remembrance to all families who bear the sorrow of a dear one who has disappeared,” he said.
Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Oct. 5, 2016. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA
CNA Staff, Mar 13, 2024 / 12:00 pm (CNA).
March 13 marks the anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 266th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:
2013
March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”
March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.
July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.
July 23-28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.
July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.
Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.
2014
Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.
March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.
Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.
Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”
2015
Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.
March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.
May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical Laudato Si’, which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.
Sept. 19-22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”
Sept. 22-27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.
Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.
Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.
2016
March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.
April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.
July 26-31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.
Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.
2017
May 12-13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.
July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.
Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.
Nov. 27-Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.
2018
Jan. 15-21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.
Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.
Aug. 25-26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”
Oct. 3-28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.
2019
Jan. 22-27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.
Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.
Feb. 21-24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.
Oct. 6-27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.
Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.
2020
March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.
March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
2021
March 5-8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.
July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.
July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.
July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled Traditionis Custodes. The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.
Dec. 2-6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.
2022
Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.
March 19 — The pope promulgates Praedicate Evangelium, which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.
May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.
July 24-30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.
2023
Jan. 31-Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.
March 29-April 1 — Pope Francis is hospitalized for a respiratory infection. During his stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, he visits the pediatric cancer ward and baptizes a newborn baby.
April 5 — The pope appears in the Disney documentary “The Pope: Answers,” which is in Spanish, answering six “hot-button” issues from members of Gen Z from various backgrounds. The group discusses immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.
April 28-30 — Pope Francis visits Hungary to meet with government officials, civil society members, bishops, priests, seminarians, Jesuits, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers. He celebrates Mass on the final day of the trip in Kossuth Lajos Square.
June 7 — The Vatican announces that Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery that afternoon under general anesthesia due to a hernia that is causing painful, recurring, and worsening symptoms. In his general audience that morning before the surgery, Francis says he intends to publish an apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “patroness of the missions,” to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth.
June 15 — After successful surgery and a week of recovery, Pope Francis is released from Gemelli Hospital.
Aug. 2-6 — Pope Francis travels to Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day 2023, taking place from Aug. 1-6. He meets with Church and civil leaders ahead of presiding at the welcoming Mass and Stations of the Cross. He also hears the confessions of several pilgrims. On Aug. 5, he visits the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, where he prays the rosary with young people with disabilities. That evening he presides over the vigil and on Sunday, Aug. 6, he celebrates the closing Mass, where he urges the 1.5 million young people present to “be not afraid,” echoing the words of the founder of World Youth Days, St. John Paul II.
Aug. 31-Sept. 4 — Pope Francis travels to Mongolia, the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country. The trip makes Francis the first pope to visit the Asian country that shares a 2,880-mile border with China, its most significant economic partner. Mongolia has a population of about 1,300 Catholics in a country of more than 3 million people.
Sept. 22-23 — On a two-day trip to Marseille, France, Pope Francis meets with local civil and religious leaders and participates in the Mediterranean Encounter, a gathering of some 120 young people of various creeds with bishops from 30 countries.
Oct. 4-29 — The Vatican hosts the first of two monthlong global assemblies of the Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021 to enhance the communion, participation, and mission of the Church. Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the synod at St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29. The second and final global assembly will take place at the Vatican in October 2024.
Nov. 25 — Pope Francis visits the hospital briefly for precautionary testing after coming down with the flu earlier in the day. Although he still participates in scheduled activities, other officials read his prepared remarks. The Vatican on Nov. 28 cancels the pope’s planned Dec. 1–3 trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, due to his illness.
Dec. 18 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issues the declaration Fiducia Supplicans, which authorizes nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and couples in “irregular situations.” Various bishops from around the world voice both support for and criticism of the document.
2024
Jan. 4 — Amid widespread backlash to Fiducia Supplicans, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, publishes a five-page press release that refers to Fiducia Supplicans as “perennial doctrine” and underlines that pastoral blessings of couples in irregular situations should not be “an endorsement of the life led by those who request them.”
Jan. 14 — Pope Francis for the first time responds publicly to questions about Fiducia Supplicans in an interview on an Italian television show. The pope underlines that “the Lord blesses everyone” and that a blessing is an invitation to enter into a conversation “to see what the road is that the Lord proposes to them.”
Feb. 11 — In a ceremony attended by Argentine president Javier Milei, Pope Francis canonizes María Antonia of St. Joseph — known affectionately in the pope’s home country as “Mama Antula” — in a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The president and the former archbishop of Buenos Aires embrace after the ceremony. Pope Francis, who has not returned to his homeland since becoming pope in 2013, has said he wants to visit Argentina in the second half of this year.
Feb. 28 — After canceling audiences the previous Saturday and having an aide read his prepared remarks at his Wednesday audience due to a “mild flu,” Pope Francis visits the hospital for diagnostic tests but returns to the Vatican afterward.
March 2 — Despite having an aide read his speech “because of bronchitis,” the pope presides over the inauguration of the 95th Judicial Year of the Vatican City State and maintains a full schedule.
March 13 — Pope Francis celebrates 11 years as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
Our Lady of Lourdes grotto, France. / Elise Harris/CNA.
Vatican City, Mar 30, 2022 / 06:30 am (CNA).
Pope Francis named on Wednesday a new bishop of the French Catholic diocese that is home to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of the wo… […]
19 Comments
Great article Matthew. Unfortunately Fr Reese in tandem with Cardinal Kasper practice anthropomorphic theology. They understand unchanging in God as desolate stillness. The infinitely dynamic God is per force unchanging since change is entirely imperfect and reaching toward some perfection. God Pure Act surpasses the necessity for created things to change. Studied Gk phi under J Quentin Lauer SJ a foremost Aristotelian scholar, a study that finally opened St Thomas Aquinas to my understanding. John Paul II was well versed in Aquinas and applied his thought extensively [besides his knowledge of existential phenomenology] in Splendor Veritatis, particularly the object of the act as ordered to God. He highly recommended Thomistic Philosophy for seminarians. The crowd at the Vatican seem to detest reason. Like Gandalf one might ask Cardinal Kasper, perhaps even out of charity small fry Fr Reese “When Sauron did you abandon reason for madness”.
While the world clamors for “change” and in this broken world change is the only constant, hearts yearn for that which is always the same and is of one essence.
Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics are permanently relevant in describing the fundamental structure of reality. Divine simplicity is a “de fide” teaching of the Catholic Church.
In his magisterial teaching on philosophy and religion (Fides et Ratio), Pope John Paul II saw the integration of Greek philosophy into Christian theology as a providential development. He was reacting to the kind of thought we see in people like Father Reese. The frontal attack on St. Thomas came (in spite of what Vatican II actually said) already at the time of the Council and thereafter. The enemy they have is simply truth and our ability to know it. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” In the time of Pope Benedict, Rome added an extra year for the B. A. in ecclesiastical philosophy precisely because students were coming out who were not convinced that we can know the truth. At the time, I remember remarking there is no need to change the courses, they just need to change the professors to solve this problem. Too many philosophy professors got into the field because they enjoyed studying odd opinions (e.g. Sartre, etc.) not because they loved the pursuit of truth. People who love the truth find the destruction of it painful and not at all interesting — this is often the case in contemporary philosophy which becomes increasingly irrelevant.
Great article. It’s as though there is a significant faction in the Church who want to eradicate all rational thought. My suspicion is that they want to do this so they can push contradictory ideas and teachings based on emotion and personal tastes rather than reason, logic, Scripture and Tradition. The idea of objective truth, reason, logic is a threat to their “reforms”. It’s maddening. It reminds me of the saying from St. Anthony of the Desert who said: “A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like us.’ I had this experience yesterday when a Catholic priest called me a dissenter for believing what the official Catechism says in regard to divorce, illicit second unions and the reception of Holy Communion. I was at a kiss for words. There was no logic to his critique. In his eyes I am an unfaithful Catholic for believing today what the Church taught yesterday (and still does in the official Catechism). There’s no way to penetrate this illogical thinking. I’m not a a “traditionalist” and very much a JP2 generation Catholic, but I’m finding myself increasingly alienated from what passes for Catholicism these days.
Actually those are words we can kiss. I’ve taken to kiss the Gospels [always after reading at Mass] when coming upon a pointed passage for me personally. It was perhaps a Freudian slip and a good one.
The observations here are correct. Kasper judges God and places man as the judge of his Creator and Fr. Reese wishes to pick and choose from ecclesial documents, this is hardly theology or based on any valid reasoning. Fr. Reese slides down a steep slope rejecting Thomism and embracing relativism. This modern unwillingness to call a sin a sin or to acknowledge God as God is born of cowardice or pride and greed, either born of fear of being thought of as “uncool” or of a desire to gain worldly acclaim or rank in the Church hierarchy instead of living in the “Splendor of Truth” being made holy by “obedience to the truth” (1Pet1:22).
Andrew, don’t ever despair. It sounds like you are striving to be the “Educated Catholic” we need in the world. In fact, we need MANY more of them! Keep your eyes and heart on the Prize!
The good news is that the leaders of the Libertarians are secular Aristotelians and are understanding of Catholic theology and champions of Great Books. Both Etienne Gilson and his protege, Michael Gilson De Lemos an Aristotelian Objectivist who co-ordinates the world Libertarian International Organization, are advocates of reason first and foremost. The spread of critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and comparative ethics courses by pro-libertarians and their object to spread the US Bill of Rights to all nations is a very good thing.
There’re therefore many attacks and smears on Libertarianism from the Communist infiltrators and ‘social theologists’ in the Church.
I have often thought that there is too much Greek philosophy influence in the Church. It should be dropped in favor of a more Scriptural worldview. This would be a better use of human reason coupled with faith. Vatican II, in Dei Verbum 21 would concur with this. It says: “Therefore, like the Christian religion itself, all the preaching of the Church must be nourished and regulated by Sacred Scripture.” Scripture needs to also regulate tradition.
Another thought that comes to mind is the mention of Neo-Platonism. In fact, Plotinus was taught by an ex-Christian, and his philosophy is clearly an alternative to the classic notion of the Trinity in theology and realiy leads to a kind of atheistic monism. Little wonder then that those who made sympathetic use of him in a foundational way, such as the Pseudo-Dionysius or Meister Eckhart ended up with fuzzy thinking or outright heresy. That is why Neo-Platonic thinkers even today are darlings of certain teachers of contemplation who see no need for John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila and deliberately ignore them.
Great article Matthew. Unfortunately Fr Reese in tandem with Cardinal Kasper practice anthropomorphic theology. They understand unchanging in God as desolate stillness. The infinitely dynamic God is per force unchanging since change is entirely imperfect and reaching toward some perfection. God Pure Act surpasses the necessity for created things to change. Studied Gk phi under J Quentin Lauer SJ a foremost Aristotelian scholar, a study that finally opened St Thomas Aquinas to my understanding. John Paul II was well versed in Aquinas and applied his thought extensively [besides his knowledge of existential phenomenology] in Splendor Veritatis, particularly the object of the act as ordered to God. He highly recommended Thomistic Philosophy for seminarians. The crowd at the Vatican seem to detest reason. Like Gandalf one might ask Cardinal Kasper, perhaps even out of charity small fry Fr Reese “When Sauron did you abandon reason for madness”.
It all goes back to this statement of the “current pontiff’s” favorite theologian, Walter Kasper:
“The God who sits enthroned over the world and history as a changeless being is an offense to man.” (Kasper, God in History, 1969)
A theology of arrogance – for what Austin Ivereigh calls “Team Bergoglio” – the new godhead of post-Catholic Kirk.
So it seems that stupidity is now a requirement for one to advance into the Society of what use to be Jesus.
Very good.
While the world clamors for “change” and in this broken world change is the only constant, hearts yearn for that which is always the same and is of one essence.
The truth does indeed set one free.
Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics are permanently relevant in describing the fundamental structure of reality. Divine simplicity is a “de fide” teaching of the Catholic Church.
In his magisterial teaching on philosophy and religion (Fides et Ratio), Pope John Paul II saw the integration of Greek philosophy into Christian theology as a providential development. He was reacting to the kind of thought we see in people like Father Reese. The frontal attack on St. Thomas came (in spite of what Vatican II actually said) already at the time of the Council and thereafter. The enemy they have is simply truth and our ability to know it. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” In the time of Pope Benedict, Rome added an extra year for the B. A. in ecclesiastical philosophy precisely because students were coming out who were not convinced that we can know the truth. At the time, I remember remarking there is no need to change the courses, they just need to change the professors to solve this problem. Too many philosophy professors got into the field because they enjoyed studying odd opinions (e.g. Sartre, etc.) not because they loved the pursuit of truth. People who love the truth find the destruction of it painful and not at all interesting — this is often the case in contemporary philosophy which becomes increasingly irrelevant.
Wow. I think we need to pray for Fr. Reese.
Great article. It’s as though there is a significant faction in the Church who want to eradicate all rational thought. My suspicion is that they want to do this so they can push contradictory ideas and teachings based on emotion and personal tastes rather than reason, logic, Scripture and Tradition. The idea of objective truth, reason, logic is a threat to their “reforms”. It’s maddening. It reminds me of the saying from St. Anthony of the Desert who said: “A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like us.’ I had this experience yesterday when a Catholic priest called me a dissenter for believing what the official Catechism says in regard to divorce, illicit second unions and the reception of Holy Communion. I was at a kiss for words. There was no logic to his critique. In his eyes I am an unfaithful Catholic for believing today what the Church taught yesterday (and still does in the official Catechism). There’s no way to penetrate this illogical thinking. I’m not a a “traditionalist” and very much a JP2 generation Catholic, but I’m finding myself increasingly alienated from what passes for Catholicism these days.
That should read “loss for words”. Stupid autocorrect. 🙁
Actually those are words we can kiss. I’ve taken to kiss the Gospels [always after reading at Mass] when coming upon a pointed passage for me personally. It was perhaps a Freudian slip and a good one.
The observations here are correct. Kasper judges God and places man as the judge of his Creator and Fr. Reese wishes to pick and choose from ecclesial documents, this is hardly theology or based on any valid reasoning. Fr. Reese slides down a steep slope rejecting Thomism and embracing relativism. This modern unwillingness to call a sin a sin or to acknowledge God as God is born of cowardice or pride and greed, either born of fear of being thought of as “uncool” or of a desire to gain worldly acclaim or rank in the Church hierarchy instead of living in the “Splendor of Truth” being made holy by “obedience to the truth” (1Pet1:22).
Two books that can act as a powerful antidote to such illogical and fuzzy thinking are:
1) Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from St. Thomas Aquinas By Peter Kreeft
2) Theology and Sanity By Frank Sheed
Andrew, don’t ever despair. It sounds like you are striving to be the “Educated Catholic” we need in the world. In fact, we need MANY more of them! Keep your eyes and heart on the Prize!
Peace to you!
It’s all to undercut – eventually Aquinas – begin with Aristotle…then with that out of the way, Aquinas is easier.
It’s really an attack on Aquinas’s teaching on moral theology.
We need like a hundred bishops signing this Kazakh letter, a week.
Time to get it on.
The good news is that the leaders of the Libertarians are secular Aristotelians and are understanding of Catholic theology and champions of Great Books. Both Etienne Gilson and his protege, Michael Gilson De Lemos an Aristotelian Objectivist who co-ordinates the world Libertarian International Organization, are advocates of reason first and foremost. The spread of critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and comparative ethics courses by pro-libertarians and their object to spread the US Bill of Rights to all nations is a very good thing.
There’re therefore many attacks and smears on Libertarianism from the Communist infiltrators and ‘social theologists’ in the Church.
Revolutionaries always demand that we abandon all previous teaching and replace it. Reese is no different.
Another example of the diminution of history and we all know what Santayana said about that.
I have often thought that there is too much Greek philosophy influence in the Church. It should be dropped in favor of a more Scriptural worldview. This would be a better use of human reason coupled with faith. Vatican II, in Dei Verbum 21 would concur with this. It says: “Therefore, like the Christian religion itself, all the preaching of the Church must be nourished and regulated by Sacred Scripture.” Scripture needs to also regulate tradition.
Another thought that comes to mind is the mention of Neo-Platonism. In fact, Plotinus was taught by an ex-Christian, and his philosophy is clearly an alternative to the classic notion of the Trinity in theology and realiy leads to a kind of atheistic monism. Little wonder then that those who made sympathetic use of him in a foundational way, such as the Pseudo-Dionysius or Meister Eckhart ended up with fuzzy thinking or outright heresy. That is why Neo-Platonic thinkers even today are darlings of certain teachers of contemplation who see no need for John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila and deliberately ignore them.