Count on the curia to insert an off-key note in an important public statement.
The Visitators also encountered a certain tendency, not dominant but nevertheless fairly widespread among priests, religious and laity, to hold theological opinions at variance with the teachings of the Magesterium (sic), this serious situation requires particular attention.
I do recall reading Cardinal Dolan investigating seminaries as part of the visitation, and examining their orthodoxy or supposed shortcomings in that area. It’s probably an area in which Rome needs more schooling. Perhaps not unlike the good archbishop himself, where rights and the sacrament of marriage is concerned. Also the self-styled Temple Police. There’s no indication that ideology that differs from the conservative is any more or less inclined to abuse, cover-up, and other similar sins.
Let’s all take heart in knowing that one modern development, namely psychology, has done a lot of the heavy lifting where questionable seminarians have surfaced in formation. I’m sure it must sting like a hornet’s nest to consider that a morally neutral social science has done more to control sexual crimes in the clergy than “particular attention” being given to certain theological opinions. I’m not aware of any theology, aside from a hyperconservative dalliance with secrecy and cover-up, that would somehow open the floodgates to approve of bishops relocating sex offenders to new henhouses.
In fact, the more I think about this report, the more steamed I get. This curia, these bishops: they just don’t get it. Archbishop Dolan talks about putting an “attractive, articulate, intelligent” laywoman at the forefront of Catholic action on abortion. I wonder how he and his confreres would stomach a good talking-to from the same such person.
Let’s wrap up the GDC on catechesis for the aged with a brief section footnoted thus: Christifedeles Laici 48.
188. The Bible presents us with the figure of the old man as the symbol of a person rich in wisdom and fear of God, and as a repository of an intense experience of life, which, in a certain sense, makes him a natural “catechist” in the community. He is a witness to a tradition of faith, a teacher of life, and a worker of charity. Catechesis values this grace. It helps the aged to discover the riches within themselves and to assume the role of catechists among children—for whom they are often valued grandparents—and for young people and adults. Thus a fundamental dialogue between the generations can be promoted both within the family and within the community.
This is a fine image, especially if we include women as figures of community wisdom and grace. Parishes should know that such a movement works counter to the expectations of modern society, and be prepared to view this as a countercultural effort.
Prayers at Mass, and regarding the options for them:
363. In any Mass the orations proper to that Mass are used, unless otherwise noted.
On Memorials of Saints, the proper Collect is said or, if this is lacking, one from an appropriate Common. As to the Prayer over the Offerings and the Prayer after Communion, unless these are proper, they may be taken either from the Common or from the weekday of the current time of year.
On the weekdays in Ordinary Time, however, besides the orations from the previous Sunday, orations from another Sunday in Ordinary Time may be used, or one of the Prayers for Various Needs provided in the Missal. However, it shall always be permissible to use from these Masses the Collect alone.
In this way a richer collection of texts is provided, by which the prayer life of the faithful is more abundantly nourished.
However, during the more important times of the year, provision has already been made for this by means of the orations proper to these times of the year that exist for each weekday in the Missal.
The prayer life of the faithful would be even more abundantly nourished if these prayers were rendered in good, comprehensible English. But in theory, the principle here is a good one.
