Peeling back the onion

Consequences of the extraordinary, and extraordinarily horrifying, story of Dr. Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor and Michigan State University physician who was recently convicted of molesting over 150 teen gymnasts under his medical care, continue to reverberate.  This was his third set of convictions; this latest sentence would run concurrently with a previous, similarly lengthy sentence, but only after a first also-lengthy sentence completes.  The minimum amount of time he would spend in jail would seem to be 100 years, with a maximum of 300 years.

On Liturgical Divisions

This article in Commonweal by Massimo Faggioli is worth reading. He discusses the split between the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form:

"For the foreseeable future, it won’t be possible to restore the unity of the Roman liturgy: the split between the “ordinary form” and “the use of the 1962 Missal as a forma extraordinaria of the liturgy of the Mass” (as Benedict XVI put it in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum of July 7, 2007) will be with us for a long time. Whatever we think of it, this split has become part of the ecclesial landscape."

Call your Congressperson? Or never mind?

That friend of mine I've mentioned before who is with the Jesuit Volunteer Corp (JVC) blasted out an email today reminding us that, for those of us in the US, today is National Call-in Day for the Protection of Dreamers.   The bishops would like to see Capitol Hill switchboards flooded by Catholics speaking up on behalf of Dreamers, who were brought here illegally through no choice of their own as minors and in many cases have known no home other than the US.

Jesus unveiled

I preached twice today.  This is the homily I gave at one of the masses.  The other mass had a large number of children (the children's choir was scheduled for today), so I invited children to come up to the front of the church and sit on the floor, and I used the Socratic method with them to elicit their thoughts, which were shared with the congregation via a hand-held microphone, on Jesus, the Transfiguration, amazing things they've seen in their lives, voices coming from clouds, and so on.   On the whole, probably a better effort than this one, but am not sure how to capture it in blog form.   here is the other one, for what it's worth.

Dispatches from the communion line [Updated 2/23/18 10:46 pm CT]

A trio of communion-themed news items from the last few days:

The degenerate sheriff

Donald Trump has been compared to many people, from Nigel Farage to Rupert Murdoch to Fr. Coughlin.  German polymath, controversialist and celebrity Peter Sloterdijk, in a New Yorker profile, proposes an interesting metaphor:

Billy Graham's long-running pulpit

 I was interested enough in the final status of the Rev. Billy Graham to go to a couple of authoritative Catholic sites. EWTN said "bishops" praised his Christian witness, but it named only two.  EWTN filled out its report with a quote from Robert George, the go-to Catholic quote from Princeton, who said Graham was "firmly rooted" in his denomination. That sounded odd because Graham sent the folks who got God at his rallies to the denomination of their original choice, Baptists to Baptists and Episcopalians to Episcopalians. He even sent Catholics to their own parishes.

 A search on Vatican Radio revealed: "There are no results for Billy Graham."

 Others might differ. When I was a lad and the Rev. Billy was packing arenas and stadiums, Catholics were, mildly or firmly, admonished by their shepherds that he preached Protestant errors, and his altar call was no place for a son or daughter of Holy Mother Church. Then Vatican II came along, and"hostility to Graham waned on the Catholic side. Despite the denomination in which Graham was "firmly rooted," where the pope is still equated with the whore of Babylon in some pulpits, he didn't rail against Rome. And despite where the current president's supporters came from, and why, Graham's rallies were desegregated before desegregation was cool. Old film proves it.

 Sadly, much of the memory seems to be of Graham as "pastor to presidents." Those were not his finest hours. It started with Truman feeling he was  being used and ended with Obama seeking Graham's counsel for whatever reason. In between, there was a lot of back and forth, but when one is  going back and forth with power, one must expect go be used as well as useful.

You have to get power to listen if you are going to speak truth to it. But power always grabs something back when it lends an ear.

 From what I saw,  Graham was probably closest to the buttoned-down Bushes, of all presidents.  W famously credited Graham with leading him to God. The last time I saw Graham was at Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's first inauguration,  a day that would have been darned cold in Boston and was brutally cold in Tallahassee. Even with a heavy coat and scarf, the profile of the 80+ preacher was unmistakable. God certainly gave him he look for the job.

 Graham's religion was not sophisticated, but it was sincere, and he helped a lot of people who were not sophisticated and some who were. RIP, Rev. Billy.

Trump's permission to goon squads and proto-Nazis

I always read Margaret Sullivan. She was the ombudsperson at the NYT until she wasn't. Now she is at the Washington Post where she covers the media and those things that are said to resemble media.

Today she is on the response to students from Majorie Stoneham Douglas High where 17 people were shot last week. Sullivan pays special attention to the media, respectable and not, who are indulging in "right-wing sliming." She begins with twitter bee Dinesh D'Souza and goes on to anonymous tweeters who attacked individual students claiming they are provocateurs who have rushed to take advantage of this tragedy. She also notes the comment on CNN of  a Republican Congressmen from Georgia, apparently an adult.
Washington Post

100 cheers for the students who have gotten through that day and the past week. Perhaps nothing will come of their efforts at protest and lobbying for gun control. Perhaps a good deal will come of it.  Perhaps Trump will stop giving permission to slimers' attacks on kids who think we (and he) are the adults.

Critical Thinking and Gun Reform (Updated)

This article dealing with gun reform, by author and speaker Brené Brown, is worth reading.
Excerpted from the article:
"The ability to think past either/or situations is the foundation of critical thinking, but still, it requires courage. Getting curious and asking questions happens outside our ideological bunkers. It feels easier and safer to pick a side. The argument is set up in a way that there’s only one real option. If we stay quiet we’re automatically demonized as “the other.”
The only true option is to refuse to accept the terms of the argument by challenging the framing of the debate. But make no mistake; this is opting for the wilderness. Why? Because the argument is set up to silence dissent and draw lines in the sand that squelch debate, discussion, and questions—the very processes that we know lead to effective problem solving."

"...Of all of the lobbying organizations I’ve studied over the past twenty years, not one of them has done a better job using fear and false dichotomies than the NRA. Today’s NRA rhetoric employs the ominous they and forces “us versus them” language over and over. Allow anyone to buy any type of gun and ammunition, when and wherever they want, or they will break down your door, take away your guns, crush your freedom, kill everyone you love, and put an end to the American way. They are after us. They are coming. That’s the biggest bunch of bullshit I’ve heard since someone told me, “If you own a gun—any gun—you might as well be the one pulling the trigger in all of these terrible mass shootings.” No and no." 

"...The only way to successfully bring about gun reform is if a critical mass of us are willing to have honest, tough, civil conversations outside of our ideological bunkers. Gun reform will not happen unless the silent majority of gun owners who passionately disagree with the NRA’s divisive rhetoric and complete lack of respect for responsible gun culture speak out and take political and economic action.
When we engage in the “us versus them” argument, we lose. The only person who wins is the person who owns the framing of the argument."

The thought I took away from this is that the NRA can't be part of the solution because they are to a large degree the problem. They have forfeited the right to frame the argument.

Update:  Here are some thoughts by Phyllis Zagano on the roots of the NRA and support for the students taking part in the protest against gun violence.
And here is an Atlantic article on a darker aspect of the origins of the 2nd Amendment that no one wants to talk about.

'Useful idiot' at best

 You may be too young to remember the once famous magazine advertisements by the Philadelphia Bulletin of happy memory. The ads showed a crowd.  In the background an airplane was crashing or a tall  building was burning. One little guy in a black suit was jumping up and down, shouting and pointing at the unfolding disaster, but everyone else had his nose in the newspaper. The caption was: “In Philadelphia, nearly everyone reads the Bulletin.”

 That’s how it looks to me now, with Lt. Gen. James Clapper, the former National Intelligence Director in the role of the guy in the black suit. Russia is disrupting the country with propaganda, and the all eyes are on Twitter.  Clapper’s successor, Dan Coats, testified this week that Russia deemed its efforts during the 2016 presidential campaign “successful.” That would be news if the media covered it instead of taking Donald J. Trump on his own terms and covering the circus.

 But if it is true, the President of the United States is an unwitting or witting stooge of Vladimir Putin. If he is unwitting, he is what Vladimir Lenin termed a “useful idiot.” If he is witting, there is not a whole helluva lot we can do about it.

"What are they giving out today?"

There are many qualities of the Trump Administration that frequently are criticized: the incompetence; the chaos; the tweeting; the lying; the contempt for Constitutional norms; the hostility toward immigrants; and so on.  Most of these qualities, of course, are more or less directly traceable to the character and personality of the president.

But there is another aspect of the Trump Administration that may deserve more consideration than it has received so far: the policy innovations.

Conflicts Between Faith and Science

There is an interesting book review by John Farrell on the Commonweal site.  The title of the article  is "The Conflict Continues". The book being reviewed is On Faith and Science, by Edward J. Larson and Michael Ruse.
From the article:

Endangered species: pro-life Democrats in Congress [Updated 2/12/2018]

First Things, in my view, has been running on fumes for the last nine years, continuing to get by on the goodwill and reputation among religious conservatives that was built up by the periodical's founder, the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, who passed away in 2009. 

A True Conundrum and Some Conundrum Confusion

I find the Brexit issue fascinating and regularly check in to see on how it's going. Teresa May is taking the hits, but I wonder if anybody could negotiate this to a reasonable conclusion.

One of the stickiest wickets is the Irish question. If Northern Ireland is to stay part of the UK some solution must be found to the question of being in-or-out of the single EU market. The Republic of Ireland does not want a border constructed and I would bet a lot of Unionists don't want one either. Teresa May has fudged the issue to assure the continuing support of her government by the Protestant-like  UDP (Ulster Democratic Party). Now the EU has issued what looks like an ultimatum: May must make up her mind.

"The EU will prepare a draft of the U.K. withdrawal treaty that envisions Northern Ireland remaining in the customs union — essentially issuing an ultimatum that London come up with other options or accept that there is no other practical way to avoid the recreation of a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said Friday." Brexit Ultimatum--Politico.

Perhaps part of the fascination lies in the fact that this is not an American problem--at least, not yet.

BUT CONUNDRUM CONFUSION:

O, Say Can You See Straight?

 Some variously related nits annoying me came together today. It's the day of the National Prayer Breakfast, and the Prayer-in-Chief spoke at the event to acknowledge that there is a God and the Bible is good and people ought to practice their Christian religion.

 President Obama used to go to these exercises in public smarm, too, but he was always accused of not going, and what he said was fly-specked for heresies against capitalism and the National Purpose. Trump will get a pass because, after all, he didn't say anything. Furthermore...

Salute the reviewing stand [Updated 2/7/2018]

The Washington Post is reporting that President Trump wants to have a military parade in Washington.  Apparently, the inspiration for the idea came from a parade he witnessed  along the Champs-Elysees with French President Emmanuel Macron this past Bastille Day:

“It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen,” Trump told reporters. “It was two hours on the button, and it was military might, and I think a tremendous thing for France and for the spirit of France.”

Seated next to Macron, Trump added: “We’re going to have to try to top it.”

Trump's lawyers: Don't talk to Mueller: You might lie.

This is the NYTimes story:

"WASHINGTON — Lawyers for President Trump have advised him against sitting down for a wide-ranging interview with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, according to four people briefed on the matter, raising the specter of a monthslong court battle over whether the president must answer questions under oath."

"His lawyers are concerned that the president, who has a history of making false statements and contradicting himself, could be charged with lying to investigators. Their stance puts them at odds with Mr. Trump, who has said publicly and privately that he is eager to speak with Mr. Mueller as part of the investigation into possible ties between his associates and Russia’s election interference, and whether he obstructed justice."

One interpretation: Talking Points Memo:  "Trump to Plead the De Facto Fifth."

"Really this shouldn’t surprise us. The President has gone to war with whole sections of the federal government to undermine the criminal probe which appears to be gathering vast evidence of his guilt. It’s total war. We lose track of how many things the President has done just in the last few weeks which were heretofore unimaginable and which all would be credible and robust grounds for removal from office."

Hard to know where this will end up. Wait it out until the next election? The Republicans stiffen their spines and charge him if Mueller makes the case for obstruction AND complicity? 

Clericalism discussion in Commonweal

On January 20, Commonweal offered two opinions on clericalism in the church, and what, if anything, should be done.

 Clericalism infects the other Christian churches to a lesser degree and variously, but the Roman Church has simply collapsed under its weight.  (William Shea)

 William Shea, who teaches Religious Studies at Holy Cross, argues that the Church is in such a bad way that a radical solution is needed - eliminating clericalism by getting to the roots of it: drop the [man-made] notion that clergy are marked with an ontological sign, remove the accoutrements of office in the clergy (clothing etc), and restore governance to THE church, which includes all followers of Christ, not simply Roman Catholics.

 His argument is countered by David Cloutier, who, unsurprisingly, pretty much defends the status quo.

I have drastically edited Mr. Shea's article, and I have not included Mr. Cloutier's at all, due to space limitations.  The full article may be found at

 https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/imagine-theres-no-clergy

The edited text of Mr. Shea's proposal is in the next post.

I would be interested in the thoughts of others here.

William M Shea on Clericalism

….the Roman Catholic Church is in a bad way. … The hierarchy of the church has so … harmed its life and reputation that they have … abandoned their inherited apostolic status. … their establishment and vigorous support of a clerical monopoly in the church .. must be gotten rid of if the church is to continue in its apostolicity and its evangelical mission.

… The abuse crisis itself is only one among the many rolling waves of disappointment the popes and bishops have delivered …over hundreds of years and which demand the revocation of their honorific “Successors of the Apostles” :

The Reformation, … that tore the churches from communion with one another, was the responsibility of the clergy on both sides. ….

The antimodern crusades of the 19^th century popes …. the Church (bishops and popes) failed their people (the church) by pitting themselves against …“evils” such as democracy, freedom of the press, and a thoughtful lower clergy.

The failure of most church leaders to counter the beast of the German war …

The vicious hounding of theologians by several twentieth-century popes, ..

The sexual assault on children and young people by clergy, … and the consequent hierarchical cover-up, …..

The resistance by two popes to the … possibilities of reform of church life suggested by the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) insofar as they touched on clerical hegemony. ..

The failure of the clerical leadership of the church to face up to … the rapid decline in the sacramental practice of Catholics in the West, much of it attributable to the debilitating clericalism ..

If clericalism is the root of the problem, why not cut to the root? Why not a strategic plan to radically de-clericalize the church? …..

Clericalism infects the other Christian churches to a lesser degree and variously, but the Roman Church has simply collapsed under its weight….

.. I am not opposed to leadership, to authority, to structure, to ministry…. but I am opposed to its sacrality and its sanctification. …. Can we count on the clergy to eliminate clericalism?... Not likely! …

…As “Successors to the Apostles” the clergy are a sacral caste who rule, sanctify, and teach the rest of Christians, a Sanhedrin in effect presided over by the Roman High Priest. This was a mistake, made by Christian leaders rather than by Jesus himself …I would argue that this development was utterly foreign to the intentions of Jesus, … a worldly rather than a holy phenomenon. 

The answer to this ongoing crisis is this: that the clergy from low to high be desacralized entirely. …There was and is no “divine plan” for how the churches are to be governed. The clergy … have not simply misused the myth; they created it, imposed it, maintained it… with the tacit agreement of the laity. ..

Let me summarize a handful of the elements of my proposal to declericalize the .. Church….    

Ending Clericalism. There should be no distinction between the clergy and laity, except in functions assigned to some Christians for some time… 

Ending the Ontological Sign. Clericalism is reinforced by the doctrine that the sacrament of orders causes a “sign” to be placed on the soul of the recipient … ministers are simply Christians who share, like all Christians, in the priesthood, … Ministers should be called and accepted by the community to perform a specific service …. The “priestly people” are the church, not the clergy.

End the Accouterments of Sacred Office. …. special dress, peculiar hats, crosiers, and rings 

End all “one true church” talk. ... Drop the .. declaration that “fullness of the church subsists in the Roman Catholic Church…”  The fullness of the church dwells where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name. ….

Regional and International Synods.. …. These synods are to include representatives of all Christian communities, not only the ones called Catholic.

William M. Shea is adjunct professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross.

Another war we're in - who knew?

Did you know that we have 2,000 troops embedded with the Kurds in northern Syria?  I didn't, until Georgie Anne Geyer told me this morning.

Either the American public doesn't care about things like this, or our media gatekeepers think we don't care, or both.  My supposition is that one factor in this curious public ignorance is that the women and men who fight our un-wars tend to come from small towns or urban downscale communities - the places that our college-educated elites tend to stay away from.

Getting the memo out

The famous Memo from the Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee is now available to the public.  As Byron York summarizes it, it's pretty damning of top officials in the Justice Department and the FBI.  And perhaps some major media institutions should be added to that list.  Mark Penn, pollster and adviser to the Clintons, believes that the press has failed the American people in its coverage, or lack thereof, of this story:

Both the New York Times and the Washington Post yesterday ran editorials calling for prior restraint on a memo  written by the duly elected chairman of the House Intelligence Committee after he and his staff reviewed classified documents related to the so-called Russia investigation.  These editorials are a stain on American journalism, much like the Japanese internment camps were a stain on the record of the Supreme Court. They should — and, I think, will over time — regret them.

I have no idea what is in this memo, but it’s a memo. It’s speech. It’s from the very staff and people our Constitution assigns to oversee the Justice Department and the FBI. And the elected officials who wrote it think I should see it. The people who don’t want me to see it are the elected officials and leaders of the Democratic Party, the institutions and individuals whose actions are being reviewed, and several of the same newspapers that went to court to publish the “Pentagon Papers.” 

Democrats: Thank you for being there.

Commonweal headline: 
"Should Democrats Have Sat Through the State of the Union?

No, They Shouldn’t Have Showed Up in the First Place"

 

Those of us who watched the SOTU Tuesday night probably asked ourselves the same question as Matthew Sitman does in this short essay (up on CWL now): "Why Am I Watching This."  Maybe it was the thrill of 80 minutes of idiocy. Or maybe it was the ultimate question: How far will he go?  We could have turned off the TV, walked away, or gone to the bathroom anytime.

But we had a choice. The Democrats en bloc did not. They are the Other Party and their prospects and projects aren't so prize-winning or electorally alluring that they can afford to absent themselves from the struggle to keep the ship afloat. Some members didn't come, but the party was there, the surrogate for that part of the citizenry appalled by this president. More important: though ours is not a parliamentary system, the Democrats are the official opposition (enshrined neither in the Constitution nor in law, but only in custom and history). Their absence would have signaled one of the dangers of our current situation, a one-party state. 

 

The Democrats are what stands between us and who knows what. Stop giving them bad advice.

P.S. some of you may be amused by this ID on my column in the on-line version of February 9.  "Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, a former editor of Commonweal, writes frequently in these pages and once blogged at now-deceased dotCommonweal". 

"Now-deceased" sounds ominous: not simply on life support as some may have hoped.