Dear Friend of Catholic Answers:
Years ago I saw a cartoon, perhaps in "The New Yorker," the image of which
has remained with me.
The new man, Butterworth, is being shown around the office by the boss.
They come up to a pair of wall switches. The boss says, "Now get this
straight, Butterworth. This one turns on the lights, and this one destroys
the world."
Maybe the cartoonist thought that some things are important and need to be
paid attention to. I'd agree. I think the faith is the premier example.
Ignore it, and you end up creating at least a personal disaster and perhaps
a much larger one.
SACRED CITIES, CATHOLIC STYLE
Have you noticed that the media, in covering events in Muslim countries,
have a habit of identifying each city as "holy"? Events occur in "the holy
city of Tikrit" or in "the holy city of Baghdad," with no indication why
the cities might be regarded as holy, aside from the fact that Muslims live
there. Mecca and Medina I can understand as "holy," but every city?
I see the same sort of reportage when it comes to plots of land that are
coveted by Indian tribes that are interested in extending their casino
franchises. Such-and-so land is "sacred" to the tribe and should be handed
over to it, even when there is no historical evidence that Indians ever
lived there, let alone had religious services or burial grounds there.
What I find curious is how the media uncritically report claims of
sacredness by non-Christians but seldom by Christians. I think Christians
deserve equal time.
Consider California as just one venue, though a particularly fertile one.
We can talk about the "sacred city of Los Angeles" (named after Our Lady of
the Angels) or the "sacred city of San Jose" (named after the spouse of our
Blessed Mother) or the "sacred city of Santa Monica" (named after
Augustine's mother).
In New Mexico they have a really good example, the "sacred city of Santa
Fe" (Holy Faith). In Texas there is a better one still, the "sacred city of
Corpus Christi" (the Body of Christ), though California has the equivalent,
the "sacred city of Sacramento" (named after the Blessed Sacrament).
On second thought, I might be asking for trouble.
A few weeks ago someone sued the County of Los Angeles because its seal
includes a microscopic cross. The seal shows vignettes of Los Angeles
history, and one of those tiny pictures has, in the background, a hill with
a cross on it, signifying the Spanish missionaries who brought civilization
to the area. You need near-perfect vision to make out even the larger
elements of the vignettes and a hand lens to see the cross.
No matter. I can imagine the court saying that the cross must be stricken
because it violates the separation of church and state. How long will it be
before an idle judge decides that religious names must be removed from all
cities in the state?
"San Jose" will become simply "Joseph," and "Santa Monica" will be
"Monica." "Santa Barbara" will be "Barbara," "Santa Rosa" will be "Rose,"
and my own home town of "San Diego" will be "Diego."
"Los Angeles" will be harder to deal with. Maybe it will be shortened to
"Loss," which sort of fits anyway.
LITTLE-KNOWN LITURGICAL RULE
Someone asked, seriously, whether it is permissible to sing "Somewhere Over
the Rainbow" immediately before a funeral Mass. I think I have found the
definitive answer in the newly revised General Instruction on the Roman
Missal (GIRM), par. 24503:
"It is permissible to sing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' before a funeral
Mass, but only if Judy Garland does the singing live."
WHY EVERYONE NEEDS THE CATHOLIC FAITH
A non-believer described himself as well-off financially, with a wonderful
wife, excellent health, a satisfying job, and everything he could imagine
wanting. So why should he bother with Catholicism?
I answered with a quotation: "All men by nature desire to know." That is
the first line of Aristotle's "Metaphysics."
All men realize the truth of this sentence, but many choose not to act on
it, fearful perhaps of what they might learn--fearful that they might feel
compelled to change the way they live.
What is it that all men desire to know? The truth.
The only reason to adhere to the Catholic faith is that it is true. It is
the one religion that makes an absolute claim, and it has made it for
twenty centuries: This and none other is wholly true.
Most who have lived during those twenty centuries have not accepted that
claim. Even most nominal Catholics have appreciated it only imperfectly.
Still, that is the claim of the Church: This and none other is wholly true.
Take it or leave it. Accept it or reject it. Acknowledge it or deny it.
Live it or ignore it.
The good things the man lists in his life are all very good things, but
they all are finite goods. The one thing that is not finite is his desire
for a good that is more than finite. That very desire points to something
beyond him.
He may choose to remain satisfied with the many goods he has, or he may
choose to embrace the logic of Aristotle's sentence and the consequences of
living it.
CATHOLIC ANSWERS TELEVISION SHOW?
A listener to "Catholic Answers Live" inquired whether we might be thinking
about doing a television show. He said he particularly enjoys game
shows--his favorite is "Jeopardy"--and maybe we could do one like it.
Maybe so. How about "Catholics in Jeopardy"? As soon as taping ends, the
winner goes straight to heaven, the runners-up go to purgatory, and the
player who scores lowest goes ... well, you know.
Or maybe "Get Out of Jail Free." Prizes for correct answers are partial
indulgences, with "more days off" for tougher questions. The grand prize is
a plenary indulgence.
Or maybe "Apologetics Dinner for Two." The winner of this game gets to have
a dinner with me. The runner-up gets two dinners with me.
p.s., I'm pleased at how many people have signed up for Catholic Answers' third
annual apologetics cruise. We will sail from Montreal to Boston by way of
the Canadian maritime provinces. The speakers include Rosalind Moss, Jimmy
Akin, and Yours Truly from the Catholic Answers staff, plus Thomas Howard,
Tim Staples, and Bishop Colin Campbell. The dates are October 2-9. Find out
more at:
www.catholicanswerscruise.com
p.p.s., If you have a comment about anything appearing in this E-Letter, please do
not hit your Reply button. Instead, go to Catholic Answers' new discussion
forums at http://forums.catholic.com
where you may post your comment in
the forum dedicated to the E-Letter. You will find a thread devoted to this
issue of the E-Letter. Feel free to add your comment in the form of a reply
to that thread.
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