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P
Pork_Roll
Guest
The encyclical Caritas in Veritate calls for the same body, quoting Blessed John XXIII. I think there is some danger to what extent the church can talk about outside of its expertise without becoming irrelevant. It either has authority or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, why bring up specifics and confuse everyone.
I think many of the statements in Vatican II documents could be held with suspicion as well. Especially Gaudium et Spes and Sacrosanctum Concilium (on religious liberty and the reform of the liturgy). I think this is precisely the discussion that’s occurring between the SSPX and Rome.
I think many of the statements in Vatican II documents could be held with suspicion as well. Especially Gaudium et Spes and Sacrosanctum Concilium (on religious liberty and the reform of the liturgy). I think this is precisely the discussion that’s occurring between the SSPX and Rome.
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Swiss_Guy
Guest
Wouldn’t the global thing just be something like a UN that helps people?
S
Swiss_Guy
Guest
Not saying the UN doesn’t help people…the bishops support the idea of the UN according to faithful citizenship guide thing…but it could do A LOT better.
J
JReducation
Guest
I think that Father is saying something that we (religious and clergy) have been telling people who ask us at the local level. That is, there are two points to keep in mind.
First, the document is meant to get politicians to think about the importance of a moral approach to the problem. It’s not enough to find an expedient approach, if it is not moral.
Second, we have to be very careful not to underestimate the Church. It’s very easy to say that the clergy, religious and popes are speaking outside of their competency. It can also be a very incorrect statement. Most bishops, religious brothers and religious sisters are very well educated in secular sciences along with the ecclesial disciplines. Almost every bishop is a Doctor. It is a canonical requirement that candidates for bishop have either a doctorate degree or its equivalent.
You have men like Bl. John Paul II who was a theologian, but he was also a philosopher. Political science is the daughter of philosophy. Bl. John XXIII was a theologian and a historian. Pope Paul VI was a civil and canon lawyer. In our own USA, we have many bishops who are Doctors of Theology and PhDs in secular sciences and disciplines: economics, social work, education, medical ethics, political science, philosophy, and natural science. Take for example the Franciscan Br.Daniel Sumalsy. The man is a Doctor of Theology, a Doctor of Medicine, a practicing physician in internal medicine, and holds certifications in several scientific and theological fields. He’s better educated and has more experience in faith and science than most doctors and priests. Brother Daniel is not the only such individual in the Church.
On many of these staffs and teams, you will find religious brothers, religious sisters and regular priests who have expertise in secular disciplines as well as theology. There are also lay professional consultants. The Vatican and the bishops also have access to the Pontifical universities. Father points this out in his interview. Pontifical universities are renowned for their academic excellence, not only in theology. Our own pontifical university in the USA, The Catholic University of America, besides having the best school of canon law in the USA, it also has an outstanding school of engineering, school of law, and school of social science.
The Angelicum University in Rome, which has given us many popes, has one of the best faculties on Islamic studies in the world. Santa Cruce, which is also a Pontifical University, operated by Opus Dei, has the best school of journalism in Europe.
What you will find is that the Church often makes use of these scholars to review many of its statements, not only the Holy Father uses them, but also bishops and committees often bring these Catholic scholars in for consultation or send out their work for review. Many of the Vatican II documents were reviewed by scholars in secular sciences before they were sent back to the bishops to sign off on them.
Let us not overstate the significance of the document, but let’s not underestimate the education of our clergy and religious or the resources that we have within the Church.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
First, the document is meant to get politicians to think about the importance of a moral approach to the problem. It’s not enough to find an expedient approach, if it is not moral.
Second, we have to be very careful not to underestimate the Church. It’s very easy to say that the clergy, religious and popes are speaking outside of their competency. It can also be a very incorrect statement. Most bishops, religious brothers and religious sisters are very well educated in secular sciences along with the ecclesial disciplines. Almost every bishop is a Doctor. It is a canonical requirement that candidates for bishop have either a doctorate degree or its equivalent.
You have men like Bl. John Paul II who was a theologian, but he was also a philosopher. Political science is the daughter of philosophy. Bl. John XXIII was a theologian and a historian. Pope Paul VI was a civil and canon lawyer. In our own USA, we have many bishops who are Doctors of Theology and PhDs in secular sciences and disciplines: economics, social work, education, medical ethics, political science, philosophy, and natural science. Take for example the Franciscan Br.Daniel Sumalsy. The man is a Doctor of Theology, a Doctor of Medicine, a practicing physician in internal medicine, and holds certifications in several scientific and theological fields. He’s better educated and has more experience in faith and science than most doctors and priests. Brother Daniel is not the only such individual in the Church.
On many of these staffs and teams, you will find religious brothers, religious sisters and regular priests who have expertise in secular disciplines as well as theology. There are also lay professional consultants. The Vatican and the bishops also have access to the Pontifical universities. Father points this out in his interview. Pontifical universities are renowned for their academic excellence, not only in theology. Our own pontifical university in the USA, The Catholic University of America, besides having the best school of canon law in the USA, it also has an outstanding school of engineering, school of law, and school of social science.
The Angelicum University in Rome, which has given us many popes, has one of the best faculties on Islamic studies in the world. Santa Cruce, which is also a Pontifical University, operated by Opus Dei, has the best school of journalism in Europe.
What you will find is that the Church often makes use of these scholars to review many of its statements, not only the Holy Father uses them, but also bishops and committees often bring these Catholic scholars in for consultation or send out their work for review. Many of the Vatican II documents were reviewed by scholars in secular sciences before they were sent back to the bishops to sign off on them.
Let us not overstate the significance of the document, but let’s not underestimate the education of our clergy and religious or the resources that we have within the Church.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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