This is last issue's NEWS & FEATURE -- if you're still interested.
During this Holiday Season, the American Catholic Union encourages your financial support for the FOREVER LOVE FOUNDATION, of Bangkok, Thailand. The Foundation was established in January 1995 as a California non-profit, public benefit corporation, exempt from taxes under 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Founder and President is Ms Malissa Drake, a native of Thailand who has lived in the United States for 21 years. She is a U.S, citizen who is fluent in Thai and English. She maintains close connections with the government, business and medical communities in Thailand.
The FOREVER LOVE FOUNDATION provides aid to non-governmental organizations in Thailand that provide care, assistance and services to children in Thailand who are infected with or affected by HIV. Donations are solicited here in the U.S. and, to date, financial assistance has been provided to Tarn Nam Jai and Payathai Baby Homes in Bangkok and WianSping Infant House in Chiang Mai.
The Thai Red Cross estimates that between 5,000-8,000 Thai children are born infected with HIV every year. Children with HIV, children with HIV Positive parents, and children whose parents are ill or dead from AIDS face many difficulties caused by fear and discrimination. The discrimination against these children affects their ability to receive proper care and treatment.
I work with HIV Positive adults here in the U.S, and I know how mind-boggling it can be to get sufficient help in a country that seems to have plenty of resources. I shudder every time I think of what kind of care these babies and young children get in a developing nation like Thailand where there aren't the resources we have here. Many of these children who are HIV Positive will be lucky if they see their second birthday.
Others, who are HIV Negative were abandoned when their HIV Positive mothers became too sick to be able to care for the children. And then there are the orphans: children whose parents have died from this dreadful disease and whose relatives will have nothing to do with them because of the stigma attached to HIV.
I am being offered the opportunity to fly to Thailand next month and observe for myself the plight of these babies and young children. When I get there I would like to be able to make a donation to help these Baby Homes stay in existence and continue the valiant work they are doing. Will I go to greet these young innocents empty handed? Will that be a message from America that, now that there appears to be a ray of hope at the end of a very long and dark tunnel of HIV epidemic in the U. S., we don't really care what happens to anyone else in the world? Of course, I will make a personal contribution, but I invite you to join me by offering you the chance to make a contribution, too.
You can send your donation directly to: Forever Love Foundation, 7172 Hawthorn Avenue, #207, Los Angeles, CA. 90046-3282, or you can send them c/o The ACU at PO Box 1923, El Cerrito, CA 94530. For more information you can reach Malissa Drake at (213) 850-0297. If you send your donation straight to Ms Drake, be sure to let her know you heard about her through the ACU.
Thanks,
Fr. Mike Tachet
As Prefect (CEO) of the ACU I am often asked to render theological opinions on controversial issues of great interest to contemporary man. After discussing the matter with Fr. Samuel, ACU Secretary and Webmaster, it was decided that we would post some of these opinions on our webpage.
The purpose for doing so is two-fold: first, we would like to generate dialogue/discussion amongst priests from different jurisdictions/disciplines; second, we hope that, as a result of these dialogues/discussions, people can reach a better understanding for why they believe the way that they do.
We approach this project with some fear and trepidation because we are fully aware that theological opinion often times runs counter to political correct (secular) opinion. However, as priests, we must constantly remember whose opinions we are called upon to render. Therefore, we have put into place some "Rules of Engagement" when rendering a dissenting opinion:
I haveleft it to Fr. Sam, as webmaster, to be the final arbitor in the enforcement of these rules. I look forward to a lively and intellectually stimulating encounter and I sincerely hope that each of you, our readers, come away from this experience feeling similarly.
Fr. Mike Tachet ACUFirst, let me say that I believe that whoever was responsible for coining the term "gay marriages" did a great disservice to both society in general and to the homosexual community in particular. I do not believe that most gay couples are looking for ecclesiastical recognition for their unions - rather, I think that they are asking for equal treatment under the law.
They want the same civil rights and privileges as are currently enjoyed by heterosexual couples who unite them selves through the secular institution of marriage- they want health care, insurance coverage, and survivor benefits. What they want sounds more like the secular idea of "domestic partnership" than like the religious one of "marriage."
To those gay couples who do come knocking on the rectory door, demanding equal rights and privileges on a par with their heterosexual contemporaries, the only thing I can say is "Sorry, but the Church cannot recognize the legitimacy of your union on a par with heterosexual couples."
The reason why the Church cannot recognize gay "marriages" is quite simple: they lack one of the primary ingredients necessary to make a Sacramental Marriage valid - the ability and intent to produce offspring. From the perspective of Canon Law, sacramental validity rests on three things: matter; form; and intent - a serious defect in any one of these three areas renders the sacrament invalid.
So important is intent, that heterosexual marriages are regularly annulled when not consummated (where unprotected sexual intercourse does not take place). A defect of matter, such as barrenness - the inability to have children, whether on the male or the female side - is also a reason to declare a marriage null - that a sacrament was not valid.
A little Biblical research turns up the basis of the requirement for the right intention in marriage - Genesis 2:24: "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife (i.e. engage in sexual intercourse), and they will become one flesh (i.e. produce an offspring)."
It may be argued that not all heterosexual couples who marry are capable of having children. It might also be argued that a practicing lesbian can become pregnant via artificial insemination, or that a practicing male homosexual can adopt children.
These arguments, although emotionally compelling to some, are beside the point. In each case there is a defect of matter - the ability to produce offspring from the union. The intent may be there, the forms may be gone through, but the sacrament just does not happen.
Fr. Mike
FOCI is the"Free Orthodox Church International", and FOCUS is "Focusing On Christians United Sacramentally". Not just another small church or jurisdiction, this is an experiment on the part of three well-established jurisdictions to work together for Christian and Catholic unity.
The jurisdictions are:
The Diocese of Anchor -- an American Orthodox/Old Catholic monastic order (see the FEATURE, below) in the U.S. Northeast;
The Eparchy of Lincoln (Nebraska) -- Originally Greek Orthodox Old Calendar, we have watched Bishop Melchizedek's vision of his mission flower into a true ecumenicity over the last 2-3 years.
Christ Catholic Church, International (Niagara Falls, Ontario) -- a conservative, traditional Old Catholic jurisdiction with parishes on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.
. . . and, as of 10 October 1996:
The Apostolic Orthodox Catholic Church -- Headed by Bishop Charles Ingram (Glendora, CA), they have several diocese and a number of parishes in the U.S.
They have announced that they are forming a "Synod of Synods" -- a friendly association of theologically orthodox churches who will be in communion with one another, but will not be "under" any sort of common corporate body. Each Bishop and jurisdiction which associates itself with FOCUS will thus maintain his/its complete independence, but join in loving communion with other branches of the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" in doing Our Lord's will.
We think this is a marvelous idea! We want to help out, and one of the ways we are doing it is by publicizing FOCUS as widely as possible. We are publishing information here, on the Old Catholic list, and will be trying to spread the word elsewhere -- in the "mainstream" press
We want to invite you to help, too -- first, by praying for Catholic Unity, and secondly, by getting your priest or bishop to write to Archbishop Seraphim, and find out more about FOCI/FOCUS. We figure that, if enough people pray and nag bishops, things will get moving really quickly.
The Editor
{Editor's Note: We asked Archbishop Seraphim how FOCUS came to be, and he told us, essentially, "Go read the Web Page!" We allowed as how the Web Page was a little light on history -- because we did not click on the 'HOME' bar to get the complete story which contains quite a bit of detail -- and persuaded him to continue with the following: }
"How did we go about getting together? We all had concordats between our groups before we got the idea for forming FOCI/FOCUS. Our concordats work well, so we gained some insight from our experience. It was painfully evident that there are many who had the same basic theology -- though praxis might vary -- and who needed/desired some kind of unity...there being strength in numbers."
"We also realized that if we tried to make everyone the "same", it would not work. Then it occurred to us that there was no need to be the same, only in the faith! Our example is the Lord's mansion of many rooms -- He does not require the inhabitants of those rooms to decorate them all in the same way -- He does require acknowledgement and respect (read love) for the Landlord!"
"We also came to realize that there are some "singles" that need a synodial covering -- even a Bishop, in some cases. From that came the idea for a "Synod of Synods" in which no group would "lose" there own Synodial identity but would come under the umbrella of The Free Orthodox Church International This developed into FOCUS, The Free Orthodox Church Uniting Sacramentally, or Focus On Christians United Sacramentally -- a 'federation' of individual and independent orthodox (true) catholic churches."
"By the way, all of this arose out of a firm conviction in the creedal statements re: "one holy catholic and apostolic church." One Lord....One Church...not Roman....not 'Eastern'...but truly one in Him. This calls for forgiveness and acceptance...the love of Christ Jesus, if you will."
"From that came the stark realization that Mary's statements calling for 'conversion" was quite real and necessary since it is becoming increasingly obvious that the churches are, in fact, becoming more and more apostate (not Christ centered but man centered....what I call country clubs)! It followed that if one truly believed in God (for that is the originating and basic question) then one believes in the Trinity, His Son, Holy Spirit and all that follows from that belief and history."
"It is not easy for any group to get free of the defensiveness we have acquired over the years. However, if we are to truly trust and follow Him Whom we confess, then we must step out boldly and take the "risk" of submitting to His will completely. There is little time to enjoy the "luxury" of an "I don't think we are ready for that yet" attitude. That will not be a satisfactory answer when He comes again!"
"Well, very briefly, that is it. Now we are seeking out those who might come along with us on this journey. We undoubtedly will continue to be persecuted and reviled for His Name's sake...but isn't that part of the deal with Him when we signed on to follow Him?"
Love and Blessings in His Holy Name,
+Seraphim, Archbishop Presiding,
Free Orthodox Church International
{Ed. Note: We then asked ABp. Seraphim to tell us a little bit about the Diocese of Anchor, and he very graciously responded with: )
"The (Arch)Diocese of Anchor is successor to the Archdiocese of Bridgewater (MA). We came out of PECUSA some years ago. My predecessor was +Elefteri (Long Memory) who went to the Lord in 1980...I was duly elected by Parishioners, Clergy and, finally Synod and consecrated by three Bishops of various successions in Feb.1981-- basically into a Russian lineage..though I have some Old Catholics in my past!!! So, I really bridge Orthodox/Catholic...East/West, as do a number of us in this country."
{Ed. Note: By "Russian lineage", we understand that ABp. Seraphim means the Ofiesh lineage -- the American Orthodox Church that was abandoned by the Moscow Patriarchate in the 1930s, but has refused to die -- praise God! }
"After some years as Diocesan, the present ministry began to evolve. After some time, it became evident that Diocesan structures can effectively limit the development of a work of this magnitude...though we really did not have any idea how LARGE a magnitude it was to become...still don't, I think. So, we established an Orthodox Brotherhood (Order in the West) of St. Alexander Nevsky, I resigned from Diocesan life, was elected Abbot/Bishop of the Brotherhood of St. Alexander Nevsky and we have worked towards where you now find us."
"We offered all our Parishes and Clergy the opportunity to find other Diocesan covering and assisted them to that end if they so desired. Actually, most stayed with us....the parishes became Priories, the Pastors became Priors, and we continued, as we do to this day."
"We raised up the Synod of Emmaus and the Diocese of Anchor to satisfy today's praxis. Our Synod is composed of two chor-Bishops, two archpriests and myself. The Diocese is essentially the Alexandrian Priories of which there are a number located around the US."
"The Alexandrians are a small group of about 20 clergy located all over the US, but mostly in New England and Northern NY! How large are we? About the same as many of your groups...sometimes more, sometimes less but always ongoing."
"We do not ordain women other than to the ancient office of Deaconess (none at the moment, but if a woman has a true calling and a ministry that requires some kind of ordination, we are open to it -- no Priesthood, though, since we do not believe there is historical justification for it. If God wishes to change things, obviously He can and will. Then we will abide with His wishes, as we try to do now."
"Celibate gays are the same as any other celibate as far as we are concerned. As any man seeking ordination, if they qualify and match up to requirements, education, etc., then they can be ordained. Practicing gays are not accepted for ordination."
"Most all of our clergy are mature men with life experiences to their credit, as well as training for the priesthood. Most are married but some are not. We do not require any of our clergy (including Bishops) to be celibate, though they may elect to be so."
"Education varies according to the person and needs. Myself, I have two Baccalureates, two Masters, and a Doctorate, but I am not impressed with titles -- the degrees are merely 'credentials' needed to function in today's world. All the degrees in the world could not make a Pastor/Shepherd!!!"
{Ed. Note: AMEN! }
From: Michael Sarro <70373.2477@compuserve.com>
To: Editor@Herald.am-cath.org
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I hate to be the only one writing, but I had another idea that I thought might be helpful.
It seems to me that one of the major obstacles to creating a viable independent Catholic jurisdiction is the lack of sincere bishops who are more interested in building a church than title-mongering. To remedy the situation, I would suggest including bishops in the American Catholic Union with the proviso that they must be the rectors of legally incorporated parishes.
The only way the church can really grow is to require that priests who are elevated to the episcopate bring a viable parish with them into their respective jurisdictions. In some cases, of course, the episcopate would be a recognition of having created a viable parish within the ordaining jurisdiction. I would be interested in your response to this suggestion.
Fr. Michael
We Reply:
The ACU is for individuals, not churches or jurisdictions -- we have a bishop or two as members, but they are just like any other member, except they can't be corporate officers. The idea of requiring that members of a synod, (like the FOCUS initiative that Bishop Melchizedek of Lincoln is working on, be incorporated is a good one, but has the drawback that anyone who is even marginally literate can get incorporated as a church.
A bishop should have more than one congregation, ideally -- each priest should have a congregation, and several priests should share a bishop. We are kind of thinking that membership in a Synod should require letters of intent from the LAITY in the bishop's jurisdiction, followed up by a phone call, to assure their reality
Chris Martin wrote:
CURRENTLY I AM A CATHOLIC IN TAIWAN, AND THE MORMONS ARE OVER HERE IN FULL FORCE. EVERYONE HERE BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. NOW I REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE DECLARED NON-CHRISTAINS. IS THAT STILL TRUE? I COULD REALLY USE SOME INFO. PLEASE SEND ME ANYTHING YOU CAN.
We replied:
The Mormons are EVERYWHERE!!!
They will try to tell you that they are Christian, and indeed, they use the name "Jesus Christ" in their church's name. By all tests of historic Christianity, however, they are just not Christian.
A test of a true Christian is how they react to the Creeds -- either the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. The Mormons fail on the very first phrase: "I believe in One God..." They believe in, first, three separate gods, named "Father", "Jesus Christ", and "Holy Ghost" -- all of whom have bodies!
Secondly, they believe in an infinite hierarchy of gods & goddesses, and that by living a good Mormon life in this world, you become a god/goddess in the next. This is just not Christianity, and never was.
This is not to say that Mormons can't be good people, or that they don't reflect Christian values -- often, they do. They just do not believe what Christians do.
For more information on how, as a convinced Catholic, to deal effectively with Mormons (and other evangelistic denominations), we suggest you try looking at "Catholic Answers" -- http://www.catholic.com/~answers. They have literature and courses on Catholic apologetics -- good stuff!
From: eparchy@usa.net (Eparchy of Lincoln)
To: Editor@Herald.am-cath.org
Dear friend,
We have read your letter to the editor on the homepage and want to suggest the following food for thought.
It is essentially what we believe that makes us Orthodox, not the traditionalism or exclusivism so often found nowadays. The genuine Orthodox belief is solely based on the dogmatic teachings of Holy Scriptures and the Seven Oecumenical Councils. It is not the belief in outdated Canons, antiquated practices or twentieth century nostalgia.
Most Orthodox jurisdictions have perfectly legitimate succession and canonicity. Whether we agree with all of their practices and customs is secondary. The important criterion is that they teach Orthodox dogma. Again, whether it is from an Eastern perspective or put into Western terminology is a preference and not un-orthodox.
Finally, we must realize that the Church is not just Eastern, but she is Catholic (cf. Creed!) -- i. e. rather rich in multi-cultural expressions of both East and West. The many divisions between the multitude of rivaling Eastern sects only go in circles, as they have drifted away from the basic tenets of the Orthodox faith and attended to changable traditions of the church by making them the core of their faith.
Thus, they have become heretics in the truest sense as they fail to solely aspire to the revealed dogmatic truth in Christ's Church, and do not distinguish between dogma and traditions. Additionally, they often have added teachings or practices to Orthodoxy that are not authentic, but rather of mediaeval or 19th century invention.
Our firm conviction is that "Christ unites, but the devil divides". All traditionalists are divided into many tiny sectarian groups, each excommunicating the other one and proclaiming to be the only true church; each denying the other one's validity, and each slandering and hating those who disagree with their concocted views. This is not Christianity!
Though groups like SCOBA unite at least nominally the majority of Orthodox, their "unity" isn't acceptable to us. It is not based on Christ's love, but on monetary gains, patriarchalism (which is not found in the New Testament and early Christianity, including the Fathers), and worldly recognition (which is alien to Christianity).
FOCUS is the answer! We are just doing our part in the holy attempt to bring sincere Orthodox together in a free Synod where we all can live in harmony and peace - whether Eastern or Western, whether conservative or progressive, or somewhere in between...
FOCUS is not a merger of various jurisdictions or Orthodox churches and does not force acceptance of each and every tradition or custom upon its members.
Our times are very much alike those when Christ was here on earth. He was despised by the pharisees and attacked by the saducees. One was traditionalist who had no use for a radical teacher who broke virtually all Jewish "canons", the other one was elitist who could not accept a savior from the streets. Nowadays, one group is just as fanatic, while the other camp is elitist-exclusive.
Thus, we long for Christ-centeredness, not for the churchianity and the twist of modern day pharisees and saducees.
May we offer our humble prayers for you, but above all that God may guide you in these times.
Remaining in the love of Christ,
Bishop Melchizedek
{Editor's Note:
We do not have any experience with dealing with the Orthodox,
nor with SCOBA, so we have no opinion on the opinions that Bp. Melchizedek
expresses about them.
We, however, also long for Christ-centeredness and
the unity of Christian love amongst churches, so we think that FOCUS
is a good idea, and are encouraging the folk involved to write more for the
HERALD here . . . }
The Editor -- write to him!
So why YAOCP (Yet Another Old Catholic Page)?
First, we want to provide a voice on the Web for our own variety of conservative and orthodox Old Catholicism -- we feel we have a mesage that needs broadcasting. You will see this in the FEATURES section, which follows here. For this we will need your help and input -- if you have an article or point of view to share, snail-mail/email it to us.
Second, we want to provide a forum for Old Catholics to talk publicly on the Web. You will see this in the LETTERS section, which follows the features. Letters will be edited, of course, for length, politeness, and relevance. For this we will need your help and input -- write/email us letters.
Third, we want to provide more OLD Catholic links on the Web -- the Romans (God Bless 'em) are everywhere, but there aren't so many of us.
Further down the road, we plan on creating an online database of Independent Catholic clergy, similar to Bishop Pruter's Old Catholic Sourcebook. For this we will need your help and input -- talk/write/email us.
Edition of: April 6, 1996
This is the message of Easter -- and as St. Paul says, if it is not true, we have all believed in vain -- and are therefore utterly damned. We have the Faith and Hope that this is not so, and therefore we repeat:
On the 24th of March, the Associated Press reported that the Roman Catholic bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska (who, like his white-clad friend in the Vatican, is conservative, Polish, and hard-headed) is threatening to excommunicate any members of his flock who belong to various pro-choice groups. It also says that he issued the warning in response to an announcement that Call to Action is trying to form a Nebraska chapter.
We are of several minds about this - abortion and euthanasia are clearly wrong, and the Church has always said so, some times more clearly than others. Excommunication, however, does seem a bit of an extreme reaction to what has been an on-going situation.
His fit of Polish pique, like that of the Pope on the subject of ordaining women, is perhaps understandable, given the second part of the report. For those of you non-Romans out there, "Call to Action" are the left-leaning shrill advocates of ordaining women, destroying the Patriarchy, and voting on dogma.
They would fit just nicely in a socially conscious, Politically Correct denomination like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) - Catholic, they're not. They also take delight in tormenting conservative bishops, like their right-wing cousins, Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) do in tormenting liberals.
The poor guy in Lincoln is caught in the middle between his orthodox conscience and the activism of some of his laity. Excommunication, as little as 40 years ago, would clearly have been the right course in dealing with advocates of abortion and assisted suicide - and nobody would have faulted him for it.
In this day and age, however, things are a little less clear, and the moral consensus in favor of kicking people out of the Church seems to have evaporated - perhaps rightly. If this is, indeed, a reaction to taunting, it is over-reaction, and he should think better of it.
If, on the other hand, he has tried long and hard to get the Church's unequivocal and explicit moral stand on these issues across to his people, and has had nothing but stonewalling, arrogance and back-talk, then maybe it is justified. He is certainly within his rights, as Ordinary of the Diocese, to lay down the law, and expect obedience from his clergy and people - the Church has always expected this, all the way back to the Apostles. The Bishop is master in his own Diocese, not the "Priests' Council", or the Lay(person)'s Commission, or carpetbaggers from Chicago (headquarters of Call to Action).
Abortion is a thorny issue - and the "pro"s on both sides have got it wrong. I will stand up and say before God and everybody that abortion is wrong, and that the Church is right in teaching so; I am not crazy enough, however, to climb up on a soap-box and dictate to a woman what she must do with her body.
The only CHRISTIAN response to a woman who is pregnant, and without the resources to support herself and the child in a loving, responsible manner is to go to her and say; "How can I help?" Diakonia - service, not magisterium - rule, is the order of the day. This is what we need to be doing for the suburban mother of 3 (with another on the way), the about-to-be-ex-DINC couple, as well as the embarrassed teenager. Jesus gave loving support, not harsh condemnation, to people in trouble - can we then do less?
Suicide and euthanasia are a lot less ambiguous - they are, and always have been wrong. In this day of the War on Drugs and the concomitant war on the civil rights of the American people, we need to be careful to avoid allowing the busybodies and "do-gooders" to decide when the right time to die is - they are as likely as not to make it compulsory.
As I well know, people contemplating suicide are hurting - badly enough to want to die to make it end. Again, the only possible response is loving support - emotional or medical. For the physically sick, there are medicines for pain, restorative therapies, and prostheses to help them cope.
For the vast majority who are in emotional pain, we need to develop (or perhaps re-implement) ways of helping and healing - starting with a sympathetic ear, going on to the wise use of the Confessional, and then to the Anointing of the Sick, and even Charismatic healing. We need to reach out to these people, to let them know that the Church has concern, resources, and the treasures of the Faith for them, too.
This essay had come a long way from the subject of the Bishop of Lincoln threatening his people with excommunication. To return to the topic, and end this where it began, we think we would have preferred to see him out on the front lines, giving comfort to those in need - setting a Christ-like example - rather than thundering and threatening "ex cathedra". But then, it IS his Diocese.
The Editor
"Lex orandi est lex credendi" - roughly: "As we pray, so then do we believe". Liturgy is as much pedagogy as it is worship and affirmation of community.
The Church has always taught, and continues to teach, the Real Presence of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ in the Bread and Wine offered and consecrated at the Mass. Whether of the Roman, Byzantine ("Orthodox"), Coptic, or Eastern Rites, all Catholics join in affirming the Eucharist, and through it, Our Lord, as the center and source of worship and Grace in the life of our Pilgrim Church. Protestants, in denying that Real Presence, cut themselves off from the grace and consolation of Christ's personal, healing touch.
Now -- if we really believe in Christ's Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament -- as we must, to maintain faith with Orthodoxy, the Fathers of the Church, and the Apostles -- we must display and act out that belief publicly in our liturgies: Mass, Benediction, and such practices as the 40 Hours' Devotion.
We must do this first, to instruct the young & impressionable, who learn by example and are turned off by mere preaching and instruction. Good theater makes for much better learning than bad rhetoric. In addition, it is precisely among the young that studies have shown a startling erosion of belief and understanding of the Church's teaching about the Real Presence.
Secondly, even the experienced and educated need to affirm the Presence of our Lord and Savior "with our knees" as well as "with our mouths". Verbalization, no matter how pious and well thought out, soon becomes "mere verbalization" without the multi-sensory reinforcement of the physical action and emotional involvement that the devotional liturgies provide.
It is for this latter reason that the Roman Catholic Bishops in the U.S. have mandated that the people kneel at the Consecration -- even if at no other time. By kneeling, we acknowledge that something (and some One) greater and beyond our limited humanity has come into the midst of our assembly.
Thirdly, we all need an excuse to shut up and simply be with Christ for a few minutes of our lives. With radio, TV, the telephone, and our 20th Century passion for chatter - most of it empty - there is almost no room for contemplation, the quiet that allows the Spirit of God to speak to us in the still center of our hearts.
Many people would, I believe, avail themselves of the opportunity for quiet adoration, if encouraged. Post-Vatican II Catholics seem to have succumbed to the logorrhea of our Protestant kinfolk, and then profess mystification as to why Mass attendance, vocations, and membership are down -- the laity have simply been talked to death.
My most treasured memories of late-1950s Catholicism are of Benediction and sung High Mass. The priest and the people BELIEVED, and showed their belief, both publicly and beautifully! This made up for all of the horrors that were inflicted on us by unenlightened clergy and nuns, which feature so prominently in Catholic war stories.
I am going to delicately suggest that some of the reason that the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is no longer practiced in any form is that many Roman (and other) Catholic priests no longer believe in the Real Presence, or, if they do, they have been conditioned to be embarrassed about so believing.
There is no room whatever in modern, rational, secular philosophy for any sort of metaphysics, much less the mystical presence of a 2000-years-dead prophet masquerading as bread and wine. Most modern theology has been deeply and fatefully influenced by the prevailing Weltanshauung, and the relentless torrent of talk about community and "social justice" leaves no room or time for souls, contemplation, Real Presence, or even God, when you get down to it. They see Faith, as we older folk understand it, as an irrelevancy, something hopelessly out of date and irrational.
Modern theology and liturgics lack imagination, lack breadth, lack Catholicism (large or small "C"), and lack Orthodoxy. The world is a lot bigger, stranger, and more wonderful than rationalists and extroverts will allow themselves to believe.
Since Pentecost, at least, the Church has always taught about things which cannot be seen, felt, smelled, tasted, heard, or measured - God above all - but has striven to portray those unsensed Mysteries through stimulation of the senses - candles, chants, relics, incense, pictures, and wine. Inability to accept the unseen is a defect of rationalist metaphysics, not a virtue.
Moderns also have trouble with the words "Lord", "King", and "Father", as well as the concepts "above", "power", and "obey". Some of this is as a result of more-or-less healthy post-18th Century democratic trends, but much more is rooted in an unreflective anarchism, hatred of any order, and a search for Political Correctness. I.e.: "If you don't understand it, destroy it."
Patriarchy and patriarchal order can, indeed, be stifling, but they can also be supportive and empowering. Destroying the patriarchal order in the name of "freedom" also frees up the human propensity for violence and cruelty. The Church has been patriarchal, hierarchical, and ceremonial from late Apostolic times to the present, sometimes reflecting, and sometimes influencing the surrounding societies' need for order.
The traditional Roman liturgies grew out of the court ceremonial surrounding the Western Emperor, and continued with the Pope as the focus after Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Emperor, was deposed in 476 A.D. The Byzantine liturgies, too, took their patterns from the court ceremonial of the Eastern empire, which lasted another 1,000 years before it fell to the Turks.
Modern Westerners have little empathy with Late Roman times or people - perhaps rightly. But by ignoring history, we may be condemning ourselves to repeat it. The stately dance, measured chant, and spiraling incense of Benediction are a valuable anodyne to the frenetic anonymity of modern times, as well as an affirmation of our living link to generations of faithful Catholics in an unbroken line back to the Apostles.
Thus do I affirm Benediction and all forms of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as parts of our sacred Deposit of Faith, received from the Fathers and to be passed on to all generations of our spiritual children; and I commend and urge them on you, and all who come to read my words.
Fr. Sam Bassett
If you want to know something about a Church, one of the first things you should do is to study its concept of priesthood.
What does the Church believe a priest is, and what is the priest expected to do for you?
In Independent Catholicism we believe that our priests are divinely appointed representatives of Christ Himself. Christ said to His apostles, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
Christ comissioned his priests to preach the gospel and to administer the sacraments. His first obligation is to celebrate the Mass that all might obey Christ's command to, "Do this in remembrance of me." This means not only at public worship but also to provide oppportunity for the sick and the shut-ins of the parish to partake of this Sacred Supper.
Your priest is as near as your telephone, so when you are sick or in need of his services he will welcome your call at any time of the day or night.
It is especially important that you contact your priest whenever you or any member of your family is ill. He will offer both public and private prayers for your early recovery. He will visit you and, if you desire it, will annoint you with oil as instructed by Holy Scripture.
Whatever your need, you will find that your priest is trained to advise you. He will give comfort to the bereaved and minister to the dying. Whether your problems concern the great issues of life and death, or the trivia of everyday living, you will find your priest a helpful friend and advisor.
The happiest occasion to call one's priest is when one is contemplating marriage. He is a trained marital counselor and his pre-marital counseling will enable you to begin your wedded life soundly and confidently.
Since life does not ordinarily go without occasional problems, you may wish to avail yourself of the services of your priest. His training as a pastoral counselor is available to you for the asking. Although every mature individual who has received Christian training is ordinarily capable of handling most of his problems, there occasionally comes a time when we need help from someone who cares but who can be objective. It is advisable to seek out the services of a trained counselor rather than the nearest friend or neighbor.
The Independent Catholic Churches provide many special services for parishioners. Below are a few of the services you may wish to request of your parish priest.
The Blessing of a Home. Many Independent Catholics like to begin life in a new home by having the priest come and invoke God's blessing upon the house and its occupants.
Confession. Since it is human to err, we need ooccasionally to unburden ourselves of the guilt that we so naturally feel.
Ministry of Healing. The Church not only provides public services and special healing shrines at which we can invoke God's help, but she has a rich storehouse of prayers, litanies and services at your command.
Prayers for the Dead. Finally, as Independent Catholics we believe that God is Lord over both the living and the dead. If it is desirable to pray for others in this world, it behooves us to offer our prayers for our loved ones who have departed in the faith. You may wish to remember the departed at the All Soul's Day Mass (November 2) or on the anniversary of their death. Your priest will gladly talk with you about these memorial services.
Your priest comes not to be ministered to, but to minister unto you. The seven sacraments of the Church are instruments through which he can bring a blessing to your life. Your Church has provided for every spiritual need you may have and you have only to ask.
It is both a privilege and an obligation on your part to have a priest visit you in your time of need.
Finally, do not forget to pray for your priests. The Church is judged most often by those who serve her at the altar. At each Sacrament and at each service the priest is dealing with sacred things. Pray that he may never regard them as commonplace, or fear to offer them because of his own unworthiness.
We each, laity and priesthood, have the obligation to pray for the whole church, the one mystical Body of Christ.
Edition of: September 30, 1996
FOCI is the"Free Orthodox Church International", and FOCUS is "Focusing On Christians United Sacramentally". Not just another small church or jurisdiction, this is an experiment on the part of three well-established jurisdictions to work together for Christian and Catholic unity.
The jurisdictions are:
The Diocese of Anchor -- an American Orthodox/Old Catholic monastic order (see the FEATURE, below) in the U.S. Northeast;
The Eparchy of Lincoln (Nebraska) -- Originally Greek Orthodox Old Calendar, we have watched Bishop Melchizedek's vision of his mission flower into a true ecumenicity over the last 2-3 years.
Christ Catholic Church, International (Niagara Falls, Ontario) -- a conservative, traditional Old Catholic jurisdiction with parishes on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.
. . . and, as of 10 October 1996:
The Apostolic Orthodox Catholic Church -- Headed by Bishop Charles Ingram (Glendora, CA), they have several diocese and a number of parishes in the U.S.
They have announced that they are forming a "Synod of Synods" -- a friendly association of theologically orthodox churches who will be in communion with one another, but will not be "under" any sort of common corporate body. Each Bishop and jurisdiction which associates itself with FOCUS will thus maintain his/its complete independence, but join in loving communion with other branches of the "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" in doing Our Lord's will.
We think this is a marvelous idea! We want to help out, and one of the ways we are doing it is by publicizing FOCUS as widely as possible. We are publishing information here, on the Old Catholic list, and will be trying to spread the word elsewhere -- in the "mainstream" press
We want to invite you to help, too -- first, by praying for Catholic Unity, and secondly, by getting your priest or bishop to write to Archbishop Seraphim, and find out more about FOCI/FOCUS. We figure that, if enough people pray and nag bishops, things will get moving really quickly.
The Editor
The Eparchy of Lincoln (Nebraska) , an Independent Orthodox jurisdiction, and
Christ Catholic Church International (Niagara Falls, Canada) , a conservative Old Catholic jurisdiction, and
Free Orthodox Church International (N.E. U.S.) , an organization devoted to Church unity,
have all recently put up WEB Pages, and nice ones, at that.
Have a look!
. . . and, as of 10 October 1996:
Chapel of the Pines of the Apostolic Orthodox Catholic Church -- a Mission Parish in Idylwild, CA.
{Editor's Note: We asked Archbishop Seraphim how FOCUS came to be, and he told us, essentially, "Go read the Web Page!" We allowed as how the Web Page was a little light on history -- because we did not click on the 'HOME' bar to get the complete story which contains quite a bit of detail -- and persuaded him to continue with the following: }
"How did we go about getting together? We all had concordats between our groups before we got the idea for forming FOCI/FOCUS. Our concordats work well, so we gained some insight from our experience. It was painfully evident that there are many who had the same basic theology -- though praxis might vary -- and who needed/desired some kind of unity...there being strength in numbers."
"We also realized that if we tried to make everyone the "same", it would not work. Then it occurred to us that there was no need to be the same, only in the faith! Our example is the Lord's mansion of many rooms -- He does not require the inhabitants of those rooms to decorate them all in the same way -- He does require acknowledgment and respect (read love) for the Landlord!"
"We also came to realize that there are some "singles" that need a synodial covering -- even a Bishop, in some cases. From that came the idea for a "Synod of Synods" in which no group would "lose" there own Synodial identity but would come under the umbrella of The Free Orthodox Church International This developed into FOCUS, The Free Orthodox Church Uniting Sacramentally, or Focus On Christians United Sacramentally -- a 'federation' of individual and independent orthodox (true) catholic churches."
"By the way, all of this arose out of a firm conviction in the creedal statements re: "one holy catholic and apostolic church." One Lord....One Church...not Roman....not 'Eastern'...but truly one in Him. This calls for forgiveness and acceptance...the love of Christ Jesus, if you will."
"From that came the stark realization that Mary's statements calling for 'conversion" was quite real and necessary since it is becoming increasingly obvious that the churches are, in fact, becoming more and more apostate (not Christ centered but man centered....what I call country clubs)! It followed that if one truly believed in God (for that is the originating and basic question) then one believes in the Trinity, His Son, Holy Spirit and all that follows from that belief and history."
"It is not easy for any group to get free of the defensiveness we have acquired over the years. However, if we are to truly trust and follow Him Whom we confess, then we must step out boldly and take the "risk" of submitting to His will completely. There is little time to enjoy the "luxury" of an "I don't think we are ready for that yet" attitude. That will not be a satisfactory answer when He comes again!"
"Well, very briefly, that is it. Now we are seeking out those who might come along with us on this journey. We undoubtedly will continue to be persecuted and reviled for His Name's sake...but isn't that part of the deal with Him when we signed on to follow Him?"
Love and Blessings in His Holy Name,
+Seraphim, Archbishop Presiding,
Free Orthodox Church International
{Ed. Note: We then asked ABp. Seraphim to tell us a little bit about the Diocese of Anchor, and he very graciously responded with: )
"The (Arch)Diocese of Anchor is successor to the Archdiocese of Bridgewater (MA). We came out of PECUSA some years ago. My predecessor was +Elefteri (Long Memory) who went to the Lord in 1980...I was duly elected by Parishioners, Clergy and, finally Synod and consecrated by three Bishops of various successions in Feb.1981-- basically into a Russian lineage..though I have some Old Catholics in my past!!! So, I really bridge Orthodox/Catholic...East/West, as do a number of us in this country."
{Ed. Note: By "Russian lineage", we understand that ABp. Seraphim means the Ofiesh lineage -- the American Orthodox Church that was abandoned by the Moscow Patriarchate in the 1930s, but has refused to die -- praise God! }
"After some years as Diocesan, the present ministry began to evolve. After some time, it became evident that Diocesan structures can effectively limit the development of a work of this magnitude...though we really did not have any idea how LARGE a magnitude it was to become...still don't, I think. So, we established an Orthodox Brotherhood (Order in the West) of St. Alexander Nevsky, I resigned from Diocesan life, was elected Abbot/Bishop of the Brotherhood of St. Alexander Nevsky and we have worked towards where you now find us."
"We offered all our Parishes and Clergy the opportunity to find other Diocesan covering and assisted them to that end if they so desired. Actually, most stayed with us....the parishes became Priories, the Pastors became Priors, and we continued, as we do to this day."
"We raised up the Synod of Emmaus and the Diocese of Anchor to satisfy today's praxis. Our Synod is composed of two chor-Bishops, two archpriests and myself. The Diocese is essentially the Alexandrian Priories of which there are a number located around the US."
"The Alexandrians are a small group of about 20 clergy located all over the US, but mostly in New England and Northern NY! How large are we? About the same as many of your groups...sometimes more, sometimes less but always ongoing."
"We do not ordain women other than to the ancient office of Deaconess (none at the moment, but if a woman has a true calling and a ministry that requires some kind of ordination, we are open to it -- no Priesthood, though, since we do not believe there is historical justification for it. If God wishes to change things, obviously He can and will. Then we will abide with His wishes, as we try to do now."
"Celibate gays are the same as any other celibate as far as we are concerned. As any man seeking ordination, if they qualify and match up to requirements, education, etc., then they can be ordained. Practicing gays are not accepted for ordination."
"Most all of our clergy are mature men with life experiences to their credit, as well as training for the priesthood. Most are married but some are not. We do not require any of our clergy (including Bishops) to be celibate, though they may elect to be so."
"Education varies according to the person and needs. Myself, I have two Baccalureates, two Masters, and a Doctorate, but I am not impressed with titles -- the degrees are merely 'credentials' needed to function in today's world. All the degrees in the world could not make a Pastor/Shepherd!!!"
{Ed. Note: AMEN! }
From: Michael Sarro <70373.2477@compuserve.com>
To: Editor@Herald.am-cath.org
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I hate to be the only one writing, but I had another idea that I thought might be helpful.
It seems to me that one of the major obstacles to creating a viable independent Catholic jurisdiction is the lack of sincere bishops who are more interested in building a church than title-mongering. To remedy the situation, I would suggest including bishops in the American Catholic Union with the proviso that they must be the rectors of legally incorporated parishes.
The only way the church can really grow is to require that priests who are elevated to the episcopate bring a viable parish with them into their respective jurisdictions. In some cases, of course, the episcopate would be a recognition of having created a viable parish within the ordaining jurisdiction. I would be interested in your response to this suggestion.
Fr. Michael
We Reply:
The ACU is for individuals, not churches or jurisdictions -- we have a bishop or two as members, but they are just like any other member, except they can't be corporate officers. The idea of requiring that members of a synod, (like the FOCUS initiative that Bishop Melchizedek of Lincoln is working on { http://www.slic.com/focus/home.htm}), be incorporated is a good one, but has the drawback that anyone who is even marginally literate can get incorporated as a church.
A bishop should have more than one congregation, ideally -- each priest should have a congreagtion, and several priests should share a bishop. We are kind of thinking that membership in a Synod should require letters of intent from the LAITY in the bishop's jurisdiction, followed up by a phone call, to assure their reality
Chris Martin wrote:
CURRENTLY I AM A CATHOLIC IN TAIWAN, AND THE MORMONS ARE OVER HERE IN FULL FORCE. EVERYONE HERE BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. NOW I REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE DECLARED NON-CHRISTAINS. IS THAT STILL TRUE? I COULD REALLY USE SOME INFO. PLEASE SEND ME ANYTHING YOU CAN.
We replied:
The Mormons are EVERYWHERE!!!
They will try to tell you that they are Christian, and indeed, they use the name "Jesus Christ" in their church's name. By all tests of historic Christianity, however, they are just not Christian.
A test of a true Christian is how they react to the Creeds -- either the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed. The Mormons fail on the very first phrase: "I believe in One God..." They believe in, first, three separate gods, named "Father", "Jesus Christ", and "Holy Ghost" -- all of whom have bodies!
Secondly, they believe in an infinite hierarchy of gods & goddesses, and that by living a good Mormon life in this world, you become a god/goddess in the next. This is just not Christianity, and never was.
This is not to say that Mormons can't be good people, or that they don't reflect Christian values -- often, they do. They just do not believe what Christians do.
For more information on how, as a convinced Catholic, to deal effectively with Mormons (and other evangelistic denominations), we suggest you try looking at "Catholic Answers" -- http://www.catholic.com/~answers. They have literature and courses on Catholic apologetics -- good stuff!
From: eparchy@usa.net (Eparchy of Lincoln)
To: Editor@Herald.am-cath.org
Dear friend,
We have read your letter to the editor on the homepage and want to suggest the following food for thought.
It is essentially what we believe that makes us Orthodox, not the traditionalism or exclusivism so often found nowadays. The genuine Orthodox belief is solely based on the dogmatic teachings of Holy Scriptures and the Seven Oecumenical Councils. It is not the belief in outdated Canons, antiquated practices or twentieth century nostalgia.
Most Orthodox jurisdictions have perfectly legitimate succession and canonicity. Whether we agree with all of their practices and customs is secondary. The important criterion is that they teach Orthodox dogma. Again, whether it is from an Eastern perspective or put into Western terminology is a preference and not un-orthodox.
Finally, we must realize that the Church is not just Eastern, but she is Catholic (cf. Creed!) -- i. e. rather rich in multi-cultural expressions of both East and West. The many divisions between the multitude of rivaling Eastern sects only go in circles, as they have drifted away from the basic tenets of the Orthodox faith and attended to changable traditions of the church by making them the core of their faith.
Thus, they have become heretics in the truest sense as they fail to solely aspire to the revealed dogmatic truth in Christ's Church, and do not distinguish between dogma and traditions. Additionally, they often have added teachings or practices to Orthodoxy that are not authentic, but rather of mediaeval or 19th century invention.
Our firm conviction is that "Christ unites, but the devil divides". All traditionalists are divided into many tiny sectarian groups, each excommunicating the other one and proclaiming to be the only true church; each denying the other one's validity, and each slandering and hating those who disagree with their concocted views. This is not Christianity!
Though groups like SCOBA unite at least nominally the majority of Orthodox, their "unity" isn't acceptable to us. It is not based on Christ's love, but on monetary gains, patriarchalism (which is not found in the New Testament and early Christianity, including the Fathers), and worldly recognition (which is alien to Christianity).
FOCUS is the answer! We are just doing our part in the holy attempt to bring sincere Orthodox together in a free Synod where we all can live in harmony and peace - whether Eastern or Western, whether conservative or progressive, or somewhere in between...
FOCUS is not a merger of various jurisdictions or Orthodox churches and does not force acceptance of each and every tradition or custom upon its members.
Our times are very much alike those when Christ was here on earth. He was despised by the pharisees and attacked by the saducees. One was traditionalist who had no use for a radical teacher who broke virtually all Jewish "canons", the other one was elitist who could not accept a savior from the streets. Nowadays, one group is just as fanatic, while the other camp is elitist-exclusive.
Thus, we long for Christ-centeredness, not for the churchianity and the twist of modern day pharisees and saducees.
May we offer our humble prayers for you, but above all that God may guide you in these times.
Remaining in the love of Christ,
Bishop Melchizedek
{Editor's Note:
We do not have any experience with dealing with the Orthodox,
nor with SCOBA, so we have no opinion on the opinions that Bp. Melchizedek
expresses about them.
We, however, also long for Christ-centeredness and
the unity of Christian love amongst churches, so we think that FOCUS
is a good idea, and are encouraging the folk involved to write more for the
HERALD here . . . }
The Editor -- write to him!