Becoming a saint - in layman's terms

Dupre: What does canonization actually mean? Surely there are more people in heaven than just the saints?

DeLuca: There are definitely more people in heaven than those declared “Saints” by the Catholic Church, because we are all called to be saints. But canonization, generally speaking, is a decree regarding the public veneration of an individual by the church. Beatification and canonization are the official processes that the Catholic Church uses to recognize men and women who have lived lives of outstanding holiness. The Church offers such people as examples for all Christians to imitate when it proclaims them saints or blesseds. It officially recognizes the saint or blessed as someone whose life was inspired by the grace of God and the spirit of the Gospel. With this process the Catholic Church canonizes or beatifies only those whose lives have been marked by the exercise of heroic virtue and sanctity which has been proved by conclusive arguments.

Dupre: Has this always been the process for canonization?

DeLuca: The process of declaring a deceased Christian to be saint was originally quite informal, but became increasingly more formal and regulated over the centuries and is now defined by canon law. In 1983 Pope John Paul II streamlined and changed the canonization process. Evidence, both pro and con, is still examined painstakingly, but it is no longer as lengthy and contested an enterprise.

Dupre: So what are the requirements for becoming a saint?

DeLuca: Usually between 5 and 50 years after a would-be saint’s death, a formal request is made to consider a person as saint. This way there is more objectivity in evaluating the case and it lets the emotions of the moment dissipate. The request is directed to the bishop of the diocese where the person died. The request includes testimony about the person’s exceptional virtue. When there are no reasons found to prohibit the request, the bishop then forms a diocesan tribunal to look into the request. Witnesses are called before the tribunal to give concrete facts and testimony on how the person lived the Christian virtues in a heroic manner, that is how one exhibited the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude in one’s in life. Documents regarding the candidate are gathered. At this point the person is entitled to the title of Servant of God.

Dupre: What does it mean when a person has blessed before their name like Pope John Paul?

DeLuca: For beatification - being named blessed - a miracle attributed to this now “Servant of God”, is verified. The required miracle must be proven through the appropriate canonical investigation, following a procedure similar to the one used for determining the person’s exercise of the virtues, which includes examination by theologians, cardinals and bishops. The Holy Father then decides on beatification, and with beatification the candidate receives the title of Blessed.

Dupre: How long does it take to become a saint?

DeLuca: After beatification, another miracle attributed to the intercession of the Blessed is needed for canonization to sainthood. The methods for ascertainment of the affirmed miracle are the same as those followed for beatification. The difference between being declared blessed and a saint is that the first, those called Blessed, can only be honored in certain regions, while the latter is allowed to be venerated all over the world. The time period for each is obviously different depending on when the miracles take place and are verified.

Dupre: How are miracles attributed to the dead?

DeLuca: The miracle usually is an immediate, complete and spontaneous cure of a serious and pathological disease or condition which medical science cannot explain or refute. Usually this is the result of intercessory prayer to the person whose cause is being investigated. If any miracles are reported, which qualify the person for beatification or canonization, they are presented to the pope to decide. The evidence should speak for itself, with doctors of all and even of no faith assessing the alleged miracle. A miracle demands empirical proof that a healing phenomenon occurred without any credible scientific explanation.

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Holy days – what the Church has to say

Dupre: We have heard about laws of the church. Older Catholics know of them as the seven precepts of the Catholic Church. What are they?

DeLuca: The precepts of the Church are duties that the Catholic Church requires of all the faithful, and also are called the commandments of the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that they are meant to lead us in the right direction spiritually. The Seven Precepts are:

1. To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and resting from servile works.
2. To observe the days of abstinence and fasting.
3. To confess our sins to a priest at least once a year.
4. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season.
5. To contribute to the support of the Church.
6. To obey the laws of the Church concerning matrimony.
7. To participate in the Church’s mission of evangelization of souls. (missionary spirit of the Church)

Dupre: What does the term holy days of obligation really mean?

DeLuca: The Lord’s Day, or Sunday, is the primary Holy Day of Obligation because it celebrates the Paschal Mystery, the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. Holy Days of Obligation are the principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints, which complete Sunday attendance and observance. We are obliged to attend just as we are obliged to attend Mass each weekend. We call them obligations because the Precepts of the Catholic Church tell us that celebrating those feast days is a part of the minimum level of commitment to the Catholic faith. They are so much more than that! We celebrate the most important feasts of our liturgical year on these days.

Dupre: Are the holy days of obligation the same world-wide?

DeLuca: Canon Law lists 10 feast days as holy days of obligation: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, St. Joseph, St. Peter and St. Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

Some countries have additional holy days of obligation feasts. Ireland has St. Patrick’s Day. Germany has St. Stephen on the “Second Christmas Day” (December 26), Easter Monday and Pentecost Monday.

In some countries three of the 10 feast days as I just mentioned are assigned to a Sunday as their proper date. These are:

• The Epiphany to the Sunday that falls between the 2nd and 8th of January;
• The Ascension of Our Lord to the following Sunday;
• The Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, to the following Sunday.

If they are assigned to a Sunday, they are not included in the holy days of obligation for any particular country, since in every country all Sundays are holy days of obligation.

Dupre: What are the holy days of obligation in the United States?

DeLuca: In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States are:

January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension; August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; November 1, the solemnity of All Saints;

December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception; December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dupre: Why were these days chosen in the United States?

DeLuca: There are more feast days than are celebrated in the Church in the U.S. as holy days of obligation. These feast days were chosen by the bishops of the United States from the list of those decreed by Canon Law, the universal law of the church. Canon Law gives each conference of bishops in a country the right to decide on which feasts days the Catholics of that country are obliged to attend Mass.

Dupre: Are there any differences throughout the dioceses or states? Who decides if a day is considered holy in a diocese?

DeLuca: All dioceses in the United States celebrate the holy days as defined by the U.S.C.C.B., the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In 1999, the U.S. bishops received approval from the Vatican to transfer the observance of the holy day of the Ascension, and its Mass attendance obligation, from Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday, and this decision is made by the bishops of a particular province. In Texas the two archdioceses or provinces, San Antonio and Galveston-Houston, transferred the holy day to a Sunday. The Diocese of Beaumont is located within the province of Galveston-Houston.

Dupre: The Feast of the Assumption is August 15. I understand it is not a day we are obligated to attend Mass this year?

DeLuca: In 1991 the U.S. bishops decided that whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the feast is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

Dupre: Shouldn’t we just want to attend Mass? Why does the Church obligate us to attend?

DeLuca: The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that this obligation and the other Precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the bishops is meant to enable us to grow in love of God and neighbor.

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Catholics don’t believe in the Bible?

Dupre: Many times our Protestant brothers and sisters criticize us for not depending on the Bible as the source of our Christian faith. How would you respond to that?

DeLuca: As Catholics our faith depends on both Scripture and tradition. If you take a look at the central beliefs of our faith as found in the creed we say at Mass every weekend, you will find a basis for them in Scripture. Our beliefs and the sacramental life of Catholics flow out of scripture and the life and teachings of Jesus.

Dupre: I am intrigued about how the Gospels sometimes differ on the details of certain accounts in Jesus life, for example the stories on the Resurrection. If Scripture is the inspired word of God, why do the authors differ on the details?

DeLuca: Each Gospel was written out of faith for the growth of faith of a specific community. As the stories and teachings of Jesus were passed on orally for many years, those which especially spoke to the needs of that community were focused upon to help the people remain faithful to their baptism. Likewise, each author of a Gospel wrote from a different theological perspective, thus highlighting some of the sayings and doings of Jesus while downplaying those which were not as important for the faith life of that community.

Dupre: I always thought that St. Paul wrote all the letters in the Bible that are attributed to him. A Catholic friend told me that may not be correct. Who wrote all those letters?

DeLuca: At the time of St. Paul and in Greco-Roman society there could be a difference between an author and a writer. In such a case the author would be the source of the teaching, and his disciple would use the authors’ name to give credence to what was written.

Dupre: How soon after Jesus’ death were the books of the New Testament written? What were the first ones?

DeLuca: The letters of St. Paul were the earliest writings of the Bible, being written between 51 and 58 AD and the Gospels were written between 65 and 110 AD. The Gospel of Mark, as the earliest, was written between 65 and 75 AD, Matthew and Luke around 85 AD and John between 90 and 110 AD. As you can see, the Gospels were later than St. Paul’s letters because for the most part Paul was addressing particular circumstances and questions of the communities he founded. The Gospels came later after the early Christians realized Jesus was not returning as soon as they initially thought and they wanted to save for future Christians the oral tradition of the community.

Dupre: On the History Channel I keep hearing about how there are all these Gospels by Thomas and even Judas that are not part of the New Testament. Who decided which books are in the New Testament? Where did those come from and why were they not included?

DeLuca: The “canon” of books of the New Testament, the listing of those considered sacred scripture inspired by God, came about gradually over the first four centuries so that by the Council of Hippo (393 AD) and the Council of Carthage (397 AD) 27 books were seen as authoritative. Full dogmatic articulation of the canon was not made until the Council of Trent of 1546 for Roman Catholics.

It was not only a task of collecting, but also of sifting and rejecting some of the writings which included at least 19 “Gospels” and “acts” of different apostles. The Church chose to canonize those writings which over the first four centuries were principle in developing the faith and belief of Christians. Some of the rejected writings were based in theological perspectives of Jesus that were considered to be heretical and went against the teachings of the Church. Others were created by combining some of the four Gospels, thus compromising the theology of the accepted Gospel writers.

Dupre: How can I learn more about Scripture?

DeLuca: There are many opportunities to learn more about the Catholic faith and Scripture by taking Catholic Education and Ministry Institute classes, also known as CEMI. They’re free and very interesting. And since they are offered in different places throughout the diocese, it’s relatively easy to find one near you. This semester we will be offering A Survey of the Old Testament, A Survey of the New Testament, and The Gospel of Matthew. You can already register for them through the diocesan website, and a special issue of the East Texas Catholic outlining all the upcoming CEMI classes will come out next month.

Another opportunity would be to take online Scripture courses from the University of Dayton VLCFF. You can visit campus.udayton.edu.The Diocese of Beaumont has partnered with them.They offer five-week courses that can be taken online from home at any time convenient to you.

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Why do we say what we say and do what we do?

Dupre: I’ve always wondered why is Mass called Mass?

DeLuca: Catholics worship God in a variety of ways, but the chief act of communal worship is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Eastern churches, Catholic and Orthodox, this is known as the Divine Liturgy. In the West, we call it Mass – an English word derived from the Latin word “missa” which is part of the text of the priest’s dismissal of the congregation at the end of the liturgy when we hear the words: “The Mass is ended, go in peace.” (“Ite Missa est.”) One of the options in the new translation of the Roman Missal is “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” which more clearly reflects the idea that we are being sent from the table of the Eucharist into the world to live the Gospel.

Dupre: Catholics are known for sitting, standing and kneeling. Why do we move so much?

DeLuca: The different postures are not merely ceremonial. They have profound meaning and can enhance our personal participation.  In fact, these actions are the way in which we engage our bodies in the prayer that is the Mass. These postures have their sources in Scripture as well as Jewish and early Christian practices.

Each posture we assume at Mass reinforces the meaning of the action in which we are taking part at that moment in our worship. Standing is a sign of respect and honor and, from the earliest days of the Church, has been understood as the stance of those who are risen with Christ and seek the things that are above. When we stand for prayer, we assume our full stature before God, not in pride, but in humble gratitude for the marvelous thing God has done in creating and redeeming each one of us. By baptism we have been given a share in the life and love of God, and the posture of standing is an acknowledgment of this wonderful gift. We stand for the Gospel, the pinnacle of revelation, the words and deeds of the Lord. The U.S. bishops chose standing as the posture to be observed in this country for the reception of Communion, the sacrament which unites us in the most profound way possible with Christ who, now gloriously risen from the dead, is the cause of our salvation.

The posture of kneeling signified penance in the early Church. Kneeling was so profoundly identified with penance that the early Christians were forbidden to kneel on Sundays and during the Easter Season when the spirit of the liturgy was that of joy and thanksgiving. In the Middle Ages kneeling came to signify the homage of a vassal to his lord. More recently this posture has come to signify adoration. It is for this reason that the bishops of this country have chosen the posture of kneeling for the Eucharistic Prayer. Sitting is the posture of listening and meditation, so the congregation sits for the pre-Gospel readings and may also sit for the period of meditation following Communion.

The postures have another very important function. The Church sees in these common postures both a symbol of the unity of those who have come together to worship and a means of fostering that unity. When we stand, kneel, sit, bow and sign ourselves in common action, we give witness that we are indeed the Body of Christ.

Dupre: A friend asked me before why we make the motions at the beginning of the Gospel being read. Why do we?

DeLuca: The motions made before the proclamation of the Gospel accompany a prayer that is said by both the priest or deacon and the people in the assembly. All pray “May the Word of God be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart,” while crossing oneself on the forehead, lips and heart.

Dupre: I’ve noticed that some parishes ring bells around the time the priest blesses the Eucharist. Some parishes have no bells. What is the explanation behind the bells?

DeLuca: When a priest shows the consecrated bread and the chalice to the people, the server may ring a bell or the server may not ring a bell. It’s an option. Some Catholic communities exercise it; others do not.

   Bells have harmonized with church life since the sixth century, when they first summoned worshipers to church before the invention of beeping wristwatches. In the early 13th century, the faithful were going to Communion so infrequently that the church had to require it once a year. When they attended Mass, the faithful wanted to see the host. The priest, presiding with his back to the people, lifted the host during the recitation of the words of Jesus at the Last Supper so that the faithful who would not receive it could adore it. During the same century, the server started ringing the bell to let the people know the elevation had come, and the tower bells were rung so that the people in the fields would know this as well. Today when the priest shows the consecrated bread and cup to the people, the ringing of the bell is optional.

Dupre: In the Acts of the Apostles, the writer speaks of “The Breaking of the Bread” but not the Mass. When did it become the liturgical structure it is today? How did all these prayers happen?

DeLuca: Today’s Mass has its roots in the Jewish faith and went through several stages of development. Whatever changes and variations occurred in history, the Church has always preserved the core ritual of the Mass. Early Christians viewed the Last Supper from the viewpoint of the Passover meal.

Gradually the apostles and their successors developed the Eucharistic celebration into the structure that endures to this day. They first named it the “Breaking of the Bread” but soon they saw the need to separate the rite from a meal.

Eucharist was moved to Sunday in memory of Christ’s resurrection. In place of the meal the early Christians created a Liturgy of the Word somewhat modeled after synagogue prayer that included readings from Scripture, singing of psalms and an instruction. Around the words of institution they added prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession, so that by the year 150 the basic structure of the Mass was in place.

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Dupre: Many Catholics have statues of the Virgin Mary in or outside their homes. A common misconception of some people is that Catholics worship these statues. What’s the real meaning behind Mary and other saint statues?

DeLuca: From the earliest times of Christianity, there were paintings of Jesus and saints in the catacombs to remind the faithful of those who had gone before them in faith. Statues of Mary and the saints, paintings or other artistic devices are used to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as it’s easier to remember your mother by looking at her photograph, so it is easier to recall the lives of the saints by looking at representations of them. Mary and the saints are models for us because as humans they took on and fully lived their discipleship and can show us how to likewise follow Christ today. Catholics and Orthodox Christians do not “worship” saints but venerate and show reverence and honor them through icons and images, special prayers, and other devotions in order to better imitate them in their relationship with God.

Dupre: It’s not uncommon for Catholics to have medals featuring certain saints. Many of these say “pray for us” on them. Can you explain why we ask saints to pray for us?

DeLuca: A person may choose to have devotion to a saint because of the specific manner in which that person lived his or her life. Some saints were known for their prayer life, some for their acts of charity, and others for having a particular spiritual gift such as peace or patience. We hope to possess these same gifts that will strengthen our relationship with God and others. Because Mary and the saints are in heaven, they are not separate from us. Catholics believe in the doctrine of the Communion of Saints which states that all the faithful past, present and to come in the future are connected as the people of God. Just as we turn to our family members and friends and ask for their prayers in times of trouble, we do so with the saints who have gone before us, including our own family members, because death does not sever that relationship.

Dupre: Some other religions believe, to a certain extent, in saints, and many even have artwork depicting Mary. Why do Catholics use so many representations of saints in churches, for example in stained glass, paintings and so on?

DeLuca: During the Medieval period when great churches and cathedrals were being built, most of the faithful could not read. The representations of Jesus and the saints in the windows were ways to teach the people the stories contained in Scripture, or about the life of the saint that was the patron of the town. The stained glass windows were the earliest “catechisms” for the faithful, and even though we live in a literate society, windows, paintings and statues continue to teach and remind us how to live.

Dupre: In addition to purchasing statues, icons and medals, some Catholics like to have these items blessed. When did the tradition to get items blessed begin, and what’s the significance of getting them blessed?

DeLuca: Statues, rosaries, scapulars or medals that we wear, and crucifixes that we hang on the wall are blessed objects that Catholics often call sacramentals. But actually, it is the ceremony by which these objects are blessed that is the sacramental. When such articles are blessed by an ordained minister according to the liturgy of the sacramentals, they are closely linked to the Church’s public, official prayer, but are nonetheless distinct from it. The term “sacramental” is applied to the rite of blessing itself, not the object blessed.

The fact that the Church formally blesses such visible aids to devotion flows from her appreciation of what the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls “the Sacramental Econ-o-my.” She understands that God, who created us body and soul, communicates his truth to us not only through ideas and words but through sensible signs as well. Through his incarnation, Jesus has raised matter, endowing it with the potential to be an instrument of his life-changing power. The sacramentals, or blessings of the items, are meant to prepare us “to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life.”

Dupre: I’ve heard of some Catholics using statues or medals in certain ways to gain a certain result. I was told if you want to sell your house that you should bury a St. Joseph statue in your yard upside down to make it sell faster. Where did this begin?

DeLuca: As I said, statues and medals are meant to nourish our Christian life so that our relationship with God will deepen. They are not meant to be a means to a result we desire. Joseph was “a just man” who was chosen by God to be the foster-father of Jesus and the spouse of Mary, which is the foundation of the honor paid to St. Joseph by the Church. In 1870, Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed St. Joseph the patron of the Catholic Church.The history behind the tradition to bury a statue of St. Joseph is hundreds of years old. Tradition holds that it began in Europe during the 1500s with the nuns at a Closter needing to expand their land, and as a prayer to St. Joseph they buried medals of him in the ground. This old story has lived on until today but the tradition has changed from burying medals to burying statues. Theologians say there’s no official doctrine that calls for burying the statue, and some clergy suggest displaying St. Joseph somewhere in the house would be better. The statue itself does not result in selling a house, but faith and devotion are necessary; otherwise the practice amounts to little more than superstition or magic. Just as we can ask the help of other saints in times of a particular need, we can turn in prayer to St. Joseph for this need.

Dupre: Several friends of mine have seen people wear scapulars, but I’ve never been able to explain to them the reasoning behind them. What exactly is a scapular, and what is its meaning?

DeLuca: The term scapular, from Latin scapulae, “shoulders,” as used today refers to two specific, yet related, Christian sacramentals, namely the monastic and devotional scapulars.

The monastic scapular appeared first, perhaps as early as the seventh century in the Order of St. Benedict and originated as aprons worn by medieval monks. They were later extended to habits for members of religious organizations, orders or confraternities.

The devotional scapular is a much smaller item and evolved from the monastic scapular. These may also be worn by individuals who are not members of a monastic order and the Roman Catholic Church considers them sacramentals. The devotional scapular typically consists of two small, usually rectangular, pieces of cloth, wood or laminated paper, a few inches in size, which may bear religious images or text. These are joined by two bands of cloth and the wearer places one square on the chest, rests the bands one on each shoulder and lets the second square drop down the back.

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All About Mary

Dupre: We don’t know much about the Blessed Virgin’s life after the death of Jesus Christ. What happened to her?

DeLuca: Although there are many Gospel references to Mary during Jesus’ life, after his death there are no direct references to her. We have no absolute certainty as to where Mary lived after the day of Pentecost. It is more probable that she remained in or near Jerusalem, or may have resided for a while in the vicinity of Ephesus, which is the basis of the tradition of her Ephesian death and burial around A.D. 48. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost descended on Mary as He came on the Apostles and Disciples as they gathered together in the upper room at Jerusalem. Though the Gospels do not expressly tell us so, we may suppose that Mary was present when Jesus showed himself to a number of disciples in Galilee and at the time of His ascension. It is not improbable that Jesus visited His Blessed Mother repeatedly during the 40 days after His resurrection. Thus Mary was an example and a source of encouragement to the early Christian community and continues to be a wonderful example of discipleship for us today.

Dupre: Where did the idea that Mary’s mother’s name was Anne and her father’s name was Joachim originate?

DeLuca: There is a tradition founded upon the apocryphal Gospel of James which dates from the end of the second century. This tradition about the parents of Mary is also found in the writings of  some of the early church fathers such as St. John Damascene, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Germanus of Constantinople, and St. Fulbert of Chartres. Some of these writers add that the birth of Mary came about through the fervent prayers of Joachim and Anna in their advanced age.

Dupre: I’ve heard many people speak of Medjugorje. What is the Church’s position on the reports of apparitions of the Virgin Mary there?

DeLuca: The Catholic Church has always taught that it is up to the local bishop to decide the authenticity of revelations occurring within his diocese, because by the unbroken apostolic succession since the time of Christ, he is in fact the legitimate successor to the apostles, and therefore he has the God given authority to do so. The Vatican or the pope does not judge revelations that are occurring in some distant diocese because neither Rome nor the pope would intervene in the rightful jurisdiction of a bishop within his own appointed diocese. The Vatican simply recognizes the local bishop’s decision of approval or disapproval, such as in Fatima or Lourdes. There have, however, been a few occasions were a local bishop asked for the advice of the country’s bishops’ conference or commission to help him discern a specific apparition or private revelation, and in fact this happened in Medjugorje. The result of the appointed commission concerning Medjugorje decided after careful consideration and study that the Medjugorje apparitions were not of supernatural origins. However, their judgment bears no authority and is only an advisement for the local bishop. As stated earlier, the only one with the authority to judge the authenticity of the alleged apparitions and messages is the local bishop, and as of this date the appearances in this village have not yet been officially recognized by ecclesiastical authorities.

Dupre: Some people confuse the Immaculate Conception with the virgin birth of Christ. Can you explain the Immaculate Conception and why it’s so important to Catholics?

DeLuca: In 1854, Pope Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin. The salutation of the angel Gabriel – “Hail, full of grace” indicates a unique abundance of grace, a supernatural, godlike state of soul, which finds its explanation only in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Since the time of Alexander VII, long before the final definition, there was no doubt on the part of theologians that this privilege of Mary was among the truths revealed by God. Pope Pius IX, promulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, 1854. The conception of Jesus is often confused with the conception of Mary because the scripture used for this feast day is from the Gospel of Luke that describes the angel Gabriel revealing to Mary that she will conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Since there is not scripture passage about the conception of Mary, this one is used since it reveals why Mary, who is “full of grace” has been chosen to be the Mother of God. While we cannot claim to be free from sin as Mary was, each one of us as Catholics can be Christ bearers bringing Jesus into the world through our words and actions.

Dupre: The rosary is very clearly connected to Catholics’ devotion to Mary. What is the earliest mention in Catholic literature on the rosary?

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All Saints and All Souls … the facts

Dupre: Halloween is in a little over a week, and I know with Halloween comes All Saints' and All Souls' Days. What are All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, and have the two dates always been on November 1st and 2nd?

DeLuca: All Saints’ Day is celebrated on the first of November. It was instituted to honor all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV who was pope between 1261-64, to make up for any deficiencies in the faithful’s celebration of saints’ feasts during the year.

      In the early days the Christians were accustomed to celebrating the anniversary of a martyr’s death for Christ at the place of martyrdom. In the fourth century, neighboring dioceses began to interchange feasts. Frequently groups of martyrs suffered on the same day, which naturally led to a joint commemoration. In the persecution of the Roman emperor Diocletian that took place between 302 and 313 AD the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all during the latter 300’s AD. At first only martyrs and Saint John the Baptist were honored by a special day. Other saints were added gradually, and increased in number when a regular process of canonization was established. Pope Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of Saint Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for November 1st. The vigil, which is today’s Halloween, seems to have been held as early as the feast itself.

The Church usually celebrates the commemoration of all the faithful departed on November 2nd, All Souls' Day. The theological basis for the feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, are debarred from the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, alms, deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were entered in the diptychs, a sort of notebook made of wood, ivory, bone, or metal. Later, in the sixth century, it was customary in Benedictine monasteries to hold a commemoration of the deceased members. This practice eventually spread throughout the monasteries and dioceses in Europe.]

Both All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day reflect our belief in the Communion of Saints - that living connection between all the faithful past, present and to come.

Dupre: Are All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day associated in any way with Halloween?

DeLuca: In the Middle Ages, poor people in the community begged for “soul cakes,” and upon receiving these doughnuts, they would agree to pray for departed souls. This is the root of our modern day “trick-or-treat.” The custom of masks and costumes developed to mock evil and perhaps confuse the evil spirits by dressing as one of their own. Some Christians visit cemeteries on Halloween, not to practice evil, but to commemorate departed relatives and friends, with picnics and the last flowers of the year.

Dupre: Are either of the days a Holy Day of Obligation and why?

DeLuca: Feast Days, or Holy Days, are days which are celebrated in commemoration of the sacred mysteries and events recorded in the history of our redemption, in memory of the Virgin Mother of Christ, or of His apostles, martyrs, and saints, by special services and rest from work. A feast not only commemorates an event or person, but also serves to excite the spiritual life by reminding us of the event it commemorates. All Saints’ Day is a Holy Day of Obligation while All Souls’ Day in not, but many parishes offer a special mass on this day to remember and pray for all those parishioners or family members of parishioners who have died during the past year.

Dupre: I’ve heard that Day of the Dead is associated with All Souls' Day. Is it the same thing?

DeLuca: As in many Latin American countries, Mexico commemorates Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead or All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. Traditions for the first two days of November are a blend of pre-Spanish Aztec festivities to honor the dead and Roman Catholic rituals. The legacy of past civilizations is graphically manifested on this occasion through people’s beliefs that death is a transition from one life to another in different levels where communication exists between the living and the dead. So the Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression. Indigenous people believed that souls did not die, that they continued living in Mictlan, a special place to rest. In this place, the spirits rest until the day they could return to their homes to visit their relatives. Before the Spaniards arrived, they celebrated the return of the souls between the months of July and August. Once arrived, the Spaniards changed the festivities to November 2nd to coincide with All Souls’ Day of the Catholic Church. Presently, two celebrations honoring the memory of loved ones who have died take place: On November 1st, the souls of the children are honored with special designs in the altars, using the color white on flowers and candles. On November 2nd the souls of the adults are remembered with a variety of rituals. The celebration is the way people join together and share memories. Since the spirit of the deceased are expected to pay a visit, their favorite foods are prepared and placed on the altar that is made of candles, flowers and photos of the deceased. On these two days the people celebrate not death but resurrection.

Dupre: I was raised that on All Saints’ Day it’s a tradition to clean-up the graves of your loved ones and place flowers on the graves. What can you tell me about this tradition?

DeLuca: In many of the European countries this tradition is part of the All Saints’ Day celebration as families remember their deceased relatives.  This is similar to the practices in the Latin American countries and reflects a belief in the continued connection with those who have gone before us.

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How do I know what’s right?

Dupre: Recently I have been hearing some Catholics talk about the primacy of conscience. In fact one of our readers suggested that as a topic for our dialogue. Got me thinking. What is a conscience? Is it that little voice in my head that tells me what is wrong or right?

DeLuca: Conscience has nothing to do with feelings of guilt, although we often say that, because feelings are neutral and come from our experiences and personal history. Feelings of guilt are not really connected with human freedom and human rationality. The definition at the back of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that conscience is “the interior voice of a human being, within whose heart the inner law of God is inscribed.” Moral conscience is a judgment of practical reason about the moral quality of a human action. It moves a person at the appropriate moment to do good and avoid evil. According to St. Paul, conscience is that part of the human person that bears witness to and illuminates. Conscience judges our inner awareness, evaluating it in an impartial and unbiased way. Take a look at what Paul says in his letter to the Romans or Corinthians. (DeLuca is referring to Romans 2:15, Romans 9:1, 1Corinthians 1:12f). But, although conscience can act as an infallible guide to action, it can also be weak. We have scriptural references to that in both first Timothy and first Corinthians. (1 Timothy 1:19f, 1Corinthians 8:7, 10-12).

Dupre: So when we say primacy of conscience does that mean my conscience should be my first or my only guide? What if I think something is okay like being pro-choice on abortion laws and the Church says it’s not okay? Or if the Church says a war is immoral, but I think it’s okay? What if I decide something is wrong and the Church says it isn’t immoral? For example, some folks think killing animals for food or clothing is wrong.

DeLuca: The Catholic Church does believe in the primacy of conscience. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. ‘He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.’… A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience.”(DeLuca is referring to CCC, #1782. 1790)

   But when the Church says this it is doing so within the context of a person having a “formed conscience.” A formed conscience takes a person out of their individual thoughts and feelings and places them in the context of the Catholic community. Our conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. The formation of our conscience is a lifelong task in which we look to five sources: the Word of God, the teachings of the Church – which we call the Teaching Magisterium – as well as human sciences, human experience such as the advice of competent people, and of course, the Holy Spirit.

   Let’s talk briefly about each one of these: First the Word of God. The Catechism says in the formation of our conscience the Word of God is “the light for our path.” And,we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. (CCC, #1785) All that Jesus said and did as he preached the coming of the Kingdom of God needs to be the light for our decisions, especially the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes as well as the Ten Commandments.

   The Church, of course, has a key role in the illumination of conscience. Centuries of tradition and accumulated wisdom put it in a good position to be objective amongst current trends. And, we believe that the Holy Spirit guides the Church through the Teaching Magisterium. The Church represents the wisdom of the community, which moves us beyond just personal judgment and experience. But, there are limits to the Church’s role in moral reflection because the Church cannot speak to every situation that exists or will exist, which makes its teachings incomplete. Likewise, Church teaching may have been adequate at one time but is no longer adequate, such as when changes in medical science happen before the Church has a chance to reflect on them.

   Now let’s look at science. Catholics have always applauded the use of human reason. Our theory of “natural law” implies that God speaks to us through nature. Sciences such as biology, psychology, or ecology can give us an insight into life and help us to make moral choices.

   Human experience and the advice of competent people also play a part. While good and evil are not determined by a democratic vote because the majority may be wrong, the consensus of human beings over time can be an indicator of the good. We should consult others about Scripture, the Church’s teachings, and get feedback on how we view the situation, so that we are not just “kidding” ourselves and seeing what we want to see.

   And of course, Christians must never be blind to the reality of God’s abiding Spirit, which blows where God wills. Faithful living and prayer can help us discern the Holy Spirit’s presence and the right choice in a complex situation.We depend upon the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel/right judgment, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord to live in tune with the inner law of God inscribed within our hearts.

Dupre: Seems like a Catch 22, if I don’t have a properly formed conscience, how would I know I needed one?

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’Tis the season to talk Incarnation

Dupre: We’re moving toward the Christmas holiday so I’ve been thinking about the birth of Jesus. We always use the term Incarnation. What does the Church say about that doctrine?

DeLuca: The Incarnation is the mystery and the dogma of God becoming human in Jesus Christ. As a dogma it differs from being doctrine in that a dogma is an unchanging revealed truth defined by the Church which is central to the Catholic faith, while a doctrine is the teaching about the dogma that can change as the Church develops a deeper understanding of a belief. The dogma of the Incarnation teaches that Jesus was completely human and completely divine and that neither nature overshadowed the other. At Christmas, we celebrate this great mystery of the Word made flesh.

Dupre: Have Christians always defined Incarnation in that way?

DeLuca: From the earliest New Testament writings of St. Paul we find this idea presented, especially in the ancient hymn Paul included in his letter to the Philippians. Paul wrote, “Who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance.”

In the Gospels we also see both the divine and human side of Jesus revealed. St. John’s Gospel begins with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Some of the Early Church Fathers from the fourth century, such as Sts. Jerome and Ambrose made common use of the word. So it’s been a belief of the Church from the beginning.

Dupre: Most Christians accept the idea of the virgin birth, but it seems only Catholics insist on the perpetual virginity of Mary. Is perpetual virginity of Mary a doctrine I must accept if I am Catholic? What do we base that idea on? Doesn’t scripture talk about Jesus having brothers and sisters?

DeLuca: This belief is a dogma of the Catholic Church which teaches that the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ was a virgin before, during and after the conception and birth of her Divine Son. Early Christian tradition maintained the perpetual virginity of our Blessed Lady and consequently the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. The mystery of the virginal conception is also taught by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Luke writes that Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel replies, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” And, according to St. Matthew, St. Joseph, when perplexed by the pregnancy of Mary, is told by the angel: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” The virginity of our Blessed Lady was defined as dogma during the Lateran Council held in the time of Pope Martin I, in 649. The perpetual virginity of our Blessed Lady was taught and proposed to our belief not merely by the councils and creeds, but also by the early Fathers.

As far as scripture using the words “brother’ or “brethren,” at that time “brethren” or “brother” was used to describe step-brothers as well as brothers by blood. And, in Scriptural and Semitic use generally, it was often loosely extended to near, or even distant, relatives.

Dupre: It seems to me that more Christians are willing to accept Jesus as truly God than they are as truly man. I mean they seem to think any reference to his having human feelings are sacrilegious? How do we understand Jesus’ humanity?

DeLuca: As I mentioned above, the humanity and divinity of Jesus existed together within him, and neither nature overshadowed the other. Because this is a mystery, some find it hard to understand and see Jesus as more divine than human. If Jesus was not divine he could not have saved us. And, if Jesus was not human he could not have restored the broken relationship of God with humanity. It was with both of his natures that Jesus related to and faithfully accepted the will of God, his Father, not just with his divinity and despite his humanity. Jesus is the model for all human beings of what it means to be faithful to God, and as humans we can follow his example. After all, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This can be understood to mean that we should be the human God created us to be when in Genesis God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness…” And again it says, “God created mankind in his image;in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Dupre: What does the Church say about how Mary understood her son? It seems that although one Gospel writer tells us that the Angel Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the child would be called the Son of God, later when she finds the Child Jesus at the temple teaching she seems surprised. In another story she seems concerned that Jesus is acting irrationally.

DeLuca: Often times we mix the stories of the different Gospels together and sometime they clash or do not support each other. We must read each Gospel independently because each writer presented a specific theology and picture of Jesus. All the different sections from Scripture help us to recognize Mary as the first disciple who had to go beyond understanding Jesus as her son and come to belief in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. In this way she is a model for us as we struggle to delve deeper into what our relationship with Jesus means to our lives.

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What we don't know about Christ(mas)

Dupre: We celebrate the birth of Christ on Dec. 25, but Jesus was born thousands of years ago before the calendar we use today was established. Was He actually born Dec. 25, and when did we start celebrating his birth?

DeLuca: Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt. About A.D. 200, Clement of Alexandria stated that certain Egyptian theologians assigned, not the year alone, but the day of Christ’s birth, placing it on May 20th in the 28th year of Augustus. As the years went by other Church Fathers chose January, March and April as the month of Christ’s birth. After 354 AD the date of Dec. 25th was set and celebrated in Rome and eventually in other Christian communities that were influenced by the Church in Rome. It took several generations for the Eastern Church to separate Christmas from the feast of the Epiphany.

Dupre: Many people believe the Christmas season begins the day after Thanksgiving, but when does the Christmas season actually begin and end?

DeLuca: For many, Black Friday or the shopping day after Thanksgiving is when the Christmas season begins, but for Christians this is Advent and a time of preparation to celebrate the Incarnation – God becoming human in Jesus Christ. Christmas actually begins with the Vigil Mass for Christmas Eve Dec. 24th and continues for an eight days until New Year’s Day. Important feasts in the Church are celebrated longer than one day, and each Gospel reading during the eight days of Christmas is a scriptural retelling of the events of the first Christmas. For Christians, the Christmas season lasts through the feast of the Epiphany and until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, usually the first or second Sunday in January. You will notice that as we celebrate the Eucharist during this time, we continue to sing the Christmas hymns long after secular society has stopped.

Dupre: Christmas is on a Sunday this year. Is it still considered a Holy Day?

DeLuca: Christmas, as a major feast of the Church, is always a Holy Day. Whenever the feast of Christmas falls it is celebrated, whether on a weekday or on a Sunday, and the readings for the feast of Christmas take precedence and are proclaimed at Mass.

Dupre: Why is it called Christmas? I know it’s named after Christ, but is there some significance to the ‘mas’?

DeLuca: The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first used in 1038. Christ’s Mass is the central celebration of Christmas, because through his birth, death and resurrection the eternal Word who brings light into the world gives us the gift of eternal life. We must remember that we cannot celebrate Christmas without the resurrection of Easter, because every time we celebrate the Eucharist it is the Risen Lord who is present to us and whom we receive.

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A waiting game?

Dupre: Several of my friends have asked if we as Catholics believe in purgatory. I know we do, but I’m not sure what the Bible says about it.

DeLuca: The word purgatory comes from the Latin word “purgare,” which means to make clean, to purify. This gives a clue to the Catholic understanding of Purgatory. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches about Purgatory in the section that looks at the beliefs in the Creed. The Catechism says, “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” There are passages in First Corinthians by St. Paul and the Letter of Peter that refer to a time of purification or cleansing before being fully united with God.

Dupre: Is purgatory considered an actual place?

DeLuca: Purgatory, as well as Heaven and Hell are not so much a place but a state of relationship with or without God. While heaven is a state of complete union with God, and Hell complete separation from God, Purgatory is a state in which one is able to let go and be purified of anything that prevents us from being entirely open to union with God. It’s almost as if until the darkness of sin is completely removed from us that we cannot bear to face and be in the bright light of God’s love and grace. This is just an image to help understand the need for purification before one enters heaven, because we are speaking about a state of being that isn’t a place.

Dupre: Have our views on purgatory changed over the years?

DeLuca: The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.” The roots of this thinking can be found in the Old Testament where Judas Maccabeus offered prayer for the dead. Early church fathers offered daily prayers for the dead, and in the fourth century this was incorporated into the liturgy of the Church, a practice that continues today. So the understanding of the Church concerning Purgatory has not really changed through the centuries.

Dupre: Are there special prayers for those in purgatory, and where can one find them?

DeLuca: From the earliest time the Church has taught about the Communion of Saints, that those on earth are still in relationship with the souls in purgatory.  Therefore the living can aid the dead by their prayers and other good works, just as we do when we pray for the needs of our family and friends in this life. The foremost prayer of the Church is the Eucharist, the Mass, during which we stop to remember and offer prayers for the faithful departed. The Church also recommends almsgiving, and works of penance be undertaken on behalf of the dead, so prayers are not the only way one can aid the dead. One of the most widely known of the prayers for the departed is “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen,” but your own words are just as valid.

Dupre: Does everyone spend some time in purgatory, or do some go straight to Heaven or Hell?

DeLuca: This is not an easy question to answer. What is of utmost importance is the relationship a person has with God during life on earth, because that will be the basis of life with or without God for eternity. No one knows the heart of a person at the moment of their death other than the person and God, so there could be persons who have in this life experienced purification prior to death and immediately experience the fullness of life with God. Likewise if someone has freely and totally rejected God and lives a life contrary to God, that lack of relationship with God will continue after death.  But for un-repented venial faults due to sin at time of death, the Church has always taught that purification occurs in Purgatory in preparation for eternal life with God in Heaven.

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Dust to dust

Dupre: Ash Wednesday is almost here, and every year someone asks me why I have dirt on my forehead. Without going into much conversation, I reply “Ash Wednesday” and leave it at that. Please explain why we receive ashes.

DeLuca: Lent developed from the period of final preparation for those who were to enter the Church at Easter and became a time of repentance for all Christians. The season enables us to prepare for sharing more fully in the death and resurrection of Jesus and for the renewal of our baptismal promises at Easter. Our observance of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day of fast and abstinence for Catholics. During Mass on this day all the faithful who have already received the sacrament of reconciliation, who understand what it means to sin and seek forgiveness, should come forward to receive ashes. The imposition of ashes follows an ancient penitential practice and symbolizes our dependence upon God’s mercy and forgiveness for our sins and the desire to repent. We are marked on our forehead with ashes with one of the two approved prayers being said: “Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you shall return,” or “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” The first option focuses on the brevity of the life we have received from God and how important it is to use it doing God’s will, while the second option focuses on the calls to repentance and living the gospel message of Christ. The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year.

Dupre: When did the Church begin Ash Wednesday?

DeLuca: The name dies cinerum, Latin for the day of ashes, is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. The custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from an imitation of what had been a practice in the early Church for public penitents as they prepared to retake their place among the assembly at Easter. Receiving ashes is a sacramental, which is meant to help us be open to the grace of God, and is full of the symbolism of penance and repentance.

Dupre: Is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation?

DeLuca: Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, but a very important way for Catholics to enter into and begin the journey of Lent through attending Mass to receive the Eucharist and ashes on our forehead.

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Non-Catholic, “intermediate” Catholic or just Catholic?
There’s adult formation available for you

Dupre: I have several friends who are not Catholic, but want to learn more about the Catholic faith. They aren’t necessarily interested in becoming Catholic at this time, but they might be in the future. What is available for them to learn more about our faith?

DeLuca: There are two ways someone who is not Catholic can learn about the Catholic Faith. The first is through the Rites of Christian Initiation, or RCIA, and the second is through different programs of adult faith formation offered on both the diocesan and parish level. A person does not have to decide to become a Catholic prior to entering the RCIA process, because the first part of it is for those who want to just “come and see” what our basic beliefs are all about. No decision has to be made based on any timeline, and someone can come for a while and leave if they decide the Catholic faith is not for them or they need more time to think about it. The diocese offers many mini courses each semester through the Catholic Education and Ministry Institute, also known as CEMI, that teach about the basic beliefs of our faith as well as cover different books from the Old and New Testaments. These classes are open to all who want an updating in their faith or anyone who is interested in learning about what Catholics believe.

Dupre: One part of adult formation is the R.C.I.A. program. What is the R.C.I.A. program, and how does one go about entering it?

DeLuca: First of all RCIA is not a program but a process, a journey of faith. A program has a definite structure with the same beginning and end for everyone, but a process is different. Because RCIA is a process of conversion, and not everyone goes through conversion in the same manner and at a similar pace, the RCIA process does not expect everyone to begin and end at the same time. There are formal steps or celebrations of rites along the way, but if a person needs more time to decide if this is the right thing for them to do, they can wait and take all the time they need to be sure. When I worked in parishes with RCIA, at times there were people who needed more than a year to reach the point where they were ready to live their commitment to Christ. Although RCIA does share information about the Catholic faith, what is central in the whole process is conversion, a complete change of one’s life that comes from a deepening of one’s relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the real conversion RCIA offers, not just a change of religions. The best way to begin the RCIA process is to go to a local Catholic church and talk with the priest or coordinator responsible for the RCIA process. This will get you going on your way.

Dupre: I’ve read about confirmation classes for adults or as some might say “intermediate” Catholics, those who have received the sacraments of baptism and communion but not confirmation. Some might be embarrassed by the fact they haven’t been confirmed and they’re an adult. What do you say to someone in this situation to reassure them that being confirmed is important?

DeLuca: There are three sacraments that Catholics receive that complete their initiation into the Catholic Church: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. At Baptism we become sons and daughters of God and begin our connection with the Church, the Body of Christ. Eucharist feeds that relationship and causes our faith life to grow just as food helps our bodies to grow. Confirmation strengthens and fulfills our Baptism making us full members in the Church through the outpouring of the Gifts of that same Spirit we received at Baptism.

There are many adult Catholics who for various valid reasons have not received the sacrament of Confirmation, so a person should not be embarrassed about the situation. That is why the diocese offers a Confirmation class for adults every year and the Bishop makes a special effort to be available to confirm the adults as a group. Today we all need the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which include those such as wisdom, understanding, counsel, and strength, to face the decisions of life.

Dupre: Even if you’re a cradle Catholic, you might not know as much about your faith as you’d like. What is available in the form of adult formation for those who are already Catholic?

DeLuca: I talked about the CEMI courses that are available for Catholics as well as non-Catholics that are offered by the diocese. In addition to these and any that might be offered by the parishes, the diocese has partnered with the University of Dayton, Ohio to offer online classes that can be accessed any time night or day.

The University of Dayton’s Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation is an initiative to offer adult religious education and faith formation anytime and anywhere via the internet. The goal is to support the Church’s faith formation in cyberspace. The VLCFF is coordinated and sponsored by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton, a Catholic Marianist Institution. Because the Diocese of Beaumont is a partner with the VLCFF this enables anyone to take courses at a discounted rate.  Go online to campus.udayton.edu/~vlc/ to register and begin deepening your understanding of the Catholic faith.

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What the Hell

Dupre: Everybody knows of Hell as being the place bad people go when they die, but what exactly is Hell according to the Catholic Church?

DeLuca: In the definitions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church Hell is defined as “The state of a definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed, reserved for those who refuse by their own free choice to believe and be converted from sin, even to the end of their lives.” First of all God does not decide a person should go to Hell, rather it is a “self-exclusion” or free choice by a person not to be in loving union with God. This is often referred to as being in a state of mortal sin, a state of not wanting anything to do with God and excluding God completely from one’s life. If someone does not have a relationship with God in this life, why would he or she want that in the next? If being separated from a loving God is the definition of Hell, then people can experience Hell when alive and are in that state after death for eternity. Why would someone who rejects God completely when alive want to all of a sudden be with God after death? What the catechism tells us is that the “self-exclusion” continues.

Dupre: Have we changed our theology on Hell over the decades?

DeLuca: Our understanding of Hell has not really changed over the ages, in terms of the theology of the Church, but rather I think that the understanding of most people has changed with the help of the teachings clarified by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In the catechism it states that “God predestines no one to go to hell” and footnotes the Council of Orange II and the Council of Trent. As Catholics we do not believe in predestination and because of the free will God has graced us with we can choose to or choose not to respond to God, thus ensuring the life we will experience after death. While the Catholic Church teaches that hell does exist due to our free will, it does not state that anyone by name is in hell. While we can think of some horrible people in history that we consider deserve to be there, no one but God knows if they or anyone has persisted in their rejection of God to death. Only God can judge the heart.

Dupre: Many other religions preach on fire and brimstone, but you don’t hear much about Hell during weekly Mass. Does the Catholic Church just not focus on Hell as much?

DeLuca: In the Catechism of the Catholic Church there is only a page and a half on Hell but 187 pages on our “Life in Christ.” One of the main reasons that the Catholic Church does not focus on fire and brimstone is that it focuses on the importance of ongoing conversion. The Church calls us to continually turn our life around so that we are in sync with and living the will of God every day, not because of the fear of what might happen when we die, but because we are baptized Christians and followers of Jesus. We are called to have that same relationship with God that we experienced on the day of our baptism when we became sons and daughters of God and to reflect that in everything we say and do. That is a tall order, and through the Scriptures and the Church’s teaching we are guided to live in that manner.

Dupre: Movies and television depict Hell as a place full of fire and demons, but how does the Bible depict Hell?

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Dupre: In the last few issues of the ETC, we’ve talked about Purgatory and Hell, now it’s Heaven’s turn. What does the Catholic Church say about Heaven in regard to who goes there?

DeLuca: In the final article of the Creed we proclaim our belief in everlasting life. What I said about Hell in the last issue, that it continues the type of relationship or lack of relationship one has with God in this world, the same goes for heaven. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church the following about heaven: “Those who die in God’s grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they ‘see him as he is,’ face to face…. This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity – this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed – is called ‘heaven.’ Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.” We can also look to scripture to understand what Jesus taught us about judgment and heaven. Matthew 25:31-46 portrays the last judgment of the sheep and goats based on whether they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, took in the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and those in prison. Those who do so are welcomed into the kingdom. Following this teaching as well as the Commandments and the Beatitudes are the way of living our relationship with God and others and being the person God created us to be.

Dupre: Many people imagine pearly gates and lots of clouds when they envision Heaven, but does the Bible or anything in Catholic literature say what Heaven looks like?

DeLuca: Scripture gives us many pictures to help us understand heaven, because as humans we think in images and need images to understand. In some of Jesus’ parables heaven has been equated with a wedding party, a banquet, the Father’s house, and a state of unending happiness. These are just images but not a real description because according to St. Paul, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard…. what God has prepared for those who love him." If we believe that God is love, which St. John tells us, then all we can say about heaven is that we will completely bask in the peace and love of God.

Dupre: Is St. Peter really the one who lets you into Heaven?

DeLuca: Although this may be a common image, there is no teaching of the Church concerning St. Peter standing at the gates of heaven. This may have been based on a literal reading of the passage from the end of John’s Gospel where Jesus returns to the disciples after his resurrection and St. Peter’s importance is highlighted.

Dupre: Can we expect to see angels in Heaven?

DeLuca: The Catholic Church teaches that the existence of a non-bodily spiritual being is something is which we believe. Angels have served as servants and messengers of God, and have completed these roles as described in both the Old and New Testaments. For this reason, as creatures of God who faithfully do God’s bidding they are present with God in heaven and will be with those who enter eternal life with God.

Dupre: Many people think their loved ones who have passed on are now watching over them. Does the Catholic Church believe that once we’re in Heaven we can continue to check in on our loved ones, or are we cut off from the world?

DeLuca: The Catholic Church teaches about the Communion of Saints as “The unity in Christ of all the redeemed, those on earth and those who have died.” As members of the Mystical Body of Christ that St. Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, our relationship with the other members of Christ’s body does not end with death. Pope Paul VI wrote the following that stresses this connection: “We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion, the merciful love of God and his saints is always [attentive] to our prayers.” This tells us that our loved ones who have passed to heaven are still connected with us as we are with them through and in prayer, and for me this is a great comfort.

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Dupre: We all know Holy Week is the busiest week for the Church. One important event of the week is the Chrism Mass.  Why do we need a Mass to bless the oils and what are the oils made of?

DeLuca: The Chrism Mass is a special celebration of the Eucharist which the bishop concelebrates with the priests of the diocese, and during the Mass, the oils used throughout the year are blessed. This Mass shows the unity of the clergy throughout the diocese with their bishop, and during it the clergy renew their commitment to priestly service to make Christ present to the people whom they serve, and take the blessed oils back to their parishes. The oils that are blessed by Bishop Guillory include the Oil of the Catechumens, Sacred Chrism and Oil of the Sick. All the oils are pure olive oil with Sacred Chrism receiving the addition of balsam, a sweet smelling perfume.

The Oil of the Catechumens may be used during the time of the catechumenate for those who are about to become Christians to strengthen them on their journey to the Easter Sacraments.

Sacred Chrism, the oil that also contains balsam, has many uses in the Church. It’s used in the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. The head of the newly-baptized is anointed with chrism, the forehead of the person confirmed, the head and hands of a bishop at his consecration, and the hands of a priest at his ordination. This oil is likewise used to consecrate the walls of churches when they are dedicated or rededicated after major renovation and also to consecrate the altar and the sacred vessels used in the Mass which come in contact with the Sacred Species, such as the paten and chalice. Olive oil represents the copious outpouring of sacramental grace, and the fragrant odor of balsam symbolizes the sweetness of Christian virtue. Oil also gives strength and suppleness to the limbs, while balsam preserves from corruption. Thus anointing with chrism signifies that fullness of grace and spiritual strength by which the anointed is able to resist the contagion of sin and produce the sweet flowers of virtue.

The Oil of the Sick is used during the celebration of the Rite of the Anointing of the Sick to provide the sick person with the grace of the Holy Spirit to trust in God and not be anxious about death. The sacrament is not just for the dying but is meant to strengthen the ill person in body, mind, and soul so that they will be healed and return to the community.

Dupre: We celebrate so many Masses throughout the week, but why is there no Mass on Good Friday?

DeLuca: Traditionally in the early Church, Good Friday began a two-day fast during which the Mass was not celebrated. This practice began in the early 400s AD and was meant to serve as preparation for the great Eucharistic celebration of Easter. Today Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence to honor the suffering of Jesus and to prepare us to share more deeply in the joy of his resurrection. The liturgical service, which does contain a communion service, is usually held at 3 p.m., the traditional time of Christ’s passion and death on the Cross, and the Passion reading from the Gospel of John is always proclaimed.

Dupre: When during Holy Week is Lent over? I’ve heard some people say they can do whatever they gave up as soon as Holy Thursday, but I’ve always waited until Easter Sunday.

DeLuca: It is correct that in the Roman Catholic Church, the season of Lent ends on Holy Thursday, before the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, but this does not signify an end to our preparation for Easter. In fact, it begins the Triduum, the three days of celebrating the Paschal Mystery of the Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection, and sees the three days as one act which brought about our salvation.

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Coming into the Church

Dupre: This past weekend, we welcomed hundreds of people into the Catholic Church, but I’ve been asked by several people what the difference is between a candidate and a catechumen?

DeLuca: After Vatican Council II, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was restored as the normal way adults would be initiated into the Catholic Church, and in 1988 the bishops of the United States mandated the use of this Rite for the United States. The Rite recognizes the existence of a connection between the Sacraments of Initiation, a connection that in the early Church was not only theological but was also expressed through the reception of three sacraments during the Easter Vigil by those who wanted to become members of the Christian community.

In restoring the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Church recognizes the need for providing a process of conversion through which an individual can come to grow in his or her faith relationship with Jesus, accept the Gospel message and values, and know what the Church believes and teaches. As a process, the RCIA recognizes that conversion is a free gift from God, which must be nurtured, supported, and allowed to grow with the help of the Spirit until the individual is ready to take the final step of professing his or her faith and becoming a Catholic.

Originally the Rite was meant for persons who have never been baptized, which during the process are those we call catechumens. Eventually the Church saw the need for a process and different rituals for those coming from other Christian faiths or Catholics who have never been catechized after baptism and have not received First Eucharist or confirmation. This group is distinguished from the unbaptized using the term candidate.

Dupre: Nearly 100 people were baptized on Holy Saturday. Why wasn’t everyone coming into the Church baptized?

DeLuca: The RCIA process includes both catechumens and candidates. Only those who have not been baptized before are baptized at the Easter Vigil because the Catholic Church recognizes baptism from other Christian faiths that use the same wording we do, baptizing the person in the “Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Since baptism is a sacrament that can only be received one time, once a person has been baptized he or she is a Christian and the connection with Christ already exists.

Dupre: Why are they received into the Church on the Easter Vigil? Couldn’t we accept more people if we had several RCIA classes going on at once?

DeLuca: Although we have RCIA “classes,” the RCIA is not a program but a process or journey of conversion. This means that people are moved by the Holy Spirit to seek a closer relationship with God throughout the year. Ideally the RCIA should be a year-round process that enables individuals to move along that journey as the Spirit guides them, rather than being a “program” that follows the school year. In the early Church the RCIA was a three-year process that provided for time in which the person learned more than just the doctrinal content and tradition of the Catholic faith.  Beyond this, the person also came to know and understand the practices of Catholicism – what we do when we gather to worship, how we live and act as Christians in the parish community, and how we do Christ’s work in the world.  Since faith and conversion involve more than just knowledge and action, committing to the Catholic Faith also calls for an internal change of heart and ever deepening spiritual growth.

For those who embark on the journey of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, this process begins and takes place through stages or periods which have focuses, all which enable one to grow in the love of the Lord and knowledge of the Catholic Faith. The stages are connected with the Church year with reception into the Church usually occurring on Easter, with the process continuing until Pentecost, but the Rite does allow for people to be received into the Church at others times of the year.

Dupre: Are children and adults received into the Church the same way? For example an 8-year-old and a 28-year-old.

DeLuca: According to the RCIA anyone who is baptized or received into the Church should follow the same process. The bishops added another change to the RCIA when they adapted it for use with children and youth. As with the adults, the RCIA process is meant to prepare one for full initiation into the Church which takes place through reception of the three sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. All the rituals point toward completing these sacraments at Easter, therefore anyone, whether an adult or a young person, should be fully initiated at Easter if they are in the RCIA process.

Dupre: Is there any difference between a convert and a cradle Catholic? For instance, can someone who has gone through the RCIA process become a priest or a religious?  

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What time is it?

Dupre: I’m a cradle Catholic, but I still do not understand ordinary time? What does that mean?

DeLuca: The English name “ordinary time” translates the Latin term Tempus per annum, literally “time through the year.” The Church uses the liturgical year as a way to lead people along the paths of the Lord, guided by the Holy Spirit. Throughout the year we hear the scriptures in an ordered way and reflect on how God acted in the past, continues to be active in our present lives, and will do so in the future. During each year there are special celebrations, feast days and seasons that highlight God’s actions in Jesus Christ. But, most of the Church year is called ordinary time, not because there is nothing to celebrate but because just as in our lives, we go about the ordinary experience of living. Ordinary time itself constitutes a season outside of the strong seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. According to The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, the days of ordinary time, especially the Sundays, “are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects.”

Dupre: I know during Lent and Advent certain colors are used to decorate the inside of churches. Is there anything different during ordinary time that we do decoration wise? Or can the churches be decorated in any way?

DeLuca: Green, the color of the ordinary season, is a color of new life and hope. The season is deliberately low-key, in contrast to the strong liturgical seasons, which leaves room for local important celebrations, such as the feast day of the patron saint of a parish. The main theme of each Sunday in ordinary time comes from the particular Gospel read during the three-year cycle of readings, with Matthew in year A, Mark in year B, and Luke in year C. The different styles and approaches of these evangelists lend color to these cycles. We are presently in year B in which we are reflecting on Jesus through the eyes of Mark. During this season there are some feasts that are celebrated, such as the Baptism of the Lord, Trinity Sunday and the Feast of Christ the King, and sometimes Holy Days of Obligation are transferred to Sunday if they occur either the day before or after. There are no particular decorations associated with ordinary time, but it is important to remember that Sunday was the original feast and foundation of the liturgical year, and that each Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection of the Lord.

Dupre: Does the length of ordinary time stay the same, or does it vary from year to year?

DeLuca: There are 34 Sundays that cover the time after Epiphany and Pentecost, but each year does not necessarily celebrate this number of Sundays. In the Catholic Church, ordinary time begins on the day following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Church normally celebrates this feast on the Sunday after Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Jan. 6. Ordinary time continues until the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. Because of the changing date for Easter, the period of ordinary time between Christmas and Lent may end in the fourth to ninth week of ordinary time. Ordinary time then resumes on the Monday following Pentecost, and concludes with the Saturday afternoon before the first Sunday of Advent. The actual number of complete or partial weeks of Ordinary Time in any given year can total 33 or 34.

Dupre: When was ordinary time first established? Was it always called ordinary time?

DeLuca: From simple beginnings – Sunday as the Lord’s Day, then the all night celebration of Easter, along with the anniversaries of a few local martyrs – the Church began to develop the liturgical year. By the early 600s the main seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter had evolved in Rome. Before 1969 the times outside of these seasons were called the Season after Epiphany and the Season after Pentecost. Although sometimes they were called ordinary time it was not until the Second Vatican Council that this term was officially designated to be used to indicate the period between Epiphany and Lent, and the period between Pentecost and Advent.

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