Theology by the Slice: "Medical Miracles"

On Wednesday the group heard a talk from Fr. William Stempsey, S.J., M.D., and Professor of Philosophy at the College.  As the string of titles following Father’s name implies, he is quite the decorated scholar – he holds advanced degrees in Philosophy, Theology, and Medicine and has been published extensively.  The topic of the talk he delivered was “Medical Miracles,” which brought together both his experience as a medical doctor and his knowledge of philosophy.

Father began by examining what in fact the word ‘miracle’ implies in contemporary society.  It is no surprise that the word is loved by advertisers, who have conceived of everything from ‘Fast Miracles’ to ‘Miracles of the Foot’ to ‘Miracle for African Hair’ to the ubiquitous ‘Miracle Whip’.  Putting aside these rather banal examples, miracles have also been invoked in more serious contexts by hospitals and charities searching for ‘miracle cures’ or ‘miracle drugs,’ among them the Children’s Miracle Network.  One might even consider the burgeoning field of technology as a veritable miracle, with the discovery of everything from organ transplants to Penicillin and Aspirin being summarily hailed as a ‘miracle of modern medicine.’  

Yet despite the largely secularized connotation which the word usually evokes, it is inevitably connected to some spiritual or supernatural reality – birth and even Life can be considered miracles in and of themselves.  So how are we to understand what a miracle is?  Father began by presenting the three criteria by which Richard Swinburne, a noted British philosopher of religion, qualifies an event as a miracle.  First the event must be of an extraordinary kind.  Second it must be brought about by a god of some sort.  Finally as has been alluded to above, the miracle must evoke a certain religious significance.  As is immediately evident, Swinburne’s criteria already begin to disqualify many of the secular miracles which contemporary society holds up, whether deliberately or not, as miracles in their own right. 

Father developed this conception of a miracle by presenting the varying opinions of three foundational thinkers on the issue:  St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and David Hume, an 18^th-century Scottish empiricist philosopher.  Augustine thought of miracles not as a contradiction of the natural order, but as the activation of some hidden element which had up to that point been unintelligible to human observation.  Aquinas saw things slightly differently, conceiving of miracles as outside of the natural order, though not contrary to it – in short, God alters the powers of nature so as to bring about new powers which are part of the natural order.  The third thinker which Father presented, Hume, has a position altogether different from the two saints.  He saw miracles as necessarily violating the natural order.  Although open to the possibility of their existence, he had ultimately decided that there has never been a sufficient number of educated, trustworthy observers of a miraculous experience to prove its existence.

Having presented these varying views on miracles, Father introduced us to an actual example of miraculous experience to use it as a sort of test case.  The case in question is the rather recent ‘Brockton Case’, which involved the miraculous healing of Benedicta McCarthy who, after having accidentally ingested 19 times the lethal dose of Tylenol, ended up defying death with a remarkable full recovery.  Benedicta’s family attributed the cure to the intercession of Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, better known as Edith Stein, a German Jewish-convert nun who was executed because of her ethnicity during World War II.  The case was summarily submitted to the Vatican and ended up being officially attributed to Edith Stein, who was then canonized in 1998. 

This leads us to some interesting questions:  How do medical cures work?  Can doctors even prove that an event is miraculous with an imperfect understanding of the natural world?  How can we actually prove that a saint’s intercession is responsible for the cure?  Father concluded that we inevitably cannot prove this:  to say that we can entails a post hoc ergo propter hoc argument – since Y follows X, Y must have been caused by X.  He also drew in the work of philosophers such as C. S. Peirce and process theorist A. N. Whitehead to allow the possibility that the universe may not be made up of set laws, but rather include a degree of chance.  In the end Father argued for a canonization process based more on the life and spirituality of a person rather than his success as a heavenly intercessor.

The Catholic Church recognizes saints as persons who have attained eternal salvation in Heaven.  A candidate for sainthood is officially canonized after an expert and the local bishop conduct an extensive investigation into his life as well as after the saint’s Heavenly intercession can be attributed to a miraculous event.  The attestation of a panel of medical doctors that a miracle event is inexplicable proves that the candidate is indeed in Heaven, his prayers having been heard by God.  The current practice of the Church requires two miracles for subsequent canonization.

We sincerely thank Fr. Stempsey for all his time and effort in putting together this presentation.

Theology by the Slice: "Magis Moments in the History of Holy Cross"

This Wednesday we heard a great presentation by Fr. Anthony Kuzniewski, S.J. Fr. Kuzniewski entered the Society of Jesus in 1972 and was ordained a priest in 1979. He earned his Ph.D. at Harvard University, and is currently a Professor History at Holy Cross. He is a scholar of American history and teaches several popular courses on Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and the history of the college. His talk on Wednesday night was called "Magis Moments in the History of Holy Cross", and focused on how the Jesuit philosophy of magis has influenced Holy Cross at four important times in its history.

Fr. Kuzniewski began by defining magis (Latin, greater) as a philosophy of, when presented with a choice, making the choice which gives greater glory to God. Magis has been applied to Holy Cross in the making of its institutional decisions, academically, spiritually and with respect to campus life.

There is always a tension between keeping traditions and making innovations, especially with Jesuits. St. Ignatius of Loyola was filled with a desire to "help souls" and did so by providing schools with consistent curricula. This was called the ratio studiorum, or "plan of studies," which was an exceptional curriculum for a student of the sixteenth century. The ratio studiorum, however, took on a lot of authority, and that authority eclipsed the fact that education must be adapted.

The college's founding is an example of such adaptation. Holy Cross was founded by Bishop Benedict J. Fenwick, S.J. of the Diocese of Boston. Bishop Fenwick suffered a great setback in 1834, when a school run by the Ursuline Sisters was burned down by a nativist, anti-Catholic mob. After this, there were no Catholic schools in the Diocese for nine years, until Bishop Fenwick founded Holy Cross. The new school however, was unorthodox in several ways. While the Jesuits had traditionally established schools in urban centers, Bishop Fenwick wanted the new school to be isolated and away from potential mob violence. Thus, he built the new school in Worcester, which at the time was a small village. Further, he wanted the school to only teach Catholic boys because the presence of Protestant girls at the Ursuline school had contributed to the violence.* He also wanted the new school to foster vocations to the priesthood. The system worked, and was continued under Bishop Fitzpatrick. Not only was violence avoided, but the college fostered significant vocation to the priesthood, and continued to do so into the twentieth century.

The next major change took place under Fr. Joseph Hanselman, S.J., president of the college from 1901 to 1906. By that time, the American education system was the same as it is today, with separate middle schools, high schools colleges and graduate schools. Holy Cross, however, had retained the tradition European model of the lyceum, which was a collection of a junior high, high school and a junior college, going to the equivalent of the sophomore year of college. As a result of this, Holy Cross graduates were not prepared for graduate school, and the president of Harvard, Charles Eliot, refused to accept students from the college.** In response to this, Fr. Hansleman was forced to break Holy Cross into a preparatory school and a college. Later, the college moved away from the fixed curriculum and allowed students to choose majors, although it retained philosophy and classical language classes. This move was very successful: Holy Cross grew into the largest Catholic college in America, and by 1914 it was able to drop its prep school. Holy Cross even earned a campaign visit from Woodrow Wilson in 1912, because he saw it as a way to associate himself with the Catholic population in New England.

After World War II, however, this "Second Holy Cross" had run its course. Many of the Jesuits teaching philosophy and theology did not have anything beyond a Master's degree, and as such those academic areas were struggling. In response to this, Fr. Raymond Swords, S.J. (president 1960-70) dismissed several Jesuits in those departments and hired laity to teach instead. Further, as Fr. Kuzniewski argued, several steps were made to make the college more relevant: parietal rules were abandoned, and compulsory mass attendance was dropped (for St. Ignatius did not want people to be forced to pray, but rather to choose to). Fr. John Brooks, following Fr. Swords, took steps to get African-Americans to attend the college, including future Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Coeducation was introduced in 1972, and in 1969 the Jesuit community separated from the college's administration, handing over much of that task to laity. Fr. Swords wanted to balance both tradition and adaptation, and felt he suffered much for making the choices he made, calling it a kind of martyrdom.

Although it is far too early to tell, Fr. Kuzniewski thinks that a "Fourth Holy Cross" may have begun to form under Fr. McFarland and Boroughs. There a far fewer Jesuits at the college today. As a result, holy Cross has instituted lay chaplains and retreats and formation for the faculty to compensate for this loss. The College is also placing a great emphasis upon mission. Still, whatever course the college takes, a balance between tradition and adaptation must always be sought, and the creation of that balance is a demonstration of magis.

We sincerely thank Fr. Kuzniewski for preparing this very interesting presentation and for teaching us about our school's history.

*The Catholics-only policy led to Holy Cross not being chartered by the State of Massachusetts until 1865. After the Civil war, however, some of the prejudice against Catholics had dropped and the state wanted ot show appreciation for all the Catholics who had fought and died in the war.

**Eliot was also a fierce opponnet of the ratio studiorum, and vocally attacked the Jesuit style of education. His challenge was met by Fr. Timothy Brosnahan, S.J., whose defense against Eliot became the standard of Jesuit schooling for the early part of the twentieth century.

Theology by the Slice: "Countercultural Catholic: The Apostolic Mission in a Post-Christian World"

Last Wednesday we received a fantastic presentation by Philip Lawler. Mr. Lawler is the editor of Catholic World News (www.cwnews.com), a part of the website Catholic Culture. He is also a prolific author, having written eight books, with a new one coming out later this year on the New Evangelization. Drawing from this theme, his talk on Wednesday was called "Countercultural Catholic: The Apostolic Mission in a Post-Christian World", in which he discussed both the Church's role in society and how our individual lives shape the culture.

Mr. Lawler drew many of his ideas from a book he wrote in 2008, The Faithful Departed. In it he argued that the sexual abuse scandal was not the cause, but rather an effect of the decline of Catholicism in the Archdiocese of Boston. This, however, is not confined to Boston, but can and has happened elsewhere and with other faiths.

If the Church is in retreat in the public sphere, it is because she is also in retreat in the spiritual sphere. However, there is an issue in how we measure the extent of one's Catholicity. While predictable measures - such as mass attendance, the number of weddings and baptisms, etc. - are often used, they are unable to measure things such as holiness and commitment. Rather, we look for such things in unpredictable places.

For example, hardly anyone would have expected someone like Mother Angelica, an obscure nun from Ohio, to be able to found the Eternal Word Television Network, the largest religious media network in the world. On would have expected the USCCB's million dollar investment in a television network to have succeeded, but it did not. When asked why EWTN succeeded over the bishops, Mother Angelica simply responded that "God didn't give them the work, He gave it to me."

Similarly unexpected triumphs have occurred throughout the church's history. In the Middle Ages, Benedictine monasteries were able to flourish virtually overnight, bringing with them an abundance of Catholic literature and culture. Mr. Lawler quoted Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J. of Ignatius Press as saying that the uptick in homeschooling, and thus parents showing their children how to live the faith, is a sign of revival in the Church. Likewise, the unsung heroes who protested outside of abortion clinics and were jailed for it serve as a shining example of holiness and commitment. In short, there is good reason to believe that a revival of Catholicity is nearby, and we are able to be a part of it.

Thus, we are all called to be Countercultural Catholics. It is important to note that culture is defined not just as broad societal values but also as how individuals lead their daily lives and what they consider important. For a Catholic to be countercultural, he must incorporate several key elements into his daily life. Foremost is that he must live a life of prayer. Weekly mass attendance, and preferably more, is essential. Mr. Lawler also recommends praying at least a part of the Liturgy of the Hours, by which we pray in rhythm with the Church on a daily basis.

Further, we need to develop a support system. When living in a world largely opposed to Catholic values, life can become difficult and discouraging. It is therefore important to both be involved in the parish community and to have like-minded friends. Good Catholic friends reassure us of our beliefs, provide respite from the culture at large, and provide for holy relationships, both individually and between families.

Unfortunately, we have seen a precipitous decline of the church's influence upon public life. There is a tendency to excuse this decline because "the culture has changed." However, the church's appeal to transcendence is a culture-changing force, and therefore the culture changes at least in part because the Church stopped being a driving force. This is the central question: to what degree does the Church influence the culture, or vice versa? Which is dominant? the answer to this question determines whether or not the Church is in retreat.

The Church does not play defense well- nor should she. She is either advancing or retreating, and how well she advances defines the New Evangelization.

Students listening attentively

After his talk, Mr. Lawler fielded a broad range of questions.

In response to a question about priests, Mr. Lawler remarked that the priests of today are among the most committed in history, because mush of the esteem which had once been attached to the priesthood is now gone. While some of the animosity is dying down, it is unlikely that priests will ever see the same level of respect they were once afforded, but this only demonstrates how much today's clergy love the Church.

In response to several questions about liturgy, he remarked that many are attracted both to the Extraordinary Form and reverent Novus Ordo Masses because of their great beauty (especially musically), the peace they exude, and their consistency in worship. It is a good thing when priests "Say the Black and Do the Red" - that is, follow the liturgical rubrics - because it allows for reverence and stability. Ultimately he would prefer a hybrid of the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms, combining their best elements and creating a truly splendid experience of the Mass. He also recommended experiencing Eastern Rite liturgies, which are equally beautiful and reverent.

In response to a question about Orders of Religious Sisters, Mr. Lawler remarked that there is a clear trend between how reverent and faithful an order is and how much it succeeds. He also expressed a desire for honesty and an abandonment of politics when dealing with the doctrinal issues within groups like the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

In response to a question about a possible reunion with the Eastern Churches, Mr. Lawler remarked that, while there still is hostility among some churches, such as the Greek Orthodox Churches, there is great potential for many of the oriental churches. In particular, the Catholic Church in Ukraine could serve to unite the various Christian churches in that country. However, Mr. Lawler expressed doubt that the Society of St. Pius X would ever reconcile with Rome, seeing as the best chance of that happening has passed.

It was an honor to have such a distinguished speaker come to us and to deliver such a fantastic talk. We sincerely thank Mr. Lawler for all the time and effort he put in to his presentation.