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.

Theology by the Slice: "Some Thoughts on Evangelii Gaudium"

Last week we heard a splendid presentation by Fr. Richard Reidy. Fr. Reidy is the Vicar General for the Diocese of Worcester, and he holds degrees in both civil and canon law. His presentation was on Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, "The Joy of the Gospel", and how the Pope has challenged us to both live a life of Christian joy and share that love with others.

Fr. Reidy began with a quote by G.K Chesterton about joy: "Joy...is the gigantic secret of the Christian." Chesterton's quote calls to mind the beginning of St. Augustine's Confessions, in which the Doctor of Grace tells us that "our hearts our restless until they rest in you [God] (inquietum est nostrum cor donec requiescat in te, 1.1.1). The cor inquietum is what drives us to find joy in life, we whose lives Thoreau called ones "of quiet desperation." The joy which we pursue in life, as Augustine observed, can only be found in Christ, and that is the central theme of Evangelii Gaudium. At the same time, however, this truth calls us to examine how well we live and speak of this joy in our own lives.

Evangelii Gaudium is an Apostolic Exhortation addressed to all Catholics, clergy, religious and laity. As the name would suggest, this document is not so much a doctrinal presentation as it is an exhortation on the joy of being a Christian. Some have said it can also provide a blueprint for what Pope Francis wants his papacy to accomplish.

The document outlines several challenges for both the Church and the world. The first line sums these challenges up as an indictment of present issues: "The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience." Pope Francis challenges parts of our capitalist society, saying that unbridled market forces cannot be relied upon to solve problems. While the Church affirms we have a right to own private property, that private ownership must be used for the sake of others' well-being. He also criticized income inequality, globalization and consumerism.

At the same time, Evangelii Gaudium reaffirms many traditional teachings. Pope Francis described the family as the building block of society, and warned against the danger of changing marriage to just an expression of love. He also said that the Church's teaching on abortion would never change, and he affirmed the dignity of the human person. He likewise affirmed that the issue of women's ordination was closed, and that the priesthood would always be exclusively male. He praised the practice of traditional Catholic devotions, such as Adoration, and strongly criticized relativism, citing the USCCB's statement on objective truth.

On the subject of joy, Pope Francis is adamant that all joy finds its source in Christ. While advanced societies are good at providing pleasure, they are deficient at engendering joy. Rather, joy comes from a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. However, the busyness and distraction of living in the present often cloud the enjoyment of the moment. Our faith offers a remedy to this: we know that Christ is always with us, and that with him any trial can be overcome, and that all our fears will come to pass. This faith inspires us to serve the poor and to instruct others in the truth. Every human being, regardless of who they are, longs for Christ's love. That is the answer everyone is searching for.

Having been given the gift of faith, we Christians are called to share that gift with the whole world. The central message we must share is that Christ on the cross has saved the world; God's mercy comes first in evangelization, and the precepts of the law, while still of supreme importance, come after that mercy. 

Evangelii Gaudium is also critical of spirituality confined to the self, and professionalism among the clergy. Rather, the Church is in need of witnesses, more so than teachers, to enter into the lives of others and to share Christ's love. Being confined is akin to a slow suicide. Instead, we are called to love others because everyone is made in God's image, and somehow reflects His glory. By helping someone else, true joy is fostered in the heart.

We sincerely thank Fr. Reidy for his informative and challenging explanation of this very important document. For the full text of Evangelii Gaudium, see here.

Theology by the Slice: "St. Alberto Hurtado"

Last night we heard an impromptu talk by our very own Fr. John Gavin, S.J. Fr. Gavin spoke about the life and theology of St. Alberto Hurtado, a Chilean Jesuit who lived from 1901 to 1952. Canonized in 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI, Alberto Hurtado, he is the patron of Chile, the poor, street children and social workers. There are several misconceptions perpetuated about him, ranging from the claim that he was a liberation theologian to that he held pre-Vatican II spiritual beliefs. These claims, however, are untrue; rather, Alberto Hurtado used traditional Catholic spirituality and theology in relation to contemporary issues of poverty and communism.

Hurtado's father died when he was young, and as such his family suffered from many financial troubles. He first encountered the Society of Jesus when he began to attend a Jesuit high school. He later attended the Catholic University in Santiago and became a civil lawyer. His legal career did not last long, however, and he soon entered a Jesuit novitiate, an experience which he described as ecstatic and heavenly. He later did studies in Spain and, after the civil war broke out, Belgium. He was ordained a priest in 1933. After earning a doctoral degree in education (interestingly enough studying the American educationalist John Dewey) he returned to Chile to teach at the Catholic University.

He also began to lead the youth branch of Catholic Action, a lay movement established by Pope Pius XI. Issues arose under his leadership, however, when the movement became involved in Chilean politics. Given the political turbulence of the time, combined with the overwhelming poverty afflicting the country, political involvement became a troublesome enterprise, and Fr. Hurtado was forced to resign form Catholic Action. He also received criticism for a book he wrote, Is Chile a Catholic Country?, in which he criticized the lack of Church presence among the poor and homeless.

Fr. Hurtado realized his true calling in October of 1944. While walking home one evening, he encountered a homeless man on the street. This encounter prompted him to deliver a homily to a women's spirituality group, in which he said that he saw Christ suffering in that man, and that Christ had no home. The next day, he was surprised to discover that the women had taken up a collection for that man, and told Fr. Hurtado to give the man a home.

This event revealed his calling, and he quickly set out to establish the Hogar de Cristo (Home of Christ) Foundation, which worked to provide not only shelter,  but also education and formation for the poor and homeless of Chile. To this day Hogar de Cristo remains the largest Catholic charity in Chile, and has spread to several other South American countries (and Florida). In addition to this, Fr. Hurtado also established several Catholic Unions, and he wrote several works on the poor and Catholic teaching. He died of cancer at the age of 51, and was made a saint 53 years later.

Pertaining to his theological teaching, Fr. Gavin emphasized three points:

First, the Doctrine of Deification is central to Alberto Hurtado's teaching. Deification, or Theosis, is an ancient doctrine stating that humans become divine by becoming one with God. Christ's Incarnation serves as an analog to how the baptized Christian will enter into union with God, a return to grace and an entering into divine sonship. Deification is central to Hurtado's doctrine, which focuses upon the guiding of the human person to his supernatural end. In an excess of poverty or wealth, however, that course to that supernatural end is obstructed, because the former begets envy and anger, while the latter begets pride and an over-reliance upon the self. Rather, by a fostering of virtue, we are allowed to become more Christ-like. Still, deification and original sin also remind us that heaven is not meant to be found on earth, and no social program will ever entirely eliminate suffering due to humanity's fallen nature and need for grace.

Further, Hurtado's teaching incorporates the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ, famously promulgated by Pope Pius XII's encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi. All the baptized participate in the body of Christ, and all the clergy, religious and laity are drawn together into the Church. Being a part of this body calls us all to transform the world in Christ.

Finally, Hurtado focused upon the reciprocity of justice and charity. Charity is a theological virtue, and is thus a gift given by God's grace. However, we must also be just, giving to each his due, to be charitable. If that fact is ignored, one cannot be truly charitable. Justice begins where charity ends - both feed each other in living a Christian life.

Overall, Alberto Hurtado believed in a social doctrine which was sacramentally-centered. If there is a lack of priests, and a subsequently diminished access to the Eucharist, confession, and other sacraments, then the social apostolate will be unable to flourish and will ultimately collapse.

Pope Francis has in fact drawn upon many of Hurtado's teachings, and uses them in his own teaching and writing. Alberto Hurtado, then, is an important figure with which to be familiar so as to understand Pope Francis's teaching.

We sincerely thank Fr. Gavin for putting this talk together on such short notice, and for exposing us to the life and teaching of this very beautiful and edifying saint.

New Posts and Pictures

Check out our new post on Fr. Tacelli's talk below, with pictures! Also, pictures have been added to the post about Fr. Manoussakis's talk on St. Augustine here.

Theology by the Slice: "Belief in God, Belief in Science"

Last night's talk was an especially significant one for our group, because it marked the (approximate) one-year anniversary of the Society's first* ever Theology by the Slice presentation. Fittingly, the speaker for that first talk returned last night for the first presentation of this semester. Fr. Ronald Tacelli, S.J. is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and the adviser to our sister group at BC, the St. Thomas More Society. In a characteristically witty and thought-provoking fashion, Fr. Tacelli delivered a talk entitled "Belief in God, Belief in Science" which, naturally, dealt with the relation between science and faith.

Fr. Tacelli began by stating that there is much confusion about the relation between science and religion, and discussed the supposed antagonism which exists in being a person who both respects science and holds some religious faith. The study of any empirical science makes an enormous presupposition, that of the existence of the world. There can be no empirical science without the world's existence, because science takes data, obtained from observation of the world, and uses it to draw conclusions. But the very existence of the world raises several questions: why does the world exist? Why are there temporal limits to its existence? These questions are beyond the capacity of science as such either to ask or answer, because that answer cannot exist within the bounds of space and time. Rather, the great Unknown which these questions seek as their answer is the very realm which is proper to religion.

Further, science is unable to tell us how we ought to live. Every individual must make a choice about what is "the good." This good, if it is a reality, is not open for the realm of science to treat, for it cannot be empirically understood. When a human makes a choice to pursue the good, the individual makes himself into a being identified with that good. Thus, as Immanuel Kant understood, an individual identifies himself with the good chosen and so becomes an end to himself.  But neither the agent as choosing nor the end chosen can beempirically understood.

Science deals with things considered abstractly. When dealing with a concrete entity, science will hold that entity against abstract and law-like norms. On the other hand, an individual deals largely with the concrete. How one pursues improvement or deals with shame, for example, are both experiences which one relates to as an individual. A question such as "what are the goods you wish to cherish?" is one which can only be answered for oneself, and not by anyone else. Such pursuit of the mystery of life brings one to the threshold of religious commitment. This mystery can be approached as if it were nothing, and thus ignored, or it can be pursued with reverence and devotion, in the hope of forging a relationship with it. Nevertheless, such pursuit is not an abstract empirical analysis, but is rather the most concrete decision a human being can make.

This is both the glory and the limit of science, that it does not concern itself with the individual as such.  For all we know of the world, there is still  mystery to it, a mystery which was made incarnate in Christ. The mystery is eternal, and it is one which we will partake of in Heaven. The pursuit of that mystery forms a road map which leads the sojourner to the love which he desires most deeply.

Afterward, in response to a question concerning creationism, Fr. Tacelli remarked that all order in the universe is order created by God, and however it works is how God intended it to function. Thus, if evolution as currently understood is in fact the truth of biological development, then that is the system fashioned by God.

We sincerely thank Fr. Tacelli for his wonderful and illuminating discussion of this matter, which is frequently at the center of modern discourse. As further reading on the subject, he suggested Pope Francis's encyclical Lumen fidei and the first chapters of Pope Benedict XVI's The Yes of Jesus Christ (written when he was still Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger). Another good book to consult, detailing the relation between science and faith, would be Stephen Barr's Ancient Faith and Modern Physics. 

*"Why Does God Hide?", delivered by Fr. Tacelli on January 30, 2013.

Theology by the Slice: "Love (3) by George Herbert"

Are you ready for a blast from the past? On October 18 (prior to this blog's creation), Prof. James Kee of the Holy Cross English Department delivered a wonderful talk on the religious themes of a poem by the seventeenth-century English poet George Herbert, Love (3). The poem is part of a collection of poems called "The Temple", in which each poem represents a location in a church. The poem is:

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
        Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
        From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
        If I lack'd anything.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
        Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
        I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
        "Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
        Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
        "My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
        So I did sit and eat. 

The narrator has to be coaxed into attending "the feast", which is an eschatological kind of feast. This image of the feast hearkens to a parable told by Jesus of a master who hosted a feast and sent his servants out to find attendees; however, some of the people spoken to did not want to come. Likewise, the narrator in this poem takes the position of the reluctant guest.

Prof. Kee noted how the choice of verbs was supremely simple, but nonetheless potent. He further noted how the guest argued that his eyes were unworthy to look upon Love, which prompts the response that God Himself made the eyes, and as such would not have made them without the intent of them being used.

The response of the narrator to that proved rather chilling, that "let my shame go where it doth deserve." In other words, his own self-hatred would let him prefer Hell than to his own unworthiness at the feast. Prof. Kee commented that this sort of self-hatred is a problem which arose in modern times, and is at odds with the self-love, or cupiditas which was more frequently talked about in the Middle Ages.

Finally, Love tells the narrator that He bore the blame, referencing of course Christ's sacrifice on the cross. The narrator then decides he wants to "serve", but Love insists that all he do is sit down, and He will provide. He concludes by finally agreeing to be served at the feast: "So I did sit and eat." The verb is past tense, which is consistent with the base tense of the narrative.

Prof. Kee also related this to a speech given by a Holy Cross alumnus, William Jenks '58, a quadriplegic who suffered from polio for 26 years. Mr. Jenks gave a speech to his class in 1979 after this long period in which he insisted that people "learn to be loved." That is, by accepting help in smaller matters, we train ourselves to ask for help with respect to larger things. The quote which he impressed upon us was, "The able-bodied can be brought to truth through hurts that never show. I think it's likely I am not the most seriously wounded among us, only the most conspicuously bandaged. Sooner or later every one of us will be made to feel flawed, inadequate, powerless. And there's no defense against it … The alternative is to let yourself be loved. Not pitied, indulged, or pampered, but loved."

This fascinating talk illumined the depth an complexity of a seemingly simple poem. As always, we sincerely thank Prof. Kee for his time and effort.