ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION IN CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
HOMILY OF JOHN PAUL II
Saturday, 29 May 1982
In a few moments we shall renew our baptismal vows together. We intend to perform this ritual, which we share in common as Anglicans and Catholics, as a clear testimony to the one sacrament of Baptism by which we have been joined to Christ. At the same time we are humbly mindful that the faith of the Church to which we appeal is not without the marks of our separation. Together we shall renew our renunciation of sin in order to make it clear that we believe that Jesus Christ has overcome the powerful hold of Satan upon “the world” (Io. 14, 17). We shall profess anew our intention to turn away from all that is evil and to turn towards God who is the author of all that is good and the source of all that is holy. As we again make our profession of faith in the triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - we find great hope in the promise of Jesus: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (Ibid. 14, 26). Christ’s promise gives us confidence in the power of this same Holy Spirit to heal the divisions introduced into the Church in the course of the centuries since that first Pentecost day. In this way the renewal of our baptismal vows will become a pledge to do all in our power to cooperate with the grace of the Holy Spirit, who alone can lead us to the day when we will profess the fullness of our faith together.
My comments: The first photo above with Cardinal O'Malley in an ecumenical ceremony where participants acknowledged their common baptism has irritated the "traddies" of the Church to no end. As usual they become shrill and shoot themselves in the foot as their attitude and shrillness don't win them new friends or influence those who stereotype them and see them as on the fringe.
In the ecumenical setting with Cardinal O'Malley it is water that is placed on his forehead by a Methodist minister. While the Catholic Church does not acknowledge any Protestant denominations as having a valid Sacrament of Holy Orders, to include also the Anglicans, we do recognize their ministry as one of leadership and the contact point for ecumenical relations. It would be similar to recognizing the leadership of non-ordained superiors of religious orders.
There is little difference here if she had sprinkled Cardinal O'Malley as we would do the "Rite of Sprinkling with Holy Water" or simply touching his forehead with water as she does in the photo above.
Keep in mind that the photo with Blessed Pope John Paul II and the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1982 was taken as they entered the Anglican (formerly Catholic) Canterbury Cathedral and renewed their baptismal promises together as they prayed together. Technically the Archbishop of Canterbury is not considered by the Catholic Church to be ordained, let alone a bishop in apostolic succession and thus the successor to Saint Augustine who was the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
20 comments:
I can hardly contain myself, after three years of blogging I have finally discovered the way to use different color print in my posts! It is truly marvelous to behold!
In Canterbury in 1982 the Arhbishop of Canterbury did not presume to 'rebaptize' JP II with the sacramental sign of water. Nor would the Pope have knelt for a blessing from someone who is technically a layman, as Cardinal Bergoglio infamously did.
It's all very well to claim that these ecumenical gestures are meaningless and harmless, but signs and symbols are important, and send out a message. The 'Rite of Sprinkling' (Asperges) is a Sacramental which remits venial sins. That is why in the OF it replaces the Penitential Act.
I had not seen the offending photograph before and it appears that the cardinal is being anointed. To be told that 'only' water was used makes it only slightly less scandalous and shocking. I'm sorry, Father, you're not comparing like with like here, and in your heart of hearts I think you know it.
It is pure nonsense...a stupid and dangerous faux ecumenical gesture. These Cardinals and Bishops need to stop making fools of themselves and the Catholic Church.
I never thought I would begin allowing SSPX thoughts into my consciousness...but, after Fr's conciliatory post about gay families and efforts to put a smiley face on other outrages, once in a while I hear a little bird somewhere singing, "SSPX, SSPX." If this crap keeps up, where else is there for traditional Catholics to go?
Let me get this straight. Traditional Catholics who are scandalized by a Cardinal receiving a ritual gesture from a female Protestant minister are shrill. I think a Cardinal who publicly honored a man, Ted Kennedy, who promoted abortion more than any other "Catholic" in this country is shrill. And let's not forget that O'Malley honored Ted Kennedy who also allowed his mistress to drown instead of going for help. That's the kind of people Cardinal O'Malley praises. And also let's not forget Kennedy never publicly recanted his public scandals. And we no longer care about being called names by clergy like you. After all the Pope has been doing it to us since he walked out on that balcony and showed his hatred for tradition. You can rationalize all this nonsense away but in the end it will be theTraditional Catholics who remain. We are finished with being driven out of our Church by people like you. We are not the ones in error you are. All of your programs have failed. The Mass has been reduced to a travesty, convents and monasteries are empty, the Faith is not only hated,it's dismissed. Francis isn't going to live forever. The next traditionally minded pope should walk out onto that balcony with the tiara already on his head and if you don't like it oh well. Young traditional priests stop being afraid of what your bishop will do. Stop giving communion in the hand, push the altars against the wall etc. The pope has shown that liturgical laws don't matter, so wear those fiddlebacks and bring back the Latin.
Here again the question is not one of sacramental substance, but one of sign and appearance. Much of the message in religious acts and symbols is in the medium rather than the substance.
While I don't see this silly episode as a really big deal, my view--not as the traddie I'm not, but as the ordinary mainstream Catholic I am--is that this transparent posturing by the cardinal trivializes symbols of blessing and distinctions that are vital to Catholic belief. He should have known better.
Cardinal O'Malley and Pope Francis spend much of their time making people feel comfortable in their sin. Neither, ever, calls anyone to convert and change. I wonder what their private lives are like?
Oh, come now, Anonymous! I'm no ardent fan of His (current) Holiness, but surely you can't truthfully say the man "never, ever calls anyone to convert and change". Style and clarity may not be Pope Francis' strong points, but encouragement of conversion certainly is. Just read a few of his homilies and you'll see it.
Quicumquevult:
You are, of course, correct. But you may not be familiar with Anonymous’s conversational style, which can charitably be characterized as “hyperbolic.” Just take a look at his comment earlier in this thread. For example, “monasteries are empty.” Funny, I wonder who all those people dressed in habits are at the Cistercian Monastery of the Holy Spirit up the road. They must be actors making a movie I suppose. Not to mention his vitriolic attacks on our priests, including, ironically, Father McDonald when he dares to deviate from the “party line.” He also calls for open defiance, revolution even, by young priests.
I used to challenge some of this Anonymous’s extreme exaggerations but have now become resigned to them. It is up to you whether you do the same but I no longer have the energy. Perhaps that is how extremists win in the end. They just wear you down with their relentlessness.
Why didn't Cardinal O'Malley ask the woman to lay hands on him so he could renew his ordination? Maybe on Holy Thursday he and the pope could go to a mosque and have an Imam pray over them. The world would love it.
Not Anonymous 1, 2, or 3. Just Anonymous.
"The Pope Francis Little Book Of Insults"
http://thatthebonesyouhavecrushedmaythrill.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-pope-francis-little-book-of-insults.html
Can you imagine a Cardinal or Archbishop visiting an S.S.P.X. church who are Roman Catholics and attending Holy Mass there no way!!!! But go right ahead to any Protestant heretical service and all is well. Just amazing what Vatican II has done, and keep up the name calling Bergoglio, The Mass of All Times will Triupmh in the end dear Bishop of Rome since he won't call himself Pope.
Anonymous is screaming to make a point because you milque toasts cannot or will not see the freight train of a dying Church and culture roaring down the tracks right at you.
If Anon 2 had been at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941, I am sure he would have insisted to everyone that it must have just been an accident and that we should really take no offense. A few simple negotiations would solve the problem and the Japanese would apologize and all would be well.
Anonymous, we gotta' have lunch...
Gene, you are a great guy. You are absolutely correct about Anonymous 2 and those who think like him.
The Catholic Church doesn't "own" baptism or the renewal of baptismal promises.
If the recognition of this truth drives some away from the Catholic Church, then they were not very "in" the Church to begin with or their understanding of sacraments is pretty weak.
"Anonymous is screaming to make a point because you milque toasts cannot or will not see the freight train of a dying Church and culture roaring down the tracks right at you."
Gene, I won't deny for a moment what you say there. But I stand by my point that, contra the words of Anonymous, Pope Francis does indeed call people to convert and change.
Quicum, That was not my issue. However, calling for someone to convert and change can mean many things, and it can be mere lip service to an expected exhortation. Baptists call people to convert and change all the time…Billy Graham had hundreds walking down to the front of Shea Stadium all weepy-eyed and dripping with emotion. Convert and change does not get right down to the meaning of metanoia or true repentance. These things require discriminating belief and true passion, not sentiment and "I wanna be like Jesus" flash in the pan emotionalism.
The Pope would do better to fix the Liturgy and Catholic identity by modeling.
Gene and Anonymous:
Regarding the Pearl Harbor comment, there you go with the hyperbole again.
Now if you had really wanted to get me you would have said that I am like Jack Nicholson’s President James Dale, or better yet Pierce Brosnan’s Professor Donald Kessler, in “Mars Attacks.” =)
Btw I keep a recording of Slim Whitman’s “Indian Love Call” under my pillow just in case.
Gene, you get my virtual applause for that comment. ;)
Quicum, and a virtual "Thank you, thank you, merci…" to you, as well.
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