Byline: Msgr. Charles E. Pope

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Sacraments

Is Adoration Different Than Prayer Before a Tabernacle?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

January 16, 2020 7:27 am January 16, 2020

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The Church does not assign an essential difference between praying before the tabernacle and praying before the Lord when displayed in the monstrance in Eucharistic Adoration. A Vatican document on the Eucharist says: “Exposition of the blessed sacrament, either in a ciborium or a monstrance, draws the faithful to an awareness of the sublime presence of Christ and invites them to inner communion with him. Therefore, it is a strong encouragement toward the worship owed to Christ in spirit and in truth” (Eucharisticum Mysterium, No. 60).

So, both forms of adoration are commended. But while there is not an essential difference, there can be a subjectively different experience. In adoration before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance, there is a visual aspect that helps many to stay more focused. In this sense one may argue that Eucharistic Adoration before the monstrance is “better.” But as you point out, personal factors such as schedules or a preference for quieter, briefer or more solitary visits can also influence what is better.

The bottom line is that the Church encourages devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Such devotion, through visits, adoration, signs of respect through kneeling, genuflection and making the Sign of the Cross as one passes a Catholic Church, all acknowledge the sublime presence of the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

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Angels

Should We Name Guardian Angels?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

January 16, 2020 6:59 am January 16, 2020

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Generally, the Church advises against the practice of naming our angels. In a document written in 2001 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments entitled…

Generally, the Church advises against the practice of naming our angels. In a document written in 2001 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments entitled “Directory on Popular Piety in the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines,” it says, “The practice of assigning names to the holy angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael, whose names are contained in holy Scripture” (No. 127). While the congregation does not offer reasons for discouraging the practice, I would like to offer a couple.

First, there is the understanding of what a name is. For most of us in the modern Western world, a name is simply a sound we go by. But in the ancient, biblical world, and even in many places today, a name has a far deeper meaning. A name describes something of the essence of the person. This helps explain the ancient practice of the Jews to name the child on the eighth day. The delay gave the parents some time to observe something of the essence of the child, and then, noting it, they would name the child. Indeed, most biblical names are deeply meaningful and descriptive.

But it is presumptive to think that we can know enough of the essence of a particular angel in order to be able to assign a name. Hence, assigning a name seems inappropriate.

The second reason is that assigning a name indicates some superiority over the one named. Thus in the case of children, parents, who are superior over their children, rightly name them. However, in the case of angels, they are superior to us. And, even though we often speak of them as serving us, they do this on account of their superior power and as guardians. Thus God commands us to heed their voice (see Ex 23:20-21).

You are surely encouraged to speak to your angel, and the usual practice is to say something like, “Dear Guardian Angel….” or simply “Guardian Angel, please help….”

I usually get a lot of pushback when I have given this answer elsewhere, whether in print or in talks. I realize that many have strong feelings to the contrary of what the Roman congregation advises. And though I think the caution is reasonable and that we should not name angels, neither should we abandon charity among one another over this issue or allow it to loom too large as something permitted or forbidden.

The bottom line should be to avoid the practice but to preserve charity and gently correct if possible, or tolerate it with kindness where necessary.

Rev. Msgr. Charles E. Pope is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

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Evangelization

Addressing Atheism

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

December 12, 2019 7:51 am December 12, 2019

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In situations like this it is often good to use the Socratic method wherein one asks questions. Thus you might ask, “Why do you not believe in God?” This will…

In situations like this it is often good to use the Socratic method wherein one asks questions. Thus you might ask, “Why do you not believe in God?” This will make the student reflect on his own motives and reasons and to make the case for his view. Suppose he says, “I don’t see God anywhere.” You might ask: “Why do you think that only things you can see exist? Can you show me evidence that unseen things don’t exist?” In other words, follow his train of thought and make him do the work to defend his position. Avoid mere gotcha questions, and when he might protest your many questions just reassure him that you are trying to understand why he thinks there is no God. Asking questions will help him discover some of the errors in his own logic. For example, saying God doesn’t exist because He can’t be seen is really a poor premise. There are many things I cannot see that do exist. I cannot see Topeka, Kansas, right now, but it exists. I cannot see an atom. These are real things, yet we know they exist by observing their effects. Many people use the Socratic method quite well in their conversations with atheists.

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Sacraments

Mixing Water and Wine At Mass

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

December 11, 2019 9:45 am December 11, 2019

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Ever wonder why a drop of water is added to the wine while preparing the gifts at Mass? The practice of mixing water and wine was common in the ancient…

Ever wonder why a drop of water is added to the wine while preparing the gifts at Mass?

The practice of mixing water and wine was common in the ancient world. Wines were usually heavier than most modern vintages and to dilute them a bit made them more palatable and less inebriating. People also drank more wine since water in the ancient world could not be purified easily as is done today. Thus the wine used at Mass was mixed with water before the consecration in the usual manner of all wine.

Mystically it came to represent our inclusion into Christ’s body by our baptism. The priest says: “By the mystery of the water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.” Though the practical reason to mix water and wine no longer is needed, it remains a powerful symbol.

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The Church

Are Catholics Christians?

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

December 11, 2019 7:51 am December 11, 2019

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Catholics are Christians. In fact, we are the very first Christians. And we who call ourselves Catholic are no less Christian than Lutherans who call themselves Lutherans, or Methodists who…

Catholics are Christians. In fact, we are the very first Christians. And we who call ourselves Catholic are no less Christian than Lutherans who call themselves Lutherans, or Methodists who call themselves Methodist, etc.

A primary argument is historical. The Protestant denominations are all less than 500 years old in terms of their founding. The human founders of these denominations such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, et al., broke away from Catholicism and/or each other. Further, their existence is a relatively recent historical phenomenon in the more than 2,000 years of Christian history.

The Catholic Church, which include Roman (Latin-rite) Catholics and Eastern-rite Catholics were not founded by mere human beings, but by the Lord Jesus Christ, and built on the rock of St. Peter.

In Acts 11:26, we are told, “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.” This declaration and description was made of the Church more than 1,500 years before any Protestant denominations ever existed.

Hence, the Catholic Church has borne the title “Christian” long before any breakaway groups ever used the term to describe themselves.

We do not deny they are Christians and neither should they deny that of us, for the reasons stated. Catholics are Christians to be sure, the first Christians.

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3 min read

Evil

Holy Innocents and the Problem of Evil

Msgr. Charles E. Pope

December 10, 2019 9:58 am December 10, 2019

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When God warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, sometimes asked why God didn’t warn the other families? Some consider it cruel for God to allow this. This…

When God warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt, sometimes asked why God didn’t warn the other families? Some consider it cruel for God to allow this.

This goes to the heart of a very great mystery, the problem of evil. It is an unquestionable fact that God permits a great deal of evil to go on in our world and very seldom does He intervene to stop it.

We know that God permits evil as a “necessary” condition of freedom for the rational creatures He has created. Angels and humans have free and rational souls and, if our freedom is to mean anything, it must be that God allows some angels and men to abuse their freedom, and even become a source of evil and temptation for others. Were God to routinely step in every time one person does something God does not want, it could not be said that we are really free. And if we are not really free, we cannot love. And if we cannot love, we are not lovers, nor sons and daughters, but slaves.

As such, this life amounts for us as a kind of test wherein God permits some degree of evil to flourish, yet not without offering us the grace to overcome. It is also clear that, on account of temptations and trials, our “yes” to God has greater dignity and merit than if we lived in an essentially sin-free zone or paradise.

Further, it is a general rule of faith that while God permits evil, He can draw a greater good from it.

Many of us, who have remained faithful to God, are able to look back and see how our sufferings also brought strength to us, and even known goods. Surely, too, there are many unknown goods that God is able to draw from the difficulties and evils of this world.

As for the death of the Holy Innocents and God’s “failure” to warn other families, we can only apply such norms. We are not in a position to really say what was best for God to do. It is clear that God allowed the torture and death of His Only-Begotten Son to bring great good. It is also clear that God has chosen to associate many martyrs with the saving passion of His Son.

We are all called in some way to suffer with Christ, and die with Him, so as to rise to new life with Him (see Rom 6:2-14; 8:17; 2 Cor 4:10). All of us share in the cross of Christ, so as also to share in His resurrected glory. If this seems unfair, remember God offered us paradise.

But Adam and Eve (and all of us have ratified their choice) wanted a better deal where they would call the shots. Welcome to the “better deal.” So God makes use of suffering and death to bring greater life, if we have faith!

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