Articles by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki
Pope is visible sign of unity and authority for faithful
Mar 14, 2013 / 00:00 amMy dear brothers and sisters in Christ:Much has been said by many who have voiced their opinions about what qualities will be needed in our new pope. After all is said and done, I simply place my trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the cardinal-electors in the conclave to choose wisely in accord with God's will.More important for our immediate consideration is our understanding of the qualities needed by us in relation to the pope and our attitude toward the new Holy Father, whoever he may be. The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides helpful instruction in this regard.The Petrine office, as the ministry of the successor of St. Peter is called, is described in paragraph 881 of the Catechism: "The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the 'rock' of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head. This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope."As successor of St. Peter, the pope then is the rock of the Lord's church and shepherd of Christ's flock together with the bishops, who are the successors of the apostles, in union with the pope and under his primacy. The keys represent the power of binding and loosing, which refers to the power to forgive sins as well as to govern the church. This power is shared by the bishops who are united to the pope as the head of the college of bishops.Paragraphs 882-883 of the Catechism teach that, "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful. For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered. The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head. As such, this college has supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff."This definition of the papacy stresses the importance of the pope's role in preserving the unity of the church. The importance of the pope's role as "the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful" can be seen in contrast to the chaos and disunity of other religious faiths and denominations, which do not have a visible center of unity and authority such as the pope.The notion of papal infallibility is often misunderstood and therefore warrants our consideration. The Catechism, in paragraphs 889-892, states, "In order to preserve the Church in the purity of the faith handed on by the apostles, Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility ... . The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals."It should be noted that this infallibility does not belong exclusively to the pope. The body of bishops shares in this infallibility when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise what is called "the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine for belief as being divinely revealed, and as the teaching of Christ, all the Christian faithful must adhere to these definitions "with the obedience of faith."Not all teachings of the pope and bishops are infallible. In some cases the bishops as the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing it in a "definitive manner." To this ordinary teaching the faithful are to adhere "with religious assent which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it."It would be good for all of us to reflect on our obligations in relation to the pope and the bishops, since, just as the flock needs a courageous and faithful shepherd, so the shepherd needs an obedient and faithful flock.May God give us this grace. Amen.Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Times, official newspaper for the diocese of Springfield.
In new year, we must promote culture of life and peace
Jan 10, 2013 / 00:00 amMy dear brothers and sisters in Christ:Looking back at this past year, the horrendous shootings that took place on Dec. 14 at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., will cast a dark shadow on the whole year, much as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 became etched in so many people's minds simply as "9/11" without even needing to mention the year because everyone knew.Sad to say, the depraved killer's rampage at the Sandy Hook School was not the only mass shooting of the year. Perhaps they are becoming so commonplace in our world that we almost forget the last one to have occurred. Remember the gunman who shot and killed 12 people at a movie theater showing the Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises,” in Aurora, Colo., on July 20? If that gruesome attack has already started to fade from your memory, perhaps it is because thoughts of one are so quickly displaced by news of another.There have been 70 mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2012, leaving 543 people dead (including the 27 fatalities from the Sandy Hook School shootings). Seven of those 70 shootings occurred this year. Sixty-eight of those 543 victims were killed this year.President Barack Obama was absolutely correct when he said the following words at the Sandy Hook Prayer Vigil on Dec. 16: "We can't tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change. We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and that is true. No single law – no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society."While many people are calling for new gun control laws or improvements in the treatment of mental illness, they ignore the essential role of religion in building a peaceful society. In fact, some go so far as to blame religion, citing the terrorist attacks of Islamist extremists on Sept. 11, 2001 as evidence for their argument. However, the fact is that violence done in the name of religion is a perversion of religion.In contrast, true religion promotes peace and harmony. The word "religion" comes from the Latin, re + ligare = to bind together again. Religion properly understood and practiced brings people together, forms a community and binds them as one. It is more than a mere mechanism for social cohesiveness and political stability, for God is the glue that holds religious communities together.Yes, we must change, but that change must start with placing our faith in God and following his commandments.Therein, however, lies one of our nation's greatest challenges. With the teaching of religion banned from public schools and with so many parents who don't take their children to church or teach them about God, where do children learn about the commandments that come from God? Where do they learn that it is a mortal sin to break the Fifth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill?"Public schools can teach children that murder is against the law, unless it is perpetrated against a baby in his or her mother's womb or to end the life of a terminally ill person (in certain states), but they can't teach that God's punishment for murder is eternal damnation and suffering in hell.It is no wonder therefore that Blessed Pope John Paul II years ago prophetically called this a "culture of death." So we must change. We must promote a culture of life and peace.In his message for the World Day of Peace, Jan. 1, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "The attainment of peace depends above all on recognizing that we are, in God, one human family. ... Thoughts, words and gestures of peace create a mentality and a culture of peace, and a respectful, honest and cordial atmosphere. There is a need, then, to teach people to love one another, to cultivate peace and to live with good will rather than mere tolerance. A fundamental encouragement to this is to say no to revenge, to recognize injustices, to accept apologies without looking for them, and finally, to forgive, in such a way that mistakes and offenses can be acknowledged in truth, so as to move forward together towards reconciliation."May God give us this grace. Amen.Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Times, official newspaper for the diocese of Springfield.
Politics and moral complexity: God’s law comes first
Oct 25, 2012 / 00:00 amMy dear brothers and sisters in Christ:"God doesn't hate Democrats!" These were the words that greeted me from an irate fan at a recent SHG football game."That's right," I agreed.The person seemed surprised. "You agree?""Yes," I replied. "Why would you think otherwise?""Well, because of what you said recently."So I asked, "Did you read my whole column or watch the entire video recording of it?""No," was the honest reply. "I just saw a snip of it."There's the problem. While I have received many positive and supportive comments from people about my Sept. 23 column in the Catholic Times, there have also been quite a few angry and negative reactions. Unfortunately, a sizable number of hateful e-mails and calls have been obscene and verbally abusive of my staff members who have fielded them.Due to the volume of calls, letters and e-mails, it has been impossible to respond to most of them personally. But to those with whom I have spoken, like the football fan mentioned earlier, my first question is usually to ask if they have read the whole column or watched the entire video recording of it. The answer is usually no. They read a few excerpted sentences out of context, watched a pirated video with a brief clip accompanied by someone else's spin on what they thought I said, or saw an editorial in the local secular newspaper that distorted and misrepresented my words. So it would help for people to read the whole column or watch the entire video recording of it before reacting.It might also help for me to explain more fully the moral reasoning behind my conclusion that "a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy." That sentence has many complex concepts behind those carefully chosen words."Promote" means much more than simply being a member of the party that officially endorses abortion and same-sex marriage. One must distinguish between the party platform and the members of the party. As I pointed out, there are pro-life Democrats who disavow and disagree with their party's endorsement of abortion. To "promote" involves active support for legislation, regulations or the appointment of judges that would facilitate intrinsic evils and grave sins such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Some Republicans do this too."Intrinsic evil" refers to something that is inherently offensive to God by its very nature. It is "serious sin" if it violates the two-fold commandment to love God and neighbor in such a way that it mortally ruptures our relationship with God."Morally complicit" is perhaps the most complex and difficult concept to explain and understand in this context. Moral complicity means that one cooperates as an accomplice to bring about an evil. This cooperation can be either formal or material."Formal cooperation" refers to sharing the same intent for the evil to be brought about, such as the boyfriend who pays for an abortion. This would also include voting for a candidate because you want to make it easier for people to obtain abortions."Implicit formal cooperation occurs when someone denies intending the wrongdoing of the principal agent, but participates in the action directly and in such a way that it could not be done without this participation. It is not morally permitted to engage in either implicit formal or formal cooperation in evil. Politicians who claim to be "personally opposed to abortion" but then support laws that make abortions possible fall into this category."Material cooperation" means that you don't share the intent but your actions nevertheless are instrumental in bringing about the evil outcome. Without getting into all the layers of complexity in defining "material cooperation," suffice it to say that, as a rule, Catholics should avoid voting for candidates that would involve them in cooperation with the wrongdoing of politicians. Voting for a candidate who promotes public funding for abortion makes you morally complicit in the grave evil of killing some of our fellow human beings. Not every case of material cooperation with evil is unjustifiable, but every case requires us to think about whether it is justified, and this is acutely important with a widespread grave injustice such as abortion. As indicated earlier, it is not a simple analysis.Some who try to navigate this labyrinth of moral analysis simply rationalize their way to a desired conclusion, for example, by saying that voting for a pro-choice candidate is justified by their support for other "social justice" causes. But such people should apply the Golden Rule by placing themselves in the shoes of the people who are going to be killed by abortions. Would these voters really think it is more "just" to vote for the "pro-choice" candidate if they or their own children or their brothers and sisters were going to be deliberately killed – along with 1.3 million others? Not very likely, is it?Perhaps the phrase that most rattled people, though, was saying that there are actions that could place "the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy." All of us, myself included, must diligently cooperate with God's graces to be saved. To presume that one will be saved no matter what we do here on earth is called the sin of presumption. But neither would I presume to declare that someone is or is not going to hell. I leave that to God's judgment.Does God love Democrats? Does God love Republicans? Yes, of course he does. God loves Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, in short, God loves everyone. But that's not the question at issue here. The key question is whether we love God more than a political party or candidates that promote intrinsic evils and serious sins. The first commandment is that we not worship false idols. That means God comes first and his moral law trumps politics.May God give us this grace. Amen.Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Times, official newspaper for the diocese of Springfield.
Think and pray about your vote in upcoming election
Sep 27, 2012 / 00:00 amMy dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Much attention was given at the Democratic National Convention held recently in Charlotte, N.C., to the fact that all references to God had been purged from the draft version of the party platform. After outcries of protest from outside as well as within the Democratic Party, the sentence with the same reference to God used in 2008 was restored to read, "We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values and interests of working people, and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential." Before anyone relaxes and concludes that all is well now that the Democratic Party Platform contains a single passing reference to God, the way that this was done should give us pause. Convention chairman Antonio Villaraigosa had to call for the voice vote three times because each time the sound level for the "ayes" and the "nays" sounded about even, far short of the two-thirds necessary according to convention rules to amend the platform. That did not stop the convention chairman from declaring, "The ayes have it!" What is troubling about that is the blatant disregard for the rules and for the apparent wishes of about half the delegates. The reference to God is back in the platform apparently because President Obama wanted it back in. That may be fine for now, but if a future president wants references to God taken out, apparently that can be done regardless of the wishes of the delegates if that is what The Leader wants. That does not bode well for democracy in the Democratic Party. Even more troubling is that this whole discussion about God in the platform is a distraction from more disturbing matters that have been included in the platform. In 1992 Presidential candidate Bill Clinton famously said that abortion should be "safe, legal and rare." That was the party's official position until 2008. Apparently "rare" is so last century that it had to be dropped, because now the Democratic Party Platform says that abortion should be "safe and legal." Moreover the Democratic Party Platform supports the right to abortion "regardless of the ability to pay." Well, there are only three ways for that to happen: either taxpayers will be required to fund abortion, or insurance companies will be required to pay for them (as they are now required to pay for contraception), or hospitals will be forced to perform them for free. Moreover, the Democratic Party Platform also supports same-sex marriage, recognizes that "gay rights are human rights," and calls for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law signed by President Clinton in 1996 that defined marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. Now, why am I mentioning these matters in the Democratic Party Platform? There are many positive and beneficial planks in the Democratic Party Platform, but I am pointing out those that explicitly endorse intrinsic evils. My job is not to tell you for whom you should vote. But I do have a duty to speak out on moral issues. I would be abdicating this duty if I remained silent out of fear of sounding "political" and didn't say anything about the morality of these issues. People of faith object to these platform positions that promote serious sins. I know that the Democratic Party's official "unequivocal" support for abortion is deeply troubling to pro-life Democrats. So what about the Republicans? I have read the Republican Party Platform and there is nothing in it that supports or promotes an intrinsic evil or a serious sin. The Republican Party Platform does say that courts "should have the option of imposing the death penalty in capital murder cases." But the Catechism of the Catholic Church says (in paragraph 2267), "Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person. Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm — without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself — the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically nonexistent." One might argue for different methods in the platform to address the needs of the poor, to feed the hungry and to solve the challenges of immigration, but these are prudential judgments about the most effective means of achieving morally desirable ends, not intrinsic evils. Certainly there are "pro-choice" Republicans who support abortion rights and "Log Cabin Republicans" who promote same-sex marriage, and they are equally as wrong as their Democratic counterparts. But these positions do not have the official support of their party. Again, I am not telling you which party or which candidates to vote for or against, but I am saying that you need to think and pray very carefully about your vote, because a vote for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are intrinsically evil and gravely sinful makes you morally complicit and places the eternal salvation of your own soul in serious jeopardy. I pray that God will give you the wisdom and guidance to make the morally right choices. May God give us this grace. Amen. Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Times, official newspaper of the diocese of Springfield, Illinois.
We must pray for protection against forces of evil
Aug 2, 2012 / 00:00 amMy dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Once again our nation has experienced another senseless shooting rampage, this time at a theater in Aurora, Colo., that left 12 people dead and 58 wounded. Countless others now suffer the grief of dealing with the death or injury of their loved ones due to this pointless violence. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims and we offer our prayers for them. We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died. At the same time, even those of us who live far from the scene of this crime and do not personally know anyone involved in it are still shaken by such madness. There is a whole range of emotions being felt simultaneously: confusion, sadness, guilt, fear, and anger. There are many questions about the perpetrator. Why did he do this? Inevitably there is also more generalized bewilderment about why such crimes occur and why God permits them to happen. Undoubtedly there will be a variety of explanations offered, some based on evidence and others on conjecture, offering answers from psychological, criminal, legal, political, and social perspectives. All of these will be pieces of a puzzle, but the issue is essentially a spiritual matter. Just reading the first few chapters of the Bible, it is clear that evil was lurking from the very beginning of time. Although God looked at all of his creation "and found it very good," he also gave spiritual beings (called angels) and human beings the freedom to choose between good and evil. Before we even get to Chapter 8 of the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve have disobeyed God, for which they were expelled from the Garden of Eden; Cain has killed his brother Abel, for which he was banished to wander the earth; and human beings everywhere had become so wicked "that every desire that their heart conceived was always nothing but evil" (Genesis 6:5), for which they were punished by the flood, sparing only Noah and his family and the animals and birds that he was allowed to bring with them on the ark. After this calamity, God made a covenant with Noah and his family, sending a rainbow as a "sign of the covenant I have established between me and every mortal being that is on earth" (Genesis 9:17). This covenant would be renewed with Abraham, Moses and the prophets, but would reach its fulfillment only in the salvation that Jesus won for us through his death and resurrection. Being people of faith does not make us immune to the forces of evil. After all, Jesus himself was tempted by the devil. On June 29, 1972, Pope Paul VI warned that "the smoke of Satan has entered into the temple of God." Exactly 40 years later, on June 29, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the clear promise made by Jesus that "the forces of evil, will not prevail." Just as Christ withstood the devil's temptations, Christ has given us very powerful spiritual weapons to fend off the attacks of the Evil One. Jesus has given us the church, built on the rock of St. Peter, the apostles and their successors, that is, the pope and the bishops. Jesus has taught us how to pray, including the petition, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Jesus has given us the sacraments, by which we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the grace to live in God's love. We have the gift of God's Word in the Bible, the truths of our faith handed down by Tradition, as well as religious devotions and sacramentals that keep us rooted in the faith. These spiritual weapons defend us from the attacks of the Evil One. Human beings are responsible for their own sins committed through their own free will. They cannot blame the devil, but they can provide a place for his evil spirit in their hearts and allow him to influence their choices between right and wrong. Adam and Eve allowed Satan to enter their hearts, but they were responsible for their own sins of disobeying God's commandment. Satan did not kill Abel, but Cain succumbed to the murderous evil planted in his heart by the devil. Mass murderers are morally responsible for their own heinous crimes, but their moral culpability started with their failure to defend themselves spiritually from the pernicious allure of sin. That is why we must pray. We must ask forgiveness of our sins and receive the Lord into our hearts when we receive holy Communion at Mass. We must pray for protection against the forces of evil. We must pray for the victims of violence not only in Aurora, Colo., but throughout the world. Finally, we must also pray for the perpetrators of crime, for their conversion, repentance and the forgiveness of their sins. Blessed Pope John Paul II referred to the St. Michael Prayer in his Regina Coeli address of April 24, 1994, saying, "May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle that the Letter to the Ephesians speaks of: 'Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might' (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel" (cf. Revelation 12:7). As I visit the parishes of our diocese, I am encouraged to see that the vast majority of our parishes now recite the Prayer to St. Michael after Mass. In fact, most people do not even need to read the text from the prayer cards in the pews, but have it memorized: "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen." May God give us this grace. Amen. Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Times, offical newspaper of the diocese of Springfield.