Good afternoon. The assault on Ukraine has obviously dominated secular headlines these past few days. I’m using today’s post to highlight some of the Catholic responses which I find particularly moving and potentially helpful. There’s also a commentary on some of the debates about liturgy below.
Before I begin, some may ask, “Why include liturgy when there’s a war on?” The liturgy, especially the Eucharist, is the core of the church’s activity in the world. How we pray matters greatly for how we live out Christian discipleship. More on that below.
The situation in Ukraine is developing hourly, and so is Pope Francis’ involvement in expressing solidarity with a people under attack and trying to find peace. Notably, Pope Francis took a step unprecedented in modern times: instead of him summoning the Russian ambassador, the pope went to the Russian embassy in person for a meeting. He also spoke with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and has repeatedly condemned war (although not Russia directly). The pope said in his Angelus address today, “those who make war forget humanity.”
On the ground in Ukraine, Catholic ministers are doing prophetic work being with their people. America reported on communities of women religious who are staying to help refugees and victims of violence. And Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, said priests would be going to bomb shelters to celebrate the Divine Liturgy this Sunday. His words: “The church is with its people.”
Pope Francis has said the church must go out into the world. And he’s leading by example in a way that’s moved me deeply, as are the Catholic ministers being with their people. I recall in this moment the central role that Pope John XXIII had in de-escalating the Cuban missile crisis. Perhaps the current pope and the church can be a similar peacemaker as tensions rise.
One last note. Last Thursday night, I helped organize a prayer vigil outside the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. with some members from Pax Christi USA’s Young Adult Caucus. I was asked by a journalist what we wanted. I wish I had just forwarded him this piece in America by activist-theologian Eli McCarthy: “10 Ways to Avoid a Devastating War in Ukraine.”
There are also some other good takes on non-violence in the National Catholic Reporter, including from Lexington’s Bishop John Stowe, who said, “"Nonviolence does require toughness. You have to control the impulses just to react." Both are worth a read. (I also recommend checking out the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, which is doing amazing work.)
That vigil I mentioned is premised on the belief that prayer has a meaningful impact on the world. It was a protest, yes, but it was far more. I’m not dipping into platitudes about prayer miraculously solving problems. I believe praying forms us for correct and courageous discipleship though. It unites us to crucified peoples and prompts our consciences to action. Liturgy, therefore, matters. In the words of Vatican II, the Eucharistic is the “source and summit” of the church’s life.
There has been fierce debate over liturgy of late since Pope Francis issued Traditionis custodes, which restricts celebrations of what is commonly referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass or Tridentine Rite. Former Pope Benedict XVI had eased post-Vatican II restrictions on such liturgies. And doing so has fostered a traditionalism, especially in the U.S., that is now borderline schismatic and steeped in right wing ideology. Allowing use of the older rite has greatly wounded the church’s unity. Pope Francis’ action, after wide consultation with the world’s bishops, will hopefully curtail these ills.
Of note on the back and forth over Traditionis custodes is an exchange between Vatican journalist Austin Ivereigh, a close ally of the pope, and theologian Gregory Hillis. Hillis asked why, when Francis has so championed dialogue, why that approach seemingly isn’t being taken when it comes to traditionalist Catholics.
Ivereigh’s response was excellent: basically, the pope (writing in the 1990s) differentiates between sin (in which forgiveness can be granted because repentance is offered) and corruption (in which forgiveness is not possible because there is no repentance). In other words, the sinner is open to grace and the corrupt person is not. Different responses are needed to each and, to summarize too briefly, Pope Francis sees the traditionalist illness as corruption that needs to be rooted out, not dialogued with. I agree with the pope on this one, as much as I, too, champion dialogue. Hillis offered a reply to Ivereigh if you’re curious to read more.
Some further reading for this week:
On the same day Russia invaded Ukraine, students from Jesuit colleges in South, Central, and North America participated in a virtual dialogue with Pope Francis. The students’ words were remarkable. Also, remarkable was the extensive notes the pope took as students spoke. He was genuinely listening, as both his note taking and responses indicated. It was powerful and hopeful on a tough day.
National Catholic Reporter ran a review of a new book, God Is a Black Woman. From the review: “Some readers may find Cleveland’s assertion that God is a Black woman uncomfortable. They should consider why that might be. Why does a white male God strike us as ‘normal’ or unremarkable, but a Black female God seem challenging?”
What’s on in Catholic LGBTQ news. The big news for me is that Sr. Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary for the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican, will be giving a major address to New Ways Ministry in April. The title is “Synodality: A Path of Reconciliation,” and it marks the first time someone such a high-ranking church official has directly addressed LGBTQ people in this manner. If you’d like to learn more, here’s the link.
As I conclude, I ask you to join me in praying for the people of Ukraine, for a peaceable solution to the conflict, and for Catholics to keep pushing the world towards a greater appreciation of non-violence as the only path forward for our world. If you want to receive these updates to your email, subscribe below. And if there is a topic you’d like me to write about or a question you have, leave a comment below.
—Bob
Disclaimer: All opinions in this post are solely those of the author and do not represent the positions or policies of any organization with whom I may be affiliated.