Commencement 1999
Commencement Address, Cardinal Jan Schotte
Cardinal Schotte (pronounced "Scotty") holds
one of the most important posts in the Church. He presides
over the Synod of Bishops, a forum that Pope Paul VI established
in the wake of Vatican II to allow bishops from around the
world to come to Rome for what is often weeks at a time to
discuss various issues facing the Church and to offer counsel
to, and receive guidance from, the Holy Father on those issues.
Cardinal Schotte calls the Synod for each world region
or topical issue, sets the Synod agenda, prepares Synod recommendations,
counsels the Holy Father on the terms of the Synod, and assists
him in preparing the Synod document to be given to Synod representatives.
A member of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary, (known as the "Missionaries Society"), Cardinal
Schotte is a Belgian native. After serving as head of his
religious order, he has worked in continual service for the
Holy See, beginning first as an attach‚ for Pope Paul
VI, and then as a member on numerous pontifical commissions,
until his ascendency to the General Secretary of the Synod
of Bishops in 1985. He frequently accompanies His Holiness
on missions throughout the world and represents the Holy See
at various international delegations.
Following is the complete text of his Commencement Address,
The Catholic Church for the Third Millennium.
Given the patron saint of this College, Thomas Aquinas,
I am sure you are well aware of the following story associated
with his university days. Because Thomas always sat in silence
listening at the feet of the renowned doctor, Albert the Great,
his fellow students were accustomed to call him "the
Dumb Ox of Sicily." Before long, this title came to be
known by the great master. Recognizing the unusual brilliance
of his pupil's mind, Albert broke forth, "You call him
'a Dumb Ox', but I assure you that the bellowing of this ox
will become so loud as to resound throughout the whole world!"
We all know how those prophetic words came true.
Various aspects of this story can serve as an introduction
to my reflections on the Church and her credibility and relevance
today. To mention a few, they teach that many find it easier
to criticize than to take the time to really get to know another
person; that, for one reason or another, people can be mistaken
in their perceptions; that the seemingly insignificant and
ridiculed, in God's hands, can confound the wisdom of the
world, and that a true master is able to look beyond appearances
and recognize greatness.
Every period of history has posed challenges for the Church,
resulting from the particular circumstances in which she lives.
Today, signs are appearing in certain countries and regions
of an increasing disappointment with the Church, even to the
point of some people rebelling against her or outright rejecting
her. Where contemporary culture in general manifests a certain
skepticism towards all established institutions and authoritative
structures, the Church seems to be enduring a major portion
of this negative reaction, perhaps because people have higher
expectations of the Church.
Every generation gives special attention to certain mysteries
of the faith which become in turn the subject of public opinion
or criticism, and thereby are placed in the public arena for
people's reflection. This was true in the past for major questions
concerning the Holy Trinity, the person of Christ, supernatural
grace, the relation between science and faith, and others.
Each new period of history brings new discussions, new conflicts
- and sometimes new confusion - but also new growth.
The Church under Accusation
Today, all energy and passion seem to be focused almost exclusively
on the Church as an institution and on her inner workings
at all levels. People are heard to say, "The Church has
lost credibility in today's world" or "The Church
is no longer relevant." Such opinion is illustrated in
certain news media which seem to go to great lengths to cast
the Church in a bad light. In view of these negative reactions,
however, I would like to ask the question, "Has the Church
ever had total credibility with public opinion in any age?"
or "Has there ever been a century when the Church, in
her poverty and weakness, was truly and totally cherished
by every one of her Faithful, not to say by the general public?"
Without idealizing the past, one knows that the Church has
always endured criticism at every moment in her history from
those within the Church as well as from those outside the
Church. Today, as in the past, there are those who find fault
with the Church or use painful events in Church life to justify
bitterness and defection. And yet, at the same time, those
same people cannot totally hide their true sentiments, which
are a mixture of frustration and disappointment on the one
hand, and, on the other, nostalgia and love for the institution
from which they expected so much.
The quarrels people have with the Church, and those among
Church members, have a great similarity to conflicts within
a family; there is a mixture of love and alienation. In the
Church, as in the family, one should not forget that the slamming
of doors and the yelling of adults frightens the children
and leaves these little ones wondering what is happening;
the little ones do not understand.
The Church also has her "little ones," namely,
the ordinary faithful who suffer in silence when their Church
is attacked and do not fully understand what is taking place.
Do people have the right to take these "little ones"
hostage for their selfish or superficial motives?
In the Church, as in the family, internal quarrels, breakdowns
in communication and problems in relationships always have
at their core a subconscious expectation of truth and honesty.
What counts, therefore, is not to look at the appearance of
things, but at the underlying reality.
The Human Side of the Church
It would be presumptuous to pretend that everything in the
Church is perfect. Structures and procedures sometimes pose
difficulties. Tensions can arise in the exercise of authority.
The human weakness of Pastors can sometimes be a stumbling
block and even a reason for scandal. However real they may
be, such imperfections cannot be sufficient reason to reject
the Church. Instead, such failings are associated with the
human condition assumed by Christ in the mystery of the Incarnation
and ultimately taken upon Himself on the cross.
St. Paul mentions that Christ's death was "a stumbling
block for the Jews" (1 Cor 1:23), because they felt it
was incredible that someone who ended his life on a cross
could possibly be God's Chosen One. St. Paul also taught that
Christ's death was "folly for the Greeks" (I Cor
1:23) because their deities, totally beyond human feeling,
would not involve themselves in human affairs. For both the
Jew and the Greek, Christ was too human. For some, is that
not the same argument today?
The imperfections of the Church's members, whether they be
bishops, clergy, or laity, are the Church's continued identification
today with the sins of humanity. These she draws to herself
so as to apply to them the fruits of salvation. One person
has said that if people are scandalized by the human failings
of Church members today, they would have been equally scandalized
at seeing the bruised and bloodied Christ hanging upon the
tree of the Cross. At that time, His divinity was all but
covered by His pains and agony.
The Sociological Aspect
Related to the above aspects which look upon the Church in
too human a way, some insist on applying to the Church a sociological
measurement, namely, statistics, opinion polls, majority acceptance,
an applause meter, or the ultimate - the Nielsen ratings!
Some would hold the Church in esteem solely for her power
to have an impact on society and her prestige in the eyes
of people, rather than for her courage in preaching the "foolishness"
of a Crucified Christ (cf. 1 Cor 1:23). A shift is taking
place in public perception whereby the Church is increasingly
being seen exclusively for her apostolic activity on behalf
of the needy and oppressed, as a kind of philanthropic United
Nations, an institution to help advance economic development
or social progress.
Viewing the Church in this manner totally neglects the fact
that the Church has a divine nature underlying her human structures
and institutions. Though the Church has an organizational
system, she is not an instrument of some horizontal humanitarian
religion, but first and foremost a community of sinners, saved
in the blood of Christ, and therefore, a people dedicated
to the worship and praise of God, and because of him, dedicated
to the service of others! In over-emphasizing service of others,
some can limit the definition of Christian living solely to
the obligation of loving one's neighbor. If the Church were
nothing more than a philanthropic United Nations, it would
follow that her hierarchical structure would be hopelessly
out-dated in a democratic society, where all its citizens
decide the system of government and continuously adapt the
workings of government to the ever-changing circumstances
and mentalities of the times.
Perhaps the above understanding could be illustrated in the
way many Church buildings are constructed today. In the past,
Church architecture was not purely functional, but sought
actively to engage the person in approaching the spiritual.
The various aspects of the Church building were intended to
communicate religious truths and assist the person to communicate
with the divine. Architecture was imbued with the mystery
of God's presence among his people.
Today, many of our places of worship are constructed as multiple-use
buildings. As a result of accordion walls, dividing panels
and moveable furniture, the building can be adapted to various
functions, becoming at any one time a space for liturgical
celebrations, a meeting hall, a concert theatre, an exhibition
site, or a marketplace. In such an arrangement, man takes
precedence, and the various needs of people become the determining
factor in the architectural plan of the building, its basic
orientation, and its function. The architectural area is no
longer exclusively "worship space," the point of
meeting between God and His people. On the contrary, it loses
its spiritual significance; the building becomes purely functional,
totally identified with the various human necessities of society,
or totally focused on the assembly itself.
Some might object to this assessment and quote a line from
St. Irenaeus, "The living human being is God's glory."
Where this is indisputably true, it is only part of the quote
from St. Irenaeus. He later adds: "But the meaning of
man's life is to see God." We risk forgetting the ultimate
aim of all human existence, and in doing so we reduce Christian
hope to an all inclusive but worldly utopia. Instead of placing
our trust in the power of Jesus Christ to transform the human
heart and to renew the Church, we rely exclusively on the
efficiency of our programs. To avoid difficulties, one must
always look at the Church properly, from two perspectives
- human as well as divine.
The Incarnation and the Church
The Church exists in the world and the world is present in
the Church. Whatever tensions exist in the world, they have
their effect also in the Church. We know that the Church cannot
escape from the disturbances of the world, since it is subjected
to the laws of history. And yet, we delude ourselves in dreaming
of a Church with a peacefulness likened to the still surface
of a tranquil mountain lake.
The Infinite God became man. Jesus Christ was born in Palestine,
as a member of a Semitic people, in a small country, occupied
by the Romans. He spoke the Aramaic language and walked the
roads and by-ways of His land. He totally experienced the
human condition, except sin. The writer of Hebrews recalls,
"Therefore, he (Christ) had to be made like his brethren
in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the
sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and
been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted."
(Heb 2:17-18). In short, Jesus Christ was totally incarnate.
The Incarnation, however, is not limited to Christ's earthly
years; it is a lasting and enduring reality. God's Plan is
that the mystery of the Incarnation continue in the Church,
which is the Mystical Body of Christ. That Church is vulnerable
as was her Lord; that Body is made up of sinners. This is
known by everyone, yet people continue to have an idea of
the Church which expects her to be beyond all human weakness
and tension, passing through history as a hot air balloon
floats over the prairies and the mountains. People dream that,
like the balloon, she will be able to regulate her ascent
and descent according to the obstacles along the way. They
envisage the Church as if the Son of God never walked the
earth. They see the Church exclusively as divine!
The Church as the Body of Christ
Saint Paul, on his way to Damascus, came face to face with
the mystical identification of Christ with His Church. The
Book of Acts, Chapter 9, relates that Saul, still breathing
threats and murder, set off to persecute the disciples of
the Lord (cf. Acts 9:1). During his travels, a bright light
causes him to fall from his horse, and he hears the words:
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And Paul
asks: "Who are you?" And he receives the response,
"I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." How could
Jesus, the Head, remain silent when His Body was being persecuted?
This mystical experience leads to Paul's conversion and determines
his whole mission as an Apostle. He comes to a knowledge of
the unity of the Church. He travels from one community to
another, driven by the urgency to build up the unity of the
Church through union with her Lord.
During his imprisonment, he moves from concern for the organic
unity of the Church to a deeper vision: that all the local
communities of Christians comprise a single Body, the Body
of Christ, where reconciliation is offered to Jews and pagans
alike and where the people are brought together through intimate
union with God and wholesome concern for man. His letters
to the different Christian communities abound with forceful
images: the Church is the Temple of God, the Body of Christ
and the Spouse of the Lord. To the Ephesians he delivers the
key to his vision of the Church: "Christ loved the Church
and sacrificed Himself for her to make her holy" (Eph
5:25). Have we not lost this profound vision of the Church?
As mentioned above, too often people limit their idea of
the Church to one single aspect. Concentrating only on the
external, institutional reality makes the Church too human,
while putting an emphasis on her invisible, internal reality
makes the Church too divine. This same reasoning was operative
by those who wished to put Christ to death. The Scribes and
the Pharisees judged Christ as too divine, "We have a
law, and by that law he ought to die because he has made himself
the Son of God" (Jn 19:7); the Roman court judged him
as too human, "We found this man perverting our nation
and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that
he himself is Christ a king" (Lk 23-2). And on both counts,
he went to the Cross. How many people do the same today to
the Church, by judging the Church exclusively from one perspective,
and not viewing the total picture?
Like her Lord, however, the Church stands firm and will not
perish. She will continue to be that mystical reality of human
and divine elements. Rejecting the Church as a whole or in
part will not diminish her or change her nature. Passively
belonging to the Church is, however, not sufficient. Every
day each of her members must seek to express love for her
and sustain her because she is and always will be the Body
of Christ, divine and incarnate. With this full and complete
understanding of the nature of the Church various aspects
and elements characterizing Church life take on their true
significance. However, the Church's credibility and relevance
can once again suffer, if a true balance and proportion are
not respected in viewing the Church and her teachings. I like
to refer to the problem as one of "zooming in."
"Zooming in"
One of the more exciting developments in modern photography
is the availability of the zoom lens. It allows for instant
isolation of details that are blown up into close-ups. "Zooming
in" on a square centimeter of human skin can make it
look like a piece of orange peel and a potato skin becomes
a moonscape. Concentrating on such a small detail, detached
from its wider background, has the potential of leaving it
a free-standing object or turning it into something it is
not. Without the necessary wider perspective, the resulting
details are meaningless. This would be an "unnatural"
use of the "zoom lens," because the object was not
intended to be viewed in this manner; it is the whole which
is important.
This improper use of the zooming technique can also apply
to some people within our Church who place an inordinate focus
on one or another aspect of the Church or her message or moments
in her history, with the result that these aspects lose their
true meaning because they are detached from the whole. The
same happens in the case of Sacred Scripture. By taking sentences
from the Gospel out of context, their meaning is distorted.
In such a way, persons often adapt them according to a biased
frame of mind or to the fashion of the moment. By wrongly
"zooming in" on parts of Scripture or Church teaching,
any subjective interpretation can be called up and given the
appearance of truth.
In the present climate of anti-Church or anti-Pope sentiment,
an amazing anthology of teachings and Scripture quotations
are being used to justify criticism of the Church and her
leaders. A typical example regards the compassion or mercy
of Jesus. Particular quotations from the Gospels are invoked
to extol compassion as the litmus test for the credibility
of Pope and Bishops in their teachings and pronouncements.
Mercy and compassion are being propounded as the miracle prescription
for all the ills besetting the Church today. These terms are
used to justify all sorts of wrong- doing, particularly with
regard to respect for human life in such evils as abortion,
reproductive rights and euthanasia. Mercy and compassion have
been "zoomed out" of context! How could compassion
be true compassion, and mercy be true mercy, if there is no
longer any law to be observed, or any sin to be forgiven,
or any conversion of heart to be achieved? How can compassion
be extolled as the paramount pastoral attitude, when the transcendence
of God and his law is no longer acknowledged?
Ways for Overcoming the Crisis
No single recipe exists for overcoming these difficulties.
When the Apostles complained about their inability to cure
a boy, Jesus responded that such ineffectiveness can be overcome
only through fasting and prayer (cf. Matt 17:21). What was
needed was prayer in union with that of the Lord Jesus. This
is also true today. But other ways are important as well.
On an occasion such as this, as graduates face the future
and the rest of us seek to fulfill our vocations in life,
the following five recommendations seem to have particular
relevance.
1. Read The New Testament Daily. Only the reading
of the New Testament - without "zooming" - will
lead to a discovery of the true nature and meaning of the
mystery of the Church. St. John the Evangelist and St. Paul
have particularly moving insights into the Church. The beautiful
passages of these two men on the love of Christ and the love
of His Church were not written in times of success. St. John
wrote while in exile on Patmos; St. Paul wrote the most optimistic
of his letters, the Letter to the Philippians - often called
the "Epistle of Joy" - while in prison in Rome.
Times of trial and adversity can serve to acquire a true understanding
of the Church's nature.
2. Be Realistic. The Church has received her mission
from the Lord Himself. She cannot change her basic mandate.
Especially in troublesome times, she must consistently proclaim
the truth about her nature and her mystery, even when that
message does not appeal to the masses. Scripture reminds us
that when the Lord announced the Sacrament of the Eucharist,
He lost the masses (cf. Jn 6:66). This fact, no doubt, hurt
Him deeply, but He knew that His mission was not to be a King
of bread for the masses, but "to give His life as a ransom
for many" (Matt 20:28). The Church is totally dedicated
to the service of this mystery, in the past, today and always.
3. Cultivate A Sense Of Prayer. No one can enter into
the deeper meaning of the Church's mystery without a willingness
to learn and be receptive. Understanding and loving the Church
cannot take place if a person nurtures attitudes of self-sufficiency
and pride. What is needed is humility. A true Gospel-inspired
humility consists in a person recognizing the need of redemption.
Without this humble spirit, achieved in prayer, people run
the risk of seeing themselves as their own redeemer.
Prayer brings an awareness of dependency on God and a need
for the Church, the Sacrament of Salvation. Prayer leads to
a trust in the action of the Holy Spirit and in His power
to constantly renew the Church. By not praying, a highly critical
attitude of the Church and an absence of a much needed critical
attitude in one's life can come about. Such a want leads to
impatience with the Church and complacency in personal matters.
Prayer is part of the faith life of Thomas Aquinas College,
and it must remain part of your daily lives. Never can there
be any excuse for not praying every day.
4. Believe In Unity. The highest example and source
of the mystery of the Church's unity is the unity of the one
God in the Trinity of Persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
(cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, 2). The unity of the members
of the Church derives from this communion. Through Baptism
the Christian becomes a participant in this communion. Jesus
prayed for the unity of His disciples in these words: "Father,
keep those you have given me in your name, so that they may
be one as we are one" (Jn 17:11). The unity of Christ's
followers in the Church is a divine hallmark which makes it
possible for all to believe in the redemptive mission of Christ.
This unity must not be confused with a popularly defined "common
ground, with the common denominator in the different positions
defended in discussions, nor with the precarious juxtapositioning
of differences. Unity consists in the common search and acceptance
of God's Will. Believing and working for that kind of unity
builds up the Church.
5. Live A Eucharistic Spirituality. The Second Vatican
Council referred to the Liturgy as the source and summit of
the Church's life (cf. Sacrosanctum concilium, 10). The Church
is forever young because through the celebration of the saving
mysteries of the Lord's passion, death and resurrection, she
is constantly revitalized. At Mass, the Church's members experience
the most sublime moment of union with the Lord attainable
in this earthly life, and receive the pledge of eternal union
at the heavenly banquet. Through these saving mysteries, the
Church's members view their Christian vocation better and
are given the strength to fulfill it in the Church and the
world. It stands to reason, then, that the Liturgy is an indispensable
part of the Christian life, requiring a proper formation.
In this way, there will be eliminated an excessively horizontal
or sociological view which consists in wrongly looking at
the Mass as simply an act of the assembly gathered, or viewing
the priest as simply a "presider" over the assembly,
or seeing the altar as simply a table for a meal. Instead,
by adding the vertical or divine dimension, the Liturgy, particularly
the Mass, is rightly seen as Christ's act of worship to His
Father, which goes beyond the group gathered. In this way,
the words and gestures of the Mass are understood not to be
the possession of the individual priest nor of the assembled
worshipers, but a part of the patrimony of the Church, which
needs to be faithfully respected and passed on intact to succeeding
generations. At Mass, because the priest acts in the name
of Christ, he stands before the assembly as mediator with
God. And in virtue of Christ's act of loving surrender to
the Father on the cross, commemorated in the sacred rites,
the altar is a place of sacrifice.
This real presence of Christ at Mass through the consecration
of the elements of bread and wine continues outside of Mass
in the same Sacrament, where Christ in the Eucharist becomes
the center and focal point of the community of believers.
It is not difficult to understand, then, that a parish - or
a college - becomes a true community when it is a Eucharist-centered
community, a community which properly celebrates the Eucharistic
Liturgy and is dedicated to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
A Eucharistic spirituality is the unmistakable sign of true
sons and daughters of the Church.
These five ways cannot be separated; they form a unity. The
Church needs to be looked at realistically, as the Lord has
established her. She has both divine and human elements which
need to be properly viewed. Understanding the Church cannot
be achieved without true prayer; not the prayer in which we
tell God what He should change in the Church, but the prayer
in which God manifests His design for the Church; not the
liturgical prayer through which the community is manipulated,
but a liturgy in which praise is given to God; not the prayer
rooted in a superficial and partial reading of the Scripture
that justifies each group's interpretation of the Church,
but a prayerful reading of S
Just as Thomas Aquinas was misunderstood by his classmates,
was misjudged for his ponderous silence which made others
think he was dull, and was ridiculed because of the bodily
imperfection of being overweight, the Church often-times is
mistreated and misunderstood by those who do not take the
time to go to the heart of her identity and meaning. In the
final analysis all difficulties in the Church must be viewed
from the perspective of faith. The Holy Spirit is the power,
Christ is the Light in understanding and loving the Church,
and in avoiding the trap of ideological biases which are destructive
of everything the Church is called to be.
Like St. Albert the Great, people are to look beyond appearances.
The Church is indeed relevant, for it is Christ who established
her as the Sacrament of Salvation. The Church is and will
remain credible because she offers her members the courage
which comes not from intellectual pride but from the humble
acceptance of the power of prayer in and through the Lord
Jesus Christ.
At this the last commencement exercise of the Second Millennium
at Thomas Aquinas College, we are all aware that the students
of today are educated here to be the witnesses for Christ
in the Third Millennium. Let there be no doubt about it: the
Third Millennium needs the Church and needs faithful and committed
Catholics who will make a difference in the life of the Church
and in the world with all its many challenges.
To you, Graduates of the Class of 1999, I say: Be such Catholics
who make a difference wherever the Lord will lead you; be
men and women who refer to God rather than their own ego;
who are focused on the Lord Jesus, rather than on the trends
of the day; who trust in the guidance and strength of the
Holy Spirit, rather than in technology and efficiency. The
future belongs to God, yes, but also to you, provided you
walk with His Son Jesus, speak His Word and live His Life.
-- Qtrly Newsletter, Summer 1999
|
