The word “Apologetics” means to “offer a defense”. Many of the early Fathers of the Church such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr offered extensive apologies when defending the young Catholic Church from paganism and early heresies. Apologetics also now considered a branch of the science of theology called “fundamental theology”. It is a division of dogmatic theology and a special field whose job it is to prove religious truth has been revealed. All Catholics should be familiar enough with their own beliefs to offer a defense of their faith when called upon. Only a few years ago I attacked the Catholic Church until a few good Catholics were kind enough to correct my errors and help me become Catholic. I will start offering short weekly articles accessible in this bulletin and in a longer version on our website each week. They are meant to help you answer common attacks against the Catholic faith, many of which were the same I made against the Church before my conversion in 2004. If you want to read more, I recommend the “Beginning Apologetics Series” from San Juan Catholic Seminars.
The Assertion: (Seen this week on Amazon.com Discussion Forums) “Don’t you Catholics know that every time you attend Mass you worship false idols in those statues and paintings that are around your church?”
The Answer: Scripture is filled with examples of God’s people making images in a way that pleased God. For instance, Moses was ordered by God to make a bronze serpent that healed the Israelite people of their afflictions (Numbers 21:8-9). The temple itself was filled with creation imagery including trees, flowers, oxen, lions, pomegranates, as well as images of the cherubim (1 Kings 6-7). The Israelites did not worship these images, and neither do Catholics today worship the images we have in our own parishes, that give us a fuller sense of the heavenly liturgy. Catholics are often accused of worshipping false idols, but the truth is another matter.
An appropriate response, and one that usually works well against a fundamentalist or another anti-Catholic is to ask them if they have any pictures of their family in their wallet. Or ask them if they have any pictures of their family in photo albums at home, or hanging on the wall. When they say yes, remind them that we have our family members, saints, hanging on our walls at our church. The Church is one worldwide family, united in Jesus Christ. All believers are brothers and sisters and those Christians, whose lives truly exemplified Christ in virtue, in obedience, or even martyrdom, are remembered in a special way to serve as role models and examples for us.
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.” (Eph 4:4-5) A well educated anti-Catholic may go on to say that while you do not worship those false idols, certainly the Church has done so in the past and many people still do so today. After all, they assert, it is not difficult to find books like “Saint Worship and Mary Worship” (Sophia Institute Press). First, point them to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Church is not ambiguous about what she believes and the Catechism is the “sure norm” for understanding the Catholic faith today. It is the single fastest way to set someone on the right path to what we believe as Catholics. This argument though sometimes requires a more technical response. After all, there is actually nothing wrong with the book “Saint Worship and Mary Worship”. The word worship is pregnant with meaning, just like the word pray has many different meanings. The old English term weorthscipe meant showing someone due honor and respect and was not limited in meaning to something due to God alone. We typically only use the word worship any longer to describe that adoration, praise, and honor due to God alone, but this is a relatively new narrow use of the word. As the Christian understanding of theology developed, the Greek word latria was used to refer to the worship due to God alone, whereas the word dulia was used to indicate honor that could be given to humans. In English, both could be translated worship.
It would be good in this case to note that we venerate the saints we do not worship them. The saints are our heroes and our family members, so we look up to them, and we honor them, and we ask them to pray to God for us, but we do not place them anywhere near the worship we offer God. They are God’s creation just as we are, but they hold a special place in the history of salvation. +
After the sudden disappointment of our chosen candidate declining to take the Director of Music position here at St. Mary’s, we have now filled the position beginning October 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 with two part-time employees.
Sue Bauer, who grew up in our parish, has agreed to be our Director of Music. She will plan liturgies, administer the music department, serve as keyboardist for Sunday Masses when there is no choir performing. She will be the keyboardist at the Wednesday 9:00 AM School Mass. She will oversee our experienced Folk Group.
Elaine Yanz, a long-time music teacher in Dansville, MI, will serve as our Choral Director. She will lead both the adult and children’s choirs and recruit and train cantors. She has agreed to be keyboardist at the Saturday 4:30 PM Mass. Ms. Yanz’s last two Church positions were with St. Mary, Pinckney and St. Casimir, Lansing parishes. This month she underwent both a long preliminary interview and a formal audition before an ad hoc music committee and some choir members. We were all impressed with her skills and demeanor.
I am very encouraged by this competent duo assisting us in our worship here at St. Mary’s Church.
Adult Choir practice begins on Thursday, October 2nd at 7:00 AM.
Children’s Choir rehearsals will remain on Tuesday afternoon but the opening date still needs to be arranged.
Thank you for your help and patience in this endeavor.
The Magnificat magazine is now on sale in the parish and school offices. An annual subscription has fourteen issues – one for each month with special issues for Holy Week and Christmas. Magnificat can be used to follow the daily Mass and can also be read at home for personal or family prayer. This monthly liturgical prayer book provides a fitting way to enter fully into the Church’s liturgical rhythms and spiritual legacy. Adult Version: $5.95 Magnifikid! For children: $3.95
St. Mary Catholic Parish offers the Lighthouse Catholic Media CD program for any parishioner interested. For those of you who cannot commit to attending a class or who have long commutes these CD’s and brochures are perfect for you. We offer at least 9 different one hour talks on the Catholic faith at any time with dynamic speakers like Dr. Scott Hahn, Father Larry Richards, Matthew Kelly, Mother Teresa, and more.
In the next two weeks we will have a brand new set of 9 CD’s including
“The Face of God” by Mother Teresa,
“Amazing Angles and Super Saints” a children’s version;
“Voting Guidelines for US Catholics” by Dave Durand
“The Four Marks of the Church” by Scott Hahn
“Seven Levels of Intimacy” by Matthew Kelly
And several others!
In the next two weeks we need your help clearing out our remaining stock of CDs and brochures. We normally ask for $3 per CD (they retail in some bookstores for as much as $10). We putting them on “clearance” for just $5 for $10! Give them out to family and friends or load them on your MP3 player and listen to them while you walk.
The following is a quick glance at the changes to be implemented throughout the Diocese of Lansing as recommended by the Diocesan Coordinating Commission and approved by Bishop Earl Boyea. Parish or site closures:
• Sacred Heart, Flint
• Sacred Heart Chapel, Jackson (site only), ministry moving
• St. Agnes, Flint
• St. Leo, Flint
• St. Luke, Flint
• Transfiguration, Ypsilanti
Parish mergers:
• All Saints, St. Agnes, Sacred Heart and St. Luke with St. John Vianney, all from Flint
• St. Leo, Flint with Holy Rosary, Flint
• Blessed Sacrament, Burton with St. John Evangelist, Davison
• Transfiguration, Ypsilanti with St. John the Baptist, Ypsilanti
• St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing with St. John Student Parish, East Lansing
• Holy Cross with St. Mary Cathedral (not immediate)
Parish clusters:
• Christ the King, Flint with St. Matthew, Flint
• Holy Family, Ovid with St. Joseph, St. Johns
• Sts. Cornelius & Cyprian, Leslie with St. James, Mason
• St. Mary, Morrice with St. Isidore, Laingsburg
• St. Joseph, Adrian with St. Mary, Adrian
• St. Joseph, Ypsilanti with Immaculate Conception, Milan
• St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn with St. Rita, Clarklake
• St. Mary, Manchester with St. Mary, Chelsea
• St. Michael, Flint with St. Mary, Flint (possibility of merger)
• St. Patrick, Ann Arbor with Christ the King, Ann Arbor
• St. Peter, Blissfield with St. Alphonsus, Deerfield (possibility of merger)
From parish to chapel status:
• Blessed Sacrament, Burton
• St. Dominic, Clinton
• St. Joseph, Jackson
• St. Stanislaus Kostka, Jackson
Catholic schools:
• DuKette School, Flint, closed
Flint parishes close and merge
A number of changes already took place in the Flint region. The parishes of St. Agnes, St. Luke and Sacred Heart have closed, and a new worship community has formed at St. John Vianney Church. By merging these parishes, a stronger and more vigorous community results, able to serve the Catholic people of Flint with strength in unity.
Wednesday evening catechism classes begin tonight at 6:00 PM in St. Mary School. We have classes planned for Kindergarten to 5th grade, but we still need a 1st grade teacher. If you can teach, please call Adam Janke, DRE, as soon as possible at 655-2520
Our Wednesday night catechism class got off to a great start. Led by John McAuliffe this introductory class reviewed procedures for the class and how we would read through the new USCCB Catechism for Adults. The word catechism often has a stigma around it of being something that children go to on weekday evenings to learn about the Catholic faith. Catechesis, from which “catechism” is derived means to “echo down”, in the sense of each generation learning our faith from the previous generation. The Magisterium, the pope with his bishops, also hands the faith down to us through catechisms which they approve.
This catechism study is for adults, and is a very lively enjoyable time of discussion among a group of welcoming parishioners. We encourage all parishioners to join us when you are able. If you can’t make some days, or can’t do the readings all the time, please do not let that discourage you from attending with us. If you are shy, please do not let that stop you from coming either. No one is going to make you talk!
I will try to keep you updated with notes on this homepage on what we discover and discuss together about our Catholic faith, especially if there are meetings that you cannot make it to.
This email is to confirm that the September 7 Confirmation class has been canceled due to a recent time conflict for the teacher. The class will begin September 14.
The Religious Education Program will begin on September 7, 2008 with a visit from Rod Snow with Chalk for Christ. All students from the 9-10AM classes, 10:30-11:45AM classes and Wednesday classes are encouraged to attend. Parents are encouraged to stay with their students during the assembly and share this time together as a family. All are welcome, even those who are not enrolled in Religious Education. There is no 9-10AM classes on this day. The program will be held in the gym.
There will be Confirmation Class on September 7 from 2:30-4:00 PM.
