Senator Sam Brownback: "What I think of Evolution"

Brilliant op-ed piece in the New York Times by the Kansas Senator.

Biretta Tip: Fr. Ernesto Obregon via Huw Raphael

IN our sound-bite political culture, it is unrealistic to expect that every complicated issue will be addressed with the nuance or subtlety it deserves. So I suppose I should not have been surprised earlier this month when, during the first Republican presidential debate, the candidates on stage were asked to raise their hands if they did not “believe” in evolution. As one of those who raised his hand, I think it would be helpful to discuss the issue in a bit more detail and with the seriousness it demands.
The premise behind the question seems to be that if one does not unhesitatingly assert belief in evolution, then one must necessarily believe that God created the world and everything in it in six 24-hour days. But limiting this question to a stark choice between evolution and creationism does a disservice to the complexity of the interaction between science, faith and reason.

Read the rest here

Incidently, you'll see that the Senator draws on a basic Thomistic premise, without, of course, citing the Angelic Doctor himself: Gratia non tollat naturam, sed perficiat (Grace does not destroy or supplant nature, but perfects it).

Veni Creator Spiritus

VENI, Creator Spiritus,mentes tuorum visita,imple superna gratiaquae tu creasti pectora.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,altissimi donum Dei,fons vivus, ignis, caritas,et spiritalis unctio.

Tu, septiformis munere,digitus paternae dexterae,Tu rite promissum Patris,sermone ditans guttura.

Accende lumen sensibus:infunde amorem cordibus:infirma nostri corporisvirtute firmans perpeti.

Hostem repellas longius,pacemque dones protinus:ductore sic te praeviovitemus omne noxium.

Per te sciamus da Patrem,noscamus atque Filium;Teque utriusque Spiritumcredamus omni tempore.

Deo Patri sit gloria,et Filio, qui a mortuissurrexit, ac Paraclito,in saeculorum saecula.Amen.

COME, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,and in our souls take up Thy rest;come with Thy grace and heavenly aidto fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter, to Thee we cry,O heavenly gift of God Most High,O fount of life and fire of love,and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;Thou, finger of God's hand we own;Thou, promise of the Father, ThouWho dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above,and make our hearts o'erflow with love;with patience firm and virtue highthe weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread,and grant us Thy peace instead;so shall we not, with Thee for guide,turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestowthe Father and the Son to know;and Thee, through endless times confessed,of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son,Who rose from death, be glory given,with Thou, O Holy Comforter,henceforth by all in earth and heaven.Amen.

Rabanus Maurus (776-856)

Western Rite Orthodoxy, or ‘Who’re you calling a Uniate?’

A lively discussion is taking place over at the Young Fogey's blog article, which is in part a response to Ben Johnson's article The Western Rite is not "Reverse Uniatism".

I am not normally a very pugnacious man, but when rank nonsense like this by a certain "Death" Bredon is uttered all over the blogosphereabout a rite in Orthodoxy in which I worship...well, let's just say that statements like this bring it out in me:

"Of course the Roman Rite (the words of the Eucharistic service) largely predates Trent, but the usage, ceremonial, art, architecture, music, devotions, etc. that surround the Rite itself and give it its character or ethos changed radically as the West first Germanized and then "Scholasticized." Hence, the ethos of Tridentine spirituality (including the liturgy) became extremely "Good Friday-esque" due in large part to the doctrines of satisfactionary atonement either to God's honor (Anselm) or wrath (Aquinas). Indeed, the difference between the Roman Rite in the first millennium and the second can be summed up in the very life-like crucifixes of Christ in agony found in traditional RC and Anglo-Catholic parishes today versus the stylized frescoes and murals of Christ Pantocrator in all his glory that typified all churches (yes, even in Britian) before the schism but only Orthodox and some Eastern Unitate churches now. In short, the Roman Missals according to Ritual Notes or Fortescue were employed (twisted?) to embody the very unOrthodox doctrines of Trent."

And here's the clincher:

"In any case, my main point is that Western Rite Orthodoxy parishes in North America are by and large engaged in varying degrees of false Uniatism with Orthodoxy."

Notice the lack of any specifics. Many critics of WRO speak in generalities, like "Well we all KNOW that the Western Rite is just Tridentine/Anglo Catholicism with an epiklesis..." and there the "argument" ends.

Now observe with what finesse our own Subdeacon Benjamin Andersen answers this "argument":

"Death Bredon -I can't say much about your view of the Antiochian Western Rite, which you have broadcasted far and wide in the blogosphere, except that I don't think that you have much experience of the way that the Vicariate actually is. Lots of people have strange ideas about what Western Rite Orthodox liturgies are actually like, and I find that most (even some of the most implacable Byzantine types) are pleasantly surprised when they actually experience it.Of course, we will never match your dreams and expectations for a perfect Church, but I doubt that any religious body ever will.Perhaps your problem is not necessarily with the Vicariate but perhaps with a very skewed, radically dichotomized view of East and West, the kind in which every day is either Good Friday or Pascha. Sorry, but it's just not that simple.Anyhow, we know absolutely nothing of the dreary religion you describe above. The Western Rite Vicariate may have its problems and inconsistencies (I am the first to admit), but we are far closer to the "Mass-and-Office" model of Catholicism described by the YF above than the caricature you so often describe (without, of course, having any experience worshipping in a Vicariate community)."

Well done, Cardinal Subdeaon :-)

The Right Rev. Archimandrite Michael Trigg, Requiescat in Pace

On Saturday, 12 May, 6:30pm, our dear pastor emeritus, Fr. Michael Trigg, fell asleep in the Lord, after over thirty years of faithful service to the parish family of St. Michael Orthodox Church in Whittier, CA.

What was most impressive about him was not his Oxford degree in anthropology (having studied under the famed anthropologist E. Evans-Pritchard), but his humility. This was the one quality that he tried to find in people, the one he most valued. Humility, he taught, was near and dear to the heart of God, as Christ himself humbled himself to the point of dying the most cruel and humiliating death. Love and humility for him were the calling of all true Christians, as all are enjoined to take up their cross and follow Him who humbled himself and triumphed over death. The way to glory for him was in none other than the way of the cross.

He had a way of looking straight into your soul, forcing you to look at yourself honestly. Nothing escaped him in confession. He was the kind of confessor with whom you knew you were in good hands, like a good surgeon.

His gracious manner was always quite welcoming. His congenial manner and engaging personality could make you feel like you were the most important person int he world for him at that moment.

He was at his best in the celebration of the blessed mysteries. Every mass was special to him, because he knew that at every celebration he was bringing his parishoners into the kingdom of God, where "with angels and archangels, and with all the hosts of heaven, we laud and magnify" the Lord's name. This was his highest vocation, what he considered to be his greatest moment, for which he would sacrifice a thousand Oxford D.Phils, and his very life, to do: to bring his flock into the throne room of heaven.

A man of prayer, he had a great personal devotion to St. Benedict of Nursia, nourished by the Anglican Benedictine Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield, England, where he received his seminary education. He imbibed from this stream deeply.

He, along with a few intrepid souls, founded the parish of St. Michael, Whittier, on 10 April, 1977, after they had broken with ECUSA because of its continuing fall into theological and disciplinary innovations (he often called it by its true name-heresy). He often told me that at that sermon on Easter day, he encouraged those few faithful souls that if they remained true to the apostolic faith, God would bless them beyond their wildest imaginings. The work he had begun bore fruit, with a harvest of souls that spans the globe. He brought this parish into the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in 1983, under the Western Rite Vicariate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America. When our new parish building was consecrated on September 9, 1990 by Metropolitan Philip Saliba, Saidna Philip said that when the history of Orthodoxy in North America is written, St. Michael's would be a shining light which historians could scarcely ignore.

The parish family of St. Michael's is saddened by the departure of our dear pastor, but I know that he is assured that the work he had begun will go on, inspired by his courage and vision.

The gates of heaven have opened up to him, and now he goes as angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, powers saints, martyrs, apostles, and the very Mother of God sing triumphantly: Axios! Dignus est! He is worthy!

For us, still living this side of heaven, we lament his passing as the end of an era. We can also rejoice, however, that his legacy will live on in the hearts of the faithful at St. Michael's, as we carry on his vision of a Western Orthodox parish intent on leavening the culture and engaging it with the ancient and yet ever new message of the faith of the Apostles, martyrs and saints. One of our best warriors is now safely in the hands of his Lord and King. May we be worthy of this great legacy he has left us.

Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!

Requiescas in pace, pastor bonus et fidelis!

Congratulations to Nicolas Sarkozy

Here is a man who is determined to bring some of the market reforms that much of the EU had adopted in the 1990's. Will he succeed? Is this France's novus ordo saeculroum of sensible public and labor policy?

Felicitations, Monsieur President!

Read the story here

Episcopal Visitation

This past Sunday, our Father in God, His Grace Bishop Joseph, of the Antiochian diocese of Los Angleles and the West, granted us the blessing of an episcopal visit. Pictures of the mass are up on the diocesan website. You can view them here

Your host served as the subdeacon of the liturgy that day. The above picture shows the prayers at the foot of the altar, with Fr. Stephen Herney (standing), our new rector, Deacon Stephen Holley, (kneeling to his right), and yours truly, to the left of the good padre.

Fr. Stephen was officially named our new rector, Fr. Michael Trigg being named rector emeritus.

Happy Birthday King James Bible

From Fr. Joseph Huneycutt:

This, stolen with gratitude, from today's edition of The Writer's Almanac ...

It was on this day in 1611 that the first edition of the King James Bible was published in England. It is one of the greatest and most influential works in the English language, even though it was translated by a committee.It was produced during a particularly chaotic period for England.

An epidemic of the black plague had struck London so severely that the year before work began on the King James Bible, 30,000 Londoners had died of the disease. At the same time, Puritans in the country were beginning to agitate against the monarchy as a form of government. And a group of underground Catholics were plotting to assassinate the king.

Read the rest hear

Biretta Tip to the Young Fogey