Light & Darkness: The Reality

At the Easter Vigil we chant three times the words ‘Lumen Christi', Christ Our Light, in the midst of darkness with the light of the Easter candle illuminating the darkness. This light is a symbol of the True Light, Jesus Christ, who illuminates all darkness. I have read somewhere that darkness is simply the absence of light.


Light and darkness is central to our personal, community and society spirituality. Since we are not only physical but spiritual beings, light and darkness play a central role in our spiritual and holistic human formation or the lack of it.

Through observation, I have come to the belief that the Light of Christ we proclaim at Easter is being challenged more and more to the point that darkness is even portrayed as ‘light’. For Christians there can be only ONE Light, Jesus Christ. For the World there is only ONE Saviour, Jesus Christ. Yet we find ourselves in a situation where Christians and the World are being told, not by God, that things of darkness are indeed acceptable and conversely that things of Light are now unacceptable or ‘politically incorrect’. Ergo, evil is good and Good is evil. This is the message being propagated at all levels of society by a variety of individuals, groups, institutions, organisations and governments.

We only have to look to the laws in our Country to realise this truth. Abortion legalised, same sex unions legislated as ‘marriage’, legalised polygamy, changing the natural family structure by allowing same sex couples to raise children, etc. Where the State determines what is acceptable and what is not. In this context both Natural and Divine Law are discarded for secular law. Even in the area family planning, Natural Family Planning is excluded from State run family planning programmes effectively forcing artificial contraception down our proverbial throats. Where secularism, driven by the state and others with the same agenda, is actively stripping away the True Light and replacing it with a false light, darkness. This is the reality of Light and darkness today.

It is now common for Christians and non-Christians alike, to look to other means of salvation excluding Jesus Christ. The True Light is now perceived and held to be equal to the would-be ‘saviours’ and ‘prophets’ that have walked the Earth these past millennia. The same ‘saviours' and ‘prophets' who have led generations into darkness and away from the True Light. Even within our Catholic Church we have those who have spread darkness instead of Light by their words, actions and omissions, clergy and laity alike. The sexual abuse scourge is a case in point.

We are in the midst of a spiritual war that has been raging since the dawn of creation, between Light and darkness. We Christians are often very naive about this warfare and fall into the secular trap of accepting darkness as ‘light’ while at the same time consigning the True Light to the rubbish bin of irrelevance or uselessness. The True Light is often seen as an inconvenience or a hindrance to the more alluring life that darkness offers with its insatiable thirst of and for money, power, instant gratification, status, irresponsible pleasures of the senses, sense of entitlement, oppression and suppression of others, covetous avarice and all sorts of corruption and injustice, from the very top to the very bottom of socio-political, religious and economic life.

Therefore my challenge to all Christians, including myself and not only Catholics, is to consciously and actively embrace the True Light, Jesus Christ and ALL that He stands for. Christianity is by nature radical and revolutionary and we, like Christ, are not called to be politically correct for the sake of empowering the darkness of this World and at the expense of Christ's Light within us that forms our Faith convictions. No! We are called to be like Mother Mary who stood bravely for the True Light despite the consequences. We are called to be like those who have given their lives rather than to deny the True Light. By word and action we stand for Divine Truth, in season and out of season, even when the truth is painful. Christ’s mission remains radical and revolutionary, this has not changed.

The Light of Christ is an invitation to every human being to be freed from the darkness, the evil, that stalks the Earth like a hungry beast disguised to deceive and lead astray.

Lumen Christi!! Deo Gratia!!

Dcn. Greg Garnie

IDC IMBISA website

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Pope Francis - Thanks be to God

As we the faithful watched and lived this history unfolding before our eyes, we recognised in an instant the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, not only in the conclave, but in the whole Body of Christ, breathing new life and hope for all who look to Christ's love and mercy for all humanity.

Truly we proclaim the greatness of God who looked upon His lowly servant, hence from this day forward all peoples will call him blessed. Thanks be to God for Pope Francis.

IDC Delegates Assembly - Mumbai, India

The IDC delegates assembly took place in Mumbai, India from 9 September to 11 September 2012. Our host was Fr. Gilbert De Lima a delegate of the IDC. After the business meetings we were able to tour the city of Mumbai and to see first hand, the wonderful ministry of the Permanent Deacons in the Archdiocese of Mumbai. Many of the deacons are working with the communities in the slums of Mumbai, with a core part of their ministry being their work for social justice. The level of poverty in the slums are unlike anything experienced in our countries and the scale of such poverty is simply overwhelming. One cannot but reflect with a deep sense of compassion on the future prospects for the many children born and raised in these slums and the daily family struggles to just survive. A beacon of light in all this poverty is the resolute determination of the Catholic Church to uplift the lives of the poor and it is these efforts that truly bring hope and joy to the status quo. Empowerment, self help schemes are transforming the lives of the communities in little, but effective steps. It was extremely gratifying to see the empowerment of women being spearheaded in the various communities we visited. This bodes well for the future and the Permanent Deacons have a strong role to play in complimenting and supporting the work of the lay religious and the voluntary social workers. Our grateful thanks to our brothers and sisters in Mumbai who welcomed us into their communities. You are always in our thoughts and prayers. Below are moments captured of our time in Mumbai.

Prepared by:
Dcn. Greg Garnie
    

Africae Munus

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Literature List - On Going Formation

As men ordained to be relevant ministers to the life of the Church and society in general, Permanent Deacons must of necessity be self-motivated, creative and enterprising in the area of on-going formation. We do not have the luxury of sitting back and waiting for input to be given in order to broaden and deepen our faculties and competency,spiritual and intellectual. We are called to be relevant in thought, word and action so as to effectively and with conviction witness to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in what is arguably the most turbulent period of human spirituality. We need to have the 'can do' attitude that marked such great people as Abbot Francis Pfanner "If no one goes, I will go", Mother Therese "give until it hurts", John Bradburn (caring for lepers) and many, many others.

The literature list below is a contribution from the IDC IMBISA office for the benefit of brother Deacons and we will add to the list as time goes on. The list will only contain material that has already been read by a Deacon and is recommended by him as an addition to the list. Please feel free to send your recommended literature for inclusion, that way we help one another in our journey of on-going formation as Permanent Deacons.

1. Encyclical Letter: Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason) of Pope John Paul II
2. Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI
3. The Compact History of the Catholic Church by Alan Schreck, PH.D
4. From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles by the International Theological Commission
5. Rebuild My Church by Alan Schreck, PH.D
6. Catholic Truth by Dereck Blackburn, Secular Franciscan
7. Our Catholic Symbols by Michael J. Daley
8. Our Joy In Being Catholic by Oswald Hirmer & Diocesan Animation Team
9. Permanent Deacon by Congregation for Catholic Education and Congregation for the Clergy
10. Saintly Deacons by Owen F. Cummings
11. 111 Questions on Islam by Samir Khalil Samir, S.J.
12. The Other Side of History by Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert (South Africa History)
13. Vatican II: The Crisis and The Promise by Alan Schreck, PH.D
14. The Case for Easter by Lee Strobel, Journalist
15. The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning, former Franciscan Priest
16. The Fathers of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI
17. On the Collaboration of Men & Women in the Church and in the World by Congregation for the Doctrine of trhe Faith
18. The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith (Lineamenta) 

Collection of Photos from Johannesburg and Vienna meetings



Photos: Courtesy of Dcn. Jiri Palacky 

Reflections on Being Catholic

As a married Permanent Deacon of the Catholic Church, living and working with and amongst people of different races, creeds, cultures, traditions, languages and religions, I have had cause to reflect on the aspect of being Catholic. What does 'being Catholic' really mean to me? Is my Catholic identity a 'brand name' that distinguishes me from other 'brand name' Christian denominations and other religions? Does the term 'Catholic' only serve to identify me as a member of a very old (oldest) Christian movement? Do I view my Catholic identity as a superior religious status in a World where religion takes many forms; Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Traditional, etc?

I suppose the place to begin my reflection is with the institution of the Church as found in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew. From the text of Matthew (16: 13-19) the intention and statement of Jesus is clear concerning the institution of his Church or Community, the two words being interchangeable in various translations. Jesus desired that his disciples, led by Peter, spearhead the development of a Community founded on the proclamation of the Good News that he brings to them. He himself, through his resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, gives life, power and authority to his Church to bind or to loosed (Mt. 16: 19). So the Church which Jesus institutes is to be a sign (sacrament) of his communion and covenant with humankind and a physical presence of his Kingdom on Earth, that presence called to being "Salt of the Earth" (Mt. 5: 13) and "Light of the World" (Mt. 5: 14). It is the task (vocation) of his Church to make the Kingdom of God, first made present by him, a continuous reality for people of all nations, to the end of the ages (Mt. 28: 19-20).

In the book of Acts (11: 26c) we are told that it was at Antioch that the followers of Jesus Christ, the Church at Antioch, are identified by the term 'Christian' basically meaning; follower of Christ. Wherever the Apostles established Communities of faith these were known as Christian Communities. What set the Christian Communities apart was their openness to accept and embrace into the fold, people of different races, tribes, cultures and languages, truly manifesting the mandate entrusted to the Apostles to "go ..... make disciples of all the nations" (Mt. 28: 19). There was a universality, an all embracing inclusiveness to the faith of the Christians that was unique among religions at the time. The Good News of Jesus Christ was transforming whole societies and helping them to transcend previously fought for territorial, tribal, cultural and lingual supremacy. These conflicts, while not totally eliminated, did diminished where the Church took root and the values of the Kingdom of God were embraced.

Between 100 - 107 AD, St. Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch and according to tradition an appointee of St. Peter, uses the Greek term 'katholikos' (catholic) to describe the Christian Church. All Christians, no matter where the Churches were located, were united to their bishop, the Apostles successor and leader of the local Church and to Jesus Christ, the head of the whole Church (Eph. 4: 4-5, 15-16). St. Ignatius writes in his letter to the Church at Smyrna: "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church (Gk. he katholike ekklesia)" (8). The Church which Christ instituted is first called 'Christian' at Antioch and later, the Bishop of Antioch is the first to define the Christian Community as being 'Catholic'.

It appears to me that there is a fundamental difference, between St. Ignatius' thinking then and our thinking today, in the use of the word 'Catholic'. In it's original context would St. Ignatius have used the term as a name, denoting a specific brand or denomination or branch of Christianity? Or, more likely, did he use it, at this very early stage of a unified Church, to describe the universal appeal and united nature of this body of Christians wherever they were located? The word 'Katholikos', I believe, would have originally described this universality and unity of the Christian faith; open and inclusive. It could be further interpreted as describing the unity of all Christians with each other in communion with the Apostles successors, the bishops, and again the communion of the bishops with each other and with the successor of St. Peter, the bishop at Rome, who from the very beginning of the Church is recognised as it's leader (Mt. 16: 18-19). The word 'Katholikos', as it relates to Jesus Christ in his letter, could also have been used to define a much greater communion, a key theme of St. Ignatius, not only of the Christian Community with their bishop and with all other Christian Communities in a specific period of time, but a communion of the Church that transcends both space and time. In other words, through Christ, the Church of today is in unity with the Church of the Apostles, with the Church of the future and with the Church in Heaven (as in the Apostles creed: Belief in the communion of the saints). There appears to be a great depth and bredth of relationships which the term Katholikos captures and it is clear that St. Ignatius used it to define the very nature of Church in communion with that original Catholic nature: Jesus Christ.

So this Church that Jesus Christ institutes is notable for its followers being Christian and Catholic.

I would suppose that the opposite of a katholikos Church would then be a closed, exclusive community, perhaps limited to a specific period of space and time where unity would be immediate and bound to certain dictates. In such a situation, Christians would be closed to the harmony between and positive regard for people, different to themselves or their specific beliefs and doctrines, along racial, tribal, cultural or lingual lines.

When I reflect on the life of the man Jesus, a Jew raised in the traditions and culture of his people and his time, I certainly see the marks of his catholicity. In the Gospel accounts we discover his unity in the one God, that transcends the temporal reality, we further discover his openness and invitation to non-Jewish people as well as those Jews considered outcasts of Jewish society. This is remarkable for its time but it is this katholikos nature of Jesus that becomes the greatest challenge to the human race and will continue to be a challenge to the end of time. It is this catholic nature of Jesus, captured in the Gospels and articulated by St. Ignatius, that his Church must, in fidelity to him, embrace without fear or shame. His Church must be Katholikos.

Certainly, down the ages, the Church has often wandered from its catholic path, very much as our elder siblings, the first chosen people of Israel, also often wandered from their catholic path. Our catholic failing certainly does not provoke Christ to abandon his Church, just as God has not abandoned the children of Israel, but through the power of his Holy Spirit he continually guides his Church back to the right path, encouraging his Church to be herald and witness of the Kingdom of God here on Earth.

In recent times we have seen the Church embracing its katholikos nature when seeking forgiveness for past transgressions through St. Peter's successor; Pope John Paul II: asking pardon for the inquisition, the persecution of Jews and protestants, the Crusades, failing to be "Salt of the Earth" and "Light of the World". The convening of the Second Vatican Council was the most inspirational testament to the action of the Holy Spirit in recent times and the Church will no doubt need a third Council to build even more concretely on Vatican II. Our catholicism is a dynamic, ever building reality that cannot stagnate or remain static. Our most pressing goal of Christian unity should be driving us to seek reconciliation with our separated siblings as the schisms and divisions, especially of the reformation period, make a mockery of Christ's desire that we be one (Jn. 17: 11b, 21-23).

It is a certainty that the Church instituted by Christ (Mt. 16: 13-19), with that body also called Christians (Acts 11: 26c), adopted its defining Catholic nature as articulated by St. Ignatius (Smyrna 8) as an identity. This identifying mark further solidifies the Churches fidelity to Christ's own catholic mission (Mt. 28: 18-20). During the reformation in particular, those who broke away from the Church, labeled the Church as though it was a brand or branch of Christianity. The term 'Roman Catholic' being applied and truly out of ignorance on the part of Catholics, it became an acceptable monika. It is definitively a contradiction in terms and an error for Catholics to refer to themselves as 'Roman Catholic'. The further error of those who broke the Christian unity was that they failed to recognise that the Church instituted by Christ on the Apostles, this Catholic Church, remains to this day united to the Apostles and Jesus Christ the head (Eph. 4: 1-16). Christ, as all Christians will know, will not abandon or divorce his Bride, even in her gravest error. If anything, those who chose to separate and cause the disunity have the choice, now through their followers, to unite themselves to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ that will continue to travel through the ages.

Given this reflection, I would therefore find it proper and right to understand myself as being catholic in nature first and through that nature, being Catholic in name, a Christian who belongs to the Body of Christ here on Earth, his Church established on St. Peter and the Apostles.

Please feel free to share your comments and views.

Dcn. Greg 

The Dalmatic

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Role of Our Spouses

The following article was a talk given to the Deacons and their spouses on the occassion of a weekend retreat. It is reproduced here in full.

Introduction

As the faithful people of God, the Body of Christ here on Earth, we all come from different backgrounds. We are born into cultures with their inherent traditions. We do not choose the cultures and traditions we are born into, but as members of the family of God, we have made a choice about the direction our lives will take. We have chosen to look beyond our inherited condition towards a better way of life, a more fulfilling and rewarding way of life. We have chosen to embrace the Good News of Jesus Christ and in so doing we cannot remain the same. We have chosen to become Christ’s followers, we are Christians.

New culture, new tradition

As Baptized members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, we are introduced to a new way of life. We could say a new culture with its own rich and wonderful tradition spanning 2000 years. Our Christian culture can be defined by the words of the Prophet Isaiah which were spoken by Jesus to define his mission Lk.4: 18-19: “..He has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the down trodden free…”

Christ at once offers us and also challenges us to accept his offer of true freedom in all its forms: Spiritual, Psychological, Emotional & Physical. His freedom extends, through Christian values and morals into the religious, political, economic and social areas of human life.

The light of the Gospel shines into our own cultures and traditions and makes visible all those things that enslave us in mind, body and soul. The light of the Gospel shines into our religious, social, political and economic environment and in so doing the light of the Gospel reveals that which is contrary to the plan of God: Salvation and eternal life for all his children.

Through our Baptism we, male and female, have become the children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, equally important in the sight of God and His Church.

Equal share in the life of the Church

This brings me directly to the theme of this talk: The Role of the Deacon's Spouse. Not only have we chosen to become disciples of Christ and been Baptized into him, we have also chosen to answer his call to serve him as ministers of his sacred body. Was this choice made unilaterally or in consultation with our spouses? Is this my ministry or our ministry? While the Church has conferred the sacrament of Holy Orders on us, by the very fact of God’s grace inherent in all sacraments, our spouses, through the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, have themselves received God’s grace through our Holy Orders.

Unlike the other clerical offices of the Church i.e. the Episcopate and the Presbyterate where celibacy is a prerequisite, the Diaconate is unique by virtue of the married state. This implies that a Deacon does not act alone in his ministry. Just as a marriage is a shared sacrament so the Deacon shares his ministry with his spouse through both moral support and active support. Without the support of the spouse the Deacon will struggle in his ministry. Our ministry is not a one-man-band. In recognizing this unique aspect of the Diaconate we must also recognize that our spouses are of equal standing and therefore have every right to partake in our ministry. This goes hand-in-hand with our Christian identity, culture, tradition, values and morals as mentioned earlier.

Having said this, our spouses may find, through the grace of God in their lives, a calling to minister in other areas other than sharing in their husband’s ministry. This is a very common occurrence where the Diaconate is very strong and well established especially in the USA. Many Diaconate spouses have identified their own calling and their specialized ministries. While these may not be the same as their husbands, they do compliment each other. The ultimate outcome is a strengthening of the body of Christ at the very roots, the basic Church, the family. 

Challenge

Given the sharing so far, it is clear that both the Deacon and his spouse have a duty and responsibility to promote the faith beginning in their home and spreading in the Christian community and into the World. 

Whether our spouses share in our ministry or develop their own, they should be encouraged to promote and witness to their faith according to the Charism of the Holy Spirit given to each member of the Body. This encouragement must come first and foremost from the Deacon, followed by the Parish Priest and the Bishop. In our inclusive Christian culture there is no room for our spouses to feel sidelined and isolated nor should we, as Deacons be seen to be treating our spouses as second class or subordinate Christians. Both husband and wife, have to be an example to society of how a Christian marriage stands apart from marriages of other kinds, especially in the aspect of equality.

Thank you.