No wafer if you waffle?

from Bishop Wenski of Orlando in today's Sentinel, although I could have done without the bumper sticker lingo. In fact, when I first saw the headline, I went into a minor rage against what I thought was disrespectful headline-writing. But no - he uses the phrase himself, which is unfortunate, I think, for it undercuts the seriousness of his message and the cogency with which he offers it.

Bishops as teachers of the faith have no special competencies in the world of business or politics -- and in those worlds we have no regulatory or legal powers. But precisely as teachers of the Catholic faith we do have competence to tell businessmen or politicians or anyone else for that matter what is required to be a Catholic. It is totally within our competence to say that one cannot be complicit in the injustice of denying the right to life of an unborn child or an invalid elder and still consider oneself a good Catholic.

To be a Catholic is to strive after holiness. This is a daunting task for us all -- impossible without the saving grace that embraces us through our turning to the Lord and walking in his company. The Lord is patient with us -- after all, we all are still just "practicing." He warns his disciples not to be too ready to pull out the tares lest we damage the wheat. For this reason, when rebukes are necessary, pastors generally strive to give them in private.

....If the whole point of being a Catholic is to grow in holiness -- admittedly by practicing a whole lot and making some errors along the way -- then it would be, as John Paul II reminds us, "a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a sentimental religiosity." You cannot have your "waffle" and your "wafer," too. Those pro-abortion politicians who insist on calling themselves Catholics without seeing the contradiction between what they say they believe and their anti-life stance have to do a lot more "practicing." They need to get it right before they approach the Eucharistic table.

Comments

[Jason]

Bravo for him!

[Rich Leonardi]

Great piece overall, but why mar it by calling the body of Christ a "wafer"!? That's the same word anti-Catholics have used since the Protestant revolt to profane the Eucharist. Ugghh!

[RP Burke]

All that's left is to quote Tom Lehrer's Vatican Rag:

2-4-6-8: Time to transubstantiate!

[Michael]

Who was it who said that it takes more faith to believe that wafer is bread than to believe it's the Body of Christ?

[Charles M. de Nunzio]

I had just gotten through putting up a post about using undiginified means to convey messages of high dignity on my own blog when I saw this post!

Seriously: one essential element in a future re-Christianization of our culture will be the unapolgetic eradication of the pop-culture mentality.

[Eutychus Fell]

Monsignor Paul Turner clarifies the dilemma: "It´s easier to believe that bread really becomes the Body of Christ than it is to believe that the host is really bread"

Not for me, Monsignor. I fear it will take me the entire year of RCIA to wrap my head around this one teaching.

[frog]

it is a PUN!!! he is trying to ligten up! a sense of humor is rare today.

[Rich Leonardi]

A sense of humor is common; a sense of reverence is rare.

[Patricia Tryon]

Notwithstanding the blogger's typically balanced entries, one cannot help but notice how rarely, if ever, in the opinion of this enclave, a bishop gets it right.

[Chris-2-4]

No Wafer if you Waffle?

I guess Kerry would be okay, then. There is no "waffle" in his stance. He is absolutely 100% outspokenly in favor of keeping abortion legal and adamant about suppressing any disagreement on the subject.

[Greg Popcak]

Patricia,

I'll second that. Yeah, the bishop's rhetorical flourish failed. But let's just be glad the guy has the guts to speak up.

[al]

Pace Cdl McCarrick and, frankly, Deal Hudson's response to Cdl McCarrick, , I believe describes accurately the "decision making process" involved with communicating obstinate sinners: "The outline emphasizes the sacramental and liturgical norms against shared Communion with most non-Catholics. It repeatedly makes the point that the church does not have the power to give Communion to Catholics living in grave sin, to those "teaching error" or to "persons living an immoral life."

Although the Eucharist is a sacrament of unity, it presupposes "unity in the faith" for those who would share in its reception, the document said. In that sense, people should not receive Communion in a "casual, routine manner," it said."

It is not about estimating the good or bad which will flow from the denial, nor is it about the authority of the Bishops in determining how the liturgy is to be celebrated in their jurisdiction.

It as about choosing not to be complicit in grave sin.

[Joseph D'Hippolito]

I would love to ask the good bishop if he considers a Catholic who opposes abortion on demand or partial-birth abortion, yet supports it when a women has been raped or her life endangered if she carries her pregnancy to term as "waffling".

I would also love to ask the good bishop if he believes somebody such as Paul Shanley should receive the Eucharist, though he hasn't publically recanted his public advocacy of "man-boy" love. Or should Shanley follow the advice of his own bishop (Boston's O'Malley, in this case) and do his utmost to remain "a good son of the church," which, I assume, would mean attending Communion, as well, regardless of whether he has recanted?

[Judie Brown]

Bishop Wenski has said what every Bishop should be saying. The Bishops have a responsibility to defend the Body of Chirst (Holy Eucharist) from sacrilege.

God bless him! I hope he has instructed his priests accordingly.

Judie Brown

[Brian Clowes]

Good for Bishop Wenski!

Whether you like his "waffle/wafer" phrase or not, what is important is that he is GETTING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION and directing them to the truth. If he has to use pop language to reach them, then so be it. We have to reach out to people in their own vernacular, whether it be their own language or their own lingo.
Now if all bishops would follow Bp. Wenski's lead, we would be getting somewhere!!

Brian Clowes
Human Life International

[Mrs.Magaly Llaguno]

I wholeheartedly and joyfully applaud Bishop Wenski's declaration. If more bishops took such a corageous stand where it concerns the killing of the unborn, Catholic politicians would think twice before taking a public stand in favor of abortion.

The abortion issue in the U.S. affects not just the unborn and their mothers (who are also victims) in this country, but also in other countries. Abortion is being exported by U.S. anti-life foundations and organizations. If you would like to read more about this lethal invasion, please visit the English language section of our website : http://www.vidahumana.org/english/index.html.

In Jesus and Mary of Guadalupe,

Mrs. Magaly Llaguno
Executive Director
Vida Humana Internacional - Hispanic Division of Human Life International

[David Ancell]

I agree that I don't like the bishop's title for the article as I was thinking that this was the news media making fun of the bishop. However, I am not about to make a big deal about it. I am grateful to Almighty God that we have a bishop with the spine to write what he did. Were all the Bishops in this country like this, I doubt that we would have the problems that we do in the Church. Sometimes, one must overlook a title gimmick that failed when it is clear that the man's heart is in speaking out against the evil of abortion.

Granted, there is plenty of rhetoric that truly is irreverent, but this really isn't such a problem. Scroll up to Charles de Nunzio's comment, click the link, and then click the link on the next page to the T-shirt wear, and you will find something that is positively awful.

[Mike Mueller]

How refreshing and encouraging to read Bishop Wenski's declaration. Bishop Wenski, thank you for speaking out.

The bigger question is, why aren't ALL our Bishops boldly and joyfully proclaiming the truth and exercising their responsibility as Bishops to clearly state that if you support abortion or any other political policies that are mortal sins, you are not permitted to receive the Eucharist? Pray for our Bishops.

[Fernando Muñoz]

Until courageous bishops and cardinals take actions like this, Christ's Church will be a meek watered-down organization instead of the lighthouse it was intended to be. Bravo!