Tag: Francis E. George

Is it possible to be spiritual and not religious and still be Christian?

The question I seem to come back to: who cares? In the context of the practice of religion where we often seem to slice the pie in half: spiritual and religious, one wonders even we know what the words mean. The archbishop of Chicago, Francis Cardinal George, wrote about this topic in his column for Easter in the Catholic New World. The Cardinal outlines the issue pretty well: religion is becoming an isolated affair (some use the word private but I think it is better to say isolated since many families rarely talk about transcendent things with each other), that a question of authority disappears when you “when you make it up as you go along” and what it means to say there is an objectivity of what is true, beautiful, good and one is no longer easy to hold as a given. What exactly is religion?  Not to mention, many of our friends are now saying that the faith community as less and less credibility and the community of faith is trite. The missing element here is that Christianity is not about a set of rules, it is about a person; the practice of religion is not about the worship of myself, but the worship of a personal God revealed through the biblical narrative and seen in the sacraments; Christianity’s truth is weak unless it is about conversion, vocation and mission made manifest in the life we share with others. As Cardinal Geroge said,


Meeting the risen Christ spiritually therefore depends upon believing in him religiously. We are given the gift of faith in the sacrament of Baptism, in which we are configured to the risen Christ. Faith perdures, even when there’s not a lot of spiritual tingle in our lives! “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,” is the cry of a religious person who asks Christ to take him beyond his own spiritual experience into a new world where bodies as well as minds share in God’s grace. Faith takes seriously everything that comes from God. The faith-filled person is sure of God and distrustful of himself. Unlike faith in God, experience is often wrong in religious matters.


Here is the full text of Cardinal George’s “Easter 2013: I’m spiritual but not religious.”


In short, it is impossible to call oneself Christian and not be honestly engaged in the weekly practice of worship with the faith community and worthily receive the sacraments.

Saint Katharine Drexel

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God of love, you called Saint Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the Native American and African American peoples; by her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and the oppressed, and keep us undivided in love in the eucharistic community of your Church.


His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George, OMI, said in his book, The Difference God Makes, “It is is precisely as a disciple of Christ that Katharine taught Americans how to be true to themselves as Americans.” Look at pages 55-58.


George is right, she is one of the greatest women of the Church in the United States, Saint Katharine Drexel. May God raise up more like her! May Saint Katharine beg the Holy Spirit for His grace.

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Cardinal Francis George details keeping Catholic faith part of American consensus


English: Coat of arms of Francis cardinal Geor...

Chicago’s archbishop, Francis Cardinal George, soon to be 76, spoke to 45 members of his Archdiocese Pastoral Council on November 17th about the need to clarify what we as Catholics believe and how we ought to live if we want to make a contribution to any of the national dialogues. For example, had the topic been center stage at the time of the meeting, the cardinal may asked a question like, given the tragedy in Newtown, CT, how would an informed and reasonable Catholic respond to matters: of mental health, to the Second Amendment, to God’s role in our life with such violence?

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Continue reading Cardinal Francis George details keeping Catholic faith part of American consensus

The law has betrayed its own vocation, Cardinal George tells


You can always count on Francis Cardinal George, OMI,  to speak the truth. He is always very clear, always on target when looking at the American cultural situation. On September 30, 2012, he celebrate a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit and delivered a homily for the annual Red Mass, at which he  said, “There are times the law is a a cause of scandal.” The following paragraphs give a sense of what the Cardinal said. The rest of the homily may be read here.

What is left now
to our common life is whatever a legislative majority or the often-manipulated
whims of popular majority opinion will tolerate. That is no longer a classical
Constitutional legal order. The law has betrayed its own vocation.

Continue reading The law has betrayed its own vocation, Cardinal George tells

Cardinal Francis George preaches Sunday Vespers for Lent I

PAZ & Cardinal Francis George Feb 26 2012.jpgA Christian’s observance of Lent brings with it, I hope, a certain discipline of prayer. At The Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (411 East 68th Street, NYC) the Sundays in Lent Solemn Vespers will be celebrated at 4 pm.

The Church’s prayer is understood as consisting in Lauds, Vespers and Mass. The sacred Liturgy can’t be conceived in any other way. In fact, the Servant of God Pope Paul VI wanted parishes to celebrate the Divine Office with regularity to fill out our worship of the Triune God. And as you know, priests and religious are obligated to pray the Divine Office for the Church on a daily basis; the laity are encouraged to pray the same. At Saint Catherine’s we pray Vespers following the evening Mass (M-F) and with a more solemn character several times a year. Our praying Vespers in Lent in a more substantial way with singing psalms and hymns, preaching, vesture and incense is consistent with the tradition found with Dominicans.
Lent II: Father Jordan Kelly, OP
Lent III: Father Jay Scott Newman
Lent IV: Father Joel Warden, CO
Lent V: Father Allen White, OP
Palm Sunday: Edward Cardinal Egan
Earlier this afternoon, Cardinal George’s homily was absolutely brilliant using Saint Paul’s theme of being free in Christ and viz. freedom today and the current issues we are facing in the USA with the current administration of the United States. The Church’s choirmaster, Daniel B. Sañez, and the Schola Dominicana was perfect for God’s glory.
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Cardinal Francis Eugene George, OMI, turns 75, submits resignation

Cardinal George OMI.jpgToday is Cardinal Francis Eugene George’s 75th birthday. Congrats and continued blessings!!!

His Eminence is this nation’s highest profiled cardinal and bishop who is a superb public thinker as well as a pastor of souls. Since 1997 he’s been the archbishop of Chicago and since 1998 he’s been a member of the College of Cardinals. Both positions were given to him by Blessed  Pope John Paul II.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law says of a bishop who reaches his 75th birthday:
A diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances (401).
The Chicago Tribune ran this article today.
Pray for Cardinal George and for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
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The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith, Communion and Culture



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Join us for a dialogue with Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. on the publication of

The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith,
Communion, and Culture

 

Moderated by Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete,

Theologian,
Author, Columnist

 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 7:00PM

The Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60th Street (corner of 5th
Avenue), NYC

·RSVP AND PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED. No T-shirts, sneakers, or jeans. For men, jackets and ties required. Clerical
dress or religious habits permitted. 

·To make a reservation, send an e-mail to RSVP@crossroadsnyc.com with
full name and address.

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Center, The American Bible
Society and The Lumen Christi Institute

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His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George, 72, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago since 1997, is widely
recognized as a leading intellectual figure in the American Catholic
hierarchy. His new book, The Difference God Makes: A Catholic
Vision of Faith, Communion, and Culture, brings together some of his most
influential writings on the Catholic vision — not just of the Church herself,
but also of all the peoples of the world. 

Weaving together intellectual insight and personal wisdom,
this investigation offers a luminous Catholic vision of communion, illustrating
the Church’s relation to numerous religions as well as the secular
world.  Drawing from both the author’s observations of Catholicism in
cultures around the globe and countless theologians’ perspectives–including
Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Thomas Aquinas, and Francis of Assisi–this
analysis demonstrates how to recognize the self-giving, liberating God who
provides freedom from the competitive, oppressive gods of secular
modernity.  This overview also recalls an assortment of fascinating
stories, from a poignant moment with a non-Christian in Zambia to the humbling
dedication of volunteers who came to observe Pope John Paul II’s visit to
Mexico City.  

Confronting controversial issues head-on, this volume will
inspire Christians everywhere while also offering non-Christians a renewed
understanding of what a lived Christianity means for political and personal
life today.