How can we implement Pope Benedict's Charity
is truth encylical?
The Pope says - ...norms of the moral law which
God has written on our hearts is the answer.
How can we practice these
norms in a world of diversity? I know there are many who will say the encyclical is only for Catholics and it is impossible
to implement it in all of society. However, Pope Leo's Rerum Novarum encyclical has stood the test of time for
more than a hundred years. It was a standard for human dignity in the work day for both worker and employer. It
took big hit when globalization and free trade altered the course of history.
Here is a living example
of how it can happen in small ways and big ways:
I start reading about another special priest and found
an answer. Father Solanus Casey was a simple priest. He was ordained as a "simplex" priest. His superiors judged
him as being "insufficient" in his studies for the priesthood. He was not allowed to do regular parish work
of hearing confessions and preaching at Masses. Reportedly, he had to study in German while not knowing the language in any
fluent manner.
(This is the part I like) He had real world work experience prior to becoming
a priest. He worked as a farmer, logger, hospital orderly, street car operator and prison guard. Being a "simplex"
priest, he was put in charge of a church's sacristry and of the altar boys. Although he had studied theology for ten years,
he performed the tasks of unordained brothers. He played baseball with the altar boys ( reportedly in his robe )
and took them on subway trips to the beach, Manhattan, St Patrick's Cathedral and to baseball games.
A
new pastor made him a porter for the monastic community and the church office. As a porter, Salanus would answer the
door and tracked down friars for visitors and handled messages and packages.
He swept the sidewalk in the morning
and talked with people in the neighborhood. Sometimes he ran inside and came out with food to give away. People asked
him to visist the sick in their homes. In time he became known as "the holy priest" as in "Go get the holy
priest," when someone was in need.
He tended to the sick and he lived their pain and suffering
with the sick. He had an intutitive nature to say just the right thing at the right time and put everyone at ease when
he spoke.
He was open to all people no matter what their religion beliefs were. In time, Protestants, Jews,
people of many faiths and races as well as non believers flocked to him. While inviting non-Catholics to consider the "claims"
of the Catholic faith, he respected everyone's religious beliefs and encouraged themto live up to those commitments. Commenting
on his definition of religion, "the science of our happy relationship with God and our neigbhors," Solanus wrote,
"There can be but one religion, though there may be a thousand different systems of religion."
He wrote this letter to a friend ( bear in mind all the things he accepted graciously in his life.)... "God knows best,
and, while we'll still hope for a favorable surprise, we can hardly do better than not only being resigned to whatever
God permits but even beforehand to thank Him for his mercifully loving designs."
Solanus's gifts became
known and healing followed his visits to the sick. While praying for men going into the armed forces during World War
l , he gave predictions of their return. The Sisters at the church noticed this ability to predict the future. He would give
prophetic words of encouragementto many and told them what day and time their troubles would disappear.
His
Front Door Ministry grew. Many of his days with the people lasted from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Solanus's evening prayers
for people stretched his day out to as much as eighteen hours. Though thousands of people poured out their hearts
to him, Solanus could not give absolution for sins because of his simplex status. Instead he worked out a system with
other priests to give those flocking to him absolution. Solanus never seemed to lose patience under the crush of visitors
despite the long hours he kept. When he was transferred to other places and in his retirement people came to him from miles
away and some groups came on chartered buses to see him. There was no rest yet for Solanus, He would continued serving his
Lord until the end of his days. He is destined to be named a Saint in the Church as the first American born man and
one who still hit an occasional long drive playing baseball in his robe.
We can adapt to the "simplex" way in doing
unto others as we would have them do to us as a practical solution for all during our economic crisis. Kim Crow, a columnist
at the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote a column titled - You can help save locally owned stores - she says, If half of the employed
population spend $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenues
nationally.
I have said for many years on many of my sites and blogs that only local value
added economies in balanced geopolitical settings work - you can not rob peter to pay paul - as they do in the global
economis arena. ( See lists of my sites starting in 1998 at http://linkbun.ch/aztb with each having links to more references and sites. ) This advocacy is my "ministry".
Our economies based on making money on money instead of making things are burning out. In the history of Rome, insourcing
and outsourcing took over and we know what happened to the Roman Empire because of it.
Suggested Reading: GOD'S DOOR-KEEPERS ,
a story of Saints in our times - about Solanus Casey ( 1870-1957), ST. Padre Pio ( 1887-1968 ) and
Andre Bessette (1845- 1937 ) - humble men whose beginnings were not promising, but thousands of miracles attest to the
fact that these men were wonder-workers of the first order. "Where there is real faith and confidence in God there is
no such thing as a hopeless case," Solanus once wrote. On the surface, none of three had much to give, and none achieved
academic distinction or prominent positions in their religious orders. They were, to all appearances, the sort of people others
overlook.
Perhaps in these three men, we can find a way out of the Bewildered New World.
Perhaps with men like this we can come to understand the meaning of subsidiarity in Pope Benedict's encyclical.
Ray Tapajna http://linkbun.ch/aztb http://www.therationale.com/ ( The common good explored in the global economic arena. )
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