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A late post but it’s been a busy week in lock-down, but I can’t not mention the feast of Saint Pope Paul VI (May 29th) – a Saint that has such an impact on my life and the life of many faith married Catholics. Pope Paul VI, as pope, chaired the discussion on how the Catholic Church would advise Catholics on the use of contraception in their married lives. The majority of those present concluded that married Catholic’s SHOULD be able to use contraception – however, there was a ‘minority’ report. This minority report raised some issue that we should be concerned with if society were to embrace contraception as part of our lives. Pope Paul VI, developed the minority report in his encyclical ‘Humane Vitae’ in which he outlines why we as a society SHOULD NOT permit contraception as it would participate in the following for society: 1) a general lowering of moral standards, 2) A rise in infidelity, and children born not into a loving family unit, 2) The reduction of women to objects used to satisfy men (pornography and prostitution), and 3) government coercion in reproductive matters (benefiting from the sale of contraceptives and on-child-policies). The secular world argued that contraception would ’empower women’ and liberate individuals, but it would appear that this encyclical, written in 1968, has been quite prophetic! Saint Pope Paul VI: Pray for us.
HAPPY PENTECOST – VENI SANCTUS SPIRITUS ‘The gift of the Spirit on the evening of the Resurrection took place once again on the day of Pentecost, intensified this time by extraordinary outward signs. On the evening of Easter, Jesus appeared to the Apostles and breathed on them His Spirit (cf. Jn 20:22); on the morning of Pentecost the outpouring occurred in a resounding way, like a wind which shook the place the Apostles were in, filling their minds and hearts. They received a new strength so great that they were able to proclaim Christ’s Resurrection in different languages: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Together with them was Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the first disciple and the Mother of the nascent Church. With her peace and her smile, she accompanied the joyful young Bride, the Church of Jesus. The world needs men and women who are not closed in on themselves, but filled with the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit has been bestowed upon the Church and upon each one of us, so that we may live lives of genuine faith and active charity, that we may sow the seeds of reconciliation and peace. Strengthened by the Spirit and His many gifts, may we be able uncompromisingly to battle against sin and corruption, devoting ourselves with patient perseverance to the works of justice and peace.’ Pope Francis homily Pentecost 24 May 2015
