Saturday After Ash Wednesday
March 8, 2014

Prayer:

Almighty ever-living God, look with compassion on our weakness and ensure us your
protection by stretching forth the right hand of your majesty.

Scripture:

I do not wish the sinner to die, says the Lord, but to turn to me and live. (Ezekiel 33)


Question of the Day:


What is the Church’s position on cremation? If it is allowed, can my ashes be scattered over the river or could I have them buried in my back yard?

To answer your first question, we turn our attention to canon 1176, § 3, which states:"The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burial be retained; but it does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching."

Prior to Vatican II and the renewal of Church liturgy, cremation was not very common place, especially in this part of the world. Since the mid-1960's, cremation has become more popular in many North American areas. Although the custom of burying the dead remains the preferred one in the Church, cremation is allowed, except for reasons which are contrary to the teachings of the Church. One could mention here, using cremation as a way to try and disprove the resurrection of the dead. In this situation, cremation would be seriously frowned upon. It must be kept in mind, that there are many ways of disposing of the remains of the deceased and cremation is one of those ways. The Liturgy Commission of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has prepared and made available a brochure on the subject of cremation and associated matters. This is available on their web site at http://www.cccb-publi-cecc.com.
The answer to the second part of your question is a bit more complicated. Although I can find nothing in the law preventing ashes being scattered or buried in a place not designated for such purposes - some common sense needs to prevail here. There seemed to be some confusion on this whole matter earlier over the disposal of the cremated remains of John F. Kennedy Jr, his wife and his sister-in-law and many others. A little chat with a grief counsellor may be helpful, before you decide on scattering ashes over water-ways of any kind or burial of ashes in your backyard or anyone else’s. A decision made hastily in this situation may be regretted some years later.

Please Note:

If you have any questions for the canonist, please send an email to canonist1998@gmail.com  and your question will be answered.

Friday After Ash Wednesday
March 7, 2014
Memorial of Sts. Perpetual and Felicity

The martyrdom of Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity offers a very powerful example of the new world
created by the birth of Christianity.

Prayer:

Show gracious favour, O Lord, we pray, that we may have strength to accomplish with sincerity
the bodily observances we undertake.

Scripture Passage

Is not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the
yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread
with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked,
to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth
like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7X2sRMkZg

Pope Francis' Ash Wednesday Homily

Here is a translation of the Pope’s homily from the celebration of the Eucharist today in the Basilica of Saint Sabina, with the rite of blessing and imposition of ashes.

"Rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:13).

With these penetrating words of the prophet Joel, the liturgy introduces us today into Lent, indicating the characteristic of this time of grace to be the conversion of heart. The prophetic appeal constitutes a challenge for us all, no one excluded, and reminds us that conversion is not reduced to exterior forms or vague resolutions, but it involves and transforms the whole of existence, from the center of the person, from the conscience. We are invited to undertake a journey in which, challenging routine, we force ourselves to open our eyes and ears, but especially our heart, to go beyond our “little vegetable garden.”
To Be Open to God and to Brothers. We live in an ever more artificial world, in a culture of “doing,” of the “useful,” where without noticing it we exclude God from our horizon. Lent calls us to “rouse ourselves,” to remind ourselves that we are creatures, that we are not God.
And we also risk closing ourselves to others, forgetting them. However, only when the difficulties and the sufferings of our brothers draw us in, only then can we begin our journey of conversion toward Easter. It is a journey that includes the cross and renunciation. Today’s Gospel points out the elements of this spiritual journey: prayer, fasting and almsgiving (cf. Matthew 6:1-6.16-18). All three entail the necessity not to allow oneself to be dominated by things that appear: what counts is not appearance; the value of life does not depend on the approval of others or on success, but on what we have within.
The first element is prayer. Prayer is the strength of a Christian and of every believing person. In the weakness and fragility of our life, we can turn to God with the confidence of children and enter into communion with Him. In face of so many wounds that do us harm and that could harden our heart, we are called to plunge ourselves into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of the boundless love of God, to relish His tenderness. Lent is a time of prayer, of a more intense, more assiduous prayer, more able to take charge of the needs of brothers, to intercede before God for so many situations of poverty and suffering.
The second qualifying element of the Lenten journey is fasting. We must pay attention not to practice a formal fasting, which in truth “satiates” us because it makes us feel good. Fasting makes sense if it truly breaks our security, and also if it obtains a benefit for others, if it helps us to cultivate the style of the Good Samaritan, who bends over his brother in difficulty and takes care of him. Fasting entails the choice of a sober life, which does not waste, which does not “discard.” Fasting helps us to train the heart to the essential and to sharing. It is a sign of awareness and of responsibility in face of injustices, abuse of power, especially in dealings with the poor and little ones, and is a sign of the trust that we place in God and in His providence.
The third element is almsgiving: it indicates gratuitousness, because alms are given to someone from whom we do not expect to receive anything in return. Gratuitousness must be one of the characteristics of a Christian, who, aware of having received everything freely from God, namely, without any merit, learns to give to others gratuitously. Today gratuity often is not part of daily life, where everything is sold and bought. Everything is calculated and measured. Alms help us to live the gratuity of gift, which is freedom from the obsession of possession, from fear of losing what one has, from the sadness of the one who does not want to share with the other his own wellbeing.
With its invitations to conversion, Lent comes providentially to awaken us, to shake us from torpor, from the risk of going forward out of inertia. The exhortation that the Lord addresses to us through the prophet Joel is strong and clear: “return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). Why do we have to return to God? Because there are things that are not well in us, in society, in the Church and we are in need of changing, of turning, of being converted! Once again Lent comes to address its prophetic appeal, to remind us that it is possible to realize something new in ourselves and around us, simply because God is faithful, He continues to be rich in goodness and mercy, and is always ready to forgive and start over again. With this filial trust, let us begin our journey!

Quote for March 6th

[Tenderness and mercy] are the heart of the Gospel. Otherwise, one doesn’t understand Jesus Christ, or the tenderness of the Father who sends Him to listen to us, to cure us, to save us.

- Pope Francis, interview with Il Corriere della Sera
March 5, 2014

Ash Wednesday, March  5, 2014

"Lent stimulates us to let the Word of God penetrate our life
and in this way to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from,
where we must go, what path we must take in life..."
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
.

The Season of Lent

Lent is the yearly celebration by the Church of its corporate conversion in Jesus Christ. During Lent, the liturgy prepares catechumens to celebrate the Paschal Mystery by the various stages of Christian initiation. It also prepares the faithful for Easter as they recall their baptism and do penance in preparation for the greatest feast of the year.

Lent has two main purposes It recalls or prepares for baptism, and emphasizes a spirit of penance. Through forty days of closer attention to God's word and of more fervent prayer, believers are prepared to celebrate the Paschal Mystery. Lenten instructions stress these baptismal and penitential themes.

During Lent, it is important to teach the social consequences of sin as well as the fact that the heart of the virtue of penance is hatred of sin as an offense against God.

The Church encourages penitential practices that are external and social, reflecting the circumstances of individuals and communities, as we pray and do penance for sinners.

(The above is taken form the Ordo: The Liturgical Calendar 2013/2014 published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops [CCCB] .

Ash Wednesday is a universal day of fast and abstinence from meat.

Miserere Mei Deus (Prayer for Mercy)
Click here to listen

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offense. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. My offenses truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. That you may be justified when you give sentence and be without reproach when you judge. O see, in guilt was I born, a sinner was I conceived. Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom. O purify me, then I shall be clean; O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear rejoicing and gladness, that the bones you have crushed may revive. From my sins turn away your face and blot out all my guilt. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy spirit. Give me again the joy of your help; with a spirit of fervor sustain me, that I may teach transgressors your ways and sinners may return to you. O rescue me, God, my helper, and my tongue shall ring out your goodness. O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise. For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse; my sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. In your goodness, show favor to Zion: rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, holocausts offered on your altar.

What can one expect to find in the Code of Canon Law?

The Code of Canon Law (1983) can be described as a mini-library of sorts. It is divided into seven different books, each dealing with a specific subject matter. The previous Code of 1917 was divided into five books and dealt with General Norms, Persons, Things, Procedures, Crimes and Punishments. Using the theology and language of Vatican II, the present Code concentrates on the triple-function of the Church in terms of Teaching, Sanctifying and Governing. In Book One can be found what are known as General Norms. In two-hundred and three canons the subject matter deals with terms, persons, tools and structures found throughout the other canonical books. This book is a key to understanding the very background of Church Law. Book Two takes its title from Vatican II’s image of the Church as People of God. Within the covers of this book can be found the basic constitution of the Church. In five hundred and forty two canons topics such as rights and obligations, the Christian faithful, the hierarchy, religious, universal, diocesan and parish structures go to make up this most important book of the Code. The Teaching Office of the Church is the main theme of Book Three. In eighty six canons, topics such as the Ministry of the Word, Catechetical Formation, Missionary Activity, Catholic Education, Social Communication and the Profession of Faith are dealt with. In Book Four are to be found those canons dealing with The Sanctifying Office of the Church. Four hundred and nineteen canons are devoted to the sacraments, sacramentals, sacred places and sacred times. The shortest Book of the Code of Canon Law is Book Five, entitled Temporal Goods of the Church. Here are found the rules and regulations guiding the acquisition, administration and alienation of Church funds and property. In addition, canons on wills and bequests are included. In eighty-eight canons, Book Six deals with Sanctions in the Church. The final book in the 1983 Code of Canon Law deals with Procedural Law in the Church. Entitled Processes, Book Seven outlines in three hundred and fifty two canons, the processes to be employed in Church Tribunals. These Tribunals most often deal with marriage nullity cases as well as other administrative processes. 

Biographical Information

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION


Rev.Michael McGowan received his Ph.D in canon law from the University of Ottawa and his JCD from Saint Paul University. Currently, he is a retired Associate Professor of Human Rights, Director of the Human Rights Programme and Director of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, N.B. His research areas are religious freedom, human rights education and Holocaust Studies. He has served as a member of the academic senate of St Thomas University and served on a number of university committees. He is also a former member of the Board of Governors of that university. He has published numerous books and articles on law, human rights and health care. He has delivered workshops and conference papers in the area of human rights, social justice and law throughout Canada and Europe. In addition to his academic responsibilities Dr. McGowan served as an appeal judge of the Canadian Ecclesiastical Tribunal in Ottawa. In addition, he served as a visiting professor in the Legal Education Leadership Programme at Saint Paul University, Ottawa. In January 2005, he was invited to become a Visiting Research Fellow in Human Rights at Roehampton University, London, England. Currently he is conducting research on survivors of the Holocaust living in Atlantic Canada as well as former internees of the Ripples Interment Camp in New Brunswick. In 2006 and 2007, Dr. McGowan was visiting scholar for the March of Remembrance and Hope, A Student Leadership Mission to Germany and Poland where he lectured on topics such as human rights, genocide and the Holocaust. He recently completed the production of a 30-minute documentary on the legacy of John Peters Humphrey (one of the principal drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Finally, he serves as one of four vice-presidents of the International Human Rights Education Consortium based at Utica College, Utica, NY.
　

Thought of the Day

"I'm not a man who constantly thinks up jokes. But I think it's very important to be able to see the funny side of life and its joyful dimension and not to take everything too tragically. I'd also say it's necessary for my ministry. A writer once said that angels can fly because they don't take themselves too seriously. Maybe we could also fly a bit if we didn't think we were so important."
Pope Benedict XVI

What is meant by the Latin Church?

The Code of Canon Law at canon 1 addresses this notion of the Latin Church. The Roman Catholic Church is made up of twenty-two sui iuris or autonomous churches. Although having the same beliefs, the same sacraments and being in communion with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), the churches differ in the way that they celebrate this common faith. What makes them different usually surrounds language, culture and history. One of twenty-two autonomous churches making up the universal (Roman Catholic) Church, is the Latin Church or what was formally called the Latin Rite. We are most familiar with this as it is the predominant church/rite of which we as Catholics here in Canada belong. The Latin Church follows the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983 while the other twenty-one sui iuris churches follow the Code of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1990.


The division of the universal Church into East/West or Oriental/Latin came about in the year 293. Under the Emperor Diocletian those churches in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire came to be known as Oriental while those in the West belonged to the Latin Church. Each autonomous church is presided over by a Patriarch or major archbishop. In addition, within these twenty-two churches are found six different rites: Roman, Byzantine (Constantinopolitan), Alexandrian, Antiochene (or Syrian), Armenian and Chaldean. There are two ancient Eastern rites with further sub-divisions: the Antiochene rite and the Alexandrine rite. All of the parishes in the Diocese of Saint John belong to the Latin Church which follows the Roman rite with the exception of St. Charbel’s Maronite Parish in Fredericton, which belongs to the Antiochene rite. Furthermore, in many parts of Canada and the United States along with the Antiochene rite can be found the Alexandrine rite (Coptics) and the Byzantine rite (Ukranians, Melkites, Ruthenians, etc).