Friday, April 9, 2010

Anachronistic, Did You Say?

In a recent editorial, the French daily Le Monde opined that clerical celibacy was an “anachronism,” adding that if the Church wished to “embrace the humanity of its time,” it would be “well inspired to bring it to an end.”

Rather than opening the pages of that newspaper, it is better to follow the example of Leon Bloy, who said: “When I want to know the latest news, I read Saint Paul.” It is in the Apostle’s writings that one finds: “Nolite conformari huic saeculo–be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). The dread of anachronism is the big fear of all right-thinkers, and it opens the door to every kind of conformism: political correctness, economic correctness, sociological correctness...It is no longer a question of embracing the age; one must be glued to the news and, so as not to seem anachronistic, resign oneself to being chronically out-of-date, old-fashioned, and always worried about expiries.

A contrario, the quest for eternity is the greatest form of dissent today, and that which procures the highest freedom.
- Fr. Alain Lorans

From http://www.dici.org/en/

2 comments:

Mary said...

Firstly, writers for "Le Monde" are not necessarily the brightest people you'll ever meet.

On the chastity of the priesthood, you would do well to quote Chief Pananniapapi of the Yanktons (South Dakota). He met Fr. de Smet in 1844 and waited 22 years to finish his instruction before his Baptism. During that time his tribe was approached many times by the Methodists. His response is priceless:
"You wish to enrich your wives and children at our expense. The Black Robe has neither wife nor child; his heart is not divided; he lives only for God and the happiness of the people that surround his cabin."
God bless our priests with their undivided hearts,
Mary
PS Wish I could have responded sooner, but I had to look up Pananniapapi's exact words and regular life got in the way!

Sean said...

Thanks for taking the time to track down that quotation Mary -- it's a keeper.