LIBERATING THEOLOGY

     Here's hoping that I have adequately explained true social justice and showed the error and danger of Liberation Theology.

Today I want to give some examples of what might be called Liberating Theology.

     For the last several years I've been fortunate to see and experience traditional liturgy, hear the preaching of the Gospel with firm conviction and a rejection of modernism ( relativism).

     It has been most impressive to see so many young men taking up the difficult role of priest/shepherd. Their formation as future shepherds of the faithful has been strong and rooted in orthodoxy. They take up their assignments, however small, however out of the way, however intimidating, even dangerous, with humility and the zeal to save souls. It is a life of sacrifice and exhausting schedules of prayer and work.

     In recent years, given the dearth of pastors (shepherds), the falling from faith for many reasons, the missionary spirit has arisen as in past centuries. The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is a society of priests devoted to biblical teaching, tradition and the traditional liturgy. Their education and formation is unparalleled, taking seven years to the goal of ordination.  At the behest of the Superior General of the Society, young men are now serving in far off places for the greater glory of God. Other priestly societies of like-mind are embarking on the same course.

     In Nigeria, a young priest, ordained only a couple of years ago, offers the traditional Mass and the sacraments to the Igbo people. A few years ago this New Zealand native of Croatian descent was a rugby star. Christ called. He answered. It is true missionary work in an area where persecution of and hostility toward christianity is an every day matter of fact. He and a brother priest travel miles away in horrible heat or torrential rains, in full cassock, from Umuska to Port Harcourt to care for their growing congregations. They are building a physical church from the ground up
    
     The African converts and parishioners are devout, faithful, grateful for the shepherds in their lives. Last summer a seminarian from Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska spent time helping and working on the church. He is an army vet.  His place was then taken by a seminarian from Germany, also a military veteran. They were used to harsh conditions and fit in very well.

     I mentioned "full cassock," because this is a mark of these traditional priests. They are rarely seen in street clothes, even the usual clerical black. They want to be identified with their Faith and their calling.

     In Colombia, South America, two Fraternity (FSSP) priests serve probably the busiest apostolate of the Society, including the U.S., Canada and Europe. Their mountain village is Anolaima, near Bogata. They also travel, in an SUV, to bring the sacraments and teach catechism to scattered villages. They have begun an education program to help the people remain in their villages. So many in these isolated places go to the big cities for work and wind up living on the street, targets  of gangs and worse. In Anolaima the priests have set up a primary school to prepare children for higher studies. The youngsters also learn agricultural skills to work the rich but underdeveloped land. The school itself grows a small coffee bean crop and raises chickens and small livestock. The two priests have also started an agricultural cooperative and a sewing guild to employ women who depend on that income to support their families. One of the priests has a once a week radio program to explain to the farmers, in simple terms, the social doctrine of the Church and to encourage them to use the resources God has given them. He teaches the doctrine regarding land, the value of work and the proper relationship between employer and employee (subsidiarity= social justice). With help of the parishioners they have bult a simple chapel with local bamboo.

     Mexico, since the time of Our Lady of Guadalupe's appearance to a Nahuatl Indian, Juan Diego, was a truly Catholic country. An anti-religious, secular government subverted and persecuted the Church for almost 200 years. Now vicious drug cartels have brought back the savagery rivaling the Aztec sacrifice which christianity expelled.

     Few people practice their religion, and corruption is rampant in federal and local governments. Another young FSSP priest, ordained only in 2008, imposing in his stature and bearing, has the true missionary spirit, intruding himself into situations that might be called bearding the dragon.  He is in Guadalajara and celebrates Mass in the middle of the tourist district, something unheard of for decades. A remnant of the Mexican faithful attend as curious tourists come and go. The Society of St. Pius X, another traditional Society, also works in Mexico to bring back the Faith. Young people and young families are embracing tradition. People stop Father (always in the cassock) on the street for a blessing or to bless some religious object.

     The latest story about "Padre Romo," a soubriquet of his full name, goes like this. He was in a car with friends. A member of the policia pulled them over for some infraction (there really was none). The usual thing is to get a citation, pay the "fine" immediately to the officer, or go to jail. Father leaned over and, in Spanish, asked the cop if he attended Mass on Sunday. The answer, of course, was "no." Father asked why, as the driver began to get nervous. The officer walked away with the driver's license to his motorcycle. Father got out of the car and followed him. Now the driver and other passenger were sure they were going to jail.  They saw Father talking to the policeman and then raising his hand in blessing. He came back and climbed into the car. The officer came back, handed back the license and wished them a good day - no ticket - no fine.
Asked what was said to him, Father just said that he asked if he would like to have his motorcycle blessed. After all, being a policeman was a hard job!

     Today the good fathers have to fight, besides criminal elements striving against the people, the poisonous culture influencing young people. There is ongoing quiet persecution of sorts, though not as in days past when religious were hunted down and killed and Mass forbidden. In spite of all the problems, the Archdiocese of Guadalajara has the highest number of priestly vocations in the world, over a 1000 seminarians.

     A growing number of young, dedicated, courageous priests are willing to give their lives for the Faith and the salvation of souls.  These are the people who practice real social justice, who bring, not Liberation Theology, but a "Liberating" Theology to hungry bodies and souls.

10/12/11