Analysis of the Theme

The core issues in the three elements of your theme are truth and its companion, freedom. Truth is what Jesus taught.

Accepting truth in freedom is the precondition for following the way. Truth is the guideline for the way and only truth will make you free enough to even consider choosing the fullness of life that is found in Christ.

As we look at truth and its companion freedom as the core of the elements contained in the response of Jesus to Thomas, we come back to the concern of the Holy Father about confusion in the Church.

The goals of Pope Paul VI, of Pope John Paul II and the present Pontiff were to replace confusion about faith and life with clarity and to replace personal indifference with zealous commitment.

Remember this process entered into by three popes is not an easy process. The legislatures and courts around the world are still rejecting the appeals of the Catholic Church for a truth/authentic freedom foundation to decision-making.

The Vatican cannot convince the European Union to acknowledge Christianity as part of its Constitution even though the historical data is unchallengeable. Secular values now have the upper hand.

We have to accept as accurate the statement in the 1984 Ratzinger Report (now Pope Benedict XVI) that “the Christian must be aware he/she belongs to a minority and that he/she is in opposition to many things that appear good to the spirit of the world.” 

The goals of these three Popes were responsible for their many Pastoral Letters and Encyclicals, the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium (Question and Answer Format), and the upcoming Roman Synod on Sacred Scripture.

Problem: generally speaking, people do not read the Scriptures or these truly wonderful documents which communicate the truth and apply the truth to the many troubling issues of our age.

The Church has had some success in using media to communicate with people who just will not read e. g. through tapes that can be listened to during traffic jams or DVDs for home or group study. However, even in these modest successes, frequently there is need for facilitation.

That is the reason why 170 facilitators were trained to assist the parishes and people of the archdiocese in the process of understanding and discussing the issues in my recent Pastoral Letter on Deepening Solidarity in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Application of the Theme

In the Catholic community truth is communicated in three ways: creed, cult and code. Creed is the doctrinal base; cult is the worship base, which includes homilies as a preferred catechetical instrument; and code is the ethical base governing individual and communal behaviour.

For a Catholic, these three sources of truth are interrelated and each part of your theme is a required part of our response to God. We cannot pick and choose.

The application of each element of your theme leads to these conclusions:
1) The human family is subordinate to God;
2) There is a connection between behaviour and eternal life;
3) Discipleship requires authentic love and pastoral involvement;
4) The gift of the Spirit enables moral integrity;
5) Freedom is not just the absence of restraint on our behaviour, it is the capacity to become the person and community God wants us to be.

Conclusion

We live in a challenging time of history. How we live, witness and pass on the fullness of the Catholic Tradition will have much to say about the faith and ministry of the next generation of Catholic believers. Not all believers have the same capacity.

For example, good people who are simply overwhelmed by the secular agenda must be supported and strengthened so they can persevere in goodness.

However, people who have benefited from quality family life and university level education must come forward to help form a Church that is alive, in dialogue with other religious traditions and with the secular community.

Together we must rebuild the confidence of the people in God, in Jesus who is the self-revelation of God and in the Church which is the continuation of Christ throughout history.

We can meet the challenge through the enabling power of the Spirit, but the mission will not be easy. However, I do think the process will be exciting. No believer who is involved will be bored.

I invite you to understand and live your theme. I invite you to be confident in the power of God who has intervened in history before and will do so again.

I invite you to rise to the challenge of our times. I invite you to continue providing a communal experience of the faith to each other so that your energy will be sustained and your interest in the Catholic agenda will grow. 

May we be committed to rebuilding the “City of God” in solidarity!