Vocation

From the Latin vocatio/vacare, meaning “to call,” “summons.” This is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they’re suited, trained, or qualified. In modern times, it’s used in non-religious contexts; the meaning(s) of the word came out of Christianity.

There was a period where “vocation” almost exclusively referred to the clergy or the cloistered religious. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), specifically the document Lumen Gentium, re-emphasized that every baptized person has a primary vocation: to become a saint. This was a spiritual game changer!

The idea of vocation is central to the Christian belief that God has made each person with gifts & talents towards a specific purpose & way of life. More specifically, in the Eastern Orthodox & Catholic Churches, this idea of vocation is especially associated with a divine call to service to the Church & humanity through particular vocational life commitments such as marriage to a particular person, consecration as a religious dedication, ordination to priestly ministry (in the Church, of course) & even a holy life as a single person.

The Church generally categorizes “secondary” vocations into 4 distinct states. Each is seen as a way of giving oneself away:

• The Priesthood:
  • This is a sacramental vocation. In the United States cultural context, there has been a massive historical shift. In the mid-20th century, “Irish-Catholic” culture often viewed having a son in the priesthood as the ultimate family honor.
• Consecrated Life:
  • This includes monks, nuns, brothers, & sisters. They live according to the Evangelical Councils:
    • Poverty: Owning nothing individually.
    • Chastity: Celibacy for the sake of the “Kingdom of Heaven.”
    • Obedience: Following the will of their superior.
• Married Life:
  • In Catholicism, marriage is a sacrament. The “call” here is for the sanctification of the spouse & the procreation/education of the kids. This was often seen as a “secondary” vocation to the priesthood. But modern theology (especially the “Theology of the Body” by Pope John Paul II) frames marriage as a primary icon of God’s love for the Church.
• The Committed Single Life:
  • While not a “canonical” state in the same way as the others, the Church increasingly recognizes those who remain single to serve others, the Church, or their professions with a level of flexibility & dedication that married people cannot maintain.

The American Catholic experience of vocation is unique. In the late 19th & early 20th century, Catholic vocations helped build the American infrastructure of healthcare & education. The Sisters of Mercy & Daughters of Charity built more hospitals & schools in the United States than almost any other group.

The Sisters of Mercy founded a hospital (St. Rita’s/Mercy Health) in our founder’s hometown. This particular hospital was built in 1918 to combat the Spanish flu pandemic.

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John Wycliffe

His last name is also spelled: Wyclif, Wickliffe, & Wicklyf.

He’s an English scholastic philosopher, Christian reformer, Catholic priest, & a theology professor at the University of Oxford. He’s often called the “Morning Star of the Reformation.”

He made radical challenges to the Roman Catholic Church like advocating for or made a vernacular translation of the Vulgate Bible into Middle English. He paved the way for the Protestant Reformation nearly 200 years before Martin Luther.

Before he was a reformer, Wycliffe was a titan of Scholasticism at Oxford. At the time, the intellectual world was divided between Realist & Norminalists. The Norminalists, like William of Ockham, argued that “universals” (like the concept of “justice” or “humanity”) were just names (nomina) we give to groups of individual things.

John was a fierce Realist. He believed that universals were real entities that existed in the mind of God. For Wycliffe, everything in the physical world was a direct reflection of a divine archetype.

Wycliffe’s most radical political theory was the Dominion of Grace. He argued that all authority (dominium) is a gift from God. Which meant that the church wasn’t allowed to own property or have ecclesiastic courts, & men in mortal sin weren’t entitled to exercise authority in the church or state, nor to own property. He added a dangerous caveat: only those in a state of grace have a right to exercise authority.

Wycliffe’s later followers (derogatorily called Lollards by their orthodox contemporaries in the 15th & 16th centuries. Lollards meaning “mumblers” or “idlers.”) adopted a number of the beliefs attributed to Wycliff such as theological virtues, predestination, iconoclasm, & the notion of caesaropapism, with some questioning the veneration of saints, the sacraments, requiem masses, transubstantiation, monasticism, & the legitimacy/role of the Papacy.

Wycliffe was born in the village of Hipswell, near Richmond in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England. In 1356, Wycliffe completed his bachelor of arts degree at Merton College as a junior fellow. That same year, he produced a small treatise, The Last Age of the Church.

In 1361, he was Master of Balliol College in Oxford. That year, he was presented by the college to the parish of Fillingham in Lincolnshire. For this, he had to give up the headship of Balliol College, though he could continue to live at Oxford.

Wycliffe’s greatest legacy is his role in the 1st complete translation of the Bible into Middle English (circa 1382). At the time, the Bible was only available in the Latin Vulgate. This was accessible solely to the educated clergy.

Wycliffe believed that the Bible was the ultimate authority. Then every person (from the King to the “plowman”), needed to be able to read it.

Wycliffe didn’t just translate words. He helped create the English language. He’s credited with introducing, or popularizing, over 1,000 words into English, including: female, justice, communication, treasure, & glory.

His “potent” ideas were blamed for the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. Wycliffe didn’t endorse the violence, however the rebels used his discourse of “equality before God” & Wycliffe’s critiques of Church wealth to justify their demands.

In the U.S. culture, Wycliffe’s legacy is preserved in 2 distinct ways:

• The Democratic Spirit of the Bible: The American religious tradition of individual Bible interpretation & the rejection of centralized ecclesiastical authority can be traced directly back to Wycliffe’s “priesthood of all believers.”
• Wycliffe Bible Translators: Founded in 1942 in California by William Cameron Townsend. This organization (now 1 of the largest of its kind in the world) was named in honor of John Wycliffe. It carries on his mission by translating the Bible into thousands of indigenous languages worldwide.

Wycliffe passed away from a stroke, during a Mass, in 1834. In 1415, the Council of Constance declared him a heretic. In 1428, by order of Pope Martin V, his remains were exhumed from his grave in Lutterworth, burned to ashes, & cast into the River Swift.

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Pope baptizes 20 children: Now they have the meaning of life

Continuing a tradition begun in 1981 by Pope John Paul II, Pope Leo presided over the baptism of…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #Children #PopeLeoXIV #Sacraments #vatican #World
https://www.newsbeep.com/354942/

Humiliati

In Italian: Umiliati. This is an Italian religious order of men formed, probably, in the 12th century. It was suppressed by a papal bull in 1571. Though an associated order of women continued into the 20th century.

The origin of the order of Humiliati is obscure. According to some chroniclers, certain noblemen of Lombardy, taken prisoner by the Emperor Henry V (1081-1125) following a rebellion in the area, were taken as captives to Germany & after suffering the miseries of exile for some time, they assumed a penitential garb of grey & gave themselves up to works of charity & mortification. Whereupon the emperor, after receiving their pledges of future loyalty, permitted their return to Lombardy.

At this time, they were often called “Barettini,” because of their beret-shaped headdress. Their acquaintance with the German woolen manufacturers enabled them to introduce improved methods into Italy, thus giving a great drive to the industry, supplying the poor with employment & distributing their gains among those in want.

Returning to their own country, the Humiliati talked to St. Bernard. On his advice (1134), many of them with the consent of their wives, withdrew into a monastery founded in Milan.

Despite St. Bernard’s best attempts, the Humiliati had no fixed rule, at first. Their name “Humiliati” is said to have arisen from their very simple clothes, which were all of 1 color against the fashions of the day.

The fraternity spread quickly & gave rise to 2 new branches, a “Second Order” composed of women, & a “Third Order” composed of priests. The order of priests, once formed, claimed precedence over the other branches, & on the model of mendicant orders such as the Dominicans or Franciscans, was styled the “First Order.” Their original ashen habit was replaced by a white one.

On the advice of St. John of Meda, they hold to the Rule of the St. Benedict was adapted by him to suit the orders’ needs.

The “Chronicon anonymity Laudunensis Canonici” says that in 1178 a group of Lombards came to Rome with the intention of getting the Pope’s approval of the rule of life which they’d spontaneously chosen.

While continuing to live in their houses in the midst of their families, they wished to lead a more pious existence, abandon oaths & litigation, be content with modest dress, & live in a spirit of piety.

The Pope approved their resolve to live in humility & purity. But forbade them to hold gatherings or preach in public. The chronicler added that they broke the rules & were excommunicated.

The Chronican Urs pergense mentions the Humiliati as 1 of the 2 Waldensian sects & a decretal put into effect in 1184 by Pope Lucius III at the Council of Verona against all heretics condemns both the “Poor Men of Lyons” & “those who attribute to themselves falsely the name of Humiliati.”

A decretal is/are letters of a Pope that formulate decisions in ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church.

In this state, they remained until 1201, when, upon presentation of their constitution, Pope Innocent III reconciled them with the Church, & reorganized them in conformity with their economic & religious customs. Also approved of the name of “Humiliati.”

This brought most of them back to the Church. But a number persevered in their former life under the direction of the Poor of Lyons (Waldensians). However, economic & religious difficulties aggravated long-felt dissension between the 2 groups.

In 1205, these non-reconciled Humiliati separated from the Lyonese Waldensians & formed a distinct group named the “Poor Lombards” (“Pauperes Lombardi”).

Pope Innocent III granted a rule to the lay branch as the “Third Order” that resembled the Regula de poenitentia of the Franciscan movement.

The Humiliati rule forbade vain oaths & taking God’s name in vain, allowed voluntary poverty & marriage, regulated pious exercises, & approved the solidarity which already existed among the members.

Unusual was the authorization to meet on Sundays to hear the words of a brother “of proved & prudent piety,” on condition that they didn’t discuss among themselves either the Articles of Faith or the Sacraments. Though some Waldensians were perhaps won back in Lombardy, others weren’t.

The Order grew quickly. Many of the members were declared Saints & Beati. It also formed trade associations among & played an important part in the civic life of every community in which it was established. It has left some church buildings still in use.

However, in time the gathering of material possessions & the limitations placed on the number of members led to laxity & serious abuses. At one time, there were only approximately 170 in the 94 monasteries.

Charles Borromeo, the Archbishop of Milan, was commissioned by Pope Pius IV to remedy the situation. The rigor with which he did this awakened such opposition among a minority that a conspiracy formed & 1 of the Humiliati, Girolamo Donati, called “Farina,” attempted to murder Charles.

This led to the execution of the principal conspirators by the civil authorities & the suppression of the Order for corruption by a bull of Pope Pius V of February 1571.

Their houses & possessions were given on other religious orders, including the Barnabites & Jesuits, or applied to charity.

The wives of the 1st Humiliati, who belonged to some of the principal families of Milan, also formed a community under Clara Blassoni. They were joined by so many others that it became necessary to open a 2nd convent, the members of which devoted themselves to the care of the lepers in a neighboring hospital, whence they were also known as Hospitallers of the Observance.

The number of their monasteries increased quickly. But the suppression of the male branch of the order, which had administered their temporal affairs, proved a heavy blow, involving in many cases the closing of monasteries. Though the congregation itself wasn’t affected by the Bull of Suppression.

The nuns recited the canonical Hours, fasted rigorously & engaged in other severe penitent practices, such as the “discipline” or self-inflicted whipping.

Some retained the ancient Breviary of the order, while other houses adopted the Roman Breviary. A breviary is the official prayer book of the Church. It has psalms, hymns, readings, & prayers recited at specific times throughout the day to praise God, structured into several “hours” like Morning Prayer (Lauds) & Evening Prayer (Vespers).

The habit consisted of a robe & scapular of white over a tunic of ashen gray, the veils are usually white, though in some houses there black. The lay sisters, who kept the name of Barettine, wore gray.

In the early 20th century, there were/are still 5 independent houses of Humiliati nuns in Italy.

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“[The Eucharist] embodies the actual presence of the grace it represents; and this grace is the very life of the Lord Jesus Christ himself."
- John Nevin, The Mystical Presence (1867)

THAT is good (or better yet, faithful) Reformational sacramental theology (as opposed to the shallow memorialist theology that has infected too many Protestant churches)! That is theology that has meat to it and invites us to come, truly experience the Lord, and be utterly transformed as we encounter him. It is theology for the whole person and the whole of life, not just the life of the mind.

#eucharist #sacraments #theology @theologidons

Catechism of the Catholic Church

This is also known as the Catechism or the CCC. This is a reference book that sums up the Catholic Church’s doctrine & worldviews. It’s been translated into, & published, in more than 20 languages worldwide. Pope John Paul II referred to it as “the Catechism of the Second Vatican Council.”

The decision to publish an official catechism was taken at the Second Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. It was summoned by Pope John Paul II on January 25, 1985 to evaluate the progress of applying the Vatican II council’s goals on the 20th anniversary of its closure.

The assembly members expressed the desire that “a catechism or compendium of all Catholic doctrine regarding both faith & moral be composed, that it might be, as it were, a point of reference for the catechisms or compendiums are prepared in various regions. The presentation of doctrine must be biblical & liturgical.. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians.”

The first part of the Catechism deals with the Profession of the Faith. It was drafted by Bishop Jose Manuel Estepa Llaurens & Bishop Alessandro Maggiolini.

The 2nd part of the Catechism deals with the sacraments. It was written by the future Cardinals Jorge Medina & Estanislao Esteban Karlic.

The 3rd part was on the life of Christ. This part was drafted by the future Cardinal Jean Honore & Bishop David Konstant.

The final part was about prayer. This was written by Friar Jean Corbon, who is a Labanese Melkite priest.

Future CDF Prefect William Levada wrote the Catechism’s glossary. The editorial secretary was the future Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, OP.

The Catechism was made known publicly by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 11, 1992, with his apostolic constitution Fidei depositum (The Deposit of Faith). This was the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. On Aug. 15, 1997, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope John Paul Il was made publicly known to the public the Latin typical edition with his apostolic letter Laetamur magnopere.

The CCC was published in French in 1992. It was published in American English in 1994, more than 250,000 copies had been pre-ordered before its release. There was a note that it was “subject to revision to the Latin typical edition (editio typica) when it’s published.

The Latin typical edition, the official text of reference made publicly known in Aug. 15, 1997, amended the contents of the provisional French text at a few points. As a result, the earlier translation French into other languages, including English, had to be amended & re-published as “second editions.” Over 8 million copies have been sold worldwide. It’s been published in more than 20 languages.

The Catechism has 2,865 paragraphs. Paragraph 2,267 deals with capital punishment. One of the changes in the 1997 update consisted of the inclusion of the position on the death penalty that’s defended in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium vitae of 1995.

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Please join us as we discuss baptism -- what is it? And how does "what it does" affect how we do it? Live @ 7 pm Central! https://youtube.com/live/5Mbsz2KsPBc

#Sacraments #Baptism #Christianity

#Repentance #SaintJohnChrysostom #EndSin #GodsMercy #DivineGrace #Prayer #Almsgiving #Humility #ChristianFaith #Salvation #GospelMessage #InnerConversion #PathToGod #AtonementForSins #Confession #Reconciliation #Forgiveness #Catholic #DoctorOfTheChurch #Sacraments #Conversion

http://epistles.online/2025/08/19/five-paths-of-repentance-by-saint-john-chrysostom/