Religion

During my time as a high school educator, I implemented a lesson derived from the writings of Luigi Giussani, “At the Origin of the Christian Claim,” in which he demonstrates the distinction between the majority of religions and Christianity. While other faiths primarily emphasize doctrines, Christianity centers on a relationship with God in human form: Jesus Christ.

Giussani’s depiction continually reminds me that just as the Incarnation represents an intrusion of the infinite into the temporal realm, it is similarly reflected in my existence – in the existence of each of us. Faith is a blessing; it is bestowed upon us by another, and it is delicate, like all that is most valued. Humanity earned nothing to merit the Son’s arrival from the Father, and I did nothing to warrant my baptism and all the blessings I have since experienced. Nonetheless, it isn’t simple. This is crucial to keep in mind when someone we care for decides to turn away from faith, or senses that they can no longer trust.

Audrey Assad’s path to ‘none’

Audrey Assad, a singer whose professional path was predominantly upheld and focused on Catholicism, started her departure from the Church roughly in 2013, she noted in an interview with Mike Tenney on his podcast, “Pop Culture Catechism.” It was during this time that she began to reconsider certain aspects, particularly the Catholic doctrine regarding the existence of hell. After this initial exploration, Assad commenced trauma therapy in 2016, which she stated resulted in her having increasingly more questions. Having embraced Catholicism at 24 from the Plymouth Brethren, Assad identified as a self-described “none” by around age 35.

Mattie Karr aspired to be an infiltrator. The 28-year-old from Kansas held grand aspirations of journeying to Hollywood and discreetly sowing spiritual ideas in her endeavors, sneaking religious concepts into popular narratives and animations.

“I adored the concept of remaining anonymous with my artwork. I could almost play the role of a Catholic undercover agent,” she remarked.

It didn’t succeed, and she is very pleased.

To begin with, she enjoys residing in Kansas and has a deep affection for the parish where she recently completed a substantial project that took three years to finalize. This project features two triptychs, each standing 15 feet tall, which add vibrancy and warmth to the otherwise stark apse of Holy Name of Jesus in Kansas City. Furthermore, she realized that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t cease creating religious art. “As I deepened in my faith, I found it impossible to avoid. The art just flowed out and was entirely religious, primarily focused on Mary. I couldn’t stop sketching Mary,” she shared. The significant turning point occurred during a retreat, where several individuals prophesied over her, indicating that God had a calling for her and that she should be courageous and take the leap.

“It was quite evident he wanted me to jump,” she remarked. A week later, she did, resigning from her sales position and starting her full-time journey as an artist. Karr creates and illustrates sacred and liturgical artwork and also takes on commissions with particular religious motifs. depicting spiritual tableaux that are particularly meaningful to her patrons.

Submitted sacred creator

Now that she has embraced the notion of being a sacred artist, she mentioned that life has become significantly easier.

The most recent updates and insights from Our Sunday Visitor Catholic magazine.

Question: In Mark 16:15, Jesus states “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Why use the term “creature”? Could this be an early indication of St. Francis, who delivered messages to birds? Please clarify this terminology.
— Name withheld, Virginia
Answer: The Greek word rendered here as “every creature” is ktisis and can be interpreted as “all creation.” Additionally, the term can also signify “everywhere.” This is the initial and probably primary meaning of the phrase, indicating that they ought to reach all nations, that they should proclaim and disseminate the Gospel universally. The idea that they should preach to animals and other beings like plants cannot be its primary or direct meaning. Given that plants and animals lack rational thought, delivering sermons to them would be ineffective.
Nevertheless, there exists a scriptural principle indicating that all of creation will be blessed at the Lord’s Second Coming and that the proclamation of the Gospel can expedite this process. Some passages seem to suggest the complete destruction of the created world at the Second Coming (cf. 2 Pt 3:10; Mt 24:35; Rv 21:1). However, those very passages also mention a new heaven and a new earth. Does this imply that the present creation will be entirely obliterated and fully substituted? Perhaps, but the Lord, after concluding the Book of Revelation, portrays what He has accomplished more as a restoration: “The One seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’” (Rv 21:5). Additional writings in the Bible predict a profound restoration of all creation. Isaiah envisions a realm where: “Then the wolf will be a companion of the lamb, and the leopard will rest alongside the young goat; The calf and the young lion will feed together, with a small child to shepherd them. The cow and the bear will graze, together their offspring will lie down; the lion will consume grass like the ox. The infant will play near the viper’s den, and the child will place his hand on the adder’s nest. They shall not cause harm or devastation on all my sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water envelops the sea” (Is 11:6-9). St. Paul similarly states, “for creation was rendered subject to futility, not by its own will but due to the one who imposed it, in the expectation that creation itself would be liberated from the bondage of corruption and partake in the splendid freedom of the children of God. We understand that all creation is groaning in the pains of childbirth even now” (Rom 8:20-22).

Question: Do theologians believe that the sole offense against the Holy Spirit, a transgression that cannot be redeemed, is to deny repentance and reject God’s forgiveness until one’s death? I’ve been pondering this a lot recently and am curious about priests or assemblies of clergy who mislead even the faithful and who, in doing so, could lead souls to damnation. Are they not also culpable of the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit? I have been observing and listening to numerous troubling doctrines from clergy that oppose God, and I consider this to be so grave as to be beyond forgiveness.

— Name, location withheld

Answer: You may be mistaking the “unforgivable sin” for grave sin. Even grave sins such as murder or heresy can receive forgiveness if genuine repentance is shown. More on that shortly. However, let’s examine what constitutes a sin against the Holy Spirit (cf. Mk 3:29).

St. Thomas Aquinas identifies six transgressions against the Holy Spirit: despair, presumption, contradicting the acknowledged truth, jealousy of another’s spiritual benefit, stubbornness in sin, and ultimate impenitence. Each of these shares a trait of a certain form of obstinate defiance or perseverance.

Question: I just discovered that performing work on Sundays is considered sinful and could potentially be a mortal sin. I am employed as a nurse at a Catholic nursing home My shift involves working nights from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. I’m scheduled to work every other weekend. When I get to work on Saturday night, a majority of my hours occur after midnight on Sunday. I manage to attend Sunday obligation Mass without any issues. Am I committing a sin every time I’m working while it’s still Sunday, and is this considered a venial or mortal sin?
— Name withheld, New York
Answer: While laboring on Sunday, and more importantly, missing Mass are considered sins, certain situations can either diminish one’s culpability or eliminate it altogether. This is particularly relevant today regarding Sunday work. Numerous individuals, like yourself, may lack the chance to refrain from working on Sundays. Some occupations, such as those in the medical world, which cannot leave patients unattended. Therefore, filling those roles necessitates continuous coverage. This applies equally to first responders and other essential tasks, such as at utility facilities that provide us with water, electricity, and similar services.

Question: I observed with curiosity recent pieces regarding the Church reaffirming its ban on participation in the Masonic Orders. I absolutely comprehend the reasoning behind the ban. What perplexes me is that there are still accounts of senior members of the curia being Masons. How is this permitted? 

— Richard Bucci, Binghamton, New York

Question: I visited a church not long ago that featured a 4-foot-tall statue of Our Lady of Grace positioned prominently at the altar, adorned with flowers at her base. Is this permitted in the Catholic Church? I believed that the crucifix and tabernacle were meant to be a top priority. During Mass, my attention continually shifted to the Virgin Mary instead of Jesus.

— Debbie Wurdeman, via email

Question: In a recent gathering, my men’s club examined the rationale behind Catholics being the sole faith that utilizes a crucifix. Is this accurate? Is the cross employed by Protestants to highlight the Risen Christ; and do Catholics display a crucifix to commemorate the suffering of Christ?
— Kevin Brehmer, Toledo, Ohio
Answer: The crucifix represents the crucified Jesus, while a cross is devoid of any figure, consisting only of plain wood. The Catholic Church, tracing its roots back to ancient times, has consistently utilized the crucifix; the same is true for the Orthodox and Eastern Churches. The unadorned cross appeared in the 16th century, initially among the Calvinists, who focused on a minimalism in both worship and design. Lutherans and Anglicans of that era still favored the crucifix, and their churches tended to be more decorative than those of the Calvinists, yet less elaborate than Catholic Churches. Over the years, splinter groups and successors of the Calvinists and Anglicans — including the Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians — adopted the plain cross, while numerous Anglicans and Lutherans maintained the use of a crucifix. Among those, some converted to the simple cross. Catholics, on the other hand, continued to embrace the crucifix as we always have.

Question: Where do you believe Adam is?
— Jim Jeson, Milwaukee
Answer: Probably in paradise. It is understood that following Jesus’ demise on Good Friday, he went down to the dead. According to the Catechism, grounded in the Scriptures, it states: “[Jesus] descended there as Savior, announcing the Good News to the spirits held captive there. The Scriptures refer to the realm of the deceased, to which Christ’s soul descended, as ‘hell’ — Sheol in Hebrew, or Hades in Greek — for those who reside there are lacking the sight of God. This applies to all the deceased, whether wicked or virtuous, as they anticipate the Redeemer. … ‘It is specifically these blessed souls, who were waiting for their Savior … whom Christ the Lord rescued when he descended into hell’” (Nos. 632-633).

Pope Francis described it as “the most significant pastoral document ever drafted to this day” (speech to attendees of the pilgrimage from the Diocese of Brescia, June 22, 2013). He referred to Pope St. Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation regarding evangelization, Evangelii Nuntiandi (“Announcing the Gospel”), issued on Dec. 8, 1975. What accounts for such elevated commendation? Pope Francis valued the concise communication in Evangelii Nuntiandi urging each individual in the Church (and the Church collectively) to undertake a dual responsibility: to continually deepen their commitment to Christ and to present Christ with increasing effectiveness to the world in the current, historical context in which one exists.
Context
Pope Paul VI refers to two occurrences that establish the background for Evangelii Nuntiandi. The prior year, he had called together the Third Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1974), which centered on the subject of evangelization. The bishops indeed requested the pope for “a renewed driving force able to foster within [the] Church … a new era of evangelization.” Another event prominently occupying the pope’s thoughts was the “10th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council,” which (he asserts) had a singular primary goal: “to prepare the Church of the 20th century increasingly well for sharing the Gospel with the people of the 20th century” (No. 2).
Read more from our Church Document series here.
An additional reason for composing Evangelii Nuntiandi, as stated by Pope Paul VI, was to address the “insidious” justification — “which individuals assert to find validation for in such and such a teaching of the Council” (No. 80) — that showing respect for people’s religious freedom implies refraining from sharing the Gospel with them. The pope emphasizes that presenting “the Gospel and salvation in Jesus Christ, with utmost clarity and profound respect for the free choices it offers — ‘without coercion, or dishonorable or unworthy pressure’” (No. 80) — genuinely honors the autonomy of the individual being evangelized. Furthermore, the evangelizer possesses the “duty” to proclaim the Gospel as instructed by Jesus, and every individual is entitled to receive “the Good News of salvation” in order to believe and attain salvation (cf. No. 80).

“How I have wandered … day after day, and all by myself, to discover if there was something among the ancient items that was fresh!” penned the American artist Thomas Cole. Advent resembles a journey, much like an artist, searching for what has not been observed previously. As we embark on a new liturgical year, we anxiously gaze at the horizon, anticipating the new blessings God will provide. We traverse well-known grounds, aspiring to uncover what is novel. And the insight is that in Advent, there is continually something fresh to discover.

I found myself reflecting on Thomas Cole at the beginning of Advent, as I recently had the opportunity to see one of my preferred series of artworks at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. I admired Cole’s “The Voyage of Life,” which consists of four allegorical paintings. Cole skillfully employs the canvas as a medium for moral and spiritual reflection, serving as a vessel for conveying God’s message. In the artist’s effort to impart a more profound meaning, he intricately weaves a narrative that goes beyond just illustrating American landscapes.

There, admiring his creation, it dawned on me: Cole’s allegory represents not only the journey of life but also the path of Advent. The liturgical period of Advent invites us to explore the enigmatic currents of the spirit, transitioning from the purity of expectation to the deep realization of the fruits of our salvation.