On "Loyal Opposition"
Fr. Neuhaus on Tom Reese and America:
The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, editor of another Catholic journal based in New York, First Things, which is more conservative than America, said yesterday, "It would be fair to say that during the pontificate of John Paul II that America apparently saw itself or at least certainly read as a magazine of what some would describe as the loyal opposition. And, needless to say, there's dispute over the definition of 'loyal' and the definition of 'opposition.' "
I'm not sure what to make of Fr. Neuhaus' comments. As a Jesuit, I often look to Saint Ignatius for guidance about such things. Karen Hall points out on her blog that Saint Ignatius is famous for saying:
"To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it, believing that between Christ our Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride, there is the same Spirit which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls. Because by the same Spirit and our Lord Who gave the ten Commandments, our holy Mother the Church is directed and governed".
However, in practice, Saint Ignatius, though with intent to be obedient in the end, would not back down when he believed it was God's will that he should oppose something being proposed by the Church. For example, some in the Church thought the name Society of Jesus too presumptuous and sought to have it changed. But Ignatius was convinced that name was God's will and strongly opposed any such attempts. Saint Ignatius also required that a Jesuit who had serious reservations about something that was being asked of him by a superior make that reservation known and explain why he thought God's will might be otherwise. The superior might still insist, and the Jesuit, then, would be expected to obey, but it is the Jesuit's responsibility to be open to his superiors in this way, so that the superior might best make the decision in accordance with God's will.
One story which I think well illustrates Saint Ignatius' "loyal opposition" was during the time when some were seeking to make St. Francis Borgia, a Jesuit, a cardinal. St. Ignatius gave the matter considerable prayer, and then wrote the following to Borgia:
“I have felt, and now feel, that it is God’s will that I oppose this move. Even though others might think otherwise, and bestow this dignity on you, I do not see there would be any contradiction, since the same Spirit could move me to this action for certain reasons and others to the contrary for other reasons, and thus bring about the result desired by the emperor.”
I think the key to both quotes are the words "same Spirit."
May that same Spirit be with us all!
The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, editor of another Catholic journal based in New York, First Things, which is more conservative than America, said yesterday, "It would be fair to say that during the pontificate of John Paul II that America apparently saw itself or at least certainly read as a magazine of what some would describe as the loyal opposition. And, needless to say, there's dispute over the definition of 'loyal' and the definition of 'opposition.' "
I'm not sure what to make of Fr. Neuhaus' comments. As a Jesuit, I often look to Saint Ignatius for guidance about such things. Karen Hall points out on her blog that Saint Ignatius is famous for saying:
"To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it, believing that between Christ our Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride, there is the same Spirit which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls. Because by the same Spirit and our Lord Who gave the ten Commandments, our holy Mother the Church is directed and governed".
However, in practice, Saint Ignatius, though with intent to be obedient in the end, would not back down when he believed it was God's will that he should oppose something being proposed by the Church. For example, some in the Church thought the name Society of Jesus too presumptuous and sought to have it changed. But Ignatius was convinced that name was God's will and strongly opposed any such attempts. Saint Ignatius also required that a Jesuit who had serious reservations about something that was being asked of him by a superior make that reservation known and explain why he thought God's will might be otherwise. The superior might still insist, and the Jesuit, then, would be expected to obey, but it is the Jesuit's responsibility to be open to his superiors in this way, so that the superior might best make the decision in accordance with God's will.
One story which I think well illustrates Saint Ignatius' "loyal opposition" was during the time when some were seeking to make St. Francis Borgia, a Jesuit, a cardinal. St. Ignatius gave the matter considerable prayer, and then wrote the following to Borgia:
“I have felt, and now feel, that it is God’s will that I oppose this move. Even though others might think otherwise, and bestow this dignity on you, I do not see there would be any contradiction, since the same Spirit could move me to this action for certain reasons and others to the contrary for other reasons, and thus bring about the result desired by the emperor.”
I think the key to both quotes are the words "same Spirit."
May that same Spirit be with us all!
posted by Mark Mossa, SJ at 12:09 AM
3 Comments:
Mark,
Good observations lately on a variety of topics!
I'd like to expand a bit on one point from a different and not necessarily contradictory perspective.
In addition to the "same Spirit" moving people differently, I'd note that it's very easy for a Christian's conscience to be wrongly formed on a given matter.
I suspect this is an important spiritual emphasis for many people like Karen Hall.
It's the reason we Catholics should find it useful to heed the graces of our magisterium as it acts under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
St. Thomas More, my great humanist hero, said the purpose of his prayer life was to form his conscience rightly.
More fought in every way possible to secure Henry VIII's annulment, but sacrificed his job and life when the pope ruled against it.
That's because he believed that a definitive statement from the magisterium (i.e. JPII's statement that women's ordination is not open to debate) is surely the highest earthly sign of where the Spirit is leading our consciences -- outweighing even the King's professed private revelation.
If such were not the case, we would all be Protestants, as Karen likes to point out.
Do magisterial rulings oblige us to stifle our private feelings as well as public discussion of a matter? I don't think they do.
But I do think they invite people wearing Roman collars to publicly uphold, rather than malign or even remain silent on, the church's magisterial statements.
Surely Ignatius, whatever his initial reservations about a matter, fought very fiercely to uphold and propagate the magisterium's final decision.
And I bet he did so out of humility and love of Christ, without a glum face.
I hope that all of us, despite our shortcomings, can find the grace to strive for the same goal.
Of course, one obstacle seems to be that some Americans have a different idea of the Catholic Church than the rest of the world.
They believe in a "bottom-up" hierarchy driven more by public opinion than by tradition.
But I don't think that this dispute, of which I know very little, really matters in the end.
Only one fact is important to me: That the final outcome of any dispute, whether it splits the English church or retains the name "Society of Jesus," is always in God's hands.
Not even being a novice yet, I don't have your experience of the vows, so please excuse me if I've stated anything inappropriately.
By the way, congrats on finishing your ministry at Loyola!
Mark, whenever I've read someone quoting that note from the Spiritual Exercises, two things have crossed my mind...
First, have they ever actually taken the Spiritual Exercises? I've only taken abbreviated forms of them, but I think the quote is really intended as guidance for someone who is in that process. The exercises can (ought to?) really shake-up a person, and this note is meant to provide guidance in times of uncertainty, in my opinion.
Second, Ignatius wrote this during the Inquisition and I think it was a way for him to appease, in a way, the inquisitors. I think they actually hauled him into jail & court a couple times, despite this. He was controversial in his day, probably more so than Thomas Reese is today.
Steve,
Yes, Saint Ignatius was harassed and even imprisoned for a time by the Inquisition, because they were suspicious of his ministry. Here was a man, who didn't have the requisite qualifications, wandering around giving spiritual guidance! They placed restrictions on what he could and could not teach. All this when he was still a layman. Yet, this is what convinced Ignatius to pursue his education. Not because he was so crazy about school, but so that he could continue to guide others through the Spiritual Exercises! It also was a decision that led to the beginnings of the Society of Jesus, for it was at school where he met his first companions.
I don't think this notation was simply to appease the Inquisition, though his experience with them may have had an effect on it. I think Ignatius sincerely believed it, but, like I said, according to his understanding and practice of obedience. After all, it was also his idea that Jesuits should take a fourth vow of obedience to the Pope.
Ignatius didn't believe in blind obedience, but he did believe in fidelity to the Church. Ignatius was such a man of integrity he would not have hidden his concerns, the fruit of his discernment or the voice of his conscience, even if it was contrary to what the church was saying. But he would do so while being obedient to what, in fact, the Church was saying. I think that's the crucial difference. Some would call that dissent, but I think Ignatius would have seen that as faithful obedience. But I think Ignatius would also insist that one do this in a way that would avoid scandal.
I think that at the heart of some of the issues today is the question of what does or does not constitute scandal. Does recognizing that there are concerns about and even differences of opinion with church teaching, while affirming that teaching, constitute scandal?
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