Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

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Some thoughts on the Holy Father

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For those who know Pope Benedict XVI he will be remembered as a fatherly and kind leader, different from the perception of many who knew him only through reports in the media or impressions gained from decisions he made or theological statements.

His first encyclical God is Love (Deus Caritas Est) belied the persona projected by critics of his work as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a position that by its very nature required making tough and frequently unpopular decisions. However, during those years as the Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, I had several occasions to meet with him regarding doctrinal matters and always found him kind and understanding.

He showed his great love for the Church by the courageous decision he has made. The Holy Father’s willingness to voluntarily step down from what is arguably one of the world’s most respected and powerful positions shows his great humility and self-awareness.

Many have described him as a “teaching” pope, and that he was. He loved the faith and that is why he loved the Church. That is also why he was a superb teacher and theologian, because those gifts enabled him to transmit his great faith to others.

In his decision to resign the Pope called attention to the complexity of the Pontifical Office that requires the strength and stamina of a younger man to deal with the demands of a Church that embraces more than a billion faithful throughout the world and is growing constantly.

Pope Benedict not only taught us with his intellectual works, but also by the witness of his life. As his predecessor’s final lesson to us was how to suffer, the Holy Father Pope Benedict’s final lesson is how to let go. In making his monumental announcement, he has also taught us how to keep a secret…a rare talent these days.

Let us continue to pray for him as he steps into retirement and for the power of the Holy Spirit in choosing a new captain for the Barque of Peter.

The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

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We were all taken by surprise by today’s announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he will step down from the Chair of Peter on February 28, but we were aware of the frailness of his condition from our last visit.

Of course our prayers are with him in his retirement and we thank God for the gift he has been to the Church and to the world. While his decision is not without precedent it is highly unusual and in my opinion is an indication of his great love and concern for the Church and its future.

Now we turn to the choice of his successor. The College of Cardinals, who are the Papal electors, will convene at the Vatican next month in a conclave to elect the next Pontiff. This is a prayerful process of discernment and we are confident that the Holy Spirit will guide their deliberations.

We must now await the outcome of these momentous events in faith and confidence in God. Please join me in prayers for Pope Benedict and the Papal electors.

Charity is the heart of Christian life

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Being a Christian is not determined by what we do, but by what we are. A Christian is a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ. Because we have chosen to become His disciples we accept and follow his teachings and strive to pattern our lives on His which is the manifestation of the Father’s healing and forgiving love for us. (John 14:9). So as St. Paul reminds us it is…”the love of Christ compels us.” (2 Cor. 5:14)

Pope Benedict XVI uses the occasion of his Lenten Message to remind us of this important fact…”we must reflect upon the very heart of Christian life: Charity.” The Holy Father draws from the Letter to the Hebrews (10:24) “Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works,” and not to be isolated and indifferent to the fate of our brothers and sisters.

“All too often, the Pope continues, “our attitude is just the opposite: an indifference and disinterest born of selfishness and masked as a respect for ‘privacy.'” Quoting from Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio (1966) he observes that: “Human society is sorely ill. The cause is not so much the depletion of natural resources, nor the monopolistic control by a privileged few; it is rather the weakening of brotherly ties between individuals and nations.”

Surely we see the word’s of Pope Paul lived out in our world today…in the tragic killings of innocent people, in the international discord with war and threats of war becoming a way of life, in the polarization that is wounding the Church and in families devastated by brokenness. We have spoken often of the lack of civility today and we have witnessed the inflammatory and destructive rhetoric in our political process.

Charity is more than generous giving. It is generous living. The Pope reminds us that: “Sacred Scripture warns us of the danger that our hearts can become hardened by a sort of ‘spiritual anesthesia’ which numbs us to the suffering of others…we should never be incapable of ‘showing mercy’ towards those who suffer.”

The Holy Father also identifies “fraternal correction in view of eternal salvation” as an important aspect of Christian charity that is often overlooked. Fraternal correction is not ridiculing or demonizing but loving correction. He reminds us of Proverbs (9:8ff) “Rebuke the wise and he will love you for it. Be open with the wise, he grows wiser still, teach the upright, he will gain yet more.”

Institutionally this is the prophetic role of the Church, to speak out against infringements upon human dignity and religious freedom by the government or international bodies. For bishops, pastors and parents, it means preaching and teaching by word and by witness and always in charity.

We all recognize that loving criticism of our children helps them grow into responsible adults, yet we are often reluctant to lovingly correct our peers. I might add that the corollary to this is to accept loving criticism recalling the old adage that “your best friend is your severest critic.”

In striving to become disciples of Jesus we bring our gifts but we also bring our weaknesses, for Scripture reminds us that “even the upright fall.” In Charity we must not only support each others gifts, but help each other in our weaknesses.

Our journey to God is a journey together.

Blessed are the Peacemakers

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In his January 1 message on World Day of Peace Pope Benedict notes that “Jesus’ beatitude tells us that peace is both a messianic gift and the fruit of human effort.” He reminds us that each year brings the expectation of a better world and that “Peace is not a dream or something utopian; it is possible.”

We must pray for peace, but as the Holy Father suggests, it is not enough to simply pray. The Beatitude tells us that peacemaking is a human effort. It is a positive endeavor that requires commitment, perseverance and an awareness of the forces that foment the evils that frustrate the desire for peace in every person.

In his message, the Pope names those forces when he writes: “It is alarming to see hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor, by the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism. In addition to the varied forms of terrorism and international crime, peace is also endangered by those forms of fundamentalism and fanaticism which distort the true nature of religion, which is called to foster fellowship and reconciliation among people.”

Who are the peacemakers? In his message? Pope Benedict describes the peacemaker as the one who seeks the good of the other, who loves, defends and promotes life in its fullness, adding that, “in every person the desire for peace is an essential aspiration which coincides in a certain way with the desire for a full, happy and successful human life.”

We must create a culture of peace to live with good will rather than mere tolerance, as the Holy Father says, “it is a peace with God through a life lived according to His will. It is interior peace with oneself and exterior peace with our neighbors and all creation.”

I join Pope Benedict in asking God, the Father of humanity, to grant us concord and peace, so that the aspirations of all for a happy and prosperous life may be achieved.
I pray that you and your loved ones will have a blessed New Year.

World Day of the Sick

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Did you know that each year the Church celebrates a World Day of the Sick?

It was instituted in 1992 by Pope John Paul II to be celebrated on February 11, the commemoration of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette Soubirous, at whose shrine at Lourdes so many have been healed. The Holy Father had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a year earlier, though it was not acknowledged publicly.

Catholics are called by this observance to reflect on the mystery of suffering that is common to all human beings. It is also a reminder of the importance of compassion for those suffering and in need by individuals as well as society. In his encyclical Spe Salvi (In hope we are saved) Pope Benedict XVI teaches that “the true measure of humanity is essentially determined in relationship to suffering and to the sufferer.”

Jesus did not take away our suffering, but, by becoming a human being and sharing in our suffering and pain, he completely changed it. He made suffering redemptive.

When I was a boy and we suffered even a minor hurt, we were always reminded to “offer it up” meaning to make our suffering redemptive for others. Perhaps we should revive that practice to give meaning to the suffering that we all share.

We are also called by Christian compassion to reach out to those who are suffering and in need, always keeping in mind that it is the love of Christ that motivates us.

The Martyrs of Baghdad

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This All Saints Day we not only commemorate those who have gone before us through the centuries, but we are vividly reminded that sainthood through martyrdom is not something of the ancient past. Yesterday more than 40 Syriac Catholics were martyred in Our Lady of Deliverance Cathedral in Baghdad where 120 Catholics had been taken hostage by Muslim extremists demanding release of Muslim women given sanctuary by a Coptic church in Egypt.

Most of the terrorists were killed when Iraqi security forces stormed the Cathedral when they believed killing of the hostages had begun. As the security forces moved in the terrorists set off two suicide vest bombs killing at least 58 people, including parishioners, security forces and three of the terrorists.

Pope Benedict XVI issued the following message: “ Last evening, in a grave attack on the Syriac-Catholic cathedral of Baghdad, there were scores of deaths and injuries, among them two priests and a group of the faithful there for Sunday’s Holy Mass. I pray for the victims of this absurd violence, even more ferocious in that it has been inflicted upon defenseless people gathered in God’s house, which is a house of love and reconciliation.”

The level of incivility in our national dialogue has reached a crescendo. Catholics in Iraq specifically link the violence against them by Muslim extremists to anti-Muslim demonstrations and threats to burn the Koran in the United States. Our actions have consequences far beyond our control.

Hatred begins in the heart and is then expressed in words and ultimately turns into violence. People of goodwill can and will disagree. Others should not be vilified or punished for holding an opposing view.

Change must begin with each of us. I call upon all Catholics to tone down the level of hatred in their comments and conversations.

Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering for their Faith.

Appointment of Archbishop Gomez to Los Angeles

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The Holy Father has made a wise and timely decision in his appointment of Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio to be co-adjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles and the successor of Cardinal Roger Mahony upon his retirement.

Archbishop Gomez is the first Latino to be named to a major archdiocese. Los Angeles is the largest archdiocese in the United States and is 80% Latino. A native of Monterrey, Mexico and an immigrant himself, he has served in the United States for many years as a priest, auxiliary bishop, and Archbishop of San Antonio.

Cardinal Mahony reaches 75 in February, the age at which he must submit his resignation. The early appointment of a co-adjutor insures a smooth transition of authority. The appointment is also recognition by Pope Benedict XVI of the changing demographics in the Southwest.

At 58, God willing, Archbishop Gomez will lead the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for many years.

We rejoice for him and for the people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.