September 7, 2001
Editorials & Col-
Light One Candle MSGR. JIM LISANTE Guest Columnist
And then Kay James lowered the boom. “I have a vested interest in how you would counsel that woman, because that woman was my mother. And that fifth child she carried was me. And in case there is any doubt in your mind, the quality of my life is very, very good. My husband Charles and I have three children and have adopted a fourth. I was born into a family struggling against poverty and alcoholism, but I am an example of what the power of Jesus Christ can do in the life of a believer.” Many people in our society see children as a personal choice, or as an accident of timing, or as a mistake in planning. Kay James thinks differently. She knows that there never has been and never will be a child conceived who is a “mistake” or an “accident” in the mind of God. Others believe that only when conditions are close to “perfect” should we dare to let a child be born. But as Kay James’s life indicates, sometimes the most imperfect of situations produce abundant blessings. When Kay James was only seven weeks old in her burdened mother’s womb, she had a unique and distinct set of fingerprints. No one in the world could match them. Because that’s how we’re made: individual, precious. And each of us has a purpose which is uniquely our own. Kay James’s mother knew that. The world is richer for her choice to give life a chance.
God. (See for example Psalm 127.) A wife who could not bear children was considered cursed by God (Gn 30. 1 Sam 1:6) The desire for children, particularly sons, and the status many wives and a large harem bestowed on the rich and powerful, are without doubt the reasons for both polygamy and concubinage. Scripture tells us King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. King David also had many of each. Even allowing for popular exaggeration as such stories were passed down, the practice obviously was widespread. The prophet Ezechiel (23) tells that, at least metaphorically, even Yahweh God had two wives. Concubines were much more than “mistresses” in those days. But the precise difference between concubines and wives is uncertain, and changed significantly through the centuries. At any rate, after the time of the exile (sixth century B.C.), polygamy appears to have nearly died out. Interestingly, alongside the practice of polygamy was a strong monogamous tradition, especially in the later centuries of the Old Testament. The second story of creation in Genesis (2:18-24) declares clearly that marriage, as it came from the Creator, involved one man and one woman whose relationship would make them one flesh. The books of wisdom, especially Proverbs and Sirach, written not long before Christ, consider monogamy as the ideal state of the marriage relationship. Polygamy never was accepted in mainstream Christianity. Jesus himself returns to the Genesis story (18:24) of one man, one woman, one flesh and applies it not only to marriage in general but to each individual marriage. A monogamous union is presupposed by St. Paul in the fullest treatment of marriage in the New Testament (1 Cor 7). Paul’s celebrated passage in Ephesians 5 presents the union of bride and groom as a symbol of the “marriage” bond between Jesus Christ and his people. Again, he distinctly frames this vocation in the context of one husband and one wife. All related passages in the New Testament reflect this monogamous understanding of marriage.
No Accidents, No Mistakes Some people you just remember. It’s not just their looks or intelligence. It’s something in their presence, their very essence. That was my reaction when I first heard Kay C. James speak. A beautiful, charming, self-possessed, articulate woman, she commands your attention by the sureness of her convictions. Kay James has held a number of major positions with the government and with charitable organizations. She was an executive with the Washington, D.C.-based One-on-One Foundation, and also served as President George Bush’s assistant secretary for public affairs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And some folks would suggest that gifted and accomplished person should never have been born. Let me set the context. Among her many educational efforts, Kay James has also argued for the right of children to be born. As an African-American, she is keenly aware that few are targeted for abortion more frequently than poor black Americans. Following one presentation, Kay James was confronted by a woman who identified herself as a counselor at an abortion center. Her attack on James was deeply personal, suggesting that because Kay James dressed well and enjoyed a privileged lifestyle, she was in no position to advise the poor on their choice for abortion. The critic said: “Mrs. James, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You are obviously so middle-class that you can’t relate to the needs of the poor. You don’t understand why a poor woman would need abortion services to improve the quality of her life.” Now, Kay James is no fool. So she responded to the criticism with a question: “Tell me how would you counsel a woman who comes to you in tears and says, ‘I’m pregnant and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I already have four children. My husband is suffering from alcoholism and he physically abuses the children and me. He can’t hold a job, and I don’t know how I’m going to put food on the table.’” The abortion counselor had a ready answer. “The most loving thing that woman could do would be to have an abortion. What loving mother would bring a child into the world under those circumstances? What quality of life could that child be expected to have?”
Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN CNS Columnist
When Should Children Receive the Blood of Christ? Q. I am the mother of five children. At what age do you think it is appropriate for children to receive the blood of Christ at Mass? (Missouri) A. It is liturgically appropriate for children to receive Communion from the cup at any age. In most parishes, children receive under both species at the time of first Communion, either on the day itself or shortly after. Parents who have particular concerns about their child may decide to wait until later, perhaps after discussing the problem with their parish priest. Polygamy’s presence in the Bible Q. If we’re to believe the Bible, polygamy was common in Old Testament times. Jacob is simultaneously married to Leah and Rachel. David and Solomon both have multiple wives. Is there a reason for this practice? By the end of the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament, polygamous marriage is no longer mentioned. Is there a passage in the Bible that prohibits polygamy? Was polygamous marriage ever accepted by mainstream Christian tradition? (Maryland) A. For Hebrew people, as for most ancient agricultural cultures, a large family was seen as a joy and blessing from
The Catholic News & Herald 17
Back to School FATHER JAMES HAWKER Guest Columnist The Catholic School: A Faith-Filled Environment Recently, I enjoyed a pleasant meal with a wonderful priest who has had a truly remarkable influence upon my life. In 1951, I entered Cathedral High School in Boston as a freshman. Father Paul Moritz, the chaplain, was one of the first to welcome me as I crossed the threshold of the setting that would be my home away from home for the next four years. During that truly significant period, Father Moritz, together with the staff, taught me by their words and actions that Cathedral High School was founded upon Jesus Christ. Its mission was to reflect His image, to share His message. Father Moritz and those with whom he served addressed not only my head, but my heart and my soul. I shall always be grateful that I was touched and transformed by their caring and challenging presence. Four decades have unfolded since I initiated my memorable journey through Cathedral High School. Yet, I’m well aware that the mission of the Catholic school has remained the same over the years. While its procedures and tactics may have been altered, its nature and purpose have remained constant. Since the 19th century, the Catholic school has been a unique and valuable component of the Church’s educational mission within the dioceses of the United States. Its purpose has been to enable the participants to mature in their relationship with the risen Lord and in their sense of responsibility towards others. Its aim has been to transform the minds and hearts, the talents and skills of the children and youth. Its objective has been to assist the attendees to be all that they can be as God’s children and to do all that they can do to place their learning and knowledge at the service of their Faith. The Catholic school, then, must never be viewed or described as just another private school. On the contrary, it is a setting that proclaims publicly that Jesus is Lord and that His vision, values and virtues are integral to its raison d’etre. Whether in the chapel or classroom the children and youth are reminded that each person is unique and valuable, that all have a promise hidden within them, that knowledge is integral to the living of faith, that studies are to lead to service. Those who teach in the Catholic school, regardless of the subject matter they present, exercise a sacred and serious responsibility. Day after day, they stress to those in their care that expanding their knowledge and cultivating their skills are never ends in themselves. The discipline of learning is related directly to the devotion of living as a faith-filled child of God. After I shared those memorable moments recently with my mentor and friend, Father Paul Moritz, I thanked the Lord for the gift of the many people who enriched, enlightened and enabled me during the formative years of my life. I expressed gratitude as well for those who serve in the Catholic schools of this diocese so that faith and knowledge might meet in the lives of the children and youth entrusted to their care. Father Hawker is vicar for education for the Diocese of Charlotte.