Richness of Roman Catholicism - Loyola Jesuit College - Nigeria

							                      The Richness of Roman Catholicism

                                      Rev. Peter Schineller, S.J.

        A visit to a Catholic Church reveals a richness that one may not find in a non-Catholic
Church. Upon entering, one normally passes a holy water font. A cross, or rather a crucifix
with the body of Christ on the cross is clearly visible. There may be statues to Mary and other
saints, possibly with votive candles One also sees the fourteen stations of the cross around the
church. Frequently one finds throughout the day several Catholic members quietly, silently
visiting and praying with special devotion to Jesus present in the tabernacle, with the tabernacle
clearly indicated by a light or candle.

        Why all this? What does it signify? Why this variety of aids to Catholic life? How is it
 that Roman Catholicism has a strong tradition of many ways and means to help Catholics find
God? I believe in responding to these questions, we will approach the special tradition, the rich
heritage of Roman Catholicism. I believe it all points to our Catholic belief that God is truly
Emmanuel, God with us. God reveals himself, and comes near to us in many ways, and so
there are many ways in which we can find, serve, and love God.

        In the beginning God created a good and beautiful world. AGod saw that it was good,
very good@ (Gen. 1:28). God is present in this world and leaves traces of his presence. St.
Bonaventure thus could speak of two holy books. . The Bible is the word of God, but the world
is also a book in which we can find God who is the creator of all that is good. Yes, because of
sin, we sometimes fail to see the presence and goodness of God. But with God=s help, and with
the tradition of the Catholic Church we do sense the presence and blessing of God in many ways.

        Catholics, therefore do not hesitate to say that our loving God can be met in a variety of
ways. We speak of holy persons, places, objects, events, and holy times that enable us to be
in touch with the holiness of God.

       Holy Persons - in the saints we have a wide variety of men and women, old and young.
They are set before us, to reverence, respect, and imitate. They are close to God and close to us,
and so we pray to them for for their intercession.
       Holy Places - Every church is a sacred space. In the Church the tabernacle is a very
holy place where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. . We have holy places of pilgrimage such as
Lourdes or Guadalupe, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and St. Peter=s Basilica in Rome.
       Holy objects - We bless water and oil to make it holy. We bless rosaries, medals,
scapulars, and the Bible. We even dare to bless animals, automobiles and homes, and tools of
work such as the ax and the hammer. Holiness is found in and through the objects of daily life.
       Holy events - each of the seven sacraments is a sacred or holy event, one that unites us to
God at a particular and special time of our life.. Holy Mass is the weekly or daily event where
we remember and renew the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary.
        Holy times - Sunday is the day of the Lord, the day of the Resurrection. We also have
holy times such as the seasons of Lent and Advent. We have the annual parade of feast days in
honor of Jesus, Mary, the apostles and saints.    This coming year is a Holy Year, the Jubilee
2000, a time of special grace and blessing.

        All of these are included in the rich Roman Catholic heritage of sacraments and
sacramentals. In setting before us holy times and objects, the Catholic Church is reminding us
that we are never far from God and his blessed presence. We are being taught and formed to
see that in this good world that God has given us, created objects such as water, fire, and bread
can be holy objects and help us on the path to God. We are challenged to believe that by using
created objects respectfully, we are in turn giving glory to God, and drawing near to God the
Creator.

        The special word we use to refer to these blessings over objects is Asacramentals.@
The Catholic Catechism describes sacramentals as Asacred signs instituted by the Church. They
prepare men to receiving the fruits of the sacraments and they sanctify different circumstances of
life@ (No. 1677). Through the pious use of these sacred signs, we experience the blessings of
God and realize that God is never far from us.

        Is there a difficulty or danger in this rich Catholic tradition of sacramentals? Some
Christians might accuse Catholics of idolatry or magic . But this is a false accusation. Surely
we know the difference between holy water and the God who created it, between Jesus and the
image of Jesus on the crucifix. We show respect and honor to saints, but we do not think that
they or their images are divine. Yet, we must admit that it is possible for some Catholics to
turn to sacramentals in a magical way, rather than seeing and using them as objects of faith that
point the way to the grace and love and blessing of God.

        Catholics too must remember that at the center of our faith are not the sacramentals, nor
even the saints, but Jesus Christ. He is God=s Word made flesh. Like him, we are flesh and
blood, and we search for God in and through the world God gave us. Jesus revealed the
sacramentality of the human person in the parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25. Jesus
says that he is found especially when we reach out to the poor, the hungry, the suffering, the
imprisoned. He identifies himself with those in difficulty, those at the margins. He explained
that one who welcomes a child in his name welcomes not only Jesus, but the Father who sent
him. In this way Jesus is never far from us, but is truly Emmanuel, God with us.

        Yes, there is a richness in the Catholic tradition - a richness of sacramentality. We began
by discovering this in the local parish Church. Let us conclude by reminding ourselves that this
richness is also found in every good Catholic home. There we very often see a prominent
picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or a picture or statue of Mary and her child. There we find
the Bible, holy water, and surely also the Rosary. Through these signs or sacramentals, we
practice our Catholic faith and give to others witness to the richness of our faith. Through these
signs, in our homes as well as in our churches, in our everyday life as well as on Sunday, we
receive God=s love and blessing for ourselves and our families.