The Martyrdom of Sts. John and Paul, Guercino, ARSH 1630-1632

Vol 9 Issue 26 ~ Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward Krier
June 25, 2016 ~ Saint William, opn!

1. Baptism: Means of Salvation (74)
2. Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
3. Sts. John and Paul
4. Christ in the Home (48)
5. Articles and notices

Dear Reader:

When Our Lord was accused by the leaders of the Jews for being a King, Christ was confronted by Pontius Pilate with the words: What is truth? (Cf. John 18:38); but Pontius Pilate did not wait to hear the answer. As Catholics we know Christ is the way, and the truth, and the life (Cf. John 14:6). We know that Christ is Salvation, that Christ is the Word of God, and that Christ alone can give us eternal life. But Pontius Pilate served a Caesar in which all roads led to Rome, where false gods were worshiped, and fate ended life. For the Jews (Synagogue of Satan) and Pilate (World) it was necessary to bring Jerusalem (people of God) to Rome (sin), therefore they had the Way stripped and scourged. To bring the people to accept error, Truth had to be disfigured and placed with Barabbas, a criminal. To deny salvation, Life had to be condemned to death. Yet, Pontius Pilate, perhaps unwilling and unbelieving, but knowing his power was not his own power, turns to the Jews and says: Will you, therefore, that I release unto you the king of the Jews? (Cf. 18.39) The Jews cannot see the Truth. But the Truth prevails, for when the leaders of the Jews confront Pilate on Truth, Pilate replies: What I have written, I have written. (Cf. 19:22)

This is phenomenology, the philosophy that truth is based on appearances and therefore each individual’s truth is a different truth, and is repetitive in the above scene in which Truth is rejected and condemned. Christ, in appearance to human judgment, does not seem to be a king for there is no external trappings—only the Truth and why He is King. Christ does not seem to give life, because those there see Him crucified, but this death gives eternal life. This is why the Catholic Church does not accept phenomenology, because it denies reality only because it cannot sense reality by nature and rejects the supernatural. Yet, phenomenology is the basis of Modernism and therefore of those bishops and priests who concocted the doctrines of Vatican II. It is why the Conciliar Church does not hold to absolutes but believe in change as it sees change in the world. As Catholics, despite the rapid change in the world that is going on around us, we must know that reality does not change, that is, the Catholic Faith does not change and cannot change because it is based on the eternal Word of God Who is yesterday, and today and forever, on Truth. The acceptance of the philosophy of appearances, of change, leads to deification of oneself and error, to separation from God and Truth, to Rome (the world) and spiritual death. This is why Catholics need to know their faith and know that that which is contrary to that faith is error—even though it may appear as truth (as an angel of light, cf. 2 Cor. 11:14).

As always, enjoy the readings and commentaries provided for your benefit. —The Editor

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Baptism

Means of Salvation

Sacrament of Baptism

1917 Code of Canon Law

The 1917 Code of Canon Law incorporated previous law and teaching of the Church into a simplified text. For example, and because this treatise is on Baptism, Canon 87 is the summation of Church teaching and law regarding the membership within the Church (on earth—i.e., Church militant) that, those validly baptized and remaining within the Church:

Can. 87.  By baptism a human is constituted a person in the Church of Christ with all of the rights and duties of Christians unless, in what applies to rights, some bar obstructs, impeding the bond of ecclesiastical communion, or there is a censure laid down by the Church.

The summation of Church Law and teaching is found in the supporting documentation of the Canon. First, there is the references to prior Church Law. Church Law, previous to the 1917 Code of Canon Law (Codex Juris Canonici) was to be found in the Body of Canon Law (Corpus Iuris Canonici) which drew from several sources. These sources are as follows:

1. Concordantia discordantium canonum (c. 1140), or Gratian’s Decree;
2. Quinque Libri Decretalium Gregoriani IX (1234), or the Five Books of the Decretal (Letters) of Pope Gregory IX;
3. Liber Sextus (1298), or the Sixth Book (decretals of Boniface VIII);
4. Clementinae (1317), or the constitutions of Pope Clement V;
5. Extravagantes Joannis XXII (1322) or the decretal letters John XXII; and
6. Extravagantes communes (1499-1502), or materials gathered by Jean Chappuis and the Paris University.

Second, the decrees of the Council of Trent are then referenced, following chronologically the Body of Canon Law.

Third, the Papal writings and decrees are then referenced in being upheld in the Code of Canon Law.

Fourthly, the Decrees issued from the Holy Office are then referenced as also being upheld in the Code of Canon Law.

Fifthly, the Pontificale Romanum, Missale Romanum and Rituale Romanum as the Liturgical life of the Church.

Though simple copies of the Codex Juris Canonici may omit these numerous sources, the annotated editions provide, such as the following for Canon 87:

First: C. 31, C. XXIV, q. 1; c. 51, D. I,  de poenit.; c. 2, 15, de haereticis, V, 2, in VI°;

Second: Conc. Trident., sess. VII, de baptismo, can. 7, 8, 13, 14; sess. XIV, de poenitentia, c. 2;

Third: Eugenius IV (in Conc. Florentin.), const. “Exsultate Deo”, 22 nov. 1439, § 10; Benedictus XIV, const. “Etsi pastoralis”, 26 maii 1742, § VII, n. XI; ep. encycl. “Inter omnigenas”, 2 febr. 1744, § 16; ep. “Postremo mense”, 28 febr. 1747, n. 52; ep. “Singulari”, 9 feb. 1749, § 2, 12-16; Pius IX, litt. ap. “Multiplices inter”, 10 iun. 1851; Syllabus errorum, prop. 54; Leo XIII, litt. encycl. “Sapientiae”, 10 ian. 1890; S. C. S. Off., instr. (ad Archiep. Quebecen.), 16 sept. 1824, ad 2; 19 apr. 1837; instr. 22 iun. 1859; 7 apr. 1875; (Bucarest), 8 maii 1889; instr. (ad Vic. Ap. Nankin.), 26 aug. 1891;

Fourth: S. C. de Prop. Fide (C. G. – Albaniae), 18 apr. 1757, ad 5; (C. G.), 19 aug. 1776; instr. (ad Praef. Ap. Mission. Epiri), 25 febr. 1837; litt. encycl. (ad Ep. Indiar.), 25 apr. 1902.

There were no references to the liturgical books in this canon, but if there were, it would then follow. For those papal decrees and pronouncements that came after 1917 the Code of Canon Law is further supplemented with those recent decisions of the Popes and the Holy Office collected in the Canon Law Digestedited by T. Lincoln Bouscaren, S.J.

This outlay of Canon Law given above is presented here to set an understanding of the background of Canon Law and recognizing Canon Law preserves and directs the Faith that has been within the tradition of the Catholic Church.

The following are Canon Law regarding the Sacrament of Baptism:

TITLE

On baptism

Canon 737

• 1. Baptism, the gateway and foundation of the Sacraments, actually or at least in desire is necessary for all for salvation (omnibus in re vel saltem in voto necessarius ad salute) and is not validly conferred except by washing with true and natural water along with the prescribed formula of words.
• 2. When it is administered in accord with all of the rites and ceremonies that are prescribed in the ritual books, it is called solemn; otherwise, [it is called] non-solemn or private.  

CHAPTER 1

On the minister of baptism³

Canon 738

• 1. The ordinary minister of solemn baptism is a priest; but its conferral is reserved to the pastor or other priests with the permission of the local Ordinary or of the same pastor, which in case of necessity is legitimately presumed.
• 2. Even a traveler may be solemnly baptized by his own pastor in his own parish, if this can be done easily and without delay; otherwise any pastor can solemnly baptize a traveler in his territory.

Canon 739

In another’s territory it is not permitted to anyone, without the required permission, to confer solemn baptism even on his own residents of [his own] place.

Canon 740

Where parishes or quasi-parishes have not been constituted, reference should be made to particular statutes and received custom in order to determine which priest, besides the Ordinary, has the right of baptizing in the whole territory or part of it.

Canon 741

The extraordinary minister of solemn baptism is a deacon; who, however, shall not use his power without the permission of the local Ordinary or the pastor, granted for a just cause that, when necessity urges, is legitimately presumed.

Canon 742

• 1. Non-solemn baptism, discussed in Canon 759, § 1, can be administered by anyone, preserving the required matter, form, and intention; when it can be done this way, two witnesses, or at least one, should be used, by which the conferral of the baptism can be proved.
• 2. If there is a priest present, he is preferred to a deacon, a deacon to a subdeacon, a cleric to layman, and a man to a woman, unless for the sake of modesty it is more becoming that a woman baptize instead of a man, or unless a woman knows the form and manner of baptism better than does a man.
• 3. It is not permitted that the father or mother baptize their own child, except in danger of death, when there is no one else who can baptize. 

Canon 743

The pastor shall take care that the faithful, especially obstetricians, doctors, and surgeons, are carefully taught the correct manner of baptizing in case of necessity.

Canon 744

The baptism of adults, where this can be done conveniently, should be deferred to the local Ordinary, so that, if he wishes, [baptism] can be solemnly conferred by him or one delegated by him.

CHAPTER 2

On the subject of baptism

Canon 745

• 1. That subject capable of baptism is every and only a living human [being] not yet baptized.
• 2. When it concerns a baptism:

1.° They are considered a child or infant under Canon 88, § 3, who have not attained the use of reason or who have been without reason since infancy regardless of their age;

2.° They are considered adults who exercise the use of reason, likewise those who sufficiently ask for baptism on their own and can be admitted to it. 

Canon 746

• 1. No one should be baptized in the mother’s womb so long as there is a hope that he can be baptized correctly outside of it.
• 2. If the head of an infant is exposed and there is imminent danger of death, let him be baptized on the head; later, if he is delivered alive, he should be baptized again under condition.
• 3. If another part of the body is exposed, and if danger [of death] is imminent, let him be baptized under condition thereupon, and then, if he survives birth, he should be once again baptized under condition.
• 4. If a pregnant mother dies, and if the fetus is delivered by those who do such things, and if he is certainly alive, he should be baptized absolutely; if there is doubt, [he should be baptized] under condition.
• 5. A fetus baptized in the womb should be baptized again under condition after [being born].

Canon 747

Care should be taken that aborted fetuses, at whatever time they are born, if they are certainly alive, be baptized absolutely; if there is doubt, under condition after [being born].

Canon 748

Deformed or abnormal fetuses should be baptized at least under condition; if there is doubt as to whether there is one or several humans, one should be baptized absolutely, the others under condition.

Canon 749

Exposed and discovered infants, the matter having been thoroughly investigated, should be baptized under condition, absent proof of their [earlier] baptism.

Canon 750

• 1. The infant of infidels, even over the objections of the parents, is licitly baptized when life is so threatened that it is prudently foreseen that death will result before the infant attains the use of reason.
• 2. Outside of danger of death, provided provision is made for Catholic education, [an infant] is licitly baptized if:

1.° If the parents or guardians, or at least one of them, consents;

2.° If the parents, that is, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, or guardians are no more, or have lost their rights over [the infant] or cannot in any way exercise it.

Here is added a private decision from the Holy Office concerning the Baptism of Pagan Children Attending Mission Schools (S. C. Prop. Fid. and Holy Office, 20 Mar., 1933):

The Sacred Congregation of Propaganda, on 20 Mar., 1933, sent the following communication to the Apostolic Delegate of China:

A certain Vicar Apostolic of China proposed to the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office the following question:

Whether the practice can be approved of refusing baptism to boys and girls, the children of infidel parents, who are attending the Catholic schools of the mission and who are well instructed in religion, and who are asking for baptism with the consent of their parents, although after their baptism, when they return to their pagan families, they will be exposed to many dangers.

Reply. The Holy Office replied: In the negative; that is, the practice of refusing baptism to such boys and girls, the children of infidel parents, cannot be approved; and therefore baptism may safely be administered to them.[(Private); S. C. Prop. Fid., 20 Mar., 1933. Periodica, 23-17. This document is also reported in Apollinaris, 1934- 279, where the date of the reply of the Holy Office is given as 30 Mar., 1930.]

(To be continued)

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Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Benedict Baur, O.S.B. 

“ Christian self-denial

1. The Lord leads His friends into the desert, far from the conveniences, allurements, and pleasures of the world. “All we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in His death” (Epistle). The life of a baptized Christian is, in its. truest essence, a continual process of dying. He will reproduce and perfect the life of Christ within himself only in so far as he takes up his cross, denies himself through unceasing mortification, and gains dominion over himself. Today’s liturgy reminds us again of this basic truth.
2. “We. . . are baptized in His death.” To be united with Christ in baptism means to die in Christ, to be crucified and buried with Christ. Dying to Christ means imitating His life of poverty and accepting His crosses and mortifications. If we want to live the new life in Him and with Him and His Church, we must die daily, hourly. God, the one true God, must be always before the eyes of the baptized, as the only goal of his striving and longing. After the Son of God became man by embracing human nature, His human will had to be in perfect conformity with His divine will. Such a perfect harmony of His wills could be achieved only through a continuous and unreserved devotion of His human will and desires to the will of the Father, which He accomplished through continual mortification and His voluntary acceptance of a bitter and ignominious death on the cross. Through His acts of mortification and self-denial, through His death on the cross, He perfected the union of the human nature with the divine nature.

The way of Christ, the head, must also be the way of His members, the baptized. Having been united with Him in baptism, grafted onto Him, as it were, we must perfect this fundamental union through moral actions. The way leading to this union requires that we overcome our ego, mortify and deny ourselves after the example of Christ, our head, so that we become one with the life and death of Christ. “If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me” (Matt. 19:21). “Everyone of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). Mortification and self-denial are the fundamental principles in our life with Christ. Without them no truly Christian life is possible. “We. . . are baptized in His death.”

“We are debtors, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die; but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live” (Rom. 8: 12 f.). To be united with Christ means, fundamentally, to fight against the concupiscence of the lower man. We are assured that our body, by our baptism, is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 6: 19), that through the life of God within us, through sanctifying grace, it is sanctified ‘by our union with Christ, that it is called, to be “made like to the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:21). Concupiscence, however, is still alive within it, and sin desires to reign in the mortal body (Rom. 6: 12). Because we live in the flesh, concupiscence seeks to “work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death” (Rom. 7:5): “Another law [works] in my members, fighting against the law of my mind” (Rom. 7:23). It urges us to follow the flesh: “fornication, uncleanliness, immodesty, luxury” (Gal. 5: 19). The life in Christ, therefore, which has been established in us through baptism, demands necessarily that concupiscence be mortified. “They that are Christ’s have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences” (Gal. 5:24). No weed dies of itself, least of all the weeds of the soul. Neither does virtue and the perfect life of Christ within us grow by itself. We must work continuously, pulling out the weeds, digging the ground of our soul with a sharp spade. This necessitates the mortification of the lusts of the flesh and a tempering of the demands of our senses, our mind, our inclinations, and our passions. It requires a continual battle against the defects of our nature and character. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself” (Matt. 16:24). That is the fundamental law of living with Christ.

3. “All we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in His death.” It is an unalterable law of Christian life that there is no salvation except in carrying the cross of Christ and in following the Crucified. We Christians today can be justly reproached for being too calmly optimistic and for looking too much to our own comfort. Men reproach us for living a Christian life which has become entirely too worldly. Christ gives His choicest graces to those who follow Him into the desert, who walk the way of Christian self-denial.

Would that we might understand the language of the liturgy, which teaches us that mortification and self-denial are the way of Christ, and that they must also be the way of the members of Christ.

PRAYER

O God of power, from whom are all good things, implant in our hearts the love of Thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and by Thy mercy keep us in the same. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Union through suffering

1. “We. . . are baptized in His death” (Epistle). By means of voluntary and joyful participation in our Lord’s passion and cross, Christian self-denial attains to its highest perfection.
2. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16: 24). The Son of God came to us on this earth to share His life with us. He became man and toiled incessantly to care for souls. He was insulted and opposed by men until at last they condemned Him to death and crucified Him. His life was a life of suffering; He Himself so willed it. Voluntarily, with complete subjection to the will of the Father, He drank the chalice the Father had commanded Him to drink for our salvation. He spent His life in suffering, sorrow, and self-denial in order to reconcile us with His Father, to open heaven for us, and to save us from eternal damnation. A “man of sorrows” (Isa. 53:3) from the manger to the cross, He embraced the cross, poverty, and mortification. When He was led out to be scourged, He offered no resistance. He suffered in silence, perfectly resigned to the will of the Father, even when He was scoffed at in a most rude and humiliating way and mockingly crowned with thorns. Silent and resigned to the will of the Father, He took up His cross and carried it up to the heights of Calvary, where He suffered unutterable agony. After three hours, during which He shed the last drop of His precious blood, He consummated His life of sacrifice. The life of the Son of God was a life of suffering leading to the cross.

“We. . . are baptized in His death.” Many Christians like to meditate on our Lord’s passion, whether by means of a meditation book, the Stations of the Cross, or by frequent glances at a crucifix. Our being Christians, however, our being “baptized in His death,” requires more than the mere meditation on His passion. It calls for a real union of suffering with Christ, an efficacious union which we must experience in actual life. To this union of suffering we have been baptized, and by this union we are called to possess and enjoy with Christ His transfiguration. In order to become coheirs of His glory, however, we must follow in the way He walked and win glory as He won His: we must share His suffering. In being “nailed with Christ to the cross” (Gal. 2: 19), and in being “planted together in the likeness of His death” (Rom. 6:5), we have the only assurance of attaining this glory. “We. . . are baptized in His death”; and “we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake; that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4: 11). Our suffering is a suffering with Christ. We long to be found in Him in “the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comformable to His death” (Phil. 3: 10). With St. Paul we do not want “to know anything, . . . but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2). Our life of renunciation, mortification, and suffering is a vital and joyful life with Christ, a partaking of His death in order that we may live with Him. We love His cross and poverty, the mortifications and trials He sends us. Imparting to us His own strength in suffering, He leads us, by means of our union with Him in His passion, upward to Himself, to the heights of His victory, to His resurrection and glory.

“For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully. . . . But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God. For unto this are you called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps” (1 Peter, 2: 19, 20).

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