Introduction to the Thought of John Paul II :Introduction to the Thought of John Paul II Fr. Richard Hogan


A New Way to Teach the Faith :A New Way to Teach the Faith We need a new way of explaining the faith because we do not think in the same categories as before “Substance” “Accident”


A New Way to Teach the Faith :A New Way to Teach the Faith The faith according to Augustine and Thomas Objective Deductive Principled Hard to understand the language they use Photo credit: www.abcgallery.com, www.aquinasonline.com


A New Way to Teach the Faith :A New Way to Teach the Faith We think Subjectively Inductively Experientially Photo credit: www.abcgallery.com, www.aquinasonline.com


Slide 5:We need a third way John Paul II is giving us that way! Photo credit: www.time.com


The Significance of John Paul II :The Significance of John Paul II Part II


Significance of John Paul II :Significance of John Paul II Pope John Paul II is the next Thomas or Augustine Neither he nor John Paul I were expected to be chosen in 1978 Double Name: John Paul Three Popes in a single year: not since 1648 Non-Italian Pope: not since 1523 From a Communist country Photo credit: www.time.com, http://papal.library.saint-mike.org


Significance of John Paul II :Significance of John Paul II Popularity Travels Assassination attempt Theologian Pope Photo credit: www.time.com, www.staticfriends.com


Significance of John Paul II :Significance of John Paul II Significant Influence on Vatican Council Significant Influence on Humanae Vitae New Code of Canon Law Influence and Teaching brought down Communist world in Europe New Catechism of the Catholic Church


Significance of John Paul II :Significance of John Paul II Revising the Liturgy Changed the Rosary 4th longest lived pope in history Photo credit: www.usatoday.com


Theology of the Body :Theology of the Body Part III


We are created like God as persons :We are created like God as persons Are there any other persons besides us? Persons of the Trinity Angels Is a body part of the definition of a person? No. What is the definition of a person? Mind, will


We are created like God as persons :We are created like God as persons What do we do with these powers? Think and choose We are like God and the angels in that we are persons We are unlike them in that we have bodies We are like the animals and plants in that we are living bodies


We are created like God as persons :We are created like God as persons We are a very strange mixture of person and body, of spirit and matter We are enfleshed spirits or spiritualized bodies


We are created like God as persons :We are created like God as persons Why did God make us? If He wanted more persons in the universe, He could have made any number of angels If He wanted more living bodied beings in the world- there are any number of animals and plants He could have made What is it we bring to the party? What is it that is our unique contribution?


We are created like God as persons :We are created like God as persons It is precisely that we are persons with bodies: we manifest or show in and through our bodies what it means to be a person We manifest personhood in the visible world Not even the angels can do that because they do not have bodies Neither can God in the divine nature because in the divinity He does not have a body


We express God Himself :We express God Himself When we act as we should and express those acts outwardly in and through our bodies, our bodies become literally, physical icons of God! They are sacred and holy They make visible “what has been has been hidden in the invisible God for all eternity”


We express God Himself :We express God Himself Our flesh and blood is a vehicle God has created for revealing Himself Not as perfectly as Christ revealed the Father because His body perfectly expressed the Father, but still, when we act as we should and express those acts outwardly through our bodies, the body is a sacrament of God Himself


This isn’t the way we think of our bodies! :This isn’t the way we think of our bodies! We usually do not like everything about ourselves: we want to change our bodies –lose weight, change hair styles, beauty, etc. The cosmetic, dieting, and exercise industries depend on our own dislike of our physical being God likes us – just the way He created us in cooperation with our parents


This isn’t the way our society teaches us to think of our bodies! :This isn’t the way our society teaches us to think of our bodies! Science fiction movies give off the message that the body is just a machine Persons become machines Machines are persons Machine parts and human parts are interchangeable …Better than he was before… Photo credit: www.scifi.com, www.jeffbots.com


Our bodies as machines :Our bodies as machines This causes problems If the body is a thing, a machine which each of us owns, we can do whatever we want with it If we can own it, someone else can own it, too We could rent it out Child abuse would be acceptable Love would disappear


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution John Paul hold out two worlds: World where body is a machine and can be used for whatever purpose World where body is sacred and holy because it is an expression of the human person, and of God Himself Which world do you want to live in?


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution The Human body is world more than the sum of its biological parts Through the body and its functions is expressed the very mystery of God as well as the mystery of each human person


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution “The habit of confusing the order of existence with the biological order, or rather, of allowing the second to obscure the first, is part of that generalized empiricism which seems to weigh so heavily on the mind of modern intellectuals, and makes it particularly difficult for them to understand the principles on which Catholic sexual morality is based.” Pope John Paul II Love and Responsibility


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution There is an order of existence and an order of biology. The two are related, but distinct The biological order is the creation of man’s science – the study of how the body works The results of this study when applied to the real world, all other aspects of the human person must be taken into account


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution Because humanity has created biology and can decide what to do with this knowledge, humanity “controls” how the knowledge is applied If biology is the sum total of the definition of man, scientists and physicians can seem to be gods – those who control human persons


John Paul II’s Solution :John Paul II’s Solution There is more to us than biology Person is defined by his or her creation in God’s image His or her body is the expression of the human person


Natural Family Planning :Natural Family Planning The body expresses the person, reveals who God is The body “speaks a language” The language the body speaks is personhood This language can be read Some aspects of the body speak with more clarity than others


Natural Family Planning :Natural Family Planning Since we are created to act like God and God loves, we care called to love Sexual powers are primary way of expressing love in and through the body These powers speak with a clarity that almost no other aspect of our bodies do.


Natural Family Planning :Natural Family Planning Sexual powers reveal more about each human person and the mystery of God than the study of any other aspect of the human body. Sexual powers speak the language of love Most human act – most God-like act


Natural Family Planning :Natural Family Planning NFP is the study of the sexual powers of the human person Study of the language they speak Reveals the dignity of the human person Reveals the mystery of the spouse


Natural Family Planning :Natural Family Planning Knowledge gained from the study of this language Discovery of human dignity Leads to awe and wonder at the gift of the other to oneself Leads to gratitude and love in proper mode NFP leads to proper love in the context of marriage and virtue


Sins against the Human Body :Sins against the Human Body Lust Pornography Intimate Touching Masturbation Extramarital Sexual Activity Divorce and Remarriage Contraception and sterilization Artificial Reproductive Techniques Abortion Homosexual Activities


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family Familiaris Consortio Part IV


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family We are created in God’s Image to act as God acts Christ, as God the Son made man, shows us who God is and how God acts. Christ shows us how to love There is only one way to love – the way God loves How does God love? How does Christ love? The greatest example of His love is His Passion, Death, Resurrection


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family In His Passion we see the characteristics of Love Act of His will “Not my will but thine be done” He united His will with the Father in full freedom Not subservient like a child – but a mature choice in total freedom to give Himself to the Father and a free choice to do what the Father asked because HE wanted to do that This is why obedience is not a horrible word


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family In His Passion we see the characteristics of Love Act of His will “Not my will but thine be done” Not the obedience of a good little child – because the child is not yet capable of love. The child is responding to a benevolent dictatorship of the parents Obedience in the sense of the Gospel is the Result of love – otherwise it would be offensive to the human person who is created as autonomous


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family In His Passion we see the characteristics of Love Act of His will “Not my will but thine be done” Christ freely autonomously chose to love and therefore to do what the Father asked Love is a union of wills freely chosen and therefore St. Paul can legitimately ask lovers to obey each other – because they have freely chosen to love each other.


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family In His Passion we see the characteristics of Love The reason for choosing to unite one’s will with another is the knowledge of the other’s dignity and value Christ knew that we were created to be with God forever in heaven – He knew our value given to us by the Father in the act of creation. Similarly, we love – unite our wills – because we recognize in those we love their incredible value and dignity


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family In His Passion we see the characteristics of Love Love is a self-gift. The choice is to give oneself. Obviously, Christ did that on the cross – what more could He have given. It is permanent – Christ is always and for all eternity the Lamb of God who bears the marks of His Passion. Furthermore, He did not spend an hour on the cross and then say, “That’s enough!” No, He gave Himself to the very end – a permanent gift. Love is life-giving. When Christ loved us, He gave us the life of grace


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family Love is And act of the will Based on the knowledge of the dignity and value of the one or those loved The act of the will is the choice ot give oneself to another or to others This gift is permanent Life-giving If one does not have all five – it is not love If one is not loving, one is using


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family Procreation must always be included in a loving act Physical love must be potentially physically life-giving – because if it is not it is use It is not unitive and procreative – it is unitive (which must also be life-giving because without life, it is not unitive (i.e., loving) Solves the problem why can’t we be just unitive or just procreative – like bacon and eggs? With love, it has not the potential for life, it is not love.


Theology of the Family :Theology of the Family Sins against love Lust Pornography Intimate Touching Masturbation Extramarital Sexual Activity Divorce and Remarriage Contraception and Sterilization Artificial Reproductive Techiques Abortion Homosexual Activities


Photo Credits :Photo Credits Time Magazine www.time.com USA Today www.usatoday.com StaticFriends.com www.staticfriends.com Sci-fi Channel www.scifi.com ABC gallery www.abcgallery.com Aquinas Online www.aquinasonline.com St. Michael Cyber Scriptorium http://Papal.library.saint-mike.org www.jeffbots.com