Benedict follows a different model suggested by his namesake, St. Benedict of Nursia. St. Benedict established monasteries that became centers for the first evangelization of Europe. These monasteries played such a significant role as centers of faith and learning that the great monuments of Christian civilization in the 12th and 13th centuries are unthinkable without them – a fact the pope thinks relevant for the church’s predicament today.
Benedict agrees with Williams that the church can, and should, be a transformer of its culture. But he believes certain inescapable conditions must first be met. In his view a church that does not know its own mind or preserve its own traditions unchanged may swiftly become a captive of its culture.
Benedict wants to preserve, as the monasteries once did, the doctrine, moral teaching and liturgy of the Catholic Church. These teachings and practices are the vital instruments through which God will once again transform the world.
Read the whole thing.
Thank you Fr. Harmon.
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2 comments:
WB,
I do not know that I can continue to read your blog, since you have made it clear that you like James Joyce and do not like Napoleon Dynamite. This indicates a serious defect of taste.
Thank you for such an aesthetically pleasing post. It brings such joy to my heart.
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