As you know, 2008 is the 40th Anniversary of Paul VI's Encyclical "Humanae Vitae". I would like to celebrate this teaching in some way between now and the end of 2008, and I would be very happy to receive any ideas from you about how we could do this.Wednesday, 10 October 2007
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Haven't really any ideas except to say Humanae vitae changed our lives & granted us 10 more lives!
Father - Would it be an idea to tie this up with the other 40th anniversary and have some prayer for life, either for an afternoon, or perhaps a Holy Hour?
I have plenty of ideas, Fr Julian.
(too many, actually, so i`ll limit them to my bezt 3)
1. 40,000 Motorway banners with: " Life begins at 40 but not for the millions who`ve been murdered since the 1967 Abortion Act" - I sense this one could get us arrested under some new weirdo anti-hatred law - then at the next junction, on account of too many words to read at 70mph, "BUT - here`s the remedy: HUMANE VITAE - check it out!"
2. Birthday cards to all the abortion clinics in the UK, including NHS hospitals, which we pay for through our taxes, but have no say in how the money is spent.. picture on front of card - a 12 week gestation human being(sometimes referred to as a "foetus") in a pink tutu and the words "No-one loves a foetus when she`s forty" with a plea to stop the abortion movement and a copy of Humane Vitae - could the CTS do us a snazzy re-print ?
3. As HV and the Abortion Act are part of the same chain of the Culture of Death (NO coincidence they both hit 40 at the same time - HV, is, in my view one of THE most prophetic documents to ever come out of The Church) - how about approaching one of the church agencies, like CASE - they clearly have the money and the time, and if THIS is not evangelisation, what is ??.. we`d like a speaker and a teaching day for every parish in E and W to (re)educate our young families about HV. The message is: it is alive and well, it was never dropped, it not only remains the teaching of The Church but is the answer to many of the problems affecting society today. Follow on with Pope JP11s Theology of The Body as well - its user-friendly and brilliant.
Some of these might be more pratical than others. This document, HV, has the power, properly taught, to change many of the problems we face in the church and in the wider world today. I can not see a single aspect of our doctrines that can not be touched by it and I see it as a powerful influence to help turn things around. It might not even take as long as everyone thinks either.
So, to sum up, an EW parish tour, initially, to affirm HV and to explain the teaching - many will be hearing it for the first time. PLUS we now have the added bonus of improved fertility technology which makes natural birth control as near accurate as its ever been. Most vitally, this is a golden opp to speak to our young poeple about chastity and to everyone about the exciting confirmation gift we all received called " Self-Control".
Fr Julian, in 40 years (yeah, spooky) I do not recall ever, ever hearing a homily about Humane Vitae.
Since I was 16, this document has been one of my favourite, favourite things about the church whom I love and I do not want to see its birthday pass without new life beginning at 40 for HV.
Over to you.
BK./
PS - I should have addressed my comment to Fr Richard Aladics it was his post. Mind you, could be quite handy having activists in the North and Midlands - all those motorway bridges. Are you scared of heights, Fr ?
BK./
Well said Bernadette! In HV Paul VI prophesied everything that has come to pass today. I think conversion must come before being able to hear HV, especially the conversion and openness of the conscience. But this is definitely an opportunity and we will need some funds in order to initiate some of your great ideas. I'm preparing a flyer to celebrate this anniv. We'll need some co-ordination of activities. Keep in touch. Fr R
Carmel, I think that prayer days and holy hours in parishes would be very good as preparation for celebrations and in seeking inspiration for ideas for celebrations. Could you initiate these in your parish? Fr R
Re conversion before acceptance, Fr Richard...
Conversion will often follow the hearing of the truth (faith comes by hearing etc). I`m not convinced that HV has yet been fully proclaimed as Good News.. not surprising as it is a v difficult teaching and non-bendable. Most Catholics in my experience though, have never even heard of it, especially younger ones..
I think the really tricky question is not how we can bring about conversion so that other people are open to HV, but: "Do I actually believe in this myself ?". If not, that`s the best place to start, especially for our Catholic leaders. I am not sure if many of our leaders do believe in HV whole-heartedley, and I think that has been the problem.
There have been some good attempts to show how it was right, but that connection, as you say, has not been fully made to the heart, from whence conversion is complete.
Bernadette, indeed, HV has never been proclaimed in the UK. Our 'leaders' may well need conversion before they can hear the message. Younger people are (naturally) open to the message and it is important that they should hear the message of HV, even over the clamour which may still ring out against it. So, your earlier suggestions are definitely worth cosnsidering because unless we make an effort, on behalf of HV, the 'prevailing winds' will carry the day (again). Fr R
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