Pope Francis' latest apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et exsultate, was released Monday, April 9th and has made headlines for seemingly singling-out the pro-life community. Although the document focuses primarily on the call to holiness in everyday life, under the subheading "Ideologies striking at the heart of the Gospel," the pope says the defense of the poor and immigrants should be as equally sacred as defending the unborn. Gus reads those portions of the document and some of the reaction from individuals and news outlets around the country. Afterwards, he gives his reaction and gets callers' as well.
And, it's Gus' final day at the Church of the Holy Family in Sewell, New Jersey. He welcomes the parish's Parochial Vicar, Fr. Alfred Onyutha, who talks about growing up in Uganda and well as his vocation story.
I read the passages Gus spoke about and heard some of the show was I drove to work. I heard no criticism of the Pope. I heard Gus say that he is guilty of some of the things the Pope wrote about in his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete Exsultate, specifically in paragraph 102 and discussion of the word “grave”. However, I think that paragraph 102 is best read together with paragraph 101.
101. “The other harmful ideological error is found in those who find suspect the social engagement of others, seeing it as superficial, worldly, secular, materialist, communist or populist. Or they relativize it, as if there are other more important matters, or the only thing that counts is one particular ethical issue or cause that they themselves defend. Our defence of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.84 We cannot uphold an ideal of holiness that would ignore injustice in a world where some revel, spend with abandon and live only for the latest consumer goods, even as others look on from afar, living their entire lives in abject poverty.
102. We often hear it said that, with respect to relativism and the flaws of our present world, the situation of migrants, for example, is a lesser issue. Some Catholics consider it a secondary issue compared to the “grave” bioethical questions. That a politician looking for votes might say such a thing is understandable, but not a Christian, for whom the only proper attitude is to stand in the shoes of those brothers and sisters of ours who risk their lives to offer a future to their children. Can we not realize that this is exactly what Jesus demands of us, when he tells us that in welcoming the stranger we welcome him (cf. Mt 25:35)? Saint Benedict did so readily, and though it might have “complicated” the life of his monks, he ordered that all guests who knocked at the monastery door be welcomed “like Christ”,85 with a gesture of veneration;86 the poor and pilgrims were to be met with “the greatest care and solicitude”.87
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I am a Catholic lay person and interpret the word “grave” to mean the unborn and all the people and groups of people in paragraph 101. The Pope is also saying that the migrants fall under the umbrella of a grave issue and not a secondary issue because all life is sacred to God. All life including the poor and the pilgrims are sacred and deserve the same protection, love and respect as the unborn child. The Pope is right. We are being called to lead the way to social justice for ALL. It is a difficult path, but a necessary path.
It is my belief that when local states and governments allow/legalize abortion, it opens the door for satin to expand evil in the world. Abortion leads to the lack of respect for human life starting with children, and progressing to the elderly, the disabled and the infirmed via legalized euthanasia or genocide and human trafficking. We are seeing the results of the evil in the world and that is why abortion is called a “grave” issue, and all issues surrounding human life are “grave”. God gave us the gift of life. Who are we to decide which life and whose life is worth saving? Do you see the Love of God in the face f every person you see? I sure don’t, but I will try much harder to see the face of Christ in all after reading this document.How sad. The Pope delivers a beautiful exhortation, 177 paragraphs, and Mr. Lloyd chooses to take 2 sentences from one paragraph – out of context and without focusing on the whole message of even those sentences – and spends his show criticizing the pope.
I have listened to Seize the Day for a long time, prayed with and for Mr. Lloyd, appreciated the daily mass readings, and fondly remember his broadcasts from the Right to Life march in Washington, DC, especially the interviews with high school youth.But today Mr. Lloyd did exactly what the pope warns against in the exhortation: “The other harmful ideological error is found in those who find suspect the social engagement of others, seeing it as superficial, worldly, secular, materialist, communist or populist. Or they relativize it, as if there are other more important matters, or the only thing that counts is one particular ethical issue or cause that they themselves defend.”
We are all called to evangelize, and to minister. Our callings and our talents differ, and the pope reminds us that those who serve others in whatever capacity, serve God, just as Matthew 25 says. To imply, as Mr. Lloyd did, that the pope’s words are some sort of socialist plot is appalling. To divide the church and to divide the people of God as this show did is very disheartening, and directly contradicts the pope’s call to unity.