Pope Francis teaches us that theology must “attend to the concrete reality of human life and human suffering,” San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy told theology graduates at a commencement speech May 20.
“There has emerged in the last three years a vibrantly transformed branch of Catholic theology which is rightfully claiming its place as a central element of Catholic doctrine and practice: the pastoral theology which is contained in the teachings of Pope Francis,” he said.
McElroy addressed the 55 graduates earning master’s, doctorate and licentiate degrees from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. The school is a member of the Graduate Theological Union on Berkeley, California’s “Holy Hill.”
At the ceremony, the school awarded McElroy an honorary doctor of divinity degree, although he already has a degree from the Jesuit school: a 1985 licentiate in sacred theology.
In his address, McElroy noted that pastoral theology, a study of the biblical view of the pastor’s role, has only recently been considered a distinct branch of theology, though “there were splendid pastoral teachings in the Catholic theological tradition in every age.”
Pope Francis, he said, “points to an understanding of pastoral theology which is far more robust.”
“It demands that moral theology proceed from the actual pastoral action of Jesus Christ, which does not first demand a change of life, but begins with an embrace of divine love, proceeds to the action of healing and only then requires a conversion of action in responsible conscience.”
Noting that people are confronted with “overwhelming life challenges” that prevent them from following the Gospel, he added, “The pastoral theology of Pope Francis rejects a notion of law which can be blind to the uniqueness of concrete human situations, human suffering and human limitation.”
McElroy encouraged the school’s faculty to focus on the pope’s pastoral theology and to place it “at the very center and life of this institution.”
Full story at The National Catholic Reporter, known for its heterodox views.
Pope Francis’ ad Bishop McElroys’ view of so-called “Catholic pastoral theology,” is neither Biblical nor Christian. It is a corruption of true Catholic and Christian belief. What is Christ’s view of human life and human suffering?? Read the Bible, and our Catechism! Christ died on a rugged Cross to set us free from sin, and offer us Salvation!! It is very challenging, at times, to follow Christ– but men and women of history have done it, for over 2,000 years- and have also received Christ’s fulfillment of all His promises, as a result!! ! These men, pictured above– are corrupt, Godless, faithless IMPOSTERS — who never gave their lives to Jesus Christ, at all!!
CCD’s COMMENTS POLICY instructs that “Comments should not contain offensive or libelous language”. How in the world does the last sentence in Linda Maria’s above post pass muster under that standard? Clearly, it doesn’t. CCD’s “moderation” is wholly dependent on who’s writing. Some people can get away with anything.
It will be interesting to see if my comment is “moderated” by deleting it.
Linda Maria, your last sentence is outrageous.
Yes, of course it is outrageous! I prefer Churchmen who are HONEST in their commitment to Christ, such as Cardinal Burke or Cardinal Sarah!! We have over 2,000 years of faithful Christians, many of whom have even died as martyrs, if need be– for Christ, rather than rejecting His Truth, or corrupting His Truth to suit their own tastes, or to suit the demands of a despot (such as in Communism, or Nazism)! Hitler put thousands of priests in his Death Camps, for refusing his demands! Today’s Western European and American prelates only have the degenerate, immoral, anti-Christian, modern culture to face, and to hopefully re-Christianize!!
P.S. Speaking of Jesuits–lots of them were martyred in England, due to King Henry VIII, when Catholicism was outlawed! Actually– the Jesuit Order has lots and lots of martyrs and Saints, all over the world! Yet, many Jesuits of today, including Jesuit academic leaders, and our current Holy Father– do not seem inspired to follow the fine examples of their illustrious Saints and martyrs, who preceded them! And none of them, in Western Europe or the U.S.– have to face evils such as Communism or Nazism. The executed Nazi resister, Fr. Alfred Delph, S.J.– a fine, holy Jesuit– is another who may soon be beatified.
Of course– these “Jesuit” educators, and their bishop– do not consider themselves to be “IMPOSTORS” (or worse, “heretics!”) —- as they admittedly do not accept the same Catholic religious and moral beliefs, as their founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, nor do they believe in, nor run their educational institutions, by, traditional Catholic Jesuit educational foundations– and they are honest, about that! Maybe they should just start their own church, and take the name of “Roman Catholic” off their schools!
A far cry from many Jesuits today.
Sorry, but I have a typo, in my post about the Jesuit martyrs– I misspelled Fr. Alfred Delp’s name! This holy Jesuit has a Cause for Canonization, in the Vatican!
I post one sentence suggesting that you avoid judging the consciences of a bishop and two priests—whom you do not know. Much less call them heretics and their vocations sham. Your reply throws in everything AND the kitchen sink. Is the concept of relevance completely foreign to you?
“Relevance?” Sorry, not worth a reply! the Cardinal Newman Society is busy trying to get these faithless, immoral, false “Catholic” schools, and their academic clergy leaders, to reform back to the True Catholic faith– and stop defrauding the good Catholic parents, who save all their money, to educate their kids in Catholic schools! I am so sorry for Fr.. Joseph Fessio, S.J.– a truly fine Jesuit educator, kicked out of Jesuit education many years ago, at USF!! What a HUGE loss to the future of our Church, and to our civilization! SHAME ON THE JESUITS!!
The true Catholic religion– the religion of Christ– is not easy! It is given to us to help us lead a good earthly life, cleanse us of sin, and sanctify us, preparing us for Heaven! The Mysteries of the Faith are far above human understanding. I recall, when young, a Dominican priest telling us one day, in a sermon, that he hoped to understand the things of God better, when he got very old, close to maybe age 75! We need very mature, holy, strong, deeply committed, outstanding Catholic clergy leaders and educators, to stand in Christ’s place today, and lead and teach, for today’s Church!!
I felt so badly, many years ago, along with many others, watching the collapse of Jesuit education, including at USF, seeing the careers of good Jesuit educators, like Fr. Joseph Fessio, senselessly destroyed, by a religious order “gone wrong,” after Vatican II!! Made everyone SICK!! Because of this tremendous evil, Catholic education, and seminary training, have been extremely adversely impacted, and the future of the Church negatively impacted, too. Well– another case of “Good-bye, Good Men,” as per the title of the tragic, but excellent book, by Michael Rose!
If they loved Christ they would keep His commandments. Abandonment to God through their fidelity to their priestly vows of obedience (etc) to Christ and His teachings should be demonstrably evident. Instead sadly they have fallen away – thus their words and deeds are a scandal which causes people to question if these men ever fully abandoned themselves to God… “Roberto” your indignation should not be directed at scandalized members of the Church – your incredulity would better be directed toward a bishop whose role as Teacher and Shepherd of his dioese is so painfully warped. It is a Work of Mercy to admonish the sinner and catechize the ignorant. But these men will tolerate no correction and neither are they ignorant of the faith…
CONTINUED: Thus they betray Christ snd their priestly vows and are held liable by the Lord who warned against being the cause of such scandal and the leading of “little ones” astray. May they repent and convert for the sake of their own soul and the souls of many. This is not a joke. People who know and value the Catholic faith see through the facade of the pomp and circumstance. If the fellow bishops and Jesuit brothers of such men are not exhorting them – (one hopes they are being exhorted to convert) would you prefer the stones cry out instead of a scandalized reader of this news article? Or is total silence preferred while these poor priests “award and honor” themselves into hell?
Thank you Linda Maria!
Thank you, Linda Maria, for stating so plainly the surreptitious nature of those who would “dance around” the clear, proclaimed teaching of the Magisterium!! Be bold and brave!
But if theology does not first and foremost strive to know and elucidate the veritas rei, God’s revealed truth itself, then pastoral theology has no leg to stand on. Pastoral theology without or insufficiently grounded in dogmatic theology is unhelpful at best and dangerously misleading at worst. Bishop McElroy and Pope Francis are prime examples of the dangers of touting a “pastoral” theology insufficiently grounded in the veritas rei. I don’t see Francis or McElroy calling anyone to conversion to anything except to secular progressivism.
It would seem that it is time once again to roll out this quote from the late great Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen:
“WHO IS GOING TO SAVE OUR CHURCH? NOT OUR BISHOPS, NOT OUR PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS. IT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE. YOU HAVE THE MINDS, THE EYES, THE EARS TO SAVE THE CHURCH. YOUR MISSION IS TO SEE THAT YOUR PRIESTS ACT LIKE PRIESTS, YOUR BISHOPS, LIKE BISHOPS, AND YOUR RELIGIOUS ACT LIKE RELIGIOUS.”
Pope Francis’ refusal to answer the famous dubia shows that he is not interested in the veritas rei, which is exactly what the dubia are intended to clarify: what is the truth of Catholic faith and doctrine, revealed by God, that provides the basis for Catholic pastoral theology and practice? Without clarity concerning the veritas rei, there can be no clarity nor unity in pastoral practice; hence the current contradictory interpretations and implementations of Amoris laetitia. And if the Pope isn’t interested in the truth, then God help the Church.
The silence of Pope Grancis in the face of the Dubai IS his answer. A weakening of the role of the Holy Father “to strengthen his brothers and stabilize the Church universal is occurring now through the assertion of another pastoral novelty called Decentslizatin. It provides the semblance of legitimizing autonomy by encouraging individual bishops vonferences to modify doctrine as they see fit. This breaks communio between the Church Universal and the Church Lical. Satan is the Father of lies. There is no legitimacy to a pastoral approach then denies Church doctrine and Trsdition. Satan also divides and conquers. It seems that Christus prophesy wherein He warned his disciples to be on the lookout for Satan who “desired to sift them ALL…
CONTINUED: like wheat is manifesting through their own pastoral novelties of the day. We must pray for them!
More hot air. As if the “commandments” of Christ which we find in the Doctrine of the Church is not based on the very “actions” of Christ (both of which are revealed in Sacred Scripture, solidified in Tradition and properly interpreted by Magisterium into the Deposit of the Faith)! So, if the premise of this bishop holds true – that this new and wonderfully robust pastoral theology “of Pope Francis rejects a notion of law which can be blind to the uniqueness of concrete human situations, human suffering and human limitation’ – how can he say it is based upon Christ’s witness in the Gospel when Christ himself said he came not to “abolish the law, but to fulfill it?” This is Modernism waxing the floor of the Faith to prepare for…
CONTINUED many souls to fall into hell. Does Bishop McElroy, (honorary degree holder from the august school of Cardinal Kasper) really think that upholding doctrine in a pastorally sensitive manner is not possible? Was it small minded and legalistic of Christ to be disappointed and expressive of his disappointment in the rich young man who could not part with his material wealth and follow the Lord as Peter and the other disciples had done? Was it rigid and legalistic when Christ, after effectively saving the woman found in adultery from being stoned to death, looked at her and commanded her to go and sin no more? Was Christ blind to “the uniqueness of concrete human situations, human suffering and human limitation” when he turned on…
CONTINUED Peter and said, “Get behind me satan”? That doesn’t sound very merciful or understanding, does it? The plan of those who put Bergolio into the office of Peter is very transparent at this point. What is also not being stated is that Bishop McElroy attributes this newness of theological development to the pontificate of Pope Francis when in fact McElroy has been peddling this tripe himself for years BEFORE Pope Francis was finagled into the Chair of Peter. Let’s be honest; McElroy as priest-secretary to his mentor Archbishop Quinn has followed in the embarrassingly tired footsteps of all the Modernists which for the last century have been infiltrating the Catholic Church through their lame, so-called “new, kinder and gentler,…
CONTINUED more merciful and Christ-like” pastoral approach which is NOTHING more than a thin grey-wash over obstinate betrayal of the Tradition and Magisterium of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith. We actually would feel sorry for these men if it wasn’t so tiresome and obnoxious. Well, go ahead and blow hard as usual. The Church will remain victorious and inviolate long after the honorary degrees and the paper they are written on are dust. We for our part will join in prayerful following of the greater wisdom of the Communion of Saints such as: Thomas Aquinas, Teresa of Avila, Mother Theresa and oh yeah, that guy you’d like to forget, St. Pope John Paul II the Great.
McElroy beats up on alleged rigid followers of the “law” as a distraction. What is really happening is an obliteration of the Church’s Doctrinei while he and others of his kind are remaking the Church in their own twisted image. It’s ultimately a power grab that the Modernists only think they will win. The prophesy of Benedict XVI will come to pass: the “Church of the future will be smaller, poorer and holier.” And it will not include these Modernist heretics, apostates, and wolves in sheep’s clothing! And by the way, does anyone else think that St. Ignatius of Loyola must be turning over in his grave? Lord save the Jesuit Order from its collective insanity!
Faithful and True ~ Where are we going to find faithful churches?
Where you find a faithful priest. Pope Benedict indicated the Remnant Church will be small – so you may have to search hard.
Pope Francis teaches us that theology must “attend to the concrete reality of human life and human suffering,”
Jesus taught us that human suffering is an opportunity for sacrifice and courage.
Bishop McElroy should not be a bishop, or even a priest.
There is no “pastoral theology” (which is just a new title, kind of like the “Order of bishops” in the new missal translations) which have no meaning except to create a formality to the nonsense being passed as legitimate religious practice today. And the muck and mire that B. McElroy and his ilk then use to fill this new concept is, well, not even Catholic.
And isn’t that their point — stop the belief and practices of the hated “Medieval Church” and go modern. Francis, among others, loves this model.
I think there is such a thing as pastoral theology: it is a practical theology that investigates how to assist people in leading lives of holiness. There is the truth itself, which is doctrine, and manners of applying that truth effectively in shepherding God’s people.
Consider baseball: there are the fixed rules of the game (doctrine) that must be known and taught, but there is also a need to develop coaching techniques (pastoral theology) that assist players in widely different circumstances in learning how to play the game well.
If a coach were to disregard the rules of baseball, his coaching would be worthless. Correct doctrine must ground wise pastoral theology and practice.
Sorry, “Sawyer,” but this is no different than the insanity of seeking to define “discipline” (versus “dogma” or “doctrine”) so that one might observe Catholicism in the breach, such as permitting communion to practicing homosexuals, adulterers and the like.
Theology is the study of God. The Church certainly as pastoral rules, but it is not “theology.” Titles are important to fools like B. McElroy. By calling something “theology,” an ambiguity is created, at least, when a phony “theology” conflicts with the real thing.
Based on your argument, I assume you would also dismiss moral theology because it does not study God; rather it studies human acts and their relation to God and to good and evil in the light of what God has revealed.
But of course you would affirm the validity of moral theology as theology.
Similarly, pastoral theology studies Church ministry and its relation to God and to spiritual growth and holiness in the light of what God has revealed.
Re what Christ did or said, what comes to my mind is the story of the woman caught in adultery. Did Chist tell her to go home, that she would be OK since she was in “a difficult situaton?”
No!
He old her “To go AND sin no more.”
There is a RADICAL difference between this and the statement offered by Bshp McElroy. His totaolly negates the efficacy of grace.
But, in current parlannce, “What is that, unh?”
Parishes are closing in the USA due to lack of attendees. The parishes that still have some folks have more grey haired people than young people. Priests do not talk about dogma or doctrine or sin or Catholic morality or sacrifice.
Most people get their theology now from the media pulpit. That’s where they get their values and they no longer need a church. To be truly Catholic and speak out is to be ostracized.
The theology of the past will not and has not worked in the present times. Pope Francis is on the right track in taking a more pastoral approach.
I believe Jeannie McCullough Stiles, in the Facebook responses, above– says the truth! Good for her! Sadly, not everyone has the courage, love, faith, and dedication, to truly follow Jesus!
Fred– there is no such thing as a lazy-style, un-dedicated, so-called “theology of the past.” To follow Our Lord takes a lot of personal work, study, prayer, courage, and dedication. It does not matter what era you live in, past or present— it takes hard work! Christ Himself will lead you to Salvation– but as He said, it is not an easy path!