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PDF versionA hopefully temporary hiatus for 'Essays in Theology'
by Dennis Coday on Feb. 27, 2012
Theologian Fr. Richard McBrien began writing a weekly newspaper column July 8, 1966, and he has been at it ever since. As near as I can tell, McBrien's first byline in NCR was in 1973. We began publishing his columns weekly online in 2008, and we saw an immediate jump in our website page views.
His column began seven months after the adjournment of the Second Vatican Council, and the purpose of it, McBrien said, was "to assist Catholics to appreciate the significance of the council and to apply its teachings to the life of the church in their parishes, dioceses and nations, and indeed to the universal church itself."
On the column's 45th anniversary last summer, McBrien wrote that the column "was, and still is, for me a form of ministry to Catholics who want and deserve a more serious and critical interpretation of their faith and of its public implications."
McBrien's writings have sometimes been controversial, and in recent years the number of diocesan papers that run his "Essays in Theology" has dwindled. I have found the columns full of common sense, as he brings to current events an appreciation for church history and a theologian's insight.
I have the sad task of informing you that McBrien's last column, "Preparing for a Year of Faith," will be his last for the foreseeable future. A couple of weeks back, McBrien's longtime administrative assistant at the University of Notre Dame, Donna Shearer, sent the following note: "Due to the recurrence of illness, Fr. McBrien has decided to discontinue his column for an indeterminate period of time. Thank you for your understanding at this difficult time."
I spoke with Donna and she says that McBrien is in the process of recovery -- some days are good, other days not so good. She asked us to keep him in our thoughts and prayers. I told her that I would do that and also pass that message on to readers.
Meanwhile, 45 years of columns are available online at richardmcbrien.com, and his most recent columns can be found at NCRonline.org/blogs/essays-in-theology.
We pray that Almighty God,
We pray that Almighty God, the Healer of bodies and souls, will strengthen and encourage Fr. McBrien in his body and soul during this time of illness. His insights will be missed and we hope that his baton will be passed on to another who may bring us his same insight, truth and wisdom.
Amen, amen, amen...
Amen, amen, amen...
Fr. McBrien, come back soon,
Fr. McBrien, come back soon, please. I'm praying.
MANY THANKS, RICHARD ........
MANY THANKS, RICHARD ........ Please get well soon. Your monumental efforts to try to bring truth to power will continue to keep us busy, while we hope and pray for your prompt return.
So sorry to hear of Fr. Mc
So sorry to hear of Fr. Mc Brien's health problems, but will pray for him in the days ahead. He is a voice of sanity in an often less than sane time.
His columns have always been
His columns have always been wise and sane in the midst of the ups and downs of Church discussions. May the good Lord heal him in body, mind and spirit. Peace...
Your thoughts echo the
Your thoughts echo the movements of my own heart. I will sorely miss his wisdom!
Fr. McBrien' s column was
Fr. McBrien' s column was dropped from out local paper a few years back. Now all we have are pretty mundane articles. Readership is also dropping so I am not sure what the paper accomplished. I have always missed his views and took NCR to make up for what has been lost. I am sad that he is ill and I wish him well very soon.
The paper accomplished what
The paper accomplished what it wanted to and that is to keep people from being thinking Vatican II Catholics. The heirachy is squashing everything that in their mind "reeks" of Vatican II. McBrien's column gave people the truth, the insight to be thinking Catholics. Since JPII that has not been acceptable to be a thinking Catholic. Unless the lay people start to stand up and take our Vatican II Church back we will be right back there in the Dark Ages with these backwards heirachs!
I pray and hope that Fr. McBrien's illness is healed and I pray for that for a selfish reason because he is like a light shining in the present darkness of the power and control of the heirarchs of the present day Catholic Church.
Prays for you Fr. McBrien....
You will be sadly missed, Fr.
You will be sadly missed, Fr. McBrien. You are remembered in my prayers, daily....
While we hope and pray for
While we hope and pray for Fr's health and a return to writing his column, in the meantime - although the columns are availalbe on-line - how about printing columns on still-applicable topics that the reader comments may continue?
Kevin
My week will be diminished
My week will be diminished because I will not have Father's comments to consider and reflect on. He has challenged me to think about my faith in a very serious way. And I will surely keep him in my thoughts and prayers.
Dear Lord, strengthen your
Dear Lord, strengthen your servant Richard so that he may continue to do Your work. Thank you for the years You have given him to us. We selfishly ask that it be Your will that we have have him for many more. We ask this this through Your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
At a time when the light of
At a time when the light of Vatican II seems to be be slowly dimming, one of its mightiest torch bearers, Fr. McBrien, will be missed all the more. Please recover quickly and completely, Fr. McBrien. We want you around. I am praying for you.
My prayers:Fr.McBrien get
My prayers:Fr.McBrien get well.
I do pray that Fr. McBrien gets well and resumes his weekly columns. In the meantime, I will miss his meaningful and great contribution to God's people.
Fr. McBrien: I wish and pray
Fr. McBrien: I wish and pray for your healing, but more so I pray you peace and strength of mind and soul. Your "ministry" has touched me, educated me and given me confidence in faith as well as resolve in my "quest'ions". Your words give me the courage to see that there is a place for me as "catholic".
As Dennis Coday notes, the diminishment of you column postings in diocesan papers is but a reminder of the need for your words and publications like NCR.
Fr. Richard's columns have
Fr. Richard's columns have been, like John XXIII 's vision for Vatican II, " a breath of fresh air"- so badly needed today.
I wish him a speedy recovery and peace of mind.
Paul
Thank you, I fully concur
Thank you, I fully concur with your brief but great message. I have been enjoying Richard McBrien's writing for many years and his "Catholicism" is a treasure, written from a wonderfully insightful historical perspective. I have Fr McBrien in my prayers each day.
I looked forward to Dick's
I looked forward to Dick's insightful thoughts. I wish for him to return but most of all I wish for him
to regain his health and to enjoy his latter years with the satisfaction that comes from a life well
lived. The great prophets of our age, many of whom appear in the pages of NCR are aging along
with readers like me. We pray for others to take their places. They are needed even more than ever
in this complex and challenging church and world.
You have said it for all of
You have said it for all of us, Tom. Being of his age bracket, ever since he conducted one of our diocesan retreats in the '60s I have followed his columns regularly. Unfortunately we are gradually losing the voices of sanity for Vat. II as the philistine upstarts try to return us to the world of Trent and worse. I wish him nothing but a fast return to good health and the blessing and strength of the Holy Spirit to be able to share more of his wisdom with us. Beannacht De, Richard!
What a tremendous legacy!
What a tremendous legacy!
Fr. McBrien, know that you
Fr. McBrien, know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. You bring much
sanity to our sometimes crazy world and church. Thanks for all you have done and still are!
Fr. McBrien's reflections are
Fr. McBrien's reflections are consistently wise, insightful, spiritually grounded and respectful. While I will miss his work, I'm glad that he's taking time to heal. May he know Christ's loving presence in a particular way during these days.
Thank you, Fr. McBrien for
Thank you, Fr. McBrien for your faith-filled sharing. We miss you and pray for your return.
A voice of wisdom is
A voice of wisdom is temporarily silent, but not "silenced" as has been the case of so many other voices. Thanks to you, Fr. McBrien, for being so faithful. I pray for your health.
Father O'Brien, Your column
Father O'Brien,
Your column has always been the first I read in NCR. Your breath of intelligence sparks this non-catholic reader to see a wider view of the church and Vatican II, to which the parish where I am a groupie is completely devoted. I pray for your recovery from your illness. I have lost a good friend, the likes of you, Dean Brackley, recently, and I cannot bear the thought of not knowing you are well and writing for us. Peace.
Father McBrien's articles
Father McBrien's articles have always been a lifebelt of hope amongst a raging sea of fools. Get well soon Father.
Father Richard, may the Lord
Father Richard, may the Lord give you a speedy recovery. Our prayers are with you so that, some day soon, you may return to us.
We will be praying for Fr.
We will be praying for Fr. McBrien, one of the glories of our Hartford Archdiocese. Even if he never writes another word, he has changed my life forever and for the better.
Many blessings, Fr. McBrien,
Many blessings, Fr. McBrien, during this difficult time.
We thank you for all these years of continued ministering and teaching us faith in the historical context of the Church.
Prayers for your well being.
Deep thanks for all your
Deep thanks for all your great work. High hopes and prayers for your health.
I'm devastated that Father
I'm devastated that Father McBrien's column has gone on indefinate hiatus. I started reading Essays in Theology when it debuted in the Catholic Transcript the newspaper of his own Archdiocese of Hartford. Ironically the Transcript no longer carries the column, so I boycott what was once a great paper.
Most important those writings have kept me in the Catholic Church. Over the years Fr. McBrien has become a personal friend and I call him my personal theologian. He's shown a deep spirituality and a profound sense of Catholic tradition. I will miss his insights and pray that the hiatus is truly temporary.There's so much more to write about.
I hope Whollyroaming's
I hope Whollyroaming's comment about Father McBrien "never writing again" was a typo. If I'm wrong, then let me say to Whollyroaming that such cruel words do violence to his messages and His messages as well.
Richard McBrien has been one
Richard McBrien has been one of the few voices out there that have kept me tethered to the word "Catholic," especially during times where I have wanted to just give up on the whole bloody institution. His column will be sorely missed.
Father, Be assurred of prayer
Father, Be assurred of prayer during this time when illness inhibits your ability to be present in this way. We can never know the affect we have on others as we minister daily. I can assure you that your articles have been a
great blessing in my life and have made all the difference. Bless you.
He has made us think; he has
He has made us think; he has made us work. He is a master teacher. His skepticism when called for has not been cynical, it has been hopeful, always rooted in the Truth that transcends rules, self interest, authority, popularity, or convenience. Be not afraid...to use the brain God gave you. Very selfishly, I want years and years more of his
wisdom and challenging. He is intellectually elite; he is not intellectually elitist. He has assured that the Golden Dome has not topped an ivory tower--indeed, the intellectual democratization of theology has been his greatest gift because that gift has made accessible ideas, views, works, and challenges long put off limits to so many. To paraphrase a cliche, he has comforted the critic and criticized the comfortable. Often at risk to his own comfort, to be sure. May he soon be healed as fully as he has healed others.
Richard, You are in my
Richard, You are in my prayers daily, dear brother priest.
Be well, Dick. We all love
Be well, Dick. We all love you.
Sanity and wisdom do describe
Sanity and wisdom do describe his writing. He has helped me "hold on" over the years since I discovered him here. Prayers go for him.
Richard McBrien, you were one
Richard McBrien, you were one of my lecturers at Boston College in the 70s. Your classes were always right on target, as are your articles. You are in my prayers.
thank you, Father
thank you, Father Richard....special prayers will be asked of
Mystery to take care of you....you have been a great spiritual
influence in my life and i have followed your insights to
Mystery's touches in our lives for many years....special email hug....dncrowley
I agree with all the comments
I agree with all the comments wishing Fr, Richard well and dn Crowley and I join in prayer for his well being and ability to write again.
I was ordained July 10 1966
I was ordained July 10 1966 and resigned from the ministry in 1974 in order to share my priesthood with the laity while keeping an active engagement with theology and finding fr Richard McBrien's writings always a guiding light along the way. Ad multos annos.
Dear Father, I hope and pray
Dear Father,
I hope and pray that you will get well, but meanwhile you could use the time to read what the Vatican II really said, and what the Popes are teaching all the time, and maybe you could even check and correct some of your past writings.
Our good Pope Benedict was one of the theologians of the Council, and he knows better then anybody else, what the Council decided and why. It would be wonderful if you could help everyone to discover the riches of his teachings. He is Peter, whose faith cannot fail, no one else.
Thank you in advance.
If you were to read what
If you were to read what Joseph Ratzinger wrote at the time of the council, and in the early years afterwards, you might find that the man who was there did "know" what it was about - Ratzinger's views being much more in accord with McBrien's than with Benedict's. Benedict disagrees with what Ratzinger understood. He did a 180 after the student riots in Germany. He got scared and decided "authoritarian" discipline and little freedom for thinking on the part the non-clergy was the way to go. He no longer could dare concede that THE church consists of 1 billion+ people and not a handful of men in Rome.
Dear anonymous and others,
Dear anonymous and others, don't you understand the difference between a theologian and the Pope?
The theologian does not have an independent authority on his own, and cannot teach on his own; he can teach validly only with the mandate of his bishop and under his guidance.
The teaching authority, by the special grace of the Holy Spirit in the ordination, belongs to the Apostles and their successors, the bishops, always in union with Peter.
And among the apostles, only to Peter the Lord said: "Peter, I have prayed for you that YOUR faith never fail. And you confirm your brothers." Therefore the infalibility... If a bishop said anything different from Peter, it cannot be true, and it is up to Peter to correct him.
This is our Catholic faith we are proud to profess.
If I mention Fr. Ratzinger at the Council, it is only to make clear that he does not know about the Vatican II from the New York Times or NCR reports. But it still does not give him any authority to teach. That authority comes with the bishop's ordination, and then in a new degree, when he became the successor of Peter. He, and nobody else, has that garantie of infallibility.
The mission of the theologians is to explain, make accessible the teaching of the Apostles without changing one iota. Period.
Talk about close minded -
Talk about close minded - cannot you see that Ratz did a turnaround - some say - because he had his mind set on ascendency to be Pope? That is not my judgment call, but both JPII and Benedict are trying to return us to the pre-Vatican days of pray, pay and obey (disengaging from using one's mind but only one's obedience to the authority of
Rome - which by the way - never has declared all of its teachings to be infallible - and many question the use of infallible to this day). Certainly priesthood questions and birth control issues are not infallible teachings. VII wanted to open the doors to the workings of the spirit in all people - gasp - even those not of the Catholic faith. But the curia took control once again to attempt to bring us back to pre VII days. Get over it - it ain't gonna happen.
It looks to me that St.Paul
It looks to me that St.Paul flunked your test of being in communion with the Pope when he publicly challenged St. Peter over the issue of circumcizing Gentile converts to Christianity.
... and for those who think
... and for those who think that Pope John XXIII wanted to change everything, just read his Opening address at the Vatican II:
"Twenty-first Ecumenical Council will draw the effective and important wealth of juridical, liturgical, apostolic, and administrative experiences, wishes to transmit the doctrine, pure and integral, without any attenuation or distortion, which throughout twenty centuries, notwithstanding difficulties and contrasts, has become the common patrimony of men. It is a patrimony not well received by all, but always a rich treasure available to men of good will.
Our duty is not only to guard this precious treasure, as if we were concerned only with antiquity, but to dedicate ourselves with an earnest will and without fear to that work which our era demands of us, pursuing thus the path which the Church has followed for twenty centuries."
And the good Pope John calls for "the renewed, serene, and tranquil adherence to all the teaching of the Church in its entirety and preciseness, as it still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent and First Vatican Council."
So let us separate legends from the truth.
Then you should tell the
Then you should tell the whole truth, not just a selective edition. You omit entirely Vatican II's reaffirmation of the role of the laity in the life of the Church: it is a REaffirmation, not a new development, but one that is consistently lost in the clerical structure of the Church as an organization. Even Pope Pius XI recognized this, when (in an address to a group of Canadian seminary students shortly before he died in 1939), he stated "The Church, the mystical Body of Christ, has become a monstrosity. The head is very large, but the body is shrunken. You, the priests, must rebuild that body of the Church and the only way that you can rebuild it is to mobilize the lay people." That gave rise to Blessed Pope John XXIII specific instruction to the Council he called to illuminate the proper role of the laity to equal standing - though different - along with all others who compose the Mystical Body of Christ. You appear to make the common mistake of most rigidly orthodox Catholic priests (and lay persons) that they do not understand the flip side of the coin to VII, Bl. JXXIII's open address, or Lumen Gentium, or Apostolicam Actuositatem, and so on. What it all means is that while you, Fr. Francisco, are correct in noting that Vatican II did not "replace" anything the Church has held as doctrine prior to that time, it did, very clearly and emphatically, open the "windows" to re-examination of it all to assist the Church in finding a better place in the modern world, which he (JXXIII) and previous popes had recongnized as the real source of rebuilding the Church. So, in the end, the Church was not intended to simply remain the same as it was prior to VII. Like it or not, Vatican II was indeed an agent of change, despite as Bl. Pope John XXIII admonished, in the Opening Speech to the Council, referring to those opposed to the work of the Council even before it has begun, "They behave as though at the time of former Councils everything was a full triumph for the Christian idea and life and for proper religious liberty." Vatican II indeed taught us different.
agreed, OHThor. And thanks
agreed, OHThor. And thanks for your cogent thoughts. Francisco is way off the mark in several areas. Specious is the word that comes to mind, presenting history like a piece of swiss cheese. Francisco's version has many holes, apparently thinking this somehow supports what's left of his cheese. It doesnt. Never will there be able debate to present only part and leave out the other truths. Sad form of what passes for debate by some. Homiletics courses come to mind as often being far more rigorous a form of actually thinking rather than opining ...
Is it not true that the curia
Is it not true that the curia set up the agenda for the council and John said "no" that was not what he wanted. Just the same old pablum. So we let some fresh air in and now we are closing the windows. Trent was a council to fix things and Vat 2 was a council to bring us up to date. The creed did not change so what is the problem? We are now allowed to think.
Yes, Ratzinger was at the
Yes, Ratzinger was at the Council as a much younger man, and his words and writings of the time reflected his much different theological perspective from those days. Fr. Ratzinger was (past tense) a true progressive before certain secular events in his teaching world and shifting Vatican politics took their toll. The Ratzinger/Benedict of more recent decades is a reflection of a man caught in the fear-driven political tides known as the "reform of the reform". The current pope is almost unrecognizable as the same theologian who was present at the Second Vatican Council and wrote extensively about it. Occasionally the former theologian peeks out of the shadows, only to quickly have the curial powers-that-presently-be quickly do re-phrase damage control of their puppet pope. It was/is sad to behold what happened to this formerly expansive theological mind and good man lost in a political bureaucracy over the past decades.
.
The historical record of Vatican politics and centuries of infighting curial power-brokers is anything but "holy". One who thinks otherwise would have to believe that the Holy Spirit of God is little more than a mischievous, capricious poltergeist. The real miracle is that individual faith survives in spite of the very fallibly human machinations and power struggles within the Vatican State. Collectively, it looks more like Simon Peter on his worst day.
.
Fr. McBrien has been a prophetic voice through it all, ...and a prophet's reward at the hands of powerful establishment religion and its politics has never been pleasant. Even the Lord of the Church bemoaned this spiritual blindness in high religious places and wept over it as he approached the cross. Less than a century later the glorious and self-satisfied religious structure lay in ruins... which should be a warning to presumptuous clericalism and Vatican hierarchies wrapped in their veneer of satin, ermine and lavish ceremonial. Yes, presumption. Almighty God is not hamstrung by religious traditions and misused covenants.
.
My prayer intentions are with Fr. McBrien for his physical healing and spiritual strength in this difficult time.
.
one cannot help but notice
one cannot help but notice that Franc could cite no specific passage for re-reformation from the extensive and valuable and reliable and faithful writings which have come through the pen and keyboard of this Reverend Father Richard P. McBrien, this faithful priest of the Hartford Archdiocese.
My prayers and appreciation
My prayers and appreciation for Fr. McBrien as well.
AileenUSA - well, said! Can I borrow this?
"The historical record of Vatican politics and centuries of infighting curial power-brokers is anything but "holy". One who thinks otherwise would have to believe that the Holy Spirit of God is little more than a mischievous, capricious poltergeist. The real miracle is that individual faith survives in spite of the very fallibly human machinations and power struggles within the Vatican State. Collectively, it looks more like Simon Peter on his worst day."
LJK wrote: "Can I borrow
LJK wrote: "Can I borrow this?"
.
Help yourself! :)
.
Dear Fr.Francisco: when one
Dear Fr.Francisco: when one opens a window in a stale room to the fresh air, the freshness is not lost, unless the window is closed. Notwithstanding the inappropriateness of your sarcasm, your presumed erudition would suggest that you understood that a new language, a change of heart, a return to subriety is not defined by its limitations, its first faltering. They are all works in progress.
You don't seem to understand that. You prefer to define that Council by the remnants of staleness - that seem to be imbedded in your soul - rather than by
the continuation of freshnenss, the Spirit, that Fr. McBrien seems to represent.
I wish him well. For his
I wish him well. For his health, and the health of the Church, perhaps he should retire back to Hartford.
Fr. McBrien: Thank you very
Fr. McBrien:
Thank you very much for the insights and convictions you have shared with us over the years. Yours was a beacon that helped us see the truth of our tradition more clearly.
I have heard you personnally on a few occasions. These are treasured.
As I try to understand the words of our bishops and other Church leaders, I am convinced that we are missing out on significant part of what the Church is and can be. I feel that the openness we experienced in Vatican II is slowly slipping through our grasp.
Thank you, Fr. McBrien, for walking with us during the those 45 years after the council. It was a great journey.
Rev. Richard L. Allen
Retired: Diocese of Green Bay, WI
why the past tense?
why the past tense?
we each pray as one for the
we each pray as one for the recovery of this great Rock of our Church, this fortress of wisdom and of faith, and may take this Lenten time of reflection and repentance under the guidance of his massive body of blessed writings past, with our most sincere and greatest gratitude for all he has done for our pilgriming Church.
Euge serve bone, et fidelis, quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituam, intra in gaudium domini tui. Matt 25:21
Charles, I quite agree.
Charles, I quite agree. Father McBrien is a good and faithful servant.Ipray that he be given many more years of good and faithful service. Ad multos annos,Richarde.
the concerned and faithful
the concerned and faithful reader, often irascible, begging for this and for all things forgiveness within this Lenten season, cannot help but note, with concern, the Reverend Sister Joan Chittister OSB's last published column bears the dateline of the last Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Dear Fr. McBrien, may angels
Dear Fr. McBrien, may angels of healing surround and lift you up to restored health. Come back to us soon, we need you!!!!
I pray for your recovery.I
I pray for your recovery.I have always looked forward to your insights,especially now as the church appears to be going backward. "reform the reform?" At this time your health is most important. Peace.
Dear Fr. McBrien: Thank you.
Dear Fr. McBrien:
Thank you. God be praised for giving you to us.
I wish all the best for a
I wish all the best for a quick recovery for Fr. McBrien. So very sorry to hear he's not well. He has been such an example of faith, courage, and scholarly integrity.
We love ya, Dick -- rest up and get well soon.
Sad news. Shall pray for his
Sad news. Shall pray for his full recovery. He's an inspiration on this side of the pond too! Thank you, Father,for 45 years of exposing the truth of what was going on in the Church.
I wish all the best for a
I wish all the best for a quick recovery for Fr. McBrien. So very sorry to hear he's not well. He has been such an example of faith, courage, and scholarly integrity.
We love ya, Dick -- rest up and get well soon.
Thank you, I was wondering
Thank you, I was wondering what was amiss as I would always open FR. Richards
space first. All we can offer is our prayers for his well being, and hope for his return to us. To Fr. Francisco I would recommend a review of Joseph Ratzingers writingss around the time of Vatican II. He was then like his
friend Hans Kung a very liberal soul. I am at a loss as to how people so liberal can turn the opposite. One of my treasured books is by Michael Novak,
A Time to Build {Macmillan}, and he too went over the top the other way. Neither person has published any recanting of their original works? Father
Richard has been so consistent in his work and in his hope for the future of
our Church. Without hope it can all be so cold and a dampening of the spirit.
Please check my comment at Tom Gallagher The Odyssey continues from Priests for Life::: It sounds like a tribute to Father Richard.
By their Fruits...
TomC
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