Obedience and Responsible Freedom: An SMSC Hallmark

 This undertaking is inspired and enlightened by the event during the time of the Holocaust. Many people were imprisoned by Hitler, physically they were not free, but interiorly they were free because they stand for the truth. In regards to this idea, Cardinal Newman expresses a very relevant view. He postulates that ‘freedom’ can be seen in two steps or categories. He calls it freedom from and freedom for. Freedom from needs one has to empty oneself of the many small or great possessions that he has. Freedom from idols and attachments only results in aimless drift unless it clings into something. This clinging unto something is that ‘freedom for’. In a book about Pope Francis it is stated that “Be free people! … Freedom means being able to think about what we do, being able to assess what is good and what is bad, these are the types of conduct that lead to development… Always being free to choose goodness is demanding but it will make you into people with a backbone who can face life, people with courage.”[1]

In the seminary context, maybe one can say that his actions are curtailed. But the point here is that even if one’s action is curtailed, he willfully respond. This only mean that an external barrier cannot reach the interior freedom of a seminarian.  Like Jesus, he obediently obeyed the father to redeem the world. As a seminarian, one must also be obedient to the formation, with the external barriers, but he is actually free because his interior freedom can never be hindered. These things constitute the responsible freedom of Seminario Mayor de San Carlos.

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[1] Chris Lowney. Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads (Chicago: Loyola Press, 1983), 114.

The Influence of Neo-Scholasticism in my Faith

As we all know, Neo-Scholasticism is the development of the Scholasticism of the middle ages during the latter half of the nineteenth century in Roman Catholic theology and philosophy. The scholastic doctrine introduces us so many different teachings that is really useful for us in giving answers to the questions which is until now, still a question of many people. In my case, neo-scholasticism really influenced me in my faith. It was that scholastics who introduces some answers which I can say that not really a proof of God’s existence but scholastics made clear to us what and who is really our God. This enlightenment of the concept of the existence of God was made by the neo-scholastics easy to be understand by the people of the modern time. As I have understood about Neo-Scholastic, the Neo-Scholastics shared three major characteristics: first, their fidelity to Divine Revelation as interpreted by the teaching of the Church; second, their openness to rational speculation; and third, their reliance on the dialectical method, technical language, and theological insights of Medieval and Renaissance Scholasticism. In sum, Neo-Scholastic literature is marked by logical rigor and precision of expression, and manifests an abiding confidence in the supremacy of Faith, the capacity of reason, and the authority of the Church.

On the other hand, even though I’m influence by the scholastics but I would still be open to some other possibilities or ideas which is not being introduced by the Scholastics. I am not close to some ideas in this modern time which would also contribute to strengthen my faith and will give benefits to the church. As of now Neo-Scholasticism influence me in my understanding about my faith.

Credit Card

Sin is like a credit card, enjoy now pay later. -Fr. Dondon

Why do we keep sinning?  Again, the first answers tend to be the polished, churchy answers… “Because all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.”  “Because we’re evil.”  “Because the devil tempts us.”  The truth is… we sin because we want to.  We like sin.  Sin feels good.  When we are so stressed out that our head feels like it’s going to pop off our neck, our sin helps us to escape reality.  When doing the right thing seems to cost too much or doesn’t seem to be paying off, sin offers us the quick payoff.  We sin because we think it is the only thing that is going to hold us together.  Sin is our security blanket, our comfort.  It becomes the idol that we thought would provide for our needs.

You cannot serve both God and sin.  They are mutually exclusive.  Your sin will require that you get rid of God.  God requires that you get rid of sin.  I’m not talking about a religious, legalistic work of the flesh.  I’m talking about a lifestyle of repentance and loving the Lord Jesus Christ and handing our sins to Him while He touches our hearts and does a holy work in us to fulfil our deepest needs.

– Dan Hitz