Prophetic Pope Paul VI, a Champion of Human Life, Now Venerable

By F.K. Bartels
12/23/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Many of his predictions of cultural decline have come to pass

'Servant of God Paul VI, Giovanni Battista Montini, Italian, Supreme Pontiff (1897-1978). This is the beginning of the long awaited path to his possible canonization.' The champion of human life, prophetic Pope Paul VI, is now called Venerable.

Venerable Pope Paul VI

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GLADE PARK, CO (Catholic Online) -- On Wednesday, December 20, 2012, during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorized the Congregation to promulgate a number of decrees. Among them this one, "Servant of God Paul VI, Giovanni Battista Montini, Italian, Supreme Pontiff (1897-1978)." This is the beginning of the long awaited path to his possible canonization. The champion of human life, prophetic Pope Paul VI is now called Venerable.

Pope Paul VI's Humanae Vitae, promulgated three years after the close of the Second Vatican Council, rapidly became at the time of its release the most intensely mocked and reviled Church document in centuries, perhaps amassing more derision than any other solemn teaching of the Church in the entire history of Christendom. To this day, many Catholic proponents of Pope Paul's teaching hesitate to mention Humanae Vitae to those who grew up in the 60s and 70s for fear of the averse reactions which not infrequently follow.

On the other hand, Catholics who broach the subject of Humanae Vitae with those whose birthdate allowed them to be spared the brunt of the 60s sexual revolution and acute-suspicion-of-authority influence, experience a different reaction: Paul VIs encyclical is often not part of their vocabulary because they have never heard of it. So the first step is to invite them to read it.

The situation with these Catholics, especially those who are approximately thirty years of age and younger, is both interesting and encouraging: once they are properly catechized on the theology of the human body and the spiritual language it speaks, along with the consequences of making a lie of one's body during the marital act through the use of artificial birth control, treating fertility as if it is a disease, objectifying one's spouse and refusing to be open to life, they very quickly recognize the profound worth of Pope Paul's teaching. And not only that; as a result they often develop a deep and lasting appreciation for the Church. They begin to see that the Church is our mother who desires to take us into her womb and, by nourishing her children with the words of truth and the sacraments of life, raise us to new and eternal life in Christ.

These Catholics, then, come to recognize that the teaching of the Church is about eternal salvation; it's about realizing the gift of unending, perfect happiness; it's about concern for the whole and complete truth of the human person and the relationships which follow; It's about building a better world; it's about understanding and actualizing true human freedom -- just as is Humanae Vitae.

Once the light about the Church's true nature penetrates the soul, which is a gift of the Spirit, a refreshing vision of the Bride of Christ is unveiled before one's eyes with astonishing clarity. No longer is the Church viewed through an hermeneutic of suspicion, but rather she becomes a "holy temple" and "dwelling place of God among men" (LG 6 � 4; Rev. 21:3), who is the "kingdom of Christ now present in mystery" (LG 3). Transformed by the Spirit, who reveals Christ and his Church in full and penetrating light, the eyes of the soul are opened to the true nature of the Church as the "spotless spouse of the spotless Lamb" (LG 6 � 5; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17). Praise God!

But if Humanae Vitae's release had occurred a mere fifty years earlier, when the American populace's views on sexuality, marriage and children were net yet so tainted, things would have been different. The dissenting cry of the 60s and 70s would likely have been replaced with approbation, since both Catholics and Protestants frowned on the use of mechanical devises and dangerous chemicals before, during and after sex in an attempt to frustrate procreation.

The fact is, Christendom was in general agreement on the sinfulness of contraceptives up until the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops in 1930. While the conference strongly condemned the use "of any methods of conception control from motives of selfishness, luxury, or mere convenience," emphasizing abstinence as the primary method to avoid parenthood, "in those cases where there is such a clearly felt moral obligation to limit or avoid" the generation of children, the Anglican bishops deemed that "other methods may be used." That of course opened the door. Once the birth control pill was legalized in 1960, it became the "other method." Obviously, it was not only Protestants who began to embrace the use of hormonal contraceptives, but many Catholics as well -- although the Church has never approved of man's attempts at ...

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1 - 4 of 4 Comments

DLL
5 months ago
Michael: these Popes have been a voice of reason in a time when much is simply unreasonable. We live in a world confirmed in sin,as the culture of death seems a path many walk in today. These Popes are unique to the times we live in. Even before I became a Catholic I knew that. Scandal can rock an institution like the Catholic Church but the Pope must stand firm as the Vicar of Christ. Popes Paul,John Paul 2,Benedict 16 certainly have. They have acted as a saint should,as defenders of the Faith. In truth canonized or not all Catholics goal is to be a saint. If we live our lives as Catholics and do not become Saints to a large degree we have missed the boat. The job of any good Pope is to pave the way to Sainthood and the Faithful are meant to follow along the clearly paved way.
michael
5 months ago
Yes, it must be admitted that Pope Paul VI, held strong on the natural law and Church teaching regarding marriage, the marital act, and regulation of births. But it is strange that we feel the need to declare him venerable or to pursue his beatification during the Year of Faith. Over the past 450 years, only one pope has been canonized, namely, Pope
St. Pius X. And yet, over the last decade alone we have seen the beatification of John XXIII and John Paul II, soon to be followed by Paul VI and even, I have heard, John Paul I. What is this fascination with beatifying so many connected with the Second Vatican Council? It's almost as if there is an agenda in place to verify this latest council by surrounding it with various beati!

It is sad that the canonization process seems to have become politicized, by enlarge. The Church ordinarily used to wait for at least a generation before moving on such a process allowing a generation to pass or more. The idea of a subito...immediate recognition...is supposed to be very, very rare so that enthusiasm does not cloud proper investigation. There is no longer the devil's advocate as part of the process. The number of miracles has been lessened with only one needed for beatification. And the miracles that they are using are not so obvious nor spectacular. Pope Paul VI's "miracle" is supposedly a baby cured in the womb. But such a claim is so difficult to actually observe. Many babies have been diagnosed in the womb with various difficulties and yet they have been born as healthy children. I must admit that I am very concerned about the "miracle" used to beatify Pope John Paul II since Parkinson's Disease is still so mysterious and difficult to diagnose or to claim a cure. What if that person ends up getting it again. It could prove to be a scandal.

It is time to slow down on these processes especially in the case of Pope Paul VI. Humanae Vitae was a good document that simply repeated what the Church has always taught. It was very late in coming and was not followed by proper catechesis. In fact, it was the last encyclical Paul VI wrote. He radically changed the Holy Mass and the Sacraments and rituals which Vatican II did not require nor desire. And as has been officially reported, Paul VI, while working under Pius XII and John XXIII did embrace the spirit of Ostpolitik reaching out to the Communists too much. Unfortunately, this led to the revealing of some names of Catholic priests in the USSR and Soviet bloc countries which caused their arrest and persecution.

Beatifications and especially canonizations are often a call of the People of God. Yet many, many, traditional Catholics would be utterly scandalized if such moves were made. John Paul II's beatification was not greeted well by traditional Catholics. His actions at Assisi '86 alone should have eliminated any hopes of his recognition. The amount of scandals under his pontificate as well, including the Vatican Bank and the horrors of the abuse scandals, especially his unwillingness to deal with the founder of the Legionaries of Christ are also factors that should have delayed any process. Finally, more Catholics have left the Church in the west in the pontificates of Paul VI and John Paul II than any other age and all other ages combined. We have not seen a new springtime but a winter of unbelief.
DLL
5 months ago
This is the Pope that rocked the whole Church and brought it back to truth. He paved the way for John Paul 2 and Poe Benedict. The new evangelization has its formation because of the wonderful and unpopular Pope who was not afraid to tell the truth. It was not just what Catholics were supposed to believe,it was the truth. The misery of the day is that this Pope was ignored,dismissed by the culture of death. Pope Paul was a great humanitarian,a wonderful man of God.
Clinton
5 months ago
"...a fully human life of happiness." Yes! Just as Jesus Christ is fully Man -- Man in all his fullness -- we must follow His Way of obedience to the will of the Father in all things, including sexual practice, if we are to properly respond to the vocation to become fully human.

Thank you for a wonderful article, Mr. Bartels. A blessed Christmas to you!

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