Still interpreting after all these years

Well, as promised, I will be posting summaries of some of the sessions I attended at the RE Congress this year, with some reflections of my own. I will be taking them in no particular order, and it may take some days to get through them all.

My Saturday morning session was Reading Them Again for the First Time: The Documents of Vatican II Today with Dr. Edward Hahnenberg from Xavier University in Cincinnati. He got a laugh from the hundred or so people there by pointing out that the title of the session might be more accurate if you left one word out -- again. Our task is to reclaim these documents for ourselves, documents that are largely unread by many Catholics, including people in ministry. We all tend to have read some particular passages, usually because they support some position we already hold. These are the most important texts produced by the Catholic Church in the past four centuries or so, and we need to know them as they really are.

Hahnenberg's basic point is "the spirit is in the letter", meaning that we have to learn how to read and understand the documents fully -- we need what is known as a hermeneutic -- a systematic approach to interpreting and understanding the work of the Council through these texts.

In constructing a hermeneutic of the Vatican II documents, Hahnenberg cited a favorite book of mine, Ormond Rush's Still Interpreting Vatican II: Some Hermeneutical Principles, defining three complementary approaches for interpretation:

• of the readers (or "that was then, this is now"
• of the writers (or "what were they thinking?")
• and of the texts (or "how they say what they say").

There is no way in this space to do full justice either to everything either Hahnenberg or Rush is saying on this, but there are a few points I want to touch on.

Concerning readers, an important factor to remember in this is that many people not only have little if any memory of the Church before Vatican II, they have little memory of the Council itself or its immediate aftermath -- the post Vatican II church is the Catholic Church they know. Instead of comparing the Church before and after the Council, a comparison that may not be that relevant to some readers today, we might better compare the changes between the Council and our own time. For example, one important issue to examine is the nature of Catholic identity in a postmodern world, something we seem to have trouble with.

A hermeneutic of the writers involves trying to understand just what the council fathers were intending, based on the text, their own writings about the texts, and the history of the Council. Hahnenberg asserts that, just like any other historical text, these texts have to be examined from historical-critical point of view. He is concerned that specific texts are used ahistorically. (One of the better examples he gave concerned the famous chapter 31 of Lumen Gentium defining the laity, and how it should be interpreted. This post got delayed days as I worked that part up, so I split it off into a separate post which will go up in a couple of days.) Part of that is examining the "theological trajectory" of the Council, how certain topics became more important as the Council progressed, with a development of how the issues were handled from one document to another. (Most of the apparent differences between some of the documents, often referred to as the "tensions" between the documents, can be ascribed to this kind of trajectory.) The role of bishops is a good example of such development over the four years; the relationship with the world set out in the constitution Gaudium et Spes is another.

Examining the texts means we have to look at how something was said as well as what was said. A common complaint about these documents is that they are long and boring. The style of these documents is different from that of earlier councils -- a briefer and more legalistic style was more common. Hahnenberg said that a better way is to look at the style is to see that it is not so much long as it is invitational (his term) and not so much boring as intended to seek and support consensus. They are invitational in that they are constructed to, in a sense, start from the beginning and lead the reader step by step through the issues, ideas, and conclusions made by the council fathers. This is a style that has been continued in most papal documents since the Council, in particular, those of John Paul II. The Council fathers were also trying to seek consensus in drafting these works, which means that they often try to include some treatment of differing perspectives in some way, adding to the length and complexity. However, this effort succeeded -- most of the documents received nearly unanimous approval from the Council fathers.

Possibly the most notable occurrence at this session occurred after I left. I skipped the audience questions session to cut out for the vendor area. I picked up a copy of Hahneman's new book A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II in time to meet him in the author's signing area. At the line for Hahnenberg, someone was already waiting for him to arrive for book signings; we talked about how much we liked the session, and this other person said that (apparently) right after I left a Canadian bishop came up to the audience mike and praised Hahnenberg's approach. The bishop stated that he had attended the Council, and that Hahnenberg was presenting the Council as he remembered it. (I am not sure who this was, but I suspect it might have been this bishop.) To say the least, Hahnenberg was glowing when he arrived for the signings.

More on this, with some discussion of the book, in a future post.

Last day at Congress

I did get back to my room much earlier last night -- I came back after Mass around 7 and just kicked back with a movie then got to bed relatively early (at least compared to the night before). I'm heading home up I-5 later today, and with any luck across LA I should be able to beat the 7 hours it took to get down here Thursday.

I have lots to post about, but little time at this point. Good sessions on the Vatican II documents and adult faith formation, both of which will get their own posts. One note now on the Mass last night. As has become my custom, I attended the contemplative Mass at the Hilton last night, with Fr. Liam Lawton celebrating and Fr. Cyprian Consiglio leading the music. It was sublime, one of the better worship experiences I have ever had. The best sign of that (that can be posted) is simple: There were easily 2,500 there (maybe more) and not one person left early.

To give you perspective, Congress is so large that it can be difficult to find a place to have dinner after Mass, especially on Saturday night. If you have a reservation, you make sure you get there on time, or go hungry. At that Mass last night, nobody cared about dinner or their schedules. This included the ten minutes of silent meditation after communion -- a room that large with that many people holding complete silence has its own sound.

Friday

Sorry about this brief post, but it was a late night last night, and I need to get to Congress early this morning. Good sessions yesterday, especially from Juan Melendez, who spent 17 years on Florida's death row before being exonerated, and an excellent presentation on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults from Dr. Tom Beaudoin of Santa Clara. I'll be posting some links and a summary of the session on the USCCA later. The African-American Mass last night was excellent, as usual, with Fr. J-Glenn Murray celbrating. The Taize prayer session was OK, but I really could have used the extra sleep. I may skip the night prayer session tonight.

Otherwise, no big happenings or news so far -- the bankruptcy filing for the Diocese of San Diego is still the big story around here. Today the schedule includes a review of the documents of Vatican II, adult spirituality, and praying the hours. More later.

On the scene

Well, I made it.

It was not the worst drive ever, but it had its moments. The last couple of times I made it to Congress it was via New Camaldoli. This was the first time in years that I drove to Anaheim straight from Merced and making it across LA on I-5 has not improved at all.

After checking in I kicked back for an hour or so to recover from the ride, then went over to the Convention Center to pick up my program book and save time tomorrow morning. I'm going to need that time as most of my sessions this year are all over the place, usually all the way over by the intersection of Harbor and Convention Way. Tomorrow morning may be the best shot I get to check out some of the vendors.

My first session tomorrow is about the National Directory of Catechesis and adult education, followed by sessions on capital punishment and the new Adult Catechism. After that is Mass (I am not sure which one) followed by meeting someone for dinner, then a Taize prayer session late tomorrow evening. Busy day, which is normal at Congress. I'll report back tomorrow evening, unless I get a chance to post tomorrow.

So, where are things now?

I will be surfacing over the next few days to do my annual posts from and about the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress (generally known as LA RE Congress, or just Anaheim). I didn't make it last year due to work conflicts, but I'm back this time.

Which brings up an interesting point. The reason for my availablility is that I am between jobs at the moment, to put it simply. Up until last October I was the database administrator for a large food processor -- we decided to part ways amicably by mutual agreement. (They are a good bunch and treated me rather well on the way out.) I have done some limited job hunting since then, and gotten a lot of rest, which I needed. Once again, I burned out. Lots of healing going on around here, which involves sleeping regularly and doing a lot of the cooking.

I have been rather busy though. The moment I realized that my last gig was ending, it was clear that just sitting about would not work. My work with adult education in our parish had already led to my taking a leadership role there, and I had proposed an interesting project at the detention facility that I volunteer at. (Maybe more about that at another time, but maybe not. Security and privacy issues combine in interesting ways.) Also, we have been rather blessed with a good financial situation currently, so panic has not set in yet. There have been nibbles from recruiters but no offers as yet.

Which brings me to the interesting part of heading to RE Congress. I have not been in much doubt for the past year or two that God is pulling me into more and more substantial ministry. Things are now becoming a bit clearer as to what that work might be. It appears that I have completed the diocesan requirements for Master Catechist and am working on the documentation for that. I don't do kids -- I have no talent for working with children. It appears from some recent experience that adult catechesis is part of the picture, as well as detention ministry work. What we are praying about now is whether this is the time to move in that direction full time. It will put a rather different spin on Congress this time.

More later.

Surviving Anaheim

I've got some traveling to do next week.  I have been attending the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in Anahiem on and off for the past decade (this will be the fourth year in a row).  As I did last year, i will be making a week of it, speinding the early portion of next week on retreat at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, then driving down the coast to Anaheim on Thursday.  (My posts from last year are here, here and here.)

If you are not familiar with it already, the RE Congress is probably the largest regularly scheduled gathering of Catholics in North America.  It is held at the Anaheim Convention Center across the street from Disneyland.  Thursday is Youth Day, which attracts around 15,000 high school age kids, and Friday through Sunday is the Congress itself which is attended by anywhere from 15 to 20 thousand teachers, catechists, musicians and other Catholics in ministry from all over the country.  There are dozens of conference sessions each day with Masses and other events in the evenings.  Some of my closest friendships in the Church began over dinner at Congress.  This year several members of our New Wine group are going for the first time, so in collaboration with others, I put together a Dozen Handy Tips for Surviving Anaheim.

1. Dress for comfort – there is nothing formal about RE Congress. Good shoes and socks are a must. Think of it as going on a day hike with ten thousand of your closest friends.
   
2. Get there the night before (Thursday) – and if possible the afternoon before. Try to avoid crossing downtown LA between 3 and 7 pm. Driving time from Merced is about 5 and a half hours – and that is if things go just right without stops.
   
3. Remember to take your entire registration packet (just leave things in the envelope). Get there Thursday evening between 7 and 8:30 or early Friday to avoid lines when picking up your book and nametag holder. Once you have your book, keep track of it as it has most of the information you need, and the text of the Arena liturgies. Stick your tickets behind your nametag holder so you will have them when you need them.
   
4. Bring a pack or something you are comfortable lugging all day – a shoulder strap to take the weight can be a life saver. There are no lockers, coat or bag check.
   
5. Pack a lunch – especially if you have (as I do) special dietary needs. You can save money, time, and aggravation by bringing your own lunch with you each day. There are food vendors around, and both the supply and quality improves each year, but the prices don’t. And you avoid the lines.
   
6. Take everything you need and nothing else. Pack that lunch, a small bottle of water (there is ice water in each conference room), medicines and anything else you need to have during the day. Don’t plan to return to your room unless your hotel is very close indeed. Leave room for your jacket or sweater( as it can get warm in some areas) and, of course, room for any purchases you plan to make. Also, some conference sessions and all liturgies tend to be crowded, so you don’t want too much stuff in the way – it may all end up on your lap.
   
7. Lose the car. Either walk from your hotel or take the Disney shuttle ($3 per day – check with your hotel) – parking at the convention center is $8 per day and can be a hassle.
   
8. Shop early – Get your serious shopping and buying done on Friday – Saturday is a zoo in the vendor’s area and many are either bought out or have closed on Sunday.
   
9. Plan ahead for evening Mass and dinner. Know where and when you will meet the other members of your group.
   
10. Chill out. Find out where the Sacrament chapel or some other peaceful corner and make sure to get some quiet time in by yourself or with a small group of friends. And don’t feel like you have to go to everything – sometimes it’s better just to kick back and buy the tape later. Don’t forget that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered as well and sometimes there is nothing like confession to a priest you don’t know. The Chapel and Reconciliation are located next to each other on the second floor of the Convention Center.
    
11. The Arena sessions are always open. Remember, you can always hang out at or near the Arena sessions (English – Main Arena, Spanish – Hall B), which can be a good place to meet up as well.
    
12. Go where everyone else is not going – There is a “main drag” in the Convention Center from the Arena, through the vendor area in Hall A, past the main Hispanic workshop in Hall B to the first escalator in the main lobby of the newer portion of the Convention Center. Most of the workshops are in the second and third floors of this area. Most people just stay on this one beaten path and use the first escalator they come to – and the worst crowd scenes of Congress result. Sometimes it is easier just to walk around the outside of the center (there is a very nice walkway between the Hilton and the Convention Center just for this) and when you get to the lobby, go to the far end where there is another elevator that is not nearly as crowded. If you have mobility problems, there are elevators just for you..

Have fun, take it easy, and give the Holy Spirit some room to work in!

We'll see how things go. I've known some people to try to criticze Congress on a number of levels. Over the past decade I've seen the RadTrads and Call to Action take turns picketing it -- which sounds about right. Anyone else going to Congress out there?