Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa has encouraged staff and students of Te Kupenga- Catholic Theological College to continue strengthening faith through education as a means to defeat secularism.
The nuncio met with the college’s staff and students on August 19, and presided over a college Mass, which celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.
“We should never forget to focus our heart and mind on our vocation to holiness – a vocation inviting us to willingly and sincerely avoid sin and avoid all the ideologies that, today more than ever before, are leading our society to justify what is wrong and to demonise what is right,” Archbishop Rugambwa said in his homily.
“Let us abide ourselves to what the Church believes and teaches, and lead others to do the same.”
In his homily, Archbishop Rugambwa reminded those associated with the college, its lecturers and staff, as well as its students, that having the Blessed Virgin Mary assumed into heaven as its patron saint is an invitation “to find in Mary, an example of the life of faith and of discipleship”.
“But it is not enough to acknowledge that Mary is a model of the Christian life! We are invited to learn from her, to make this college a centre or rather a school where Mary can be imitated,” he said.
The nuncio highlighted three points that the college under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary assumed into heaven should always consider.
The first point, he said, is that the body is called to holiness.
“Our bodies are not toys for entertainment; they are not work-instruments; they are not what some philosophers (like Plato) used to consider as prisons of the soul,” the archbishop said. “If my body or your body is not living in holiness, it is certainly contradicting God’s plan. What we do with our bodies matters and affects our friendship and adherence to God. Our bodies are called to holiness.”
The nuncio said that the second point is to keep in mind that “sin delays the fulfilment of God’s plan for us”.
“Mary’s glorification did not and could not wait because there was no sin in her. So, after her death, she was taken to heaven,” he pointed out.
The third, said Archbishop Rugambwa, is “to uphold and declare the truth that the natural dwelling of the human being is in heaven, in the presence of God’s glory”.
“This world is not our final home, just as many would like to make us believe,” he said. “Saint Paul urges us to look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand (Col 3: 1).”
CTC dean Dr John Evangelista said that Archbishop Rugambwa thanked the CTC faculty and staff, as well as the rectors and staff of Holy Cross Seminary and of the Marist seminary. The rectors of the seminaries are Fr Matthew Vadakkevettuvazhiyil and Fr Pat Breeze, SM, respectively.
“This theological college has a mission, a mission that constitutes its ‘raison d’être’ to help – by its faith-life, study, research – in the work of evangelisation in this country. In other words, whatever is being done here, must be oriented to the salvation of souls. It is this mission that gives Te Kupenga its Identity,” he said.
The archbishop shared a copy of his prepared speech, which he didn’t read at the meeting. He opted instead to have a less formal discussion on the issues like secularism and the mission of the college to invite people to focus their hearts and mind not only on the realities of the world, but on Jesus Christ and his Church.
He noted that while atheists and agnostics in the past were somewhat tolerant of those who believe, today the atheists and agnostics exhibit hostility, particularly to Catholics.
It was G.K.Chesterton who once remarked
that if there was no God, there would be no
atheists and no agnostics.
The optimism by the faculty Te Kupenga-
Catholic Theological College is a hope for
all in troubling times.
The presenting of a faith based education,
is a powerful instrument for future good.
That the faculty sees this as one of its aims
is itself a strength and a means to combat
secularism.
Secular Humanism is a clear denial of
any supernatural and thus of God.
This posits it within the sphere of apostates.
Daily prayer, weekly fasting make it difficult
for secularism to become entrenched in a
faith based community, and parishes need to
re-examine their options.
It was Fr Tim Deeter from west Australia
a supporter of Medjugorje who once stated
if someone came to him in confession
saying it was more than four weeks
since their last confession, he knew they were
from another parish.
Such an admission should be the aim for every
priest in every parish.
Over 40,000,000 pilgrims have been to Medjugorje.