That is Very Rev. Tomas S. Maddela who teaches liturgy at both of our favorite schools of theology in the country, Maryhill School of Theology of the CICMs and St. Vincent School of Theology of the Vincentian Fathers. I once posted about him.
His resume boasts of a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, Rome.
Pretty impressive, eh?
But what you do not know is that he is not a Roman Catholic priest.
Yup. The honorifics are a give-away.
He is an Episcopalian priest.
"Oh come on, Pinoy Catholic! You are so un-ecumenical!"
This is not a question of ecumenism. This is a question of who trains our future Roman Catholic priests, religious and catechists. Catholic priests should train future Catholic priests! End of story. If other denominations would have it other way, then let them have it.
He may have his licentiate to teach liturgy. But it begs the question of why a non-Roman Catholic, and may I put it as it is, a schismatic, will form our future priests of how we Roman Catholics ought to worship.
I have nothing against Episcopalians, believe me, as I maintain a healthy line of communication with Dr. Ben, Bruce Hall and others.
But, by golly, this is a different thing!
Does this mean that deans of Maryhill and St. Vincent will be willing to have a Greek Orthodox or an SSPX priest, who have licentiates to teach at their schools? Makes sense, eh? Tit for tat!
Rev. Maddela will be conducting summer classes this year with the title "Liturgy and Sacraments: Understanding and Living Our Faith in the Worship of the Church"
Will he be talking about the Catholic Church or the Episcopalian Church?
Dunno, but here is a synopsis on what to expect:
This course aims to help students understand the complexity and sacramental administration of Christian celebrations as symbols of salvation today. [Huh? Do we have new symbols of salvation?] Toward this, it will introduce the principles of liturgical and sacramental practice and provide an integral approach (i.e., historical, anthropological, theological and pastoral). It will cover the development of liturgy and sacraments until and after the Second Vatican Council. [So, he will talk about the Catholic Church. But can we have a Catholic priest do it?] It will discuss the theological underpinnings of the sacraments in aid of clarifying the ecumenical search for a common theology. [This should be a red flag for you folks!] Contemporary issues in liturgical piety, such as inculturation [belch!] and popular devotions will be tackled.
***
I guess someone will attend this seminar and add it to their resume to beef himself up.
Right, Brother?
But I digress.
Is the Church in the Philippines really out of priests who have an SLL to teach liturgy in our theology schools that we end up just getting non Catholics to do the job?
Really? Give me a break!
I get your point. I somewhat disagree with you nonetheless, since I think it would be triply better to have a faithful Greek "Orthodox" than Fr. Chups as a Liturgist in a Catholic Seminary. (Think about it Eastern rite here in the Phil!! YEBAH!! :D) or better yet, a priest from the SSPX, who is no longer schismatic.
ReplyDeleteAt least, the Greek "Orthodox" uses a valid Catholic Rite though in a schismatic spirit. But these people in St. Vincent's uses a neo-pagan rite with a spirit of delusion.
FATHER ZERUDO FOR LITURGY PROFESSORSHIP!!!!
ReplyDeleteRome allows non-Catholics to teach at Catholic seminary. To be fair, not all Episcopalian clergy who teach at a Catholic seminary are "innovative". For example, the Episcopal cleric in the Anglican Use Society here Rev Dr Joe Frary, taught at Maryhill and has the reputation of being "the most Catholic" of all seminary professors who ever taught there. Fr Frary closely taught Tradition as understood in classical Anglo-Catholicism. It is from him that I realized that marriage is a sacrament that confers an indelible mark on the married, until God releases one of them through death. The point is that God alone has the authority to release a man or a woman from marriage vows and this is only through life, when one of the marriage partners is born into eternal life. Divorce while allowed in the Old Testament is not really a path to Life. Christ our Saviour chose life and thus put a higher New Testament standard, which the Catholic Church has always maintained.
ReplyDeleteThis Episcopal priest holds on to a Catholic teaching many Roman Catholic priests have lost.
As for Fr Maddela's honorifics, the Dean of a seminary or a Cathedral in the Anglican tradition are styled "Very Reverend" or in an older way as the "Venerable".
ReplyDeleteDr Maddela was dean of St Andrew's seminary and if I am not mistaken, served as the dean of St Mary and St John, in Quezon City.
The use of "Very Reverend" still survives in the Roman Catholic Church in England and northern Europe and is used as an honorific for priors and rectors of seminaries and universities. In the Philippines, the title survives only for the Rector of UST. The Americans after they occupied the Philippines addressed the Rector of UST as "the Venerable", again in accordance to the practice of the Episcopal Church.
Joseph Ratzinger when he occupied the chair of Theology at Regensberg was addressed as "the Very Reverend"
Well, Doc Ben, it looks like you don't really know who Rev. Maddela is.
ReplyDeleteAsk who is his professor back in Rome and you'll learn why he is such a fan of inculturation and why he got his teaching post at MST and SVST.
Yup, the key word is a giveaway.
Is his Professor start his Name from A and ends with C Hehehehehe
ReplyDeleteAnd as an addition, if anyone has a direct contact with Maddela, tell him to lay-low with his lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteWe do not want to happen here what happened to Europe and the US.
You know what I mean.