While I am on matters of relevance to Utah Catholics, Fr. Erik posts Moulton's balanced and informative Trib article on Judge Memorial's production of the musical Rent. He adds some concise commentary afterwards. I not only agree that what is true is not dependent upon how many people object or approve, we judge by a different criteria, but I take issue with Principal Bartman's statement that he did not receive "one negative comment from students and parents in the Judge community," a tack he also took on Doug Wright's radio show. This not only falls to prey to the idea of truth by committee, but shows an incomplete understanding of what it means to be a Catholic institution, which means to be in communion with the whole church. Let's be clear and, while we're at it, fair: nobody is arguing against the requirement to love, to understand, to serve, or be compassionate toward anyone, let alone those in need. Maybe we need to be clearer on what love concretely demands of us. It seems to me, as Pope Benedict taught in Deus Caritas Est, that charity requires telling the truth, which must be done in love. This is always a challenge. I want to be clear: my objection to Rent is that it is ideology disguised as art, or art reduced to politics, and all the catchy tunes in the world doesn't change that fact.
Apropos to both issues, it was Don Giussani, giving testimony before Pope John Paul II, who said, "Existence expresses itself, as ultimate ideal, in begging. The real protagonist of history is the beggar: Christ who begs for man's heart, and man's heart that begs for Christ."
Veni Sancti Spiritus, veni per Mariam.