Break the Chains
I must confess that the phrase, “breaking the shackles of provincialism” I found online reading the Vatican Information Service’s news release on Sixth General Congregation, on 14 OCT 2010. When I searched online to find the reference the EWTN appeared. So hear is the link: http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=107246
The article is just a few short notes from the assembly of bishops. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications shared his views and concerns on digital culture, in relation to the Middle East and its local Churches. This is what caught my attention, the “social communications.”
The “breaking the shackles of provincialism” quote comes from Bishop Camillo Ballin M.C.C.J., Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait.
“It is important to form the Christians of our Churches in a truly Catholic and universal spirit, breaking the shackles of provincialism (even religious provincialism), of (ethnocentric) nationalism and (latent) racism.”
I was very moved as to how he made this statement, to the assembly. Breaking, a term that places excitement and suspense into one’s mind. Shackles, very descriptive. One can tune into the idea of pain but this pain doesn’t necessarily mean physical. I might be a “state of mind” or “spirit”, where a person (soul) is seeking freedom. Provincialism, a term most people would not use to many times, during their life time. I myself at the time, had no real knowledge of what the meaning of the term provincialism was,…
So I search online! Thank the Lord for such great graces and blessings the we have today in new media and technology. I found my way to Dictionary.com and it said this:
1. narrowness of mind, ignorance, or the like, considered as resulting from lack of exposure to cultural or intellectual activity. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/provincialism
I hung-on to the phrase for months, finally placing it as a sub-title on MidsouthCatholic.com … It opened my eyes (mind) to see, even more so now that ever, what and how the Church needs to moving. Brandon Vogt shared his intentions for the money raised, from sales of “The Church and New Media” and it fits what this assembly of bishops were sharing on.
100% of all sales will go to a special project in an arch-diocese in Kenya. Listen to the show, Catholic Weekend, for Brandon’s personal sharing of this story. (Podcast 81, I believe)
(Thanks, to my dear friend and brother in Christ, B. Watson, for giving me the reason and hope to go on.)
Share His Love, always
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About Michael Myers
