Subsidiarity- a Catholic concept

(Also appeared at : Journey in a Broken World 26 / 08 | August / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

In Europe, much is made of subsidiarity- it is a concept which keeps the Union together, just as federalism glues America into a powerful union of connected states. Subsidiarity is why so many in Africa oppose many of the intercontinental adoptions occurring. This concept is also vital in Canon law, and Catholic doctrine.

Understanding subsidiarity is understanding half the choices the Vatican makes. Subsidiarity, appears in a way in the bible, further, it is a basis on which the Vatican interacts with the faithful world.

According to this concept, the lowest, most local solution to a problem should be sought first, the lowest adequate solution should be sought, the lowest competent measure. It is why most miracles are social, and why the safest normal salvation is in sacraments.

It is as much logical as when some seek first the least direct solution, and only use a direct one if needed. In subsidiarity, the least powerful body, or tribunal first hears a problem- but more than this, the first solution should be looked into from the ground- where we look for the most local- though not always most simple solution first.

A foreign national should not adopt a child from a country- unless there is a valid reason why this child should not go to local parents. A person of one religion should not be allowed to adopt a child of another religion, unless a local solution within the child's own community is not viable.

On a larger level- the Vatican leaves much of the governance of the hierarchy to bishops, and then parish priests. Catholic doctrine looks for a local solution first: unless something is better sorted at a higher level.

This is why local bishops are those who first oppose evil politicians, and why dissident bishops are often left for the local conference to request back into order. The pope does not speak until the local authority has been given an opportunity to, or the situation warrants this.

In accordance with this- the Vatican oft respects the formal relations between politicians and its representatives in important local bishops- still it has a direct route- separate from their authority- a nuncio which represents it. One need only read the speeches of the papacy to politicians, and the letters from the Vatican- and compare them with important local authorities- to catch the catch phrases.

In the ancient Israeli Sanhedrin, the council which judged criminals and similar matters- the youngest and least experienced of the men spoke first. The most experienced spoke last. This made the least experienced consider what they said, and prevented undue influence over these by the more powerful men.

Subsidiarity is oft applied by the church in advising on politics, and many matters. This same concept is why the church advocates nationalised armies, but not nationalised healthcare nor nation run economies.

If a matter can be sorted out in civil society- it need not be legislated on, unless civil society is found- sufficiently to be lacking.

Subsidiarity is a vital concept in understanding the church. Its primary function is in making local authority useful and using power to do what its proportion can best achieve. It is why Moses in the desert, appointed judges to hear the lesser cases, while the greater came to him. Remember most- if not all: who were appointed- would surely later perish with Moses for his disobedience- and theirs, and yet were permitted to judge Israel... Were they not en masse destroyed, yet would be used to judge?

Subsidiarity serves to protect conscience- the lowest jurisdiction is the first and is protected from interference on a higher level- until there is reason to demand otherwise. This is why Romans chapter 10 in the bible is important- we must evangelise and change and save the world- it is broken deeply in its own lack and in the lack of the church- the salt which is designed for the world- to salt it into a better territory, even as the world is designed for the saints of the church.

Subsidiarity is also why we must pray first to the saints when they can help us. In it, we respect the gifts given... As God also does by Romans 10, and as He does in His use of Gabriel, Raphael, the prophets and apostles. Subsidiarity is vital to Catholic doctrine!

This is also why Saint Paul commands the early Christians, I think it was the Corinthians- as recorded in the bible- that the wives were first to discuss their problems in the household, and ask about the scriptures there. We should first speak with our own family, asking for answers before we approach a priest or theologian. Even before this- we should look ourselves: for an answer- it is us who are condemned to hades or saved from it. By subsidiarity- we have a definite responsibility- even God notes our personal responsibility by allowing choice! The God of order did not create our minds to ignore them!

This said- with the breakdown in many places- of the family church- and in many a local authority- it is often best to discover the truth for yourself from the magisterium- the source, and also by your own resources at seeking truth in grace. You are the most local authority in your own design... This means that even if the family were not oft broken, you should still seek answers in yourself. First one must ask their own intuitive conscience, and then work up within themself, the Christian must become reliably creative to survive, subsidiarity helps here. Where one is competent- one should attempt first to solve an issue, an equation- before one subjects to another's authority- this also helps make their help easier to apply, or reject.

It is wise to learn from the wise, and we should, yet we must not underestimate ourselves. Some things we cannot handle- it is why there are apologists. Some things are near impossible to cure, and require sacraments and the like administered- because we are not (except in some extreme exceptions) competent to save ourselves without assistance of another from this matter.

This is why we must educate ourselves constantly- from observing the world around, by reading what wise people say, and by creatively viewing the entire world. What we can solve, and are adequate to solve- we should first try to solve, but we should certainly make ourselves more competent, and add to our resources to do so!

This is why most of what I write on theology is to apply to your internal being- your personal responsibility. First focus on your own salvation... It will better prepare you to save others. First focus on your own means, they are oft adequate. First pray, prayer and intuition save a lot of thought and work.

It is not unwise to attempt tasks in a wise, even minimalist manner- what effort is saved is used elsewhere- as long as the effort was adequate!

Original sin

(Journey in a Broken World)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Doubt is natural: and my natural state when dealing with doubtful things, but not God.

I find that when I doubt God, or such, I move from him. When I doubt what he has said in the past: then I doubt him, or follow other voices claiming to be him, or misinterpret what I see or feel.

They say Pride is the Original sin, but was there not doubt before pride: and you shall know wrong from right? Surely: they doubted God's power, or that what they had was best: so they then thought that as God could not: they could: but then again: is this not pride: the route of all sin: but surely, pride: is a form of doubt?

Now doubt is good: yesterday I showed that: but doubt is a reaction to something which has alterable nature: which is fallible: but we must never doubt the voice of Reality: of God: and so eventually: pride is always about doubt: and in doubt : fear: is that not the route of all sin: fear: but not fear of God's wrath: which saves us from this other fear.

Now, one of my readers objected to Augustine, they said: it sounds exactly like he abandoned his son. Perhaps he did, but here doubt is good: we know Augustine is a saint: so it is better to doubt that he sinned, even when sinful: than to accept any bad thing we hear about him. Adam and eve doubted an infinite being, and accepted the word of a lesser creature. Surely, snakes were made for men, not men for snakes: yet they heard the word of what looked like an animal: over that of Truth itself.

Now, when accusing a person, except sometimes in immediate danger: should we not have evidence of their offense, for there is evidence of any accusation we make: against us whenever it is not true?

Now Adam and Eve: accepted false testimony that God was not doing what was best for them: from a being lesser than them?

How foolish?

Indeed: God is Reality: the mediator of existence: like a background to the universe. Now I am going to use a word which is very special: but when using it: it must be respected, which is which I will not spell it so you can pronounce such, it must be taught, not just observed. God's name is YHWH: if you insert the vowels. I AM Who I AM: reality.

So, they chose to hear an inferior being over the voice of Reality itself: it is crazy, not inevitable: it is doubt of Fact itself.

Now, yeasterday was Christmas: and we give gifts: beause in Christians we acknowledge Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate, and in non-Christians we acknowledge man: who does not see God's gift in Jesus, so we give them also a gift: but really: in both, we mimic God: who gives us the gift of himself.

Now, the most evil men on the planet: mimic God, but not just on Christmas.


You see, God is Reality: Reality has always been, contains all beings in its belly: it is eternal, infinite, powerful, and all these things. Men who want power, they want to be like God, men who want control: again, men who want every sort of evil: mimic God. Sexual intercourse: is a manifestation of the interactions of the Trinity: except now you say: sometimes sex is evil: in fact, in most circumstances it is, is it not?

Sex is evil when it doesn't manifest God properly, and with all the elements. When God came down, he came down as a just little child, and left all the knowledge of God: except that needed for our spiritual edification behind in heaven. Sex does not manifest the trinity properly, when it does not possibly spawn a child, as the Father and Son spawn the Holy Spirit. When the parents want to prevent a child, except in the natural methods advised by church and bible: Natural Family Planning that is: then they are saying that the Father and Son: that they don't love the Holy Spirit, so as to continually support it, for He too is eternal.

When the action does not manifest selflessness in a sense, and a bond for life, and does not strengthen or maintain a unity, then it indeed is evil. This is why Catholics are not supposed to French (for pleasure seeking) kiss even: before marriage. Seeking sexual pleasure apart from unity and openness to offspring: is not what God intended to give us. His joy is natural, and he is happy for his love: so happy, that even such pleasure which I have never myself had just yet (Not married): does not encapsulate his joy. Now, he wanted us to enjoy manifesting him: let us not exclude the manifestation and just steal the joy from God.

Likewise: all sin is desires out of the natural proportion, or misrepresentations of our desires: in Sexuality: we want love: to mimic the Trinity; and in every action: we have natural desires: when we sin, we are actually thinking that this or that action is our desire: when in fact it is but one possible way to maybe fulfill it: and if it is wrong, it breaks the perfect link of goodness between right desire, which all men have deep down, and right action, which is how we should act. Now, whenever one endorses lust, or unjust hatred, or pride, or jealousy, or acaidia, or sloth: all of which I mean in the theological terms: they again do as Adam and Eve: and acknowledge the inferior over the absolute, and beautifully proportioned. In fact, when endorsing these sins: we are endorsing desires we don't have: and so: we are saying: this is my desire, when it is not: and that is lying, and endorsing the opposite of Reality, of God: illusion.

Now, with Christmas, as with lust, when people say it is too commercial: they do not mean there is too much commerce, but that something else has not risen in right portions with the exchange of value: and so: when something is evil: it is incomplete: as exchanging money is incomplete without gift of self, when on this day we just celebrated.

Journey in a Borken world- the intriguing embarrassed redness, the conscience of the masses

(Journey in a Broken world)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Embarrassment is fear at its core, whether prompted by love or desire for success. It is the fear that we wont get what we desire. I have felt this before, mostly involving possible future feminine sides (girls I like or have liked), and sometimes I enjoyed embarrassment, and embarrassing myself quite publicly, and morally we must also may add, for conscience sake.

When watching movies, or television, I still wish I could lift the blanket or pillow above my head in an embarrassing scene, or when someone does something wrong or stupid, or naive. I even sometimes leave the room, I die of embarrassment for a character, or someone I do not know, and often have to check the source of my feelings, whether anger, or love, and to realize they are not mine, but another's, reflected in invisible empathy- so that I also feel this.

Embarrassment, is a function of survival, when one goes red, and friends point it out, one knows one has either done something one considers risky socially or something that is a societal "sin" of sorts. We do not get embarrassed when we are secure in our situation, rather- it is the environment of the overly bold, or those who feel stupid as though doing wrong. When no one is around, and it is not so in telling the priest- when I sin, I feel such embarrassment. I know that sin never does good- but hurts myself and others, even that which only lives within the mind of a man, or in secret. Our secrets are broadcast in the spiritual, and when in mortal sin, and loving it- a certain type of person would radiate towards me, when secretly in sin, another, when ashamed of sin, another, and when saintly, if I say so myself- another still.

People know our sins, I often read them in faces- or body language. When another has conscience working, we know they are doing wrong- because their body language, and that feel, that emotive power says so. Without conscience, it takes listening to intuitive truth or reality, to realize another is wrong.

The bible says we should be ashamed of our sins, and shame is embarrassment, is it not. In fact, and I have it verified in England and Canada- it is a South African thing- to say shame to someone who is embarrassed, out of empathy. Shame and embarrassment go hand in hand. Whether through physical evil- that which risks our physical form, or moral evil- that which destroys our spiritual source of life, our soul. Shame indeed- is fear of rejection, which is dangerous to our evolutionary form.

Moral evil in the end, destroys the physical, and so we feel shame for our sins.

In the mists of time, we feel unsafe, we feel safe, when we see things all around, we love clearness, but are fascinated by mystery. It is the joy of facing fears that makes walking into the mists of time and space so fascinating. It is doing what is mentally healthy that we enjoy so much. The sin of vanity, this is what it is- it is the seeking of embarrassment, of what should be the emotion of conquering fear, and yet- embarrassment is a healthy reminder- of what our mind says is risky. Sometimes it is healthy to overcome, but never when it is against God.

Ultimately, what embarrasses us is not to be ignored, but taken into account- it tells us of how we view our world and surrounds. Having taken our emotion's advice- we then must take our intuition's advice, and listening carefully to intuition, while telling it what we have discovered- which delicately tells us if we should obey or disobey the warning of our fear of shame.

Justice- the spray of the tide of life- that which we die for, and desire- should it break the marble flaw of existence

(Journey in a Broken World)

Mercy to oppressors is cruelty to the oppressed, perhaps we need explain it...

Even a butterfly's wings can cause a storm, any fragment of good can affect all, and even a whispered lie one does not even say influences the world for evil. We may not say it, but still it affects the culture of our soul. Sometimes it is murder not to kill, sometimes it is kidnapping not to restrain an aggressor- this is the premise, the foundation of law.

We live in a spiritual and physical world, and what happens in the physical can be amplified 100 times in the spiritual, and the spiritual itself inebriates all in the physical. All is connected, and God considers actions in big and small, even lack of actions- of equal importance in judging us, so far as their species says what our soul is. Some actions cause a huge gash in our soul, and these need treatment should we desire not to die, others will heal with time, and the pain of antiseptic. God's name is Reality- and he judges by what is- and that is why we say we cause our own judgment- for he but keeps the mold to our soul- our actions cause the damage and goodness- he just places us where we are best to place, and renovates when like some animals- we open ourselves to healing, and destroys when we open our chest to destruction. He does what we cause him to, to cross him is to walk into fire, it is as though he were an area, a scene in a forest, which we choose to interact with. If we choose to scrape our hands on thorns, it is our choice, should we find the cure to the cut, also ours. God does not change- we choose where to live in our forest, our relationships with the Almighty.

Now, this spiritual, it is more solid than the physical, its substance more precise, more defined, like a marble statue, carved with laser light- it is exacting and eternal. Once it has been molded, it will last forever. To spare an evil man is to encourage his behavior- this is why God does not forgive, even through confession- should we not repent of our sins. And we too sin if we let evil go unpunished when we may legitimately punish wrong. A good motto is Justice not charity- it says what helping the weak truly entails- it recognizes that our freedom is not given us without a price. We have no option but to intervene against evil, or we shall have become what we do not appose- depraved madmen who do things any sane right minded person would be ashamed of.

With our actions, we help our neighbors to carve their own statues, their forms in which their existence after the carving has stopped- will remain as forever.

When we do not take a stance for human dignity- when we do not defend the dignity, even of those who willingly allow theirs to be abused- we are guilty of helping them to carve a misshapen shell in which they, like hermit crabs- will live in forever.

Justice resonates, it fills one's entire form- Wrath is the excess, or lack of correct justice, too much, or too little action is evil. We sin with what we do, but how much worse by what we neglect to do?

Let us always aim at truth, seeking it, obeying it, recognizing it and treating all things as they are. There is no such thing as conversion, or repentance, or hope, or salvation, apart from God. We can only win our conquest by his side- and so let us fight in his way- so as not to see him leave for another battle, and ride into the distance without our hope.

Every small justice will change the world, so far as it is tactical, and wise. Evil is indeed affected by a good example, and good people can do good indirectly, via their influence on the souls of evil men and people. Until evil changes- should we be the bad doctor who lies to his patient and to the world about a condition still present? Without necessity, we should not reveal another's sins and weaknesses- but let us not cause harm, and be guilty of sin through silence when justice demands a voice.

May God bless us with true kindness, but let our kindness, and our justice, our mercy, and our plenty- all be in healthy proportion, controlled by reasonable reason and sanity. Let us put all in its place- and know that both mercy and justice are love acting in different conditions. The sin lies in giving mercy when love gives justice, or justice, when love demands mercy. Mercy is justice, it is due, perhaps not by another's goodness- but by acting so as to change them, or do some small good, or it does not do good. When it does good, we also sometimes let go of justice for a while, but we must be cautious in matters of justice.