PandaMania: an Accredited Program

Dear Alaskan Catholics and Parents whose children were subjected to Pandas this summer:

I let you down. I failed in my duty as a blogger and defender of the faith. For that, I am truly sorry.

You see, I knew of the Panda problem long ago. In fact, earlier this spring I had a discussion about it with some of the other Alaskan Catholic Bloggers to try and brainstorm the best way to go about "dealing" with the problem. Should I post about it and let people know our thoughts? Should I document all the other blogs and parents that have posted about their encounter with it? But then I was talked out of it when my fellow bloggers chalked up my concern to an "over analyzation" of the program. It couldn't be as bad as I was making it out to be. So I dropped the issue, I was trying to turn over a leaf and be more "positive". So many bloggers complain that Catholic bloggers like myself aren't positive enough (is that hypocritical?). In fact, some have gone so far to call me "critical and judgmental." I should have trusted my instincts.

You see, one of my fellow Alaskan Catholic Bloggers contacted me about the Panda problem the other day and said:

"I knew that it was stupid, but I didn't know it was wrong!"

They meant the Pandas and that is a pretty heavy indictment of the program. But an even bigger indictment came from Simcha Fisher, who is about as mainstream of a Catholic Blogger that you can find. What I mean is that she is the big time, so much so that she writes for the National Catholic Register. So it isn't as if I found some crazy-trad sitting in a basement somewhere with a blog, to support my argument. Instead, a pretty middle of the road, very authentically Catholic big-time Mom blogger supported my argument without any solicitation.

So what did Ms. Fisher say about the Pandas? She said:

Based on PandaMania’s website, I wouldn’t touch this program with a ten-foot pole, even if the Pope himself were teaching it.

Uhh, wow? Really? That bad huh? Maybe she was just trying to make a point, but wait there is more:

...and the Pandamania website itself makes the program look somewhere between useless and dreadful (“What happens when a pack of fun-loving pandas invades your church?” Erm, I’d call 911 and the Knights of Columbus). Two thousand years of top-flight scholarship and divine inspiration, and the best we can offer is ... wacky pandas who may or may not be advocating for abortion? I looked hard for some reason Catholics would want to get involved with PandaMania, but I’m left distressed that Our Sunday Visitor is endorsing this program.

Ok so I guess she really didn't like it. "...somewhere between useless and dreadful..." isn't really a nuanced position.

So for those of you that sent your kids to VBS this summer and they had to deal with the dreadful pandas, I apologize. I let down my guard, and tried to be "nice, loving, positive, and charitable." I decided to keep my fingers quiet and not "stir up the pot" so to speak. I guess that was the wrong choice - I should have trusted my instinct.

But then again, maybe my friend, Ms. Fisher, and myself are wrong. Maybe the Pandas have solidified the faith in a positive and authentic way in your child. If so, I'd love to hear about it and be proven wrong. Honestly, when I am critical of something, I love being wrong. Why? Because it teaches me something and makes me critically examine the flaw upon which I made my faulty conclusion. I'd love for this to be one of those times.

Simcha Fisher suggests Calling 911 or the Knights of Columbus

There are those within the institution of the Church that don't like bloggers. They think that they are jaded, critical, judgmental, divisive, negative, and do nothing but complain. What they don't realize is that 99% of bloggers that "criticize and judge" (their words, not mine) do so not out of anger or spite but because they want a truly Catholic and congruent hermeneutic. They want authenticity in Catechesis. They want Catholicism pure and unadulterated. The pandas don't seem to fit that description.

So the next time you think I am "critical" of something, give me the benefit of the doubt. Email me, message me, comment - do anything to find out where I am coming from and why I am saying what I am. Usually it isn't some anger or spite filled rant that I am going on, but instead it is an attempt to prevent some harm from occurring. It is hard to un-ring a bell, just as it is hard to un-teach a child something.

I know there are some of you that think I am exaggerating. You probably still think I am being sarcastic, snarky, critical and judgmental. So I will let the Church speak for itself. You see, if your kids played with the Pandas this summer they might have learned about Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Who is that and what does the Church say about him? Well you see, he was a Jesuit priest who is often called the "Father of Modernism (or the New Age)." The kids received a "Person of Faith Card" which are supposed to be "[e]xcellent tools for encouraging children to learn from the examples set by people of faith." The first one in the series is Chardin.

So what does the Church say about Chardin? Well he is famous, that is for sure. He even received a Monitum, which is more or less an official reprimand and warning that they are in danger of some terminal and grave penalty. Another famous contemporary of Chardin that received a Monitum was Hans Küng. So what is the Church's official statement on Chardin? Well this was issued in 1962 [and reiterated in 1981], and to this day remains the official position of the Church:

"Several works of Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, some of which were
posthumously published, are being edited and are gaining a good deal
of success.

"Prescinding from a judgement about those points that concern the
positive sciences, it is sufficiently clear that the above-mentioned
works abound in such ambiguities and indeed even serious errors, as to
offend Catholic doctrine.

"For this reason, the most eminent and most revered Fathers of the Holy Office exhort all Ordinaries as well as the superiors of
Religious institutes, rectors of seminaries and presidents of
universities, effectively to protect the minds, particularly of the
youth, against the dangers presented by the works of Fr. Teilhard de
Chardin and of his followers.

Oi, the Pandas really seem to be a problem. So again, I am sorry for dropping the ball on this one folks. I know that the entire Archdiocese of Anchorage used this program this summer, and many other dioceses around the country as well. I could have saved us all a ton of grief if I would have just trusted my instinct. Heh, maybe the Archdiocese should hire someone to stay up to date on things and keep a finger on the pulse of Alaska Catholicism so as to  brief the Archbishop and Chancery to make sure things like this are known about before they happen. But what do I know?

So please accept this apology. If your kids are running around with Chardin cards, I deeply apologize. I have failed in my duty, and for that I am truly sorry. I will pray for a fortification of the faith in all those that encountered Pandas this summer. I will also make sure that next time I have thoughts about something... I will be sure to blog about it.

Sincerely,

Me

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