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Views from the Choir Loft

Faith Seeking Understanding

Fr. David Friel · April 21, 2013

VERY SAINT HAS A FEAST DAY at some point throughout the year on which the Church celebrates his or her life, work, and sanctity. Today, April 21st, is the feast of St. Anselm, the great philosopher and theologian of the eleventh century for whom my parish is named. Because he is our parish patron, today is a Solemnity for us here in northeast Philly.

Anselm is truly one of the great thinkers in Church history. For this reason, he is one of the “Doctors of the Church.” He wrote numerous very important theological texts, each of which is worthy of our study. For now, though, let’s consider just one of Anselm’s brilliant ideas.

St. Anselm had a sort of motto that sums up a good bit of his life and teaching. In Latin, the famous motto is: fides quarens intellectum. In English, that literally means: “faith seeking understanding.” That certainly sounds nice and pious, but what does it mean? What does it matter?

It means that faith comes before understanding. We don’t have to understand God in His entirety in order to have faith. Faith comes first, and then it leads us to deeper understanding. We see this so clearly in the Easter season. When Mary Magdalene & Peter & John went to the tomb and found it empty, they certainly did not understand everything that had happened. But, the Scriptures tell us that they “saw and believed” (John 20:8). Their lack of understanding didn’t keep them from having faith. Rather, they began with faith, which led them to greater understanding at Pentecost and in the days & weeks that came after.

We have to be careful, though. It’s not good enough to say, “I have faith, so I don’t really need to understand.” Not at all! Remember, the motto is “faith seeking understanding.” So, yes, we begin with the virtue of faith, which is paramount, but we must absolutely seek deeper understanding.

Think about your own faith. What have you done lately to nurture that faith, to seek understanding?

§ Have you thought about reading a little bit out of your Bible?
§ Have you made the effort to participate in Advent & Lenten adult faith formation events at your parish?
§ Does your family own a catechism?
§ Have you ever stopped to make a visit at an adoration chapel in your area?

We need to move beyond the idea that graduating from Catholic school or receiving Confirmation prepares us with everything we need to know about our faith. Personally, I went through 21 years of Catholic school, and I know I still have room to grow and learn.

Our faith seeks understanding. Is that statement true for us? There are still more than six months remaining in this “Year of Faith” that we are celebrating as a Universal Church. What could your parish do, and what could you do individually, to seek greater understanding of our holy Catholic faith?

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski
Sound Familiar?

1 June 1579: “The chapter passes a rule that anyone ascending to the new organ without official permission shall be fined a month’s pay.”

26 October 1579: “The altar boys remain always separate and distinct from choirboys—the one group learning only plainchant and assisting at the altar, the other living with the chapel-master and studying counterpoint and polyphony as well. Father Francisco Guerrero postpones his departure for Rome and instead spends the entire year in Seville making ready for the trip. In the meantime he neglects his choirboys. On 16 November, after considerable complaint against their unruliness and ignorance, he engages an assistant, Bartolomé Farfán.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The free space which the new order of Mass gives to creativity it must be admitted, is often excessively enlarged. The difference between the liturgy with the new liturgical books, as it is actually practiced and celebrated in various places is often much greater than the difference between the old and new liturgies when celebrated according to the rubrics of the liturgical books.”

— Cardinal Ratzinger (1998)

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