Lay activism: a modest proposal

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Sep 13, 2019

Although I was appalled by the Pope’s statement on the prospect of an American schism, one passage from that statement merits a bit more thought:

The schismatics always have one thing in common: they separate themselves from the people, from the faith of the people of God. And when there was a discussion in the Council of Ephesus regarding Mary’s divine maternity, the people – this is history – were at the entrance of the cathedral while the bishops entered to take part in the council. They were there with clubs. They made the bishops see them as they shouted, “Mother of God! Mother of God!” as if to say: if you do not do this, this is what you can expect.

Reading that passage, I was reminded of something my friend Bud said, many years ago, to explain his dissatisfaction with the lack of episcopal leadership in America. Bud wanted our bishops to be more forthright in confronting doctrinal error. He suggested that loyal Catholics should tell their bishops:

We’re just the spear-carriers. You’re the leaders. If you take the lead, we’ll be right behind you. But if you don’t take the lead… Just remember that we’re right behind you, and we’re carrying spears.

So if a bishop didn’t want to feel a sudden pang in his backside, by Bud’s logic he would take action. It’s a simple image, yet vivid and instructive.

We need our bishops to take action, to safeguard the unity of the Church and the integrity of her doctrine. We need to send that message. We’re just the spear-carriers, but we are carrying spears.