Smaller, faithful Church will retain influence, says Minnesota archbishop

October 19, 2010

Archbishop John Nienstedt of St. Paul, Minnesota, argues that the Catholic Church can remain a powerful influence on society despite a decline in numbers.

In an interview with AP, Archbishop Nienstedt said that the closing of parishes in his Minnesota archdiocese should not be seen as a sign of withdrawal from engagement with the surrounding culture. He acknowledged that the parish closings are a response to a drop in the number of priests and in Mass attendance. But he insisted that a smaller Church can retain influence.

Echoing a theme that was sounded by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger shortly before his election as Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Nienstedt said that the key to influence is not numerical strength but fidelity to the Gospel message. When questioned about negative reactions to a DVD that he had distributed, making the case against acceptance of same-sex marriage, the archbishop indicated that he was not inclined to soft-pedal his message. Catholics, he said, “have to be 100% Catholic.”

 

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Further information:

• Minn. archbishop: Smaller church can still matter (AP)