The Formation of a Catholic Identity
Reclaiming the Catholic culture is the general theme for this Wanderer Regional Forum here in Providence and I will speak more specifically about the formation of a Catholic identity, an intriguing and timely subject.
First of all, the presumption here, of course, is that we have lost our Catholic culture, we have lost our Catholic identity. No more fish on Friday, no recognizable Sisters, our churches are emptying, we lack real contact with our youth, there is a shocking acceptance of sodomy and other deviant behavior, vocations to the priesthood and religious life have slowed to a trickle, and the Church is facing a growing marginalization in the wake of an ever-intensifying secular culture.
Everyone here knows there are a great many challenges facing the Church at this moment in history. Some people are even asking if the Church has a future. One does get the impression at times that the Church is crumbling and we are helpless to stop the fall.
You may remember when Archbishop Sean O'Malley was installed as the new Archbishop of Boston. In his first sermon to the Archdiocese, he told a story about St. Francis of Assisi who lived over 800 years ago. Francis, a young Italian man searching for meaning in his life, went into a dilapidated old church and heard the voice of God speaking to him saying, "Rebuild my Church. As you can see, it is in ruins." My dear friends, if you and I listen carefully, I believe we will hear the same thing calling in our hearts today.
St. Francis' first response was to repair and to rebuild a number of churches in and around Assisi, but the voice kept calling to him, "Francis, rebuild my Church. As you can see, it is in ruins."
Over the past 25 or 30 years, we have spent a lot of time, energy, money, and effort building and restoring the physical facilities of our churches. But the voice of God continues to call us. Once again, God is saying, "Rebuild my Church." The rebuilding that needs to be done today is of a spiritual nature, just as it was of old.
If you make a study of history, you will find that the Church has gone through some very hectic times in her long colorful history. But we know she has always come through gloriously because God, in His divine providence, has always seen to it that an antidote was brought forth to fight the evil of the day. It is true that it is the particular need of a particular age that moves God to activate an agency or a power that has been dormant in the Church from the beginning. Here are a few examples to show you what I mean.
A few centuries after Rome became Christian and the Roman Empire was being invaded by barbarians, the deposit of faith needed a vault to survive this invasion. St. Benedict came along and the monastic orders were born. It was in the monasteries that both religion and civilization weathered the storm. Then, in the middle ages when a spirit of luxury and worldly magnificence posed itself as a threat to the health of the Church, God fertilized another seed and the mendicant orders sprang up to revive the ideal of Christian poverty. This was the period of St. Francis of Assisi, the Franciscans and the Dominicans.
Then we go to the sixteenth century when the ignorance of God's children sent them scurrying after all kinds of false leaders. Then the teaching orders came to restore intellectual discipline to a chaotic world. This was when the Jesuits were founded; they were leaders in Christian education for centuries.
There is no need to multiply examples. We can see that God has had His providential hand over the progress of the Church. And the Church's answer to today's emergency is also a part of a providential plan. Going all the way back to Pope Pius X. all the popes have been urging the laity to undertake a full exercise of their vocation and the call to holiness. It has only been in the last 100 years or so that we have heard the expression: "the lay apostolate." Pope Pius XII in the 1940s gave us the encyclicals, Mystici Corporis and Mediator Dei, two landmark encyclicals, one expounding the doctrine of the Mystical Body, and the other the Magna Charta for the reform of the liturgy. It is like the timekeeper at the start of a race who cries, "Now is the time!" and another part of God's plan is set in motion.
What Is The Threat Facing Us?
What is it that makes our age the one which has awakened this Apostolate? The threat to the world today is not from idolatrous barbarism, not from ignorant heretics, not even from lax and sensual Christians. The problem that faces us in some respects is far greater than any of these. Today it is the threat of a culture which has looked at God, smiled at Him amusedly, and has turned away. It is the threat of a humanism which has known God and has chosen to forget Him. It is the threat of a peculiar pattern of thought which calmly assumes that God and religion have no place in our everyday life. The workaday world, we are told, is a practical place. Religion is an aesthetic experience for those who enjoy it, but it should be kept in its own tightly sealed compartment. This threat has a name, and its name is secular humanism.
This secularism and materialism have been creeping into our civilization for a long time now, slowly, yes. So slowly, that it was hardly perceptible in the beginning. But, nevertheless, it grew very steadily so that now the disorder is so deeply rooted that bishops and priests alone can no longer reach it.
Priests can stand in their pulpits and utter severe denunciations about all the evils of the day, and it is like trying to plug a sieve one hole at a time. This is where the laity comes in. The time is right for the layman and laywoman to assume and to fully realize his or her vocation as a follower of Christ, a sharer in Christ's priesthood. Because if Christ is to be restored to the fields of education, government, industry, business, labor and the family, then it is the Catholic layman and laywoman, who are in these fields, who must do the job. These fields, to a great extent, are beyond the reach of priests and religious. Bishops and priests can enunciate principles and provide guidance, but the on-the-spot leadership must come from the laity.
So, the time is right, the laity are ready, theology and the liturgy are abreast of the need. The lay person may no longer look upon himself or herself as the self-sufficient beneficiary of the priest's ministrations. They may no longer be content to drink in grace for themselves alone, like a reservoir without an outlet. They must see themselves as channels of grace. They must see that they are one with the priests in responsibility for the evangelization of society.
All the problems that we face today in the Church fill our hearts with a great sadness. But they should not lead us to despair, we should see them as opportunities to change and grow, a chance for us to envision what it truly means to be Catholic.
It is all too easy for us to say that our time is more difficult and challenging than any other. All periods of history, as I have mentioned, have unique situations and problems. Ours is no different. The people of every age think that their time and place is special and that their circumstances are extraordinary. They are not. Humanity faces the same challenges in every age. They may come wearing different masks, but they are all essentially the same. The challenge that presents itself to the Catholics of every age is to transform their environment.
Some believe the answer is to go back to the model of the Church in the 1950s. Others would like to drag us all the way back to the middle ages. Believe me, the answer is not to go back. God never goes back, He always moves forward. The story of salvation never goes backwards, it is always marching forward. So we should focus on the present and the future.
When you go to Mass next Sunday, just look around. Then ask yourselves, where are the young people, not the very young, but the twenty-somethings or the thirty-somethings. They are now, statistically, the largest segment of Catholics in America. And, yet, they are the least practicing segment of Catholics in America.
These are people who went to Catholic schools and were raised in Catholic families. But, somewhere along the line, something went drastically wrong. Somehow we failed to communicate the value of living a life of virtue and faith. In some way, we have failed to communicate that walking with God is the best way to live. We have failed to demonstrate the relevance of Jesus Christ and His Church in the modern climate. And unless we can do this, and do it convincingly, they will not be back anytime soon.
Winning the War
If you want to win a war, there are three things you must know:
- You must know that you are at war;
- You must know who and what your enemy is;
- You must know what strategies and weapons can defeat your enemy.
Our enemy is ignorance. Ignorance of the truth is the enemy of the Church, Catholic education, and, indeed, Christ. If we would take the time to study the teachings of the Church, we will discover in them a rare beauty and profound wisdom.
Catholicism is a gift that cannot be described. It must be experienced to be fully appreciated. It is my experience that people love the Church. The press may attack the Church, fallen-away Catholics may ridicule the Church, and even practicing Catholics criticize the Church, but I believe that these are just distorted expressions of love and admiration. Sometimes love goes sour, as it has in many modern Catholics. And then when this happens, it is usually for the following reasons: ignorance, misunderstanding or selfishness.
Ever since Vatican II, it seems we have been searching for new ways, modern ways, to reach people with the gospel so that they might live richer and fuller lives. On some levels we have succeeded. But on a great many others, we have done little more than scratch the surface, or worse, alienated some of the very people we should hold dear. I think it is safe to say that Vatican II was grossly misunderstood by Catholics in general, and even misrepresented by many theologians. As one reads and rereads the documents, you find the overwhelming theme is not so much something new, but a reminder that we are all called to holiness. The documents of Vatican II are a life-based teaching that respect the classical sources and the richness of our Catholic heritage, while at the same time, giving contemporary expression to these treasures. These teachings provide a worldview that is nothing short of awe-inspiring to anyone interested in seeking answers to some of the questions that face the Church and humanity in our time.
If you have never read the documents of Vatican II, I encourage you to begin. Begin with the Guadium et Spes — The Church in the Modern World. It is the last of the sixteen documents. Read it slowly, reflectively, prayerfully. If we take the time to actually study the documents of Vatican II, we will discover that the thrust of the council's teachings was to remind all of us, regardless of our age or vocation that we are called to seek and to live an authentic life — we are called to holiness. The council sought to point out and remind us of this great spiritual north star. The cardinals and bishops who participated in the council knew all too well that the only way Catholicism would thrive in the modern world was if we kept sight of our essential purpose.
Yes, we are called to holiness, every man and woman, without exception, regardless of our age, color, socioeconomic background or state in life. Holiness is the goal of the Christian life and our essential purpose, but it seems as if we have lost our way by putting aside the goal of Christian life — this call to holiness. We have lost sight of the great spiritual north star. The north star is the only star in the sky that never moves. It remains constant, unwavering, and, therefore, it is truly a guide. If we are to find our way, we must rediscover this spiritual north star again — the call to holiness.
The great confusion that is torturing the Church and weakening our faith surrounds one question, what is holiness? The falling attendance at Mass, the marginalization of the Church by our secular culture, and our failure to reach the youth, are all caused by our inability to communicate clearly the answer to this question, what is holiness? The great people of every age cry out to their spiritual leaders, teachers, prophets, and priests, asking what is holiness and how do I live it in my everyday life? They may not articulate the question in this exact form, but, in essence, all their questioning resolves itself if this question can be answered. If we can communicate powerfully and effectively what holiness is, and how it is practically attained, people will walk in that path. There is nothing more attractive than holiness.
So, my dear friends, the practical answer to how we can form a Catholic identity is quite simple, simple but not easy. It seems clear that the only way we can form a moral culture, a Catholic culture, a Catholic identity, in this modern climate is the old fashioned way — by becoming a more spiritual people. You might say to me: you mean you came all the way from Scranton to tell us that the answer to our problems today is to focus on the call to holiness? That's it? Don't you think that we have heard this before? We didn't need you to come from Scranton to tell us something we already know. Well, for better or for worse, this is my message for you this evening. Indeed, it is as old as Christianity itself, but it is also ever-new as the gospel message is ever-new. This is our secret weapon. There is no other.
Two very practical ways to bring this about is by focusing on education and evangelization. Our Catholic education system, as a structure, is one of the marvels of modern society. It is unprecedented, and it is genius. But the Catholic educational system is under-employed in these modern times, and that's putting it very euphemistically.
Our enemy is ignorance, and ignorance of the truth is the enemy of the Church, Catholic education, and indeed, Christ. Just think if all our teachers and students were to study the teachings of the Church and discover what the Church teaches, and not ask questions with a sarcastic or cynical or dismissive tone, as they often do. They ask as if the question itself were the answer. No, we should approach these questions with the greatest confidence; we should ask the question knowing that the fruits of thousands of years of great practical, intellectual, and spiritual wisdom will pass before our eyes, our hearts, our minds, and our souls. This kind of spiritual and intellectual event is a life-giving experience, a life-changing moment, and a life-directing influence. If we could show each Catholic student the truth and the beauty of that truth, we would infinitely elevate their love and understanding of the Church. They may still wander away from the Church, they may still act contrary to the teachings of the Church, but deep in their hearts, they will know that the Church is not merely another earthly human institution, but rather a divinely appointed custodian of truth and wisdom.
Catholicism is the largest faith community in the world, with more than 1.2 billion members. In every time and place for 2000 years, the Catholic Church has fed, clothed, and housed more people in need than any other group or institution in history. The Church was responsible for the birth of both the educational system and the health care system, both of which stand as pillars in our modern society. Throughout the centuries, the Church has been the largest benefactor of the arts, nurturing these elements of cultural life that have the ability to elevate the human heart and spirit so effortlessly to the things of God. Today, the Church is the largest landowner in the world, owning land in almost every community for its churches, from the most remote and rural locations to the most sophisticated cities. In this modern day and age, the Catholic Church remains the world's premier institutional defender of human rights.
And, yet, as great as our achievements may be, as great as our numbers are today, we seem unable to capture the attention and intrigue the imagination of people the way our ancestors did.
The story of Jesus Christ is the most powerful story in history and has directly and indirectly influenced every noble aspect of our modern civilization. But, amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it is easy to become distracted and distance ourselves from this story. From time to time, someone comes along who reminds us of the spellbinding power the gospel has when it is actually lived. There is something ultimately attractive about men and women striving to become the best version of themselves. It is this striving that we need to rediscover as a Church. We Catholics have become too comfortably a part of the modern secular culture, and this comfort has resulted in a complacency toward the life-giving words of the gospel. Too often, we listen to these words but do not allow them to transform our hearts and lives.
And finally, evangelization. We all know that the essential mission of the Church is to share the gospel and to teach, challenge and encourage people to become more like Jesus Christ. Then, why is it not happening to any great extent, in every Catholic church from coast to coast? How can we go on year after year with hardly any outreach to the unchurched in our area, with very few people becoming more Christ-like? I realize these are generalizations, and we all know of instances where this is actually happening. But what I am saying is that these seem to be exceptions, not the rule.
Do We Truly Believe?
I suppose what it really comes down to is whether or not we sincerely believe that knowing and following Christ is the best way to live. I suspect that on some level, many, many Catholics do not believe this. If they did, they would most likely be more excited to share it. It seems that we actually do not want to become saints. That's the first problem. And once we are convinced that holiness is the only way we can satisfy our yearning for happiness, then we are in danger of falling into the second trap, and that is thinking that our sanctity is a matter between God and me. It is a matter between God, and me and my neighbor. And if we leave anyone of the three out of that equation, it's not going to work.
Our local church community should be contagious. Everyone who belongs to that community should be reaching out actively, with efforts to evangelize, and passively, with the example of their lives.
The early Church was unstoppable because they followed this simple strategy: they believed that the values and principles of the gospel were the best way to live, they nurtured friendships, they were deeply committed to a life of prayer, they were courageous in telling their story, they invited people to outreach events, although they probably didn't call them that, and they made people feel welcome in their communities. The most common reason people leave the Catholic Church and join another church is that someone simply invited them and made them feel welcome.
Education and evangelization, including all that this implies, is the two-pronged strategy that will transform the present culture as it has so many times over the last two thousand years. And it will do it again. There really is no other way that I know of. Sanctity is the only way, and we must start with ourselves.
And so my dear friends, listening to the words of Holy Scripture, "Now is the acceptable time." Be reconciled, be lovers one of another. For only then will Christ be seen and heard by those who have gone their own way. And when they see and hear Him in us, in our sincere love, they will cry out in the very words of the prophet Zachariah, "Let us go with you, for we have heard (indeed, we see) that God is with you."
© Wanderer Forum Foundation
This item 7304 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
