Posted on 11/26/2004 1:05:21 PM PST by Chi-townChief
The Catholic Church is in deep trouble. The more immediate problems are the sex abuse scandal -- which has not gone away and won't for a long time -- and the clumsy efforts of some bishops to deliver votes for the Republican Party. There are three chronic problems in the Catholic Church to which it is not even trying to respond -- the decline in mass attendance, the decline in vocations, and the decline in parochial school attendance.
Ask what is causing the problems and you'll hear personal opinions and cliches, most of which blame the laity. They're materialist, consumerist, secularist, weak in faith, caught in the grip of American hypersexual culture, etc., etc., etc. Having delivered themselves of that wisdom -- which cannot be verified because it cannot admit of falsification -- the priests who prate such nonsense settle back complacently. There is nothing for them to do, except turn on the TV.
It is difficult to imagine that another large institution faced with similar difficulties would be satisfied with such easy and self-serving analysis, much less demoralizing policies, in response to apparent bad news. The church closes parishes because people are not attending mass, closes seminaries because there is no more vocation, and closes schools because apparently no one wants them or needs them anymore. No hope, no leadership, no vision. Bad news, cliched judgments, then cut and run! Pessimism and despair carry the day. Real bright!
Research shows that Catholic priests are the happiest men in America and that Catholic schools are among the best religious and educational bargains in America. Catholic art and liturgy are the richest devotional heritage in the Western World. Yet let's close up shop and run for the hills without trying to figure out why we have troubles.
We do studies of Catholic schools, of course, and expensive studies at that, but the purpose of them is to figure out which schools to close, not to ask why some schools are closing and others have waiting lists. Priests write petitions to Rome advocating the abolition of celibacy, but they never ask themselves serious questions about the quality of preaching and liturgy. Nor do they ask themselves when was the last time they tried to recruit young men into the priesthood.
A cardinal back in the 1940s said to an expert who suggested routine research (presumably something more sophisticated than counting noses on an October Sunday), "The Catholic Church doesn't need research, sir. We have the Holy Spirit." No one quite says that anymore, but the presumption is the same -- guesswork, strongly held opinions, faith in God, and panic when money seems to run low. That will have to serve for what in the secular world is called "R and D."
God help us all, though we don't deserve God's help because we're not able to do anything ourselves.
I have my own opinions on these matters -- homilies and liturgies are bad, no one recruits, no one promotes the schools. But they are only opinions, though unlike the opinions of some other priests they can be disproved by research. "The sexual revolution" or "secularism" or "consumerism" are explanations that cannot be falsified and so cannot be proved, either. So if you're a priest or even a bishop, you make major decisions by wetting your finger and putting it in the air or reading the entrails of dead foul or guessing or talking to your stock broker.
I argue for research not because I intend to do it anymore -- my name on a research project causes priests to reject a priori the findings -- but because I cannot imagine the CEO of any other institution operating without it. Well, we've been around a long time and so we'll muddle through, even if that is another form of tentatio dei -- tempting God.
It may not be possible to turn off the Catholic laity. If sexual abuse, bankruptcy and political meddling don't do it, what will? Maybe closing their schools and their churches without good reason or -- as in some dioceses because your financial people say that land is ripe for resale -- will do it. At least we're going to try.
My longtime colleague William C. McCready once said to me, "The Catholic Church is in terrible trouble." I nodded. He went on, "All it has left are the Catholic schools and the Blessed Mother, and a lot of you guys don't believe in either anymore."
There was a very good exchange on this topic last year at our local parish. The church was losing its priest and being paired with another parish which was going to result in fewer masses and less access to the priest's time. The parishoners were in an uproar over it! They demanded their own priest. At a meeting with the diocese rep, she asked them when was the last time their parish provided a priest for the diocese. It turned out that it had been years and years. No one could remember. Well, pointed out the rep, if you're not providing priests, you're not in the best position to demand one.
The parish is the typical "feel good" parish with synthesized music, watered down sermons, and a Church building that looks more like a auditorium than a sacred space. They're biggest request for the priest was that he attend their kid's t-ball games. They really gave the impression that a priest was a hired hand. I think some of them were wondering if they could "hire" one elsewhere.
Like I said, you get the vocations you deserve.
lets start by boycotting these products that have this kind of advertising, I was watching prime tv with my friends family last night, spiderman, the game etc, and about died when that ad for Levis came on, it was unbelievable! No wonder our kids are messed up, they are getting the wrong messages, freedom of expression,oh yeah, lets tear up the Constitution too while we are at it, get out of my country then you wacko perverts!
I agree with you fully. The biggest problem is our 50ish priests and Directors of Religious Education are mostly flaming libs that think that all Catholics want is touchie feelie religion.
That don't realize that Protestant churches are really good at doing Community. If the Catholic churches try it, sometimes we do a poor subsitute for it. If we get back to being Catholic and stop being the best of all worlds, Catholics will be back.
I'm sure one said that observing Christ on the cross - and we know how that turned out!
There was small warning fom the Holy SEE that this would take place. One week there was the traditional Latin rite and the week after we were virtually Ptotestant.
The old folks freaked, and most of the others went shopping for a new Church. Once the tradition of being Catholic was gone, why would anyone stay? The number one raiding target by other Churches were and is Catholics. And we have a cut and run Liberal to thank for it.
Thats the way I see it.
You think the eight seminarians are unusual, look at this. We have 3 masses a day and five on Sunday. We say a Rosary before the main ones. There is one mass in Latin each week, which is a blessing for a mom trying to teach Latin to her children.
We even say the Kyrie in Latin in every mass. We have six priests! NO one walks out after communion and some ladies still cover their heads. We are Ethnic but not Eastern Rite.
Go back to the tradition and we grow the pious. There are enough liberal churches in our area that are losing families. I am very blessed to be here.
Amen
When you reach the breaking point, DO NOT DESPAIR! Look East! The Catholic Church is both Western (Latin Rite) and Eastern. As most of us realize, the Church began in the East. Our Lord lived and died and resurrected in the Holy Land. The Church spread from Jerusalem throughout the known world. As the Church spread, it encountered different cultures and adapted, retaining from each culture what was consistent with the Gospel. In the city of Alexandria, the Church became very Egyptian; in Antioch it remained very Jewish; in Rome it took on an Italian appearance and in the Constantinople it took on the trappings of the Roman imperial court. All the churches which developed this way were Eastern, except Rome. Most Catholics in the United States have their roots in Western Europe where the Roman rite predominated. It has been said that the Eastern Catholic Churches are "the best kept secret in the Catholic Church."
Earlier this year, totally frustrated with the liturgical abuse in my RC parish and fed up with the wreckovation of so many churches in my diocese, I followed the sage advice of a fellow freeper, check the Yellow Pages, and located 2 Eastern Catholic (not to be confused with Orthodox) Churches nearby. I was swept away by the beauty of their liturgy and total reverence for catholic tradition. The liturgy is chanted - a conversation between the celebrant and the congregation. Incense is used extensively throughout the liturgy to purify the Book of the Gospels, the altar and the Divine Offerings. When the priest dropped to his knees, extended his arms heavenward and called down the Holy Spirit to accept our offerings, I was left speechless. Communion is distributed ONLY by the priest(s), and on the tongue. There are no EEMs, no communion in the hand, no dancing girls or boys. Altar servers wear a cassock and surplice. Check the information at this link to determine whether or not there is an Eastern Rite Church in your community. If so, check the web for information on that particular rite and plan to attend their Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Note that in the Eastern Rite Churches, congregants gather after the liturgy for refreshments and conversation. They are very community oriented and the pastor will make a point of greeting each and every one who attends the mass, including you! Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to freepmail me. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
If you say "Kyrie Eleison," you say it in its original Greek.
Five of your Sunday Masses are the Novus Ordo, correct?
Why do you have six priests? Some retired, or in residence?
Your parish could have three priests and take care of all the Masses.
BUMP!
Do you mean 'sin' in general? Or 'sin' as in 'child molestation' as in 'FELONY'?
Amen brother (or sister)!
What's been beaten down is the Catholic identity, either for 'ecumenical' reasons or 'pc' reasons (sort of the same thing), both equally misunderstood completely... far too many Catholics are that way only because they were baptized so. They have no idea, really, what it means to be a Catholic. And they aren't hearing it from most priests, especially ones like Fr. Greeley.
AAAACK! Greeley!
Just to let you know that Archbishop O'Malley of Boston has appointed Voice of the Faithful leaders in key chancery positions. Things here are getting worse and the faithful priests are beside themselves from what I hear. The one approved Tridentine Mass will not have a home as that parish is slated to close in June. The Latin Mass group here has petitioned the Archbishop for a FSSP priest to lead them and the Archbishop has refused. While the archbishop may be personally a good and holy man, God alone knows what the heck is going on.
We have the Real Presence, Confession, Holy Orders, First Communion, Marriage as a sacrament, a consistant teaching that the sanctity of life is the first and foremost consideration, a belief that birth control is contrary to God's will, teaching against divorce and remarriage, keeping the Lord's Day by attending Mass --- Gosh! I could go on and on about why I am a Catholic and not a Protestant!
The old folks freaked,
True for the most part, I remember that. No comparison between a pipe organ and a guitar or an awe inspiring work of art and a felt banner.
... and most of the others went shopping for a new Church.
I dunno which new Church they joined since the Protestant demominations are in pretty bad shape... I think some Catholics just stopped going gradually, lured away by a newly liberated society (if you want to go to Mass, smells and bells don't keep you, a deep faith does).
I don't think John XXIII was a liberal but I don't think he was wily enough to see what the liberals/progressives had in mind... give them an inch and they'll take a mile every time.
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