Is the Church in "Relatively Good Shape?"

I had a conversation recently with a pastor in Texas (Diocese of Houston-Galveston). He thought the Church in the U.S. was in relatively good shape. I disagree, although I suppose if you compare it to the Church in Europe which is just about moribund, he's right. But that seems to me like visiting a patient in the hospital who is imminently dying of cancer and describing the guy in the next bed with emphysema whose gasping for every breath as being "in relatively good shape." Frankly, I wouldn't give him too many odds for a long, enjoyable, and healthy life. The same can be said of the sick U.S. Church. Lately I find myself reflecting on Jesus' lament -- "When I return will I find any faith on the earth?" Not in too many chanceries I'm afrai, but I hope, at least, in the domestic church of many faithful Catholic families.

The priest also chided me. "I think you're too hard on the clergy. Don't the laity have any responsibility?" Of course! But it seems to me that the laity already bear an unbalanced share of the burden trying to make up for the lack of leadership from our shepherds. How so? Let's take a look at a few doctrines and check the scorecard for who's teaching the truth.

Abortion, euthanasia, etc.("Thous Shalt Not Kill"): The hierarchy and the clergy get relatively high marks for talking the talk on the life issues. Many preach about it during October, Respect Life Month, and around the March for Life in January. Unfortunately, they often don't walk the walk. They give pro-abortion politicians a pass and when a Terri Schiavo situation arises, they aid and abet the enemies of life (like Bishop Robert Lynch in Florida). Who acts like they mean what they say? The crisis pregnancy centers, national pro-life groups like Human Life International and Priests for Life, and the laity, like the 40 Days for Life Campaign. The shepherds not only do not lead on abortion, many actively undermine the doctrine by refusing to hold pro-abortion Catholics accountable. They are the same ones who fawned over Obama helping elect the most pro-abortion candidate in history. Fortunately, there are a few dramatic exceptions like Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, Bishop Fabian Bruskewity of Lincoln, and Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, OR. Those who could have a significant impact because of their proximity to the halls of Congress (Archbishop Donald Wuerl of D.C. and Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington) allow the barque of Peter to be rocked by scandals with nary a word of protest. As for the bishops' conference - they are a big part of the problem.

Artificial Birth Control: Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI's historic encyclical affirming the Church's unchanging teaching on the integrity of the marriage act remains largely unpreached by the clergy. When was the last time you heard a sermon in a parish praising openness to life and condemning contraception? When was the last time you heard a couple at a wedding challenged to be generous in welcoming children? Silence is so much easier! There are, of course, exceptions. Fr. Tom Euteneuer of Human Life International and Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life don't shy from preaching the truth, but primarily it is a message coming from the laity. The Natural Family Planning and Pro-Life communities are the most vigilant in defending H.V., not unfortunately, the shepherds with the responsibility to do so.

Teaching the Faith: Parents are the primary educators of their children and have the first responsibility to teach the faith. But where do parents learn the faith? From the Church. Most adults today who are raising children "studied" the faith in the post Vatican II Church of watered down catechesis. Even today many dioceses maintain the coloring-book approach to religion and blacklist series that are heavy on doctrine like Faith and Life from Ignatius Press. How many clergy promote the Catechism of the Catholic Church? The laity, to be sure, should act like grownups and take responsibility, and many are. The home schooling movement illustrates it. But often home schoolers have to fight not only the governmnet, but the chancery. As for the average Catholic in the pews many may not even realize how little they know about the faith because the Sunday sermon basically gives them an "I'm okay, you're okay" homily of marshmallow fluff. Have you ever heard a priest in the pulpit say, "You have a serious obligation to study the faith? Coming to church on Sunday is not enough." The of the impact if Father said, "I'm making the noon Mass the study service with an extended homily. Check the bulletin for the syllabus and next week's reading assignment." Woudn't that be a grand experiment?

Like American students who have no self-esteem problem and believe they are the smartest in math in the world while they rank low on the achievement scale, many Catholics think they are perfectly fine even though they pick and choose doctrines to suit their taste. Cafeteria Catholicism is the norm and what's okay for Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Joe Biden, and other high profile Catholics must be okay for Joe and Jane Pewsitter as well. That attitude must be challenged by the shepherds!

Is the teaching in Catholic colleges at least okay? Have you stopped laughing yet? The scandals are so egregious (including the latest: Obama invited to give the commencement speech at Notre Dame) that most schools should be stripped of their Catholic identity to conform to reality. But again, the laity (The Cardinal Newman Society) are the ones shining light on the crisis, not the bishops -- with rare exceptions like Bishop Martino who is showing himself to be a serious shepherd of the flock.

I could go on and probably will in later posts, but what do you think? Where do you see the shepherds succeeding and where are they failing? As laity, how can we effectively make our concerns known to them? It's a tough question. None of the laity I know want to beat up on our shepherds; we just want them to come down from their ivory-towered (and often luxurious) chanceries to beat off the wolves before they eat any more of the sheep! Please, Your Excellencies, we're begging for bread. Don't give us stones.