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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Faithful Catholic Subculture Needs to Evangelize

Russell Shaw is warning faithful Catholics not to withdraw from the culture but to participate in the "new evangelization." He sees signs of the orthodox pulling out with a "ghetto" mentality. Don't do it, Catholics, he warns. And I shout a loud AMEN! We need to engage the culture. The pro-life movement shows how. Take the battle to the market place even if we're ultimately driven to the catacombs. But the ghetto? Never! Here's a selection from Shaw's piece:
In recent years, however, a reaction has set in. Disgusted with the secular culture, growing numbers of individuals and families, both Catholic and non-Catholic, have begun taking steps to withdraw from what they judge to be a morally destructive environment.   
Some home-school their children to avoid the sex education imposed in schools. Some have given up on television and take great pains to police internet use. Still others have made the radical move of quitting big cities and their suburbs in favor of smaller,  more tradition-minded and culturally homogeneous communities making fewer assaults on their eyes, ears, and morals. (Thomas Monaghan’s Ave Maria, Florida is a high-profile prototype of this.)   Meanwhile, the infrastructure of a new Catholic subculture has begun to emerge. It can be seen in a handful of proudly orthodox Catholic colleges and universities, media ventures like the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and rapidly expanding Catholic radio stations, a growing number of websites and periodicals and a few publishing houses, and organizations and movements dedicated to promoting Catholic spirituality—especially, a spirituality of the laity. In other cases, older Catholic institutions and programs have begun taking steps to reaffirm their Catholic idenity. Often, these things happen with encouragement from a new generation of bishops and priests who have gotten the message and taken it to heart.   This is all to the good—up to a point. But note that when I speak of the desirability of a new Catholic subculture, I do not mean a self-regarding, inward-looking ghetto. Unfortunately, signs of such a thing already can be glimpsed here and there. They seem likely to spread if steps are not taken to discourage that from happening.   Here is where the new evangelization comes in. It provides rationale and  motivation for Catholics to set their sights on something far better than a Catholic ghetto—the creation of a new, dynamic American Catholic subculture specifically designed to be a source of creative energy for preaching the gospel far and wide, with particular attention to former Catholics and nominal Catholics who are teetering on the brink.   This is asking a great deal—a subculture able to nurture and sustain a strong sense of Catholic identity without turning in on itself. Can it be done? No one really knows because up to now it hasn’t been attempted. Evangelization is the key. Meanwhile, one thing does seem certain: If it cannot be done, or if no attempt is made to do it, the situation of the Catholic Church in the United States is likely to become increasingly troubled in the years ahead.  

6 comments:

  1. I have said for years that the homeschooling movement of conservative Catholics will be the death of the Catholic school system in our country. Parents who are truly motivated to an education in the faith will persist in trying to make the parochial school work. Homeschooling is the easy way out of proclaiming the faith. Preaching to the choir indeed

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  2. Can't agree, Nessa. The death of the parochial school system will be its cost. How many parents, especially parents of large families, can afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars on ELEMENTARY education - not to mention high school. We refinanced our house to pay for Catholic schooling and the teachers at the school knew less than I do about the faith. A 6th grade teacher told my daughter she was wrong when she said that the Immaculate Conception referred to the Virgin birth, not the Incarnation. It took me sending in some materials from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the teacher to back down.

    As for homeschooling being the "easy way out of proclaiming the faith," how can you say that? Homeschoolers I know often take their children to daily Mass, use the Baltimore catechism and the Faith and Life series to make sure their kids get doctrine, pray the rosary.... You must not know many homeschoolers! I applaud them for their courage and commitment!

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  3. The reality is that Catholic Education has killed itself because it isn't Catholic anymore. I sent some of my kids to Catholic school and then had to spend time correcting the erroneous things they were taught.

    Home schooling is more orthodox and traditional than any of the Catholic schools out there for the most part. There are exceptions of course. It's a shame really but the fact of the matter is that the past generation is the worst catechized generation. They know essentially nothing about the faith and are full of errors they'd been taught. The lack of proper cathechesis is emptying the pews because when you teach Catholics that they're just like Protestants they end up going to be Protestants. In some parishes like mine they don't have to leave. They just talk like and think like Protestants and tell me that traditional Catholic beliefs are outmoded and old fashioned "bells and smells" chewing gum in church, no particular respect for the Eucharist ... standing during the consecration ... on and on. For someone who grew up in the pre-Vatican II church it pains me to watch it all. It will probably continue to get worse before it gets better.

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  4. Catechist Kevin says:

    I led an adult faith study last night at a town 15 miles away from my home.

    We have been doing this since the start of the "religious ed" year - back in August.

    One of the attendees - a regular from the beginning - asked me if we send our kids to a Catholic school. I said "no" (the nearest one being at the parish of the faith study).

    She then asked me if we send our kids to "religious ed" at one of our local parishes. Again, I said "No, not only are we homeschoolers, we teach them the faith at home." (those who attend already knew we homeschooled)

    (It works best for us to teach our children the faith at home. Some of the parish programs are okay - and have fine catechists - this just fits us better)

    This lady then lamented the fact that she attended 12 years of Catholic schooling - and she was ashamed to admit she did not know the faith (and she graduated in 1959! back when the faith was supposedly being taught).

    She said that she felt cheated and that she was angry. She said she had never learned the faith in the way we present it - using Scripture, Catechism, Papal encyclical quotes, quotes from the early Fathers, etc.

    I spoke with a friend the other day who drew her child *out* of a local Catholic gradeschool. Was it because of the education? No. It was because of the students' outright hostile attitude towards the faith. This mother's child would come home in tears because of the way her peers viewed the faith - with disdain.

    I am afraid the Catholic school system isn't for everybody, Nessa.

    God love you.

    Catechist Kevin

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  5. I thought the point of the article was about not burying oneself in an insulated environment. Nessa didn't say that homeschooling was wrong or that it in itself was easy, nor did she claim that the catholic schools have all the answers. What she stated is obviously happening. Instead of trying to step outside the family or small group unit and evangelize inside the church, people are opting to homeschool. How does this prevent any of the situations you mentioned in the comments? It doesn't - it promotes them! Instead of homeschooling, try to bring more of your views to the catholic schools!

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  6. You obviously think that Shaw was being critical of home schooling. He wasn't. He is saying that we have to use that energy and orthodoxy to evangelize the culture. And who will be the best evangelizers? I think Lila Rose gives us the answer. That young woman who is poised, confident, and brave was a home schooler. We need more Lila Roses to the 10th power.

    The Catholic schools are generally NOT giving us that. The Catholic high school where our sons went taught indifferentism to the faith, a sin against the first commandment. I regret the money we invested. I believe the only reasons my sons remain Catholic is that they saw us fighting with the Oblates over the liberal garbage being taught by CINOs in the classroom.

    Don't blame home schoolers for the parochial schools; look at their own failures, especially the failure to teach doctrine.

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