Signs of Hope: Strength of the Catholic Church

“... the Catholic Church is the one institution in our society that regularly and effectively challenges the direction and many of the values of that society. In doing so, it gives its members a choice of directions and values.”

One of the unpublished major stories about the Catholic Church in the United States today is the fact that so many have remained with the Church, despite constantly bad publicity. It is worthwhile to examine the reasons for this fact.

Catholic adults are remaining in the Church today because it is one of the few places in our society where one can associate with likeminded people. These people like the values the Church promotes and treasure the companionship of other people who share these same values. Most of these folks do not agree with the Church leaders on all issues, but they do agree with values the Church promotes, generally.

Since the days of Vatican Council II (1962-65) the Roman Catholic Church has been engaged in the process of updating a good part of its public offerings It has seriously updated its primary resources; the Scriptures, the Sacraments, the Creed of its beliefs, and  its organizational structure, especially at the local or parish level. This work has allowed the Catholic public to have a larger voice in Church affairs, and it has been greeted with general approval. The result is, the average layperson uses the offerings of the Church more effectively in his or her personal life.

While this is still a work in process – it is far from complete – enough has already been done to maintain the loyalty of most of its adult members.

Moreover, the Catholic Church is the one institution in our society that regularly and effectively challenges the direction and many of the values of that society. In doing so, it gives its members a choice of directions and values. This is especially appreciated by persons who  prefer to have some control over the decisions and values that determine much of the direction of their lives and the lives of their families.

It must be recognized that huge changes have taken place within the Catholic community in recent years. Among these changes is the relationship between the Catholic laity and the clergy. The clergy no longer is accorded undisputed leadership within the community by its lay  members. Many of the clergy have accepted, and even welcomed, their new position. But, some members of the clergy, including large segments of the hierarchy, refuse to recognize and honor their new roles, and this has created innumerable tensions. As many members of the clergy who are newly ordained, but not necessarily younger, are  part of the group that is hostile to the changes the prospects for future conflict within the Church over this issue are real and troublesome.

Does this mean that the Roman Catholic Church is going to be abandoned by most of its members? I think not. I believe most people will continue to stay in the Church for the above mentioned reasons. They will do so for these reasons coupled with a new understanding of the basic realities of the church itself.

That new understanding, which is not new at all, is clearly evidenced in the first writings of Pope Benedict XVI. The new pope’s first published book is titled “Jesus of Nazareth.”  In this dense work he clearly indicates that the foremost authority in Catholicism is Jesus Christ. He makes it quite clear that Catholics are disciples of this person, first and foremost.

It is not the pope who is foremost in this community, or the institution of the Church, but this first century, A.D., Jew from Nazareth. And, today, thanks to the benefits of modern scholarship we can know and understand Jesus of Nazareth better than at any time since he first traveled over the  paths of Palestine. This pope feels he must protect the memory of Jesus as scrupulously as he can. He does so for a variety of reasons stemming from his understanding of the papacy and his own personality. Many, within Catholicism and outside of it, disagree with his approach.

Nevertheless, for those who accept this new understanding, although they may remain in the minority of the Church’s membership, temporarily, they  possess a new and better sense of  importance of being attached to the Church.  They do so now because they are disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, and membership in the Church is the best way  for them of promoting that status.

The Church has always proclaimed its role in this sense. Now, it does so with a clearer and better understanding of its identity and function. Whether or not, that will be translated into reality, in this most difficult role,  by its leadership and membership remains to be seen. Its position as a hope for the future, depends upon whether it does so or not.