This blog post continues a reflection on “Social Justice” and “My Responsibility.” The previous post addressed political institutions; this post will address religious institutions, i.e. the church. The next five paragraphs repeat the material from the previous post, because they are equally relevant for engaging the Church as for engaging political institutions.
[On April 7, Robert Rossman published a reflection on the St. Malachi website titled “Is Social Justice My Responsibility?” (http://www.stmalachi.org/feed/). One statement he makes is, “In understanding that our religious and political institutions are not perfect and are in need of reform to survive their mistakes and act with justice. (Our support is important.)”
Our support is important.
Criticism is easy – and tempting, especially when mistakes are evident, repeated over and over again, and the injustice is great. It is important to know that honest, loving criticism (note the adjectives – they are important) is a way to offer support. Even unloving criticism can be helpful, if one can recognize the truth, although the unloving nature of the criticism makes it less likely to be accepted or motivate reform.
Unfortunately, support often ends at criticism. The temptation is to wait for someone (else) to “fix” the problem(s) or to disengage because of the mistakes and injustice “until it gets fixed” (according to one’s own measure, whatever that may be.) For some, leaving is permanent. As the song says, they “just walk away” and never come back. I submit that ending support with our criticism is irresponsible.
But our support – support that goes beyond criticizing -- is important. It is part of our faith.]
For the church:
“The church, however, clasping sinners to its bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal.” (Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #8)
“When it comes to the Church, some claim that its institutional needs take a toll on the values of community and relationships. Institutions require time, money and effort for their maintenance. Since the Second Vatican Council highlighted the Church as the People of God, does this not mean that our energies should be focused on people, not buildings, committees, laws, and rules? … In response, we would say this is not an “either/or” situation. … The Church needs an institutional framework for its stability, continuity, and mission for serving the cause of the Gospel and opening people to God’s call to holiness. Problems with the institution are not arguments for its removal, but for its renewal. Just as the Son of God took on our human flesh and just as a soul needs a body, so a community needs to be organized to serve and be served. The Church is a community that is served by a multiplicity of structures.” (U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, pp. 120-121)
Some people find it much easier to believe in Jesus that to believe in the Church. There are a great many Christians – and many Catholics – who believe deeply in Jesus, but not in the Church. The Church, obviously, is not Jesus, but the Church is the Body of Christ. A person cannot be authentically Christian, believing in and embracing Jesus while rejecting the Church.
Those who struggle with the Church often try to embrace the “spiritual” reality of Church – perhaps captured by Pius XII’s image of the “Mystical” Body of Christ – while rejecting “the institution” or “the Hierarchy” (or whatever aspect of the Church a person struggles/disagrees with). Unfortunately, that’s not the way it is. The “mystical” Body of Christ is the only Body that exists, and it is composed of flesh and blood human beings, saints and sinners.
Therein is the paradox: the Lord Jesus entrust the holy mission of bringing God’s love and mercy to the world to imperfect, sinful human beings. For every Thomas Becket (1118-1170), who advised his friend, King Henry II not to appoint him the Archbishop of Canterbury, because he knew it would mean he could not longer “be the king’s man” (and who ultimately was martyred by Henry’s knights), there has been a Leo X (Pope 1513-1521) who famously said to his brother after his election, “Since God has given us the Papacy, let us enjoy it.”
Mysteriously, God seems to work in varied and mysterious ways, apparently working through both good and bad. Pope Leo’s lavish and indulgent life-style was enormously expensive and drove the papacy into debt. His need to raise money resulted in practices condemned by Luther in his famous 95 Theses, which helped to trigger the start of Reformation. Yet, Leo was also known for his great generosity to the poor and support of institutions which cared for the poor; he was also a patron of art and learning.
Even more mysteriously, God brings good out of evil. The abuses that help precipitate the Protestant Reformation led to the Council of Trent, which revised the practices and policies surrounding indulgences, began enforcing the end of bishops holding multiple benefices and requiring bishops to live in their dioceses, strengthened the education and formation of priests, clarified and defined Catholic teaching, revised the Missal and Breviary (Liturgy of the Hours), created a catechism.
Although it is far too early to proclaim resolution to the sex abuse crisis, there are indications that the Church has become much more strongly committed than ever before to protect children, to remove perpetrators and to educate people about the realities of the tremendous harm done to minors and how to keep children safe. In recent weeks, there are indications that the Church is beginning to hold bishops accountable for their actions or inactions in these cases.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4: 1-3) As individual Christians and as a Church community, we are called to live Paul’s words.
Social Justice – Religious Institutions and My Responsibility
This blog post continues a reflection on “Social Justice” and “My Responsibility.” The previous post addressed political institutions; this post will address religious institutions, i.e. the church. The next five paragraphs repeat the material from the previous post, because they are equally relevant for engaging the Church as for engaging political institutions.
[On April 7, Robert Rossman published a reflection on the St. Malachi website titled “Is Social Justice My Responsibility?” (http://www.stmalachi.org/feed/). One statement he makes is, “In understanding that our religious and political institutions are not perfect and are in need of reform to survive their mistakes and act with justice. (Our support is important.)”
Our support is important.
Criticism is easy – and tempting, especially when mistakes are evident, repeated over and over again, and the injustice is great. It is important to know that honest, loving criticism (note the adjectives – they are important) is a way to offer support. Even unloving criticism can be helpful, if one can recognize the truth, although the unloving nature of the criticism makes it less likely to be accepted or motivate reform.
Unfortunately, support often ends at criticism. The temptation is to wait for someone (else) to “fix” the problem(s) or to disengage because of the mistakes and injustice “until it gets fixed” (according to one’s own measure, whatever that may be.) For some, leaving is permanent. As the song says, they “just walk away” and never come back. I submit that ending support with our criticism is irresponsible.
But our support – support that goes beyond criticizing -- is important. It is part of our faith.]
For the church:
“The church, however, clasping sinners to its bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal.” (Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, #8)
“When it comes to the Church, some claim that its institutional needs take a toll on the values of community and relationships. Institutions require time, money and effort for their maintenance. Since the Second Vatican Council highlighted the Church as the People of God, does this not mean that our energies should be focused on people, not buildings, committees, laws, and rules? … In response, we would say this is not an “either/or” situation. … The Church needs an institutional framework for its stability, continuity, and mission for serving the cause of the Gospel and opening people to God’s call to holiness. Problems with the institution are not arguments for its removal, but for its renewal. Just as the Son of God took on our human flesh and just as a soul needs a body, so a community needs to be organized to serve and be served. The Church is a community that is served by a multiplicity of structures.” (U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, pp. 120-121)
Some people find it much easier to believe in Jesus that to believe in the Church. There are a great many Christians – and many Catholics – who believe deeply in Jesus, but not in the Church. The Church, obviously, is not Jesus, but the Church is the Body of Christ. A person cannot be authentically Christian, believing in and embracing Jesus while rejecting the Church.
Those who struggle with the Church often try to embrace the “spiritual” reality of Church – perhaps captured by Pius XII’s image of the “Mystical” Body of Christ – while rejecting “the institution” or “the Hierarchy” (or whatever aspect of the Church a person struggles/disagrees with). Unfortunately, that’s not the way it is. The “mystical” Body of Christ is the only Body that exists, and it is composed of flesh and blood human beings, saints and sinners.
Therein is the paradox: the Lord Jesus entrust the holy mission of bringing God’s love and mercy to the world to imperfect, sinful human beings. For every Thomas Becket (1118-1170), who advised his friend, King Henry II not to appoint him the Archbishop of Canterbury, because he knew it would mean he could not longer “be the king’s man” (and who ultimately was martyred by Henry’s knights), there has been a Leo X (Pope 1513-1521) who famously said to his brother after his election, “Since God has given us the Papacy, let us enjoy it.”
Mysteriously, God seems to work in varied and mysterious ways, apparently working through both good and bad. Pope Leo’s lavish and indulgent life-style was enormously expensive and drove the papacy into debt. His need to raise money resulted in practices condemned by Luther in his famous 95 Theses, which helped to trigger the start of Reformation. Yet, Leo was also known for his great generosity to the poor and support of institutions which cared for the poor; he was also a patron of art and learning.
Even more mysteriously, God brings good out of evil. The abuses that help precipitate the Protestant Reformation led to the Council of Trent, which revised the practices and policies surrounding indulgences, began enforcing the end of bishops holding multiple benefices and requiring bishops to live in their dioceses, strengthened the education and formation of priests, clarified and defined Catholic teaching, revised the Missal and Breviary (Liturgy of the Hours), created a catechism.
Although it is far too early to proclaim resolution to the sex abuse crisis, there are indications that the Church has become much more strongly committed than ever before to protect children, to remove perpetrators and to educate people about the realities of the tremendous harm done to minors and how to keep children safe. In recent weeks, there are indications that the Church is beginning to hold bishops accountable for their actions or inactions in these cases.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote, “I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4: 1-3) As individual Christians and as a Church community, we are called to live Paul’s words.