Category: Religion

Religion, Spirituality

High Hopes for Church Reform

It came as somewhat a surprise that the Vatican announced Pope Francis would be convening a group of eight cardinals from around the world to “advise him on the government of the universal church” and “to study a project of revision” of a document from John Paul II on the Roman Curia. One month into his pontificate, he is already delivering on a suggestion made during the “General Congregation” meetings of cardinals in the run-up to the conclave that elected him to the papacy.

Could major reform be on the horizon? Consider: As the ultimate Vatican outsider, Francis is uniquely positioned to assess the situation free from internal politics and entrenched influences. Moreover, each of the cardinals tapped to help him in his task are strong personalities in their own right, so they’re not likely to tell the pope what he wants to hear. And these are leaders of dioceses, which indicates not only a desire to hold the Vatican accountable to the local churches but also an attempt to implement Vatican II’s call for greater collegiality.

Regardless of what results, Francis has captured the attention of “lapsed” Catholics the world over, including me. He has given me great hope that the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (which framed my faith and inspired me to serve), may, despite many years of setbacks and outright reversals, be finally and fully implemented.

General, History, Religion, Spirituality

Since You Asked About Vatican II

Lots of questions, especially from non-Catholics, about the Second Vatican Council. A brief primer follows.

Vatican Council II was the 21st general, or ecumenical, council of the Catholic Church. It was held from Oct. 11, 1962 through Dec. 8, 1965. The council is regarded by many as the most significant religious event since the 16th-century Reformation and certainly the most important of the 20th century. The council produced 16 documents: four were constitutions, nine were decrees, and three were declarations. A constitution is a major document that intends to set a direction for the whole Church. A decree is a significant document, intended to foster further reflection and set a pace and direction for future discussion. A declaration is a statement of a theological position that is important for its influence on future dialogue.

A summary of the teachings of Vatican II:

  • The Church is, first and foremost, a mystery, or sacrament, and not primarily an organization or institution.
  • The Church is the whole People of God, not just the hierarchy, clergy, and religious.
  • The Church’s mission includes action on behalf of justice and peace and is not limited to the preaching of the word and the celebration of the sacraments.
  • The Church includes all Christians and is not limited exclusively to the Catholic Church.
  • The Church is a communion, or college, of local churches, which are not simply administrative subdivisions of the Church universal.
  • The Church is an eschatological community; it is not yet the reign of God.
  • The lay apostolate is a direct participation in the mission of the Church, and not simply a sharing in the mission of the hierarchy.
  • There is a hierarchy of truths; not all official teachings of the Church are equally binding or essential to the integrity of Catholic faith.
  • God uses other Christian churches and non-Christian religions in offering salvation to all humankind; the Catholic Church is not the only means of salvation.
  • The dignity of the human person and the freedom of the act of faith are the foundation of religious liberty for all.
General, Life, Religion, Spirituality

A Note From the Margins

It’s been barely two weeks since Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio took the name of Pope Francis, yet it seems like the whole world has entered a sort of time warp. Allow me to explain.

At first blush, it appears as though Francis is more a successor to John Paul I than to John Paul II and Benedict XVI. After all, his emphasis on the marginalized over the magisterium calls to mind some of the very reforms envisioned by the Second Vatican Council, which, despite decades of attempts to reverse them (first by Karol Wojtyła and, then, by Joseph Ratzinger), is apparently unstoppable. Score one for the Holy Spirit.

Attending Palm Sunday Mass this year, inspired by the new pope’s outreach to the marginalized (in what was a first attempt to re-engage the Catholic Church in two years), it felt as though I had stepped much farther back in time. The emphasis on ritual purity reminded me of the first post-Conciliar days of my youth, with the faithful clinging to the past while being forcefully (though pastorally) nudged forward. The stilted liturgical language, the pious expressions of the faithful, the surprisingly extensive use of Latin and Gregorian chant, the undeniable focus on the tabernacle, the kneeling to receive communion–all combined to make for a reverent, yet eerie, celebration of the Eucharist. This Mass was a hybrid from a bygone era. Like a scene from a movie, it was preternaturally clean. There were no “femi-Nazis” here, no adherents to liberation theology, no faithful dissenters of any sort. Only precise gestures, choreographed movements, neatly manicured environment, appropriately diverse congregants and impressive edifices. It was so disconnected from the theology I studied and the ministry I practiced that, for the first time, I didn’t miss the priestly ministry. In that moment, it seemed like a distant, even distorted, memory.

During my seminary and ministry years (1986-2001), I absorbed Vatican II, all the while witnessing John Paul II take it off the rails. Benedict XVI extended and calcified many of his predecessor’s efforts–all of which culminated in the bizarre experience of Palm Sunday. Hopefully, Francis will be able to redirect the Church’s attention to what matters most: it’s not about the branches, but the people holding them aloft.