There have been many interesting articles on the state of the American Catholic Church, but I found this essay by Dan Barry in the New York Times especially charming and intriguing, probably because I agree with so much of it. Get to the article by clicking here. Following are some sound bites.
Let me say at the outset that I am your classic stumbling, grumbling, trying-to-sort-it-all-out American Catholic. I consider myself a practicing Catholic because I dearly need the practice. My family and I attend Sunday Mass with some regularity, though not always at the same parish — in case anyone is taking attendance. Our older child goes to catechism class, as will our younger child when she is of age. I have eaten enough stale crumb cake at after-Mass socials to earn penance for at least a few of my many venial sins.In other words, for all you nativists out there, I’ll use one of your terms to explain: I am proud to be a mackerel snapper.
Then why is our papal blessing not on display? Is it because the document might clash with a haphazard interior design that includes a W.C. Fields movie poster? Is it because we worry that in some circles our faith might be considered a bit — uncool? (You actually attend Mass? Really?) Or is it because, quite frankly, we feel virtually no connection to the papacy?
As the Thursday night players used to shout in the church basement of my Long Island parish long ago: Bingo!
Pope Benedict XVI plans to visit the United States this week, a tour that will include touchstones in my own life — ground zero, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Yankee Stadium — and will attract throngs of American Catholics. Still, beyond the fact that I’m not much of a throng guy, I will not be among those craning their necks for a glimpse. I feel a palpable papal disconnect.
The disconnection I feel may be rooted in the good old American distrust of monarchs and frippery. And, unlike American Catholics of 150 years ago, I do not feel the sting of prejudice that would cause me to embrace the pope in defiant declaration of my faith.Since the day my in-laws first displayed their papal blessing nearly 50 years ago, much has happened to wear away at the authority of the pope. There remains great awe and respect for anyone charged with managing a 2,000-year-old institution and spiritually guiding more than a billion people around the world. For stumbling, grumbling worshipers like me, though, obedience to the pope has morphed into a respectful taking of his pronouncements under advisement — a cafeteria-like approach that drives more rigid Catholics to the brink of saying the Lord’s name in vain.
And peace be with you.
As Peter Steinfels, the Beliefs columnist for The New York Times, recently noted, there is nothing particularly new in this tension. He wrote that many American Catholics “honor the pope yet disagree with papal positions, whether about using contraception, restricting legal access to abortion, ordaining married men or women to the priesthood or recognizing same-sex relationships.” I would add to that list disgust, more than mere disagreement, with the way the church has handled the priest scandals of the last decade.
But what does all this mean?
It means that I got my Catholic Irish up when I read recently that the Rev. John Hagee, a Texas televangelist, uses code language for the Catholic Church when he speaks of a “false cult system” and — what was it again? Oh, yes: “the great whore.” The good reverend says his words have been misconstrued, and I don’t want mine to be: It would be my humble honor to share a dinner of solidarity with the pope — a dinner, even, of mackerel.
But all this also means that I read the parish bulletin and the gospels, not papal encyclicals or L’Osservatore Romano. That I mutter more about the priest’s aimless homily or some action by the local bishop than about anything the pope has said or done. That on Sundays, though hardly every one, I try to concentrate on the Gospel and on the celebration of the Eucharist as best I can with a distracted 10-year-old and a squirming 4-year-old. That I never once ask myself: What would the pope do?
I am just an American Catholic shirt in a pile of human laundry, rinsing, twirling, praying that things don’t spin out of balance.
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I guess he better make room in the boat for me. I am a Catholic who goes to Mass every Saturday evening (almost) and at various times of my life, daily. I pray daily, most recently I've re-adopted the rosary. I've tried to practice love, because that is what Jesus did. I think that the Church's position on contraception and marriage is the ideal, but have not followed it. After five children and a miscarriage, I had a tubal twenty years ago, and have never thought for a moment that Jesus would rather I stay away from the Eucharist. I try to balance what Jesus taught and lived, with what I have heard the Church say and do.
I don't really concern myself with the Pope or his visit. Like the author of the article, I haven't spent much time reading Papal encyclicals, although I've read a few. I am not an expert on what he wears, as some I've read on Catholic blogs. But I do read a couple of Cathblogs. I have been active in music ministry in my parish, and now, in Protestant congregations. I have been in enough inter-faith bible studies to know that I think and interpret like a Catholic, and have no doubt that I will always remain Catholic. Given that, I love my Lutheran friends and the pastor I work for, who have been loving and giving as my husband and I have been dealing with his cancer, loss of job, and my ongoing jobhunt.
I guess that stamps me with "cafeteria" on my forehead. So be it.
John Paul II is a tough act to follow. During his watch, I actually listened to Vatican Radio--a lot like NPR believe it or not. I read virtually everything the man from Poland wrote. I logged into his section of the Vatican web site many times a week. John Paul II is to religion what his fellow Pole,Copernicus, is to science. IMHO.
I am virtually oblivious of Pope Benedict. Earlier this week that changed for a bit when I read a transcript of Bill Maher's comments re the pope's visit to the USA and past anti-Catholic rants. Maher is some 50ish, never married, no kids, whining, rather unintelligent, elitist, rebellious teen-ager. Worse, he's a coward.
Some may remember the night Sinnead O'Connor got booed off the stage at a concert in Madison Square Garden for crossing the line in hammering John Paul II. I think Springstein was given the task of escorting her back to the stage the following night.
Maher kept quiet when JP II came to town. He's never talked his trash before a large audience---tv doesn't count. To my knowledge, he's never debated a Catholic in a serious way.
It's worth taking a look at a transcript of Maher's tirades. You get an appreciation for the tolerance Catholics have when people express hatred for the Church and contempt for all Catholics.
News flash re PC thinking re contraception--not that I follow the teachings on this one. Women taking the pill are unable to smell phermones necessary to increase her chances of picking the right mate. Fact is, if we don't like the natural odor of whomever we married, divorce is almost inevitable. I didn't particularly like the natural smell of my ex---and apparently she hated mine. I realized I love the smell of a woman I've been dating and vice versa.
Maybe it isn't so smart to go messing with Mother Nature or engage in arrogant dismissal of things that seem to make no sense. I've always agreed in principal with teachings on contraception--I actually understand how they make loads of sense from a certain perspective. No point in explaining it but I intend to spread word that it might be wise to not take the pill when looking for a mate......
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