Over the last two weeks, I have been attempting to paint (with broad strokes) a picture of the spiritual condition of our Catholic Church and society in general. Since Vatican II, the Faith has been hit with some extraordinary assaults, most of which are of our own making. The Catholic Faith has seen a diminution in the practice of the Faith with Mass attendance in many places at 22%. Catholics are not getting married in the Church. The number of church weddings has diminished drastically, while more and more young people find living together sufficient. Religious Education programs are not capable of teaching the fundamentals of the Faith, as one hour for 23 weeks in a year is hardly enough to scratch the surface of belief and practice.
Some would suggest that our Catholic schools can be an answer. However, Catholic identity is a mixed bag. Religion is relegated to one class period 3 or 4 times a week, and is the first class to be eliminated if another program takes up parts of the school day. Daily Mass for our students is a rarity, with a weekly Mass becoming a monthly Mass in many schools. The devotional life of the Church is barely existent including Benediction, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or even the Rosary. Individual teachers are doing heroic acts regarding the Faith and the teaching of our Faith in the classrooms. Unfortunately, too many of our teachers do not practice the Faith, live in conflict with it, or insert their personal opinion trumping the defined doctrines and Sacred Scriptures at the risk of the Faith becoming a buffet, where we pick and choose what is comfortable and ignore what challenges.
The Baptism rate is down in many parishes simply because our young people are not getting married in the Church, practice birth control, prefer dogs and pets to children, don’t appreciate the beauty of family life, and view the Church as unnecessary or inconvenient. Vocations to the priesthood are meager in many dioceses. Priests are generally happy being priests. However, morale and fraternity is tepid. And, leadership from some bishops is weak and rudderless. Sadly, some bishops have a better rapport with their diocesan lawyers that they do with their priests. A bishop is to be a father to his sons. In too many dioceses this is rarely the case.
An exorcist once said that to overcome a demon you must claim power over it by acquiring its name. Naming problems binds those issues. Being forthright, honest, and unambiguous in this regard brings focus and starts the cure.
Having named many of the “demons”, it’s time to apply a salve and holy remedy. Next week I begin that dialogue.