Dear Friends,

 

“My opinion matters!” exclaimed the enlightened Catholic. “No pope in Rome is going to tell me how or when to practice my faith. He is just an opinion.” This quote is no exaggeration, and it is more common than you’d think. 

 

First off, Faith is not a private affair. It is a system of beliefs held by those who belong to the Body of Christ. Belonging to the Body of Christ is a submissive act, a choice based in freedom.  In essence, it has obedience as its foundation and moral absolutes as the guide posts along the way. Simply put, one cannot declare independence from doctrinal truths and dismissively wave away obedience while expecting God to smile blithely without any resulting consequence. The Vicar of Christ, the Pope, is not a, "think tank," or a, "talking head." He speaks infallibly in the areas of faith and morals and is free from all error in this regard. This is the promise from God Himself. The Holy Spirit will protect the Church from error. No mere creature is in any position to posit themselves as a “higher” authority than God.

 

Common among modern Catholics is the belief that Church history started only 50 years ago, at the conclusion of Vatican II. Anything before this is considered "Old Church;” whatever that means! There is no old or new, there is only the Church: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Accompanying this erroneous subtext is the understanding that the traditional teachings, doctrinal statements, and Catechetical underpinnings of our Faith are debatable, flexible, or optional. Everything is up for grabs as long as it doesn't inconvenience me or challenge me too much or make me sweat spiritually, then it is to be positively ignored by the "enlightened.”

 

A person of faith, who has the Faith rejects these attitudes as destructive and counter-productive to any growth in holiness. G. K. Chesterton said, "I don't need a Church to be right when I am right. I need a Church to be right when I'm wrong." The Church, our Catholic Faith, is an ensign to the world and the whole Body of Christ. Obedience keeps us humble; moral absolutes provide direction and purpose. Without these two concepts, the rest won't matter.

 

The modern Catholic doesn't exclude the past. We don't cry out, "My opinion is all that matters," if we are truly growing in holiness. To struggle with truth is not wrong, to ignore it is a slippery slope and leads to a perilous road that only goes down. 

 

Yours in Christ, M. Heinz, Pastor