Blunt Words From Bp. Athanasius Schneider On The Crisis In The Church

[BarbTherese]

One of the things I really miss outside of religious life is that one does become really well informed on ALL things Catholic within religious life.  I do miss this, but on the outside here as a lay celibate woman (single life), I have found the internet a whole library of endless information including on all Church matters - and free of charge.  But in our stressful, busy world especially if there are children in marriages, finding the time to quietly read Catholic information on the internet is at a dire minimum,, if available at all.  Few, I would think, have the opportunities that I have re time actually given to quietly read Catholic information of various kinds.  I trend to think that perhaps clergy for one are not really and truly aware in reality terms of just how stressful life can be in today's modern world with time always under stress and at a minimum compared to what needs to be done and as part of the duties of one's state.

Edited June 11, 2014 by BarbaraTherese

[PhuturePriest]

Well, not me. God forbid. But I daresay that there are Catholics, maybe even here on Phatmass - who knows, who would call it 'exclusivist' or 'judgemental' to talk about a smaller, purer Church.

 

I figured you would err on the side of Pope Benedict. Honestly, with the way things are looking politically and socially, I don't see what ground those who oppose Ratzinger's predictions have to use. For every one Catholic who enters the Church, four leave. That's not a statistic you'll hear thrown around at most parishes and conferences. A quarter of Catholics go to Mass regularly, 70% believe the Holy Eucharist is a symbol, and 90% of Catholic women in America are on birth control. That doesn't scream "Catholic Revival" to me. It rather sends the opposite message.

Edited June 11, 2014 by FuturePriest387

[Kateri89]

I love it when bishops aren't afraid to speak up about the harsh realities of the modern day Church.  We all know that receiving Communion on the tongue and hand are both permissible and that's fine but it seems that the vast majority of people (at least in most churches I've attended) receive on the hand and if you ever watch people in line receiving communion, they are often careless.  How many parishioners do you suppose know the protocol when our Eucharistic Lord is dropped on the floor?  Or how many take care to make sure not to drop any fragments?  If such a large percentage of Catholics are either unaware or disbelieving of His true presence, they aren't realizing the magnitude of what they are receiving when they take Communion.  I personally know several people close to me who receive our Lord in the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin and don't believe that they need to go to confession.  Again, if they understood that Jesus is very much present in the Eucharist, they wouldn't have such a careless attitude about it.  This bishop stated that there are few devout Catholics who carefully receive our Lord in the hand but he does recognize that such people exist.  I'm one of them.  Occasionally I receive on the tongue but most of the time I receive in the hand, however I'm very, very careful when doing so.  This is not often the case with others, though.

 

I thoroughly agree with this bishop.  Much of the issues in the church today stem from willful ignorance and/or fear of preaching tough truths.  If people can commit such offenses against the most holy of Sacraments and the priests allow it, what's to stop the cascade of abuses in other situations?

[mortify ii]

What exactly could we do?

 

Support your local Traditional Latin Mass, or if that is not available, support the most traditional Novus Ordo in your parish and pressure for the appearance of the TLM. My local area has an FSSP parish but I go to a Novus Ordo parish where the Pastor celebrates the TLM. It's a new upstart but I am there to support and help the TLM blossom again. Fortunately the pastor is willing to train me as an altar server, and I already know one Filipino Priest who prays the TLM privately at another Novus Ordo parish, whom I hope to work with in the future to sprout another TLM in a Novus Ordo parish. The Novus Ordo is valid but my personal goal is the restoration of our Roman Liturgy.

[Perigrina]

I've been thinking about that quote from St. John Paul on the previous page.  I really like the way it makes a distinction between talking about serious problems with the practice of receiving Communion in the hand and talking about people who use the practice.  I think that should be a model for whenever the topic comes up.  Anyone who talks about the problems with the practice should be clear about acknowledging that there are Catholics who use the practice with care and devotion.  

 

On other forums I have seen some really nasty comments made about people who receive in the hand.  This is unfair, untrue, and just creates a lot of bad feeling that is an obstacle to talking about the problems with the practice.

[fides' Jack]

I completely agree with what the bishop is saying.

 

As far as the discussion about it, I have found myself constantly fighting these issues in my own head for years now.  I know, objectively, that certain practices are better than others, and even that some practices, which the Church allows, should be abolished altogether.  At the very least I can see that the allowances which have been made for this country are not appreciated, and are clearly taken advantage of.

 

Then I get to thinking, "who am I to question the practices deemed acceptable by the Church?"  It's a very hard line to follow, and most often I don't know where to stand, other than to say that I trust in God and the Church.  

 

Due to this I often find myself saying or doing things that I later regret, and then later on still repeat them again...  It's all very disheartening.  It's one of the reasons I sometimes feel the need to stay away from this forum.  :)

[Perigrina]

I completely agree with what the bishop is saying.

 

As far as the discussion about it, I have found myself constantly fighting these issues in my own head for years now.  I know, objectively, that certain practices are better than others, and even that some practices, which the Church allows, should be abolished altogether.  At the very least I can see that the allowances which have been made for this country are not appreciated, and are clearly taken advantage of.

 

Then I get to thinking, "who am I to question the practices deemed acceptable by the Church?"  It's a very hard line to follow, and most often I don't know where to stand, other than to say that I trust in God and the Church.  

 

Due to this I often find myself saying or doing things that I later regret, and then later on still repeat them again...  It's all very disheartening.  It's one of the reasons I sometimes feel the need to stay away from this forum.   :)

 

I gave this props, but that doesn't mean that I want you to stay away from the phorum.  I really like your posts.

[mortify ii]

Then I get to thinking, "who am I to question the practices deemed acceptable by the Church?"  It's a very hard line to follow, and most often I don't know where to stand, other than to say that I trust in God and the Church.  

 

We're in a crisis, brother. Support your local TLM

[Credo in Deum]

Support reverence!

[mortify ii]

Restoration

 

[Perigrina]

I noticed at Mass today that my thoughts had drifted off for most of the time.  It makes me realize that the first thing I need to do about more reverence at Mass is change me. 

[Dr_Asik]

I think the most dangerous crisis is an intellectual crisis that atheism is currently winning hands down, and few people among converts seem to take heed. In general, the more educated people are, the less they become religious; among the National Academy of Science, only 7% profess belief in God. This is due to multiple factors:

 

- The success of materialistic naturalism as a worldview, left largely unchallenged despite its numerous absurdities.

- The idea, developed between the Renaissance and the XIXth century, that science and religion are conflicting epistemologies, supported by popular myths such as the idea of a Christian Dark Age or the suppression of Galileo due to religious reasons. History has now debunked all of that, but the ideas are still firmly implanted in our western cultures.

- Similarly, the spread of the Christ Myth Theory during the XXth century, now essentially debunked by contemporary historians but still permeating the intellectual culture.

- Particularly in the United States, but to a lesser extent elsewhere too, the identification of religion with pseudoscience and denial of science, i.e. Creationism, Intelligent Design and Climate change denial.

 

Unfortunately it seems the reflex of believers is too often to accept that these ideas are powerful and/or true, and take refuge behind their personal experience of religiosity. We need to claim the intellectual sphere back:

- Materialistic naturalism is deeply absurd and lacks explanatory power: we are amply justified, rationally, to hold a theistic worldview;

- The Church has always supported science and research, and much of the progress of science have been due to theistic assumptions about the mathematical order and simplicity of the world. The conflict thesis is outdated and unsupported by modern History; it's time to move on.

- Jesus really did exist and his Resurrection is the best explanation of the historical facts regarding his crucifixion, the discovery of the empty tomb, the vision experiences of the disciples and the spread of Christianity. We can't let people say that this is fable or myth and claim we know just because we "experience" it; that will not win the fight in the long run.

- Finally, we should embrace the state-of-the-art scientific theories as what they are, i.e. humanity's current best take at describing the world.

 

Christian thought was state-of-the-art stuff back when Thomas Aquinas put his brain to reconciling the best scientific theories and philosophy of his time (Aristotle) with Christian faith. We absolutely can and desperately need to do this exercise today.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Dr_Asik

[Nihil Obstat]

Well, not me. God forbid. But I daresay that there are Catholics, maybe even here on Phatmass - who knows, who would call it 'exclusivist' or 'judgemental' to talk about a smaller, purer Church.

The current hot thread about soi-disant Catholics who deny Catholic teaching is precisely the sort of discussion I had in mind when I made this comment.

[oremus1]

Meanwhile, since he is over the age of 75 and is battling cancer again, Cardinal George has requested that the Vatican start the process of finding a successor to him as Archbishop of Chicago. 

 

How old is Bishop Schneider?

He is only 53!!! May he have a long life. We must pray for him!!!!