By Joseph Catena
As Catholics around the world prepare for the next conclave, there will be a flood of pundits giving predictions on which cardinal will exit the magnanimous ritual as the next pontiff. One can only pray he is Catholic.
Seriously.
There are many “catholics” who want a papal continuation or a progression of embracing modernism. An embrace of modernism has been going on for the last six decades since the Second Vatican Council. And for those same six decades, the church has been in a progressive decline. Sex scandals are up, priestly and religious vocations are down. Catholic school closures – particularly elementary schools – are way up, and church attendance is way down. What we really need is a Catholic (note the capital C) to lead this flock which has been quite misled for quite some time. What is also needed is a clear interpretation of doctrine and dogma, not ambiguous answers to what was once considered immoral.
It is only natural to question certain tenets of the faith. Some non-negotiables are hard to accept. But just because large numbers of people might disagree or may not be fully on board (i.e. – cafeteria Catholics), does that mean the Church should bend and give in to peer pressure like a teen-ager who is told by his friends to try weed or cocaine? After all, “Everyone is doing it, so what’s the big deal? One time won’t kill you.” But it might lead to a thousand times, with death being a very likely and foregone conclusion.
Take abortion for example. The Church has an absolutist position; no abortions at all, for any reason at all. It is never acceptable. Admittedly, this is tough to justify, even for those who are in the pro-life with rare exceptions camp. What if the mother’s life is in jeopardy, and the only way to save her is to abort a toxic fetus, which will possibly leave both mother and child dead if definitive action is not taken? Even I, a lifelong, devout Catholic, struggle with that scenario.
But it might also be a moot point. Consider what former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop told Dick Bohrer in Moody Monthly in May 1980. “Protection of the life of the mother as an excuse for an abortion is a smoke screen. In my 36 years in pediatric surgery, I have never known of one instance where the child had to be aborted to save the mother’s life.” Even Dr. Alan F. Guttmacher, a longtime abortion advocate, wrote in “Abortion – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” in The Case for Legalized Abortion Now, “Today it is possible for almost any patient to be brought through pregnancy alive, unless she suffers from a fatal illness such as cancer or leukemia, and, if so, abortion would be unlikely to prolong, much less save, life.” Here’s the kicker: That was published back in 1967. Think of the advancements that have been made since.
Regardless, when probing deeper and looking at viewpoints such as these, it is easier to understand the Church’s position. If they bend an inch, the slippery slope begins, and before you know it, there will be call to make exceptions for babies born with a learning disability or a defected appendage. The same goes for rape and incest (again, there is a rare occurrence of pregnancy in these egregious acts), and polls show that many Catholics favor abortion in such instances, but that still doesn’t make it OK for the Church to compromise their stance on life, especially since the unborn are the most vulnerable.
The same can be said for homosexuality and the LGBTQ+ movements. As a lay person, I certainly will not judge anyone who lives those lifestyles, but Scripture tells us it is wrong. And if our Catholic doctrines and dogmas are derived from Scripture, the Church must reflect it in its teachings. There can be no pussyfooting when it comes to flirtations on alternative lifestyles being acceptable or pondered over. This is where Francis left too much ambiguity to the masses. Blessings of same-sex unions or LGBTQ relationships may be politically acceptable to some, but the Church is not a political entity: it is our holy liaison to the afterlife. Hate the sin, love the sinner.
Unfortunately, during the last decade plus the church has been brought into the realm of immigration policy, climate change, and preaching about governmental issues rather than adhering to dogma. The last thing I want to hear from my parish priest or pastor is why I should recycle or their views on the polar ice caps. And I certainly don’t want to hear the Catholic bishops rant about U.S. immigration, particularly about deportations. Perhaps some of these bishops should have reached to the faithful who were victims of illegal aliens and the heinous crimes some have committed. It’s no sin to pray for social justice, when you are a true victim and not a “victim.”
The Church must recommit itself to preaching about Catholicism, especially the rights and wrongs. It must stay committed to its teachings and not cave in to any wish list by the laity. It must stand pat no matter how controversial or “unrealistic,” or “out of touch with the modern world” it appears. This goes for promiscuity, birth control, and euthanasia. Yes, God is a loving and forgiving God, but we also must do our part so as not to incur His wrath. Heaven is not the eternal equivalent of everyone getting a trophy just for participating. Besides all that, can you respect a pope who says, “The Church has been revitalized! We have entered the modern world. We now fully understand abortion is acceptable under many circumstances. Being gay is A-OK, and if you are LGBTQ, God understands and loves you. Who are we to judge? It’s a new world out there, so try your best and try to come to church every once in a while. And may God bless you, each and everyone.”
I am no different than anyone, and I am certainly not a Pollyanna. I am a sinner, who is quite imperfect. There are things I question about the Church, and there are issues I struggle with. But one thing I will not do is ask the Church to cater to me. This is my faith, and this is what I committed to live by. Struggles are part of this journey. They are for me to grapple with and to better understand where the Church is coming from. I am to be the one who genuflects – not the other way around.
And I pray for a new pope who faces east and leads us. A leader doesn’t have to smell like the sheep. He just needs to guide the flock and keep them from slaughter.