Speaking of Saints, I read Cardinal George's address to the students at Brigham Young University. (Latter Day Saints!) The Cardinal commented on issues of religious freedom affecting Catholics and Mormons alike when they move "outside the sacristy." I was surprised at the bluntness coming from the Archbishop of Chicago and head of the US Catholic Bishops' Conference, but such are the times that he felt he needed to speak clearly about the "one-two punch" we can expect from "hostile governments" (he's talking about the US here, not some Soviet-style dictatorship); "attempts to compel traditional religious organizations" and "punishments" for those religious organizations that persist in resisting those moves. "When, in public life, what is wanted politically is not given, as happened with Proposition 8 in California, and the response is thuggery, then the common good of our whole society is in great jeopardy." Three times in a page and a half of text, he refers to "threats to religious freedom in America."
The Chicago Tribune published my guest post on the DC situation, which the Cardinal specifically referred to. What was ugliest about that was that those who crafted the laws clearly intended to force the Church over a barrel. For the present, but only for the present, the barrel has been side-stepped.
I do think that Catholic institutions will need to recreate themselves in some way in preparation for further examples of the hostility, compulsion, punishments and thuggery that the Cardinal mentioned. How would you see the Church's mission--its primary mission of evangelization and its self-expression through service to the poor--reshaped in order to thrive in a hostile environment?
2 comments:
Missed a big one in the Cardinal's strong vocabulary list: retribution: "Sometimes our common (Catholic and Mormon) advocacy will make one of us the target of retribution by intolerant elements..."
This is incredible, coming from a Cardinal.
I was just wondering, if there was a way to defend truth with grace. I am not saying that what is happening in the US is un-grace, but I know sometimes, in Malaysia, sometimes when the Church speaks out on certain issues, the language used sounds hostile and overly righteous. And the response is predictable.
But in instances (rare) when the Church speaks out with grace, with humility, with an invitation for dialogue, the response is positive.
While I understand the seriousness of the issues at hand (well, mostly) I think every issue we're challenged with is an opportunity for dialogue, a chance to present our side of the story with great humility, love and grace.
We may not win them over, but the seed is planted and in God's time, he will water that seed and who knows, it just may bear fruit.
Maybe I am naive. But we can't fight fire with fire. We use water.
Anyways, lets all pray for our persecuted Church. Let us all pray for persecuted Truth.
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