Seize the Hope

Part One

Pope Benedict’s May visit was a triumph of hope for American Catholicism. It is incumbent upon us to seize this momentum of hope, rejuvenate our Church, and usher in the New Springtime announced by John Paul II. Agree with all the documents or not, Vatican II resulted in a Church constitution. As of 2005 our forty years of debating it, adjusting to it, and purifying our ranks are up. John Paul II led us through the desert, and Pope Benedict has opened a new door. We are the successors of the Apostles and we are called to preach so the word of God may be glorified (Ad Gentes).

Benedict XVI was to the point on several issues, including the sexual abuse scandal. He stepped right into a big pair of shoes by showing personal compassion for the victims. He admonished us for bungling the crisis, showed us the correct path out of the dark, and set the example. We witnessed Catholic leadership in its finest hour.

He called us out for our deeply rooted separation of life from faith. As a country we respect the public role of religion, but our beliefs are “subtly reduced to the lowest common denominator.” Our insistence upon keeping our faith private allows us to choose our religion as though from a buffet, facilitating conformity to secularism and popular culture. Have we have rejected accountability?

“The secular order cannot be divorced from God the Creator and His saving plan.” (Gaudium et Spes) How is it that we have so many highly visible pro-choice Catholics? Life itself is the most precious thing. When we read the text of Benedict’s speeches, it is clear that our marching orders begin here—abortion, stem cell research, and euthanasia must be visibly and steadfastly confronted.

We are asked to rise out of our private religious shells and act like the redeemed community we are meant to be. Our society markets formulas for human fulfillment quite successfully. We need to fight back by recapturing the Catholic vision of reality and present it with mind capturing and heart converting experiences, especially for our young, who are natural truth seekers. Utilizing Pope John Paul’s concept of Faith and Reason is a great place to start…