Recently I was lucky enough to get away for a few days holiday to Rome, the seat of our Holy Father. One of the intriguing things about getting abroad is that you’re able to catch a lead a brief glimpse of life in another Church. You can how they handle, in their particular way, the challenges of the modern world. By looking at where they are, where they have been, where they are going you can learn so, so much.
The Church in Southern Europe is somewhat different from our own. They never really experienced the trauma of the reformation and the division of Christianity, they never really suffered the scourge of sectarianism. But what they have faced, what they have dealt with is rampant, pernicious secularism. They have experience in dealing with governments who have no time for organised religion, they’ve been through all the anti-clericalism, all the civil strife. Time and time they’ve dealt with authorities who have little interest in Christianity of any variety. They’ve been there, done it and bought the t-shirt.
I suspect we, on the other hand, are just getting there. In days gone past Catholics were suspect because of our supposed divided loyalties, now we arouse suspicions simply because, like all true Christians, we proclaim, we adhere to values, principles, standards which are alien to our culture. We don’t fit in, we’re awkward, we’re too troublesome, we ask too many hard questions. We ask why we shouldn’t be allowed to wear the symbols of our faith? We ask why should every social ill should be blamed on faith schools? We ask why the Scottish parliament is so obsessed with things like civil partnerships, quickie divorces but never acts to support marriage and the family. We ask why our government wants to spend billions building more weapons of mass destruction yet invades other countries because they might have them.
Our battle with the forces of secularism, the forces of “supposed” political correctness is well and truly underway. But its not just a fight for the Bishops and the clergy, it’s a battle that everyone has to engage in. Its you’re battle, its you’re struggle, its your fight.
The experience of the Church in Europe has shown that. We can’t carry any passengers, we don’t need any bystanders. The strength, the hope of the Catholic church, isn’t our institutions or customs or whatever its you, the people of God, the living, breathing, pulsating body of Christ. As Paul asserts, as he states we’re all part of the one body and every part of that body but every part of that organism has to be living, breathing, functioning, contributing. You people out there, have so many talents, so many gifts, so many skills its truly staggering. You can change our society, transform our culture. Its not all hopeless, its not all a waste of time. If we shout loud enough people will hear, people will take notice.
The spirit of the Lord has been given to us, for he has anointed us.
He has sent us to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour
Now its up to us, to fulfil that text, to complete our mission.
The Church in Southern Europe is somewhat different from our own. They never really experienced the trauma of the reformation and the division of Christianity, they never really suffered the scourge of sectarianism. But what they have faced, what they have dealt with is rampant, pernicious secularism. They have experience in dealing with governments who have no time for organised religion, they’ve been through all the anti-clericalism, all the civil strife. Time and time they’ve dealt with authorities who have little interest in Christianity of any variety. They’ve been there, done it and bought the t-shirt.
I suspect we, on the other hand, are just getting there. In days gone past Catholics were suspect because of our supposed divided loyalties, now we arouse suspicions simply because, like all true Christians, we proclaim, we adhere to values, principles, standards which are alien to our culture. We don’t fit in, we’re awkward, we’re too troublesome, we ask too many hard questions. We ask why we shouldn’t be allowed to wear the symbols of our faith? We ask why should every social ill should be blamed on faith schools? We ask why the Scottish parliament is so obsessed with things like civil partnerships, quickie divorces but never acts to support marriage and the family. We ask why our government wants to spend billions building more weapons of mass destruction yet invades other countries because they might have them.
Our battle with the forces of secularism, the forces of “supposed” political correctness is well and truly underway. But its not just a fight for the Bishops and the clergy, it’s a battle that everyone has to engage in. Its you’re battle, its you’re struggle, its your fight.
The experience of the Church in Europe has shown that. We can’t carry any passengers, we don’t need any bystanders. The strength, the hope of the Catholic church, isn’t our institutions or customs or whatever its you, the people of God, the living, breathing, pulsating body of Christ. As Paul asserts, as he states we’re all part of the one body and every part of that body but every part of that organism has to be living, breathing, functioning, contributing. You people out there, have so many talents, so many gifts, so many skills its truly staggering. You can change our society, transform our culture. Its not all hopeless, its not all a waste of time. If we shout loud enough people will hear, people will take notice.
The spirit of the Lord has been given to us, for he has anointed us.
He has sent us to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour
Now its up to us, to fulfil that text, to complete our mission.
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