John Allen, sums up a rough week for the Roman Catholic Church,

“Taken together, the police raids in Belgium, the refusal by the Supreme Court in the United States to block a sex abuse lawsuit against the Vatican, and the European Court of Human Rights challenge to display of Catholic symbols in Italy all suggest that the final pillars of deference by civil authorities to the Catholic church are crumbling.”

“… I’m inclined to think the past week does mean something, and here’s my first-blush stab at expressing it: Collectively, I think these events both symbolize and advance the collapse of Catholicism as a culture-shaping majority in the West. When the dust settles, policy-makers in the church, particularly in the Vatican, will be ever more committed to what social theorists call “identity politics,” a traditional defense mechanism relied upon by minorities when facing what they perceive as a hostile cultural majority.”

But don’t despair kids, “The gates of hell shall not prevail aginst it”.  John’s article is thought (and prayer) provoking.  Definitely read his whole article “Seven Days that Shook the Vatican”   (for the record:  my discerning heart loves John…NCR, not so much)  and then visit Mike Aquilina’s blog and remember that the Church has been challenged in tougher ways than this (and she’s still here).   

Just remember the sage instruction of Padre Pio “Pray, Hope, Don’t Worry”, but the key I think…pray, and for the Church Militant…to stand.

John’s book “The Future Church”  is one of my favorites, check out the interview we had with him on it:

2 Responses

1. Andy Alexander, S.J. says:

   July 5, 2010 at 11:08 am

   Good work, Kris. I heard John Allen speak last month at a conference of midwestern Jesuit Universities. He summarized the wonderful and challenging insights in his book, Future Church, particularly that we in the U.S. are now only 6% of the Roman Catholic Church world-wide and that many of our issues and concerns are the opposite of the issues and concerns of the rest of the Church. Too many of our battles are “ad intra” while the rest of the Church is quite inspiring in its “ad extra” focus. Finally, he ended up calling us to work together to develop what he said is missing among us today: “a Spirituality of Compassion.” I was deeply moved by his insight and challenge.

   Keep up the good work you do, Kris.
   in our Lord,
   Andy Alexander, S.J.
   Creighton University, Omaha, NE

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   July 8, 2010 at 3:12 am

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