"Real 'reform' is to strive to let what is ours disappear as much as possible so what belongs to Christ may become more visible. It is a truth well known to the saints. Saints, in fact, reformed the Church in depth, not by working up plans for new structures, but by reforming themselves. What the Church needs in order to respond to the needs of man in every age is holiness, not management."
-Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
5 comments:
Great advice for individuals too.
And that quote is unfortunately what divides us. Take a look at the book written by liberal author David Gibson, The Rule of Benedict. He seems to be obsessed and very critical of that quote, accusing Benedict of being naive and rigid in thinking that prayer and reverance will solve all the Church's problems. Imagine that!
I just looked up the book you mentioned at Amazon and read the review by Margaret Flanagan, which includes these observations:
No fan of the current pontiff, journalist and religion writer Gibson provides a scathing profile of Pope Benedict XVI and issues a dire warning about the future of Catholicism. Asserting that Benedict is a regressive theologian, he cautions that the church is headed in a very conservative direction, in direct opposition to the silent majority of American Catholics, who favor a more liberal spiritual and social agenda. Although a church at the crossroads would seem to need a leader willing to forge ahead, Benedict has neither the inclination nor the temperament to propel the Roman Catholic Church into the -twenty-first century. Mired in a traditional brand of doctrinal orthodoxy, he represents a giant step backward to loyal Catholics who have patiently waited, hoping for a breath of fresh air to revive their moribund church.
Now I freely admit that I have not read Gibson's book (yet) but a couple of things strike me from reading this review, if it accurately depicts the book.
1) Flanagan claims that the Holy Father is acting in direct opposition to the "silent majority" of American Catholics. So I ask, since when is doctrine, dogma and morality determined by a majority vote? What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right. And if this alleged majority is indeed silent, how can Flanagan purport to know their minds?
2) I find it almost amusing to claim that these types of Catholics are awaiting a pope to "revive" their "moribund" Church, when in fact, it is the leftover dinosaurs of 60's and 70's liberalism that are holding back the revival. Do you want to know where the vocations are? Look to the most traditional and orthodox dioceses? Do you want to find religious communities of women not imploding? Look up the Nashville Dominicans, nuns who actually wear habits and embrace the totality of their Church's unchanging mission. The fastest growing religious order in the world is the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, the order that ONLY offers the Traditional Latin Mass! The only thing holding back the revival and renewal of the Catholic Church are the Geritol-chugging liberals hanging on until their hardened arteries collapse.
I have read the book your response is appropriate.
There is an underground church and it is US. Conservatives are fighting to get scraps from the Catholic table. The entire focus of most churches these days has been on liberalism, ecuemenism, and Cafeteria catholicism. I pray that more of US will be Holy examples in this spiritual warfare. Maybe soon, we will not be underground anymore.
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