There have been worse times in the Church, yes.
Think globally, through centuries. Christians have been subject to seizure, torture and execution. And still are. Christianity has been split a hundred ways in a hundred heresies. There have been terrible popes, questionable popes, and three popes at a time. Bishops, for much of Catholic history, have been far more concerned about the income from their lands and other holdings than about the Faith. Good, holy people, from Francis of Assisi to Joan of Arc to John of the Cross to Teresa of Avila to Bernadette to Padre Pio have been viewed with suspicion and worse by church authorities. Catholics have been led in prayer by priests of all types since the beginning. And still we are here. Because, of course, Jesus promised that we would be.
(Thanks to Mark Sullivan for the apt Belloc quote on his blog: An institute run with such knavish imbecility that if it were not the work of God it would not last a fortnight. The Church, as described by Hilaire Belloc An institution run with such knavish imbecility that if it were not the work of God it would not last a fortnight...)
But even given the flawed, chaff-filled history and future of the Church, don't you think we still have a right to be angry, mourn and seek change? Don't you think we have an obligation to see the particular harm this Situation has wrought in these particular times?
In a time when the Church's teaching on sexual morality is held up for general ridicule as an impossible standard that is ill-suited to the realities of human nature anyway.....here we have the sight of church leaders, responsible for conveying that teaching, indicating that maybe it's not so important at all. Maybe they really don't believe in its value. Some bishops evidently don't even care if their priests live that standard.
In a time in which the culture discourages trust in authority....here we have authorities demonstrating that indeed, they aren't trustworthy.
In a time in which shallow commentators and many of the general public like to spout off the line that Catholics may be anti-abortion, but they only care about kids until they're born, ha-ha......here we have bishops, including some who write pro-life editorials and all of whom fund Respect Life Offices, evincing a shocking disregard for the welfare of kids already born.
Let's go even further.
In a time in which the world desperately needs to hear the Gospel, is starving for the truth Jesus speaks of love, healing, reconciliation and compassion, is drowning in relativism and nihilism...here we have the Rock, the Body of Christ, torn, divided, rocked and distracted by internal affairs and totally discredited by its leaders.
No, this is not about the Church everywhere and every time. This is, admittedly, about the Church in the West. Already weakened, already laboring mightily to make its voice heard in the din of the quick cheap pleasures of modern life, already compromised in so many ways, the behavior of our leaders only confirms the worst that the world thinks of us: that the Church is about hypocritical repression, secret profligacy, opportunism and power.
So is despair the only answer? Of course not. Despair is not an answer at all. In fact, despair is a serious sin.
One answer - not the answer, because this problem defies simple solutions, no matter what some say - is for the laity to really see that what Vatican II said was right. We are the light of the world. It is our Church, we are called to be Christ in the world.
The bishops (most of them) don't particularly care about that, do they? They care about PR and "pleasing" the public - whatever public that might be referring to, I'm not sure. But do you know what?
There are more of us than there are of them. Lots more.
And do you know what else?
Naming and claiming this truth requires no commissions. It calls for no mission statements. It needs no councils, committees or workshops.
In this modern age, with technology at our fingerprints and most of us literate, there is no mystery as to what it means to be Catholic and what following Christ is all about. So many of our bishops have shown, time and time again, that bringing Christ to a needy, hungry world is not at the top of their agenda. Does that mean we can't put it at the top of ours?
Sure, there are things for which we're depend on the bishops - who are priests are and the shape of the liturgical life in our dioceses, as well as the shape of Catholic education in our dioceses. And that's a lot. And those areas are, indeed, a big mess in many dioceses. But think hard about this. You can still pray during a liturgy filled with what you call "abuses." No - it's not that you can pray. You must. Try to make changes, yes. Sure, head to another parish if it gets too bad, but whereever you are, stop being a critic, stop passing that attitude on to your children and your friends, and throw yourself into praying during Mass. Jesus is still there.
If Catholic schools are doing nothing or worse for your children, then put your money where your mouth is, pull them out, start new schools or homeschool them. Stop complaining about the spirituality programs that the diocese or parish offers and find some sympathetic local group - another parish, a monastery, an apostolate - to sponsor some that are more in line with the richness and breadth of authentic Catholic spirituality. Form your domestic Church.
And most importantly, don't let the actions of these bishops define what it means to be Catholic in America in 2002. Throw yourself into following Christ more closely, and treat others accordingly. Rededicate yourself and your family to the works of mercy, join others in your community who are doing so. Despite the pain and the doubt, commit yourself to joy. Because Jesus still lives. Jesus still loves, redeems and binds wounds. Jesus has not gone anywhere. Despite what the fellows in mitres would have you think.
Don't let them discourage you from finding, embracing and sharing the love of Christ.
Or else someone else...not the terrorists, this time, but somebody else...will have won.