As I read the Catholic Lectionary readings, I see two themes sum up New Testament well:
Luke 1:1-4; 4: 14-21
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because God has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
God has sent me to proclaim liberty
to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed, go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable
to the Lord.’
Love and the recurring call I see from Jesus: Love all and extend love even to enemies and outcasts and do not let fear get in the way of love.
“Love” is further developed by St. Paul: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
I no longer see love or compassion listed above reflected in the hierarchy of the men running the church in the United States. I know only a handful of parishes in my state that respect the dignity of the other and support inclusion. Social Justice or human rights is not the theme of homilies in most parishes. Those exceptional parishes that came to life in the Second Vatican Council and Medellin, are being shut down by their Catholic Conferences. There is a failure in evangelization when the majority of practicing Catholics cannot accept immigrants and support exclusion and making USA alone great are the themes and social justice means nothing.
The post pandemic time of the 1920s resulted in fears that were manipulated to hate others. This occurred graphically in Italy in the 1920’s, Germany in the 1930’s and Spain in 1940 and in each there was Catholic support for fascism. It is happening now in the US. Most US Catholic Bishops are so tied to right wing politics they do not believe climate change is real and there is hate of sexual minorities. The social dimension of Catholicism is being lost in parishes and a “God and me only” individual salvation fundamentalism is becoming dominant.
Our churches, schools and hospitals are run not as loving communities but as businesses with the bottom line as the driver, not the hospitals for the poor as they were established to be by the sisters but now run as a non-profit for profit and run by CEO’s paid big dollars and hospitals and schools fight worker unionization.
In Seattle, WA a Second Vatican II parish where more than 90 percent of parish members are engaged in social action ministry and the Spirit is felt in liturgy and actions is slated to be closed as are those parishes with a special charism for Catholics of color: Latinex, Black, Asian. Racism and Paternalism is alive in Washington State Catholic Hierarchy as elsewhere in the United States. In my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, a Social Justice Vatican II Parish also was shut down and its members left spiritually homeless last year. These closings being done at a time of pandemic when everyone’s fear cycles are on over-drive. One could call this spiritual abuse.
This is what I see the Catholic Church needs to do to recover and be communities the Holy Spirit can move in:
1. Listen with cultural sensitivity to women, the young, the indigenous and the immigrant, the poor and all marginalized by society including sexual minorities. It will mean going to them where they are (for example, parishes, homeless camps, reservations and Native Urban centers and schools) and listening to them in circles like Native American talking circles to the pain they still feel from disrespect and betrayal by those in Catholic institutions from a paternalistic group who did not respect them enough to listen before to the injustice they suffered. People are aware now for example of the abuse and crimes committed in boarding schools and other interactions with the young including sexual abuse throughout Catholic institutions and coverup as well as the positives those schools provided. Also pray with women, the poor, the marginalized and indigenous in real prayer with them that gives them voice.
2. Repent Injustice codified into Cannon Law, Papal Bulls and partnering Doctrine of Discovery and past sins against peoples and creation on our planet for which we were complicit or benefitted from a theft from the poor or powerless.
3. Seek Reconciliations with people severely injured by institutional injustice and subordinating to empire: Rome, Holy Roman, and European empires being promoted in guise of saving souls: Inquisitions, Crusades and history of damage done to Woman, Sexual minorities, different faiths, all People of Color and those who saw God’s presence in nature. This is the paternalism and disrespect of the other people of God and belief in superiority and Divine Right of total control enforced with weapons of death and fear.
4. We have Papal Bulls directing Catholics to violate most of the commandments for empire and Church’s wealth and power. They were directed against the Irish by an English Pope and for all conquest of indigenous peoples by subsequent Popes. When I look at wars the Catholic church blessed, I wonder is there any other religion or philosophy that resulted in death of more people because we chose wealth and power and death over life and rejected full community. What happened to the commandment of “Thou shalt not kill!” for Catholics over history? Where do we stand in the final judgement?
5. Become the community we are called to be and allow people called to ministry in the Church as priests and deacons, theologians, especially women and people who choose married life or suffered a failed marriage or belong to a sexual minority.
(The best Gospel reflections I read are those written, danced, acted or presented in art by women in ethnic dress. There is immediate need for women in the diaconate. We need to hear those voices.)
6. Every Mass needs to have a component affirming the dignity of the people on the margins and standing with them as that is where the heart of God lives and affirming preferential option for the poor.
7. Our church needs to be inclusive communities of participation empowerment of the call of all baptized and stop being run as businesses for profit giving to Caesar what belongs to God.
8. Have Scripture Guide us as was done in Catholic Social Teaching Documents and reflect on:
Luke 1:1-4; 4: 14-21: Jesus’ Mission
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because God has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
God has sent me to proclaim liberty
to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed, go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable
to the Lord.’
And the recurring call I see from Jesus: Love all and extend love even to enemies and outcasts and do not let fear get in the way of love.
“Love” is further developed by St. Paul: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
If we become communities of love, compassion, mercy and social justice we can repair the breach caused in part by sins of commission and omission by our Church. We can heal brokenness and restore life in our church.
Bob Zeigler, Olympia, WA