A Catholic on the Edge
What do I mean by that?
Although I still am a practicing Catholic, I consider myself a “Catholic on the Edge."
I was born and raised Catholic and still practice. I attend Mass two, or even three times a week, read Catholic news and commentaries with great interest, and I am a student of Catholic history. Above and beyond all that, I love and honor Jesus. He inspires me to want to be a better person, to work towards a more compassionate, more forgiving, more just world.
All that said, I have to admit to some concerns . . .
The Trend Lines Are Not Good Only 33% of Catholics attend Mass weekly or near-weekly in 2023, down over 26% from the 45% who attended regularly in 2003. - Gallup Poll Social Series released March 25, 2024.
The trend lines for the US Church are not good, at least in the Northeast where I live. People are leaving, parishes are closing or combining, and vocations to the priesthood and religious life are few. Our children and grandchildren are opting out of the Faith that has seemed so important to us - the Faith that sustained us and offered us purpose and a way to serve. Those of us who remain are worried.
Are we reconciled to becoming a smaller, more narrow church that withdraws from the world around us? Or are we willing to consider making some changes that allow us to engage more fully with the world, even if that feels a little messy and even dangerous? Either option seems fraught with risk, and arguments can be, and are being made, passionately, on all sides.
The Tone Is Deteriorating The partisanship that is endemic in American politics and society is finding its way into the Church. Believers are retreating into their corners and starting to think dark thoughts about their opponents - using words like heresy and schism. Lines are being drawn, and defenses raised up.
The Church can become a victim of this dichotomy, this disease, or, maybe, it can show the way out. Do we think this endeavor - this church, this beloved community, is worth saving? Or are things beyond fixing? The stakes feel incredibly high.
The Clock is Ticking At least, it is for me, and it may be for the Catholic Church, if you look at the declining numbers. When I gaze around me at Mass I see mostly older parishioners, many older than me.
Where will we all be 20 years down the road? Where will the Church be? Where will the world be? Doing nothing feels wrong, almost like giving up, but what is the right thing to do? It’s understandable to feel paralyzed, waiting for someone else to act, to show the way.
So, Why Do I Stay? For two reasons - one spiritual and one practical.
First, spiritually-speaking as I said at the beginning, Jesus inspires me and makes me want to be a better person, part of a better Church.
Second, practically-speaking - I believe the Catholic Church - with its worldwide footprint and following of over 1.3 billion believers - has the potential to do more good in this world than any other single organization. I don’t know of any other institution, organization, or governing body with more potential.
Remaining a practicing Catholic, I hope, gives me a seat at the table, a face that is known, and a voice that will be heard. I don't want to just throw stones from outside the circle, I want to be part of the solution. That is my hope and my prayer, and why, at this point, I'm still in.
A request: My observations and experiences are all in the US Church, specifically in the Northeast. You may have a different experience, which I hope you will share. I ask only that you respectfully share your views, as I respectfully share mine.
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