It's remarkable how easy it is for the younger generation of Catholics to get giddy about the graying of the post-Vatican II crowd.
I was looking over the comments to RC's post and thinking about how we need to be careful not to cross the line from driving the effort to reverse the liturgical, theological and cultural mayhem of the past century to becoming the invading army that lays waste to people and practices.
"But - they squashed our chant! They smashed the communion rail! They gave us stones instead of bread!"
I know "they" did, and I've experienced how the 60's agenda warped decades of religious education, liturgy, faith and morals. R.E. was all cupcakes and crayons for small kids, and big colorful books about love and happiness for a big kids.
And many of "them" are unrepentant.
Still, we need to work in charity, or else we will become like them.
I certainly agree with John. We are called to charity, not "pay-back" time.
The new generation of priests is not the only really hopeful sign on the horizon. There is also a new generation of lay ecclesial ministers and diocesan staff emerging around the country. The majority are women. They are smart as whips, huge fans of JPII, politically and theologically astute, passionate about evangelism and the Teaching of the Church. Many are graduates of institutions like FUS or the JP II Institute.
You won't find them on EWTN so many conservative Catholics don't realize that they exist. But they are increasingly the ones calling the catechetical shots while the old guard religious ed programs are struggling.
The time has come to stop assuming that "DRE" or "lay ecclesial minister" is synonymous with lunatic heresy. The tide is changing. We need to rejoice in and support the hundreds of 21st century Catherine of Sienas that are emerging in our generation.
Amen, John. The former DRE at my parish was very conservative -- in fact, bordering on the Rad-Trad. She left our parish for a larger one where she could have a full-time position. Unfortunately, her husband was definitely a Lidless Eye man, and wanted in the worst way to become a deacon -- only no priest would give him a recommendation.
I have come to appreciate my liberal priest, who holds a lot of non-Catholic positions (such as that there ought to be priestesses), but is a good priest nonetheless. None of us is perfect. And working together with the graying heads is a much better approach than hostility or vendetta.
amen,
perhaps by working with Charity we can acutally convert the elders.
tomas
How in the world can someone say that a dissenting priest is a good priest?
A priest who lacks belief in a dogma (by definition necessary) is OK?
A cake without flour is OK, too?
A car without a fuel filter is OK and works well, does it?
I'm glad he's not at my parish.
Considering how many parishes in my diocese have NO priest, just an aging hippie sister as Parish Administrator and (sometimes) a visiting Deacon to give out Communion, I count my blessings.
He doesn't preach heresy from the pulpit, if that helps; he only expresses his heterodox opinions in private. While I would rather have a priest who is 100% faithful on every article of the Catechism, I'm not going on any Unicorn hunts to find one.
Perhaps I should have said that he is a good Pastor. He does an excellent job ministering to the sick and dying and has made big inroads with the Spanish-onlies, holding Spanish Masses and so on.
And in case you've never heard of it, the Queen Mother's cake doesn't have any flour. It's made of finely ground nuts.
Hmmm. Generational anxiety makes me think of Our Lord enjoining the young man to let the dead bury their dead -- laugh at 'em, ignore 'em, but whatever you do don't give Spirit-of-Vatican-2ists any money!
I do think that Jonathan sounds like the people who say "American education is a disaster but our schools aren't so bad."
Not at all. But the Church isn't going to hell in a handbasket at the moment, either. The Church will endure.
What am I supposed to do with the priest in my parish? Besides the fact that he signs my paychecks, he's been very supportive of the music program, even when we do chant and Renaissance music.
Am I supposed to burn him at the stake? Report him to the (equally liberal) bishop? Come on!
Every priest is a mixture of good and bad qualities. I am trying to look at the good and endure the bad. If that makes me a victim of Stockholm syndrome, so be it. But I'd rather be like this than be subsumed by the Lidless Eye.
so, the enemy you know is better than no enemy? i don't get it.
Peace be with you, but....
In ref to the remark that a priest who is for women priest is a good priest:
He is most likely not a good priest at all. I have no crystal ball and I have no window into a man's heart, but I have experience with the Episcopalian church and big-L liberal priests. What you are hearing them say willingly in public is just the tip of the iceberg. Most have turned out to be very dishonest. Odds are you will be hurt by this "good" man. Traditional leaning priest, like all mankind are flawed and will from time to time disappoint but in general they surrender their will to God. Liberal priest and ministers have never shown themselves to do likewise. I will never again surrender to their leadership, even if I have to worship in a cornfield.
While urging charity the wholesome lib-cath calls the rad-trad a Lidless Eye person...I detest lib-cath attitudes. They are holier than thou, certainly holier than me.
Folks, I am NOT a lib-cath. If you met this guy I describe, you would think you had met the latest antipope. He often cites Novus Ordo Watch, The Wanderer and New Oxford Review as "mainstream" sources.
I am a realist. If you believe the latest statistics (as cited by Father Romance-novelist), about half the priests in this country are infected by liberal, heterodox opinions. It is not my place to tell my boss, not to mention my Pastor, that he's a heretic; but I do discuss it with him when he presents the opportunity.
I have to work with what God has given me. There aren't that many Catholic churches in my State; I drive thirty-five minutes to get to this job as it is. And while there is a dearth of Catholic musical directors as well, I don't really expect it would be that easy to find a new position.
So, those of you who jomped my case for suggesting this priest is anything less than the *liberal* antipope, what do you do? Public rebuke? Not allowed. Quit my job? Okay, YOU pay my salary. Report him to the Bishop? See "quit my job" above.
Gentle remonstration when the opportunity presents itself? That's my approach at the moment. I can't fix the music situation in the Catholic Church even in my small diocese, much less reform the hearts and minds of every misguided cleric.
The fact remains: even though he has some heterodox attitudes, the Eucharist he confects is just as good as the one the Pope confects. Since so many parishes have no pastor at all, I am grateful for his good qualities and pray for a change in his bad ones. I hope he does the same for me.