With the death of Pope John Paul II has come a lot of "Catholic on the Street" interviews. This LA Times piece is typical of what happens when the media talks to the average Catholic. It has it all: women priests, laypeople giving homilies, an "active parishoner and spiritual director" who says she'd think about becoming a priest if it was allowed. Listening to some of them makes you wonder where Pope John Paul II kept his iron fist... if he didn't change things, he must have been a tyrant. Why didn't he just wave his wand, said the incantation, and made everything the way some of these people want to be?
The answer is no.
Why no? Here's a quick lesson, one that opened up a vast array of understanding and appreciation when I was a muddled teen-age Catholic.
In the Church, there's a huge difference between doctrine and discipline.
Doctrines include teaching on the Eucharist, the Trinity, that Jesus was fully God and fully Human. Doctrines are not reversible or negotiable. Doctrines were given to the Church by God through the Holy Scripture and the Apostles. The only thing that can happen to doctrine is that our specific understanding of some of the details can be heightened over time. We can have a better understanding of existing doctrine, but we can't reverse or modify the essence of existing doctrine.
Church discipline is entirely different. The operational rules of the Church, like whether or not a parish can have altar girls, or how often a priest should say Mass, or when a person should abstain from meat - these are disciplines. These change from time to time based on culture or local circumstances. Discipline is informed by doctrine, but it really amounts to how the Church works and how it's governed. Doctrine is considered to be enduring Truth - that's right - Truth with a capital T.
And the confusion over doctrine & discipline issue means this:
The people who say "I wish the Church would change X" where X is a doctrine are going to be disappointed forever.
People who say "I wish the Church would change Y" where Y is a discipline have a chance of getting their wish.
What's hot on the X list?
Women Priests - it's a point of doctrine that women cannot be priests. It's not open for discussion, regardless of pastoral need, changing culture or what a leotard-wearing liturgical dancer wants.
Birth Control - same thing. It's doctrine and is not going to be negotiated, repealed or refabricated.
Church teaching on homosexuality - defintely doctrine. A homosexual orientation (being attracted to the same sex) is not a sin. Homosexual acts are a sin. No amount of protests, letter-writing, or wringing of hands will change that teaching.
What's hot on the Y list?
Married Priests - while there's a strong basis for clerical celebacy, there may be a time where married priests in the Latin Rite are permitted. There are some conditions where Roman Catholic priests can be married, and there are a few married priests in the Latin Rite but the rule at this time is for a celibate clergy.
So there it is.
