Abbey-Roads2

You say you want a revolution…

Everyone likes to blame the baby-boomers for all the liberalism we have become accustomed to in the Church today.  Few realize it all started long before the boomers were even capable of expressing a revolutionary thought.  How many young people today understand that the push for liturgical reform, modernizing the liturgy, and using the vernacular was a desire experimented with before the Council?  How many people realize that it was Pius XII who called for women religious to modify their habits to adapt to the demands of modern life, such as the nuns who drove cars or worked in medicine?  (Although later, many modified themselves out of the habit entirely.)

When I was in grade school, the nuns taught us - way back then - songs such as ”Kumbaya” - and we listened to the Congolese Missa Lubaand had to sing Negro spirituals.  (Although black kids in the class were disciplined until they spoke without an “accent”.)  I think it was probably the missionary sisters who came back to the motherhouse with stories of how fervent the African Catholics were, and how much the native people enlivened the liturgy with their exuberant participation and singing, which motivated the sisters to jump on board as regards the reform of the liturgy.  When Vatican II came along, it was a dream come true for a good share of them.

I di’n't know nothin’ ’bout Civil Rights.

Then in the very late 1950’s, early 1960’s the nuns began to get deeply involved in politics - in and through the Civil Rights movement.  (Of course, we had a Catholic President then as well.)  The nuns marched alongside priests and ministers, protesting segregation and demanding the right to vote for black people.  Without doubt it was a good thing, except, in the mid-’60’s the revolutionary spirit suddenly crept into the convent, along with a strong feminist understanding of power, individualism, and independence.  Which happens to be another reason why we have the American Catholic Church we have today.

“Yes Sister, whatever you say Sister!”

So don’t put all the blame on boomers - blame the Sisters of St. Joseph of Margaret Sanger, and the other storm trooperorders who taught us.  (After all, many of them were from the same generation as my parents and your grandparents.)  Funny, what they subsequently failed to realize, their habits spoke louder than words.

(Disclaimer:  The religious women who taught us are to be highly praised for their sacrifice and dedication, no doubt about it.  Just as they ought to be commended and honored for their heroic work in the Civil Rights struggle.  This has been my personal reflection on what, in part,  may have contributed to the decline of religious life in the U.S., as well as an offering towards understanding why the American Catholic Church got to be so liberal.) 

[Update: 7/31/07 - I just found a post at Cafeteria is Closed on this subject; an article by Benedict Groeschl in First Things, discussing the theological and psychological dynamics at work in the decline of established religious communities in the U.S..] 

“The times, they are a’changin’!” - Bob Dylan

I wondered what everyone would blog about after the Motu Proprio, (Summorum Pontificum) had been released.  Just as I thought, the blogs are reporting upon the “dissidents” who disagree with it or seem to be protesting it…in great - and at times - tiresome detail.

Not everyone who disagrees is a dissident mind you, and disagreement doesn’t necessarily mean disobedience or prohibition.  There has to be a period of adjustment, especially for older priests, religious and some of their bishops who have been trained for the past 40 years to look with suspicion upon traditional minded Roman Catholics and those who favored the TLM.  They were trained and educated to believe anything pre-Vatican II was evil, suppressed, out of date, reactionary - all of that nonsense.  And it must be remembered, they passed this instruction along to countless school children, college students, their parents - in short, the average person in the pew.

“A long time comin’…” - Crosby, Stlls, and Nash

Not a few of these people would never even categorize themselves as dissident, much less liberal Catholics.  Many, in good faith sincerely accepted the newer theologies, exclusive (inclusive?) peace and justice theories, freedom of conscience misconceptions, and experiments in liturgy, as the force and focus of Catholic teaching.  For instance, many honestly and sincerely believe clerical clothing and religious habits are no longer relevant to contemporary culture.  They believe Kumbaya liturgies with dancers and sway-to-the-beat inspirational music is good liturgy.   Many really do see the presence of Christ in the poor and the marginalized more realistically than in the Eucharistic species.  Remember, this has been the evolution of training many received for over 40 years now.

“A long time gone…” - Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Not a few have been so spiritually hijacked, they have become scandalized by the beautiful patrimony and mysticism of Catholic tradition, which is entering into a renaissance, or ‘new springtime’ as JPII called it.  They need time to adjust, and see, unlike the reforms of Vatican II, the “reform of the reform” is not an imposition, rather an invitation to a greater and more active participation in the fullness of the Mystical Body of Christ and centuries of genuine piety and holiness.  Many have lost the concept, the experience of the sacred…hence, it is foreign and perhaps even fearsome for many of them.  It is going to take some adjustment, and we shouldn’t mock or deride them for it, constantly goading them in their bewilderment.

All of us must have patience and great charity.  I think we ought to carefully ponder the Lord’s words today in the Gospel.  When asked if the weeds that infected the field of grain ought to be pulled up, Our Lord says, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the grain along with them.” (Matt. 13)

After 40 years of bad habits, it will take time and patience, humility and charity, to repair what was lost.      

Immaculate in thy conception. 

Thou art all fair O Mary, and the original stain is not in thee!  O Mary!  By thy holy and Immaculate Conception, make my body pure and my spirit holy!

Tradition hails Our Lady as Solomon’s Throne, the pure Ark of the Covenant, the Fair Rainbow, and luminous Burning Bush, which the patriarchs saw.  The Blessed Virgin is praised as Gideon’s Fleece, the blossoming Root of Jesse, the Star of Jacob, and Samson’s sweet Honeycomb.  The Immaculata is praised as the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the highest honor of our race, and the advocate of sinners.

The Immaculate Conception is the garden of Paradise, the Gate of Heaven, the House of God. I can never find an image to satsify, nor words to tell, nor ideas or concepts to ponder, capable of expressing the greatness of the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin, the refuge of sinners.

In thy conception, O Virgin, thou wast immaculate!  Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.