So the fastest growing “religion” in Minnesota and the country is “Nones,” the Star Tribune reports. In reading this article, I was struck by the interviewees’ infantile understandings of religion and Faith.
- L.P. said that “[she] can’t imagine that only one religion has access to the pearly gates,” said Lisa Pool, explaining her church breakup after class ended. “I realized there are all kinds of different paths to being a good person.” [Let’s ignore L.P.’s probably snide reference to “the pearly gates” and analyze her thoughts. First, L.P. does not understand that the goal of life is not to “be a good person.” The goal of life is to glorify God and reach salvation. And if the goal of life was to be a Good Person™, L.P. must admit that either (i) there is no definition of “Good,” so each person (Hitler) is good if he acts in accordance with what he believes is good or (ii) there is an objective reality stemming from some universal truths indelibly written on the heart of each human. Second, L.P. alludes to the oft-cited complaint with religions that they each deny that other faiths provide a path to salvation. But L.P. is wrong: for example, the Catholic Catechism provides that “The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.” -FTNC]
- “We are [all] worried,” said the Rev. John Bauer, pastor at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. “We all know it’s an issue, but don’t know what to do about it. It’s clear we can’t rely on the old ways of doing things for this next generation.” [Father Bauer, how can you say this? As the Church’s teachings, symbolism, and sacraments have been watered down again-and-again–in the name of modernization over the last decades, your response to the current crisis is to, what, change things further? You say we cannot rely on the “old way” of doing things, but since when have we even done Catholicism the “old” way. Your parish, specifically, has been a dogged proponent of watering down the Faith. And the result has been mass exodus from the pews. And your response is to continue watering down the Faith? The definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing and expecting different result, my friend. -FTNC]
- K.C. spent six years living in a Catholic convent as a high schooler and young adult in 1970s. She was preparing to take her vows as a sister, and was already donning the black robe. But over time, she developed “so many questions.” When her parents died suddenly, her faith shattered. She’s now among the 30 million Catholics who left the U.S. church, the largest of any denomination, according to the Center for the Applied Research in the Apostolate.“ They say pray and your prayers will be answered,” said [K.C.], a retired corporate manager. “That didn’t happen. I was angry.” [K.C. believes that “[t]hey say pray and your prayers will be answered . . .” That didn’t happen. I was angry.” I went to Catholic schools from preschool through the end of law school. Never once did I ever hear that my prayers would be answered if I simply prayed. Had I heard that, I would have prayed for world peace, ending homelessness and starvation, and–while you’re at it–a new shiny bike for Christmas. Now, I want to be delicate because, while I am making slight light of K.C.’s comments, I too have struggled in the past with the problem of evil (ie. If God is omnipotent, why is there evil in the world?). I am mostly just highlighting the fact that K.C., apparently, never struggled with such problems for years and years during prayer. She just thought to herself ‘my prayers haven’t been answered…I’m moving on.’ -FTNC]
- “I realized [the church teaching] was never deep seated.” said A.L., a 33-year-old business manager in Minneapolis. “I like the teachings about helping others, about creating community. But I don’t think you need a big organization to do that.” [Church teaching was never deep seated? I think A.L needs to do a bit more due diligence before coming to that conclusion. One thing I do agree with A.L. on is that you don’t need a big organization to follow the true faith (more on that later). -FTNC]
- L. C., a U law student, reflects another trend Smith stressed: a striking gap in “generational replacement” in churches over the years. Christopherson said that his grandfather was a minister. His father was less fervent. And he was never fully on board with church teachings. “You listen to a sermon and you read some Bible passage and there’s no real connection to your daily life,” he said. [Sure L.C., some sermons are lame and some Bible passages offer “no real connection to your daily life.” Is that what you learned growing up? Sorry if so, but the purpose of Bible passages is not connect with your daily life. Check out today’s Gospel (Mark 12:38-44). I bet you can find a connection with your daily life. -FTNC]
The article then goes on to talk about some peoples’ connection with the spirituality found in nature. Some of the insights in that section were very good, although I have trouble understanding how those people divorce such sentiments from God.
After the nature section, the article briefly talks about religions’ responses: “Bauer, at the Basilica, is eyeing other strategies. He’s noticed that many of the disenchanted return to church for milestones such as baptisms, wedding, funerals and periods of personal despair. Like many pastors, he’s trying to figure out how to build on those temporary connections.” Of course many of the disenchanted return for the sacraments; people yearn for sacramental action. Bauer is right to try to use these as launching-off points for reestablishing contact with these people. I think this would be a wonderful plan for the Catholic Church. When a couple emerges for their marriage preparation or baptism, the Church should put forth every effort to reunify those people with the Church.
A few final thoughts:
- It’s clear that many of the “Nones”–millenials especially–have childish understandings of their faith. And, really, who can blame them? Millenials came to life during the time of a great watering-down of the Catholic Church. And who is to blame? I am not totally sure.
- The Star Tribune completely ignored the massive effect of homosexual infiltration of the Catholic priesthood on the laity. The article mentions “sex scandals” exactly once. When I hear of a “sex scandal,” I think of a country’s leader having an affair or a high-ranking executive of a company inappropriately touching his secretary. What I don’t think of when I hear “sex scandal” is widespread, systemic homosexual pedophilia. The Star Tribune is extraordinarily disingenuous in its failing to mention this massive story. Although I am not surprised: the connection between homosexuality abuse of minors and the Church hemorrhaging believers does not comport with the Star Tribune’s massive, decades-long effort to normalize sodomy.
- The Star Tribune contacted no one who believed the great watering-down of these religions may have, even to the tiniest degree, affected institutional religions. Again, doing so would have digressed from the Star Tribune’s ultimate goal: defeating Truth and Beauty. In fact, religions losing churchgoers is a good thing to people of the Star Tribune’s ilk. To them the Church stands for ignorance and biggotry, so the less believers the better.
- Attendance is not everything. Attendance is not everything. Say it with me: Attendance is not everything. Churches’ heirarchies lament the loss of churchgoers. So do I, and so should you. However, the hierarchies worry for an additional reason that you and I don’t: money. When institutional excess is the norm and you don’t produce anything (in the economical sense), you rely on donations for your very existence. To get donations, you need attendance. To grow the Catholic faith over the long term, I think the Church needs to contract a bit, get back to the roots, and grow outward from there by attracting others to the beauty of a true Catholic community. How many people in your parish show up to Mass in NFL garb, leave after Communion, hop in the Range Rover and go live the other 167 hours of their week in a materialistic manner completely devoid of spiritual meaning? The sad reality is that’s most “Catholics” today. Rock concert music during Mass and be a Good Person™ feel-good homilies is not working because it can’t work! Humans, deep down inside, want what the true Catholic Church can offer. Humans, deep down inside, need what the Catholic Church can offer.
I love this thinking Rob. You are spot on with many of your points. Keep thinking and writing about this important topic!
Wow! This post makes me somewhat sad when I read about the whimsical feelings described within. Yesterday, on a favorite blog from Bishop Robert Barron’s “Word on Fire”, his gospel reflection was on faith. In it, he says, “…there is a long tradition of faith healing, stretching back to Jesus himself and through many of the saints. There is also the power of prayer. When some people ask in a spirit of trust, really believing that what they are asking for will happen, it happens.
But more often than not, the power of faith manifests itself in the courage to face trauma, sickness, even the terror of death. It is the confidence that we are being guided and cared for, even when that guidance and care are not immediately apparent.” I believe this. Faith takes hard work and, as human beings, we many times falter. Thanks Rob, for making me reflect on the courage it takes to have faith.