Jun 2013
Easy to Identify
06/30/2013 13:01 Filed in: Education
But Difficult to Resolve
It has been a couple of months since my last post and the question still remains open -- Who will teach them?It is easy to identify the problems we are facing in the Church today, especially with regard to the catechetical illiteracy, but it is getting very difficult to find an avenue to resolve them. The reason, it seems, is that we are dealing with catechetically illiterate Catholics in large numbers and the illiteracy is now being handed on to successive generations, which means it is spreading. This fact should not produce fear but stimulate action on the part of those who love the Church for who She is.
It is a daunting situation when we consider the options needed to reverse this trend. How does one catechize two and a half to three generations of illiterate Catholics. Normally the answer is that it is not "one" who does so but many united in Christ. Yes, we need to have many literate Catholics working together to resolve the problem. But where are those Catholics and are they sufficient in number? The only thing that makes this challenge seem less intimidating is that the foundations of the Church were laid upon a small number, upon the Apostles. Finding the small number who are well-versed in Catholic Teaching and convinced of the Truth is essential at this point in history. Particularly in this light we must recall that unless the Lord builds, our efforts will be in vain, which is why the number involved is less important and the Grace of God more important.
From this small number, we need to reinvigorate a love for the Truth, a love that must begin with a reform of the clergy and religious. Only then can we begin a reform of our catechetical programs and begin to see the trend reverse. Among the essential elements in this reform will be time and patience. We did not get to this state overnight and it will not resolve overnight. We must pray that the seminary programs have weeded out the illicit teachings and are installing teachers whose love for the Truth is secure. We must pray for a reform of religious orders and hope they return to fundamental charisms. Fortunately we know that Christ will never abandon His Bride and the gates of hell will not prevail. For our part, we must regularly commit ourselves to conforming to the Truth as revealed by God. For any true reform to succeed, we must begin in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, where we will be immersed in the Truth that feeds us.
It has been a couple of months since my last post and the question still remains open -- Who will teach them?It is easy to identify the problems we are facing in the Church today, especially with regard to the catechetical illiteracy, but it is getting very difficult to find an avenue to resolve them. The reason, it seems, is that we are dealing with catechetically illiterate Catholics in large numbers and the illiteracy is now being handed on to successive generations, which means it is spreading. This fact should not produce fear but stimulate action on the part of those who love the Church for who She is.
It is a daunting situation when we consider the options needed to reverse this trend. How does one catechize two and a half to three generations of illiterate Catholics. Normally the answer is that it is not "one" who does so but many united in Christ. Yes, we need to have many literate Catholics working together to resolve the problem. But where are those Catholics and are they sufficient in number? The only thing that makes this challenge seem less intimidating is that the foundations of the Church were laid upon a small number, upon the Apostles. Finding the small number who are well-versed in Catholic Teaching and convinced of the Truth is essential at this point in history. Particularly in this light we must recall that unless the Lord builds, our efforts will be in vain, which is why the number involved is less important and the Grace of God more important.
From this small number, we need to reinvigorate a love for the Truth, a love that must begin with a reform of the clergy and religious. Only then can we begin a reform of our catechetical programs and begin to see the trend reverse. Among the essential elements in this reform will be time and patience. We did not get to this state overnight and it will not resolve overnight. We must pray that the seminary programs have weeded out the illicit teachings and are installing teachers whose love for the Truth is secure. We must pray for a reform of religious orders and hope they return to fundamental charisms. Fortunately we know that Christ will never abandon His Bride and the gates of hell will not prevail. For our part, we must regularly commit ourselves to conforming to the Truth as revealed by God. For any true reform to succeed, we must begin in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, where we will be immersed in the Truth that feeds us.