Many contributors expressed frustration at our seeming powerlessness to change anything within a Church to which we are devoted but by which we are so often abused, ignored and derided.
A conservative group in Germany recently encouraged those of us who are not in accord with all Vatican pronouncements to leave the Church so that only the 'faithful' remain, untainted by dissent. I cannot leave the Church. It is not a club whose membership I forfeit when I don't obey the rules. I'm a member of the Church by baptism when I became a child of God. I cannot become an un-child of a loving God who will forever tenderly seek me out.
Tha Church has, for centuries, had an unhealthy hunger for earthly power and status. These are human appetites against which Christ preached throughout his earthly ministry. This disordered attachment to wordly status, leading many hierarchs to still adopt the title and manner of 'Prince' of the Church, is encouraged by wealth. The source of that wealth is your pocket and mine. Shamefully, that's where our influence lies.
I attend Mass daily, (when my back allows) at a small Cistercian abbey, where no collection is taken. For many years I have refused to financially support the 'institutional' Church. Money that would have gone into the collection plate now goes to CAFOD and others agencies which seek to take Christ to marginalised people in need, at home and abroad. I feel happier being represented but such groups than I do by the Sovereign of the Vatican State and his scarlet-clad cheer leaders.
There is so much good in the Church as 'the pilgrim people of God'. There is true life to be found in a personal relationship with The Trinity, fed and nurtured through prayer and through coming together to share The Word and The Eucharist. There is so much hope available in the Gospel of liberation and love, of comfort and challenge. The world needs this now as much as ever. I find that the trappings of power, wealth and status obscure the good. I believe that financial, sexual, and political scandals muddy the message of Jesus of Nazareth.
Sadly, the only way to make the institution listen to the faithful dissent of us the Pilgrim People is to reduce its appetite for bling. I suggest we cut the purse strings. Refuse to pay a penny, cent or centime until the hierarchy starts to listen to you and returns to the values of the Gospel, in word and deed. If we withold our financial contributions, our parish priests should know why - word will soon get back to Rome. An envelope placed in the collection basket with a note saying something like "I'll contribute with a generous heart when the Church starts to .... "etc. would make our voices heard.
I'll contribute with a generous heart when the Church
- starts to reform, to open its heart to the Gospel;
- recognises the gifts that women have to offer, in teaching, preaching and even in ministry
- opens its mind to the possibility that the Holy Spirit is calling married men and women to ordained ministry;
- recognises that gay men and women are created in God's likeness in their capacity and natural imperative to love;
- follows the ancient practice of the Eastern sister-Churches in dealing commpassionately with those whose marriages have fallen short of the ideal;
- recognises by its practice, that Truth is more important than image and reputation;
- opens her eyes, ears and hands to secular society and is willing to converse with it and learn from it rather than just blame and condemn;
- seeks to look like Christ in trying to convey in word and deed, God's infinite love and forgiveness for us all, the unlovely and the unforgiving.
Am I a voice crying in the void? I would welcome any comments offered with respect and love.
I think you have good points. However, my children's school building used to be supported by the parish. Because church attendance has dropped the church can no longer fund the school, which is in a terrible state at the Council won't contribute much either because we live in a "affluent" area.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how the collection money is spent but I assume it goes towards the upkeep of the church - a very large building and the salary of the priest.
I do understand what you mean but I'm not sure the money in the UK goes to the Vatican. Are there accounts available?
Thanks so much, Didsby, for taking the trouble to comment.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to suggest that revenues of the Church in England and Wales are diverted to the Vatican, simply that were lay people to make their dissent known by such means, the hierarchy would take more notice than it currently does of the legitimate concerns of the whole Church.
I'm sorry that your local church school is in difficulty. Most parish schools, early on, were built by parishioners at great personal cost to parents who wished to provide a sound religious education for their children. Often, the school was the first parish building, followed by the church. Nowadays, I believe local parishes through the diocese contribute 10% of funding while the state through your taxes pays the other 90%.
As for maintaining fine buildings, beautiful places of worship don't make the Church. Given the rate of closure of parishes worldwide, these buildings will crumble anyway because of the shortage of priests.
My solution is far from elegant but would, I believe, be most effective. Whatever action is taken to renew the Church, it has to be underpinned by prayer and our focus should always be on the Father, who sent the Son who, inspired by the Spirit, preached against the abuse of wealth and power by the princes of this world.Taking a stand against the establishment is never easy and will always have a personal cost.