Liberal Catholicism

Well that got your attention didn’t it? It seems lately that our church, known for it’s conservative values and resistance to change, is undergoing a revolution. Or is it?

Pope Francis has made no apologies for speaking directly and passionately about issues and mindsets that he believes are limiting the love and beauty of our faith. As most men in a position of authority, he is also taken out of context quite a bit. When my liberal, protestant extended family starts contacting me on my opinion of the Pope’s endorsement of gay marriage, abortion, and divorce, it creates a great opportunity for me to pause and look deeper into what the Pope is saying, what our church is teaching, and what we believe is moral truth.

Rather than tackle the issues in question here in this blog, I find myself looking at controversy in our church from a distance. To see the beauty in our efforts to struggle and find God’s will in our Catholic faith, rather than get frustrated with our lack of unity. As the presidential nominations start heating up, we are all too familiar with passionate debate and disagreement invading our peaceful lives. At first it seems offensive. I’m trying to enjoy a nice caesar salad at lunch, and all of a sudden, everyone is arguing about building a wall to border off Mexico. Can’t we all just get along?

I remember in my etiquette training with my first job out of college, they made it clear: No Politics and No Religion when talking with your prospective clients. Why? Because it made people uncomfortable. When you have strong opinions, keep them to yourself, or risk causing a scene and disturbing someone you wish to impress.

So we play it safe. We focus our efforts on getting along and playing nice rather than sharing what we believe. Does that sound like the approach Jesus took when he began his three years of ministry? Was he politically correct in order to maintain influence? Why were people drawn to Him when he had such an apparent disregard for social graces?

Because He knew the truth. When you have true conviction of God’s will on your side, and you know it, you don’t sugar coat it. As uncomfortable as it may seem to speak what you feel is on your heart, don’t be afraid. However it is also important to remember when you get on your soap box, you are not the Son of God. If you preface your heart felt opinion with the humility that comes from a sinner seeking for truth, to whom shall you fear? I believe that God welcomes our debates. He wants us to get out of our luke warmness and pay close attention to what is right and wrong. He wants us to be able to work together to find, not what makes us feel good, but what His will is for us. That won’t happen if we are too afraid to discuss real issues and topics.

As a Protestant man who grew up not understanding Catholicism, I was forced to learn about her teachings as an adult. I did not want to join a faith that I disagreed with. The more I searched for answers, the more I found them. Some of them very inconvenient, but I was able to see for the first time the “why" behind what we believe.

So next time that voice tells you, “Don’t go there,” ignore it. Step out of that boat your in and trust that your steps and your words will be guided.

“There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” 
― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen