Quo vadis? To hell in a handcart
28th May, 2020: 17.00
A loyal and avid reader of this blog is also, like myself, a cradle Catholic. We have talked occasionally about where the Church is going, and how it hopes to get there. I find that in this Covid emergency many things have come together and I am arriving at a clearer feeling about my Church through the experience.
Those who are familiar with my naturally sunny disposition may find what I have to say a surprise. My well-known positive outlook on things and my propensity always to look at the forward-looking side of everything can grate a little with those of a more saturnine disposition. Tough!
The Covid-19 pandemic took the Church completely by surprise. Well, it took everyone by surprise, but the Church was best and most accurately characterised as startled rabbits caught in the headlights.
It just didn't know how to react, and five months later it still doesn't. I have read nothing showing any leadership, command, insight or even worry that has dictated action, or recommended an approach or warned against or distinguished between healthy and dangerous approaches. No principles of thought, act or deed were established.
The abiding impression was that the Church abandoned its pulpits as quickly as the Covid wards and snuck into safe and comfortable presyteries where they hunkered down with some fine wine and nice home-made shortbread biscuits and gifts from parishioners who had nothing better to do than bake and knit.
The whole picture of Catholic England was one of cosy and rather pathetic washing of hands (the metaphor is knowingly chosen) and kow-towing to a government who also didn't know what it was doing, made a succession of disastrous decisions, took wrong paths and effectively connived at the death of thousands – all unchallenged by the Catholic Church.
They collectively folded their hands into the capacious arms of their habits and processed to prayer. They were safe there.
What expectations did I have? Were those expectations reasonable? What hopes did I have? Were those hopes reasonable?
I expected priests to be daily and hourly with their flocks, ministering to them at the risk of their own lives if necessary, and putting their flock's fears and anxieties ahead of their own skins. I expected priests to be organising and making themselves available at hospitals in practical ways, helping on a daily basis wherever and however they were needed, if necessary at the risk of their own lives and putting the needs of the patients (whether Catholic or not) ahead of their own skins. I expected them to be on top of all the latest medical information and able to inform people about stuff in the way that our politicians are not and cannot ever be because they are regarding their own careers first. Priests needed to be a counter-weight to that and fill the vacuum with good sense, good logic, carefully thought-through and informed advice.
Those expectations are of yesteryear. They are completely wiped out by modern clerical practice and particularly by the way we the faithful, practice our faith today. We no longer expect sacrifice from our priests, and what do you know, they don't deliver it. And a good thing too it will be said. What doth it profit a man to die of Covid-19 when by keeping safe he could be useful to survivors and future generations? What doth it profit the Church? What doth it profit society? We are no longer a missionary Church. We do not encourage or seek martyrdom (quite rightly). But it should happen without such expectations. I may have missed the stories. They may not have been covered in this irreligious age. They may not even have been noticed. And I hope that's the reason. The examples of selflessness, of great courage, of personal sacrifice, of simple and compassionate love are there. We just don't know about them.
There is more to say. Hang on a minute while I open another bottle....
A loyal and avid reader of this blog is also, like myself, a cradle Catholic. We have talked occasionally about where the Church is going, and how it hopes to get there. I find that in this Covid emergency many things have come together and I am arriving at a clearer feeling about my Church through the experience.
Those who are familiar with my naturally sunny disposition may find what I have to say a surprise. My well-known positive outlook on things and my propensity always to look at the forward-looking side of everything can grate a little with those of a more saturnine disposition. Tough!
The Covid-19 pandemic took the Church completely by surprise. Well, it took everyone by surprise, but the Church was best and most accurately characterised as startled rabbits caught in the headlights.
It just didn't know how to react, and five months later it still doesn't. I have read nothing showing any leadership, command, insight or even worry that has dictated action, or recommended an approach or warned against or distinguished between healthy and dangerous approaches. No principles of thought, act or deed were established.
The abiding impression was that the Church abandoned its pulpits as quickly as the Covid wards and snuck into safe and comfortable presyteries where they hunkered down with some fine wine and nice home-made shortbread biscuits and gifts from parishioners who had nothing better to do than bake and knit.
The whole picture of Catholic England was one of cosy and rather pathetic washing of hands (the metaphor is knowingly chosen) and kow-towing to a government who also didn't know what it was doing, made a succession of disastrous decisions, took wrong paths and effectively connived at the death of thousands – all unchallenged by the Catholic Church.
They collectively folded their hands into the capacious arms of their habits and processed to prayer. They were safe there.
What expectations did I have? Were those expectations reasonable? What hopes did I have? Were those hopes reasonable?
I expected priests to be daily and hourly with their flocks, ministering to them at the risk of their own lives if necessary, and putting their flock's fears and anxieties ahead of their own skins. I expected priests to be organising and making themselves available at hospitals in practical ways, helping on a daily basis wherever and however they were needed, if necessary at the risk of their own lives and putting the needs of the patients (whether Catholic or not) ahead of their own skins. I expected them to be on top of all the latest medical information and able to inform people about stuff in the way that our politicians are not and cannot ever be because they are regarding their own careers first. Priests needed to be a counter-weight to that and fill the vacuum with good sense, good logic, carefully thought-through and informed advice.
Those expectations are of yesteryear. They are completely wiped out by modern clerical practice and particularly by the way we the faithful, practice our faith today. We no longer expect sacrifice from our priests, and what do you know, they don't deliver it. And a good thing too it will be said. What doth it profit a man to die of Covid-19 when by keeping safe he could be useful to survivors and future generations? What doth it profit the Church? What doth it profit society? We are no longer a missionary Church. We do not encourage or seek martyrdom (quite rightly). But it should happen without such expectations. I may have missed the stories. They may not have been covered in this irreligious age. They may not even have been noticed. And I hope that's the reason. The examples of selflessness, of great courage, of personal sacrifice, of simple and compassionate love are there. We just don't know about them.
There is more to say. Hang on a minute while I open another bottle....
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