Dear Tarheel, brother whom I hope – nay, believe – is a friend,
I begin with responding to your comments. . . . our wonderful media . . . think if elected officials like Biden and Pelosi speak of the faith then it must be true as they are elected and therefore must be smart. Ho-ho! Testimony to lousy education, intellectual inbreeding, invulnerable ignorance and well-maintained stupidity – and among those ‘smart’ politicians as well as their fog-bound media admirers. Both love their senses of power with barely being able to define the word. But, too, I confess that my post is meant as one more shot at our complacent ‘teachers’ of our faith. You’re a catechist – how much instruction have the ‘teachers’ given you? How much of your informed talent comes from potent Protestant training in your past, and your drive for truth that moved you to ‘come on Home!’? I’d love to give a "wake up call" to our negligent ‘teachers’.
As a catechist I have always felt that ignorance of the faith by catholics is the worst enemy. Amen to that, brother. I have never seen a person knowledgeable of the faith falling victim to a protestant conversion. In my limited experience it always seems to be catholics that are not well "versed" in the faith that do convert to protestantism. But, have we not a two-edged sword of Damocles, here, too? How many lay pewdwellers can give the other poorly catechized become apostates any lesson at all that might steer them away from that wrong path? Also as a catechist I worry if I'm teaching my students well and correctly. Among my points, exactly. And, you mention your growing self-instructive library – I have one, too, now at 22 Bibles and over 400 books, and feel it is not yet even a tenth enough. And I got these so I can learn more about my faith so I can teach it better. For, frankly, how else could you (and I, et al) learn?
In-home catechesis is the very foundation we catechists build on . . . all too often we have to build the "foundation" too. Yes, where is the foundation, indeed, the fine first edifice of adult education, from our ‘teachers’?
I would go on affirming your suspicions that there ought to be ‘more catechesis for the catechists’. It is because there is no ‘power’ (regnant authority) from above, from our ‘teachers’, that others feel less (or, NO) need to hear us out on what we do know. That very on-top silence is used to silence us. And, I think this is an accurate general observation, about all such layfolk-input sites, on your part: Not sure if any of our bishops actually read these posts or not.
At the risk of broadly and lengthily extending this post and topic, let me go on. And, yes, I get angrier over this as I age.
I listen to two persons discuss (as if important) ‘World of Warcraft – an online networking and role playing sort of the equally vacuous Dungeons and Dragons, with bloody combat given greater play. I gently and in friendly repartee comment to them “You guys seriously need a life.” They come back with: “And, what better should we do?” What do I say about, perhaps, prayer, to two who I know avoid prayer as if it were oral surgery. If simple daily prayer, able to be given private and personal time and attention cannot have pull – how so, Sunday Mass?
And, what more could I say, with little ready response?
Later, I am in prayer. It suddenly comes to me no teacher-bishop nor of his instructors-pastors have ever really directly taught me anything. Their homilies tend to be forgettably dry and colorless, of little savor to the soul’s taste or very plainly redolent of the ‘odor of sanctity’.
Without organized, regular, dynamic catechesis – that ‘fine first edifice of adult education’ –
about truth, the faith, virtues, prayer and all the other delights of Catholic Christendom –
without leadership into all that is transcendental –
how is any day different from the day before, one silly game (or workaholism, or TV, or golf, or adultery, if you get my drift into drifting) any more or less distraction to cling to?
Or, finding oneself assuredly able to break the spell of any distraction from God, His Church and His love?
One simple but profoundly affecting verse from the Bible given by accepted authority can make today and every tomorrow a whole different and un-silly game. You and have both experienced that – on our own by and large. But, who sees any authority in me when my authority is silently non-corroborating? If no one with ‘clout’ seems interested and involved with calling the person away from his video game, or other and maybe sinful earthly pursuit – well, has he any recognizable ‘teacher’ he feels compelled to listen for, to listen to?
When I go out, I wear a sizable pectoral crucifix. There is no doubt of the meaning of this most eloquent and dramatic icon. With my aged stature, my long walking stick and general demeanor I could be taken for a high ecclesiastic out for dinner. Some few have stopped me to ask me to pray for them. I smile and promise that I will, if they too will pray for me. I have never been denied. Some even make a gentle bow as I walk past. I try to offer my gentlest but biggest smile to one and all. But, even looking like I just might be a bishop, no one asks one real faith question. Such silence – silence from a possible ‘teacher’ – is just about expected.
And, is this lack of catechesis, or expectation that any offer of catechesis, or even some gentle Good News reports, do we not have a demonstration of what is expected after what are now decades and longer of quite genuine indifference?
Oh, now they are coming out in response to Pelosi and Biden and other dangers from out of politics – but, why have they not come out for me, just to teach me? In apparent response, I have been way ahead of them on the danger in our whole culture, in terms of what they now offer for really too offhanded catechesis. Where were they forty years ago when I was part of the danger? God has been good in being right with me, through thick and thin, revolt and sin, and from embryo through old-timer. Where were His ‘top boys’, huh? Are the ‘teachers’ supposed to take such long recesses?
So, yea, do I accuse them of indifference.
My topic begs ‘what of the catechesis that would make for strong lay apologetical catechists?’ Why has the ancient and large Catholic Church no long-standing and effective system for taking post-Confirmation members not only deeper into their personal life of faith, but able to “go out and make disciples”? Not necessarily to foreign nations, or even the next town over, but simply among their Christ-starved neighbors, some of whom are church-going Catholics? For catechesis begins and ends in evangelization.
Oh, we get wonderful converts – YOU know that. As one priest put it, ‘Catholicism finds converts among the best of other sects and even no sects, while losing lay faithful who just are the most ignorant of the truth-knowing believers.’ How many more would we get with millions of lay evangelists about? How many re-catechizations could be accomplished – could have been accomplished long before political dangers stirred responses?
So, the ‘teachers’ don’t merely exhibit this indifference – they ‘broadcast’ it in their silence. And, the crowds gathered for festival in every Jerusalem effectively hear: “We don’t care, else you’d know if we did.”
Finally, I have dared ordinaries to respond to such posts before, and editors of CE have removed them. This time, removal means I will not return. I’ll take to writing in defiant urgency to my ordinary. In fact, if it comes to that, I am keeping a copy of this topic and post as an initial shot, for at my age I’m getting tired of waiting. (Or, should I become a culture-of-death politician to get his attention?) I’m tired of my barely trained ‘preaching to the choir’ when the celebrant should be in vibrant teaching among his wandering congregation, and interested and eager learners. Still, for what and all we know, just interested, eager learners – like you – like ME!
