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| Some folks sharing their thoughts about what the Church needs. |
When the pitchforks and torches come out, the cry now is for Resignation! Stirred by media voices more accustomed to working their will on our political system these past fifty years, and constrained by an imagination with only corporate or military models, the vocabulary of the vox populi is reduced to that single word, Resignation.
And yet, while Christ’s Church has elements in common with both corporate and military organizations, and clearly has as many political realities as she does human ones, these three models fail to describe the Bride of Christ, much less define her.
Just as calls for Change! and Reform! often overlook the reality that the Church is a divine institution, with her governance designed and defined by Christ Jesus, and therefore not to be modified; so too Resignation, especially at the clamor of a mob, does not suit the situation of ecclesial persons or solve the problems of failure or even malfeasance in ecclesial relationships.
Two weeks ago, I wryly shared to my periodic urge to cope with failure and frustration by chucking it all to drive a truck. This was absurd because the so-called solution of Resignation does not fit pastors of the Church, for whom it would be to abandon not only one’s responsibility but also one’s identity. One does not Resign from being Dad! Whatever the reason – personal failure, repeated rejection, or catastrophic sin – trying simply to “move on” ignores the reality of the relationship that will continue to exist, though deeply damaged. Similarly, ejecting Dad cannot erase the relationship even for the ones who are wounded by him.
So we who are wounded by our own fathers cannot howl for their Resignation without attempting to resign our own identities as sons and daughters. It was eminently suitable for Theodore McCarrick to relinquish his cardinalitial status – an honor, a distinction – but we must acknowledge that he has been our father and has failed us, indeed abused us. He forfeited not only governing authority, but also all moral authority. This is disguised by the fact that his mistreatment of his family, this local church, came to light only after another had taken his seat as paterfamilias.
Now that our current Dad, Cardinal Wuerl, stands accused of having failed to do enough in his previous diocese, Pittsburgh, and having failed to act appropriately here, some are calling for him to Resign! as well. Indeed, it is suggested that even our Holy Father, Pope Francis, should be obliged to Resign! for his failures. This, I fear, is neither helpful nor hopeful.
All the dirty laundry that has tumbled out of the Church in the past two weeks should be enough to make even the ecclesiastical naïf aware that Our Holy Mother the Church is not one huge, monolithic machine of the well-oiled variety, even (especially?) at her highest levels of governance, where one supposes to find a Pope who is informed of all things, decides all things, and directs all things, surrounded by eager collaborators, all of whom hear him, salute, and obey. Hardly!
No, her threadbare administrative structure leaves room not only for mistakes, missed opportunities, and misunderstandings, not to mention mulligans, but also for malice. Mistakes are not the same as malfeasance, miscommunications are not lies, neglect is not disobedience, and human weakness is not present evil. But can you tell which is which – on penalty of your immortal soul?
We have received some strong indications of where malfeasance and disobedience truly have run amok, and where human weakness and miscommunication have abetted it. But how can we confirm our suspicions, or allay our fears?
The path to familial reconciliation and reunion is not Resignation, but Repentance. This is Christ’s own remedy to heal the wounds in His Body, the Church; it is His universal prescription. And this is how it could be proposed to our damaged Dads:
A Dad, a shepherd, who sees this evil at work in his family, his church, can and must stand forth with contrition for his failures, and acknowledgement of his sins that have brought that evil into the life of his family. Where he plainly acknowledges mistakes, he will no longer stand accused of malfeasance. When he lays out his role in the miscommunication, he will not be called a liar. And when he acknowledges the cost of his human weakness, he will no longer be thought evil. By confessing sins that he has committed, he can make it clear to himself and all the family which is the evil that he did not do. An unrepentant Dad is a destructive Dad, and the family will best find unity in stopping the destruction. A disappointing Dad is still able to be Dad, and with the help of the other family members once again be able to lead the family forward.
Unlike Resignation, this great work of Repentance can and will bear fruit in Christ’s body the Church, because it can be offered with expectation of forgiveness. To prepare oneself to forgive is now the work of each family member. The best preparation to forgive is to Repent! oneself, searching with brutal honesty one’s own conscience for every fault. This nurtures the complementary intercourse among souls that reflects and makes present the divine economy, the actual work of saving the world. The Church possesses everything she needs to heal herself and our wounded world. But before we can convince the world that it needs the saving mercy of God in Christ, we must allow ourselves visibly to depend upon it.
Some say the biggest threat to mankind is climate change; Jesus says it is sin. Some say immigrants require our full attention; Jesus tells me I myself am just passing through this world on my way to my true home. Taking this to heart, I do not despair before the sin and abuse even of those entrusted with leadership in the Church; and I will not turn from the Way even when episcopal infidelity has left every one to his own way. The same Providence that has shown us this squalor in our highest halls will also guide the footsteps of all who respond in faith.
With neither pitchfork nor torch in hand, I hope, and pray, and call not for Resignation, but for Repentance on the part of fathers who still this day bear the responsibility for the well-being of their children in Christ. Admit your infidelities, whether they seem to you insignificant or damning, lest your children think you guilty of worse ones. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.(Matthew 16:25) You will help change this age of anguish into a moment of abundant grace, poured out upon the whole Church, and fortifying us all for the work to which our Father calls us. You will be part of the great healing and purification that will be celebrated for generations to come. For God will heal and purify His people, with or without your cooperation.
When every true shepherd sheepishly has sought forgiveness, the silent ones will be revealed to be wolves in shepherds’ clothing. And by their bad fruit shall we know them, whether they Resign, or not; and our family, the household of God, will unite to stop the destruction. This Communion in the faithful love of Christ, who knows the merciful love of God and one another, will remain one in following the voice of the One who calls us to fidelity; and He will give us shepherds.
Monsignor Smith
Prayer for the Church
Let Your continual pity cleanse and defend Your Church, we beseech You, O Lord; and because she cannot continue in safety without You, govern her evermore by Your help. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
(XV Sunday after Pentecost, Roman Missal, 1962).
