PS, I could have added that, of course, your final four points and reflections belong in that 'iterative' list of gritting day to day decision making. Thanks again.
Thank you Richard for your insightful posts, including this which I have just read quickly. While I haven't considered it closely at this stage, I don't see the issue completely in terms of patriarchal hierarchy, which it no doubt is in some respects, or has accumulated those trappings, but as a dialectic: 'relationship'. The relationship between autonomy and authority, charism and institution, the prophetic and teaching church, freedom and belonging, the individual and the community etc. Relationship, an 'ecclesial dialectic' between authority and autonomy. Thankfully, an inevitable, constitutive part of life, and I think the essence of Christ's teachings. It can be done better or worse. It occurred in a brutal exercise of power by Pius X re the Sillon. It was done more subtly by Pius XI, who tried to appropriate the laity in his 'classic' definition of Catholic Action as the laity's participation in the apostolate of the hierarchy (which Cardijn subverted). And it has been done better and worse by local bishops throughout the twentieth century. Hierarchical structure entitles bishops to make destructive decisions, but also to ally a movement within the resources of the whole church, thereby enabling so much creativity. The 'separation of spheres' attempt to define our way around some of the intractable difficulties of relationship didn't work all that well from what I can see. But there have been improvements over time, in simple things like better, ongoing, communication between a movement like the YCW and bishops, rather than just an annual report about YCW (or even by YCW) to a formal ecclesial committee. The just released Synod report (Sub group 3 of group 6), according to Stefan Gigacz (Australian Cardijn Institute) per Teresa Mourad (Cardijn Associates USA) includes recommendations such as involving lay associations in diocesan pastoral programs, and training for bishops and clergy to appreciate the place of movements. All grist for the iterative daily work of that particular 'ecclesial dialectic' relationship, which, as long as it looks upwards, creates many 'new things'. Deo gracias for that. David Moloney
Here is an attempt to apply the Cardijn Method to the Catholic school system in the US.
See: The Catholic schools in the US are now serving primarily the upper classes.
Judge: Because the Catholic schools include general education, which is an auxiliary service of the Church, and because this service is now so expensive; scandal is imminent.
Act: The Church should shift its resources away from general education to Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and other programs which give priority to the poor.
PS, I could have added that, of course, your final four points and reflections belong in that 'iterative' list of gritting day to day decision making. Thanks again.
Thank you Richard for your insightful posts, including this which I have just read quickly. While I haven't considered it closely at this stage, I don't see the issue completely in terms of patriarchal hierarchy, which it no doubt is in some respects, or has accumulated those trappings, but as a dialectic: 'relationship'. The relationship between autonomy and authority, charism and institution, the prophetic and teaching church, freedom and belonging, the individual and the community etc. Relationship, an 'ecclesial dialectic' between authority and autonomy. Thankfully, an inevitable, constitutive part of life, and I think the essence of Christ's teachings. It can be done better or worse. It occurred in a brutal exercise of power by Pius X re the Sillon. It was done more subtly by Pius XI, who tried to appropriate the laity in his 'classic' definition of Catholic Action as the laity's participation in the apostolate of the hierarchy (which Cardijn subverted). And it has been done better and worse by local bishops throughout the twentieth century. Hierarchical structure entitles bishops to make destructive decisions, but also to ally a movement within the resources of the whole church, thereby enabling so much creativity. The 'separation of spheres' attempt to define our way around some of the intractable difficulties of relationship didn't work all that well from what I can see. But there have been improvements over time, in simple things like better, ongoing, communication between a movement like the YCW and bishops, rather than just an annual report about YCW (or even by YCW) to a formal ecclesial committee. The just released Synod report (Sub group 3 of group 6), according to Stefan Gigacz (Australian Cardijn Institute) per Teresa Mourad (Cardijn Associates USA) includes recommendations such as involving lay associations in diocesan pastoral programs, and training for bishops and clergy to appreciate the place of movements. All grist for the iterative daily work of that particular 'ecclesial dialectic' relationship, which, as long as it looks upwards, creates many 'new things'. Deo gracias for that. David Moloney
Dear Richard,
Here is an attempt to apply the Cardijn Method to the Catholic school system in the US.
See: The Catholic schools in the US are now serving primarily the upper classes.
Judge: Because the Catholic schools include general education, which is an auxiliary service of the Church, and because this service is now so expensive; scandal is imminent.
Act: The Church should shift its resources away from general education to Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and other programs which give priority to the poor.