The Times are "a Changin" ~ The good the bad and the ugly.
The decline of Catholic Social Teachings is directly linked to the decline in understanding social democracy. The void for most Catholics who sit in a pew and those who no longer come to sit in a pew is filled by a movement of medieval personal piety, devotion, and the traditional liturgy of Trent.
Now, understand me. I am not condemning personal prayer or devotion; I practice it daily, but I am talking about the institution's focus and our shared commitment to bring the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. This mission unites us all, regardless of our practices.
For those in the U.S., the current issue of America Magazine is something that should frighten us to no end; read this article:
"The department includes programs focused on international policy, domestic policy, environmental justice, racism, education, and outreach, as well as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, an office supervising grants to U.S. community organizations working on systemic solutions to poverty issues. The future of CCHD was a major topic of debate at the most recent bishops' meeting; however, the wider cuts to the Department of Justice, Peace & Human Development shocked many." ~ America Magazine
Think about the implications of that statement. Is the Holy Roman Empire dead? NO! But the Sermon on the Mount may be dying slowly among our hierarchy.
We have all learned this lesson from Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, Albert Nolan OP, Louis Putz CSC, Bishop Helder Camara, and others who focused on the role of the laity in bringing about change.
Cardijn's conception of a "new apostolate" for the emerging "new world" is spot on today!
Cardijn's vision emphasized active lay involvement in transforming society, aligning with the spirit of Vatican II and influencing subsequent developments in the Church. His legacy continues to inspire laypeople worldwide. And today, in the U.S., we must take up the torch more than ever before and realize, just like those before us, not to rely too heavily on the hierarchy for support.
"There's an opportunity here too for lay Catholics to step into the breach and advance this work in new ways outside of the USCCB structure as a kind of act of Catholic mission in the world," ~ America Magazine
For a moment, let's focus on the four main points that should guide our work in bringing about the kingdom of heaven here and now.
Reality-Based Approach: Cardijn introduced the "see-judge-act" method as a working approach to bring about change. Unlike the traditional doctrinal approach, this method focused on understanding real-world situations before taking action.
Lay Apostolate: Cardijn emphasized that lay apostolate involves transforming the world through personal, family, professional, social, cultural, and civic life. It goes beyond personal piety and charity, emphasizing active engagement in all aspects of life.
Anticipation of Vatican II: His vision anticipated the concept of lay apostolate adopted by Vatican II in its documents, particularly the Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium) and the Decree on the Lay Apostolate (Apostolicam Actuositatem). More than ever, we need to resurrect the spirit of Vatican II in the lives of the laity. In 2016, I was on a panel discussion about the importance of laity in the spirit of Vatican II. After the panel discussion, there was a traditional refreshments gathering so panel members and participants could mingle and talk. A Bishop approached me and said: "Just remember, Vatican II was an experiment that didn't work out; it is dead; let's move on." (I won't repeat what I told him here.)
New Evangelization: Cardijn's idea of a "new apostolate" for the emerging "new world" foreshadowed the concept of "new evangelization" that needs to be revitalized by us, the laity. We live in a "new world," and the laity must lead.
Louis Putz often said in his deep German accent, "YOU, the people, are the Church, not the hierarchy." Louis believed the role of the clergy was to assist the people in leading the Church.
Photo from Ripples: Laity, agents of social transformation.