QUOTE TO NOTE: Coming Back to Church

computer_key_Quotation_MarksKate Childs Graham, the co-president of Call to Action, spoke with MSNBC about Pope Francis’ recent interview. She echoed many of the commentators in welcoming his remarks, but added a new trend she is witnessing: people of all walks returning to the Church. Childs Graham told the television host:

Kate Childs-Graham

Kate Childs-Graham

“I experienced the interview through the Holy Trinity of the New York Times, Facebook, and Twitter…More inspiring than the Pope’s words as progressive as they were was the people on Facebook and Twitter, Catholics, non-Catholics, people who have felt marginalized by the Church, who have left the Church saying: ‘Yes, this is what we have been saying for years and it is finally being reflected by our leaders.’…

That said, Childs Graham ended by asking the question many Catholics have about the bishops in America:

 “The question is now we’ve got this CEO talking the talk, we’ve the worker bees, people in the pews, who’ve been saying this for years. The question really lies in middle management, the bishops. What are they going to do with this information?…Are they going to find this new balance with me, Pope Francis, and progressive Catholics like us?”

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry

11 replies
  1. Lydia Lombardo
    Lydia Lombardo says:

    I have friends (and family) of many religious persuasions and a few agnostics and atheists. The enthusiasm from all of them for the pope’s wonderful words is, I believe, because he spoke universal truths. His “Gospel of Love” has touched people because it is a message everyone needed to hear, even if they didn’t know it. It is way beyond a “just for Catholics” pronouncement. As for we Vatican II Catholics, Hallelujia! Could it be The Holy Spirit?

    Reply
    • duckman44625
      duckman44625 says:

      Can it be the Holy Spirit ? For me there is no question…the institutional Church is being cleansed of the corruption and failure to value the “person” over ritual/man made tenets – designed not to lead but CONTROL and suppress – never done by Christ. The evil of the pedophile crisis – which was created by the Bishops failure to act with compassion and justice – including Benedict VI – is being addressed by the Holy Spirit – “the winnowing fan is in His/Her hand”. The Church – the Mystical Body of Christ will never pass away – not so for the institutional Church. Namaste

      Reply
  2. duckman44625
    duckman44625 says:

    The Bishops in order to have validity MUST by virtue of their VOWS to GOD – to obey and attend the directives of the Vicar of Christ – Francis’ I – if they do not – then they betray said vows – lose their authority to shepherd – they are to be ignored – we, the Faithful are obligated to follow our consciences – and attend to Francis’ words. Yes – the local Bishops may try to force compliance with their agendas which ignore Francis’ lead – but if the faithful do not comply – and unfortunately, the Bishops are always concerned with finances – refuse to contribute support – they will get the message – they serve “mammon”. Namaste

    Reply
  3. Barbara Blough
    Barbara Blough says:

    I would be interested to hear what Kate thinks about Charles Camosy’s interview with Krista Tippit for her On Being program (“Pope Francis, The Magenta Catholic”) : .

    Reply
  4. Stephen Sottile
    Stephen Sottile says:

    I disagree. The Bishop of Rome gave one interview and the world has fallen into some pollyanna-ish epiphany. Look at the Bishop’s in the US, Africa and the rest of the world who have caused and continue to cause so much harm to the poor, women and the LBGT community. We have a Cardinal in the Americas who called the US Ambassador designee to his country a “faggot (in Spanish, of course). Just last week during a mass held for my deceased partner a parishioner openly prayed in the intercessions for the criminalization of homosexuality and abortion. I was the only person to react. The priests just looked blankly and said nothing and the rest of the attendees chanted “Lord Hear Our Prayer.” It will take a lot more than pleasantries from Francis to cause Catholics to return.

    Reply
    • duckman44625
      duckman44625 says:

      I agree with you that the local Bishops and priests do not all attend to Francis’ words…he admonished Cardinal Dolan (for his treatment of LGBT demonstrators when he barred entrance into St. Patrick’s Cathedral ) this past Spring. If you note Dolan has been strangely silent for a man who talks a lot. If fellow parishioners vocally supported you and our LGBT brothers and sisters – and withheld their money from collections for a few Sundays – substituting a note objecting to the clergy’s hard hearted ness and bigotry – you would see a quick turn around – perhaps not genuine – but a change in the need to attack us – as Francis has admonished publicly that the Church clerics must cease this obsession and consider serving the person – as Christ did. Namaste

      Reply
  5. will
    will says:

    My favourite bit from the interview (among many!):

    “The church’s ministers must be merciful, take responsibility for the people and accompany them like the good Samaritan, who washes, cleans and raises up his neighbor. This is pure Gospel……. The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials. The bishops, particularly, must be able to support the movements of God among their people with patience, so that no one is left behind. But they must also be able to accompany the flock that has a flair for finding new paths.”

    There must be few ambitious bishops who have plotted a career path based on the last two popes – and are now having to re-examine their plan.

    Reply
    • duckman44625
      duckman44625 says:

      Is it not recorded in Acts of the Apostles that the Twelve Apostles – first bishops – stated clearly – without exception: We must take our lead from the Faithful – for it is within them that the Holy Spirit dwells and guides ? This is something our feudal Lord Boshops seem to forget – or more likely – choose to ignore.

      Reply
  6. lynne miller
    lynne miller says:

    though i am very excited about pope francis, enough that i’m thinking of returning to the church, remember that he isn’t saying any of the teachings about lgbt people, or abortion, or contraception, or divorce. he is speaking in a loving and compassionate manner to the people of god, which is so wonderful.

    Reply
    • duckman44625
      duckman44625 says:

      True…he has spoken against the “obsession” of the hierarchy/clergy with issues of abortion, contraception, LGBT – stating that the people need pastors/shepherds – not feudal lords and rules – they should concentrate on the person as they are – as Christ did.

      Reply
  7. Lydia Lombardo
    Lydia Lombardo says:

    We have to gve him a chance. This is not going to be easy. The ultra-conservatives are going to be tough to manage, but he IS the CEO! Another Catholic summed it up pretty clearly. She thinks he will give some leeway on abortion, particularly in rape cases, that he will probably open the door for married priests, not ordain women (it will happen some day), but perhaps open the diaconate to them. Most of all, he will be merciful and expect his bishops and priests to be. They will have to be very welcoming to LGBT people and to all of us too, as we get older and need different kinds of spiritual help. Already some parishes have revamped their welcoming to new parishoners. But if he doesn’t acknowledge the nuns who have done exactly what he is asking us all to do, then he will have missed the boat entirely. The greatest pity for unmarried clergy is that they never experienced having daughters in this new modern world. Otherwise, they would have learned, as my own husband and many other once chauvinist men learned, that women have been given very powerful gifts that God wants them to use. Yes, we are nurturers and maternal, but we are organizers and very smart and efficient too. Maybe it’s time men learn to use those “hidden” nurturing gifts too.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *