The middle of the 20th century was a heyday for the Australian Catholic Church. Priests who came of age during that period took its widespread success for granted. But it was not normal. Now, well into the 21st century, it is in calamitous decline – in fact, returning to normal.
We who came of age during that heyday had a charmed life. We grew up in a strict, doctrinaire, disciplined and strong, denominational Church. By the mid-60s it had morphed into an enthusiastic, open community with a strong sense of identity located in the parish. This was the experience of Australian Protestant Churches, too. Read Janet McCalman’s “Journeyings”. Institutionally successful, it was nevertheless authoritarian and clerical; it drew little on its pool of community talent.
In middle Australia during the 60s parish leadership became increasingly rewarding and lay activity more extensive. Pastoral care became more widely shared and appreciated. The new generation was cherished, better educated and perhaps a little spoiled. Parish life was at its peak. Onwards and upwards!
However, ominous signs emerged as the 70s wore on. As sectarianism died Generation X came of age and found itself at odds with the Church. Morality and Canon Law were contested; much theology made little sense. In particular, the simplistic view of a two tiered universe with this world on one side, heaven and hell on the other and with God being the creator, micro-controller and law-enforcer of the whole shebang was incredible. Were these negotiable? The Church old guard spoke a defiant “No”. The reflective wing of the Church was open.
Future shock set in. Those tending fundamentalist dug in their toes. Those tending to a more nuanced perception set out on a rapidating review. The result was two opposing camps growing ever more apart – the culture wars. This mirrored a western culture-wide phenomenon as society became less sectarian and more secular and pluralistic. In the Catholic world the opening up under John XXIII was reversed by Wojtyla and Ratzinger.
At the same time two generations forsook their parents’ sectarian identity and dropped the Church. Authoritarian admonitions from a deauthorised papacy and episcopacy only hastened the alienation.
Does it matter, anyway? I think it does.
The present pope’s approach is to skirt the culture wars and to focus on Jesus with his proclamation of a loving, merciful, forgiving and pastorally caring God. He is encouraging practical solutions to ossified legal obstacles. This contrasts with his two predecessors who were sticklers for ideological correctness and moral control. But this change is a bit too late for those generations who have been lost.
I lament the loss of vibrant parish life with the many side benefits it provided.
I lament the loss of those generations who were front of the queue for this saving experience but who have been further alienated by a distorted presentation.
I lament that we were not nimble enough to see how the ideological and moralistic official stance was alienating generations. The “new evangelization” which simply reiterated the old ideology in a folksier package was a disaster in itself but also wasted time getting to the heart of the matter which is both doctrinal and institutional.
God is the first problem. The engineer-god who created everything, intervenes in every detail of its running, issues moralistic rules and prosecutes their violation is incredible. Yet that image is still current not only in the arguments of Dawkins, Hitchens and Fry. It is still current in the popular imagination. It is still there in our apologetics.
A new cultural context calls for a recontextualization of the saving narrative of Christianity to use the terms of the Catholic Identity Project. This, in turn, calls for a re-articulation of that narrative to announce a God who is mystery rather than magic, lover rather than monitor, saviour rather than judge. This God is experienced rather than understood.
The second problem is clericalism. Only clergy can have final authority in the Church. Only clergy can preside over ministry – especially liturgy. And the Catch 22 is that all clergy must be male, life-long, full-time and celibate. Talk about boxed in!
Can we save the day? It starts at home. What sort of God do I believe in? How passionately do I embrace that God? How can I pass on that faith without inoculating people against it? Dismantling clericalism is essential. Maybe the institution is capable of re-structuring. Maybe - just maybe - the lamentations are premature.
Wonderful.
Posted by: Murray Stapleton | March 01, 2016 at 01:52 PM
Eric Hodgens has made excellent points about the nature of God and mankind's belief in Him. God is a mystery as Eric says. If He were not, then we would not be interested as He would be boring like most of us!!Leo Gamble, Mentone
Posted by: Leo Gamble | March 01, 2016 at 09:06 PM
Great post FR Eric! You are spot on with your various analyses. Please continue your writing re the Church's ills, especially clericalism which has not yet seen the full fury of the pedophilia storm built up over generations. Pope Francis is copping much approbrium from many orthodox quarters many of whom fall into the "temple police" category, well meaning but living in a bygone era.
Paul Gubbels
Berwick VIC
Posted by: Paul Gubbels | March 06, 2016 at 05:03 PM
Yes, mystery, not conjurer, experienced not understood, deeply just, accepting and merciful.
Like Jesus, when he was not grumpy.
Posted by: Mikie | March 23, 2016 at 12:33 AM