There is so much polarization in our world today. And it is not just political.
Polarization is on full display at all levels of the Church today… hierarchy, clergy, laity, vowed religious.
Is this the first time in history that the Church has been so divided?
Certainly not!
Freshly ordained in May, 1965, I was privileged to attend one of the final sessions of the Second Vatican Council. In this Mindwalk I share my journey into the church of Vatican II and Pope Francis.
How do you look at the Church today? That’s a question we must ask ourselves.
Here I present Pope Francis’ own words describing three ways of looking at the Church.
Do you look at the Church from above, around you, and as a whole?
Yes! I figuratively rubbed shoulders with some 2000 bishops inside St. Peter’s! There are not many left who can say that.
Here I share my journey from a pre-Vatican II church to the church after Vatican II.
I will also share how belatedly I discovered that Vincent was one of the forerunners of the Church Pope Francis is calling us to become.
The picture on a puzzle box inspired me to see how the pieces fit together. This morning I read a reflection, “Either an Evangelizing Church or a Worldly Church. It provided me with the picture on the “Pope Francis puzzle box! I offer it as a picture of what guides Pope Francis.
Today, some cling to a late medieval view of the Church as expressed in the language and liturgy of the Council of Trent. Others think everything is up for grabs. Each group sees the shortcomings of the other. Neither is open to how they themselves miss the point.
I just missed by a few days witnessing the 1965 passing of the document – The Church in the Modern World. We are still within the normal window it takes to implement such a document. Pope Francis calls us to fully implement the document.
I can no longer say, “do this memory of me” without hearing Jesus ak his disciples, “Do you understand?” It becomes an instant examination of the reality of my belief in the real presence of Christ in my brothers and sisters.
In his words and actions Pope Francis calls us back to the basics of Jesus’ vision. He has constantly lifted up the lowly and forgotten, given voice to all peoples in all corners of the world.
We have a choice! There are two ways of reading the Acts of Apostles. We can read the Acts of the Apostles as interesting history detached from our lives. Or we can read the Acts of the Apostles as stories about real people – people like...
