A Layman's Plea for Tolerance of Catholics
Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see?
For all those inclined to revile the Church and what it stands for, practicing Catholics like me have a humble request - attend any mass at any time at any Catholic church in the world. It won't take more than an hour of your time, you won't be asked to convert, and I can promise you that the priest will encourage you to do only one thing - love thy neighbor as you might love yourself.
St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City is a wondrous testimony in the midst of one of the great cities of the world.
PrintWASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - And so we're in the midst of the Christmas season, a beautiful and wondrous time of year in which people of all faiths try to be a little nicer to one another, meet up with old friends and distant family, and engage in some nostalgia, both happy and sorrowful, for times gone by. It has also, sadly, become a time when militant atheists, nihilists, and a variety of other "ists" feel compelled and comfortable in mocking Christianity, and most specifically and brutally, the Catholic Church.
It might seem presumptuous for a 44-year old man to attempt to defend a great faith that has existed for two millennia. But if there is something I sense as a layman that perhaps the leaders of the Church may not, it's the need, in the political patois of the day, for a better "ground game" to defend Catholics against a continued and intensifying onslaught of secular bigotry. Catholics need help and inspiration for as famed writer Andre Dubus once said, "belief is believing in God; faith is believing that God believes in you."
What follows is not an airtight academic defense of the Church, the nuances of the faith, or its more controversial precepts. Catholics have had St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas More, John Henry Cardinal Newman, and hundreds of other geniuses to do that. This is simply a humble plea for those disposed to have an aversion to the Church and the faith upon which it is based to see it through the eyes of the faithful.
Regretfully, in today's world, describing oneself as "spiritual" is about as far as one can get without being labeled at best, a hopelessly superstitious rube, and at worst, a misogynistic and homophobic bigot with secrets to hide. The great irony in all this, of course, is that those calling most loudly for tolerance in society are often the most aggressively intolerant of Christians in general and Catholics in particular.
It has become the pabulum of certain anti-Catholic voices among the political left, Hollywood, and the mass media to claim that the Church has done more harm than good throughout history, completely ignoring its past and present contributions to charity, art, science, and scholarship. Of course, those interested in the truth would be hard-pressed to find another organization so committed to helping and educating others. While modern Catholics recognize that hasn't all been achieved without controversy or scandal, we also wonder why we are so often the subject of ridicule and scorn.
More than twenty years ago, the late President of Georgetown University and later, The New York Public Library, Father Timothy Healy, S.J., was quoted as saying that "anti-Catholicism is the one allowable bigotry" to of all places The New York Times. Modern Catholics often find it difficult to see how the much vaunted plea for tolerance is ever extended to them.
There is no denying that the Church's unpopularity lies, at its core, with its views on human sexuality and the sins, past and present, of the institution of the Church. While it can be argued whether the Church's views on sex are out-of-step with modern society, those unfamiliar with the faith should understand that the sentiment behind them lies with what we see as a simple and incontrovertible truth -- life is precious and young lives in particular deserve great respect and attention. Because life is such a wonder, we all must modify our own behavior to ensure that newborns are best protected and nurtured within the confines of a family with two loving parents. The Church has also been outspoken in its belief, often realized among young people only later in life, that casual intimacy, like booze and drugs, is often not a form of personal liberty but rather an instrument of personal enslavement.
There's no denying that the question of abortion often tends to be the greatest source of tension between the faithful and the secular. I believe the difference between those who consider themselves pro-choice and those who consider themselves pro-life can be summed up in the idea that those who believe in abortion rights see it as a question of women's rights, while those who believe in the right to life see it as an issue of human rights. That is to say, the basic virtues of each argument lie essentially in the same sentiment -- the weak need to be protected against the strong. The biggest difference between the two sides of the issue, to my mind, lies with an interpretation of motive.
For whatever reason, those who are pro-life have been caricatured as misogynists intent on denying women their rights rather than simply those who demand that a respect for what we should all hold to be most sacred - life itself. This caricature has no doubt been made more vivid at times by the comments of the asinine, but that ...
It might seem presumptuous for a 44-year old man to attempt to defend a great faith that has existed for two millennia. But if there is something I sense as a layman that perhaps the leaders of the Church may not, it's the need, in the political patois of the day, for a better "ground game" to defend Catholics against a continued and intensifying onslaught of secular bigotry. Catholics need help and inspiration for as famed writer Andre Dubus once said, "belief is believing in God; faith is believing that God believes in you."
What follows is not an airtight academic defense of the Church, the nuances of the faith, or its more controversial precepts. Catholics have had St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas More, John Henry Cardinal Newman, and hundreds of other geniuses to do that. This is simply a humble plea for those disposed to have an aversion to the Church and the faith upon which it is based to see it through the eyes of the faithful.
Regretfully, in today's world, describing oneself as "spiritual" is about as far as one can get without being labeled at best, a hopelessly superstitious rube, and at worst, a misogynistic and homophobic bigot with secrets to hide. The great irony in all this, of course, is that those calling most loudly for tolerance in society are often the most aggressively intolerant of Christians in general and Catholics in particular.
It has become the pabulum of certain anti-Catholic voices among the political left, Hollywood, and the mass media to claim that the Church has done more harm than good throughout history, completely ignoring its past and present contributions to charity, art, science, and scholarship. Of course, those interested in the truth would be hard-pressed to find another organization so committed to helping and educating others. While modern Catholics recognize that hasn't all been achieved without controversy or scandal, we also wonder why we are so often the subject of ridicule and scorn.
More than twenty years ago, the late President of Georgetown University and later, The New York Public Library, Father Timothy Healy, S.J., was quoted as saying that "anti-Catholicism is the one allowable bigotry" to of all places The New York Times. Modern Catholics often find it difficult to see how the much vaunted plea for tolerance is ever extended to them.
There is no denying that the Church's unpopularity lies, at its core, with its views on human sexuality and the sins, past and present, of the institution of the Church. While it can be argued whether the Church's views on sex are out-of-step with modern society, those unfamiliar with the faith should understand that the sentiment behind them lies with what we see as a simple and incontrovertible truth -- life is precious and young lives in particular deserve great respect and attention. Because life is such a wonder, we all must modify our own behavior to ensure that newborns are best protected and nurtured within the confines of a family with two loving parents. The Church has also been outspoken in its belief, often realized among young people only later in life, that casual intimacy, like booze and drugs, is often not a form of personal liberty but rather an instrument of personal enslavement.
There's no denying that the question of abortion often tends to be the greatest source of tension between the faithful and the secular. I believe the difference between those who consider themselves pro-choice and those who consider themselves pro-life can be summed up in the idea that those who believe in abortion rights see it as a question of women's rights, while those who believe in the right to life see it as an issue of human rights. That is to say, the basic virtues of each argument lie essentially in the same sentiment -- the weak need to be protected against the strong. The biggest difference between the two sides of the issue, to my mind, lies with an interpretation of motive.
For whatever reason, those who are pro-life have been caricatured as misogynists intent on denying women their rights rather than simply those who demand that a respect for what we should all hold to be most sacred - life itself. This caricature has no doubt been made more vivid at times by the comments of the asinine, but that ...
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Great article. Yes we Catholics are targets of the secular society. It sounds as though the article suggests that we need some strong leadership to combat the heavy onslaught of persecution from a hostile anti-Catholic society. Yes, I agree but where is that leadership of a Cardinal Newman or a Thomas Moore. Bishop Chaput seems to be a leader of that stature.
Jason D. Trennet: Excellent article. Blessings...
Thanks for this article,am proud to be catholic,thanks once more again and may God bless you always.
A very nice article. It isn't presumptuous at all. As a matter of fact, it goes well with what a Spanish Jesuit told me a few weeks ago in Asia that good members in the laity do more to attract people to the Catholic Church than the priests themselves do. Bravo for your courage to write how you feel.
Paul-Emile Leray
A wonderful article, befitting of our wonderful Church. I am a proud English Catholic, ever more convinced that the "moral reboot" (Bill Donahue) that society desperately needs can only be provided by the values of the Universal Church.
For a better understanding of those values, the majesty of the Church and its illustrious history, I would recommend two books I read over Christmas:
"How the Catholic Church built western civilization" by Thomas Woods, and
"Why Catholicism matters" by Bill Donahue (of the Catholic League).
Also, please visit themediareport.com which debunks many of the myths surrounding the issue of clerical abuse.
God bless all readers and a blessed 2013 to you and the Church.
Catholics stand for orthodox and traditional presentations of faith,family,life,truth and a Eucharistic community all centered in the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Apostoles. The Church and its teachings are for all time and tradition. Because of this they are really always in touch with all people of every age and in every country. Trendie thinking of an any age come and go. Style changes as does the trends of the age. The teachings of the Catholic Church are rock steady and always reliable. This is why the Catholic Church takes so much abuse. No one wants to really believe this. The Church is like a parent that cannot be argued with because in a Christ centered faith,the teachings of the Church are simply the truth,because Christ is the way the truth and the life,the perfect pathway to God the Father and Creator of all. What is Sacred is just that,as is what is profane remains profane. Wrong can never be right. Thank you for this excellent article.
Thanks so much for this great message. Jesus told Peter that the gates of the netherworld can never hold out against the Church. I only wish those who stand against the Church will learn from the Church's history. This Church called CATHOLIC CHURCH has won so many battles and will continue to win. The blood of Martyrs is the seed of Christians!
Love live our Church! These are difficult times. My experience has been that even the protestants look to the Church for spiritual leadership now. On this holy day of January 1, let us ask Mary for her help to keep Jesus center in our lives.
The Bible says serve "God or Mammon" & where Mammon promotes Gay relationship which is an Abomination unto God, quiet clearly & where a Catholic becomes Complacent to that, then he unwittingly serves Mammon & his Jesus is another Jesus. Today's preachings are seen more to the Convenience that to its fulness, the very cause of the Apostasy, much contrary to that preached & held by Jesus , Apostles, Prophets & the Saints, for none of them compromised on the word of God for any reasons whatsoever even unto the word tolerance. As far as the hatred against the Church it should be noted that Freemasonry/Witchcraft, sworn enemies of the Catholic Church, whose initiations result in undue deep Spiritual hatred in all the deceit & it is this hatred in its many forms.which is reflected onto Christ. & his people who are just the opposite. Living in the Good & Evil is to say living by the forbidden fruit., for today's reality to the fall need not be the truth of Tomorrow, in the rise.
This is a very inspiring article specially here in the Philippines where The RH bill is already signed into law by our president. About 80% of filipinos are catholics are we are proud of that, but with this Law it divides our faithful into those who said they are practicing Catholics but do not agree with the church on its stand on the issue. Is this consistent with our faith, the faith in Christ Jesus. The holy eucharist which is the summit of the practice of our faith should be the ultimate act for us Catholics, genuinely and actively participate in the mystery of this sacrament and our life should be lived consistent of what Christ wants to be - like him. (Eucharistic consistency). Hoping that in this year of FAith we should not only a passive catholic looking in the sideline, but actively understand what we believe in and professing what we belive. That is faith.