Friday, August 6, 2010
More on the Plight of the Liberal Catholic
Cathy Kaveny believes, rightly I think, that the Catholic Church is in the midst of an acute crisis, a crisis that is underestimated by the hierarchy. In a post at dotcommonweal, she points to yet another liberal Catholic, an Illinois appellate judge who is in anguish about whether she should stay in the Church. That judge expresses the hope that the hierarchy would excommunicate her and make the choice for her. See here.
The comments to Cathy’s post are well worth reading for those interested in the plight of the liberal Catholic. Most of those who comment empathize with the Judge’s plight and have resolved it in various ways (leaving, staying to fight, staying but not receiving communion). One of my favorite comments is by David Nickol, “It seems to me to all boil down to a very basic decision. If you believe that the Church is so messed up that it can’t be what it claims to be — an organization to represent Jesus on earth, guided by the Holy Spirit, and indefectible — then you leave. If you believe the claims the Church makes about itself, then you stay.
“It surprises me to hear almost no discussion among Catholics about whether or not the Church’s behavior is evidence that it can’t be the divinely guided institution that it claims to be.
“Are the claims the Church makes about itself credible? If so, go to Mass every week, go to confession, etc., etc., and don’t read the newspapers.”
https://mirrorofjustice.blogs.com/mirrorofjustice/2010/08/more-on-the-plight-of-the-liberal-catholic.html
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Steve, echoing something that was said in the comments to one of your earlier posts on the "plight" question, I guess I'd say that Judge O'Brien's (moving) piece does not, in my view, express a sadness or anger that is unique to "liberal" Catholics, or that is "liberal." *All* Catholics -- "liberal" ones and plain-old ones -- are disappointed (to say the least) by the failings of too many Church leaders, members, and clergy. It's not just "liberal" Catholics who have thought about leaving the Church, or who have left. (I'm thinking about Rod Dreher, for example.) You suggested in another comment that some conservatives seek to "minimize" the wrongs done. I guess some are, but more often they aim -- as they and we all should -- to be sure that the truth, and not malicious fiction, is told about the scandal and the issues it raises.
My own earlier-expressed skepticism about the "plight" of the liberal Catholic reflected my doubts about the claim that Catholics-who-tend-to-be-liberal-in-their-politics are in any way outsiders or unwelcome, relative to their more politically conservative counterparts. You are, I guess, using "liberal" differently -- i.e., not in terms of politics? -- in your "plight" posts?