Institutional Catholicism
The Roman Catholic Church has:
- Built
- Regulated
- Ritualized
- Formed
- Missioned
- and Culturally Integrated the great commission of Jesus Christ to Baptize ALL nations in the Trinitarian God, staying true to the structure he instigated (on Peter and the Apostles), preserving the truth, trusting the Holy Spirit, for the rest of time (see Matthew 28:18-20) in every country on the face of the earth.
This has spawned tremendous growth and a loyalty to communion that is good, but often leads to minimalism and consumerism, to a looking back and not to now or forward.
The Institution of the Catholic Church has purveyed the sacred by welcoming, feeding, reconciling, affirming, healing and committing. It simply does more good all over the world everyday than any other institution. It protects, shelters and counsels those far beyond its membership without cost.
However, it has also spawned an attitude of clergy above as opposed to clergy with the people of God. Sins of abuse and violations of trust by clergy have caused wounds beyond telling.
The instituting vision of Jesus Christ reached its institutional height in various countries at various times throughout history. It is peaking in some areas today.
Perhaps the greatest institutional experience of Roman Catholicism in its history has taken place in the United States from 1850-1970. It has coincided with waves of immigration, industry, war, depression, economics, art, music, technology and more. It has generated more priests and religious per Catholic during that time than ANYWHERE, EVER in the 2,000 plus years of its history.
All of us have been formed by this institutionalism culturally, religiously and spiritually. The institutional connection and consumeristic attitude of American Catholics is strong.
Consider how our language indicates this phenomena with statements and questions such as:
- You get grace by doing certain things
- Did you get Baptized?
- Did you get Confirmed?
- Did you get Absolution?
- Did you get Communion?
- Did you get Anointed?
- Did you get Ordained?
Institutional church has created an assumption of availability and a lack of knowledge of all it takes to make church, faith, ministry, community and service available. It has regulated what we get over the grace of what we receive. It has emphasized getting over sharing.
I believe that we are in a new moment with a new challenge to build upon the institution with deeper, more profound, more exciting, more innovative, more contemporary, more vibrant, more relevant experiences of faith.
We already have deep and diverse spiritual resources generated by profound spiritual masters and movements of the Holy Spirit throughout the centuries to build on.
Let us get out of the boat of over-institutionalism that has carried us thus far and embark on a new era, on new spiritual terrain, yet carrying out the same commission of Jesus Christ with more emphasis on his statement “…and know that I will be with you until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20)
Our Adventures in Grace: a Pilgrimage is a start.
Let us lead the post institutional era of Catholicism beginning now!
Pilgrimage Reminder
In church and livestream presentation with questions and answers: Wednesday, October 20.
Pilgrimage kicks off Saturday & Sunday homilies, November 6 & 7 at all Masses and in church and livestream on Wednesday, November 10 at 7:00pm.