 Pastor's Message
I once heard the Franciscan priest and theologian Richard Rohr say that he would prefer to see the Church much smaller in the future. I found that a strange statement given our theology of the Church as assisting in bringing about the Kingdom of God. Rohr believes that only a small church can restore our integrity and effectiveness in proclaiming that Kingdom. What does he mean by this? I think he bases his thesis on the New Testament phrase: "two or three gathered in my name." What does this mean in practice? It would seem to imply smaller parishes (communities), smaller bank accounts. Fewer clergy, less officialdom, smaller expectations of our capacity for success. Six hundred and seven hundred look good, but maybe they mean less and less - to one another and to the world at large. Rohr implies that he would like to see more truth, more real edges and thus influence, more energy for the inward journey, more commitment to the vision of the Sermon on the Mount. He looks for more pasturing than programs. He would want a Church more deeply contemplative, freed from obsessive single-issue theological politics, self-destructive divisions, a Church quick to defend the weak and to fight for justice, excited by the challenge of dialogue with other faiths. I think he sees a Church down the road that discerns what is really essential and important and what is of secondary importance in its customs and traditions. He seems to envision an institution that wisely balances authority with charity. Are we as Christians going to be able to endure a new kind of martyrdom? Our future may depend on the answer. [Rev. Msgr.] J. Patrick Browne |
