Catholic Identity

Father Thomas Savage, S.J. said, “Catholics are struggling with what it means to be Catholic. They’re saying it is important to me, but I’m not quite sure what that means.”

It’s an intriguing question, this identity business. We Catholics these days are a veritable litany of souls looking for commonality that somehow exceeds our grasp. That is not to say that each of us is not brimming with certitude about exactly what is Catholicity.

For a few examples:

-The lady sidles up to an acquaintance in her parish church ready to go aghast in commiseration about the pastor’s dog (Saint’s preserve us!) being a part of the joyful celebration of the pastor’s anniversary last Sunday. A dog brought in to church on Sunday morning, mind you! Whereupon the lady learns that her acquaintance had no inkling that anyone might be offended, she is doubly indignant. Surely her acquaintance must be one of those “liberal” Catholics.

-The fellow who always sits in the fourth row back just happens to comment about his belief in the power of the Rosary and the comfort he has found so often in reciting the “Memorare.” Two in the group roll their eyes at one another about the poor fellow who hasn’t gotten with it and is not likely to. And what in the world, one says to the other after the meeting, is the “Memorare?”

-Two in the Charismatic prayer group talk about Sunday Mass being one dry, routine, somber service. Two in the pew across the aisle share a chuckle about the “Holy Roller” Mass the Charismatics have.

-One parish priest wants to hake the high, ornate altar out of the church, saying it’s a distraction to the central act of worship occurring on the Table of Sacrifice. A band of his parishioners is prepared to post an armed guard around the ornate altar to see anybody just try to take it away.

-One man eschews bombing vacant abortion clinics. His friend asks, “Would it have been okay to bomb the ovens at Dachau?”

-One woman devoutly receives the consecrated host in her hand. Another woman asks, “If we really believe this is the Real Body of Christ, why are we not on our knees in reverence as we receive Him?”

-One priest wears a Roman collar. Another wears a necktie. One Sister wears a veil saying she wishes to express her identity. Another Sister wears a modern, attractive suit, saying she wishes to express her identity.

We Catholics, we love our Church, and love is the right word. We look askance at, criticize, chuckle at one another. But we love one another because we are the Church.

We may disagree about what constitutes decorum, but we rejoice in the celebration of our faith.

We have different ideas about piety and prayer. But we, all of us, seek God in prayer.

We discern the liturgy in this mode or that, but we come to worship as the People of God.

Our views of symbolism go from stark to gothic, from multiple to precious few, but we value symbolism as a part of our heritage.

Not one of us questions the dignity of human life. Not one of us denies the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

We bristle on both sides of the clerical garb issue. But we do not question priesthood. We continue to honor the Sisters who dedicate their lives to the service of the Church.

How does the song go? “At that first Eucharist before You died, O Lord you prayed that all be one in You. At this our Eucharist You now preside, and in our hearts Your law of love renew.”

This little piece of writing does not presume to resolve the question of Catholic identity. But one thing is for sure and Psalm 100 says it: “He made us. His we are, His people, the flock He tends.”

written by Thomas A. Russell on April 6th, 1986