Liberal or Conservative; My Favorite Rolheiser articles on the subject
One of my favorite author's and speakers is Father Ron Rolheiser OMI. He's a fellow alum of the Seminary and Theological Colledge I also graduated from (though we are removed by several years) , and is president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas.
Beyond that, he is also a man of great faith, balance and wisdom. His weekly articles never fail to inspire me to examine and re-examine my faith and my relationship with Christ, with my Church, and with my brothers and sisters of this world.
Although I've only been a member of these forums for a few days, and have only just started getting my feet wet in this particular faith group (which I am loving more and more), I wasn't surprised when I met some deep polarity of views. It seems that this family of the Church is often very much like our own families at home. I thought I would share with whomever is interested some of my favorite articles Rolheiser has written surrounding the subject of liberals and conservative ideologies in the Church. Maybe you've read some of these and they'll serve as a grounding point for why we love this Church, maybe you'll be discovering them (and him) for the first time. Either way, they are my gifts to you today and I hope his words serve you well;
I love the Church Father Rolheiser is a part of. I love this family and all of the beautiful diversity that it contains and most of all, I love my Lord and God, for gifting us with a place such as this forum, where we can gather as brothers and sisters in faith and love and share things like this.
I'd love to see some discussion on any one of these articles.
Peace and God Bless
CA
__________________
"Truly God is here and I never realized it! This little patch of stony ground is a place of wonder, where I have felt the presence of God. This little corner of the earth is nothing less than the dwelling place of God and the gateway to heaven!" from Gen 28:10-18
Care for the soul;
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From one of the linked articles (I read them all) with emphasis added:
First, that he or she "keep the commandments", both the larger commandment of the heart "to love God and neighbour" and the ten commandments. "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word." An essential component of Christian discipleship is having a private relationship to Jesus and being faithful in the area of private morality.
Second, Jesus mandates social justice as non-negotiable, not optional, within Christian discipleship. This is clear from Jesus' own life, from the text on the last judgement in Matthew's gospel, and from the fact that in the gospels, on average, one out of every eight lines is an imperative from Jesus to reach out to the poor.
Third, as Jesus defines it, discipleship demands involvement within a concrete community of faith. Christian discipleship is not something we do alone. We're asked to journey to God with each other, as part of an ecclesial community, as part of a church. As the First Epistle of John, puts it: "The one who claims to love a God that he cannot see and does not love a neighbour whom he can see is a liar."
Finally, what Jesus asks of us as an essential component of discipleship is a mellow, warm, grateful heart. Discipleship isn't just about what we do; it's also about the spirit within which we do it. We need the right truth, but also the right energy. Nothing counts for much, no matter how right or orthodox the action, if it doesn't issue from love and gratitude. In T.S. Eliot's words: "The last temptation that's the greatest treason, is to do the right thing for the wrong reason." When our concern for truth, orthodoxy, justice, or morality comes out of a place of anger, bitterness, or judgement, we are no longer acting as disciples of Jesus, no matter how right the cause. No action rooted in bitterness, anger, jealousy, self-righteousness, or in a desire for revenge can ever justify itself in Jesus' name.
Thus these things - private integrity, social justice, involvement in ecclesial community, and mellowness of heart - are the essentials of Christian discipleship. But there's still a further question: Is there anything in Jesus' teaching and his challenge to us that might serve as a litmus test? Is there any one, singular, teaching that can serve as a criterion as to who is and who isn't a true disciple of Jesus?
There is. For Jesus, the litmus test for a disciple, at least for a mature disciple, is this: Can you love an enemy? Can you bless someone who curses you? Can you forgive, and can you forgive even a murderer?
Well, I was initially drawn back to an interest in Christianity via dialogue between Catholics and those of others faiths, especially Catholics with an eye towards mysticism and social justice. I read the works of the late Brother Wayne Teasdale, which led me to read a little Fr. Thomas Merton, some Fr. Thomas Keating, and others, including a book on progressive in Catholicism by Daniel Maguire.
And here is what I wanted to know - is it possible that the politics of the hierarchy may be interfering with people like me coming to the Church? What are the essentials? Is it possible to focus on essentials, laid out much as your favorite columnist presents them, that would make the Church welcoming to someone like me, with individuals free to pursue their consciences and support those causes they feel called to support without being considered "bad" Catholics.
I don't see evidence that homosexuals are disordered or that gay marriage will destroy civilization (I think more energy should be put into figuring out why so many hetero marriages fail). But can't we agree about these other basics and agree to disagree about the rest. I visited places like this, including the OBOB forum, as well as other Catholic message boards over many months. I had hoped to find a Church that looks like the one Rolheiser paints a picture of in the columns you listed.
Instead, what I find are disaffected liberals who feel persecuted by and resented in their own congregations and traditionalists/conservatives who are happy to see so many of these "bad" Catholics leaving. While there are liberal-leaning Catholic groups, they seem to be outnumbered and out-gunned and tend to be more often on the receiving end of condemnations by groups of Bishops as well as excommunications. People talk about right-wing politics being directly and specifically integrated into services.
I asked a priest online about this, and his suggestion was that if one wasn't going to 100% obey the Magisterium and the Catechism it would be better not to convert. I get the feeling this isn't a rare or exaggerated sentiment. So, while I'd like to live in the world painted in those linked articles, it isn't the one I've encountered when it comes to Roman Catholicism.
__________________ "Life does not accommodate you; it shatters you. Every seed destroys its container, or else there would be no fruition."
-Florida Scott-Maxwell
Last edited by tinythinker; 27th August 2009 at 12:45 AM.
What I've read from Fr. Rolheiser so far is awesome! I'll be sure to read more.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. No guilt of life, no fear of death This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Liberal or Conservative; My Favorite Rolheiser articles on the subject 
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