12 Proposals For Catholic Renewal In a Post-Institution Age

[Michie]

There is a large and growing distrust with institutions in the US. In fact, it has reached record lows according to a new Gallup poll. Trust in “the church or organized religion” is at 31%, down from 37% a year ago. Read another way, 7 out of 10 Americans distrust organized religion, including the Catholic Church. But, other institutions lack the trust of the masses as well. Congress, news organizations, big businesses, the criminal justice system, the Presidency, banks, the Supreme Court, and public schools have even lower levels of trust than religion does. In general, Americans distrust institutions and this distrust is growing year after year. The Church is one of many casualties in this post-institution age.

In some ways, our institutions have earned the distrust and deserve it. Many have been hit with scandals, corruption, lack of effectiveness, mission-drift, greed, poor leadership, division, and political / social one-sidedness. There is also a lack of wider cultural norms, habits, expectations, and community, which help bind us together. We are a fractured people adrift in a culture which lacks meaning, purpose, identity, community, and unity. Some now believe these things are difficult to find if not impossible.

Still, even in the midst of all this uncertainty and distrust, nobody can rid themselves of the existential desire to be:

• loved
• listened to
• cared for
• part of something bigger than ourselves
• part of a community
• known and accepted by others

Therefore, the Church has an opportunity, if she is willing to pivot from trying to shore up the institutions toward meeting people’s felt needs of today. Within the needs of our culture, there is a need for the Catholic Church (you and me) to rise up into a new movement of purpose which reaches the world with truth, goodness, and beauty...

Continued below.
12 Proposals For Catholic Renewal In a Post-Institution Age

 

[chevyontheriver]

There is a large and growing distrust with institutions in the US. In fact, it has reached record lows according to a new Gallup poll. Trust in “the church or organized religion” is at 31%, down from 37% a year ago. Read another way, 7 out of 10 Americans distrust organized religion, including the Catholic Church. But, other institutions lack the trust of the masses as well. Congress, news organizations, big businesses, the criminal justice system, the Presidency, banks, the Supreme Court, and public schools have even lower levels of trust than religion does. In general, Americans distrust institutions and this distrust is growing year after year. The Church is one of many casualties in this post-institution age.

In some ways, our institutions have earned the distrust and deserve it. Many have been hit with scandals, corruption, lack of effectiveness, mission-drift, greed, poor leadership, division, and political / social one-sidedness. There is also a lack of wider cultural norms, habits, expectations, and community, which help bind us together. We are a fractured people adrift in a culture which lacks meaning, purpose, identity, community, and unity. Some now believe these things are difficult to find if not impossible.

Still, even in the midst of all this uncertainty and distrust, nobody can rid themselves of the existential desire to be:

• loved
• listened to
• cared for
• part of something bigger than ourselves
• part of a community
• known and accepted by others

Therefore, the Church has an opportunity, if she is willing to pivot from trying to shore up the institutions toward meeting people’s felt needs of today. Within the needs of our culture, there is a need for the Catholic Church (you and me) to rise up into a new movement of purpose which reaches the world with truth, goodness, and beauty...

Continued below.
12 Proposals For Catholic Renewal In a Post-Institution Age

I liked number 5.

"Stop fighting for cultural relevance. Being blended into American culture got us into the mess we are in. Catholics fought anti-Catholicism by conforming to the wider culture and living like everyone else. We (unfortunately) accomplished that goal. Now that most self-identified Catholics live like those around them, being Catholic is the last thing on many American minds. What is the point? Most think of Catholics as strange and many see Catholic leaders as hypocrites. Following Jesus is NEVER supposed to be cool to a non-Christian culture! It is supposed to be radically different. The problem is that not enough modern Catholics in the USA live radical enough lives, which means we have allowed the culture to affect us more than we affect it. Let us be mocked and dismissed for being irrelevant. It is at that point that God will break open stony hearts through us."

 

[fide]

Still, even in the midst of all this uncertainty and distrust, nobody can rid themselves of the existential desire to be:

• loved
• listened to
• cared for
• part of something bigger than ourselves
• part of a community
• known and accepted by others

Therefore, the Church has an opportunity, if she is willing to pivot from trying to shore up the institutions toward meeting people’s felt needs of today."

And so now the latest "We can fix your problems! - get with OUR NEW PROGRAM!!" is being boxed up and shipping, invoice included. I see already the bandwagons of parishes being hitched up and ready to ride with this latest iteration of man's ideas. Will man EVER LEARN? When will pastors stop fishing for a latest most up-to-date canned program, and turn to God Himself? When will we learn to Listen to the "program" that God continues to offer - the whole Gospel, not cherry-picked excerpts that satisfy "people’s felt needs of today" - seek His Life In US! - and trust in Him?

 

[Michie]

I liked number 5.

"Stop fighting for cultural relevance. Being blended into American culture got us into the mess we are in. Catholics fought anti-Catholicism by conforming to the wider culture and living like everyone else. We (unfortunately) accomplished that goal. Now that most self-identified Catholics live like those around them, being Catholic is the last thing on many American minds. What is the point? Most think of Catholics as strange and many see Catholic leaders as hypocrites. Following Jesus is NEVER supposed to be cool to a non-Christian culture! It is supposed to be radically different. The problem is that not enough modern Catholics in the USA live radical enough lives, which means we have allowed the culture to affect us more than we affect it. Let us be mocked and dismissed for being irrelevant. It is at that point that God will break open stony hearts through us."

That one caught me as well.

Along with this:
REMEMBER - This isn’t the worst cultural crisis the Catholic Church has faced. Again and again the Church has faced decline, scandal, problems, wars, disease, poverty, and persecution. This isn’t the first time and won’t be the last. Yet, this cross and this time is for us to embrace. God will ask us for an accounting of what we did with his talent, let us not go to him saying we buried it, but that we increased it by a hundredfold!

And this:
A FINAL THOUGHT
No great movement of spiritual renewal has ever happened without a group of saints who supported one another, had deep intimacy in prayer with God, and who preached the Gospel of Jesus boldly. Our age will need the same. So, let us first of all repent for not being saints yet and resolving to go forward together.
All who read this have my prayers.
Please pray for me too!
God bless.

 

[chevyontheriver]

And so now the latest "We can fix your problems! - get with OUR NEW PROGRAM!!" is being boxed up and shipping, invoice included. I see already the bandwagons of parishes being hitched up and ready to ride with this latest iteration of man's ideas. Will man EVER LEARN? When will pastors stop fishing for a latest most up-to-date canned program, and turn to God Himself? When will we learn to Listen to the "program" that God continues to offer - the whole Gospel, not cherry-picked excerpts that satisfy "people’s felt needs of today" - seek His Life In US! - and trust in Him?

Canned programs bore me. Remember RENEW? So was anything any better after RENEW? Were we all actually renewed? ALPHA? Better than RENEW but it clearly needs a BETA and a GAMMA and a DELTA. Or not. All I want is a reverent liturgical rite. Oh, I am a liturgical music snob, so I need not only liturgical reverence but superb organ and choral hymns. Not that I get much of that. Point being I don’t need ‘programs’ as much as plain faithfulness. These twelve proposals make sense as long as they aren’t made into programs to be sold, but just things we do.

 

[Michie]

Canned programs bore me. Remember RENEW? So was anything any better after RENEW? Were we all actually renewed? ALPHA? Better than RENEW but it clearly needs a BETA and a GAMMA and a DELTA. Or not. All I want is a reverent liturgical rite. Oh, I am a liturgical music snob, so I need not only liturgical reverence but superb organ and choral hymns. Not that I get much of that. Point being I don’t need ‘programs’ as much as plain faithfulness. These twelve proposals make sense as long as they aren’t made into programs to be sold, but just things we do.

I don’t know about you, but I did not see anything for sale. It was an edifying piece as far as I’m concerned.

 

[fide]

Canned programs bore me. Remember RENEW? So was anything any better after RENEW? Were we all actually renewed? ALPHA? Better than RENEW but it clearly needs a BETA and a GAMMA and a DELTA. Or not. All I want is a reverent liturgical rite. Oh, I am a liturgical music snob, so I need not only liturgical reverence but superb organ and choral hymns. Not that I get much of that. Point being I don’t need ‘programs’ as much as plain faithfulness. These twelve proposals make sense as long as they aren’t made into programs to be sold, but just things we do.

Oh - they're way ahead of you - here's the next after Alpha - Divine Renovation!:

 

[Michie]

Oh - they're way ahead of you - here's the next after Alpha - Divine Renovation!:

View attachment 318749

Quit derailing the thread.

 

[fide]

I don’t know about you, but I did not see anything for sale. It was an edifying piece as far as I’m concerned.

It is here:

The "non-program" program they are selling is training:

FAQ

You have to contact them for specifics, but for the general idea, scroll down thru FAQs to read more, and get to this:

"....-What is required for me to participate and how much does it cost?
You must first contact us to start the process. Then everyone in the cohort must fill out an application. The pricing is about what it would cost to send your group to a weekend conference in another state. The price has been reduced greatly by the generosity of donors who support us. To put the cost into perspective, think of this - most are willing to spend thousands of dollars to attend one conference (conference fees, airfare, hotel, food, etc.) for 3 days. Yet, most conferences have little or no lasting impact on how we actually do ministry.

-Do you have scholarships or financial assistance?
Not at this time.

-How many people will you be working with?
At this time, we are limiting the number of cohorts to a maximum of 3 at one time, so sign up soon - first paid, first to be served. ..."

 

[Michie]

It is here:

The "non-program" program they are selling is training:

FAQ

You have to contact them for specifics, but for the general idea, scroll down thru FAQs to read more, and get to this:

"....-What is required for me to participate and how much does it cost?
You must first contact us to start the process. Then everyone in the cohort must fill out an application. The pricing is about what it would cost to send your group to a weekend conference in another state. The price has been reduced greatly by the generosity of donors who support us. To put the cost into perspective, think of this - most are willing to spend thousands of dollars to attend one conference (conference fees, airfare, hotel, food, etc.) for 3 days. Yet, most conferences have little or no lasting impact on how we actually do ministry.

-Do you have scholarships or financial assistance?
Not at this time.

-How many people will you be working with?
At this time, we are limiting the number of cohorts to a maximum of 3 at one time, so sign up soon - first paid, first to be served. ..."

Again, stop derailing the thread.

 

[chevyontheriver]

It is here:

The "non-program" program they are selling is training:

FAQ

You have to contact them for specifics, but for the general idea, scroll down thru FAQs to read more, and get to this:

"....-What is required for me to participate and how much does it cost?
You must first contact us to start the process. Then everyone in the cohort must fill out an application. The pricing is about what it would cost to send your group to a weekend conference in another state. The price has been reduced greatly by the generosity of donors who support us. To put the cost into perspective, think of this - most are willing to spend thousands of dollars to attend one conference (conference fees, airfare, hotel, food, etc.) for 3 days. Yet, most conferences have little or no lasting impact on how we actually do ministry.

-Do you have scholarships or financial assistance?
Not at this time.

-How many people will you be working with?
At this time, we are limiting the number of cohorts to a maximum of 3 at one time, so sign up soon - first paid, first to be served. ..."

I think the twelve proposals in themself are just fine.

I quoted one of them in an earlier post and you liked it.

Actually you designated it a ‘winner’.

 

[fide]

Again, stop derailing the thread.

Michie, How can you say that to my direct response to your post, that said, and I quote:
"I don’t know about you, but I did not see anything for sale."

The ministry was selling something - you did not see it, but I merely pointed out that it was there! If my response was a derail, then your post was there first. Are you judging me justly?

 

[fide]

I think the twelve proposals in themself are just fine.

I quoted one of them in an earlier post and you liked it.

Actually you designated it a ‘winner’.

I did not say the proposal was not good - I pointed out that it was part of an offer to sell their training program. Sort of a dish of free samples at the front door, with the bigger plan inside the door. If it was a business and not a ministry, it would be called good marketing.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I did not say the proposal was not good - I pointed out that it was part of an offer to sell their training program. Sort of a dish of free samples at the front door, with the bigger plan inside the door. If it was a business and not a ministry, it would be called good marketing.

So where is the actual beef? Twelve good proposals? Or them willing and able to explain it all in great detail for those who feel the need to spend money to understand it? We can discuss the twelve proposals on their merits without spending a dime. For me, financially challenged as I am, I can do that.

 

[fide]

I'm sorry to have interrupted the conversation here. I'll leave.

 

[Michie]

Wow. SMH.