Church in America He is often the target of ridicule and criticism from higher up (see interview with Cardinal Pierre). America But on the feast day of St. Anthony, Cardinal Sarah spoke highly of the Church in America in a speech titled “The Catholic Church’s Enduring Response to Contemporary Practical Atheism.”
His Holiness defined practical atheism as “a loss of sense of the gospel and of the centrality of Jesus Christ.” Practical atheists do not embrace faith. seriouslyInstead of placing his faith at the centre of his life, he pushes it aside: for him, faith is “treated as an obstacle to dialogue”.
Throughout his speechCardinal Sarah said she sees this clearly in the church in Europe, particularly among German pastors, where those who are called by the Lord to win souls to Christ by proclaiming the truth in their lives and preaching, are instead focused on making themselves more attractive and appealing to the world.
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The way synods are run in Germany is a good example of this phenomenon. There is an emphasis on “modernization” and “keeping up with the times”. Dogmas and traditions are seen as hurdles to be overcome, rather than sacred things to be defended. The debates over women’s priesthood and the acceptance of unnatural ways of life are examples of this confused focus.
Cardinal Sarah refers to the spread of “false freedom and conformism” within the Church. This “false freedom” is the misconception that we have the freedom to change doctrine. Attempts to change doctrine (which is impossible) are made in order to adapt to what is happening around us. Calls for women priests and LGBTQ+ acceptance are made because the outside world sees it as right and fair, under the banner of “equality.”
This excessive emphasis on appeasing the world is also evident in the Practical Atheists’ obsession with “welcoming” and “accompaniment.” The Cardinal harshly criticized this movement, saying that “welcoming everyone means ignoring Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium.” And he is absolutely right.
The cardinal noted several times that the Church in Europe is dying, and in some places has died. Europe’s spiritual decline is a symptom of this practical atheism that has led to succumbing to the demands of the world rather than upholding the teachings of the Church. But he stressed that hope is not lost.
Church in America “We can become a bastion of hope, saving the Church in Europe and strengthening the universal Church more broadly. The practical atheism that is sweeping Europe and spreading in our country can only be defeated by a true spiritual renewal. Cardinal Sarah believes, and I wholeheartedly agree, that America has the elements to lead that renewal.”
It’s no secret that the United States is experiencing a decline in Mass attendance and a crisis of catechesis in the most basic principles of the faith. This is clearly evident in Joe Biden, who he called a “cafeteria Catholic” and joined Cardinal Gregory’s criticism of the president in April of this year. Biden is an example of a Catholic who subscribes to popular opinion over his own faith, a tendency that most Catholics in this country fall victim to. Cardinal Sarah expressed this tendency: “Catholics here are often Americans first and Catholics second.”
But despite these obstacles, the Church in America is not “dying” Europe. The first reason Your Holiness gives is our bishops, whose orthodoxy is a great source of spiritual strength that is sadly lacking in Europe.
Cardinal Sarah praised our episcopal leadership for being “generally committed to the Gospel, the faith in Jesus Christ, and the preservation of our sacred traditions.” While there are some who are bad, I fully agree with the cardinal’s assertion about the orthodoxy of the leadership of the American Church, and that is based in large part on my personal experience dealing with bishops both here and in Europe.
When I was a seminarian in the Diocese of Cleveland (a small diocese known for its liberal leanings), I saw this “commitment to the Gospel” in Bishop Edward Malecic, who made headlines last year for his policies against gender ideology in Catholic schools.
He, like many bishops we rarely hear about, is a true believer in the faith and is concerned above all with the salvation of souls. I remember the bishop speaking to the local news media during the seminary’s meeting with the Pope. Rather than pandering to the Pope, he used his brief time to promote the faith. He said, “Our faith is about a man sent by God, the Son of God, God Himself, who died for our sins.” He went on to emphasize that his viewers could also rise from the dead like Christ, “if they would just follow Him.”
That is my belief Most bishops around the country are like Bishop Malesic, focused on saving souls rather than appeasing the world and rarely make the headlines. I saw a similar concern for souls in Archbishop Schnurr when I was a novice in Cincinnati.
In the UK, my experience was quite different: I studied at the University of Bristol in the Diocese of Clifton, a diocese famous for banning the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) throughout its diocese in the 1940s. Traditionis CustodesOur campus chaplaincy proposed TLM, so we were devastated by the bishop’s sudden decision. While he cracked down on our small chaplaincy, he took it upon himself to hold an “LGBT+ Mass” in our local parish on the third Sunday of each month, one example of a much larger trend within that diocese.
What I experienced in Bristol is all too common across Europe: the rejection of Orthodoxy in favor of bowing to the demands of the world. We see similar occurrences in America, but they are not as widespread as they are in Europe. because We have Malesic, Schnurr, Burbidge, and many other sound bishops of whom we seldom hear.
That same commitment to Orthodoxy is, naturally, found among priests and laity in the American Church (see last month’s Associated Press article ).Cardinal Sarah praised the dynamism of the faith here, pointing to our Reformed seminaries, successful lay apostolates, excellent young priests and vibrant Catholic families.
One thing the Cardinal didn’t mention directly, but which I think is worth mentioning, is the success of the TLM in the U.S. Groups such as the Society of Christ the King and the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter have grown like wildfire across the U.S. in recent decades, supporting the Cardinal’s assertion of the vitality and dynamism of the American Church.
“America is large and powerful politically, economically and culturally,” Cardinal Sarah concluded, emphasizing that “with this comes great responsibility.”[universal] The Church needs to draw its energy from places like Africa and America where the faith is not dead.’ The places where faith is alive are the source of this spiritual renewal needed to combat the practical atheism of our time.
America has the materials To lead this attack against practical atheism in the Church and in our culture. We are fortunate to have so many healthy bishops who understand that doctrine cannot be changed and who are ordaining men to the priesthood who understand the same truth. Lay apostolates are flourishing across the country, seeking to share the fullness of the faith with those in their communities. The rise of TLM across the country is a testament to the vitality of the American Church, which has become a hotspot for vocations and vibrant young families.
In the midst of the constant criticism of the American Church, we can remember how fortunate we are to have such a vibrant Catholic faith, which is lacking throughout Europe. Let us be inspired by Cardinal Sarah’s insistence that our country can be a place of spiritual renewal, and let his praise inspire us to do well in this great responsibility of which he speaks. In this way, it is our vibrant Church that can eradicate practical atheism within the universal Church through a powerful spiritual renewal based on a courageous testimony to the integrity of the faith.
