It's been quite week. I wrapped up the Bishop Cummins Institute on Thursday, June 14.
We spent two days discussing "Catholicism" and "Catholic identity." There was time sharing experiences, influences, and opinions on how we would define it.
There was time spent talking about dialogue. The fact that as Catholics we should spend time telling "stories in the desert" and listening. We need to let go of our defensiveness. We tend to live in a culture which automatically jumps into "agree v. disagree" mode. We need to step back. We should not be looking for certainty, you can't pin down God.
We talked about what community and world event influences affect our Catholic identity. For me, there are a few things. First, I would say my culture. Seeing Catholicism develop or lived within the Hispanic culture. I've seen Catholicism within the hispanic culture of Los Angeles and the hispanic culture of Tucson. Which, points to the importance of location. The Brothers and Lasallian education have been formative in my identity as a Catholic and my view of the Church.
We spent time in an interesting dialogue about how do we know something is Catholic. Is labeling or naming something Cathoic important to making it Catholic. I firmly believe we have to name things Catholic if we are to believe they are Catholic. If one is able to name something Catholic, then they should be able to articulate why it is Catholic, if they are able to articulate it is Catholic then they know it is Catholic, if they know it is Catholic then their believe in the Catholic identity grows. Finally, if one believes it is Catholic then one should be able to live it. At the same time, I don't think there is a specific order to it. One may be living a Catholic life or acting in a Catholic way and then develop the ability to articulate it; but at some point we should be able to identify our experience, our lives, our actions, etc... as Catholic. I think Scripture points this out to us:
(1 Peter 3: 8-9, 15; 4: 7 -11)
Let us dwell together in peace, proclaiming the gospel of justice.
Be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate and humble.
Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but on the contrary, a blessing, because to this yo were called, that you might inherit a blessing.
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.
Let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace.
Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever.
A powerful message I believe to our call as Catholics.
The last day, June 14, for me was a day of seeking questions--questions that challenge us as Catholics. For me that important ones are:
Why is the Church trying to catch up to the world? What "progress" is the Church trying to make? I think there is so much said about the Church not moving fast enough or keeping up with the world, but I wonder if in some ways this might be the call of the Church. Do we need to look at society, at the world and challenge it? If we look at the world events of the 20th century, what world have we created?
The questions then for me are:
What is the role of the Church in our world today?
HOW can the Church be radical?
HOW can the Church be prophetic?
