On March 13, 2013, the Catholic Church changed dramatically when Pope Francis I, the Argentine slum walker, immediately began to redefine the papacy. His refreshing yet humble leadership collides with the approach of previous popes and revives the themes of the Second Vatican Council. In Church Chat, author Tom Smith catalogues that remarkable transition in an entertaining and thought provoking style. A collection of previously published columns dating from 2009 and into 2014, Church Chat fearlessly displays some flaws of the Catholic Church while applauding the leadership of Pope Francis. It is written by a progressive, and still practicing, Catholic who insists "It's my Church, too" Transition times stir things up, cause unusual hopes and fears, bring stuff at the bottom to the top and take one set of priorities and replace them with another. Things move quickly during major transitions, what was standard at one time is replaced by a new approach. Since this new period is just beginning, we don't know how it will turn out, but one thing is certain: these are historic times in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is moving quickly on many fronts and the vision of Vatican II is growing some flesh. Finally. "Every Catholic - liberal, conservative, or confused - will benefit from Tom Smith's intelligent book Church Chat. I highly recommend this lively and loving book" -Michael Leach, author of Why Stay Catholic? Unexpected Answers to a Life-Changing Question "Church Chat is a great read for veteran Church reformers as well as for people in the pews. The issue treatment is very comprehensive and right on . . . all done in a friendly conversational style. The reader thus comes away with a window into a hope filled near future for the People of God as well as a warm connection with Tom on his soulful journey forward" -Dan and Sheila Daley, Co-Founders of Call to Action
Church Chat
Snapshots of a Changing Catholic Church
By Tom SmithiUniverse
Copyright © 2015 Tom Smith
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4917-5057-5Contents
Introduction, xi,
Part 1: Yes, Your Eminence,
Chapter 1 Two Hierarchies, 2,
Chapter 2 Institution Versus Community, 4,
Chapter 3 The Vatican Catholic Church, 6,
Chapter 4 Dictators, 8,
Chapter 5 Efficient Hierarchy?, 10,
Chapter 6 Much Ado, 13,
Chapter 7 Vatican Splendors, 15,
Chapter 8 Appointing Bishops, 17,
Chapter 9 The Selection of Bishops, 19,
Chapter 10 The Selection of Bishops II, 21,
Chapter 11 My Bishops, 24,
Chapter 12 The Diocese of Penn State, 27,
Chapter 13 Restructuring, 29,
Chapter 14 Pope Francis and the Bishops, 31,
Part 2: Can You Believe It?,
Chapter 15 The Male God, 34,
Chapter 16 The Teaching Church, 36,
Chapter 17 God Speaks Latin, 38,
Chapter 18 God's Will, 40,
Chapter 19 Protecting Jesus, 42,
Chapter 20 Doctrine Versus Mission, 44,
Chapter 21 Creed, Code, Cult, 47,
Chapter 22 Catholic Identity, 50,
Chapter 23 Once a Priest, 52,
Chapter 24 A Priest Forever?, 54,
Chapter 25 Women Priests, 56,
Chapter 26 Contraception, 58,
Chapter 27 Compliance, 60,
Part 3: You Gotta Be Kidding,
Chapter 28 Revolution, 64,
Chapter 29 What If ...?, 67,
Chapter 30 An Episcopal Woodshed?, 70,
Chapter 31 Mellow, 72,
Chapter 32 The Butler Didn't Do It, 74,
Chapter 33 Maciel, 77,
Chapter 34 There's Gotta Be More, 79,
Chapter 35 Schism?, 81,
Chapter 36 Loyalty to ...?, 84,
Chapter 37 Church, Inc, 86,
Chapter 38 "I Do That", 88,
Chapter 39 www.iamfrrowe.org, 90,
Chapter 40 Vatican Schism, 93,
Chapter 41 Fear, 96,
Chapter 42 If I Only Knew Then, 99,
Part 4: Culture Versus Catholic,
Chapter 43 Cafeteria Catholics, 102,
Chapter 44 Those People, 104,
Chapter 45 All Are Welcome, 106,
Chapter 46 The Us Pause Movement, 108,
Chapter 47 Global South, 110,
Chapter 48 Religious Liberty, 112,
Chapter 49 Democracy, 115,
Chapter 50 Church and Politics, 118,
Chapter 51 Lunch, 120,
Chapter 52 Homosexuality, 122,
Chapter 53 Sex Abuse and Catholic Culture, 124,
Chapter 54 International Priests, 126,
Chapter 55 Komen, 128,
Chapter 56 Transition, 130,
Chapter 57 Suicide, 132,
Part 5: Spiritual Tidbits,
Chapter 58 Lay Spirituality, 136,
Chapter 59 Secular Versus Sacred?, 138,
Chapter 60 The Holy Land, 140,
Chapter 61 Conscience, 142,
Chapter 62 Feelings, 145,
Chapter 63 The Real World, 148,
Chapter 64 Threat to Faith?, 150,
Chapter 65 Sacrament Overkill?, 152,
Chapter 66 More than a Translation Change, 154,
Chapter 67 Beatification, 156,
Chapter 68 Workfaith, 158,
Chapter 69 People of Good Will, 160,
Chapter 70 The Year of the Priest, 162,
Chapter 71 Story Versus System, 165,
Chapter 72 Gaps, 167,
Part 6: Holydays or Holidays?,
Chapter 73 Advent–ually, 170,
Chapter 74 Merry Santa, 173,
Chapter 75 Merry Christmas, Church, 175,
Chapter 76 New Liturgy Christmas, 177,
Chapter 77 Tis Not the Season, 179,
Chapter 78 A Christmas Wish, 181,
Chapter 79 Predictions, 184,
Chapter 80 Resolutions, 186,
Chapter 81 Lent, 189,
Chapter 82 Holy Week, 191,
Chapter 83 Holy Week Resolutions, 193,
Part 7: The Francis Factor and Other Signs of Hope,
Chapter 84 Pope, 196,
Chapter 85 Selection of a Pope, 199,
Chapter 86 Trickledown Papacy, 202,
Chapter 87 Urgency, 204,
Chapter 88 The Pope Francis Fan Club, 207,
Chapter 89 Rio Repeated, 209,
Chapter 90 Slow Down?, 211,
Chapter 91 Choices, 214,
Chapter 92 Remaining Catholic, 216,
Chapter 93 Staying Catholic, 218,
Chapter 94 No Going Back?, 220,
Chapter 95 Step by Step, 222,
Chapter 96 Big Stuff, Little Stuff, 225,
Chapter 97 Hope, 228,
Chapter 98 Hope 2, 230,
Chapter 99 Prophets with a Smile, 232,
Chapter 100 Small Christian Community, 234,
Part 8: Bishop Schneider's Dilemma,
A Journal, 238,
Conclusion, 249,
Acknowledgments, 251,
Index, 253,
CHAPTER 1
Two Hierarchies
June 2011
Two hierarchies? Isn't one more than enough?
Actually, two may be better than one.
In practice, there are two discernible, distinct, yet overlapping hierarchies in the Catholic Church. One is a structural hierarchy and the other, a service hierarchy. Though related, these two hierarchies are different and at times in opposition with each other.
The structural hierarchy is the one we all know. It is still a pyramid, despite the efforts of Vatican II to make it circular, or at least a little rounded off, with some softer lines and not so stark. But recent decades have sharpened the top of the design and have reinforced the middle of the pyramid with rebar that solidifies the upper half of the structure. The three sides of the pyramid all look the same, black with a little white collar in the middle, and as you gaze up the sides, they turn episcopal red, then cardinal crimson, and the very top is papal white. Colorful, but still a pyramid.
The structural hierarchy has really just one central concern: doctrine. Other issues pale in comparison. Whether it is HIV/AIDS versus condoms, a so-called abortion in an Arizona hospital versus the life of a mother, Bishop Morris in Australia versus a reference to ordination of women, etc., the pattern is clear: doctrine trumps everything. Faith must be expressed in clearly delineated creedal formulas, and morals are determined by preset rules that allow no deviations.
The lay base of the pyramid shows signs of wear and has not been reinforced, which seems ominous if you look at the structure from a distance. It appears that the people in the middle of the structure keep looking up, toward the top, so they miss the view of the bottom. Since the pyramid has lasted a long time, their assumption is that it will last forever or at least another very long time.
But will the crumbling base continue to support the weight of the reinforced top?
Not a chance. In a time of an Arab Spring, a China that is interwoven with democratic countries, and an Internet world delivering global awareness, a pyramid will not survive in the long run. People who live in pyramids will be ignored, shrunken to a quaint miniature, and quietly entered into a museum along with plaques of the Roman Empire, King Tut, and some very intriguing Neanderthal bones.
Service hierarchy refers to pastoral ministry, all those services that make direct contact with people. Parishes, hospitals, schools, relief agencies, social services, etc. are all included. They remain a hierarchy because they are governed, for the most part, by the clergy, usually, the "lower" clergy. The service hierarchy is driven more by the needs of people than by doctrine, though that is not always the case.
The tendency of some of the service hierarchs is to ignore the structural hierarchs when doctrinal issues interfere with service needs. By the same token, the structural hierarchs impose the doctrine regardless of the service needs.
For example, the Eucharist. The structural guys (there are no women) insist that a celibate male is necessary to consecrate and to transubstantiate (their word) the bread...
