MONDAY DIARY - GOODNIGHT SWEET PRINCE

You may have heard this past week of the passing of Avery Cardinal Dulles of whom it was said, “he was a reader’s writer and the believer’ theologian.” He also had the nick name of Dull, Duller, and Dulles as his speaking tone was soft and very technical. But he was a brilliant man and Catholic to the core.

I once had an occasion to talk with him. He came to Saint Mary Seminary to give a talk and to the seminarians and somehow between his formal talk in the theater of the seminary and the dinner in the refectory I was left alone with him. I have no idea how it happened but it did.

I was enthralled. He was perfectly willing to jabber on with a lowly seminarian on just about any topic I threw at him. As we talked I offered to escort him to the refectory and we walked arm and arm down to where the rest of the crowd was gathering for the dinner honoring our important guest.

We made our way in his brilliant mind caught a thread that he would not let go of. We was saying something very important to me but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was for what happened next.

As we were talking he took to leaning against one of the refectory tables. I remember thinking that this was not wise for the large round tables only had only one central leg holding them up. I do remember thinking, “He shouldn’t be doing that but he’s Avery Dulles, who am I to say anything to him?”

Somebody brought us some coffee and we continued to dialogue, I enthralled and he leaning on a one legged table. He finally leaned back too far and the table tipped propelling forward spilling hot coffee down the front of my shirt and landing him in my arms. I suppressed screams of pain and righted the man who kept talking as if nothing at all had happened. Someone offered me a towel which I refused and kept my focus on him. After all I was thinking, “Oh my gosh, Avery Dulles spilled coffee on me. I will never wash this shirt again.”

God rest you merry Cardinal Dulles!

HOW TO FIX THE CHURCH

Most (not all) readers of this site when they are upset with the “the Church” tend to be agitated by the actions of individuals within her rather than with the Church per se. That is, they love the faith and are disheartened and/or discouraged by the way those who claim to believe practice it. As Avery Cardinal Dulles (who, before he became a cardinal spilled coffee me – an interesting story) said, “In a secular society such as our own, consistently orthodox Catholics will constitute a minority, not only in the society at large but even, I would say, within their religious community. The majority are carried along by the tide of public opinion, which they receive daily in large doses through the popular media of communication.”

So what are the frustrated, faithful orthodox to do? Report every liturgical abuse to the bishop? Call every Christian who does not hold every tenant of the Church on the carpet? Become the “Catholic Police?” There are times and circumstances in which one of these actions might be appropriate, but over all they do not work. Neither do committees, clubs, programs, initiatives, task forces, or banners, at least not in the long run. They might help, but they in and of themselves have never, do not, and will not in the future bring true, lasting, positive change in the Church. Father Benedict Groeschel in his book “Reform of Renewal” points in the only direction that has ever been effective and lasting in the Church; personal renewal.

When one sets out to make the Church more orthodox by fixing others, the effect is rarely great. The peak moments in the renewal of the faith has always been when individual men and women have taken faith seriously, reformed their lives and conformed themselves to Christ. Through study they knew about Christ and His Church, through deep prayer they come to know Christ, and through JOY they made that truth attractive.

It is so much easier to fix others than ourselves because of our ability to observe. (Again the benefit of having a spiritual director.) But a helpful exercise is to imagine yourself as a Church. C. T. says, “If you want to know about a business or institution, don’t look at their mission statement, look at their budget.” We each have a budget of time, talent, and resources. How are they spent? Would someone looking at our budget think we were Catholic? That we were serious about it? That we are striving to become a saint? Where do our resources go? (Being lent and tax preparation season, it is an advantageous time to contemplate this.) How is our time proportioned? How are our talents focused? Are our lives attracting others to Christ? Do we resemble the thankfulness and joy of the saints and martyrs?

Saint Francis was given the mandate to “Save my Church,” not to establish a religious order. So how exactly did he save the Church? By radically following Christ which in turn attracted others to him, and through him to Christ. Look at his budget line compared to his return. No programs, no banners, no pep rallies; and no immediate results, it took time, but the results that he garnered were great and last to this day.