Another Benefit of Being in the Catholic Church

In our diocese, a third of the parishes are closing due to the shortage of priests . This has caused much pain and distress, particularly for those whose lives revolved around the local parish. Those who were baptized, received Holy Communion, confirmed and married in a parish that is closing are particularly hurting. Some of the parishes have sent an appeal to Rome and there have been some angry letters written to the editor of our local newspaper from parishioners who feel they were unjustly treated in the process.

Our parish is not closing but we are getting an entirely new pastoral staff. The pastor is retiring after 48 years of active ministry and a new pastor is being assigned. The associate pastor who very much wanted to stay is becoming a pastor of 6 consolidated parishes in the northwestern far-reaches of the diocese, one hour away. Despite these significant changes, the majority of the faithful will remain just that, faithful. For some, there will always be a sadness and the grieving process may never quite be completed this side of the veil. But at the end of the week, the Catholic will once again find himself at Mass. The preaching may be better or worse, the choirs and music won’t be the same, the architecture of the building may change. The look and feel of the congregation won’t be the same. But as the new and unfamiliar priest reverently begins the Mass, “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit….” we will know we are home.

The beauty and strength of Catholic faith is that it is truly universal. Our relationship to God and our ability to remain in fellowship with Him and His people is entirely independent of our emotional attachment to a particular local expression of the Church. Before I was Catholic, I was part of several churches that saw the changing of their leadership. Many times after this occurred, a significant portion of the membership left. Some chose to not go to church at all. After a particularly charismatic and well loved pastor left, the church slowly dwindled and eventually closed when another could not fill his shoes.

When our two priests leave next week, surely there will be a sense of loss, but our faith remains unchanged, undimmed, not dependent on the strength or weakness of the particular priests who fill their shoes.Surely, this is another benefit of being a member of the Catholic Church.