The Courage to be Catholic by George Weigel
Crisis, Reform, and the Future of the Church
Basic Books, 2002
The title of George Weigel's 2002 look at the sexual abuse scandal and the resulting crisis in the Catholic Church is apt on two counts. First, any faithful Catholic who has lived through the years since the scandal broke knows it has not been easy — it has taken real courage to publicly claim one's Catholicity and stay Catholic in the face of the ensuing vitriol and hate spewed upon the church. Secondly, as Weigel points out, the solution to the crisis and the future of the church rests in its members' courage to keep the church truly Catholic rather than succumbing to the urge to mold it into some watered down version designed to meet the approval of its critics.
The Courage to be Catholic is divided into two parts. The first section of the book analyzes what the crisis was (including what it wasn't), its causes, and the many factors that created the snowball effect following the first reports of a problem. Considering the book was published the same year a Boston Globe story broke the issue wide open, Weigel's assessment is surprisingly thorough and enlightening. In part two, Weigel offers his recommendations for repairing the damage done and minimizing the likelihood of such problems in the future. Contrary to what one might expect, Weigel suggests the answer isn't what he calls "Catholic Lite" — it's just the opposite. This is not a time to retreat into a bunker, Weigel says, but rather a time to stand firm in doctrinal identity and moral boundaries. A chapter each is dedicated to reform of seminaries, the priesthood, and bishops and the Vatican.
Both parts of the book are well done and shed much light on both the problem and the solution. Weigel focuses on the facts when assessing the problem and highlights the real opportunity for renewal when discussing reforms. The only other thing that might be welcome at this point, 13 years after the fact, would be an update: What direction has the church taken since 2002? Has her response included included any of Weigel suggestions? Are things better or worse? Then again, perhaps those who have had the courage to remain Catholic those 13 years already know the answers to those questions. Regardless, the explanations of what happened are invaluable and the ideas for reform still ring true, because those same courageous Catholics of the last 13 years also know... there remains work to be done.
Martyr of the Amazon by Sister Roseanne Murphy
The Life of Sister Dorothy Stang
Orbis Books, 2007
Occasionally we encounter people in our faith journey that make us realize we are truly capable of so much more. There are people we know in our own church whose example illustrates this truth. Obviously, the lives of the saints show us this, too. And sometimes, a book like Sister Roseanne Murphy's Martyr of the Amazon shatters our day-to-day excuses and demonstrates that contemporary, ordinary people like us can do incredible things in Christ.
Murphy's style of storytelling doesn't compare to the mastery of Dickens or Fitzgerald, nor does her investigative technique rival that of Woodward and Bernstein. It's no matter, however; the true and unadorned tale of Sister Dorothy Stang and her struggles to help the poor and marginalized of Brazil is more than enough to make this a compelling read. Murphy is quite capable and does solid work, make no mistake, but it's Sister Dorothy that makes this a page-turner.
The book starts in Ohio in the mid-1940s, providing a glimpse of both a family dynamic and path to vocations unfamiliar to many in the 21st century. From that foundation, the story moves quickly to Sister Dorothy's work in the southwestern United States and ultimately to the nearly 40 years she spent in the wilds of Brazil.
Hers was the consummate fight of the underdog for the underdog: a small woman, thousands of miles from home, mostly alone, championing the cause of poor farmers in the rain forests of a traditionally patriarchal South American country, hoping against all logic to win out over the wealthy landowners whose stranglehold on farming and ranching dated back centuries. Throw in profit-hungry, multinational conglomerates whose interest was suddenly sparked by the construction of the Transamazon Highway, and David and Goliath may not even be a fair comparison to the struggle Dorothy made her own.
It's against this backdrop that the reader could start to feel very small. As Dorothy tackles every obstacle, of which there are many, one can't help but think about their own obstacles -- trying to find time to finally start that Bible study, rounding up volunteers for the food drive, and dealing with the busy-body who dominates every meeting of the outreach committee all pale in comparison to Sister Dorothy's everyday obstacles. Yet, as she moves steadily forward, undeterred, always fueled with Christ's love for her fellow man, that sense of smallness one might be inclined to feel is quickly transformed into admiration and, perhaps more importantly, inspiration.
Martyr of the Amazon works precisely for this reason, this inspiration that Sister Dorothy's story creates. While it might be easy to feel guilty or frustrated by one's self-perceived shortcomings or lack of accomplishment, instead Sister Dorothy's story reminds us to dwell on what we can do if we simply continue trying day after day. She reminds us and shows us that "...with God all things are possible (Mt. 19:26)." It's an invaluable lesson of which we can never be too often reminded.
Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly
Loyola Press, 2005 (Copyright 1928)
This interesting little work of fiction is the kind of story we don’t seem to see much of anymore. There’s a lesson to be learned here, or as it used to be called, the moral of the story. Of course, there’s a reason it’s called the moral of the story – the lesson is about doing the right thing, about living out some moral truth. For example, if we were talking about an old episode of Leave It To Beaver, the moral of the story might be something like ‘Don’t cheat to get ahead.’ Our books and television are hesitant to share such moral absolutes anymore, even something as straight-forward as don’t cheat.
Of course, the lesson from Mr. Blue is a lot deeper than that and thus, one would think, a little less readily accessible. However, it’s really not that hard to grasp, especially for those who know their scripture. It’s probably best summed up in Mt. 16:25… “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Mr. Blue is simply a look at a man working to lose his life. That's not an easy thing for most people to understand; so it is with the people in Blue's life, including the unnamed narrator of the book, who finds himself alternately torn between admiration and disbelief for the way Blue chooses to live. It's the same struggle all of us encounter. Most of us, no matter how devout, still cling to some semblance of supposedly rational lives. Few of us lose our lives completely; thus, the "narrow gate" to which Christ refers (Mt. 7:13) and the difficulty of becoming a saint. As such, it might be said this book is as much about the narrator as it is the title character, if not more so. And ultimately, it’s about us.
The story is carried along through an interesting mix of a handful of the narrator's encounters with Blue and several of Blue’s letters. The narration is filled with a sense of mystery and quandary as those about him keep looking for something that explains Blue's behavior. It works well and fuels the same sense within the reader that they're missing something that could shed light on this seemingly strange man and perhaps answer the question of what he's really up to.
However, what you see is what you get with Mr. Blue, both the character and the book. There is no ulterior motive, no insincerity, and no attempt at trickery or slight of hand. Maybe that explains why Blue really isn't blue at all -- he's true to himself. In the same way, Connolly keeps Mr. Blue true to its vision, noted in the introduction, of sharing the adventure and splendor of one life lived in the moment and based on the gospel example of Jesus. While we may not understand such unwavering commitment, we're always attracted to it. Hence, the enduring and deserved appeal of Mr. Blue.
Builders of Catholic America by Albert J. Nevins, M.M.
Our Sunday Visitor, 1985
As we walk up to our nice churches on
Sunday, it’s easy to forget it wasn’t always like this. True, the
first English settlers quickly built churches, protestant churches,
mostly the King’s Anglican variety, but not many Catholic ones. In
fact, while Americans in general like to tout the fact that people
immigrated to America for religious freedom, the fact is there really
wasn’t much, especially if you were Catholic. For the most part, it
was just like it was back in England – Catholicism was outlawed,
Catholics couldn’t own land, couldn’t hold office, and couldn’t
vote (those laws were on the books in North Carolina until 1833!).
Of course, prior to the English, there
were the Franciscans and Jesuits who worked as missionaries in North
America in the southwest and northeast. The majority of those men of
faith suffered martyrdom. Even as late as 1800, an ad in a French
newspaper summed up what a missionary priest to America might expect:
“We offer you no salary, no recompense, no leadership, no pension,
but much hard work, a poor dwelling, small consolation, many
disappointments, frequent sickness, a violent or lonely death, and an
unknown grave.”
From that stark background emerged the
single largest church in the United States, a church responsible for
developing much of the social support network of the fledgling nation
– orphanages, hospitals, schools, and colleges to name a few. Such
an incredible transformation could only take place through the
efforts of many outrageously courageous and faith-filled people,
people that endured challenges and hardships most of us can’t begin
to imagine. Builders of Catholic America illuminates these people's
stories.
Albert J. Nevins highlights 16
stalwarts of the church in America, beginning with early pioneers in
the Spanish and French territories right up through early twentieth
century social activist Dorothy Day. Biographical sketches of each
person amount to a brief chapter, usually 12-15 pages. Though brief,
each story is incredibly informative, surprisingly thorough,
interesting, and entertaining. In short, they're very well written.
As we endure changes in American
society that make it harder and harder to publicly proclaim our
Christianity, and even more so our Catholicity, this book reminds us
of those who would not confine their faith to the convenient places
its detractors and unbelievers wish it would reside. This book
reminds us how blessed we are to be Catholic, how thankful we should
be for those who laid the foundation here in America, and how proud
we should be of their efforts.
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