You make excellent points about the state and inherent problematic traditions of the Catholic Church. All church traditions are fossilised: The 1st split though, was not the Great Reformation when Luther nailed his 99 theses to the door at Wittenberg in the 15th century. It was when the Eastern and Western church split in 1054. Interestingly, the split over the nature of the Holy Spirit was just the final straw. Long before this there were disputes about the nature of the Eucharist, the doctrine of transubstantiation, (a 2nd millennial doctrine), etc. and the increasing amassing of power by Western (Roman) leadership. I make this point to illustrate that the whole idea and declaration of the papacy and its claims, was already in dispute. The church has always had a political nature because no human is infallible and Jesus never declared humans to be so. We now as Christians hope and pray for the fallible men who elect the pope to hear the Holy Spirit and elect God’s choice to lead the Catholics of the world on God’s path. Many Protestants join in this prayer. Otherwise, the Roman Catholic Church will completely dissolve into worldliness, and its disastrous outcome.
The Church needs to modernize parts of the Mass. Swinging a pot of burning incense for an hour in a poorly ventilated building prohibits my asthmatic spouse from attending any function in that building. I suspect that this practice got its start back in the times when people rarely bathed as there is little support for it in the Bible beyond the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice.
Thank you for your reflections. I understand the concern for protecting the vulnerable, and I agree wholeheartedly that vigilance and accountability are essential.
However, the framing of the article — beginning even with its title — suggests a presumption that the Church is somehow beyond saving unless it conforms to modern expectations. I would gently challenge that assumption. The Church, founded by Christ Himself, has weathered countless storms not by abandoning her sacred traditions, but by calling her members to deeper conversion, holiness, and renewal.
It’s also important to recognize that if we follow the logic that celibacy or priestly authority inevitably leads to corruption, we would find ourselves needing to dismantle countless other professions of trust — teachers, counselors, coaches — because of the actions of a few. Yet we know the answer is not to tear down these vocations, but to uphold them with greater virtue, formation, and safeguards.
As a college instructor, I see a parallel in education. The widespread lowering of standards to accommodate declining basic skills doesn’t uplift students — it does them a disservice. True growth comes not from reducing standards, but from patiently and courageously calling people upward.
The same is true in the Church.
The priesthood, celibacy, and the structure of sacramental life are not flaws to be “fixed,” but treasures to be protected and lived with even greater integrity. Abuse arises not from the traditions themselves, but from human sin — which can only be overcome by grace, vigilance, and truth.
In the end, the Church is not merely an institution to be “saved” by human hands.
She is the Bride of Christ, and He alone is her Savior.
RE Alito's dissent: he mentioned specifically that the administration must follow the law. His dissent was solely related to giving the administration the benefit of the doubt that they would comply.
2 things, why would you say that JD Vance has embraced Russia in the war with Ukraine and why would you embrace the fallacy that Peter was the head of the Catholic Church, or the first pope, as some people put it? Neither one is true.
Steve,
You make excellent points about the state and inherent problematic traditions of the Catholic Church. All church traditions are fossilised: The 1st split though, was not the Great Reformation when Luther nailed his 99 theses to the door at Wittenberg in the 15th century. It was when the Eastern and Western church split in 1054. Interestingly, the split over the nature of the Holy Spirit was just the final straw. Long before this there were disputes about the nature of the Eucharist, the doctrine of transubstantiation, (a 2nd millennial doctrine), etc. and the increasing amassing of power by Western (Roman) leadership. I make this point to illustrate that the whole idea and declaration of the papacy and its claims, was already in dispute. The church has always had a political nature because no human is infallible and Jesus never declared humans to be so. We now as Christians hope and pray for the fallible men who elect the pope to hear the Holy Spirit and elect God’s choice to lead the Catholics of the world on God’s path. Many Protestants join in this prayer. Otherwise, the Roman Catholic Church will completely dissolve into worldliness, and its disastrous outcome.
The Church needs to modernize parts of the Mass. Swinging a pot of burning incense for an hour in a poorly ventilated building prohibits my asthmatic spouse from attending any function in that building. I suspect that this practice got its start back in the times when people rarely bathed as there is little support for it in the Bible beyond the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice.
Thank you for your reflections. I understand the concern for protecting the vulnerable, and I agree wholeheartedly that vigilance and accountability are essential.
However, the framing of the article — beginning even with its title — suggests a presumption that the Church is somehow beyond saving unless it conforms to modern expectations. I would gently challenge that assumption. The Church, founded by Christ Himself, has weathered countless storms not by abandoning her sacred traditions, but by calling her members to deeper conversion, holiness, and renewal.
It’s also important to recognize that if we follow the logic that celibacy or priestly authority inevitably leads to corruption, we would find ourselves needing to dismantle countless other professions of trust — teachers, counselors, coaches — because of the actions of a few. Yet we know the answer is not to tear down these vocations, but to uphold them with greater virtue, formation, and safeguards.
As a college instructor, I see a parallel in education. The widespread lowering of standards to accommodate declining basic skills doesn’t uplift students — it does them a disservice. True growth comes not from reducing standards, but from patiently and courageously calling people upward.
The same is true in the Church.
The priesthood, celibacy, and the structure of sacramental life are not flaws to be “fixed,” but treasures to be protected and lived with even greater integrity. Abuse arises not from the traditions themselves, but from human sin — which can only be overcome by grace, vigilance, and truth.
In the end, the Church is not merely an institution to be “saved” by human hands.
She is the Bride of Christ, and He alone is her Savior.
RE Alito's dissent: he mentioned specifically that the administration must follow the law. His dissent was solely related to giving the administration the benefit of the doubt that they would comply.
2 things, why would you say that JD Vance has embraced Russia in the war with Ukraine and why would you embrace the fallacy that Peter was the head of the Catholic Church, or the first pope, as some people put it? Neither one is true.
VP Vance's view: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/13/us/politics/vance-trump-ukraine-russia-war.html
Peter: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Petrine-theory
You might disagree with those, but they are what they are.
Yeah, I disagree