April 23 - "Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge" Third Theme

Several weeks ago now I began what will be a series of columns on Being Catholic Today:  Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge, a Pastoral Letter that Cardinal Wuerl issued on May 24, 2015.  The Cardinal identified five key themes of being a Catholic today.  I want to devote this column to the third theme:  Participation in the Mission.
Within a Christianity that spans the globe and time, we know that there are many different expressions of a Christian way of life even among those who are not in full communion with the Church.  People of good will, though not baptized, can still uphold a Catholic vision, and non-Catholics may participate in the mission of the Church.  Still, being identified as authentically Christian or representing the public face of the Church requires essential elements to ensure that those we meet have an encounter with Jesus.  Catholic identity is integral to how we live.
Christian belief is grounded in an authentic humanism of truth in love, which sees every human being as possessing inherent dignity and valuable worth.  It is neither discriminatory not an undue imposition on the freedom of others to promote Christian faith and live by it.  There is a difference between one’s identity, which we are called to respect, and one’s actions, which we can very well find offensive, even immoral.  There are some things that Church simply will not do, and it is not discriminatory to say, “We do not do that.”  We cannot be expected to embrace error and give up our identity which inspired us to form ministries of teaching, healing, and charity in the first place.  For those in the Church, as well as those who agree to assist in her ministries, everyone is held to the same standard.  We are all at the service of the mission of the Church, and no one can claim a right simultaneously to work for the Church and work against her belief.  Those who assist in the ministry of Catholic parishes and institutions also share in the obligation to help them achieve their goals and purpose. 
For members of the Church it would be important that the truth and love of the Lord should shine in us and through us.  Our faith must be an active and living faith.  If one becomes a member of the Church, he or she is expected to believe what the Church believes and attempt to live it out as best he or she can, including participating in the Mass and other sacraments, providing a good example and witness to others, and helping others to know Christ.
When we come to the institutions of the Church—its parishes, schools, universities, charitable organizations—these too must reflect a Catholic identity with visible communion to the Church both universal and local, and fidelity to Catholic teaching.  As Pope Francis has implored, each of these institutions and those involved in their operations must be oriented toward the Church ( Evangelii gaudium, 27). The purpose of these entities—and the task of those who work for them—is to lead people to Jesus Christ.
In whatever area endeavor, the Catholic identity of the effort should be found, for example, in a mission statement.  And the message it voices should exhibit a vision of life that is rooted in Christ, articulated in the Gospel and manifested in his church.  Catholic institutions should be distinguishable from secular ones.  When he visits Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Wuerl often reminds the students that they should expect their school, since it is Catholic, to be different.  The school should provide a moral climate where excellent education in a faith-based situation benefits each student.  The lessons learned about faith and love in these institutions help graduates build a better world.
Similarly, those who agree to assist the Church in her mission and ministries represent the public face of the Church.  Whether Catholic or non-Catholic, they should respect our Catholic identity and avoid behavior that contradicts the very mission of the Catholic institution.
In recent legislation in various parts of our nation, efforts are being made to force the Church to accept our teaching faculties, staff, and charitable services personnel those who live in a way that publicly repudiates the teaching of the Church.  The Church does not require others to believe or live by her teaching.  But we do ask for and insist on the freedom to present and demonstrate publically our faith in our Catholic schools and institutions.
Pope Francis writes eloquently of the act of assent that is required of those who want to belong to the Catholic Church or who wish seek to share in her mission and work.  His words were addressed specifically to teachers but are applicable to all the areas of Church ministry. “We need to remember that all religious teaching ultimately has to be reflected in the teacher’s way of life, which awakens the assent of the heart by its nearness, love and witness” ( Evangelii gaudium, 45).
Until next week,
Fr. John Dillon