Fr Kevin Murphy suggests the leaders in the Church need to be paying more attention to the breakdown in the geographical-based parish structure. Self-evidently it is no longer serving the needs of the people, nor of the institution…

"Former" Catholics – the second-largest denomination…

An article in a US magazine, Church, Spring 2007, says it is estimated that there are between 10 and 18 million former Catholics in the US. These are people who say they have left the church and are no longer Catholic. The number does not include those who have simply stopped going to Mass. These former Catholics make up the second largest "religious" group in the US. The largest single religious group is the 64 million people in the US who identify themselves as Catholics.

The photo used for our headline today is adapted from one found on an interesting blog written by "two progressive Youth Ministers who are trying to rethink the Church approaches Ministry by, for, and with Youth". Click the image for the blog and the original source of the photo.

The article states the single most common reason why Catholics leave the church is intermarriage.

When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, it usually happens that the married couple will identify with the religion or non-religion of the spouse with the stronger spirituality, or religious commitment, or philosophy of life.

If the stronger spirituality or philosophy of life is non-religious, the Catholic spouse and the children of the family become non-religious or entirely secular.

That analysis probably also applies in Australia.

Ceasing to be a actual Catholic also often happens in connection with a change in a person’s circumstances of life: changing place of residence, changing jobs, establishing a new set of friends, experiencing divorce or family breakdown.

Is the traditional geographical-based parish structure still working?

This indicates that in the western world, including Australia, the way in which Catholic parishes are organised is not working very well, because Catholics are engaged, or not engaged, within the Church through the parish system. Within the present parish system, many Catholics are not being inspired to develop a strong Catholic understanding of life and spirituality. The present parish system apparently is not geared up to welcome and support people who are moving.

Perhaps the parish structure has to change or it will collapse, because of the shortage of parishioners and of priests. If and when the present parish system does collapse some new way of organising gatherings of Catholics will emerge. It would be less painful for the necessary changes to be made before a collapse happens, but we are running out of time.

Even now it is possible to name characteristics of a new parish structure. To implement the vision requires an openness to the spirit and a degree of courage and energy which much of the present church leadership apparently doesn’t have! The hierarchy and clergy are very reluctant to face up to this challenge. The challenge is not going to go away; the unpleasant realities will not suddenly disappear.

Pope Benedict's view…

Photo of Pope Benedict taken from Whispers in the Loggia blog. Original source: AFP/Getty

Pope Benedict XVI, on Wednesday, April 16, at the end of an address to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop responded to a question put by the Archbishop of Cincinatti, Dan Pilarczyk, regarding "a certain quiet attrition" by which Catholics are abandoning the practice of the faith, sometimes by an explicit decision, but often by distancing themselves quietly and gradually from attendance at Mass and identification with the Church.

The Pope responded briefly with a clear analysis of the situation and some sound pastoral advice, but with no indication that anything new has to be done to parish structures or procedures to implement any reform. He called for a renewal of apostolic zeal. That exhortation is easy to give and it has often been said before, to little avail.

Some realities we see at the parish level which are indicative of underlying, unaddressed problems:

REALITY ONE:

Very few Catholics go to confession any more. The Third Rite of Reconciliation with General Absolution is forbidden in the way that was popular some years ago.

REALITY TWO:

Nearly all Catholics, whenever they go to Mass, also go to Communion.

REALITY THREE:

Church regulations stating who can go to Communion have not changed.

REALITY FOUR:

Many who go to Communion are probably not living in accord with church teaching about church law – what is allowed in the church; or morality – what is to be regarded as virtuous or seriously sinful.

Conclusions…

Many people are no longer convinced that the official church is offering them authentic spiritual guidance or providing church communities with religious regulations that make sense, so they are deciding for themselves what to do, and they go to Communion, presumably with a clear conscience. By their actions they are saying that if anyone has a problem with what is happening it is not them. Nevertheless it is a real problem for the whole church, such a relationship between hierarchy and clergy and laity is really dysfunctional. How can it to be resolved?

There is no indication that the Pope sees any dysfunctionality in church structures at the parish, diocesan or international levels. It seems things have to get still worse before they can get better in this regard.

Kevin Murphy, Ballarat

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Kevin Murphy is a priest working in the Diocese of Ballarat. Readers of Catholica might be interested in a web-based service he provides which produces weekly liturgies for small lay-led communities which are without a priest. His website can be accessed at: www.giant.net.au/users/murphy/. You can also contact Kevin via email through the address he gives on that website.

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©2007 Fr Kevin Murphy

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