By serendipity I was writing in the forum last night how we need to synthesise the Jesus story and experience through our "unfolding life story today" [LINK] and then along comes Tom McMahon with a commentary this morning about the need to adjust Jesus to modernity. I endeavoured to paint a picture of what an effective Church of the future might look like and at some stage I'd value Tom McMahon's perceptions on that from the journey he has walked. In the meantime, today Tom looks at how we need to synthesise the Sermon on the Mount — the Beatitudes — through the realities of the challenges we face today. Or should that be we need to synthesize the ralities and cahllenges of today through the insights Jesus gave us in the Beatitudes? ...Editor

Adjusting Jesus to modernity…

Greg McAllister has sent a paper entitled PRIEST PEDOPHILES — MANICHEAN CANDIDATES. I rarely have seen such deep insight into my seminary training. The paper is powerfully erudite, truth-full, valuable, and highly dangerous. Greg has ok'd its being carried in Catholica and this we will do so in two weeks; I want to set the stage for profitable reading and the dangers that lurk in it as it is read by priests my age as well as victims of clerical abuse. I hope we can read the article with an eye to the Beatitudes.

This morning's San Francisco Chronicle headlines "A BOLD NEW DIGITAL WORLD, The many ways Silicon Valley's Big Three companies are changing how we live,work, play". As I read this article I thought I'm right square dab in the middle of it all and it is happening so fast. I recall books written by Alvin Toffler in the 1960's clueing us onto great social changes, FUTURE SHOCK for example. Cautiously I took Toffler's invitation to enter the then new world, looking back now on the battles zones and human mind struggles that were involved in social and psychological change. I began to apply Toffler's theories to the Roman Catholic Church. I am a vastly different person today than the Tom McMahon who was ordained priest in 1954. My brain continues to grow.

As I re-read Matthew's 5th Chapter I see the beatitudes as simple and contradictory life messages that are to be the foundation of the mission of Jesus to the world. Look at verse 13 and the Master's invitation to be salt of the earth and light to the world. We are called to influence by example. Jesus has come (verse 17) to complete the law of love; the person who teaches these laws will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. Remember Jesus' heaven is earth bound, a kingdom of justice with love of God shown in love of humans. We are surrounded by injustices to human beings, in fact to all creation. Think what a pinch of salt can do to make a homemade soup tasty.

In our Senior Health program we are studying Barbara Strauc's THE SECRET LIFE OF THE GROWN-UP BRAIN. On Public Radio (KQED) I heard the author say that in a period of 30 years (1948-1978 … or was it 40 years?) 40 years has been added to the life span of human beings; the average age once 48 is now 78. One of Andrew Greeley's early research studies measured the life span of a Chicago priest ordained at age 25 to be 12 years of parish service and then he died. Andrew was ordained in 1954 the same year as I. When in Germany in 1961 I heard Andy on the US Military station and I knew then that this man was futuristic and worthwhile reading. His CRUCIBLE OF CHANGE in 1968 was/still is a winner. In later year's Greeley commented that in early days no one saw a problem with celibacy and old age for priests. McAllister's paper has helped me to understand my seminary training and the massive change in psychology that Greg and I have undergone since our 50's/60's seminary years. No one in my 1950's seminary could have imagined the clerical sexual crisis that engulfed the Roman church as the 20th century closed. We could not have imagined the freedoms offered in the new age, let alone sexual and genital freedom. Few were prepared for this new arena and we entered it as rank amateurs, even today being baffled by the AIDS epidemic and the changing role of women in society. The Roman bishop of today reels like a punch drunk sailor, lashing out at what are now called the pelvic issues. Isolated priests whose pathologies were hidden under title, ritual, and dress have become easy victims of novelty, ignorance, and misunderstanding of power. The clerical predator is his own first victim, a victim of chaotic times.

The Beatitudes — fundamental health teachings of Jesus!

By 24 years I have now outlived my priest uncle Tuck ordained 1922, he dying an old man from untreated Parkinson's at age 63. The 1500's Council of Trent never foresaw modern clerical physical and psychological health problems, nor the psychological issues that would stem from loneliness and frustration. The priesthood of Trent, to which I was ordained in 1954, was set up on the perfect model of an obedient robot that had little, if no appreciation of his human nature. Mine was the privilege of watching my aging uncle and the damage done to his psyche by an unchanged seminary training that we both had shared and for all practical purposes still exists in 2010. Mine is the privilege today of having knowledge of brain development and ways of keeping our brains in good health. At our Senior Center we talk about the need for human companionship, yes as well the possible dangers and difficulties of human relationships; we are learning ancient tools for modern use to keep our brains active. In promoting understanding of protecting our brains from abuse I am well aware that cognitive maintenance and repair is priestly work. Long ago Jesus laid down fundamental health teachings in what has come down to be known as his Sermon on the Mount. Happy … blessed … God-like … very human tools that need practice. The teachings of Jesus are valuable in today's pathologically disturbed society.

Our culture is fast moving into Toffler's once fantasy world. I remember back in the 1960's reading that plastic cards would replace money; today I rarely have a few bucks in my wallet, never going out without my Visa card. I just got a additional visa card for my 88 year old sister (Sister Thomasine McMahon of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary) who is flying to the wedding of her grand niece in Lincoln, Nebraska. 60 years ago Midge was not allowed to attend our brother's wedding, the vowed Sister who has recently retired from 25 years of working with women in prison, flies off financially ok in a modern jet.

Yes, celibacy is the "crowning jewel" even if we have to close down the entire parish structure to prove it! godlaughingorcrying.blogspot.com John Chuchman (used with permission)

Has the brain of the today's adult been able to keep pace with swift development? My wife, seventeen years younger than I, has the custom of immediately responding to my suggestions with thoughts of her own, my responsive thinking that she has not heard a word of my wisdom and I drive myself up the wall. Blessed are the peacemakers … I can make peace with myself and accept my wife's style of life or I can bang that imaginary wall that my wife more than likely set up in early childhood, long before she met me. The beatitudes are workable tools for better communication that leads to more peaceful sharing and living among us emotional and volatile human beings. There were times in my life when I wish I could go back to a Catholic Church Sunday pulpit and share these thoughts with people. Alas, I am aware that in the massive social and religious transition Rome still holds the much needed celibacy of the 1500's as its crowning jewel (so claimed Pope John Paul 2). I am content that it was necessary that I leave the Trentan priesthood and my official ordination appointment to live in the real world where I can experience the arena in which these Jesus encouragements can be practiced. This is the experience of St. Francis of Assisi, himself never an ordained priest, encouraging that we preach always … sometimes using words!

If you think marriage and family life came easy to a man who spent 12 years in isolated seminary and 26 years as celibate priest think again. I was 49 years old when my first child was born, grateful that I could offer the boys and Elaine, and myself, a decent way of life. Greg McAllister's paper will help to appreciate the barriers that a person has to overcome when one changes horses in "the middle of the stream". Greg points out the addiction to obedience that was necessary to get to the ordination ceremony and inside the clerical system. I knew all along that the FORCE called my God was beckoning me, I always feeling a modern-world-Jesus was my guide. I have written for years to my brother classmates, my beloved Menlo Men of '54, that the Holy Spirit never calls human beings en masse but always as individuals, some to stay the course and others to pioneer the newness. Some of the best priests I know are men who have lived the beatitudes since our seminary days and who live today differently than myself.

The MYSTERY we call God works in mysterious ways. In early Greek culture the word "mystery" meant that which was to be investigated. What a world we have today with adult brains seasoned in time as we continue to investigate the concepts of Creator, all life, and the magnificence of my own body and life. Thank you, Creator, for the extra time afforded to me.

Tom McMahon in San Jose. Ca. 06/06/2010

©2010 Tom McMahon

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