Please visit Whispers in the Loggia to read the full text of a Washington Times article about what the latest Pew Research reveals about contemporary Catholicism in the United States. Analysts are zooming in on what we've known for a while. American Catholics are heading for evangelical or Pentecostal churches. In droves. Why?
Those churches are perceived as more passionate, more alive than the Catholic church. Their congregates seem to understand that The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is something that they -- all of them -- are called to fulfill. Every day. While we're busy arguing about altar rails, these churches are holding altar calls. The Holy Spirit descends, ascends, fills, and overflows whether or not there's a bishop in attendance.
Once upon a time, Catholics had all this vibrancy and more. Our precious Jewish legacy was revealed in our contributions to the world of arts and letters, our commitment to tikkun olam. Catholics had a cultural identity that was grounded in a religious ethos. We could have this again and seem to be re-generating passionate faith not in church buildings, but in the domestic church and through grass roots social justice efforts. But who would know?
In addition to everything else, evangelical and Pentecostal churches seem to be more willing and able to use new media to communicate church and faith. In The Word Made Fresh, I explain how the very culture and structure of liturgical churches has historically served to impede innovative communications. And yes, I offer practical suggestions for dredging our considerable light out from a bushel basket heaped with vestments and altar linens.
How wonderful, how Holy Spirit that these research results are hitting the secular news during Lent. What better time to rise and shine?
