Catholic Ragemonkey

By Jove, I Think They Got It...

The headline is not meant to be overly snarky; just a little soupcon of snark. I recall a conversation with Fr. H some years ago in which we were commisserating over some ridonkulous event in the parish (his or mine I can't remember). At any rate, Fr. H, I think, said, something like, "Don't they know better?," asking in essence why doesn't this just instinctual occur to Catholics. I followed up with a line that I have used in many different situations and many different places. I responded, "Well, that's the problem. If the pastor doesn't work toward forming people, it doesn't mean they won't be formed. It just means someone else will do it for you."

We can bemoan modern sexual practice, for instance, but if you leave your children to learn about mature relationships from MTV or The O.C., then it isn't a question of your son or daughter not being formed; they are being malformed. And the examples abound.

In short, the hardest message that the Second Vatican Council has and had for the world is this: Everyone is called to holiness of life and to evangelize the culture in which they live. No one gets a free pass. Some might have more to do; some might have less, but everyone has got something on their plate when it comes to this.