IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OUT OF DATE?

I grew up Catholic. I attended Catholic church, Catholic school, Catholic camp. I had my first confession, first communion and confirmation. Then I grew up — and like so many others in my generation, I left Catholicism.

For decades, the Catholic Church has been losing its flock in droves.  Hundreds of thousands have been dropping from the ranks each year, most being from a younger generation who have grown up and realized Catholicism is deeply antiquated and does not fit a modern lifestyle.  Catholic schools are folding, Convents are empty and young males are infrequently considering the priesthood as a profession.  Let’s face it: in its thinking, its structure and even its service, the Catholic Church is stuck in a time warp.  It’s as if the church believes it’s still 1860 and has no clue that it is now 2012!

Confessing sins to a priest as somewhat of a “middleman” instead of just going to God Himself has always been odd to me.  Their inability to marry (which has frequently prompted them to seek romantic relationships with young female AND male members of the faith) has also been a bit odd.  So don’t get me started on church views regarding divorce, a woman’s right to choose, or gay and lesbian relationships.

Catholicism has always been based on ritual, but have they taken the concept of ritual a bit too far?

The former archbishop of Milan and papal candidate Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini seemed to think so.  Prior to his recent death, Martini went public in saying the Catholic Church is “200 years out of date.” Martini, who was once considered a strong candidate to succeed Pope John Paul II, gave a scathing portrayal of a pompous and bureaucratic church failing to move with the times.

“Our culture has aged, our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our rituals and our cassocks are pompous,” Martini said. “The Church must admit its mistakes and begin a radical change, starting from the pope and the bishops. The pedophilia scandals oblige us to take a journey of transformation.”

Cardinal Martini

Martini, who strongly suggested the use of condoms and other forms of contraception in some cases, said the Church should open up to new kinds of families or risk losing its flock.

“A woman is abandoned by her husband and finds a new companion to look after her and her children. A second love succeeds. If this family is discriminated against, not just the mother will be cut off but also her children.” In this way “the Church loses the future generation.”

Cardinal Martini was a very smart man — perhaps too smart for the liking of conservative Catholicism.  He tried dragging the church into the 21st century, providing example after example of how the church is dying around the world.  But sadly, his voice fell on deaf ears.

“The church is 200 years out of date. Why don’t we rouse ourselves? Are we afraid?”