Column Tides of history sweep church toward reform
By THOMAS C. FOX
When the history of 20th century Roman Catholicism is written, two
men will stand out as its most influential leaders: Angelo Roncalli and Karol
Wojtyla, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. The former called a council and
opened the church to the world. The latter ended conciliar renewal and shaped
the institution to combat perceived secular threats.
Roncalli, the optimist, believed in the omnipresence of grace,
views later reflected in the council document Gaudium et Spes. Wojtyla,
the pessimist, has seen the shadow of the cross upon all human endeavors --
save the promise to Peter itself.
As Catholicism enters the 21st century, it is seriously divided.
Without resolving this division, Catholicisms mission to be a sign of
Christian unity and hope, compassion and forgiveness to the wider global family
is likely to falter. Of course, no one knows how or even if this resolution can
occur or which of these two popes will leave the longer lasting mark.
A search for answers becomes frustrated by the imponderables of
the unknowable future. It may be in the currents of historical forces that we
find clues.
By the time Roncalli was elected pope in 1958, pressures for
church reform had been building for decades. The perceived need to bring
Catholicism out of its defensive past and into the modern world was widespread.
Yet it took the graced impulse by John XXIII to declare an ecumenical council.
Curiously, John had no predetermined plan for a council agenda. He
left that to others. If he had anything to offer, it was his example of trust
-- trust that God would not abandon him or the church he loved.
This is why he wrote on the eve of the council and with
characteristic humility, Now I understand what contribution to the
council the Lord requires from me: my suffering. He knew his health was
failing and he would not live through his council.
Vatican II became an opportunity for the church to harvest from a
rich crop of new theology and also a moment to take advantage of wider forces
of change, notably, the development of the social sciences, of democratic
theories of governance and of developing inter-religious dialogues.
These advances were occurring within even broader currents of
change: the emergence of educated, professional women who were taking on
leadership roles worldwide; and revolutionary demographic shifts ending the era
of a Eurocentric Catholicism. In the mid-1960s, for the first time Catholics in
so-called Third World nations began to outnumber their European and North
American brothers and sisters of faith.
If Roncalli trusted that grace was operative, Wojtylas view
of more pervasive evil moved him to speak of a widespread culture of
death. Only the church, indeed, only the bastion church, kept most pure
within Vatican walls, could prevail against the gates of hell.
And if Roncalli had no precise plan for counciliar renewal,
leaving it to the collective body of world bishops, John Paul acted with
deliberate attention to detail, stripping the worlds bishops of their
collective authority while appointing new bishops who reflected his theological
and ecclesial views.
Wojtylas fix on Gods plan for his life has been larger
than Roncallis self-interpretation. Wojtyla interpreted his election as
pope as providential. His sense of providential mission was enormously
strengthened by the failed assassination attempt of May 13, 1981, feast of Our
Lady of Fatima. He believed that Our Lady of Fatima saved his life
for a purpose.
And this service is not complete in John Pauls mind. More
has been ordained. He has recalled Cardinal Stefan Wyszynskis 1978
exhortation: You must lead the church into the year 2000.
So, whereto Catholicism after 2000?
Certainly, much depends on the leadership that emerges in the next
pontificate. While the College of Cardinals now reflects John Pauls
conservative views, it is highly unlikely it will elect another pope determined
to go it alone. Widespread resentment exists among the worlds cardinals
regarding the way their authority has been diminished during this
pontificate.
Operable collegial church leadership will likely be the litmus
test for a successful papal candidate. Yet not the entire future -- or perhaps
even most of it -- depends on the next pope. His options will be shaped by
circumstance and need.
Consider that much of the world today is without priests. The
shape of the priesthood will be addressed. And now that Catholicism is
experiencing enormous growth in Africa, Asia and Latin America, new respect
will have to be extended to non-Western cultures, and non-Western theologies
will have to be accepted for future growth to occur.
Women have entered theological studies, assuring that pressures to
end the churchs sexism will surely grow.
In short, the need to preserve Catholicism as a worldwide operable
institution will force church renewal.
Catholicism is at the end of an era. A new chapter remains to be
written. It wont be like this one. The pendulum is getting set to swing
the other way.
Ready or not, the global family is coming into view and into life.
And if thats not a Catholic invitation I dont know what is. The
experiences of the past several decades have already taught us some valuable
lessons. This is not a time to look to a church of the past, but a time to
continue the councils work of opening the church to the future.
Fox is NCR's publisher.
National Catholic Reporter, January, 9,
1998
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