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The teachings of the Catholic Church on the Church might be summarized in the following points:
- The word "Church" means "convocation." It designates the assembly of those whom God's Word "convokes," i.e., gathers together to form the People of God, and who themselves, nourished with the Body of Christ, become the Body of Christ (777).
- The Church in this world is the sacrament of salvation, the sign and the instrument of the communion of God and men (780).
- "The sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, . . . subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible confines"(LG 8) (870).
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Weekly Meditation: Consider the Human and Divine Faces of the Church.
“Church” is one of those words that carries a great deal of meaning for people. Rather, it carries a great many meanings, multiple, overlapping, sometimes conflicting meetings that jostles for space in our minds. Church can be a refuge, a retreat, a rest. It can be a site for interaction, for socializing, for building relationships. Church can help us to celebrate the best and most beautiful moments, or mark the most painful and difficult experiences. Church can point to our highest ideals or our biggest failures. Church can be a symbol of utopia, an aspiration toward fulfillment, community, and peace. Church can be a sign of depravity, betrayal, and abuse. Church can be a place, a mission, a set of relationships.
- Take a minute and consider what “Church” means to you. What images, feelings, and experiences come to mind when you breathe the word, “Church”? How do they all fit together?
Before his death, Jesus spent several years gathering a people to himself, teaching them, showing them signs of God’s reign, living among them. Rising from the dead and ascending to the Father, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit in his place to be a continuing source of guidance and comfort to those entrusted with the mission of spreading the word of God’s reign to all people. God has partnered with humanity to restore a broken world, but as the history of the Church shows, we have not always held up our part in the relationship.
- Take another minute and consider the history of the Church, from the calling of the disciples to the present day. What parts of this history are most inspiring and compelling? What aspects of this history lead you to question the role of the Church in the world?
The clerical sex abuse scandals have devastated the Church in today’s world. We have formed and let loose upon our congregations sexual predators in the guise of holy men. Our leaders have abused the power entrusted to them to hide these men through bureaucratic management and silencing the victims of sexual assault. It is now impossible to be a happy Catholic without recognizing that the Church we love must undergo a drastic change from top to bottom, and that we must change with it.
- Take a final minute to recognize what your membership in this this divine and sinful community might look like if you become Catholic. What steps must we take for you to feel safe? What changes must occur for the Church to be faithful to its divine origin and salvific mission? What role will you play in helping us to transform ourselves?