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I belong to a vibrant, growing parish. We are blessed with over
3,000 registered families, with an ebb and flow of approximately
30 families per month. Ministries abound. The parish school has
a waiting list. New buildings are under construction to meet the
burgeoning need. By all the usual indicators, we are perceived
as a strong Catholic community.
After receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation one Saturday, I
paused to reflect on why, in such a robust parish, the line
outside the confessional was so short. I decided to crunch a few
numbers. Suppose that our 3,000 registered families have four
members each - husband, wife and two children. Further suppose
that only one of the two children in each family is over the age
of reason, which means they have received their First Communion.
Given this demographic, there are then three people in each
household whom (we hope) routinely receive the Eucharist. These
same people would incur a commensurate obligation to receive
Reconciliation, so they are in a state of grace to receive Holy
Communion. This yields a total of 9,000 Catholics in need of
sacramental absolution. Minimum.
Reconciliation is typically administered on every Saturday of
the year except Holy Saturday, which means 51 Saturdays are
available for the Sacrament. Again being conservative, let’s
assume these parishioners desire to partake of Reconciliation
only twice a year. This means a minimum of 18,000 confessions to
be administered annually. Simple arithmetic reveals that on each
of these Saturdays our dedicated priests would have to hear the
confessions of 353 souls.
Maybe my math is off, but it’s rare to see more than a handful
of people in line. Thanks to the Blessed Mother’s promise, First
Saturday each month usually has the most activity. On many other
occasions, however, I arrive at church with not a single person
waiting to enter the confessional in front of me. There sits a
priest patiently waiting for even a few of his flock to appear.
Grace and mercy for the asking with no one to ask. Gifts for the
taking and no takers.
Even factoring in the few hundred people that attend the Penance
Services held each Lent and Advent, the numbers fall far short
of our registered families, let alone the vast ocean of
non-registered souls who worship in stealth. So, where is
everyone? Why the staggering shortfall? Why the willingness to
forgo the boundless mercy of a loving God? My math must be
really far off. Or, maybe, some other force is at work.
Perhaps the answer lies in a telling passage in the Catechism.
It states, "Without the knowledge Revelation gives of God we
cannot recognize sin clearly and are tempted to explain it as
merely a developmental flaw, a psychological weakness, a
mistake, or the necessary consequence of an inadequate social
structure, etc. Only in the knowledge of God’s plan for man can
we grasp that sin is an abuse of the freedom that God gives to
created persons so that they are capable of loving him and
loving one another." (CCC 387)
In essence, the passage warns that our failure to seek God means
that we lose our sense of sin. Is there a more apt description
of modern America? Would anyone argue that the word "sin" has
altogether been stricken from our vocabulary, relegated to the
yellowed pages of the Baltimore Catechism? We have deemed it an
offensive term. Its use is considered highly judgmental and
intolerant. No one sins anymore.
In its place is enlightened modern thought. In our society,
morality is a relative concept - an action or thought is moral
if we deem it so. Feelings matter above all. God is molded in
the image that we consider appropriate, always full of mercy but
devoid of justice. Our new philosophy is backed up by countless
talk shows, books and movies wherein the newest "groundbreaking"
behavior is sanctioned and applauded, but never condemned.
We watch in fascination as people parade their intimacies on
national television and are praised for doing so. We laud
dissent from timeless moral norms, masking wrong behavior by
fanciful euphemisms. Actions are blamed on everyone but
ourselves. Even the most heinous crimes are society’s fault,
rather than that of the perpetrator. The insanity defense rules
the courtrooms. Our children learn early that "white" lies are
acceptable and "tolerance" is sacred doctrine. As Catholics
immersed in such a culture, many of us have decided that going
to Reconciliation is simply unnecessary. Since we do not sin, we
do not need to inconvenience ourselves on Saturday. No need to
feel any guilt. No need for repentance.
Oh, really? Truth must once again illuminate the darkness. None
less than St. John reminds us that, "If we say we are without
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we
acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive
our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing." (1 Jn 1: 8-10)
Our society has been blinded to the raw power of temptation. We
have forgotten our human inclination to give in to its allure.
Doubt, feigned ignorance or simple hardness of heart still
produce the same ages-old result: disobedience. Adam and Eve all
over again.
Yes, sin does exist. One might even say it prospers. No one is
immune from its attraction. Through Christ and His Church,
however, objective truth and boundless mercy exist as well. A
loving and just God is still in residence. Like the priest
patiently waiting in the confessional for his flock, Our Lord
stands ready to show us the way.
Vibrant Catholic life is not about new facilities, school
enrollment or the highest level of financial contributions. It’s
not about a full calendar of parish functions. It’s about boldly
living the faith and committing to Christ each day. It’s about
squarely facing the reality of sin and seeking shelter in Him
and in His Church. It’s witnessing to the world by breaking from
the culture. Waking up to this reality means that the
confessional lines every Saturday will wind around the church
building several times. When they do, the math will take care of
itself.
About the author:
Gary Shirley, his wife, and three children are members of St.
Catherine of Siena Parish in Kennesaw, Georgia, where Gary
serves as catechist in the adult education program. Gary is an
Archdiocese of Atlanta certified catechist (both PSR and RCIA)
with 13 years teaching experience. Email him at
backtothebasics@searchlogixgroup.com. Visit our website at
http://www.saintcatherineofsiena.org/BackToTheBasics.htm
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