In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus gives instructions on how to handle sin in the Church. There’s a method, and it’s pretty simple: You give the guy multiple chances to understand that he has gone astray, starting with the most discreet options, but eventually bringing in the teaching authority of the Church herself if necessary.
And what if he refuses to listen even to the Church? Jesus says this:
“Treat him as you would a Pagan, or a tax collector”.
And that’s the process.
The first steps are pretty straightforward, though maybe not real popular. Since it involves you personally, refraining from gossip and instead pulling on the grown-up suit and figuring out how you are going to convince someone else what is right and wrong. With the actual goal of persuading the person to repent and reform, instead of the much more self-gratifying goal of venting your anger and maybe getting in a few good digs while you’re at it.
[Remember: If the guy doesn’t listen to you, then you’re supposed to go get other members of the church to come help persuade. And you know those other members are going to ask about how the first conversation went. So you better not have said something really mean and stupid. Yeah, I know. No one really likes this passage. I’m so much better at “mean and stupid” than “charitable and helpful”.]
But let’s skip ahead to the unrepentant sinner – which includes a subset, the unrepentant dissenter. This is the part hand-rubbing pundits love, because you get to pull out the big guns. You maintained composure through all those edifying discussions, and now, now!, finally!, you get to give the guy what he deserves and Treat Him Like A Pagan. Or a tax collector. Your choice.
When I see editorial on this passage, what I often see is the Freaked Out Jesus Method* of biblical interpretation. We, the readers, see words like “sinner” “Pagan” and “tax collector”, and we insert BAD, BAD, and BAD. And if Bad then Mad, right? So we picture Jesus: Impatient with sinners, ready to toss transgressor outta the church, and here’s how to get rid of ‘em, make sure you do the job thoroughly. Don’t be Mr. Nice Guy, apostles and disciples, or Jesus will be Mad at YOU too.
Except that Jesus doesn’t actually treat Pagans and tax collectors this way. What does Jesus do for Pagans and tax collectors? He invites them to dinner. He heals their sick. He praises what faith they have. He invites them take of the Living Water.
In summary: Jesus evangelizes.
That’s the method. If one of your brothers sins against you, and he won’t listen to the Church, try to win him back.
***
There is a sting, though, in this instruction. And here is where I think the courage of the Church fails most.
See, everybody wants to stay “catholic”.
It’s pretty funny, really. None of my Pagan or tax-collector friends are upset about not being Catholic. They don’t sit around stewing and accusing the Church of cruelty on account of how Pagans aren’t Catholic and Catholics aren’t Pagans. Everyone fully grasps the notion that there are things you have to be willing to believe and do if you want to be Catholic, and well, if you wanted to do and think such things, you wouldn’t be Pagan.
But unrepentant and dissenting Christians often are resentful of the notion that they have left the bounds of the fold of the Church.
Regular Pagans recognize the authority of the Church over its members, and choose not to be part of that Church. Dissenters want to be counted as part of the Church, but without recognizing that the Church has an authoritative teaching office that Christians need obey.
—-> For all the noise about ‘closed communion’, I’ve never once had a non-catholic friend be upset about it, after I explained why we did things how we do. No sane person wants to be publicly labeled as “believes in the Real Presence” and “accepts the teachings of the Church”, if they don’t actually believe such things. Catholic doctrine is, you know, a little crazy, huh? Would you want to have walked around New York in 1750 with a big stamp on your head that said “Thinks Humans Can Fly”??. Until you knew for sure that hot-air balloons worked, you wouldn’t want the crazy-label. Once you knew, you’d be proud of it. But until then, no.
In contrast, dissenting Catholics cling to their ‘rights’ with bitter furor. Try to tell a formerly-Catholic hospital** or college that they need to quit claiming Catholicism now that they’ve quit teaching and practicing Catholicism . . . and the drama . . . oh my goodness the drama.
The scandal isn’t that this or that person or institution is non-Catholic.
My local county hospital isn’t Catholic, my State U alma mater isn’t Catholic, and most of friends are not Catholic. Pagans and tax collectors all of them. For the longest time, I was even married to one of these people. (He seems to have come out of it. Yay!) No drama necessary.
Jesus isn’t freaking out. He wants every one back into the Church, and He’ll do any good thing to make that happen. Have you to dinner, heal your servant, die on the cross for you – there is no limit to His mercy.
But the Gospels do tell us this: Don’t be crazy.
Sane people know what they do and don’t believe.
If someone has ceased to believe and practice the Catholic faith, put your head on straight and acknowledge the fact. Non-Catholics and former-Catholics are no scandal. Open wide your arms and give whatever you legitimately can to help and befriend.
Bad Catholics? No surprise there, we announce our sinfulness at every Mass. Forgive us seventy-times-seven times, and remind us in no uncertain terms what the Church really teaches. Accept our repentance, over and over and over again.
But fake Catholics? That is scandal and madness.
Turn on your brain, and respectfully acknowledge the former Catholic has stepped outside the fold. You can’t welcome someone back into the house, if you are busy pretending they’ve never gone out.
* See two posts below for an explanation of the FOJM. WordPress refuses to let me make links today.
**Ack, I hate link failure. Here’s a great piece on the current round of Catholic hospital scandals: http://defend-us-in-battle.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-providence-hospital-situation-isnt.html
So does Jesus (or do you) have a suggestion for how to treat fake Catholics, other than acknowledging that they/we have stepped outside the fold? Just reminders in bulletins not to receive communion, or what else needs to be done?
This may not apply to you, but when I hear faithful Catholics say they want to hear hard teachings taught from the pulpit, presumably they don’t want such teachings to be heard only by those who already accept and understand. There have to be people in the pews who don’t believe and practice everything, or what’s the point?
So … anyway, I wondered if you had specific plans for how the Church, at the parish level, or as individuals, is supposed to respond to fake/former Catholics.
With kindness? Sympathy? Respect?
There’s nothing scandalous about saying, “You know, there are things I like about the Church, and I like being here, but I just don’t understand or can’t get on board with this and that and the other.” Living in the south, my parish is full of non-Catholic spouses of Catholics.
From the pulpit, there’s nothing special to do other than teach the faith.
The parish priest is the go-to guy for private conversations about “Am I in a position to receive communion?” That’s a huge weight on his shoulders, but for the rest of the congregation, we just have to defer to his judgment. No one died and made me priest, you know? It’s his profession, helping souls wade through the finer details.
As far as any individual is concerned, how publicly you handle the issue depends on how publicly the person is making their disagreement. If at all possible, I think discretion is the way to go. Where the individual is keeping their differences private, whether out of respect for the integrity of the church or just for their own reasons, this should remain a private matter.
But If you’re writing pro-abortion editorials in the paper every week and then presenting yourself in line for communion, the pastor has to take a stand on that. You’re welcome to come to Mass, but you can’t be presenting yourself to the world as “I’m catholic and pro-choice”. That doesn’t work.
[And that’s what I mean by ‘fake’. Genuinely not knowing Church teaching, or not being able to believe and still wanting to participate in the life of the Church as best you can, that’s fine. It’s when you make a big show of announcing how somehow the Catechism is wrong and you know better and you’re the *real* model Catholic — that’s fake. You see this a lot among the pro-torture types these days, sadly. There’s a lot of people who just don’t know what the church teaches. No biggie. Teach it. But when someone insists it’s perfectly Catholic to torture people, even after you’ve made it quite clear otherwise? That’s a no-go. Fake Catholicism.]
Even then, though, the less drama the better. And to minimize drama at the front of the communion line would take some significant advance planning and a special personality. My guess would be a possible option would be, after the priest having spoken privately to the individual and discussed the matter, if the person in question comes forward for communion, the minister should give a blessing as if that were what was being asked for. [I think the practice of letting people come forward for a blessing regardless is a great one, I guess I need to be better educated on why some people don’t like that. I like it a bunch.]
***
I have on several occasions let people know (privately) that they needed to not receive communion until their situation changed. The responses have been, depending on whether or not they had already gone up to receive, were either, “Yes of course”, “That makes sense, thanks for telling me,” or else “I didn’t know! Ack! I’m so sorry!”
[Um, you didn’t know. That’s why I asked you about it. Don’t worry. God’s not out to play tricks on you.]
***
But there do seem to be parts of the church where this whole notion is foreign. My best guess is that improved catechesis from the pulpit and in religious ed, combined with just practicing doing things right until you get the hang of it, is maybe the only way? Slowly?
Obviously if the leadership of the parish or the diocese has gone to the wolves, then you’re sort of out of luck, other than the prayer-and-suffering method. But in the long run, the p&s method does seem to work. I really have no natural desire to be that saintly, though. Fortunately there are better people than myself in the Church, hopefully God will pick them for that job. I suffer loudly and not that well.
***
Does that answer your question? Probably too much. It’s a big topic, and my shutting-up powers are very small.
[Edited to reduce the number of typos. I’m sure I left plenty.]