Nearly 50 parochial schools are expected to close in Philadelphia (one of the largest Catholic communities in the US) under a plan announced by the Diocese of Philadelphia after a recommendation by a special consolidation commission.
Here in South Jersey (just across the Delaware River) we've already witnessed the closure of numerous parishes and schools as the diocese has been all but emaciated.
So, I can understand the sorrow, the distress and even the outrage at these closings.
Nobody wants to see this happen.
But let's step back for a moment.
Looked at one way, these closings are nothing more than the wages of droves of wayward Catholics. If you call yourself "Catholic" but you never go to church on Sunday and you've never been back to the parochial school you once attended and you're not active in parish life or maybe not even registered with a parish, do you really have any right to complain?
Sadly, our society has become increasingly secular and unaffiliated with traditional organized religions, particularly mainstream religious groups.
I saw it once again this Christmas when a huge crowd turned up for Christmas Eve services at the Catholic church I attended. That should be a heartening sign, right? Well, not exactly. Because in many parishes most of these same people who turn up on Christmas and easter are nowhere to be found on a typical Sunday. They don't participate in the life of the parish and they don't contribute on a weekly or even fairly regular basis.
Yes, the sex scandal and the money needed to defend the resulting lawsuits have hurt the Catholic Church. And the Church must take responsibility for that.
B ut that's not the only reason for these latest developments.
The fact is that many "Catholics" themselves want it both ways: They want to call themselves "Catholic" and retain their fond memories of parochial school and a Catholic childhood (partly via shows like "Nunsense" and "Sister Ignatius" and others) but they reserve the right to shun the Church and its teachings and its activities in the here and now.
Well, the Catholic Church in America is not going to keep facilities open just for the sake of nostalgia. If you don't come, they can't run.
So, before you start bellyaching, examine your own record of participation -- or lack thereof.
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