Rest in the truth: It is the Church of Christ

		Notes from the  Vicar General  Msgr. Paul J. Swain

Forgive me if I doze off. These are days when information overload saps energy while also making it difficult to sleep. Instead of counting sheep, I count the jarring stories.

There are the constant alerts about possible terrorist attacks. War clouds hover in the Middle East and over India and Pakistan. The erratic spring weather has farmers excluded from the fields because of wetness, or worrying about losing early crops because of cold temperatures.

Most wearing of all is the daily diet of stories about the scandals in the Church. It makes one long for the days when news moved slowly, with less sensationalism and judgmental commentary.

News stories focus on the governance of the Church, especially the bishops. Stories are written as if discussing a political or corporate organization. Governing structure is necessary, but the Church is so much more.

The heart is in the parish

The heart of the Church is in the parishes where the sacraments are celebrated, reconciliation with God is sought, people pray for forgiveness and healing, and the strength to bear their crosses. It is in the parishes where children and adults encounter the teachings of Christ, and His call to social justice is lived out.

No one has been able to adequately describe the human and divine reality instituted by Christ. Descriptions of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Bride of Christ, have been offered. Placing the current scandals under the shadow of those titles reveals how we have failed to live up to our part of the covenant.

Our sense of Church does not fit into the neat categories of modern day political or social discourse. In the current crisis, we are told to trust government because our institution has failed. And yet, one basis for the separation of church and state is that government in history has not always proven to be trustworthy.

The Catholic Church is universal, not a product of America. There are many countries around the world where governments persecute the Church. American history is not without its times when politicians have used anti-Catholicism to further their careers.

We are a Church grounded on the dignity of each person, the reality of human sin, and the possibility of forgiveness when there is contrition and responsibility for one's actions. This makes slogan responses, though comforting, difficult to implement. There are souls at stake.

Conversion leads home

As an adult convert to Catholicism, the day I professed faith in the Church was one of the most profound and settling moments in my life. With humility, I confessed my sins and received absolution. The Holy Spirit was received in confirmation, as was the awesome gift of Christ himself in the Holy Eucharist. It was, as someone else has said, like coming home. Never did I imagine having to confront what has shaken our spiritual family these last few months. It has made me weary and sad.

And yet, the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, instituted by Christ. Bishops, priests, religious, and laity together are stewards for only a time. We can make mistakes, we can put self over the common good, we can be drawn away by evil. Despite our weakness, the Church belongs to Christ, with the Holy Spirit to guide it and purify it when necessary. Comforted with that certain knowledge, and the hope that comes from Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we all can rest.