A Balance Between Doctrine And Healing?

[TeresaBenedicta]

As a convert to Catholicism, I have a great love for the Church and I will jump up to Her defense the moment anyone says anything against her. Sometimes my great love for Her will cause me to “overlook” some of the areas that she probably could do better and “brush off” some of the less-than-holy moments of Her past. I did my battle with those things before I came into the Church—I’ve settled with them and I’ve come to understand that regardless of these things, She is still the Church instituted by Jesus Christ himself and led today by the Holy Spirit. She is a rock to which the teachings of salvation are entrusted. I have full confidence in Her. In fact, in my own mind, to lose that confidence in Her is to lose my faith God. That’s how connected She is to my salvation.

So it saddens me greatly when I see Catholics who dismiss certain doctrines of the Church or furiously refuse to accept Her teachings on certain issues. Like I said before, my first reaction to these sorts of people is to bear up in arms and fight relentlessly. Why? Because I perceive that the dignity of the Church and the nature of Salvation are at stake in these dissents. To be honest, it scares me when Catholics do take stances against some portion of the Church. I don’t think they know what they are saying or what they are doing by making such claims. They are claiming, essentially, that the Church is not led by the Holy Spirit… and by extension they are throwing the question of salvation into no-man’s land. Without the Church, preserved in Her integrity, we do not know where or how to have hope for salvation.

There is so much at stake.

Yet, when it comes to individuals, I don’t think that my natural inclination to “bear up in arms” is particularly fruitful. I understand the importance of doctrine and why it is imperative to trust the Church in these areas… but more than likely, the person I’m speaking with doesn’t understand that. Otherwise I highly doubt he or she would be dissenting in the way that they are. In fact, when I take a deeper look at those individuals, I find that they usually have had some sort of painful experience in the Church. A priest or a catechist or any numbers of people have caused a great deal of pain in their life. It could be as simple as one sharp comment. One terrible confession. One belittlement. These sorts of things can stay with one for a whole lifetime.

And even if there hasn’t been a painful experience, there is still a misunderstanding of ecclesiology.

What am I trying to say here?
I read a quote the other day that got me thinking on all of this. It was called “Catholics Can Come Home Again” and there was a particular sentence in there that struck me. It was from a person who came back to the Church after a 45-year hiatus. She said, “The Church takes care of well-people, and that’s not me.”

Her story was wrapped up with some teachings of the Church she couldn’t understand (disagreed with, even), along with some hurts that were associated with the Church from the past. But her statement got me thinking of how we temper doctrine with healing.

If nothing else, those who dissent from the Church (I’m speaking mostly of Catholics, not other members of ecclesial communities) are hurting from a misunderstanding of ecclesiology. They have never been taught the truth of the Church’s identity and believe me, they suffer greatly from that. But even more than that, I believe that most dissenting Catholics have also been hurt by the Church (in form of individuals or otherwise) and they are suffering greatly from that as well.

It makes me rethink my natural inclination to “bear up in arms” to fight these folks. In fact, I think that’s exactly the [i]wrong[/i] way to start out.

People need to experience the healing power of the Church. The doctrine is extremely important, don’t get me wrong—it’s at the heart of who the Church is… but I don’t think we can start there. At least in the majority of cases. I think we need to begin with healing and then move to building up a proper ecclesiology and understanding of the Church. [i]Then[/i] will come the time to properly explain the doctrines.

I’m speaking here of individuals, though. I’m not sure the same can be applied to public happenings. The Church must defend itself in public attacks, that’s for sure. But I hope that the bishops, priests, laity can reach out to those involved in the public happenings and offer this sort of healing.

I’m not sure if any of this makes sense, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, since I’ve been working in the parish. Obviously there’s a need for proper catechesis… but the damage has been done for many people, and the question of how best to respond is an imperative one, because it concerns both the integrity of the Church and the souls of those dissenting.

Any thoughts?

[Jaime]

there are a couple of things that come to mind as I read your post. You're right of course that people who are dissenting are not catechized properly (my interpretation of what you're saying) The truth is that if we take the Church seriously, we will all struggle from time to time with different teachings. This is normal and can in some cases be encouraged and supported! The struggles I've had with particular teachings has helped me to become more in line with what the Church was meant (eventually) but it took study and conferring with people who were smarter than I.

But here's a couple of things that I've tried to share with those who struggle and leave.

First, every Church teaching is borne out of unconditional love. Not some, not most, every single one. People have a tendency to rethink what they are struggling with when its shown in that light. If you can get them to accept that, they seem to soften.

Secondly, people who have issues with the Church cannot avoid the fact that they are being myopic in their view. "How does it pertain to me?" is usually where the struggle comes from. There are over a billion people around the world that the Church needs to teach and protect. When people complain about doctrine, they are looking at it from their perspective and invariably their society's perspective.

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='jaime (the artist formerly known as hot stuff)' timestamp='1282423181' post='2161175']
there are a couple of things that come to mind as I read your post. You're right of course that people who are dissenting are not catechized properly (my interpretation of what you're saying) The truth is that if we take the Church seriously, we will all struggle from time to time with different teachings. This is normal and can in some cases be encouraged and supported! The struggles I've had with particular teachings has helped me to become more in line with what the Church was meant (eventually) but it took study and conferring with people who were smarter than I.

But here's a couple of things that I've tried to share with those who struggle and leave.

[b]First, every Church teaching is borne out of unconditional love.[/b] Not some, not most, every single one. People have a tendency to rethink what they are struggling with when its shown in that light. If you can get them to accept that, they seem to soften.

[b]Secondly, people who have issues with the Church cannot avoid the fact that they are being myopic in their view.[/b] "How does it pertain to me?" is usually where the struggle comes from. There are over a billion people around the world that the Church needs to teach and protect. When people complain about doctrine, they are looking at it from their perspective and invariably their society's perspective.
[/quote]

Thank you! Yes!

Those are two very important points that I think you've hit, thank you for highlighting them. I think our society has a problem with "rules" in general and often enough I think Church doctrine is seen simply as a set of rules. "Do this" and "don't do that" without any real treatment of [i]why[/i], which as you point out, is always developed out of love.

[thessalonian]

There are many reasons why people have left the Church. Part of it is that they were not well catechized. Part of it is that many in the church have dissented from and watered down the faith, including priests and some bishops. Many have left the Church, knowing full well what it teaches due to sin in lives. Some in fact have been hurt by those in the Church as you stated. We are incapable of judging any of these. Whatever the reason, like the person dying of cancer from smoking cigaretes or diabetes from eating too much sugar, or aides or any std,, or the mother with 5 out of wedlock children (Mother Teresa never turned any of these down who came to her in need) we show them compassion because we know that the shepherd is out searching for the lost sheep adn we know their will be great rejoicing over one repentant sinner in heaven.

Those within he Church who are in positions of leadership, teachers, tribunals, etc. etc. who oppose the Church however must be rebuked, corrected, opposed, etc. Scripture makes this clear. That is where your efforts should be in "bearing up in arms", yet again it should be done with charity and we must be sure we are in the right.

Edited August 22, 2010 by thessalonian

[Belongs2Jesus]

[font="Century Gothic"][size="2"][color="#000080"]I understood *everything* you said in your post - I, too, feel as you do. Over the years God has helped me to see that He has given us all so much power to hurt or to heal. In our words, in how we respond (or react) to people, in what we do or fail to do (as the Confiteor states) - so much of the pain that others have experienced in our Church is not from *doctrine*, but from *people*. So if others have been wounded by people, God's Grace can flow through other people to heal them. In meditating on this, it dawned on me that Peter - after having received his 'First Holy Communion' (if you will) *and* after 'being Ordained' (so to speak) at the Last Supper, within hours was grabbing a sword to cut off a guard's ear (granted - to protect Jesus, but it was violent, nonetheless). This was no mere flesh wound. He cut a man's ear off - and only hours after receiving two of the most life-altering and healing Sacraments. If he, who basically lived with Jesus for three years, knew Him personally, and must have experienced Jesus' Healing Love and Mercy countless times, could do such a thing, how much more so can we?

I've heard from a Catholic psychologist that healing can come from a person's perception of our truly trying to understand *why* he or she is thinking a particular way. Imagine that: our merely trying to *understand* them actually helps to *heal* them! And I can see how true that has been in my own life - people who've tried to understand me have touched my heart and mind far more than anyone else. And those changes have been far more lasting.

So when I meet people who have gripes against the Church, I try to listen to what they are really saying. I ask questions and sincerely try to understand where they are coming from. Most of the time I discover that they have been wounded by other Catholics. So I apologize - on behalf of all Catholics - for the hurts they received. Then I tell them that I would hate for the Church to be judged by my own weak and sinful actions; that I am imperfect, though I am trying my best to live a life of love, humility, and patience. So, too, the teachings of the Church can not be judged by the actions of her members. The doctrines need to be addressed separately from the people. Usually, the person understands that; and if they begin questioning some of the doctrines, I do my best to answer them (and then give them information for good websites or books to read to help address their questions).

Ultimately, though, I know that all I can really do is pray and make offerings for them, asking God to continue to touch their souls and bring them back to the Faith.

Hope that helps.[/color][/size][/font]