Parish=Intentional Community
There is an interesting discussion in the comments of this thread regarding “intentional communities.” These groups, which attempt to forge a community which is unified in a common purpose, have been developing throughout American Christianity lately, and its Catholic forms include such movements as Opus Dei.
I argue that although such ecclesial movements can be very worthwhile, they should not replace the parish, which is the true “intentional community” for the Catholic. I wrote,
[The parish] is where we come into regular contact with our neighbors and unite with them through the Eucharist. It is the part of the divinely-instituted structure of the Church – not just a man-made response to existing deficiencies.
I went on to blame the changes in American/Western culture for the disappearance of the parish as such a community in modern life.
Reader Clare then made some interesting practical points in this regard:
If the parish of the 50s, though not perfect, is a good model for what we are aiming for, what in my own life keeps me from living that? Just a little example that comes to mind – my grandparents would never have put sports above the day of rest that had its focus in parish life, but today parish events are poorly attended in part because of the idol of kids’ sports. Am I willing to say no to my child’s participation on the travel soccer team or whatever if it will disrupt our parish life?
Will I live in a smaller home nearer my job if doing so leaves me freer to participate in parish life?
Will I put up with the person who annoys me on the adoration committee and use the opportunity to grow in holiness?
These are tough questions for us. What are we willing to do to create a true community in our parishes?
1). Clare’s points are, to my mind, extremely well-made and well-taken. The only person I can actually control in any sense is myself, so it behooves me to do whatever I can on my own dime, so to speak, be it large or small. I also think we (and by “we” I mean “I”) like the idea of community in the abstract, but often find the reality “difficult” and “messy”. HT to Clare.
2). On the level of causes, you hit most of the thoughts I had, and I few I hadn’t; it seems to come down to a gradual erosion (over the last forty years or so) of the various foundations for community. I’m especially thinking here about the lack of a commonality of belief, not on incidentals but on core issues. I’m not sure how much “community” you can have when you differ deeply on fundamental issues (friendship, yes, “community” in the relevant sense, I don’t think so).
So now I have to figure out how to take Clare’s advice to heart, and find what I can do to address this that doesn’t involve me trying to dispense my “wisdom”, uninvited, to all my fellow parishioners.
Father, do you have a few moments for me to explain to you, in detail, all the problems with that homily you just gave?
Though, I agree heartily w/ Clare on the sports issue, I cannot help to think that the fault does not merely lie w/ the laity on this issue, but rather the break down of the liturgy , post Vatican ll.
The emphasis in today’s parishes are on the laity, in the 1950′s as Clare used as an example, the focus was on the Eucharist. Today we have parish councils, with the priest having very little authority left to form us.
Great blog, Eric!
Yep, good point, Molly. I hear ya. I just try to look mostly at my part in the problems I’m tempted to complain about; it seems more fruitful (although of course we need to look at the bigger picture and figure that out too). Once I heard Fr. Groeschel address the priest scandal – I think it was about 4 or 5 years ago. Someone basically asked him who was to blame. He went through the possibilities – the bishops, the priesthood, the Vatican, the pope, the seminaries, the laity – and gave reasons why none of those were an adequate answer. Finally he said something like “I think the blame lies with the religious orders. If we had been doing our job these last few decades our culture wouldn’t be in this mess…” I was so astounded at this, that if he was going to point a finger it would be at himself. I try to model my reactions on that great example… but I still appreciate folks smarter than me trying to solve the rest of it!
Sort of like GK Chesterton’s response, when asked what is wrong with the world: his reply, I AM!
Thanks Clare for the reminder:)