Mr. Lawler drew many of his ideas from a book he wrote in 2008, The Faithful Departed. In it he argued that the sexual abuse scandal was not the cause, but rather an effect of the decline of Catholicism in the Archdiocese of Boston. This, however, is not confined to Boston, but can and has happened elsewhere and with other faiths.
If the Church is in retreat in the public sphere, it is because she is also in retreat in the spiritual sphere. However, there is an issue in how we measure the extent of one's Catholicity. While predictable measures - such as mass attendance, the number of weddings and baptisms, etc. - are often used, they are unable to measure things such as holiness and commitment. Rather, we look for such things in unpredictable places.
For example, hardly anyone would have expected someone like Mother Angelica, an obscure nun from Ohio, to be able to found the Eternal Word Television Network, the largest religious media network in the world. On would have expected the USCCB's million dollar investment in a television network to have succeeded, but it did not. When asked why EWTN succeeded over the bishops, Mother Angelica simply responded that "God didn't give them the work, He gave it to me."
Similarly unexpected triumphs have occurred throughout the church's history. In the Middle Ages, Benedictine monasteries were able to flourish virtually overnight, bringing with them an abundance of Catholic literature and culture. Mr. Lawler quoted Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J. of Ignatius Press as saying that the uptick in homeschooling, and thus parents showing their children how to live the faith, is a sign of revival in the Church. Likewise, the unsung heroes who protested outside of abortion clinics and were jailed for it serve as a shining example of holiness and commitment. In short, there is good reason to believe that a revival of Catholicity is nearby, and we are able to be a part of it.
Thus, we are all called to be Countercultural Catholics. It is important to note that culture is defined not just as broad societal values but also as how individuals lead their daily lives and what they consider important. For a Catholic to be countercultural, he must incorporate several key elements into his daily life. Foremost is that he must live a life of prayer. Weekly mass attendance, and preferably more, is essential. Mr. Lawler also recommends praying at least a part of the Liturgy of the Hours, by which we pray in rhythm with the Church on a daily basis.
Further, we need to develop a support system. When living in a world largely opposed to Catholic values, life can become difficult and discouraging. It is therefore important to both be involved in the parish community and to have like-minded friends. Good Catholic friends reassure us of our beliefs, provide respite from the culture at large, and provide for holy relationships, both individually and between families.
Unfortunately, we have seen a precipitous decline of the church's influence upon public life. There is a tendency to excuse this decline because "the culture has changed." However, the church's appeal to transcendence is a culture-changing force, and therefore the culture changes at least in part because the Church stopped being a driving force. This is the central question: to what degree does the Church influence the culture, or vice versa? Which is dominant? the answer to this question determines whether or not the Church is in retreat.
The Church does not play defense well- nor should she. She is either advancing or retreating, and how well she advances defines the New Evangelization.
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| Students listening attentively |
After his talk, Mr. Lawler fielded a broad range of questions.
In response to a question about priests, Mr. Lawler remarked that the priests of today are among the most committed in history, because mush of the esteem which had once been attached to the priesthood is now gone. While some of the animosity is dying down, it is unlikely that priests will ever see the same level of respect they were once afforded, but this only demonstrates how much today's clergy love the Church.
In response to several questions about liturgy, he remarked that many are attracted both to the Extraordinary Form and reverent Novus Ordo Masses because of their great beauty (especially musically), the peace they exude, and their consistency in worship. It is a good thing when priests "Say the Black and Do the Red" - that is, follow the liturgical rubrics - because it allows for reverence and stability. Ultimately he would prefer a hybrid of the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms, combining their best elements and creating a truly splendid experience of the Mass. He also recommended experiencing Eastern Rite liturgies, which are equally beautiful and reverent.
In response to a question about Orders of Religious Sisters, Mr. Lawler remarked that there is a clear trend between how reverent and faithful an order is and how much it succeeds. He also expressed a desire for honesty and an abandonment of politics when dealing with the doctrinal issues within groups like the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
In response to a question about a possible reunion with the Eastern Churches, Mr. Lawler remarked that, while there still is hostility among some churches, such as the Greek Orthodox Churches, there is great potential for many of the oriental churches. In particular, the Catholic Church in Ukraine could serve to unite the various Christian churches in that country. However, Mr. Lawler expressed doubt that the Society of St. Pius X would ever reconcile with Rome, seeing as the best chance of that happening has passed.
It was an honor to have such a distinguished speaker come to us and to deliver such a fantastic talk. We sincerely thank Mr. Lawler for all the time and effort he put in to his presentation.
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