"Qualities of a faithful Catholic"by Bishop William S. Skylstad (From the Nov. 15, 2001 edition of the Inland Register)
In that atmosphere, I think it is very important for us to reflect upon who we are as followers of Jesus and strive to make sure that such change doesn’t weaken the quality of our being Catholic. St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians tells us that the only thing that matters is that we are created anew. I hope that we all can grow in our identity as Christians. Sometimes a few specific reminders are more helpful than a general challenge to live our Christianity better. The following five signs of a faithful Catholic are not exhaustive, but rather a starting point for the ongoing personal examination and of the responsibility we have to live up to our baptismal promises. Our lives can be very complex and full. At times like that, we are in special need of examining the priorities of our use of energy, resources, and commitments. 1. Faithfulness to Church and Sunday Eucharist. It’s no secret that Sunday attendance at the celebration of the Eucharist has fallen off in recent years. Recent polls suggest there are many reasons. There is the increasing phenomenon of people who don’t hesitate to call themselves Catholic and yet rarely, if ever, attend church. One can’t help but feel that such a lifestyle gradually weakens the gift of faith and certainly will not be of assistance in passing on the faith to future generations. Just like relationships in marriage and family, life in the Church demands presence with one another and a spirit of sacrifice. If we attend Eucharist only to receive, or if we involve ourselves in the parish community or in marriage for only what we get out of it, those decisions are not in keeping with Christian spirituality or healthy family and marital life. The celebration of Eucharist is vital to vibrant Catholicism. Commitment to parish communities both in good times and in times not so good is a sign of Christian maturity and appreciation. To expect the Church to be perfect really misses the mark, although all of us are called to holiness of life. The Church struggles with her continuing conversion as well. 2. Faithfulness to seeking forgiveness and extending forgiveness. We are very blessed to have a compassionate and forgiving God, a God who seeks us out and helps us to become more whole. Jesus tells us there are no limits to extending forgiveness. The Gospels are full of stories exemplifying a wonderfully forgiving Jesus. More recently, Pope John Paul II has led the Church in seeking forgiveness from those whom we have harmed. His requests for forgiveness were especially noticeable during the Jubilee year, but they have continued in some of his recent pastoral visits as well. Sometimes people who do not attend Church anymore place blame on an incident that happened decades ago. Maybe they perceived a pastor did something wrong to them, or a nun in school severely disciplined them. To allow such events to control their religious response decades later is to forget the call of Jesus to forgive. We can quickly become enslaved by our lack of seeking or extending forgiveness. The sacrament of reconciliation is a marvelous opportunity to examine intensely our spiritual journey and make sure we are not controlled by a lack of searching for mercy and reconciliation in our personal journey of faith. 3. Faithfulness to the Holy Spirit in our bodily temple. St. Paul reminds us that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Everyone is made in the image and likeness of God. We must appreciate that temple of ourselves as something precious and valuable, something to be honored and respected. The gift of the Holy Spirit, with which we have been sealed in Confirmation, continues to teach us and form us. Stubbornness and a refusal of conversion negate that special presence of God within us. The signs of fire and wind on the first Pentecost should mark our lives with enthusiasm and dependence upon the power of our God. Our Catholic tradition is very positive about our sexuality. We affirm our personal identity and the awesome mystery of our co-creation with God. The meaningfulness of our relationships, our families, and our personhood is an expression of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is no room to trivialize the mysteries of human passion and sexuality. 4. Faithfulness to loving neighbor. Jesus commands us to love neighbor. The Second Vatican Council calls us to look to the needs and plight of every person in the world as our own. We can now appreciate as never before that truly we are a global village. A Christian should never allow anyone to slip through the cracks. The social teaching of the Church, so rich in its development in recent decades, provides a road map for responding to all of our brothers and sisters in the human family. Resources, technology and opportunities have never been greater. 5. Faithfulness to stewardship and tithing. God will certainly demand of us an accounting for the gifts and resources we have received. We are called to be good stewards of our personal gifts and treasure. The traditional measure of our generosity according to Sacred Scripture is 10 percent of our gross income. More recently there has been emphasis on sacrificial giving that may even demand more from us than the biblical guideline. For me personally, sacrificial giving must go far beyond the tithe. We have suggested in the diocese that a parishioner give five percent to the parish, one percent to the Annual Catholic Appeal, and the other four percent to a charity of one’s choosing. In recent years there has been a lot of negative publicity about our low giving level in the Catholic Church. We must examine our consciences, and our checkbooks, in this regard. On the other hand, every parish and the diocese must also render an accounting through at least annual financial reports to be shared with parishioners. We in the Church must be responsible for the contributions we receive.
To live these five qualities of faithfulness is a challenge. They provide opportunities for growing in faith and for being a more vibrant witness of Jesus in the Church and the world. May God bless us and give us peace.
Bishop Skylstad’s Schedule
Nov. 8-15: Catholic-Methodist Dialogue, Washington, D.C.; USCCB
Administrative Board meeting, Washington, D.C.; USCCB General
Meeting, Washington, D.C.
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Technological advances, mobility, instantaneous communication,
global connectedness are just some of the factors that have
significantly touched our lives. There is nothing to indicate that
change will slow down.