Catholic 'Dissent', obedience

As a child in Catholic primary schools, I vividly remember memorising, page by page, the catechism of the church:  first a slim little red version, later a slightly fatter grey-green version for older students.

"Who made you?
God made me."

"Why did God make you?
To know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this world,  and to be happy with Him forever in the next."

But by the time I reached secondary school, Vatican II was in progress, enthusiastically embraced by the preist who taught me RE for the next 5 years. I never again saw that little catechism.

There is a quaint view in some quarters that to be a Catholic requires that one suspend all powers of the intellect, and meekly agree to believe, and to live, exactly as one is told.  This view I emphatically reject.  One of the key parables in the Gospels is that of the 10 talents. We are taught that the Lord requires us to use all the talents we are given, for his greater glory and to further His reign on earth.  Surely the intellect is one of the greatest talents He has bestowed on us?  (Another is our sexuality, which should also be used - but that is another story.)

Michael Bayley, at The Wild Reed, writes an impressive blog from what he calls a 'progressive, gay, Catholic perspective.'  I am a regular reader, admiring in particular the way he has of presenting not only stimulating personal views, but also the best of writing from a range of others.  He also has excellent cross-references and links, so that I find that his archives alone are worth spending hours on, to explore specific themes.  But in yesterday's post, he shares a letter he has received from a reader who states that

"this blog is just an exercise in false advertisement. For while you may in fact be progressive and gay, you are most definitely not Catholic."

In making this assertion, the writer cites as evidence Michael's regular criticisms of the hierachy, his occasional writings on other faith traditions, and on some of his other activities, such as the work of the Spirit of St Stephen's.  The comment boxes at the Wild Reed have been filling rapidly, with readers rushing to Michael's defence.  I made my own response there, so I do not intend to elaboratae further on Michael, and my support for him.  (Go to the Wild Reed yourself. Read the interchange, the recent posts which led to it, mull over the comments.  But also explore his valuable archives on dissent, and on what it means to be a Catholic).

What I do want to do here is to explore some of my own reflections on this interchange, as it affects me and this blog.

Ever since the approach of Lent, I have been struggling to get my thoughts down on the keyboard, and this is part of the reason.  I have never been one to see Lent as primarily a time of sacrifice:  rather, it is for me a time of refelction, in preparation for the great feast of the Easter resurrection.  My reflections this year have left me wanting to resolve some personal issues in developing a closer relationship with my local parish and diocese.   These do not lend themselves to public writing.

Furthermore, in setting up this blog in the first place, it was neve my intention to devote it to reflexive, incessant attacks on the established church. This is what I wrote in my founding statement:

"....to all you who are gay Catholics or lapsed Catholics, a plea and invitation:  come in and come out. If you have lapsed, come back in to the Church, and help to make a difference.  If you remain a regular churchgoer, come in deeper - take on more active ministry.  Let there be no doubt of your credentials  as Catholic. Then, cautiously and gradually, come out as gay

........ Coming out in the church will be more difficult, so you will need even more support.  I hope that this site will help you to find a suitable support network for face to face contact and discussion.  But the virtual society of the blogosphere can also represent support of a kind - and that, we definitely aim to provide."

My track record since then has been less balanced.  (Unfortunatley, simple responding to current news has left me with little choice).  Still, I am mindful that my intention from the start was to focus on the 'Good News' that is inherent in the Gospels, in the gift of our sexuality, and in the great tradition of the Catholic Church.

So, the debate at the Wild Reed has brougth into focus how I can (belatedly) reflect in this blog, part of my own Lenten resolution. For the next few weeks, I will be attempting to present a more positive view of the Church which, for all its failings, remains my spiritual home.

Related articles

• Pray, Don't Pay, Disobey: The Catholic Revolution Has Begun. (Queering the Church)
• What IS a Gay Catholic to do? A Question Comes Out of the Closet. (Queer Spirituality)
• The Defenders of the Church and the Apologetic Challenge of Catholicism Today (Bilgrimage)
• Gay Catholic Theologian David Berger Tells All: Catholic Right Gentleman's Club, Closeted Homophobic Church Officials (Bilgrimage)
• Marion Ronan on Archbishop Dolan's History of American Catholic Schools (bilgrimage.blogspot.com)