Church Should Not Reject People...

I went into the Redemptorist formation for 5 years, fortunate for me that at least I received a strong foundation when it comes to faith and the Catholic religion per se. But after living 5 years outside formation, somehow I already made a clear distinction between the life of a religious and an ‘ordinary’ Catholic. And in this paper I will give my reaction according to the perspectives of a lay man.

The Church should not reject “people who have sex outside marriage, use contraception, don’t attend Sunday Mass”, and should I include the LGBTs. This statement of Bishop John Buckley touches most lay man’s concerns, particularly on moral issues. Personally, speaking in behalf of the lay, we tend to disregard most of the teachings of the Church and live a life that is somehow directed by the Church’s teachings but we tend to choose what we follow and not just simply obey without rationalizing. In this generation of Catholics, seldom would you hear lay obeying guidelines without even asking why. Most of the time it ends up with protest against the Church, a clear example was the case of Carlos Celdran raising a placard with the word “Damaso” during a Mass as a sign of protest against the involvement of the Church on RH Bill proceedings. It was an indication that lay are getting more inquisitive.

It is in these situations that the Church has created a gap. Nowadays, lay Catholics have gone afraid in going to church for Mass because they always feel guilty and unworthy. This guilt and unworthiness becomes part of our system. When asked to attend Mass, they would say it’s only for the religious and the clean. This should not be the case because, as sinners we are then called to conversion and the Church can help us out. The Church is indeed our refuge and not someone who merely gives emphasis on our mistakes. Bishop Buckley was right in saying that religion is about hope and strength and not about condemnation or rejection. This development serves as a challenge to our Church leaders, who have attained a certain degree of distance from the faithful, to reach out and explain that the Church is a refuge.

And it is true that these laws and regulations are the ‘ideals’ that we should follow. Ideals that should shape our mentality and shall then establish our Christian way of life. I believe that having them as our examples to live by will benefit us in one way or another but I also stand with the thought that not living on these ideals doesn’t make me less of a Christian, in this case less of a Catholic. What is essential is what my conscience dictates me. If I feel that I am happy and is fulfilling what Christ requires me to do then I am a Christian.

It should be noted also that there is a great responsibility for the Church to be constantly on guard when there is threat to our Values. It is essential that the Church should remind the faithful to live a life pleasing to God but in a manner that does not cultivate a culture of rejection and fear. The Church, I believe, has gone too much preoccupied by setting up guidelines and laws but forget to think of what is essential; and that is to love one another as God has loved us. I always stick to my standpoint that religion is just a vessel for me to face God but then again in the end I’ll be facing my Creator alone.

This is my reflection on my Theology Class.