In the Archdiocese of Boston: “It’s Showtime!”

(it used to be called “Lent”)

by Kelly Clark — the lady in the pew — Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2003

From the Gospel of Ash Wednesday:

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”

Today’s Gospel aside, the Archdiocese of Boston apparently plans to offer up its Lenten season as a sacrifice to the gods of Public Opinion.

From the prescribed prayers for the Stations of the Cross, to the intercessory prayers at Lenten Holy Sacrifices, to the penance services planned, calling for priests to sit, unvested, in the pews to confess sins along with the laity — it all adds up to one giant (and extremely public) mea culpa for — you guessed it! — the incidents of sexual abuse by priests.

“How can you possibly have a problem with this, Kelly???”

Well, in one way, I don’t. Not really. Sexual abuse, or any abuse, for that matter, is sin, and Lent, after all, is a time for intensified repentance. So, in that sense, I don’t have a problem with asking God for mercy on those folks who sinned against others.

‘Course probably the only sin I haven’t committed in my life is sexually abusing another person, but there you are.

Anyway, the Archdiocese has an answer in its carefully laid “program” for the 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of Catholics like me. According to the Boston Globe, an Archdiocesan spokesman explains that:

“All priests and laypeople can participate, even though they may not personally be to blame for this crisis.”

Goody, and thanks. It’s always nice to be included. But then the Archdiocese of Boston has always been the bastion of “Catholic Inclusion,” hasn’t it?

The Globe further quotes the spokesman describing a goal of the Lent program:

“victim-survivors will see this as a sign of our willingness to acknowledge what we’ve done and to commit ourselves to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Now, see, here I have a big problem. Several, actually.

First, the fact that the Archdiocese and the “Victim-Survivors” continue to stage their endless performance of “Court TV: The Maxi-Series” makes the whole Lenten display a bit incongruous, at best, doesn’t it?

Second, the fact that the incessant, individual and Archdiocesan-wide apologies and pleas for forgiveness, have been categorically and unceremoniously rejected, denied, and spat upon seems to call for a bit of instruction on the necessity for forgiveness, rather than still another apology.

“How often must I forgive him?” Peter asked. “Not seven times, but seventy-times seven,” came Jesus’ reply. (See 18 Matthew 21, 22)

Somehow, we in the People’s Republic of Catholicism have managed to turn Christ’s instruction upside-down, and backwards to boot!

Finally, contrary to the very Gospel we hear today, we’re turning our Lenten observance into a dog-and-pony show.

We’ve decided to “blow trumpets” before us, “stand and pray on the street corners,” and, by all means, make absolutely certain that our collective left hand knows exactly what our right one is doing!

The instruction to “go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret,” is apparently outmoded ‘round these parts.

Instead, we’re cranking out press releases and making sure that “Mr. & Mrs. John Q. Catholic” know precisely how holy we are, gosh darn it!

By the way: have I mentioned that it ain’t gonna work?

The gods of Public Opinion — or I should say, their devoted minions — are having none of it. A few minutes ago, I sauntered over to my parish church during the “special” 12:00 noon Ash Wednesday Mass and — gee, why wasn’t I surprised? — it was mob scene time. Again. And, again, the TV cameras were a’grinding.

Dissidents though they may be, the “Call to Action” types (along with their baby brother, “Voice of the Faithful™”) are damned savvy at glorifying the gods of Public Opinion. This Lent, expect protests at every stop Bishop Lennon makes, along with some other creative, “hey, look at us” measures such as mock “Stations of the Cross” performances — one can hardly call them “devotions” — targeting 14 selected parish churches throughout the Archdiocese. And that’s just for openers.

Welcome to Lent!

“Conversion and growing in holiness.”

According to an Archdiocesan of Boston spokesman:

“We as a church are in need of doing penance, of conversion, and of growing in holiness.”

Woo-hoo! That one’s got my vote for the coveted “Understatement of the Year Award.”

Let’s look at the lay folk, first.

In the Archdiocese of Boston, for example:

· The notion of a pro-life Catholic office holder (or office holder-wanna-be) is pretty much unheard of;

· Our United States Senators (both self-proclaimed “Catholics”) are rabid proponents, not only of abortion, but of partial-birth abortion;

· We belong to a state that looks like it’ll be the first in the Union to legalize same-sex marriage;

· We contain a city widely known as the “Abortion Capital of the World”;

· The majority of “Catholics” — well over 60% — refuse to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays;

· Certain “Catholic” hospitals reportedly find no problem in distributing the “morning after pill” (read: abortifacient);

· A former high ranking fellow working for “Catholic Charities” regularly escorted women to abortion facilities in his free time.

I could go on, but you get the picture.

And as for our “Priests of Integrity™:”

· We have priests who warmly welcome — hell, they practically recruit — the “I’m-gay-and-proud-of-it” crowd, just to show how “inclusive” they are;

· We have at least one priest who’s decided that, during Lent, the laity will receive Holy Communion prior to the celebrants: “just one more sign of our desire to be a welcoming, hospitable community,” according to Father “Call Me Walter” Cuenin;

· We have at least one priest who’s encouraging folks suffering from Celiac Disease to partake of gluten-free “hosts” at Communion time, apparently not really caring at all that this invalidates the sacrament; it’s the “sign of caring” that counts, dontcha know;

· We have numerous priests who enthusiastically — and publicly — encourage dissidence from the Roman Catholic Church.

Again, I could go on, but I’m starting to feel a little green. (Yeah, I know. It’s Ash Wednesday — lemme go wash my face so I can finish this thing while appearing cheerful!)

::::::please amuse yourselves: she’ll be right back::::::

I’m back and filled with hope!

If I’ve presented any appearance of “doom and gloom” about my little corner of the Catholic world, then I’ve done you a disservice. Because there’s much to hope for!

The spin-meisters will either continue with the Lenten extravaganza or they won’t. I hope they won’t.

Those who have been wronged will either choose to forgive, or they won’t. I hope they will.

Catholic sinners — including, especially, me — will either repent, beg forgiveness, and do penance, or they won’t. I hope we will.

But my greatest reason for hope is this:

The Holy Season of Lent!

In a few weeks, God willing, we will remember Christ’s Ultimate Sacrifice that destroyed death — forever.

In forty days, God willing, we will celebrate Christ’s Resurrection that restored our lives — forever.

And so, I beg you: be of good cheer throughout these forty days!

For an incredible blast of hope, steal away to your room, close the door, gaze at a Crucifix, perhaps, and pray.

You don’t have to tell anybody.

Your heavenly Father already knows. And that’s all that counts.

May God be with you on this, the first day of Lent, and at every moment of your life.

In Christ Crucified,

Kelly

And now for the fine print:

Kelly Clark is your basic nobody. She serves on no parish councils, belongs to none of the myriad of designer-chic "Catholic" groups, or any Catholic group, for that matter, other than the Roman Catholic Church. Holding no theology degrees, she has no desire to see herself or any of her sex wearing a clerical collar. She figures Jesus knew what He was doing when He established His Church, and also figures that it’s His Church, not hers, and not yours. She’s an ordinary parishioner of Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston.

Use the links on the left to e-mail Kelly, to visit her parish, read past columns, and check out other cool stuff. (If you don’t see any links on the left, you’ve probably been directed here by a search engine. Just point your browser to http://www.pewlady.com to get to the main site.)

Copyright: Kelly Clark, 2003. I don’t care if you share this stuff with others. In fact, I hope you do! Only I’d appreciate it if you’d link me, or print it off as it is. In other words, don’t change anything. Thanks.

“The Lady in the Pew” column is updated weekly, God willing. To be notified of updates, please e-mail me. The link’s on the left.

“Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.”