Keeping an Eye on the Donut Instead of the Hole

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) held their annual meeting this November.  At Crisis.com, Sheryl Collmer called the meeting a “coffee circle.”

According to a press release recap of the meeting, the bishops discussed a variety of topics.

Administrative issues, such as election of officers and committee chairs, was first on the agenda. They also spent time revising the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

But there were also discussions on a wide range of issues. Major issues seemed to be  climate change (Laudato si), synodality, faithful citizenship, post abortion healing ministry, freedom of religion, liturgical issues, AI and immigration. They also voted to consecrate the US to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for its 250^th birthday and approved the summer of 2029 for the next Eucharistic Congress.

While all those areas are important and needed discussing, it appears the USSCB did not address what I think is a key problem facing the Church today. If we describe critical issues as a “donut” and less significant issues as the “hole,” then the “donut” would be the continuing decline in Church membership.

Reasons for leaving the Church

Over the last several years, surveys consistently show a decline in Church membership. They have also attempted to ascertain why people are leaving the Church.

A Pew study some years ago cited the major reasons why Catholics left the Church.  The main reason was people stopped believing in church teachings overall.  Dissatisfaction with specific moral beliefs such as abortion, homosexuality and birth control, was next.

Other significant reasons were that the Church did not meet their spiritual needs, and that the Church was too strict. Some of those surveyed said they did not agree with the way the Church treated women.

Bishop Robert Barron commented on the results of a 2012 anecdotal survey that cited basically the same reasons as the Pew survey.

He noted that these basic reasons have often been the topic of discussion since Vatican II.  He also wrote that with exception of meeting one’s spiritual needs there is little the Church can do. The Church cannot change teachings or practices pertaining to these reasons as they relate to core beliefs and/or doctrines.

He also remarked on several other reasons given for leaving and categorized them into three areas that can be affected by some changes in Church practices.

The first category he labeled “poor customer relations.” This category included those who left because of a lack of kindness, compassion and lack of attention by clerical and non-clerical Church staff.

The second category was those who left because of “bad preaching – because they found homilies boring and irrelevant.

A third area he noted was that some respondents said no one followed up with  parishioners who left to discuss why they left.

OCIA  and Why Catholic program perceptions

For many years I have been involved in providing lectures for RCIA (now OCIA) and on the “Why Catholic” adult formation programs. Both programs center on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).  And both programs encourage participants to discuss beliefs and practices and to question and reflect on why one wants to be or continue to be a Catholic.

A common perception I’ve noticed is that when discussing Church teachings on those major areas given for leaving the Church (core doctrines, abortion, homosexuality, birth control, women’s ordination) there are many questions.

As a convert, I am often amazed at how many cradle Catholics were never basically catechized.  What’s more, they seem to have never been given the answers to the ‘Whys’ of our beliefs.  Likewise, I have noticed a lack of familiarity with salvation history and much of the Bible.

For both groups I see a real need to know the ‘Whys’ about various topics.  As such, I think some of the reasons people give for leaving the Church may be due to a lack of basic catechesis and understanding in those areas.

Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may eventually become wise [Proverbs 19:20].

One of the great strengths attributed to the U.S. military, based on my own military experience, has been that military training includes the ‘Whys.’  We knew the purpose of our efforts and why the tactics and skill sets were what they were. Knowing the ‘whys’ better equipped us to survive and win.

In the faith context, as Catholics are we prepared by the Church to survive in the world we are in, to keep the faith and win salvation?

Addressing the Donut

This essay started out with a quick summary of the recent USCCB meeting – on what was and was not addressed during the meeting. In my humble opinion our bishops focused on the hole rather than the donut. “The donut” being our fellow Catholics leaving the Church and how to deal with that.

In response to the findings that the majority of Catholics did not believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the USCCB admirably instituted and supported the Eucharistic Revival for several years in response to that need.

I suggest our bishops need to put a new revival in place. This revival should focus on reviving core beliefs that can refresh our understanding of why we are Catholic.

As with the “Why Catholic” adult formation program, an emphasis on the teachings in the CCC would be beneficial. Added to that would be a basic understanding of the Bible as the written Word that supports the beliefs expressed in the CCC.

I also think that Bishop Barron’s comments about how clergy and support staff interact with and treat parishioners and better homilies are important areas for ongoing clergy formation.

To be sure there is much more to address and I hope and pray the USCCB will address the “donut” in future meetings, both formally and informally.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” [Matthew 28:19-20].