Sanctuary or Soap Box: Politics in Mass

"All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its efficiency are great and unendurable. But almost all say that such is not the case now." Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience

Such is the state, for some, of the Catholic Church.

In the Philippines, a priest married his longtime girlfriend in a Catholic Church by another priest, who has also announced plans to be married. The priest, Fr. Hector Canto, allowed a television network to broadcast his act of defiance against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and commented that his bride was not his first girlfriend. Father Jesus Siva, who performed the ceremony, said, "We are (supposed to be) celibate, but we have some secrets."

Of particular note, Fr. Canto wore his priestly vestments and later said he did so to show Pope John Paul II that he desires to remain a priest. Nevertheless, both priests have been stripped of their priestly faculties.

In Australia, two groups of homosexual protestors were refused communion. Bishop Pat Power of Canberra refused 14 people at St. Christopher’s Cathedral, and Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne refused 50 protestors. The protestors wore rainbow sashes as a sign of opposition to the Church’s teaching that homosexual acts are wrong. Anyone wearing a rainbow sash was refused. One woman told Archbishop Pell that she was a heterosexual mother. His response was that he would not give her communion until she removed the sash, because the sash indicated her opposition to the Church’s teaching.

In case you’re wondering, this is not an article about how brave these individuals are for challenging the Church’s teaching. Rather, we should applaud Archbishop Pell and Bishop Power for standing up against what is politically correct and supporting the teachings of the Church.

Worse than the message these rebels pronounce is the way in which they have done it. They have transformed the church building into a political arena. They have taken their political causes into a place of worship. These individuals were not interested in discussing the teachings of the Church. Their intent was to create a disturbance. Congratulations, mission accomplished.

The Mass is the "center of the Church’s life" (Catechism 1343). To cheapen it by using it as a soap box to pronounce your refusal to believe is reprehensible.

"Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church." (Catechism 2181). These individuals need to reread that. Mass is a "testimony of belonging and OF BEING FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AND TO HIS CHURCH."

In the case of the Filipino priests, the graveness is magnified. The priest is expected to be a leader to his congregation. By their actions, these priests have said, "I don’t care what the Church says, I’m going to do what I want to do." They have taught their congregation that civil disobedience has a place in the Catholic Church.

Wrong again. One thing that is often hard to remember is that the Church was established by Jesus Christ as a means by which we can serve God and enter his kingdom when the time comes. The Church is here to serve GOD, not MAN. Today’s second reading from St. Paul emphasizes clearly that the difference between serving the spirit and serving the flesh:

"For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want." (Galatians 5:17).

It is not always easy to follow God’s law, but that is the law that governs the Church. It is in accordance with that law that we are expected to attend Mass on Sundays. To attend and express defiance for the Church is wrong.

One final point. It’s interesting that in the Thoreau quote above, Thoreau mentions that "almost all say that such is not the case now" when referring to the need for revolution. I suspect that holds very true with the Catholic Church. Those who speak against the Church tend to attract more attention because they are against the norm. Don’t get dejected by those who are attempting to change your Church. There are plenty of us who like it the way it is.

Chris Mosmeyer
June 28, 1998