“When they choose a Bishop, the most important trait is ‘who does this guy know?’ and Jesus does not have to be on that list of people.”

Fr Joseph Krupp @joeinblack:

It’s a remarkable thing to be a Catholic priest in these days. 

I assume to some extent it’s always been like this but for the most part, we really didn’t know how bad many of our leaders are. 

In the end, a man leaves seminary taken with the idea of Church and the rest of his life is the reality of the Church taking that idea from you and smashing it to pieces.

At core, the problem is that our leaders are selected by our leaders.

When they choose a Bishop, the most important trait is “who does this guy know?” and Jesus does not have to be on that list of people.

This week, we’ve had one Cardinal choose for the second year in a row to give an award to an abortion radical. 

Now we have a cardinal who thinks leading people to Christ is a bad idea. 

Ugh. 

The church is led by all kinds of men: some are saints in the making, some are vaguely aware of the basics of Christianity, some are functional atheists.

A vast majority of them hace two things in common:

1. Absolutely, positively no accountability.

Neither of these Cardinals will face any consequences from their brothers or from the Holy Father.

It’s just not done.

2. Absolutely, positively no long term experience as pastors in churches.

They don’t know the grind. 

They don’t know God’s people. 

They have almost no sense of the reality of the daily life of a Christian; they have no “smell of the sheep” on them.

I’ve been at a critical stage in my life for the last few years, and so much of it centers around the simple reality: I can look at the problem, describe it, bemoan it, try to get the people in charge to see it.

That has born absolutely no fruit. 

What do we do?

We charge forward boldly and with great joy.

Each of us reading this is part of the problem. 

I am part of the problem.

I am a sinner, and I have affection for some of my sin.

But I also have something that you do as well: the grace, joy, and love of Jesus. 

We have the Holy Spirit in us that raised Jesus from the dead.

Each of us reading this has everything we need from God to be a saint.

I mean it. 

We absolutely have to decide to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and press forward, knowing that the Good Shepherd is alive and well, guiding us, protecting us, genuinely caring about us.

The problem has been described and complained about ad nauseam. 

Enough. 

Let’s get busy being the answer. 

Let’s get busy being saints. 

“In the heart of the Church, I will be love”

-St. Therese