Who is the Church, the universal institution?

Published by Call To Action, a national Catholic reform organization.

A church or the Church? (image: Alessandro Di Meo/EPA, via Shutterstock)

​A couple nights ago, a Re/Generator from last year started a vital conversation on Facebook: “I’m having a bad Catholicism day – mad at the church… Why stay (whatever staying means to you)?”

Let me first answer two meanings of this question, and so belatedly introduce myself on this blog.

For one, why do I stay in the Church? Actually, I don’t. Like many of us here in CTA, I tried to stay at a parish. And I couldn’t — ask my therapist. So I have joined a mainline Protestant congregation. (It’s great. I recommend it.)

For another, why do I stay Catholic? Because for me, it’s at the heart of what it is to be part of my family, literally, starting with my parents. I learned this in therapy. (It’s great. I recommend it.)

So I stay for the people but not the institution. Or that institution. For, my work in Re/Generation, CTA, and perhaps life, is actually institution-building. The institution I am helping (re-)build now is Chicago’s CTA chapter. And I mean for this and possible future fundraising work to build CTA.

And, I mean for this to build the Church, and moreover, in that very act, to reform the Church.

BUT LET me actually talk about us, rather than myself. (It’s easier!) Let me offer a way for us — starting with you — to be part of this reform — starting now, for free. You see, I believe that CTA can reform the Church even before it reforms the hierarchy’s institution. To do this, I want us, very basically, to talk about the Church differently.

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