Written by Father Don Farnan

Mostly Catholic

In an interview with Mr. Alvin Brooks, namesake of the Alvin Brooks Center for Faith-Justice at Rockhurst University, I praised him for his leadership role and servanthood within the Catholic Church.  He clarified that he is “mostly Catholic.”  Over the years, he has shared his views about racism in the church, clericalism and mismanagement by corrupt members of the hierarchy, pedophilia and other sex-related scandals, and indoctrination that feeds prejudice and bias.  Though the church does many things very well, like education, social justice, and spiritual guidance for those that give it attention, we fail in other areas—and have throughout history.  Reflecting on the good, of which I want to be part, and the bad, which is embarrassing, I concede that I am mostly Catholic, too.

Each year at Easter vigil services in parishes, those who complete their initiation process profess their faith in the church by saying: “I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.” At one church the presiding priest asked an aspiring member that question: “Do you believe and profess all…?” to which the person responded, “Most of it.”  In 1996, author Paul Wilkes published a book entitled Good Enough Catholic in which he chronicled stories of Catholics who struggle to do the best they can in sometimes gut-wrenching and pain-staking situations.  Some church leaders raised hell over the book because he didn’t impose church laws in strict ways but suggested education over indoctrination in matters of faith.  He boldly challenged Catholics to remain faithful to tradition while also discovering an evolving morality that promotes a consistent ethic of life, condemns slavery in any form, condemns death penalties and atomic bombs, recognizes that gay people, rather than being intrinsically disordered, are simply wired differently, and realizes that good Catholics sometimes must make tough choices that go against the institutional teaching or corporate mindset.

Pope Franics recently challenged some American bishops because they don’t appreciate how tradition and progress can work together.  Americans tend to be reactionary people.  We deal with this reality daily in our political landscape.  The woke mob and far-left squad are not much different from the Maga proud boys when it comes to tribalism, reactionism, polarity, and its miserable trail of paranoia, self-righteousness, condemnation of others who think differently, and a disconnect from the roots that bind us together.  Francis was responding to commentary by an official who made a similar observation about the American hierarchy as the pope reminded Catholics that we should not be indietrismo (backward-looking) but ought to allow doctrine to progress and develop upward.  Those that look backward tend to become rigid and contorted; those that look upward tend to move closer to the open arms of God.

Many people who, in their 20s, see the faults, failures, and foibles of their parents, reach their 50s realizing that their parents did the best that they could during challenging circumstances.  Alvin and I and the person professing faith are mostly Catholic, trying to be good enough Catholics, wanting to do the best we can in difficult situations believing and professing most of what the church proclaims.  We are aware of ecclesial faults, failures, and foibles, as well as our church’s challenge to balance progress with tradition and value perspectives from left and right viewpoints.  Though unsettled by its institutional racism, arrogant clericalism, treatment of women, stance on divorced people who remarry, and bias upon those it labels as disordered or otherwise implying that they are children of a lesser God, I know that the church, overall, is doing the best it can.  Keeping the herd headed generally west is no easy task for a cowboy, nor for a good shepherd, but it is our task, nonetheless.  Let us pray for one another that we will do it (and live it) to the best of our ability.

24 thoughts on “Mostly Catholic”

  2. Father Don,

    Thank you for your ‘mostly Catholic ‘ article. I appreciate your candid view of the Catholic church.

    Susan McGee

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  4. Thank you for speaking for so many Catholics. It so hard to be 100per cent Catholic when I want to seek God in ALL His people!
    You can belong to the church for all the good they do, but maybe not “put your eggs in one basket.”

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  5. Well said. I think we all have a few issues that make us feel less than fully Catholic. Mine are in the divorce and marriage area.

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  7. Could not agree more! I struggle with many things the church believes but I still come back to my belief in God and most of the Catholic teachings. I guess I’m a cafeteria Catholic. Thank you for your candid thoughts and not more rhetoric.

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  9. Wow! I very much needed to read this as I continue to struggle with the unaddressed clerical abuse and the lack of checks and balances in the power structure of the church hierarchy. Thank you for the reminder that many of us are still fighting to maintain our faith, even if we can only be “mostly Catholic.”
    An interesting observation that most of us leaving comments are doing so anonymously… fear is a strong, but motivator in our church right now.

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  12. Hi Don,
    I agree that we need to pray for each other, and base these prayers on the fact that people are doing their best. We are doing our best, but from the standpoint of flawed belief systems that separate us from God, true Self.

    I think the church is caught in a trap. They have operated out of a Shame Based Control System (SBCS) model for so long they can’t see the harm of it anymore. This is where people are shamed into doing the “right thing” instead of being taught and trusted to be good inherently. (think: Made in God’s image). What I’ve read leads me to believe this SBCS is the root cause of why people are leaving the church. I am in the process of disconnecting this in myself. It is psychologically harmful and not Christian. I am a cradle catholic and it is a completely different way of thinking.

    I think if the church followed the contemplative path, the path to find Merton’s true Self (or the Holy Spirit) it could lead us into the new and evolving spirituality Teilhard described. I also think it is a very scary path so it will take courage. This contemplative path has led me to the edges of a “peace that surpasses all understanding”. Very nice and I’m just a novice! Our society needs this so badly. The SBCS is a direct barrier to this. We are not in control!

    The contemplatives and mystics have always been both the holiest and the biggest disturbers of the peace. Like prophets. Can the church get out of their way?

    Thanks for your thoughtful article. It’s braver and more forward thinking than most.
    Greg Immethun

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  14. I have decided that I was born Catholic and I will die Catholic, but I’m no longer a member of the Catholic Church. You can say that I’m mostly Catholic too. I’ve made peace of where I’m at. I believe some Catholics and evangelical Christians are more about worshiping Jesus than following Jesus. It’s not hard. Love they neighbor and treat people with respect. The shaming and controlling of people does not lead you to God. At least in how I was taught in my 19 years as Catholic school student. Most of the control and shaming comes from the insecurities of those that are doing the controlling and the shaming.

    I’m also disappointed by the priest on the local level who have not pushed back on the American Bishops. Fr Farnan you’re one of the good ones. I have always enjoyed your homilies, while I don’t always agree, they are thought provoking. I hope new priest learn this, but sadly I see more younger priest like the bishops and not like Jesus. I don’t have much hope for the Catholic Church at the moment. There are bright spots like you and Pope Francis.

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  15. Well said Father ! Thank you for making those of us who feel “mostly Catholic” feel comfortable in our skin and our faith. You make Pope Francis proud. Larry Otto

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  20. Thank you for this viewpoint! As a convert I have struggled with issues of the church while loving it. Some of my friends tried to talk me out of joining the church telling me what is wrong about it. But in the long run the good out weighed bad. It is a relief to know I am not the only one who can love the religion and question it at the same time. I think it is healthy to question all our viewpoints in life, as we do in politics and religion.
    Keep on writing Fr Don, I am always looking forward to the next one.
    Barb Pfaff

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  22. Father Don, I appreciate your ability to articulate so well my feelings of being Mostly Catholic. I know my Mom would thank you for keeping me a Mostly. As always Love and prayers Cousin.

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