tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835776.post8565583556025681202..comments2023-10-30T07:45:43.656-04:00Comments on Thoughts and Ideas: Chapter 5: A Church for All SeasonsA Wiser Man Than Ihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02405864709965908573noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835776.post-67810713119569861232017-04-26T17:10:51.506-04:002017-04-26T17:10:51.506-04:00This was stunning to me, being only ten years ahea...<i>This was stunning to me, being only ten years ahead of many of these students. I had the sense that most of my peers at least were raised with a general sense of what religion and Christianity were. It is increasingly clear that I was on the tail end of that reality.</i><br /><br />That's discouraging... but not surprising. Have you heard of <a href="https://duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-1&uddg=https%3A%2F%2Finstituteofcatholicculture.org%2F" rel="nofollow">The Institute of Catholic Culture</a>? I'd recommend their many talks to you and your students. It's a Ben-Op type institution that is focusing on instructing the ignorant faithful, which, these days, is most of us.A Wiser Man Than Ihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02405864709965908573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835776.post-794144898911481962017-04-26T14:48:33.863-04:002017-04-26T14:48:33.863-04:00[T]he “pruning” effect has left many churches with...<i>[T]he “pruning” effect has left many churches with smaller but more devout congregations.</i><br /><br />Anecdotally, that's my impression from the various parishes I've visited, as well as the Cathedral where we're still members.<br /><br /><i>...as well as other by Anthony Esolen, Archbishop Charles Chaput, and others all seem to be bringing that call to the people in quick succession.</i><br /><br />Kate and I have been reading the former's <i>How to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child</i>, which is excellent, and the latter's <i>Strangers in a Strange Land</i>. Chaput's book is very good. He's responding to the same issues as Dreher, but his recommendation is broader in that he's a good shepherd calling the Church to be herself. But I agree it's remarkable that so many books are focusing on a similar theme.<br /><br /><i>I’m not sure what a shrinking suburban Christian community can really do if they are stuck with a horrendous local church building, but I do agree that beauty in the church makes a big difference.</i><br /><br />I don't think it takes as much work as people think. Michael Rose offers some suggestions in his book, <i>Ugly as Sin</i>. They're pretty commonsensical: move the tabernacle to the sanctuary, bring back statuary, etc. My parents live in Oakdale, and Transfiguration is typical in its ugliness. But Fr. Baer has done a great job of beatifying his parish. <br /><br />One thing I wish Dreher had mentioned in this chapter was how a Church should live the seasons liturgically. There is so much wisdom in the way the Church takes us through cycles of repentance and celebration. Our world wants Christmas without Advent, and only succeeds in impoverishing the former. I'm especially grateful that each Lent I have a chance to do better and strive all the more for saintliness. A Wiser Man Than Ihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02405864709965908573noreply@blogger.com