The average Catholic is not against the hierarchical structure of the Church. She just has enough confidence to feel that the Church would be better off if some of her ideas made their way to the top. As traditionally diagrammed—pope, bishops, priests, laity—the Church looks more like an organizational chart for a corporation than it does a divinely inspired idea. But that’s okay. In any institution structured hierarchically, human or divine, the best ideas always come from the bottom up, and successful leaders understand that. Look at Microsoft®. Better yet, look at Jesus. He surrounded himself with women and fisherman. If the high priests had followed his example, “pharisee” might still be a job category.
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I don’t think the average American Catholic gives much thought to the church’s hierarchy. On the other hand, they are concerned that the hierarch “listen” to them when the laity have something to say. The problem is, though, who “represents” the laity and is enpowered to speak on their behalf to the hierarcy? One American Catholic with an idea/grievance writing to a bishop doesn’t necessarily represent all American Catholics on that issue, and the bishops know that. Hierarcy “responsiveness” probably sets in at this point.
So well put Mike and in my humble opinion, true! That said, Bob makes a good point about hierarchy. You can’t choose your relatives, but you can choose your friends. You can’t choose your shepherds if you are Catholic. If you are like me, fortunate enough to be in a great diocese, then hierarchy has, at the local level, a different perspective. If you have (or are in) a less – how do I put this…. Well, let’s just say that yes – some Catholics may have a bishop that is less responsive and/or available. That makes a big difference.
I am not suggesting that all bishops and others in the hierarchy think and act “like me.” I do think that Mike’s point that “women and fishermen” and tax collectors and all sort of anawim might make good additions and less hierarchy.
Thanks, Bob and Fran. You both make great points. We’ve just got to live on the spot where we’re standing and respond as responses come. Nobody’s gonna ask us.
I’m sorry to say my feeling is that it’s their party, we’re just the waiters. And oh, we pay the bill too. This, in my view, is their prevailing attitude. This does not apply to most priests and nuns, whom you did not mention.
I don’t listen to the hierarchy at all unless he speaking is the real McCoy: a Christian, such as the Archbishop of Dublin written about yesterday in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/opinion/05dowd.html
Priests and nuns and the rest of us go to another party. We can’t change the Church but we can change the way we think about church. That’s my Zen saying for the day.
What a lovely and succinct way to put it! Your blog brings me regular inspiration, with its cheerful and relentlessly upbeat way of framing things that give most Catholics the blues. It also made me realize I’ve missed my alternative-future calling. I would have made a great pharisee!
No, Alice, you would have made a great woman who washed Jesus’s feet. You’ve got the hair for it. And the heart.