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Fr. Kyle Haden's Homepage
As soon as people are old enough to know better, they don't know anything at all.
Oscar Wilde
Being Catholic; What does it mean?
What does it mean to me to be Catholic? This is a question that I have asked myself over the last several years, since my conversion to the Catholic Church. I can honestly say that my answer has not remained the same, due to various experiences, reading, and reflection I have done over the years.In the early days of my conversion, I would have most likely taken a rather conservative position concerning what I felt was important as Catholic beliefs. Having left a rather somewhat anti-Catholic past, I felt that towing the Roman line in most every respect was the way to go. But as the years have past, and as I have functioned now as a priest for a few years or so, I have come to see some of my pet concerns and thoughts of what was of central value have shifted.
Now-a-days Catholics tend to be polarized on issues that seem more important to the mass media then to matters of real faith. In fact, it seems to me that we are somewhat missing the point on what we should be about.
As I recall when thinking about the Gospels, Jesus never mentions much about the things we seem to want to excommunicate others over. Regardless of ones views on these matters, I have yet read where Jesus said anything concerning homosexuality, women priest (in fact, what verse was that that mentions men priest?), or contraception. This is not to belittle these issues. I'm sure they are important somehow, but if they were matters of salvific import, wouldn't he have at least hinted at their importance?
Why is it that religious people throughout human history continually major on the minors, strain gnats out of their neighbors eyes, but can't see the plank in their own? So, if these issues didn't make it on Jesus' top ten list, then what was on the Christic program?
As I recall, there was that thing about loving one's enemies. Forgiving as one is forgiven. Being peacemakers, etc., etc. (Maybe we should just reread Matthew 5 again, over and over, until we finally get it).
The heart of Catholicism, as I understand it, is to be a Eucharistic people. Now what does that mean? We could easily go into the theology of real presence, transubstantiation, and all that, which is fine, but only the ivory tower theologians would get anything like a spiritual high from such a discussion.
Eucharist comes from a Greek word that simply means thanksgiving. So then, we are called to be a people who gives thanks. But thanks for what? Thanks for the fact that we have been born, can have a sense of self-knowledge, the opportunity to share in the very life of the benevolent creator, who mercifully, and patiently puts up with so much of our pettiness, complaining, self-centeredness, and all those other wonderfully imaginative stupidities we are so good at.
Being a Eucharistic people is a call to remember that we are in fact not the center of the universe, and that our opinions about how life should be are rather laughable in light of Christ's revelation. Do you really think (now be honest here) that the God of the universe, the creator of all that is, the one who came to this planet in human form, allowed himself to be beaten, humiliated and murdered, (and didn't get revenge after the resurrection): do you really think that this God is obsessing in his/her heaven on whether one receives the host in the hand or the mouth? Can you even think that this God, who we have made into a male idol of sorts, is concerned with the gender of who leads a community in prayer? Remember now, Jesus broke a lot of taboos concerning women in his culture. Remember that woman who touched him to stop a flow of blood? That was a big no-no. He should have rebuked her, then skididled to the nearest bath to wash himself from her womanly kudees. But noooo, he had to be all compassionate, heal her, and I bet he didn't even wash his hands afterward. Remember reading that he had women disciples? Wow, now that took a lot of chutzpah!
When one reads through the gospel accounts of Jesus breaking bread, not once does Jesus turn down a good meal, not even when Pharisees are the inviters. He did not seem very discriminating in his table companions. I'm not sure many of us would have eaten with the likes of some of his hosts/guests. When is the last time you broke bread with a prostitute (ok, so I haven't either).
For many people, Catholicism is synonymous with the Papacy. Now, before you get in a huff, I'm all for having a Pope. Besides, I haven't come across a Church yet that didn't have a Pope in some form or other. But haven't we gone a bit to far when we effectively allow only one individual the privilege of exclusive claim of discerning the Spirits movement in the world? Might as well stop wasting precious time in prayer and reflection, when I could be doing something more stimulating, since all I have to do to know the Spirits wishes is to read the latest sermon, encyclical, or document that comes from the Papal pen.
What is Catholicism to me? It is the belief that God the Son took human form, came to a planet that forgot its origins, to remind this creation of self appointed gods, that in fact there is only one real and true God, and thankfully he/she is nothing like the imitators. Catholicism for me is the belief that this one true God is so in love with this crazy creation of his/hers, that he/she becomes apart of this creation, to mediate that radical love, so that we could be free from the constraints of our illusions of grandeur. To teach us that it is alright not to be the center of creation. That life is better when it is not about us. So how does Jesus teach all this to us. He throws a party, and tells us to do the same in memory of him. And by the way, he just happens to be the food and drink. Whatta meal!!
All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
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Here are a few photos of friends and family
Here are some interesting links to various Catholic sites I have found
Read the latest article I have found interesting or have written myself
Concise information concerning the RCIA /Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
See photos and read a bit of history of the three Parishes in which I serve as Pastor
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