From the new day...

For much too long, darkness has shrouded the Philadelphia Archdiocese, but over the weekend a light shone through the darkness. In a corner of the city, in the oldest Catholic Church in town, I was a witness to the goodness and love of human beings, in contrast to the ugliness that has existed and that is currently on trial. While testimony continues regarding unthinkable and mishandled crimes, I saw the light of hope rising before me.

In the welcoming setting of Old St. Joseph’s church, the home of the Jesuits since 1733, joy and sincerity joined hands and the sanctuary became filled with the light and love of the divine.

The website of Old St. Joseph's boldly states “All are welcome”. Sadly, this is not true in all houses of worship. It also states the following:

We recognize that we cannot love God without loving our sisters and brothers. We acknowledge and respect the dignity and worth of every person, and we hear clearly Jesus' call to reach out to those in greatest need. Through our social justice and outreach programs, which we undertake without regard to race, religion, socioeconomic circumstances, or sexual orientation, we will show our solidarity with all men and women. In particular, we will care for those most in need, especially the hungry and the homeless, the sick and the lonely, and the disadvantaged children of our community, and we will advocate for social change on their behalf.

It is no wonder that my cousin chose this church as the setting for his wedding. The Jesuits  model the life that John and Camille emulate. A verse from the song they chose to have at the conclusion of their wedding celebration follows:

We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another; to walk humbly with God!

Incorporating such a song in the wedding, following readings of the same ilk, made a statement for all present to hear, about their intentions for how they will live their life. Their life experience has already shown that they are on this path. I would assume that the local clergy and the church hierarchy all began with idealism and strict ethics like John and Camille, but along the way, some of them became misguided. They lost their devotion to what is important and the temptations that face human beings won out.  There is a need for new energy and commitment and for lessons to be learned from this period in order to avoid a recurrence. 

John and Camille and other caring and ethically driven people like them are hope for the future. If their example can be utilized and their zeal become contagious, the tarnished Catholic Church has the chance to regain its full luster and truly be a beacon of light in this world, joining with other enlightened individuals and groups. The archdiocese, as well as the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, would be wise to adopt the Jesuit statement above as their daily mantra, reminding them how to live and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. It’s that simple. Criticism of nuns, using gays as scapegoats, or perpetuating a culture of cover ups…these are not what the word is about. The word is about love. The word is love. And from love, light streams. It’s that simple. I saw it today.

Giving thanks for the blessing of this day...