Inside ML

Dodging asteroids

The other day I heard NASA was tracking a giant asteroid that had some small chance of crashing into the earth and destroying all life. Some people worry about things like that — I don’t. There is nothing I can do about it so why waste the energy? What I do worry about is the future of the church. Many people feel the same way about the church as I do about the asteroid. There is nothing they can do about it so why get worked up?

But I don’t believe that. I believe we can influence the direction of the church. And just as NASA tracks an asteroid that "may be on a collision course with earth, I, and many other people," track the church, which is on a collision course with change.

Consider these facts: There are twice as many lay people in graduate level theology programs as there are seminarians preparing for ordination. The population of the church in the United States will continue to shift so that within the next decade those of European descent will be in the minority. We will likely see a new pope within the next two decades, and he will have spent all or almost all of his priesthood ministering in a post-Vatican II church. The first generation of Catholics to be raised by post-Vatican II babies will start to move into positions of parish and hierarchical leadership within the next decade. Almost every Catholic in developed countries — and a large number of Catholics in developing countries — will have access to the internet. In comparison, the priest shortage is one of the minor changes ahead of us.

For some people, change represents fear and death to familiar ways of doing things. For others, change represents opportunity. ML people are opportunists. While not advocating change simply for the sake of change, we do see the paschal mystery — death and resurrection — at work in the life cycles of the church. Together we can make the most of this coming opportunity. Together we can influence the direction of the church. Together we can make sure the change is for the better. One way we can maximize our influence is to come together to talk about what kind of leaders the church will need in the next millennium. Toward that end, ML sponsored a lay leadership institute last January. Ron Lewinski was our keynote speaker, and an adaptation of his talk appears on page 9. Join us for the January 1998 institute and help us shape the future. For more information, call Sue Espinosa at (510) 449-1261 and see the ad on page 32.

Correction

The Baptismal Font and the Tabernacle by Mario Locsin that appeared in the September ML (Visual Arts Awards, ML 24:7), are located in St. Elizabeth Seton Church in Carlsbad, Calif. (San Diego diocese). ML regrets having omitted the location.

—NW