The loss of the sacred

Bishop Serratelli of Paterson, NJ, begins a series of four articles which will explore the loss and the recovery of the sense of the sacred in Catholic life.

In the 17th century, Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, rejected the philosophical traditions of Aristotle and the Scholastics. . .He rejected the use of his senses as the basis for knowledge. In so doing, he wounded the unity between mind and body found in classical philosophy.

Besides modern philosophy, other factors have contributed to the separation of the sacred from the secular. The scientific manipulation of human life in test tubes has lessened the respect for life itself. Life is no longer, for some, a sacred gift from God. . .

To add to Serratelli's observations, I would suggest that one go back to the legalization of artificial contraception in 1965, as the impetus which ignited this burning hatred and disrepect for life.

The anti-authoritarian prejudice that we have inherited from the social revolution of the '60’s imprinted on many a deep mistrust not only of government but of Church. Some even reject the very idea of hierarchy (literally, “a sacred origin”) as a spiritual authority established by God. As a result, Church means, for some, simply the assembly of like-minded believers who organize themselves and make their own rules and dogmas. . .

Far too many still cling to the errors of rebellion and dissent and continue to spread it far and wide.

Living in our world, we breathe the toxic air that surrounds us. Even within the most sacred precincts of the Church, we witness a loss of the sense of the sacred. With the enthusiasm that followed the Second Vatican Council, there was a well-intentioned effort to make the liturgy modern. It became commonplace to say that the liturgy had to be relevant to the worshipper. Old songs were jettisoned. The guitar replaced the organ. Some priests even began to walk down the road of liturgical innovation, only to discover it was a dead end. And all the while, the awareness of entering into something sacred that has been given to us from above and draws us out of ourselves and into the mystery of God was gone.

The sad fact is that so many, priests and laity alike, are so entrenched in this path of liturgical innovation that things may never change in some places. Does it not seem like there can be no "worthy" music unless there is guitar accompaniment; that the Holy Mass must be "entertaining" so that the people can feel at ease and welcomed; that we, as the priesthood of the faithful, must make up our own "prayers" so that they might express some relevancy to "our" situations?

Surely, we've all been there - some to a far greater extent than others - and many of us have "high tailed it outta there", so to speak, praying that a cleansing might be forthcoming.

This looks to be an interesting series by Bishop Serratelli - stay tuned for more.