SF Archbishop Niederauer Notes “Confusion and misunderstanding”

San Francisco archbishop says participants in “Lay Convocation” well intentioned, but some don’t understand “what is changeable in the Catholic Church and what is not”

More than 300 participants gathered for the Northern California Lay Convocation at San Francisco’s St. Mary’s Cathedral on June 2. According to the archdiocesan newspaper Catholic San Francisco, they discussed several issues, including adult catechesis, cultural diversity, ecumenism, and the role of women in the Church.

It's nice to see that "adult catechesis" was in the list...

San Francisco’s Archbishop George Niederauer was an observer at the June 2 convocation. In the same issue of Catholic San Francisco, he shared his reflections on the meeting. He said he thought many of the participants’ had “very well taken” points, reflecting their “genuine love for the Church and for their Catholic faith.”

Without being overly dismissive of such a statement, suffice it to say that no "genuine love for the Church and for the Catholic faith" exists for those who oppose her teachings and rebel against her disciplines. A very similar claim is made by the man who beats his wife - all while claiming that he truly "loves" her - nothing could be further from the truth. It's indicative of a completely erroneous understanding of "love".

Niederauer said he was struck forcefully by “the mention of polarization.” He said, like a parent, he is alarmed by the “angry, dismissive writing-off of others, the impugning of motives, and the suggestion that the parent will have to choose: ‘It’s him or me!’”

It's Christ and His Church - or - it's not...seems pretty simple and straight forward. It's black or white. The color gray is of the evil one...

Alluding to the parable of the prodigal son, Niederauer said he hears “‘older son’ voices within the Church too often.” Such “voices concern me, whether I hear them on my right or on my left, from traditionalists or progressives..."

The prodigal son, contrite and repenting, sought and received forgiveness and mercy from his father and the older son was upset that as a faithful son, he was not treated with the same rejoicing as the lost son...In these cases, however, the rebellious and "progressive" children are not contrite nor do they seek forgiveness - they want only to tear down the home of the father and the older faithful "traditionalist" son and take over all the property and goods. They want to rebuild something new after destroying what still reminds them of the old.

Archbishop Niederauer needs our prayers...as do all those who seek to do their own will rather than the will of our Father.