Home > Commissions > Faith Formation > Archive > Response to Nuns in Charge

WHY DO CATHOLICS...?

Last weekend I enjoyed the “Nuns in Charge” production put on here at Becket. Nothing wrong with laughing at ourselves as long as we remember that we have a wealth of rich, unshakeable Catholic tradition that has always been the bedrock of our faith. I had to chuckle at the “bad” theology and traditions that “Sister” poked fun at, yet many of us remember growing up formed in the theology and traditions that has given rise to the humor of last Friday. Yet, I wonder just how many of the things “Sister” brought up are still a point of confusion for us as Catholics?

Changes in the Church:
Let me clarify that the Church has Tradition, with a capital T and traditions, with a small t. Those with a capital T are firm and binding dogmas of faith. Small t traditions are subject to change and indeed must change. In fact, even in Tradition with a capital T there are levels of importance and relevancy. (History has much proof of changes in what had been in its time important Tradition.) Consider what would happen if the Church attempted to stop all change and freeze one moment in time and say, “This is the fullness of all revelation.” Tradition is always alive and growing. It must never be static. On the other hand, tradition that attempts to prevent change is, Traditionalism. This is dangerous and can stifle growth.

In fact, Pope John XXIII, in his wisdom prayed for new wind of the Spirit to blow through the Church prior to his calling into session the Second Vatican Council and the Spirit did indeed answer that prayer. Prior to Vatican II the Church’s worship, life, and doctrines were firmly planted in medieval understanding. The Church was insular, steeped in rigidity and inflexibility. In was time to bring the church into the 20th century. In fact, Pope John himself stated: “The work of this council is to better articulate the doctrine of the Church for this age. This doctrine should be studied and expounded through the methods of research and literary forms of modern thought. . . . The substance of our central beliefs is one thing, and the way in which it is presented is another.” (Quote taken from, Bill Huebsch, Vatican II, In Plain English: The Council, vol. 1, (Notre Dame: Ave Marie 1996), 87 & 90.)

Indulgences and purgatory:
I think it is worth looking at some of the teachings brought up that “Nuns in Charge” and see what happened to them. Indulgences were brought up. (I myself liked the answer given to our actress nun after she asked, “Who can tell me what an indulgence is?” A woman answered, “Ice cream.” My answer would have gone one better, “A double hot fudge ice cream brownie all covered in whipped cream!” Now that’s an indulgence!) We rarely hear of indulgences anymore. It is one of those things that has been relegated to the “attic” (as Fr. Murphy likes to call it) of our Church. It is not so relevant for today’s understanding—at least not as it used to be understood. Since technically it has not been removed from church teaching, I think a more updated understanding is due. But, first, to understand indulgences, we must be sure we have an updated understanding of purgatory. Like heaven or hell, purgatory is not a place, but a state of being. When we leave this life, we enter eternity. If we have lived in God and lived in love, (and for Christians secure in their salvation by faith in Christ), we enter eternal glory with God. However, many (if not most all of us) have things we hang on to, sinful patterns that we cling too, things we have not allowed the redeeming love of Christ transform in this life, attachments and affects of sin that still need transformation before we can enter eternal glory.

Purgatory is that state before we enter the glory of God whereby we come face to face with all that still needs transformation. Anytime we have to face what we really have been hiding from is painful. Purgatory is that state that will complete purification and transformation. How long does this take? We can’t project time, something that can only exist in our present state, to the eternal where time does not exist as we know it. It is simply a state of final purification and it takes what it takes.

That said, we can’t speak of indulgences as “time off” purgatory, saving us from some time of temporary punishment. If we speak of indulgences at all, then understand an indulgence as actions or prayers that are undertaken to draw us closer to God. Everything we do in life will be take us toward God or take us away from God or may just simply be neutral. It stands to reason that when we do more and more of whatever takes us toward God we are living a more holy life. An indulgence done with the intent to draw closer to God would naturally help us live in a way so there is less to face after we die of which we have not let go or have yet to reconcile. So today, if we must speak of indulgences at all, this understanding speaks more to our rational minds.

To chew or not to chew:
A question also raised at Nuns in Charge was, “Why do people chew the host today?” And of course much was made of the irreverence of doing such a thing. Yes, we remember well when we dared not chew the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist. It was drummed into us that it was so sacred that it must melt—stuck on the roof of your mouth—until completely dissolved. Vatican II put an end to this practice because it was a practice that had not been there from the beginning, but that had gradually developed over time. No way did Jesus break bread at the Last Supper with his disciples and tell them to “let it melt.” He said, “Take and eat.” It is a sacred meal after all and at a meal you eat! In fact, if you were to look up the Greek word used in sixth chapter John’s gospel for eat, when Jesus refers to the “eating of his flesh” the word is much more graphic than the translation, eat. It is more closely translated to munch or gnaw! Yes, we are to consume our Lord in the presence of bread and wine; in full awareness we are to take him explicitly into ourselves.

Note: we do have a Why do Catholics archive on our website. Why not make use of it and learn what the Church teaches on a whole range of topics?

Laura Broyles, Adult Faith Formation Director
laura.broyles@abecket.org

Back to Archive