The problem is that Megachurches promote and empty, consumerist
spirituality that leaves no room for self-reflection. Or that's what
they say.
-Some blog commenter named "Kylark"
Over at savestmarys, we do not enjoy having to deal with
news pieces like this one, but really they make our job easier. This article profiles
St. Joseph's "Catholic" McMegaChurch in Richardson, Texas, a church the bishop would like to replicate here in South Jersey.
About 1,500 miles away, officials at the Diocese of Camden want to
promote this type of vibrant parish. As part of a planned diocesan
makeover...
Here it is in black and white, guys. This is what we're in store for. A "makeover." Yippee! We, too can look just like that cool Church of the Future down in Texas. Wait'll you see what's in store for us lucky Catholics. New buildings with new ideas and new priorities...
Ironically, in an effort to assuage the fears of Mr. and Miss Average
Catholic In the Pews, the Courier Post has done a really good job of
confirming that our worst fears about what Bishop Galante and Friends
have up their sleeves are true. The prospect that Bishop Galante would
want to replicate mega"churches" with
labyrinths
and cappuccino bars here in South Jersey is a repulsive thought. Why in
the world he believes that by instituting flaky, liberal
"spirit-trends," souls will be saved is beyond me. Promoting the
culture of the world at a supposedly Catholic church and reveling in
what one can only imagine constitutes a frequent lack of reverence is simply
appalling. Yet the pastor at St. Joe's, Msgr. Fischer, says,
When people come here, there's a level of energy. It's like walking
into a mall at Christmas.
Huh? Is that supposed to make us want to
go to this church? Is he
off his nut? I for one would like to know the last time that Msgr. Fischer was actually
at a
mall at Christmastime. These are places that most sane people avoid
like the plague. Unless, of course, he is referring to the buzz that
certain CEOs might get around Christmastime at the prospect of people
willingly parting with their hard-earned money only to get some useless
trinkets and doo-dads to fill stockings and gift bags.
Problematic article? Yeah. (But since no one wants a church like that, he did our work for us!)
Our problem with the article? Well first of all, the article fails in the journalistic integrity department generally because it is a puff piece. It is nothing but a piece of advertising for Bishop Galante and Company, and if I was Jim Walsh I'd be embarrassed by the fact that I'd compromised my professional standards. The article does not attempt to promote a balanced view of the megachurch, dissenting opinions, or even a hint of a critical stance toward the Bishop Galante and his plans. (Wonder what in the world the Courier Post, or should we call it "The Other Catholic Star Herald," could be getting in return for this kind of coverage?)
Of course, plenty of scholarship is available on the pluses and minuses of the megachurch at this point, but not a one was touched by Jim Walsh of the CP. Here are a couple of scholars Mr. Walsh could have contacted. Quote from 2005 ABC piece:
Mega-churches are booming all over the country, not just in the South.
Scott Thumma, a theologian at Hartford Seminary, compares the phenomenon to shopping at a place like Wal-Mart.
"Just as if you go to a Wal-Mart, you can get all of your lists done in
one place, it's sort of one-stop shopping for spirituality as well,"
Thumma said.
Randall Balmer, a theology professor at Barnard College in New York says [of mega-congregations], "It is in many ways consumerism run amok."
In contrast, here's a perfect example of more Courier Post pandering:
One more difference between the regions [South Jersey and Dallas, Texas]: Galante, who often draws
angry protests with his controversial plans for parish mergers in the
Camden diocese, is recalled with fondness at St. Joseph.
"You tell that bishop we miss him here," barked head usher Chuck Maltese of Wylie, Texas, a retired New York City policeman.
How funny is that? First he says we're "angry" protesters. Now why in the world should we be angry? Guess we're too hormonal again. Oh well! Maybe we should have just handed over the keys and deeds to our churches cuz Bishop asked nice and said he'd give us a latte. (I like hazelnut, no whipped cream. Although I can't afford those kinds of fancy drinks myself!) Honestly, if barking head usher Chuck Maltese would like Bishop Galante back in Texas, I just know we in the Diocese of Camden would be only too happy to oblige. Heck, we'd pay his one-way fare back and he can bring along Ms. Vollmer and Msgr. McGrath for company, too. On us! First class all the way. (No plastic utensils, and real dishes.)
It's rather odd that the CP would make the claim that Bishop Galante is widely loved and missed in Texas considering we at savestmarys have received more than a few unsolicited emails from disgruntled Texans claiming Galante mangled their diocese in more ways than one. Could you imagine the sordid tales we'd hear if we actually bothered picking up the phone to initiate contact ourselves? We simply haven't gotten around to that yet, but we'd certainly appreciate hearing the stories of the Catholics in Texas who are still picking up the pieces.
Depressing, ain't it?Aside from the article itself, it's just plain depressing that too many "Catholic" churches are are deviating from the Truth in that they are so susceptible to superficial novelties, and that some pastors and bishops are leading their sheep astray. However Jim Walsh makes finding flaws in this "model church" way too easy, and judging from the comments on the Courier Post website, no one seems to think of this church as something in any way desirable, nor are they buying the ridiculous stats spewed by the Diocese.
In holding up this parish Bishop Galante's true intentions become very clear. It seems he wants to dismiss Catholicism as we've known it and institute something utterly different in its place. Something worldly, something that resembles what's going on in many trendy evangelical protestant churches. Something that embraces aspects of extreme liberalism and new age-iness. Something that dumbs down and dilutes our faith. Something that appeals to no real Catholic.
Keeping up with the culture
From a
2005 ABC News article dealing with the new consumerist megachurches, a parent is quoted:
"You know, the culture is giving our kids a lot of fast-paced media and
all different things that are moving along," she said. "Why can't the
church keep up and do the same thing for our kids and for us?"
There's an easy answer for that one, actually. As Christians we are to be in the world but not of it. It is not the responsibility of the Church to keep pace with modern American culture. It is the responsibility of the Church to preach and teach the Good News of Jesus Christ, whether or not that conforms to our "lifestyle." How many times did Our Lord tell us that He and His Kingdom were
not of this world (John 18:36)? Further in St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (2:12-14):
Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that
is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God. Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of
human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual. But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that
are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand, because it is spiritually examined.
How many times must we be exhorted not to conform ourselves to the things of this world, for it is passing, but God is eternal?
And be not conformed to this world; but be
reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the
good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. (1John 2:15)
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that includes lattes and biscotti.
A few interesting things about the churchInterior: If you check out the church's website and look at the
pictures of the interior, you'll notice it's very spare and there are almost no paintings, statues, or images of the saints, holy angels, or the Blessed Mother at all. You can barely tell this hideously ugly and cold church is Catholic at all. Don't these "Stations of the Cross" look inviting? Is there even a figure of Christ on or near that cross? Who in the heck would want to "meditate" here? To each his own, I guess, but I just don't get it.
Cremation: Like the parishes in Florida (
churches St. John the Evangelist and St. Agnes), St. Joe's seems to advocate the non-traditional practice of cremation, to the point of having something called a
"Columbarium Wall" where ashes may be interred in little niches. It's pretty darn ugly. The Columbarium Wall surrounds the labyrinth. (For those of you who aren't aware, cremation is hugely popular among liberal eco-types because it takes up less space.)
Screen shot from church website. The "Columbarium" is that round wall.
I have no idea what the pagoda thingy in the top picture is. Maybe it's just a pagoda. Who knows.
Music: The choir has a CD with the predictable David Haas and Marty Hogan emotional tripe, as well as a "Zulu" song. Yay! How multi-cultural of them. At least now all the Zulus in their parish will feel welcome.
Eastern Stuff: You'll be happy to know they also have "Thai Chi Chih" available.
Questionable Curricula: Interestingly, the catechetical materials they've chosen to use over there have been given a "yellow" or
caution rating by catholicculture.org, who "recommend[s] that you avoid
Why Catholic." Quote:
Philip Blosser
provides a perfect summary when he worries that the program is
"designed by revisionists whose devious aim is to use their small group
approach to refract ecclesial focus, to undermine magisterial
authority, to democratize the Catholic message, to continue the
AmChurch decentralization of Catholic Church in America, to continue
the process of protestantizing and revising the Church and detaching
her from the only moorings she has in her own traditions. . . ."
"Barista MInistry" (Really, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried): Not only does St. Joe's have a cappuccino bar, they have a
page on their website dedicated to coffee.
Doesn't this cappuccino and latte cafe just scream "church" to you?
And just look at all the young people it draws.
A Response from non-practicing CatholicsHere's where our coverage of this story will take a turn for the odd. Tonight after work I popped over to my younger sister's house to borrow a couple of Disney videos for my kids, to kiss my new baby niece, and to chat for a few minutes. About an hour later, as I was turning to leave, I just happened to mention this piece in the Courier Post about "a mega[Catholic] Church that the bishop seems to want to replicate here in South Jersey, which has a cappuccino bar."
Now keep in mind that my sister, who is 28, and her husband, who is 32, were both raised Catholic. But, not uncommonly, they are both completely non-practicing. My older niece, who has just begun first grade, has never even been baptized. Other than to attend the baptisms of my own children and the occasional funeral, to the best of my knowledge, she hasn't darkened the doorway of a church in at least five years. She has her own reasons, I know, but we don't talk much about them. The point is, we couldn't be more polar opposite on the religion issue, unless maybe she was a rabid atheist or something.
Without so much as the blink of an eye, the two of them--my sister and brother-in-law--went off. They found the prospect of what a church like this could be, could look like, could morph into, etc. absurd and funny. What struck me most about what follows is that the very audience Galante and Company is trying to entice--the lapsed Catholics, the young families, professionals, etc.--are the very people who see right through all the crap. People like my sister and her husband, who don't like BS. If there was a possibility of ever being religious, they'd prefer their religion to not be mixed up in materialism. So I thought I'd share some of this [admittedly irreverent at times] rapid-fire back-and-forth between my sister and her husband with you, just to give you an idea of how truly ineffectual all this "nonsense" is. Honestly, I was laughing really hard. They definitely "got it," and with zero prompting by me.
Warning: Extreme Sarcasm Ahead!!!
The easily offended should not read, but if you want an idea of how "the world" thinks of all this ridiculousness, read on.
Brother-in-law, Fred: Cappuccino bar. You mean, like Starbuck's?
Me: "Well, yeah. I assume so. I've definitely heard of evangelical churches with actual Starbuck's inside. This church in Texas has a cappuccino bar."
F: "Well, before I pray, do I have to stand in line?"
Sister, B: "Do I get a receipt after I do my penance?"
F: "Is the holy water in a coin-operated 'spritz' dispenser?
Ya know, like those perfume things?"
F: "Is there a food court?"
Me: "I've heard that they also offer Zen meditation there."
F&B: Completely blank stares. F says, "In a Catholic church???"
Me: "They have a labyrinth."
B: "Is David Bowie gonna be there?"
Me: Hysterically laughing
F: "Ya know the people they're trying to impress? The people who go to church like once a year at Christmas. You know I have no problem with 'real' Catholics, ya know, the people who really practice and really believe in it. But those people who go once a year and then say that they're Catholic? What the hell, they're not really Catholic. It isn't going to make a bit of difference to those types anyway."
B: (Goes on...) "Do you have to put a quarter in the confessional to get the door to open? Do the hosts have an imprint of the Nike swoosh on them?"
F: "Does the organist have a tip jar? Does he take requests?"
B: "Do they have a virtual reality 'do your own mass,' or 'be your own pope' kinda thing? You know, eventually it'd be a drive-through church. You don't even have to get outta your car. You know, you go to the first window for confession, you go to the second window to get your penance, and the third window to get communion."
F: (He adds) "But you have to pay. This s--t ain't free."
F: "They could also have reclining pews, like Lazyboys. Hey, does the priest down there have a ponytail?"
Offensive? Maybe. But this is the road that Bishop Galante and those who think like him are heading down. Materialism and worldliness have no place in the Church. It appeals to no one with any real depth. And why should they try to go head-to-head with the evangelical protestant churches with coffee bars, chain restaurants, and edutainment for "worship?" Anyone who leaves the Bark of St. Peter for a church that offers such things either has no real understanding of the Faith, has deep disagreements with it, or just wants a place to hang out. Why compete with the superficiality offered elsewhere when what you've got is the Truth, whole and uncompromised?! Even my completely non-religious brother-in-law recognizes that you cannot go half-way with your faith. By his way of thinking, only "real" Catholics, whose churches lack silliness, are deserving of respect. I for one found this interesting, but not too surprising. Why waste your time with religion if what is offered in a church is also offered at the mall?
(And no, in case you were wondering, we don't need alcohol to have a laugh. We're naturally silly.)
Here are a few more reactions to the article today:
- "Yeah, I'm sure that people were thinking, 'That's what's been missing from my church experience--cappuccino."
- "If the mall is such a hoppin' place, maybe the diocese ought to open up its own chain store called, 'McCatholic.' Ya know, a one-stop religion shop."
To wrap things up
If ya really must walk a labyrinth--umm, sorry, I meant to say
"the divine imprint birthed through the human psyche and passed down through the ages"--to connect with
"that which is within" there's apparently one
here at the Episcopalian church in Longport. Of course, just about any self-respecting
Unitarian Universalist church would have a labyrinth, too. Take your pick. And probably the greatest lovers of the labyrinth, the pagans, are profiled
here. Snippet:
Seventeen people stood around the center of the outdoor labyrinth at
the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Frederick Tuesday, ready to
welcome the coming of the winter solstice. A hazy moon hung in the sky and distant lights from Frederick city
lightened the darkness of the labyrinth -- a center circle marked in the
ground with nine concentric rings circling it. Sea Raven, a Unitarian Universalist pagan, led the group in meditation
as they walked around the labyrinth and sang to the beat of a drum...
