Just do it

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, auxiliary of Detroit who recently was relieved of his duties as pastor of St. Leo Parish in Detroit (NCR, Feb. 2), reportedly was not permitted to speak on Catholic church property in Tucson, Ariz., because he was invited to do so by the local Call to Action chapter.

Our hunch, for what it’s worth, is that Call to Action in this instance provided Tucson Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas the cover he needed so that he could avoid directly dealing with Gumbleton and the topic of his talk: “Homosexuality and the Church.” That last point, of course, is a matter of ecclesial politics, which one can choose to engage or ignore. We advise the latter.

What’s important in all of this is how it was resolved. The Tucson chapter of Call to Action, which claims a mailing list of about 150 people, found a local Disciples of Christ Church willing to host the good bishop. And so, Catholics who want to hear what Gumbleton has to say will get a “two-fer” for their efforts -- a good talk (it’s been our experience that Gumbleton presents a balanced, thoughtful and prayerful consideration of difficult issues) and a dollop of ecumenical goodwill. Not a bad evening.

The lesson to take away is significant and important to understand, if simple. Adult Catholics need not ask permission or seek approval to have a simple conversation or to call upon respected and credible thinkers who may not find favor with the local hierarchy.

This is not to disregard the local hierarchy. Bishops have a tough job. But let’s just say clearly what we all know. These are unsettled times in this church. Pastors who might not disagree with the idea of hearing Gumbleton talk about homosexuality or peacemaking or Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister talk about women are, however, terrified of what the bishop might say.

The bishop is, of course, terrified about what the local cardinal (if there’s one around) or some functionary in Rome might say. And everyone is worried silly that the orthodoxy police -- there aren’t many of them, but they’re vigilant and love to stir up trouble -- may be in the audience taking notes to send on to the bishop, the nuncio, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and any other layer of bureaucracy with enough time on its hands to entertain such missives. The orthodoxy police really do all of that, aided by fax and e-mail and the Internet.

So, what’s a good Catholic group to do?
Stop expecting the impossible. Stop asking permission. Stop getting glommed up in all the bureaucratic machinery, the fear and the institutional dysfunction. It’s not healthy and it’s not necessary. It doesn’t accomplish anything.

We hear increasingly of groups around the country that get out their e-mail lists and calendars, consult a friendly local church or not-too-expensive local hall and schedule their own events. They’re taking responsibility for their own Catholic continuing education and taking advantage of the wealth of Catholic speakers and thinkers available to inform, challenge and inspire.

There’s a group in our hometown, Kansas City, Mo., that calls itself Topics to Go. It was formed after the bishop prohibited a priest from giving a series of lectures at a parish on women in the church, especially the section considering the topic of women’s ordination.

A group of longtime Catholics upset at the decision considered their options. Bang their heads against the chancery door for the next 20 years? That would get them sore foreheads and not much else. Pressure the pastor to oppose the bishop? That would simply jeopardize the community involved and make life miserable for a pastor who had no hope of winning such a debate.

So they decided to do it themselves, to provide a place where subjects or speakers that might cause a disturbance if hosted on “Catholic ground” could be aired.

The local Unitarian Universalists have been hospitable and understanding. The rent is more than reasonable and the speakers gracious in accommodating schedules. The audience? More than 300 have shown up on Saturday mornings to hear talks by the likes of Gumbleton and Chittister, Deborah Halter and Fr. Tom Doyle, and they have generously donated to keep the program going. It’s all informal as well as informative.

We can all do this to one degree or another. It doesn’t require fighting with anyone or disparaging anyone. Lots of other speakers come through our dioceses, too, who won’t rile the bishops and also have important things to say. They should be supported. Ignore those you think not worth your time. It’s a mature way to express your faith.

There’s just no reason to be limited or anxiety-ridden.

Adult, educated Catholics need not allow their faith or their Catholic identity or their intellectual curiosity to be defined solely by a parish building, diocesan programs or the whims of a bishop. We can do what we need to do.

Don’t forget the cookies and coffee.

National Catholic Reporter, February 9, 2007