St. Catherine of Siena - Reflections and Connections

St. Catherine of Siena was an interesting woman and saint. I just finished reading the book "Catherine of Siena: a Passionate Life". Don Brophy is the author. This is the third "Catherine book" I've read.

Here is a quote from the book:  " Praying was one of the few things she (Catherine) could do in these months when she felt herself increasingly powerless to influence events in the church and the world."

Catherine of Siena was an odd person from a very young age. What I take from reading this particular book is that some people really loved her; treated her like a rock star by today's standards, and some people didn't like her.  After all, she lived eons before women's lib and for a woman to be so outspoken to bishops, priests, and popes, in the time she was living (1300's) well....that was odd.  Some people seemed to find it pushy and offensive. (Some people would still find it pushy today. Yet, God chooses who He wants to do His work in any century, doesn't He? Just look at the lives of St. Francis, St. Joan of Arc, Mother Theresa. God loves "odd people". )

The above quote is interesting to me because there was a time when her words fell on deaf ears. That is how I read it anyway. She, who had enjoyed, or rather, was given the privilege by God, to influence church leaders and to have access to them, went through a time when she felt powerless to influence anything in the church. So she prayed.

"Praying was one of the few things she (Catherine) could do in these months when she felt herself increasingly powerless to influence events in the church and the world."  I typed up this quote and put it on my wall above my computer. I have been reflecting on it for about a week now.

I suppose it strikes me  on a personal level because I used to be someone really involved in the Church and I honestly can say that I had some influence in my home parish and in two other parishes along the way.  Then the tide changed. Life changed. The church changed. Now I am largely a pew warmer.  I used to be involved in so many things. I still want to be and like Catherine, I feel powerless.  Although Catherine had tons of influence and I, just a little. But still there was a time when I was really active in the church and clergy asked me to use my gifts.

In the current climate of our church - post scandals - things are very different. Do you notice it too? Lay people are kept at arm's length by clergy and it is very professional and businesslike instead of like the ACTS 2:42 quote about how everyone lived in community and shared things. Now it seems to me that the Holy Spirit  is even being constrained too.  Maybe that is why the last few popes are caling for a New Evangelization?  We sorely need it and I am praying my little Catholic heart out for the Holy Spirit to come down in a mighty way upon all of us.

Today  is Pentecost Sunday, so this is a good day to ponder such things as power and influence, community, prayer, the Holy Spirit and the status of the church.  The Holy Spirit is so magnificent and wants to be poured out upon all of us. Yet, the Holy Spirit is trying, and we are an obstacle. He wants "in" and many of us say "stay out".

Our church has been slammed these last ten plus years or so (since the scandals) and although it is a fantastic thing that we are weeding out the few bad clergy who did unspeakable crimes against youth, it seems that we have thrown out the "baby with the bathwater" (or "community with the holy water").

Hence, the Holy Spirit seems to be constrained in many ways and it is our fault. (The Holy Spirit is perfect so it can't be His fault!) You know in scripture where Jesus said he couldn't do any miracles in a certain town because of the lack of faith? That is, in my estimation, a lot of what is happening today in our Church.  The scandals badly damaged our reputation as a church, damaged many of our productive relationships between clergy and laity, and now we are all afraid of each other. We are tense and defensive and the Holy Spirit is waiting for all of us to let Him back in so we can move on.

I think all of us; clergy and lay people, need to do what Catherine did. We need to pray because it is one of the few things we can do in the current climate in our church. We have to seek God's will first and we have to do it by praying for one another and with one another. We have to take time to listen.

I've been doing that... praying that is, in between my complaining.  LOL! I still have to pray even more than I am currently doing though. I am surrendering and trying to listen because, like Catherine of Siena, it is one of the few things I can do during this challenging time in our church and our world.

Lord, Have Mercy on us. Soften our hearts, open our souls, to your great Love. Send your Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth.  Please......  Amen.