Don’t Give Up the Ship 

   “In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course. (St. Boniface) 

   The ship of the Church is in turbulent seas.  It’s being tossed about by societal changes and a turning from God to human wants and desires.  What is right and what is wrong is considered personal opinion rather than fact.  

   The laity is confused and frustrated.  There is too much argument and too little theology in the “synodal” way that has never been adequately explained.  It appears to be not much more than a huge committee meeting and we all know those often cause more problems than they solve.

   Many in the clergy seem no less confused than the laity.  Some are proposing significant, even heretical changes while others are too meek or too scared to speak against them.  Those in the pews are no longer sure of who can be trusted to rightly shepherd the flock.

   What are we to do when confronted with such a scenario?  Sadly, many have given up; they have abandoned the ship.  Only 40% or less of Catholics say they attend Mass on a weekly basis.  Even fewer attend Mass on Holy Days of Obligation.  Of those who do attend Mass, less than a third profess belief in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist.

   The Church was founded by Jesus Christ over two thousand years ago.  She has sailed rough waters before, and she will again.   She will not fail; she will not fall; the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.  “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matt 28: 20)