J. Cecil's Progressive Catholic Reflections

MY INTRODUCTION

Greetings!

Peace and blessings to all who wander through here. I am a practicing Roman Catholic who enjoys discussing and debating theological issues with Catholics and non-Catholics alike. My experience in surfing the web on topics of Catholicism is that most sites lean toward the conservative side of the Church. One would get the impression that Catholic liberals or progressives do not exist.

So, I have turned to "blogging" where I can become a voice in the wilderness crying out as the loyal opposition from within Catholicism for progressive change in the Church, while defending her from outer attack from the atheists, fundamentalists and whoever else has an axe to grind.

I wanted to create a space for progressive Catholicism on the web, where fellow progressives can feel their views are heard and shared.

Let me say up front, that if I depart from the "official line" of the Vatican here, I will say so. I will try to explain why I withhold assent from a teaching and point to the Catechism or other authoritive texts where you can read the Church's official answers and judge for yourself whether my questions are valid. I make no claim of personal infallibility, and I very well can be in error. That said, I see no reason why the questions of progressive Catholics should not be given serious attention.

A little about myself: I am an ex-seminarian for Catholic priesthood and completed 72 graduate credits towards the M.Div., with a dual MA concentrating in systematic theology. I never got around to completing the comps and thesis for the MA. I was in formation in a religious order (Franciscans) for almost six years before discerning that celibacy was not my calling. I still feel the desire to serve the Church as a priest, but make absolutely no claim to be an official voice of the entire Roman Catholic Church.

Since leaving the seminary, I have married and I work in a secular corporation in a job that actually provides a service associated with one of the corporal works of mercy. I don't want to be too specific lest I violate some corporate policy. I am an operations manager. I hope to someday do work in a developing nation as a lay missionary or Peace Corps type of volunteer.

My Catholicism expresses itself in my faithfulness to marriage and through frequent Mass attendance (almost daily), frequent recitation of the Rosary, and daily recitation of Morning and Evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine Office). I use the Sacrament of Reconciliation about once a month on average. I am a lector and member of my parish choir. I also currently volunteer about four hours per week to teaching English as a second language in a diocesan program of ministry to non-native immigrant Americans. I have taught CCD (now called PSR in most places) and two adult education classes on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I do not practice contraception, I am pro-life, and as a sign of compassion and an act of penance, I am a vegetarian (whom Saint Paul called weak).

I don't write any of this to boast except in the Lord, as Saint Paul does in 2 Cor 11: 22-32. Only by the grace of Jesus Christ is any good at all done in me, and I still have much sinfullness and confusion to overcome. Nevertheless, in often taking stances that seem opposed by the Vatican, many of my fellow Roman Catholics will question my right to call myself Catholic. If faith is expressed in works as much or more than what is said on the lips, my deeds demonstrate my loyalty to the Church! And may the Mother of God intercede for me if I am in grave and substantial error.

I define myself as a Roman Catholic because I have received the sacraments of initiation, continue to participate in the sacramental life of the Church.

I accept the following beliefs as my own and can explain them:

The kerygma, "Christ has died, Christ IS risen, and Christ will come again"
The Apostles' Creed
The Nicene Creed
The divine inspiration of Sacred Scripture
The Holy Spirit's guidance in the transmission and development of Sacred Tradition
The seven sacraments
The validity of infant baptism
The validity of baptism in the Trinitarian formula by either sprinkling or immersion
The doctrine of transubstantiation, or real presence in the Eucharist
The doctrine that we are saved by grace through faith expressed in works
The doctrine of original sin - that I NEED God's grace in my life to be saved
The doctrine of purgatory
The doctrine that we may ask the prayers of deceased saints on our behalf
The two great commandments to love God above all and our neighbor as our self
The golden rule, to do unto others as you would have them do to you.
The ten commandments
The beatitudes
The value of human life, including the unborn
The value of chastity and temperance (I'm actually a boring prude in some ways)
The precepts of the Church
The theological and cardinal virtues
The Ecumenical Councils
The infallibility of the Pope when speaking ex cathedra
The doctrines of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and her Assumption
The value of the vocation of celibacy to the Church
The idea that the fullness of truth subsist in the Catholic Church.

Yet, I believe that doctrine develops according to Dei Verbum 8, and that such development can justify beliefs considered "controversial" by many Catholics, such as the following:

I believe that God can be called Mother as well as Father
That inclusive language in reference to the people of God should be used in liturgy
That women could be ordained ministerial priest, and perhaps should be ordained (The Pope has clearly said no to this one)
That married men should be ordained
That even with original sin, we image the divine and we are inherently capable of some good
That the ancient rite of adelphopoiesis could be restored as a union for homosexual Catholics
That divorced and remarried Catholics can participate in the life of the Church
That artificial contraception in marriage is morally equivalent to natural family planning
That ecumenical dialogue is essential to contemporary Catholicism and we can learn from non-Catholics
That social justice is part and parcel of the gospel
That salvation is integral for the whole human person (involving liberation)
That there is room for democratic forms of Church governance
That Catholics should be committed to conserving the environment
That Catholics can conscientiously object to all war on principle
That Catholics should be opposed to the death penalty in the modern world

Let me know what you think. Readers may contact me at jcecil3@attglobal.net

May the grace of the Triune God be with you!

Peace and Blessings!
Jcecil3