Recently a friend sent me a link to a website that was very critical of the pope, the bishops and the current state of the Church. Why are we so divided?
Your question echoes the concern that Jesus Himself expressed at the Last Supper. Having washed His disciples’ feet and reminded them that they were all branches of the same vine, Jesus then prayed to the Father: “I pray not only for them (His disciples) but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17: 20-21). Jesus knew that unity among His followers was crucial for successful evangelization and that division would become an obstacle. It didn’t take long for those concerns to be realized. We see in the letters of St. Paul that the Church frequently broke into factions that Paul spent much of his time trying to reconcile. Such has been the case throughout history; unity is not easy, but our willingness to work for it is the only way Jesus’ prayer for us can be fulfilled.
That being said, the extent of division within the Church is a matter of perception. I’ve known people who spend much time visiting websites that focus solely on division. These websites are spiritually toxic. They destroy reputations, play on people’s biases and increase fear of diversity. Their goal is to convince their audience that there is much division within the Church, and in doing so, they further that division. Those who live on a steady diet of such negativity cannot help but see it everywhere. One would do well to steer clear of these so-called “Catholic” websites.
What should be our approach? To pretend there is no division within the Church isn’t helpful, but neither is over-emphasizing it. The teachings of Jesus can help us in this area: we are to love our neighbor, refrain from judging him or her and not get caught up in legalistic debates that Jesus Himself condemned during His public ministry. By following these teachings, we will come to view others in a more positive light and we will move our Church toward the unity for which Jesus prayed. It is our responsibility. When our Lord proclaimed peacemakers to be blessed, He didn’t intend it only for His immediate listeners. He intended it for us.
Father Jones is pastor of Sts. Teresa and Bridget Parish in St. Louis.
