Archbishop Chaput was installed in Philly on September 8th.
This is the pastoral letter he sent to his people December 8th (w/ Jimmy Akin's commentary). So much to be admired in it: courage, decisiveness, muscular Christianity. And he's wise enough to let people know what's coming so they can get used to it, and possibly even get on board. Some excerpts:
The Church in Southeastern Pennsylvania has deep roots and an
extraordinary legacy of saints, service and public witness. These are
profound strengths, built by the faith of generations of Catholic
families. But all of these good facts depend on our willingness to
sustain them by our actions in the present.
He warns people on three fronts: he's pushed for quick resolution of abuse cases, which will come to a head in March one way or the other; we can't be true to our mission throwing good money after bad, so schools and parishes will be combining and closing; and the chancery office budget will also be slashed.
The process will be painful. But going through it is the only way to renew the witness
of the Church; to clear away the debris of human failure from the
beauty of God’s word and to restore the joy and zeal of our Catholic
discipleship.
A little more:
Over the next 18 months the same careful scrutiny must be
applied to every aspect of our common life as a Church, from the number
and location of our parishes, to every one of our archdiocesan
operational budgets. This honest scrutiny can be painful, because real
change is rarely easy; but it also restores the life and health, and serves
the work of God’s people. We cannot call ourselves good stewards if we
do otherwise.These words may sound sobering, but they are spoken with love as a father and a brother.
Man, do I wish the President and Congress spoke like this and addressed our political problems as forthrightly. Then again, perhaps the Church must lead the way, showing by example how purification and genuine stewardship and commitment to the common good are done.
