Sticks and stones …
Just before memorial Day, I was bobbing around a pool in Orlando, relaxing before the closing dinner of the international Catholic Media Convocation. My wife nudged me—as only wives can—and pointed over to a corner of the pool where a youngish woman was talking with a few small girls.
We had seen her earlier; she clearly suffered from some serious developmental delays. But as we watched, she was talking with those little girls on their level, playing with them and teaching them how to make fancy splashes with the water and other fun things. There was laughter and enjoyment. There was care and there was concern. It was good to see.
We have a vocabulary for those among us with such developmental problems. We call them “special.” As in special education. Problem is, too many people don’t really think they’re all that special, and have other, much more negative words in their vocabularies.
But as we watched the wonderful interaction going on across the pool, all I could think about was that here was a demonstration that proves a basic truth of faith: no one is worthless, no one is useless, no one is un-special.
That little slice of life leapt to mind during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spring meeting here in Chicago in June (See stories, Pages 1, 17-19).
While the bishops were meeting inside the Fairmont Hotel, I was wandering around outside, watching the groups of people who wanted to make the bishops see things their way (even when their way isn’t the church’s way).
As a reporter, I generally like protesters. Most journalists do. Their presence is usually good for a story. Catholic New World staff writer Michelle Martin explains who was protesting at the USCCB meeting and why on Page 18.
But there are protests and there are protests.
There is, for instance, sharing information and opposing points of view. That’s good and often necessary. But protests are almost always inherently emotional. Names are called, judgments made and, sometimes, evil is assigned. Of course, that’s not universally true of protesters. Just the ones who seem bent on making the object of their wrath feel worthless because they don’t seem to agree with whatever point the protest is making.
Too bad it often works out like that.
Which brings me back to the incident in the pool that day. Faith teaches, as with the incident in the pool, that no one is worthless. No one is un-special. That’s true even of the worst sinner (or who we judge to be the worst sinner) or the person who can’t see (or who refuses to see) the logic in the point of view being made.
That’s faith’s underlying truth. It’s about recognizing that God’s love is universal, and recognizing that everyone is special. Of course, then we have to learn what we do about that.
Sometimes, though, even the church often finds itself in the role of protester, challenging the world to better reflect Christ’s Gospel. But it does so without resorting to name-calling. And, as often as not, these days, that attracts more protest.
For instance, expect disagreement over the church’s advocacy of immigration reform, in support of the bill being proposed by Sens. Kennedy and McCain.
Archdiocesan officials were expected to testify at a Cook County Board hearing after deadline in favor of the bill which would reflect the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ immigration program, “A Journey of Hope.” That stance will almost certainly draw protests. For an example, see letters to the editor, Page 9.
Deadline data
A summer schedule is in place, so the next edition of The Catholic New World will be dated July 17. See you then with more news and features about the world beyond your church, and the church beyond your world.
Tom Sheridan
Editor and General Manager
