May 9, 2018 – The Leadership the Church Needs: Avoiding the Two C’s of Clericalism and Cowardice
As laity, we must recognize that it is very difficult to be a courageous, loving leader of Christ’s flock. Without our prayers, many of our beloved shepherds will fall prey to clericalism or moral cowardice. In addition to praying for our priests and bishops, we need to affirm them when they effectively lead their flock. A priest who preaches a passionate homily about the evil of contraception or pre-marital sex should be commended by faithful Catholics. And a priest who goes out of his way to socialize with lay people and understand their needs should be equally applauded. We must not choose between the false alternatives of clericalism and moral cowardice. We must encourage our Church leaders to follow Christ who knew His sheep intimately, but never ceased to challenge their devotion to the Truth.