Ever since the Pope announced his abdication, progressives have been eagerly proffering advice about choosing his successor and on what direction the Catholic Church should take. Most of these “social justice” advocates are of the opinion that this is a perfect opportunity for the Vatican to “get with it.” Liberals in both the cleric and lay factions are urging the Church to eschew “tradition” and “move forward.”
(Uh-oh. Where have we heard that before…?)
 
A typical advocate of this morally relativistic approach is our own local Detroit columnist Marney Rich Keenan who weighed in with her wish list this weekend: Wanted: A pope who looks ahead, not backward*.
 
Here are some of her helpful “suggestions” for the College of Cardinals:
 

• Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the new pope could strike a balance between tradition and modernism?
 
• A pope who, rather than advocate a smaller church with more ardent believers, opened the church to more people by being more relevant.
 
• What about a pope who loosened all those Thou Shalt Nots (like reversing its position on contraception) [Gee what a great idea!] and broadened the church’s appeal?
 
• Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had a pope who agreed priests could marry, and opened the path for ordination to women?
 
• Maybe a pope who understood that God’s match for you could mean someone who shares your gender?

 
Father Martin Fox (Archdiocese of Cincinnati), at his Bonfire of the Vanities blog, has a creative response to “small c” Catholics like Ms. Keenan who, darn it all, just wish that there just weren’t so many Thou Shalt Nots.

In his hypothetical dialogue – “Jesus debates ‘Progressive’ Catholics” – Fr Fox features Tom Roberts – editor of the National Catholic Reporter. I’ve substituted a generic “Liberal Catholic” ~
 

Jesus: If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? [Luke 9:23-25]
 
Liberal Catholic: Um, Rabbi, that won’t sell. That’s not where people are today.
 
Jesus: What? Won’t sell?
 
Liberal Catholic: That taking up your cross business. Don’t you think you should adapt your message to the way people live today?
 
Jesus: I didn’t come to adapt the Word of God to the world; I came to call the world to the Word of God.
 
Liberal Catholic: Well, the Jesus I know and serve loved people and didn’t impose a lot of rules on people!
 
Jesus: OK, well, there are many who claim to speak for God. The Father sent me. I have come to testify to the Truth.
 
Liberal Catholic: What is truth?
 
Jesus: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.
 
Liberal Catholic: Huh. That’s pretty pre-Vatican II stuff there, Rabbi. People won’t like it.
 
Jesus: What are you talking about? ‘Won’t like it’? Dude, they’re gonna crucify me. Have you been listening to anything I’m saying?
 
Liberal Catholic: Hey, this has been nice, but King Herod’s having a “sensual spirituality” seminar this afternoon, so I’ve gotta book out of here. But seriously, you’re gonna need to rethink all this. I’ll be happy to help you, let me know.
 
Jesus: Hm? Sorry, I was just praying. For you.

 
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Marney Rich Keenan firmly believes that the Catholic Church needs to adapt to the way people live today. She complains that “(t)he Vatican is entrenched in black and white, in absolutes.”.
 
Yes dear, it is. Sorry for the inconvenience but it’s called transcendent Truth. And thank the Lord for that. Otherwise, what’s the point really?
(“It’s all relative.” “We’re evolving.” “Your truth, my truth, whatever.”)
 
Furthermore, the Catholic Church is not a democracy. I don’t recall Jesus asking His disciples for a vote, soliciting their input, or asking if they felt He was being “fair.” (In fact, when they did volunteer their opinions, He generally straightened them out pretty quickly.)
 
That said, I’m not Catholic, so don’t believe in the Pope’s infallibility. BUT – they must be doing something right. 2000 years of (more-or-less) faithfulness to scripture, and a current membership of well over 1 billion members, rather effectively speaks to the strength and TRUTH of Christian values.
 

While Marney and her fellow liberals are floundering in an ever-changing sea of moral relativism, I’m confident that the Church will adhere firmly to the Rock of Ages, the unchanging Word – and the Cross of Christ. They haven’t survived two millennia by compromising with progressives.
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*I really recommend checking out Ms. Keenan’s article in the Detroit News for yourself. Just skip right to the Comments Section – some of them are terrific. Encouraging to see so many ardent defenders of the faith!