Could a lack of a formal group affiliation diminish our lifespan? It’s an intense diagnosis, but one made by the new documentary « Join or Die. » The fate of America depends on engagement on a micro level, the film insists, and committed community gatherings will save our democracy. These are bold statements to make, but at the core of this political film is a very Catholic concept: a commitment to the common good.
The film, premiering via hosted screenings across the country (visit putnamdoc.com to host a screening), situates political/social scientist and author of the famed book Bowling Alone Robert Putnam at its center, but it is not a biopic. Rather, Putnam is the anchor for the larger case being made: that the average American can and should contribute to the ongoing work of democracy through organized groups that contribute to their communities, cultivating social capital and reducing the effects of isolation and loneliness.
Featuring big names like Hillary Rodham Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, Eddie S. Glaude Jr. and Vivek Murthy, the film demonstrates the decline in community and religious gatherings as relevant not only to the health of our nation, but also to that of its people. « Join or Die » makes bold claims about the impact of community life on personal health, such as a correlation between pronounced loneliness and shortened lifespan — thus, the pithy title.
The political references are not insignificant in this film, but the religious connotations are what stand out. Robert Putnam was raised Methodist in Ohio, converted to Judaism to marry his beloved wife Rosemary, and is reverential of Roman Catholicism, as he proclaimed during the panel that followed the film’s premiere. Does it stem from his years studying regional governments in Italy, a country where church and state are admittedly intertwined? Or is it rooted in his academic expertise being called upon by pontifical academies and Pope Francis himself? One could argue that it may be due to the communal nature of Catholic sacramental and liturgical life, which dovetails so perfectly with the value Putnam places on organization and community.
The local groups highlighted in the film are not gathering for the sake of gathering — though the benefits of social experiences are not without merit — but to contribute to the good of their community while doing so. Experiences of service and philanthropy are highlighted alongside community dinners and member swearing-in. Members of these community organizations have a greater connectedness to one another and the needs of those around them, as well as formalized avenues through which to advance the common good. What is proposed in the movie — and in Catholic life — is that while there may be many treatments, the fastest-acting antidote to the epidemic of loneliness is a commitment to community.
The documentary was easy for even a political and sociological neophyte like me to follow. With bright colors, plucky animation, clear narration and clever editing, it keeps the viewer entertained while engaging in deeper work, causing us to ask: What is the state of our democracy, and what role can I play in contributing to the broader system, including the people around me? How does community and connection benefit not just me, but the good of our society as a whole? These questions arise for all viewers but hold particular importance to people of faith, because our civic and societal responsibilities cannot remain separate and secular.
In the end, « Join or Die » leaves viewers contemplating the stark command of the title. Remaining in our bubbles of isolation is a death sentence; not only to democracy, but to the common good and, in the end, to ourselves.
Editor’s note: Contributor Nicole M. Perone is married to NCR digital editor John Grosso.
« I think you’re the first one up today. Any view? »
I responded in the negative.
The restoration worker wished me well and my descent continued in earnest. Climbing Croagh Patrick, I was learning, was a three-and-a-half-hour journey in three parts: the excited ascent, the frustrating summit and the growing down.
I was in Ireland with my wife, Regina, to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, but a torn tendon in her foot meant I would be hiking County Mayo’s 2,500-foot holy mountain alone. St. Patrick is said to have spent 40 days here in A.D. 441. But even before Patrick, this location has been revered and trodden by pilgrims — and now I was one of them.
On the way up, I had seen almost no one. The mountain had a few streams with some green vegetation, but there were no trees, only various types of rock and a few sheep. Every now and then I had stopped to observe, maybe take a photo and then set out again, picking up the pace.
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The clouds were dense, but I could see enough to know that if I lost my footing, it would be a long way down with only rocks to break my fall. But the weather cooperated, the scenery was beautiful, the ascent was fun and I had finally reached the top of Ireland’s holiest mountain.
A white stucco chapel marks the summit of Croagh Patrick. Once I had made it, I walked around and said my prayers as my exhilaration turned into contentment — and then, disappointment. This was it? This was the top?
The clouds were thick; too thick for a viewing of Clew Bay below or its 365 islands. But a bigger disappointment followed: The chapel was locked.
I really dislike when churches are closed. I feel a church building ought to be like a tabernacle: lights on and doors open. But alas, I found out, the chapel here is only open a few times per year, despite being a holy site of pilgrimage with people arriving daily.
I was alone. I could see the wind whip wisps of moisture around me. And while I didn’t perform the prescribed formula of prayers suggested by the signage, I sat down and prayed in my own way. Then I waited, perhaps for some sort of religious experience in the morass of gray I’d found myself in.
Did I expect to see God? No. But an apparition or vision would have been nice. But there was no epiphany or burning heart, just a little disappointment. The peak of the holy mountain didn’t provide a mystical experience. I decided it was time to go down.
And that’s when I got the religion I was looking for. Not in the ascent, not at the summit, but on the descent — the going down and getting to the final destination.
The metaphor of faith as a journey suggests movement and change. I sum up my faith life by quoting Catherine of Siena, « All the way to heaven is heaven … because Jesus is the way. »
My movement and participation in the here-and-now kingdom of God is what matters; it’s what I will be judged on. Therefore, if I take care of today, heaven will take care of itself. One step at a time, if you want another cliché.
The steepest part of the mountain, and the part with the loosest rocks, is near the summit and I quickly realized that going down would be harder than going up. I remembered the poetry of Joseph Grant. If we want to obtain Holy Wisdom, that religious experience I didn’t have at the summit, we’ve got to slow down, come down and grow down.
Some pilgrims climb this mountain barefoot; I did not. Nor did I have a walking stick, so to « slow down » was necessary; I was in no hurry and some things take time. To « come down, » for Grant, is to be humble, to recognize that Wisdom is among the lowly, not the lofty. And in coming down Croagh Patrick, I met and talked to many people. I was alone no longer.
I passed a middle-aged dad and his son, spoke to two women from Canada, heard a young group speaking German and another a mix of English and Irish.
Closer to the base, I passed an elderly woman with a knee brace and mobility issues that couldn’t compromise the pep in her step and excitement in her eyes. « Did you make it to the top? » she asked, looking to the summit.
I could see that the clouds were finally breaking. I said, « I did. And it looks like you’ll get a view when you get there. »
Near the end of my descent, I thought of Moses coming down Mount Sinai. I thought, also, of Elijah searching for God. Finally, I thought of Jesus and how the ascendency of mountains to be with God was flipped, first by God coming down at Christmas, then by Jesus asking Zaccheus to come down out of the tree, and finally in Mark’s Gospel, where people cut through a roof to lower a friend down to meet Jesus at ground level among the lowly.
That’s when I got the religion I was looking for. Not in the ascent, not at the summit, but on the descent — the going down and getting to the final destination.
Lastly, Grant says that Wisdom draws us out of our heads toward the ground where truth may be felt with our feet — to « grow down » is essential. The height of a 90-foot sycamore tree is impressive, but its impressive height is only possible because the seedling in the dirt also grew down, slowly, sinking roots that kept growing down.
I had now descended Croagh Patrick.
When I returned to the car, I found my wife napping. There was a pub at the foot of the mountain and I thought perhaps I could grab a glass of Murphy’s, but I had been away from Regina long enough. It was time to end this climb.
I can’t say for sure that I received Holy Wisdom on the way down. But not every fruitful journey is about climbing higher. I was on a wedding anniversary trip, after all. It mattered less whether I communed with God at the top; what mattered was that I made it back down to my wife, without whom there’d be no occasion to be in Ireland at all.
I’m glad I made it to the top of the mountain, but I’m gladder still that I made it down, back to her. Now, together we are on our way to the next destination.
A group of U.S. bishops, led by Santa Fe, New Mexico, Archbishop John C. Wester, and a Catholic sister met with senior White House officials about Pope Francis’ latest climate letter, Laudate Deum, for 45 minutes on Nov. 17.
Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Tucson, Arizona, Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima, Washington, and St. Joseph Sr. Carol Zinn, executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, joined Wester at the meeting. Franciscan Lonnie Ellis, executive director of Catholic communications consulting nonprofit In Solidarity, who was also present, organized the meeting with Wester.
The bishops and Zinn shared the U.S. bishops’ conference’s support for potential forthcoming pollution-limiting rules from the Environmental Protection Agency with senior Biden White House officials, including John Podesta, senior adviser to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation, who was previously former President Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, Ali Zaidi, national climate adviser, and John McCarthy, senior adviser for political engagement.
Because delays in finalizing the rules could make them more vulnerable to legal challenges or repeal by a future president or Congress, the bishops and Zinn pressed the administration to finalize rules on methane, carbon pollution from power plants, soot pollution and emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles by the end of April 2024.
Ellis said he was pleased to hear that White House officials expected to finalize the rules by the end of April. Ellis also expressed hope about rumors that the Biden administration* hopes to finalize their methane rule before COP28, the annual United Nations climate change conference set to take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 30-Dec. 12 this year.
Catholic meeting participants expect future collaboration with the White House on climate issues, particularly around environmental justice. Ellis was also pleased to hear the White House say they would follow up with the group, especially because advocacy groups often have to initiate follow-up.
The bishops shared stories of how fires and heat waves are affecting the people of their dioceses.
Tyson brought the perspective of climate change’s impacts on his diocese’s agriculture and fishing to the meeting. « John Podesta had a very detailed knowledge of some of the issues around the fisheries, the salmon and the Columbia River watershed, » Tyson said.
Tyson said the group discussed polarization and how to bring people around « a common table. »
« How do we bring people together, people who might be in conflict, and create some kind of social friendship among very competing stakeholders to really care for the environment, care for God’s creation? » he said.
Ellis recalled Zinn saying during the meeting, « We’re here because someone needs to speak about who is hurt first and worst from climate change. »
Catholic meeting participants were pleased with how the conversation went, with Ellis calling it « a refreshing conversation, » especially because White House officials took more than the scheduled 30 minutes and because of the surprise attendance of Podesta.
Tyson emphasized the importance of « tend[ing] to the relationships » with the White House. « We don’t agree with everything that comes out of any administration. There’s tension, » Tyson said of the bishops’ conference position on various political issues.
While the meeting was organized on too short of notice for the U.S. bishops’ conference to formally participate, the conference was supportive of the meeting, Ellis said, adding that some bishops who wanted to participate were not available.
Francis’ apostolic exhortation on the climate crisis came on Oct. 4, two months before the U.N. global climate summit. Francis, whose 2015 encyclical « Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, » was credited with building momentum ahead of a historic agreement in Paris at COP21, will this year be the first pope ever to attend a U.N. climate summit.
In Laudate Deum, Francis called for urgent action at COP28 and took particular aim at the United States as a major emitter.
« If there is sincere interest in making COP28 a historic event that honors and ennobles us as human beings, then one can only hope for binding forms of energy transition that meet three conditions: that they be efficient, obligatory and readily monitored, » Francis wrote.
Francis also highlighted that the U.S. has the highest level of per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world.
The meeting at the White House comes after the U.S. bishops’ conference spent a week meeting in Baltimore, where Francis’ climate teaching was largely sidelined. The pope’s climate letter and other environmental topics did not make it onto the agenda for the public sessions in Baltimore, and the White House meeting was organized by individual U.S. bishops, not the conference.
At their meetings, the bishops’ conference decided that abortion would continue to be the « preeminent priority » in their guidance for Catholic voters, prioritizing it above climate change.
Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, vice president of the bishops’ conference, explained why the bishops’ conference chose to elevate abortion above climate change, saying, « We recognize that the effects of [climate change and other ecological concerns] are indirect rather than direct. That does not make them less serious. It however does affect how we have weighted things. »
Of the Nov. 17 meeting, Tyson said that, by « being a resource to » the people in government, the bishops are « trying to help Democrats be better Democrats and Republicans be better Republicans. »
*This story has been updated to clarify comments by Lonnie Ellis.
When Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Báez finished his homily on a recent Sunday, applause broke out among the hundreds of faithful in St. Agatha Catholic Church, on the outskirts of Miami, that has become the spiritual home of the growing Nicaraguan diaspora.
For the auxiliary bishop of Managua, his fellow priests and many worshippers who have fled or been exiled from Nicaragua recently, the Sunday afternoon Mass is not only a way to find solace in community. It’s also a means of pushing back against the government’s violent suppression of critics, including many Catholic leaders.
« For me, it’s the moment when I am closest to the people of Nicaragua. It’s like going back for an hour, » Báez told The Associated Press after greeting a long line of congregants outside the sacristy. « My constant message is, ‘Let’s not lose hope, let’s not get used to a situation that God doesn’t want.’ «
Báez said he left Nicaragua in the spring of 2019 only because Pope Francis told him to, « to save my life – he said he didn’t want another Central American martyr bishop. »
But the pope has added, « don’t abandon your people, » Báez said, and these Miami Masses, which are also livestreamed, have become his way to preach resilience.
His recent homilies, based on Jesus’ teachings about love of God and neighbor as well as the importance of acting out one’s values, have denounced « dictators who say they love God but oppress the people. » He has decried the hypocrisy of those who call themselves « the people’s president » only to « nullify these very people, denying them fundamental liberties. »
« From Monday to Saturday we live through vicissitudes, problems, all sorts of things, and on Sunday with the homily it’s like a glass of water in the desert, » said Donald Alvarenga as he arrived for Báez’s service.
Alvarenga rarely attended Mass in Nicaragua but doesn’t miss one here since he was among more than 200 Nicaraguans released from detention, forcibly expelled to the United States in February and later stripped of citizenship by the government of President Daniel Ortega.
Ortega has had an uneven relationship with faith leaders for decades. His government, like some other Latin American governments, traces its roots back to a socialist revolution that was opposed by Catholic hierarchy, though supported by some liberal clergy.
Since repressing popular protests in 2018 that called for his resignation, Ortega’s government has systematically silenced opposing voices and zeroed in on the church, including confiscating the prestigious Jesuit-run University of Central America in August.
Nicaragua’s congress, dominated by Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front, has ordered the closure of more than 3,000 nongovernmental organizations, including Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.
« This is the last independent institution, the Catholic Church, that Ortega doesn’t have complete control over. It’s really trying to overtake the last institution that could be a threat to his legitimacy, » said Michael Hendricks, a politics professor at Illinois State University and former Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua.
Repression even extended to barring many patron saint’s feasts and Easter processions in a country where the Christian faith has vast cultural resonance, Hendricks added. An estimated 10% of the population has fled — more than half a million since 2018.
The moves against young protesters and the church, where college student Cinthya Benavides was active in youth ministry, pushed her to leave Nicaragua – fleeing her house with only her passport, phone and laptop as police knocked on the front door.
« I had to come illegally. But my faith sustained me, » she said at St. Agatha, where she and two fellow members of the Nicaraguan University Alliance distributed flyers about church persecution.
Her own parish priest was in prison for a while. Last month, Nicaragua released a dozen Catholic priests jailed on a variety of charges and sent them to Rome following an agreement with the Vatican.
But Bishop Rolando Álvarez has remained in prison for more than a year and received a 26-year sentence after refusing to get on the February flight to the United States.
Báez opens each Mass with a prayer for Álvarez’s health, strength and « unconditional freedom. » Fr. Edwing Román, who also celebrates Mass at St. Agatha, said Álvarez’s detention in a notoriously harsh prison convinced him returning to Nicaragua isn’t an option for now.
Román had come to the United States in 2021 for a short trip to baptize a relative. But while here, he was made aware of threats he would be jailed if he returned to his parish church in Masaya, where he had assisted injured protesters.
« It was a humanitarian ministry. I have no regrets, » Román said. One evening during the 2018 protests, he heard cries and shots outside his rectory and, after opening the door in his pajamas, ended up spending hours washing off blood and teargas from injured youth.
With donations of gauze and other supplies, he started a small dispensary in his parish, where the bodies of dead protesters were also taken. That earned him accusations from authorities of being a « terrorist » intent on overthrowing the government, and police routinely detained him when he left the church, he said.
To former political prisoner Carlos Valle, who was exiled in February, the courageous ministry of priests like Román and Báez serves as a « spiritual guide. »
« We feel refuge with them, they’re exiled just like us, » said Valle. Of his 12 children, 11 have also fled Nicaragua – one stayed behind because she works for the government.
Every week, newly arrived Nicaraguans knock on the parish door, needing help with everything from legal immigration assistance to a place to stay – an increasingly tough ask as hundreds of thousands of exiles and migrants have strained Miami’s welcome.
« To help them, for me, is an obligation, » said St. Agatha’s pastor, Fr. Marcos Somarriba, who himself came decades ago as a teen. « I know what it’s like to go through this. »
Báez said the church, in addition to offering practical help, can continue advocating for human rights and for a different social and political way because « there, nobody can say this. »
Many priests, nuns and other exiles worry about reprisal, especially against their families still in Nicaragua, and fear going public with their stories. But others feel a responsibility to bring awareness and a sense of hope.
« Even fear we have already lost, » said Nestor Palma as he distributed flyers about exiled priests and political prisoners at St. Agatha. « That’s why we’re in this daily struggle, so that the light might not be lost. »
The U.S. Catholic bishops decided on Nov. 15 at their general assembly here that « the threat of abortion » will remain the « preeminent priority » for their political guidance to Catholic voters in the year leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
In voting to approve language that echoes their 2019 introductory letter to a document known as « Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, » the bishops chose to continue prioritizing their outspoken anti-abortion advocacy over what they describe as « other grave threats to life, » such as climate change, gun violence, racism and health care inequities.
Asked by reporters if the new letter downplayed the catastrophic threats of climate change, which Pope Francis emphasized in his new apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori said abortion was a more imminent threat to vulnerable human life.
« It does not make [ecological concerns] less serious, but this does affect how we have weighed out things, » said Lori, vice president of the bishops’ conference, who led a task force of bishops’ conference committees in drafting a new introductory letter and bulletin inserts to accompany « Faithful Citizenship. »
An earlier draft of the introductory letter, obtained by NCR, said abortion would remain « a preeminent priority » because of the vulnerability of « the innocent child in the womb. » On Nov. 15, the bishops approved an amendment to add language saying abortion « directly attacks our most vulnerable brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone. »
Arlington, Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbridge, the chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, proposed that amendment with his committee’s support.
Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, Bishop Mark Brennan and Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann had proposed their own amendments to underscore abortion’s preeminence for the U.S. hierarchy. Naumann’s amendment proposed adding that the bishops sought the « prevention of the inevitable emotional and spiritual scarring of post-abortive parents. » Those amendments did not pass.
The bishops did not debate or discuss the « Faithful Citizenship » supplemental materials during their Nov. 15 public session, and they voted to approve the agenda item 225 to 11. Lori noted that wide margin when a reporter asked him if the U.S. bishops’ priorities were at odds with Francis’.
« Ecological concerns are hugely important, and must be addressed and we take utterly seriously both [documents] from Pope Francis on the subject and strive to implement them in our diocese, but we recognize that the effects of this are indirect rather than direct, » Lori said.
In his 2015 encyclical « Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home » and in Laudate Deum, an apostolic exhortation released on Oct. 4, Francis emphasized climate change as an urgent crisis demanding humanity’s immediate attention. In December, Francis is scheduled to become the first pope to attend a United Nations climate summit, COP28 in Dubai, to help promote global action on the issue.
Elsewhere, Francis has also taken a different approach from the U.S. bishops in frequently speaking about abortion in relation to the church’s teachings and positions on other life issues, including the death penalty, social justice and anti-poverty initiatives, and treatment of migrants.
In Gaudete et Exsultate, his 2018 apostolic exhortation on holiness, Francis said the church’s « defense of the innocent unborn » needed to be « clear, firm and passionate. » But the pope said the lives of people already born were « equally sacred, » and he highlighted issues such as human trafficking, poverty, euthanasia, « and every form of rejection. »
At their November 2019 plenary, the U.S. bishops voted to identify abortion as their « preeminent priority » following a public debate where some prelates disagreed with that language, on grounds that it was inconsistent with Francis’ teachings.
A year after that gathering, Democrat Joseph Biden was elected U.S. president. Biden’s election prompted an at-times pointed debate among the U.S. hierarchy on whether to prohibit Catholic politicians like Biden who support abortion rights from receiving Communion. The controversy ended with the November 2021 approval of a document that summarized Catholic teaching on the Eucharist.
Seven months after that controversy subsided, in June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade, which had declared abortion to be a federal constitutional right. Since then, while some states have moved to restrict abortion or widen access, voters in seven states over the past year have approved binding ballot referendums and amendments to preserve abortion rights, most recently in Ohio.
Despite those electoral setbacks, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, told reporters Nov. 14 that the bishops see their role as one of educating voters that abortion is « simply not acceptable » since it is « an end to human life. »
Said Broglio, « Perhaps we need to make our position clearer. »
At their November 2022 plenary, the bishops opted to publish a new introductory letter and bulletin inserts, instead of rewriting « Faithful Citizenship. » The bishops said they plan to begin revising « Faithful Citizenship » after the 2024 election, with the goal of preparing a new edition for approval at their November 2027 plenary.
The bishops last issued a new version of « Faithful Citizenship » in 2007.
Lori said the document has served the bishops’ conference well, and he stressed that « Faithful Citizenship » is based on Catholic social teaching principles, adding: « It’s not based on one’s favorite political ideology. »
The Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S. urged the nation’s Catholic bishops on Nov. 14 to step out of their « comfort zones » and embrace the open-ended discussions at Pope Francis’ Synod of Bishops as the way forward for the global church.
In a 20-minute opening address to the bishops’ annual fall assembly here, Cardinal Christophe Pierre told the prelates that Francis’ vision of a synodal church where all members listen to one another is « essential to evangelization. »
« We may have had fears and anxieties about the synod, especially if we are focusing on a particular agenda or idea, whether positive or negative, but this is not what synodality is all about, » Pierre said, in an apparent reference to resistance among conservative U.S. Catholics and bishops to the synodal process.
The U.S. bishops are meeting in Baltimore Nov. 13-16, about two weeks after the Oct. 4-29 Synod of Bishops on Synodality concluded its assembly. The synod delegates issued a report that discussed many pressing issues impacting the church’s mission in the modern world, including questions of better inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics and women’s leadership.
Pierre, who was made a cardinal by Francis in September, also linked synodality — which Pope Francis has said is what « God expects of the Catholic Church in the third millennium » — with the U.S. bishops’ ambitious eucharistic revival project.
A multiyear initiative aimed at restoring lay Catholics’ devotion to the Eucharist, the bishops’ revival project is set to culminate in 2024 with a large-scale, $14 million National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
« Synodality and the eucharistic revival belong together by their very nature, and they shed light on one another, » Pierre said.
« Eucharistic revival and synodality go together, » the cardinal said later in his address. « Or to put it another way: I believe that we will have true eucharistic revival when we experience the Eucharist as the sacrament of Christ’s incarnation: as the Lord walking with us together on the way. »
Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the bishops’ conference, thanked Pierre for linking the synodality and the Eucharistic revival.
« These are both forms of evangelization, » said the archbishop, delivering his presidential address after Pierre spoke. Broglio, who attended the synodal assembly in Rome, said the event was « certainly an opportunity to interact and speak on many different themes from representatives from around the world. »
« Different cultures, different perceptions always enrich, » said Broglio, who added that it was « important to listen to each other. »
Throughout his 12-minute address, Broglio primarily highlighted situations of crisis around the world. He spoke about the Catholic Church’s efforts to address political conflicts in Nicaragua and Haiti, and offered prayers for peace in Ukraine, Israel/Gaza and the wider Middle East. He said the church recognizes « the right of Israel to exist, » the Palestinians’ « right to a land that is their own » and mentioned Ukraine’s « struggle against unjust aggression. »
After the two speeches the morning of Nov. 14, the U.S. bishops elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley as their conference secretary. Coakley had already been serving in the position since the bishops elected him in November 2022 to complete the term left vacant when Broglio was chosen as the conference president.
The bishops elected Coakely over Portland, Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample, 187-55.
Also elected were chairmen-elect of six of the conference’s standing committees:
Trenton, New Jersey, Bishop David M. O’Connell, Committee on Catholic Education;
Springfield, Massachusetts, Bishop William Byrne, Committee on Communications;
Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan, Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church;
Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop James Massa, Committee on Doctrine;
Reno, Nevada, Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg, Committee on National Collections; and,
Toledo, Ohio, Bishop Daniel Thomas; Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Later in the assembly session on Nov. 14, bishops and other delegates who attended the October synodal assembly in Rome shared their reflections and experiences.
« This level of consultation of the people of God is unprecedented in church history, » said Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, who described the synod as a « positive and enriching experience. »
« It was an experience of the beautiful universality of the church and of our communion, » Rhoades said, adding that prayer had a « prominence » throughout the gathering that he said « made it clear » that the synod was « centered in Christ. »
« Our task was spiritual discernment, not political or theological debate, » Rhoades said. « The method and the atmosphere were conducive to deepening our communion, even if and when we may have had some theological disagreements. »
Brownsville, Texas, Bishop Daniel Flores, who coordinated the national consultation for the synod for the bishops’ conference, urged the prelates in attendance to read the synodal assembly’s 40-page report.
Flores said the report, which sidestepped questions about LGBTQ ministry and the possibility of ordaining women as deacons, « raises thoughtful questions. » Flores said « many difficult issues » were raised during the synod, but added that they were not discussed in a contentious way.
« This is in itself quite remarkable, » said Flores, who added that he expects the Vatican’s synod office and the bishops’ conference to distribute resource materials for bishops to consult before the next synodal assembly meets in Rome in October 2024.
Flores encouraged the bishops to be « actively involved » in synodal consultations with the laity in their local churches. He said lay Catholics have « an indispensable role in the mission of the church. »
Flores said the synodal style of honest conversation, sincere listening and discernment offers the church « a Catholic way » to grapple with contentious issues « faithfully, realistically, prayerfully, thoughtfully and charitably. »
The assembly also heard from Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, who spoke about the conference’s plans to issue Catholic voting guidance ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. The guidance, which will include bulletin inserts and a new introductory letter, is planned to supplement the bishops’ quadrennial « Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship » teaching document.
The bishops were to be given the opportunity to propose amendments to the materials before discussing and voting on them during their Nov. 15 public session.
According to drafts of the « Faithful Citizenship » materials obtained previously by NCR, abortion is presented as « a preeminent concern » for Catholic voters. Issues like racism, health care, wars and famine, climate change, gun violence and the death penalty are mentioned as « other grave threats to life. »
At their November 2022 plenary, the bishops opted to publish new supplemental materials instead of rewriting « Faithful Citizenship. »
World leaders must ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the people affected by the ongoing wars in Gaza and Sudan, Pope Francis said.
« In Gaza, let the wounded be rescued immediately, let civilians be protected, let far more humanitarian aid be allowed to reach that stricken population, » he said after praying the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square Nov. 12. « May the hostages be freed, including the elderly and children. »
Hamas militants held 239 Israeli hostages in Gaza as of Nov. 12. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Nov. 11 that a cease-fire in Gaza would be possible only after a release of all the hostages.
Yet the next day the pope publicly asked that « the weapons be stopped. »
« They will never lead to peace, » he said. « And may the conflict not widen. Enough! Enough, brothers! »
« Every human being — Christian, Jewish, Muslim — of any people or religion, every human being is sacred, is precious in the eyes of God and has the right to live in peace, » the pope added, asking people to « pray and work tirelessly so that the sense of humanity may prevail over hardness of heart. »
He also appealed to leaders to support access to humanitarian aid in Sudan, where a civil conflict that began in April has led to the deaths of more than 9,000 people and displaced 5.6 million. The pope asked Sudanese leaders to « work in search of peaceful solutions » with the help of the international community.
« I am close to the sufferings of those dear populations of Sudan, » he said. « Let us not forget these brothers and sisters of ours who are in distress. »
Noting the many Ukrainian flags waved by visitors in St. Peter’s Square, the pope greeted a group of pilgrims celebrating 400 years since the martyrdom of St. Josaphat — a Basilian monk born in Ukraine — and asked that people not forget « tormented Ukraine. »
In a short note in the daily press bulletin, the Vatican said Strickland, who had served as the leader of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, since 2012, had been « relieved » of his post by Francis. That language, not typical in Vatican diplomatic speak, appeared to indicate that Strickland, age 65, had refused requests to resign. The prelate had been subject to an official Vatican investigation into his leadership.
« The shocking part for me was not that [Strickland] was going against Pope Francis, but seeing a Catholic bishop behaving like a fundamentalist Protestant in being so dismissive of the idea that there is a church authority that he has to obey, » said Massimo Faggioli, a theologian and church historian at Villanova University.
Please allow me to clarify regarding, “Patrick Coffin has challenged the authenticity of the Pope Francis.” If this is accurate I disagree, I believe Pope Francis is the Pope but it is time for me to say that I reject his program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. Follow Jesus.
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) May 13, 2023
Faggioli told NCR that Strickland’s posts on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, where he once accused the pope of « undermining the Deposit of Faith, » was « the strangest behavior by a bishop » that the theologian had seen in the age of social media.
« In his tweets, » Faggioli said, « It was almost like he was saying, ‘Jesus told me to do this, Jesus told me to say that,’ which in some other churches might be acceptable but it is certainly not the way in which the Catholic Church understands unity and the responsibility of a bishop. »
Francis appointed Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez as apostolic administrator of the Tyler diocese, entrusting him to lead until a new bishop is appointed. Across the diocese, news of Strickland’s removal reverberated quickly.
Some Catholics in the Tyler Diocese were not surprised and told NCR that the pope’s move to sideline the outspoken conservative prelate was long overdue.
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« People have been writing to the nuncio [Vatican ambassador] for years about [Strickland], all related to how he was running his diocese, » said Cindy Plummer, a former diocesan official who was among several female diocesan employees abruptly laid off in 2018.
In June, the Vatican launched a formal investigation, known as an apostolic visitation, into the Tyler Diocese. A priest who was interviewed for the visitation told NCR that retired Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, and Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey, conducted the visitation. He said the bishops, accompanied by two priests, asked several questions related to financial matters, Strickland’s leadership style and how it affected the morale of the priests in his diocese.
The priest, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality the investigating bishops asked of him, also said they asked questions about priests and religious men and women with irregular canonical statuses taking up residence in the Tyler Diocese in recent years. In addition, the priest said the bishops asked him what he thought Strickland understood the « deposit of faith to mean, » and whether the priest thought Strickland’s episcopacy was « salvageable. » The priest said he told the bishops it was not.
On X, the platform that Strickland often used to attack his perceived ideological opponents while promoting his allies, Strickland presented himself as a bishop being harassed for standing strong in the faith. A few days after news reporting regarding the apostolic visitation, Strickland posted an article critical of the LGBTQ rights movement, and added: « I can’t remain silent even if it means that I am silenced. »
Plummer disputed her bishop’s statements insinuating that the Vatican targeted him for speaking out in defense of the Catholic faith.
« He perpetuates this narrative that this all happened because of what he says, » Plummer said. « It’s not true, and he knows it’s not true. »
Amanda Martínez Beck, the former managing editor for the Tyler Diocese’s magazine, told NCR that Strickland’s strident rhetoric and partisanship, which he amplified on social media, left her a disillusioned, lapsed Catholic.
« I don’t know if I’ll go back to Mass, » said Beck, who often responded to Strickland’s public posts on X, urging him to rethink the tone and content of his statements. She said Strickland never responded to her concerns.
« It’s really angering, » Beck said.
Fr. Tim Kelly, a parish priest in the Tyler diocese who clashed with Strickland, told NCR that Strickland « used to be a nice, unassuming, likable man » until he reached a sort of « celebrity » status among hardline conservative Catholics. Kelly said the bishop « ruined lives and ruptured decades-old friendships, » as his stature grew in traditionalist circles.
« Families have stopped going to Mass because of his unkind words, » Kelly said. « He needs time for reflection. He needs time to rebuild the bridges he burned when anger and certainty of his own righteousness consumed him. »
Installed as the Tyler Diocese’s fourth bishop in 2012, Strickland in recent years cultivated the public persona of an outspoken firebrand who did not hesitate to challenge the current pope’s leadership or to criticize his fellow bishops in public.
Strickland’s prominence in conservative Catholic circles began to skyrocket after he wrote a public letter in August 2018 vouching for the credibility of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Vatican ambassador to the United States.
Strickland released his letter after Viganò had published a « testimony » where he called on Pope Francis to resign and accused the pope of lifting ecclesial sanctions on Theodore McCarrick, the former cardinal whom the Vatican laicized in 2019 after finding him guilty of sexual abuse allegations.
In his letter, Strickland said he found Viganò’s allegations against Francis « to be credible, » and he directed the priests in his diocese to immediately post his letter on their parish websites and social media accounts.
In the years following the Viganò affair, Strickland became a favorite prelate among Catholics on the right who saw him as a rare truth-teller in the hierarchy who had the courage to stand up to the modern secular world and its liberalizing values. Far-right Catholic media figures and outlets presented him as « America’s bishop, » featured him in fawning interviews, and provided him the opportunity to co-host a weekly Internet radio show. Viganò, who since his 2018 testimony has taken to releasing conspiratorial manifestos from an undisclosed location, has himself on occasion praised Strickland.
Faggioli said Strickland’s brand of intense devotional Catholicism, intertwined with an apocalyptic strain that sees evil threatening to overcome the world at any moment, resonates with a certain Catholic culture in the United States that leans anti-intellectual, and understands the Catholic faith to be a matter of firmly believing in a few principles while viewing synodal dialogue and discernment to be « rubbish. »
« He speaks for a certain kind [of Catholic] in this country, one that we don’t see because we’re in our bubbles, » Faggioli said.
A sad commentary on the Church and state in our time. We need to wake up and stand for Truth. Jesus Christ is the Face of Truth. Again to this I say Viva Cristo Rey. …..Pope Francis, Nancy Pelosi & the Tyrannical Culture of Death https://t.co/PX9lo90dWv via @YouTube
— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) July 8, 2022
Strickland used his growing profile to become a vocal critic of Francis. In recent years, Strickland had invited the pope to « fire » him and endorsed a video attacking the pontiff as a « diabolically disoriented clown. » On May 12, Strickland posted on X that he believed Francis was « undermining the Deposit of Faith. »
If those statements had Strickland teetering on the edge of schism, as some of his critics suggested, the bishop could still count on support from mainstream conservative Catholics.
In early September, Janet Smith, a seminary professor who writes in conservative Catholic publications and is a sought-after speaker, participated in a two-day « Defending Our Faith » conference in Tyler. Scott Hahn, the well-known theologian from Franciscan University of Steubenville, commended Strickland’s « inspiring words » in a pastoral letter the bishop wrote in advance of the Synod of Synodality. On Oct. 14, Hahn was the advertised feature speaker for a one-day speaking conference in Tyler.
Strickland’s criticisms and defiance of Francis dovetailed with a decadelong conservative Catholic resistance to Francis. That resistance, much of it located in the Anglophone world, has criticized the current pope for deemphasizing issues like abortion in favor of social justice concerns such as climate change. Strickland and other conservative prelates have fought back against the current pontiff’s reform agenda, which includes the effort to make the church a more welcoming space for LGBTQ people and for Catholics whose lives do not conform to official church teachings.
Like many other prominent conservative churchmen, Strickland has resisted the « synodal conversion » that Francis has called for in the effort to recapture an element of communal discernment in the early church where bishops consulted the faithful.
While Francis has described synodality as « what God expects of the church in the third millennium, » Strickland struck a different note during an interview in 2020: « All this synodality is garbage as far as I’m concerned. It just is not living the truth. »
In the provocative three-page pastoral letter he released on Aug. 22, Strickland predicted that many of the « basic truths » of the Catholic faith would be challenged during the October meeting in Rome of the Synod of Bishops on synodality.
In that letter, Strickland warned of an « evil and false message » that he said had « invaded » the church. He also declared that the synod would reveal « the true schismatics. »
As the Bishop of Tyler I endorse Fr Altman’s statement in this video. My shame is that it has taken me so long. Thank you Fr Altman for your COURAGE. If you love Jesus & His Church & this nation…pleases HEED THIS MESSAGE https://t.co/D413G0lfQV
With nearly 124,000 followers on X, slightly more than the total number of Catholics in his diocese, Strickland used his social media platform to spread anti-vaccine messages during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to undermine other bishops by voicing support for priests whom those prelates had disciplined in their own dioceses.
Strickland himself often took hardline partisan political stances, describing President Joseph Biden — a Catholic who supports abortion rights — as an « evil president. » In 2020, Strickland endorsed a controversial video in which the reactionary priest Fr. James Altman claimed, « You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat. »
In December 2020, Strickland addressed a rally in Washington, D.C., organized by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were seeking to overturn Biden’s election victory.
Many people think they know the story of the hymn, »Amazing Grace. » The commonly accepted narrative presents its composer, John Newton, a young English captain of a late 18th-century slave ship, as a man who underwent a dramatic conversion after surviving a storm at sea. It was this harrowing experience, the story goes, that led him to leave the slave trade and become a pastor and abolitionist. « Amazing Grace, » we’re told, was written in 1772 in thanksgiving for Newton’s conversion from his horrific profession. It went on to become a hymn of hope for enslaved Black people and their descendants, eventually becoming beloved around the world.
Amazing Grace : A Cultural History of the Beloved Hymn
James Walvin
216 pages; University of California Press
$19.95
Walvin’s study analyzes the history and cultural significance of this beloved hymn, from its composition to the present. The book attempts to provide a historical explanation for the overwhelming international popularity of the song, beginning with the puzzling, contradictory life of its composer and the earliest uses of the song. Drawing from a broad swath of sources, including published sheet music and personal diaries, Walvin’s book is a testament to his excellence as a historian and his thoughtful engagement with the impact and meaning of history for our time.
The book begins by introducing the nuances of Newton’s life and ministry, and his motivations behind the Olney Hymns, a collection published in 1779 that included « Amazing Grace. » Walvin does not skirt the uncomfortable contradictions in the story, acknowledging that Newton’s behavior as a slave ship captain was a participation in great evil and at odds with his Christian faith. Yet Walvin also describes Newton’s eventual participation in the English abolitionist movement as « almost living proof » of the lines of his own hymns. In addressing the challenging parts of Newton’s life story, Walvin speaks both to the power of « Amazing Grace » and, as Catholic tradition teaches, the transformative power of grace as one cooperates more and more fully with God’s work in one’s life.
Wavin goes on to relate how « Amazing Grace, » a relatively unknown English hymn, grew popular in America, particularly during the Great Awakenings in the 18th and 19th centuries. He notes that America had a robust popular musical culture, credited partly to its ethnic and cultural diversity, which was particularly suited for a simple, engaging song like « Amazing Grace. »
The book continues by examining the importance of the hymn to Black Americans, tracing its publishing history and persistent importance in the cultural landscape of the United States. « Amazing Grace, » Walvin writes, has been adopted as an American anthem, functioning as a symbol of the culture and an expression of American cultural identity. It connotes a plaintive hope and gratitude, regardless of religious profession.
Walvin argues that the cultural significance of « Amazing Grace » led to its particular prominence in the civil rights and antiwar movements in the 1960s and ’70s. His discussion of the commercial success of the song during that period leads into his analysis of why the social and technological changes of that particular moment in history allowed the hymn to become an international hit. Subsequent chapters discuss how the hymn became a universal human expression of hope and unity in key international events, such as 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
« Amazing Grace » expresses Black joy: a joy of knowing God’s immanent love, which provides solace and succor from the death and destruction that white supremacy attempts to perpetuate.
Walvin closes by making a striking contrast between a crowd of rioters attempting to sing « Amazing Grace » during the Jan. 6, 2021, invasion of the U.S. Capitol Building and the powerful moment in which President Barack Obama led the crowd of mourners in a rendition of the song after the mass shooting at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015. Though British himself, Walvin manages to speak to the heart of the contradiction of these two American incidents. In both cases, he argues, the crowds were using a cultural symbol to express American identity. Yet, as we look at which incident resonates with the message of John Newton’s lyrics, a clear contrast emerges between the intention of its use.
One area where the book leaves the reader wanting is in its discussion of the religious meaning of the hymn. Walvin acknowledges that he has not been a practicing Christian since his teenage years, so one can hardly fault his lack of theological analysis. He is an historian whose book serves as an excellent examination of the historical and cultural significance of the hymn.
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Yet as a Catholic reader, the discussion of the power of « Amazing Grace » to communicate hope misses the inherent contradiction of Christian hope beyond a shared human optimism. The audacity of Christian hope is not simply a belief that things will turn out right, but an affirmation of faith in God at the bleakest of moments with no guarantee of change. It is a mirror of the disciples who stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus died, knowing that they needed to be near the Lord even as it seemed all was lost. The power of « Amazing Grace » lies in its ability to communicate the unexpected joy that arises when one realizes that grace, undeserved as it may be, has turned the despair of the crucifixion into the joy of the resurrection. Grace is precious, as the lyrics say, because through Jesus, God turns the world on its head.
Because Walvin’s historical survey does not include the deeper connection to the Christian story, the reader also misses out on some of the cultural significance of the hymn for Black Americans. « Amazing Grace » holds a special place in Black churches specifically because to be black in the United States has always required the boldness that believes God can and will triumph over the many forms of oppression which racism has taken. In Jesus of Nazareth, Black Christians find the solidarity of God who knows what it means to lose everything to powers and principalities. « Amazing Grace » expresses Black joy: a joy of knowing God’s immanent love, which provides solace and succor from the death and destruction that white supremacy attempts to perpetuate.
In spite of these minor limitations, Walvin gives us a meaningful survey of a beloved hymn that is well worth the reader’s time. It would be of interest especially for those curious about the confluence of history, social change and religion. Easily accessible for those outside academia, Amazing Grace delivers an insightful look at the perennial appeal of a cherished classic.
Women and men religious have a unique and powerful opportunity to lead the Catholic Church in its synodal conversion, San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy told people gathered Nov. 10 at the Religious Formation Conference’s semiannual Congress, being held in Chicago.
Because consecrated men and women have already largely embraced synodality in religious life and are a living example of discernment, their prophetic voices can teach the universal church to follow the path the Holy Spirit is leading us on, he said.
« Synodality is not rooted in specific outcomes, no matter how important, » McElroy said. « It seeks nothing less than a recasting of the culture of the church that will endure for generations. »
The Congress runs Nov. 8-12. In addition to McElroy’s keynote, it features numerous speakers and workshops on topics across formation for religious life. On Nov. 11, the conference will present its Sr. Mary Emil Penet award to Incarnate Word Sr. Teresa Maya for significant contributions to formation ministry.
‘Listening flows from a recognition that we have so much to learn. Listening lies at the heart of true encounter with the other disciples we meet in the life of the church.’ —Cardinal Robert McElroy
McElroy said the process of the synod on synodality, which was held in Rome Oct. 4-29, « testified to the identity of the church as the entire people of God in a piercing manner, » because it had not just bishops, but laywomen and men, religious, priests and deacons from around the world, all treated equally. « It was a stark contrast with past synods, where bishops alone voted and the bulk of the sessions were spent listening to a seemingly endless series of speeches that left participants passive and disengaged, » he said.
Synodality means to walk together, which requires a transformation from a church marked by clericalism, unneeded secrecy, and what he called « a prison » of being compelled to present and defend a church without error or sin.
« The Scriptures tell us that God listens attentively to the cry of God’s people. Listening is the respect we owe to others in recognition of their equal dignity, » McElroy said. « Listening flows from a recognition that we have so much to learn. Listening lies at the heart of true encounter with the other disciples we meet in the life of the church. »
That is a marked conversion from what happens all too often, he said, noting that synodality requires Christian humility.
« A humble church acknowledges and seeks to atone for the wounds it has brought to others, particularly the sexual abuse of young people. A synodal church genuinely seeks to discern its woundedness and embrace reform, » McElroy said. « Its holiness is exemplified by its humility, not by denial or the protection of its reputation. A humble church confronts the evil of clericalism that corrodes its spiritual and ministerial life. »
The synthesis document created at the synod said clericalism « needs to be challenged from the earliest stages of formation. » In an aside from his prepared remarks, McElroy said he cannot emphasize enough that the repudiation of clericalism must begin in formation.
In another aside from his written address, McElroy noted that the synthesis document even calls for accountability and evaluations of bishops.
« On one level, we’re accountable to everybody, and on another level we’re accountable to no one, » he said. « Well, we’re accountable to the pope, but you have to be really bad » to merit papal involvement. « You have to really go off the rails. »
He said the synod was a powerful encounter with the diversity of the Catholic Church and that, again, religious can lead the way on demonstrating the interplay of unity and diversity.
« Many of you in consecrated life have had deep and powerful encounters with the richness of the global church and know this joy. For us in the assembly, it was profoundly hopeful and illuminating to sit with bishops, lay leaders, priests and consecrated religious and behold how the challenges to and opportunities for enhancing the mission of the church look entirely different across the world, » McElroy said. « This truly was a privileged moment of grace. »
The most inspiring moments of the month in Rome, he said, was the widely expressed desire to bring more women into leadership and decision-making roles within the church.
« Repeatedly during the spiritual and theological reflections which took place during the assembly, the point had been made that Jesus, in his invitation to women as disciples and witnesses to the Resurrection, produced a paradigm shift for the treatment of women in the culture of his time, » McElroy said. « Many in the hall felt that the time has come for just such a shift in the life of the church. »
He went on to note that while there were more than 80 proposals for action in the synthesis document, « This was the only one that was labeled urgent. The only one. »
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While the document is « far more muted » on the exclusion of divorced and remarried and LGBT Catholics, he said, « It does call for the church to genuinely listen and accompany these members of the people of God who live on the periphery of the church. » It also notes that Jesus never began from the perspective of prejudices or labels and always listens to the cry for help of those in need.
« Let us pray that in the coming year this beautiful vision of Jesus’ pastoral ministry may light the way for the church’s ministry to those who are marginalized in the church because of their marriage status or orientation or identity, » McElroy said.
Women and men in religious life « have a unique ability to energize, enlighten and spiritually deepen the process of synodality that Pope Francis has launched, » especially in the areas of discernment, in humility, lifelong formation, and the type of inclusion shown in Jesus’ pastoral ministry.
« You are already enormously committed and effective in supporting all those who are excluded within the life of the church and society. You witness to the rights of the poor, immigrants, the unborn, victims of ethnic and racial injustice and the disabled. You constantly seek to bring all of God’s children into the life of the church, » McElroy said. « Deepen this mission as the church moves forward on the synodal path. Help us to follow the pastoral example of Jesus in the Scriptures. Help us to embrace all … todos, todos, todos. »
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