Yes, I haven’t seen many comments on that. Converts took the tumult and ambiguity of the Synod very, very hard. Also note that the Church IS DOING NOTHING to reach out and reassure them because it is still sorting out what these documents actually mean for the future of the Church - we are in essence in a one year holding pattern (or of active campaigning); nobody can reassure them because nobody knows what’s up. I am not sure many have even noticed their discomfort (or perhaps it is just blending in with everybody else’s but it is a more serious thing I think). I suspect a fair number of them left Churches because a lot of this type of thing was going on.
This is something very important to remember.
After all, the Pope and many others are frequently calling the laity to evangelize by showing the Gospel through our lives. If they want that to work, if they want the laity to
stand out from the world as a beacon of hope and truth to the world, the most faithful laity must really be supported
first.
If things get watered down and confusion is sown, if people conform to the world rather than the world conforming to the Church, the “beacon” of people who stand apart from the world and draw people to Christ will be gone (or at least, greatly diminished).
Yet somehow the hierarchy often seem to take for granted that the faithful ARE such great beacons standing apart when they ask us to go out. We’re not. We’re largely conformed to the culture. So to move in a direction where the Church conforms to the culture just makes the problem worse.
We need help in resisting the culture and becoming more holy. As Matthew Kelly points out, focus on the 7% of Catholics who are active and faithful. Focus on those who are on fire or who have a real interest. Help us to become more holy and we will become better instruments for Christ to draw all to Himself.
Ignore us and confuse us with appeals that seem to capitulate to the culture, and see the whole thing continue to disintegrate.
Any good company or organization knows that you don’t ignore your most loyal, motivated, and committed workers in an attempt to appeal to your mid-level. That top 10-20% is really the part of the organization that is responsible for the great bulk of the success, and the force that lifts others up and motivates them.
So I hope they listen to the zealous converts, to the committed Catholics, and support us in our attempt to live faithfully in accord with all Church teachings in the midst of a hostile world. I know some of the feedback from the bishops of the Synod was that they did see this as a need.
And yes, it is the Catholic Church proclaimed in boldness that is attractive. It is that which has won us zealous converts. Not confusion, not capitulation to the world, not even embracing the world’s way of speaking of things.
Peace.
But of course, that’s not our ending point.