Reclaiming the Faith, and the Church

09/06/2019 • View profile

Photo Courtesy of Home to Enhance African Life, Chicago IL

My friends, if you don't recognize that our Church is in trouble, then I'm not sure what kind of rock you are hiding under. As I watch the newsfeeds and the headlines, I cringe as everyday a new cleric falls. It is so sad, sad beyond comprehension really, that men called to such a Holy and wonderful life would betray our congregations, our parishes, our Church, our world and most importantly and significantly our Heaven Father. Take heart though, because the Church will survive this, we are not doomed. We are though, in for the ride of our lives, so buckle and hold on. This is all going to get a lot worse before it gets better, and it is to the point that we are all personally affected, it really is that big and that bad.

It must be the laity that take back the Faith, because we are, after all, the Church. We have stood along the sidelines for far too long. We must start rising up and relinquishing the sideline roles and spirit of indifference that seems to infuse so many of our souls. If we truly claimed and lived the will of the Father we could change the world and light it on fire for Christ. That mission is in each one of us, the problem is we are too hung up on lecturing and being communion distributors, (when that isn't even what the title of that function is, that calling is to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion), greeters and ushers. Now, don't get me wrong, these functions are necessary, well most of them are anyway. I myself believe that only clergy should be distributing Holy Communion. There is nothing wrong with serving our parishes in these ways, as long as we are being motivated and guided for and in the right reasons and our actions are geared by love of the Father and not love for ourselves and a need to be seen and revered.

We should also be asking ourselves how do we serve outside the walls of our parishes. How do we serve and give witness to our Faith to our families, our co-workers, our communities, our countries and our worlds. Do we defend Truth, and fight for injustices against our beliefs even if it might be costly to our worldly ambitions, which includes the human need for recognition and popularity? Do we even know Church teaching enough to be able to stand for what She believes, so that we can defend it? Are we one of those pharisees that believe politics is separate from religion, which is a huge but effective lie from the Devil?

Our Faith, our beliefs should govern and dictate every single action we make, from the simplest of our daily choices to the biggest of our life decisions, and everything in between. Our Faith is not a hobby or entertainment, it dictates how we live, what we read, the entertainment we choose and the way we spend out time. It should determine the careers and jobs we work to support our families, and those people we choose to spend out time with. Our Faith should be such an infused part of us, that it burns brightly for all to see through every action we make, ever word we speak and every breath we take!

Who exactly are we seeking to please? We stand at the summit of a very slippery slope and it is so easy to slip and slide downward, as we see in so many of our clergy. Yet, how many of us are guilty of these same sins, that remain hidden since we are not in the spotlight and subject to such scrutiny. The evils of Satan are very innocuous, if we start to open our eyes, and pray for the wisdom to recognize them, we begin to see them in almost everyone, and everywhere. Evil is just oozing and slowly covering everything, like lava, destroying everything in its path, and it can very difficult to escape from.

So, let's open our eyes, rise up, and go to battle! Let's step onto the playing field and no longer revel on the sidelines. Let's be outspoken in our fight for the Faith and our Church, and Christ. Christ gave everything he had and was to us, are we not willing do this same for him? If we do, we can set the world and hearts on fire, and reclaim our Church and all the souls struggling to remain holy. It is up to each and every one of us.

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About the Author

Lorrie McNickle

I am a wife and mother of two grown sons. Although I am Cradle Catholic, I experienced a profound reversion to the True faith several years ago that motivated and inspired me to dive more deeply into an understanding of the Church and Her teachings, and why She has these teachings and where they come from. Surprisingly, for me, the more I read and discovered, the deeper my love of the Catholic Church and her teachings became. This certainly is a journey that doesn't end, and so as I uncover more amazing facts about our Faith and Church, I just can't help but want to share what I'm learning. So, I began writing for Catholic 365.

I have recently served for a year and a half as the Executive Director of a very active and busy Crisis Pregnancy Center on the West side of Cincinnati. God is so good and does answers prayers, even though He knows at times, we have no idea what we are asking for. The pro life cause is paramount to our times, I am so honored and humbled to have had the experience and opportunity to serve women and the unborn in this capacity! I am also very grateful to God, for allowing me to see for myself, that perhaps such a calling was not His long term plan for me. We go where God seeminly calls us, and for me, that was a return to corporate America. I currently work as a recruiter and sales onboarding specialist where I am helping a Franchising company open and support small businesses that serve seniors and the elderly, giving them opportunities to age in place and live thier final chapters with dignity. It is the other end of the pro life spectrum and such an amazing endeavor!

I love being able to share this great faith of ours and use this platform as a way to express my deep love and devotion to our Lord. We need each other, and this effort has truly become a wonderful way to connect with all of you- my brothers and sisters in Christ!

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