Catholic Church: Hierarchy or Community?

Conservative and traditionalist Catholics aren't at all happy about the prominence of and attention given to more liberal Catholics who call for reforms within the Roman Catholic Church. They are so unhappy, in fact, that they can often resort to denying that the liberals are even Catholics in the first place, thus attempting to deny legitimacy to any of their critiques.

A good example of this phenomenon, and what's fundamentally wrong with it, can be found in the writings of Oswald Sobrino on Catholic Analysis:

This excerpt plus the rest of the excerpts from the newspaper article make the message of VOTF clear: the Catholic hierarchy is evil. In these excerpted remarks, there is no attempt to limit criticism to one or more particular bishops. What we have is a wholesale condemnation of the hierarchical structure itself, of the very concept of a church hierarchy. By condemning the very idea of the hierarchy, they are rejecting Christ, and have put themselves outside the belief of the Catholic Church. ... Kennedy and VOTF [Voice of the Faithful] clearly reject the letter and spirit of Vatican II. The conclusion, in my view, is inescapable: these activists are not Catholic in spirit, word, or intent. They are a force for anti-Catholicism parasitically existing within the technical boundaries of the Church.

Actually, the quotes cited by Sobrino do nothing of the sort:

Abusing the body of Christ sacramentally and the bodies of children sexually are the responses of persons with power. The responses they make to people who trust them and have no power. The hierarchical poison is tasted every day by persons who seek very ordinary, but very important things -- the date and time of a wedding, a dispensation of some sort. Perhaps, permission to hold a meeting on church property. "Scholars taste it when officials strive to control what they think, write or say. Ministers gag on it when ordered to guard against homosexuals, the scapegoats of our age branded by hierarchs with the mark of Cain. People are told to submit to their own demeaning and thereby to gratify something unhealthy in the officials as they put you down to raise themselves up. All of this of course for the good of the church." [emphasis Sobrino's]

Now, at first glance it may appear that Sobrino's analysis is correct - and if so, it would be a damning indictment of the liberal Catholic movement. However, those familiar with the debate about Catholicism and "hierarchy" will quickly realize that Sobrino's understanding is completely wrong.

You see, groups like VOTF aren't opposed to the mere existence of a hierarchy within the Roman Catholic Church. They oppose certain figures of authority, yes, and certain structural elements as well - but they aren't calling for the elimination of priests, bishops, and the existence of any religious or spiritual authority whatsoever. No, what they oppose is the attitude that all decisions must necessarily be made within the ranks of the hierarchy.

Here, "Hierarchs" are those who defend a monarchial model of the church as opposed to a more democratic model where lay people and church members play an active role in the running of the church and in making the decisions about what should go on. The "hierarchical poison" is that which makes some Catholic leaders act as though Catholics need to be ruled, not consulted. It is the poison whereby leaders attempt to control what people think and say, even down the to smallest details.

The liberals have a different vision of what the Catholic Church should be. Sobrino doesn't seem to share that vision, and that's fine - he's certainly entitled to his opinion on the matter. He cannot, however, insist that those who disagree with him aren't "real" Catholics because of that disagreement. That's just a cheap way to avoid taking others seriously.

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• Roman Catholicism
• Popes
• Vatican Council II