Yo, Pope Francis, or can I call you Frank? No? Okay…
Sorry ’bout that! I got carried away there for a minute. I felt a bit like you and I were buddies and I somehow forgot about the years of disdain and the deep-rooted lack of respect that I harbour for the Catholic Church and all it represents.
You see, I’m a pro-choice believer, a sex-before-marriage encourager, and my mantra is: Live and let live. (In other words: Don’t be a Kim Davis groupie.) I also used to be a church-goer.
I was a Catholic, until I came to realize that none of the covert foundations of the Catholic Church are really my bag.
I’m not a fan of the endless Judgement.
Nor can I accept the Oppression of women.
I revolt against the Fear that lingers in the church air.
And boil-over at the Hypocrisy that poisons all the good.
I say “Hell no!” to the Chauvinism that’s been dragged along since 1000 years BC. (Because it’s BS!)
And as for the Shame? I dismiss it, 100%. Sayonara sucker!
Whether current church-goers like it or not, these foundations are so engrained within the colourful images of the church’s stained glass windows, it’ll take years to overcome them! These foundations are pulsing through the bodies of the well-intentioned priests who lead your congregations as well as the conservative members who support them.
But, I can see glimmers of hope with you as the Pope! (I know. I’m a poet!)
Because, Frank, (shit, sorry I did it again) … I kinda like you, and my disdain for the Catholic Church fades with each progressive statement or change that you make! You may look a lot like all the John Pauls that came before you, but you acknowledge the need for change and progress. I think you actually want the church to be bolstered up by the faith of genuinely supportive believers, not those who are trapped by fear. And I have a feeling that you know in order to obtain and maintain that, it is time to address your faith’s relevance and to better meet the needs of your followers.
Your recent adjustments to the marriage annulment process is a great example of change that benefits the people of your church, while impressing those of us who are no longer a part of it. The new “Fast Track” approach will allow marriages deemed irreparable to be annulled without the time-consuming, soul-sucking process that has been endured by loyal members of the faith for years.
You are starting to soften my disregard for your faith, Pope. You see, when I was a teenager, I watched my mother follow your rules. She worked for a Catholic school board and conducted herself appropriately, as to stay in the “Good Books.” Unfortunately, her marriage to my father ended in divorce. This was his decision. Yet, in order to remain a part of the church, she would have to endure, what I view as, years of punishment.
When my dad left her, my mom carried on working and conducting herself like a good Catholic should. She did so, until…. she met someone new. It was at this point that, I would hope to God, my mom became a sinner and had some sex before marriage! But other than that, she followed those damn rules with the patience of a saint. She really should be sainted if you ask me. You see, Pope, she was in love. The two 30-somethings had plans to marry. And until the wedding day, they weren’t able to live together, because that would be a big “no-no!” in the Catholic faith.
The process from engagement to wedding took years! My mom’s fiancé agreed to take part in the two-year-long annulment process, so they could be married in the Catholic Church and my mother could remain a member in good standing. This annulment process required involvement from the following participants: my mom’s non-Catholic-and-clearly-oblivious-to-the-shit-he’d-signed-up-for fiancé, his non-Catholic and unimpressed ex-wife, my willing-to-participate-while-cursing-the-church dad, and my resilient and determined mother. They each had to write pages and pages about how and why their marriages broke down. My mother and her fiancé then spent two years of their lives being counselled by priests…
Just let that sink in for a moment…
That was the final straw for me. I knew then that I would not be a practising Catholic. Ever.
And I won’t be. But, if you keep this up, Pope, you will start breaking down some of those nasty foundations. With this one tweak, you have released some of the Judgement, Shame, and Fear for those divorced members of your church who seek to stay. I can’t speak for them, but I’ll assume they are praising your name while trying hard to casually swallow the very dry, and tasteless, “Body of Christ.”
Sincerely,
A Slightly Jaded Former Catholic
