The Courage To Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform, And The Future Of The Church [Hardcover]

George Weigel (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0465092608 | ISBN-13: 978-0465092604 | Publication Date: August 1, 2002

The Catholic Church in America is in a state of crisis. Yet few understand what the crisis really is, why it happened, or how the Church must respond to it. As no other commentator or critic has done, George Weigel situates the current crisis of sexual abuse and episcopal malfeasance in the context of recent Catholic history. With honesty and critical rigor, he reveals the Church's failure to embrace the true spiritual promise of Vatican II, a failure that has resulted in the gradual but steady surrender to liberal culture that he dubs "Catholic Lite." Drawing upon his unparalleled knowledge of how the Church works, both in America and in Rome, Weigel exposes the patterns of dissent and self-deception that became entrenched in seminaries, among priests, and ultimately among the bishops who failed their flock by thinking like managers instead of apostles. But, Weigel reminds us, in the Biblical world a "crisis" is a time of great opportunity, an invitation to deeper faith. Every great crisis of the Church's past, from the Dark Ages to the Reformation, has resulted in a period of reform that returned the Church-and its priesthood-to its roots. Weigel sets forth an agenda for genuine reform that challenges seminarians, priests, bishops, and the laity to lead more integrally Catholic lives. As he argues so persuasively, the answer to the present crisis will not be found in "Catholic Lite" but in classic Catholicism: a Catholicism that has reclaimed the wisdom of the past in order to face the corruptions of the present and create a strong future.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

American Catholics divided over the future direction of their church have managed to agree on one thing in recent months: much reform is needed in the wake of the clergy sexual-abuse scandal. Weigel, a theologian and papal biographer (Witness to Hope: The Biography of John Paul II), outlines the shape he thinks it should take in this incisive analysis. More than a problem of clerical misbehavior, he writes, the present crisis is rooted in the church's failure to be faithful to its own teachings. He traces the current woes to a "culture of dissent" that he says was allowed to flourish after the reforming Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), creating an internal schism in the church. After the "truce of 1968," which allowed church leaders to publicly oppose Humanae Vitae, the papal encyclical on artificial contraception, without fear of reprisal, he says it became clear that the Vatican would not support bishops who wanted to maintain discipline among priests and theologians. Weigel lays much of the blame for the sexual-abuse scandal at the feet of the American bishops, whom he chides for acting more like corporate managers than apostles. But his criticism also extends to Rome, where he points to deficiencies in canon law and the Vatican's communications strategy. As expected, Weigel dismisses such reforms as abolishing priestly celibacy and ordaining women priests, but he counters with practical solutions, including changes in the way bishops are selected. This book should stimulate discussion among both progressive and conservative Catholics.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The Catholic Church in the United States is reeling from the scandal associated with the sexual abuse of minors by priests. Weigel, who has written a magisterial biography of Pope John Paul II (Witness to Hope), examines the predicament in this extended essay. He proposes that the church is in crisis, as understood in its radical sense: it is a time of judgment, also an opportunity for reflection and reform. Weigel dismisses the allegations that the sexual misbehavior of priests is the result of celibacy, a repressive sexual ethic, or an authoritarian church structure. His thesis is that the crisis is, at heart, one of fidelity. Priests have abandoned their identity as living icons of Christ, bishops have functioned more as managers than as shepherds, and the larger Catholic community has drifted from its Christ-given roots to a kind of "Catholic Lite." Weigel argues that the remedy to the present situation is to return to a classic Catholicism, deepening the reforms begun by Vatican Council II and urged by John Paul II throughout his pontificate. His argument that priests are "ontologically changed" by ordination needs significant nuance, and over three-quarters of the U.S. bishops about whom this papal loyalist complains have been appointed by the present pope. Weigel's contention may work within the confines of his perspective. All Catholics, particularly those he calls members of the "Catholic Lite," may not agree with his viewpoint or his assessment. Recommended for seminary libraries and for public libraries with a significant religion circulation. David I. Fulton, Coll. of Saint Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465092608
• ISBN-13: 978-0465092604
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage.........not easy, but necessary, November 14, 2002

By 

Steven K. Szmutko (EWING, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Courage To Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform, And The Future Of The Church (Hardcover)

An area of common agreement, regardless of whether one is a conservative or liberal, is that the current sexual abuse scandal in the church needs immediate attention and reform. In what can best be described as an extended essay, George Weigel, theologian and columnist, analyzes the present crisis and presents a clear, cogent and concise analysis of the causes of this crisis and proposes a number of simple, yet surprisingly elusive (to many) reforms to eliminate this corrosive cancer within the church. Mr. Weigel examines the issues with a clear understanding of what the Catholic Church is, and what it is not.

The author identifies a number of reasons for the current crisis: the culture of dissent in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council; deficiencies in the episcopate where many bishops view themselves as corporate CEO's rather than apostles of Christ; lack of focus on ascetic priestly lifestyles; and the cafeteria Catholicism of many of today's Catholics.

The solution lies in the book's invitation to a deeper faith and fidelity to the teachings of the church, the courage to address the crisis within the context of Christ's essential teachings. And this courage applies to all aspects of the church: the episcopate, the clergy and indeed all members of the church, to stand firm for what is right.

Most of the author's opinions will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his other books and his column, The Catholic Difference. However, Mr. Weigel's gift is that he explains his positions with wit and clarity, analyzing complex issues in simple understandable terms. One may not always agree with George Weigel. However, the book is thought provoking and provides much food for thought on the current affairs and future direction of the church. COURAGE TO BE CATHOLIC reminds us that the future of the Church depends upon the commitment of each of us to the fidelity of the Gospel and the teachings of the church.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written with charity, September 2, 2002

By 

"hispanopol" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Courage To Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform, And The Future Of The Church (Hardcover)

All of us Catholics are disgusted by both the priests who destroyed hundreds of lives and the bishops who enabled these monsters. However, we should be equally disgusted by groups both inside and outside the Church who shamelessly exploit victims of sexual abuse to advance political causes and theological extortion. In the midst of this chaos, George Weigel provides a refreshing ray of light with his honest critique of the Church heirarchy and his committment to the truth of the Catholic faith. This book was written with intense charity and loving concern for the Catholic faithful. Mr. Weigel uses his extensive first-hand knowledge of the Church, including the papacy, to outline a cohesive, competent, and comprehensive study of the causes, effects, and solutions to the current crisis facing the Church.

In this book, Mr. Weigel plays the honest centrist, even though he usually fits more comfortably in the traditionalist camp. There is no pitiful blaming of "media hype," a claim common among traditionalists. Also, there is none of the tired "us-them" or "noble laity vs. the evil heirarchy" silliness of the Catholic left. Instead, Mr. Weigel's essential thesis of the Chruch is the same as Christ's - a family of believers, each with his or her own role in the plan of salvation, and each called through his or her own baptism to a life centered on Christ.

Mr. Weigel's assertion that seminarians must first be mature disciples of Christ seems intuitive, but is unfortuantely quite revolutionary. Similarly, his call for bishops to be apostles instead of managers should be equally obivious. The fact that Mr. Weigel is compelled to rebuke the Church leadership on these points shows the true crisis in the Church today. The book ends with a cause for hope - the culture that created this tragedy is on the wane. . .an assertion that has been proven recently in the surge of new seminarians over the past few months.

Thank you, Mr. Weigel, for giving us an excellent plan for true reform!

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CRISIS OF FIDELITY -RADICAL CALL TO HOLINESS AND TRUTH, September 6, 2002

By 

MRS MARY J LARKIN (BELFAST, COUNTY ANTRIM Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Courage To Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform, And The Future Of The Church (Hardcover)

I read this book from start to finish in one evening.It is the best study of the current crisis in the Catholic Church and indeed the state of the Catholic church I have yet read. The author's criticisms of past handling of sexual abuse are fearless but fair. Pope John Paul II's own excellent teachings on the formation of priests were given good exposure. The link between good priestly formation and adherence to the general teaching on sexual ethics was beautifully drawn.

Best of all was George Weigel's passionate call to holiness through love of Christ and fidelity to His teaching- not just for the laity but priests and bishops alike. I finished the book with great hope and certainty that this crisis will eventually bring renewal.
I heartily recommend this book to all who are even only remotely interested in the Catholic church.