The Church is CHANGING

Right now, we are witnessing one of the most significant changes in the history of the Church. Moving from a largely Roman and European Church to a global Church, the faithful from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are beginning to shape the way we pray and govern.

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[Grmario]

We were always Universal Brother. Even in first 2 centuries the Catholic Faith spread to Gaul, Ethiopia, Carthage, India, Persia. The Nestorians reached China even. Nothing has changed. We were always Universal and always at war with the powers of this world.

[vkorchnoifan]

So long as the Pope is Catholic do I care where he is from. The Roman Catholic Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ. No protestant ideas can be incorporated.

[AmericanGuy]

I think it’s wrong to think of Catholicism as merely being western or European in scope. Western and European civilization is a product of Catholicism and Christianity, not accidental to it. Early Christianity was fairly global in scope, especially before the conquests of Islam. When you read the Fathers you really get a feel of how united this early culture was. Saint Augustine, living in North Africa, was having disputes with monks in Britain; and Germans came to learn from the desert fathers in Egypt. Unfortunately Islam really seems to have severed North Africa and the Middle East from the rest of Christian civilization.

Anyway my main point is that Europe is a product of Christianity rather than Christianity being a product or export of Europe.

[nathanwong]

Fr. Casey, thank you for your perspective. While I greatly appreciate your highlighting of the various fruits that sprung after the Second Vatican Council, I have to disagree with your argument at large. I agree that clergy ought to represent the Universal Church and who she is in a sense. As a young Catholic convert, I've only increasingly been drawn to the "tradition" of the Church. I argue that one must remember that European culture was purified by the Catholic Church to such a degree that the two became indistinguishable. I argue that the tradition, especially the liturgy, that's been handed down ought to be held in the highest regard. I believe that after VII, too much power was given into the hands of men to the degree that us earthen vessels would be able to easily corrupt the very centers of Christian life. For instance, the increased power of the clergy to modify the liturgy made it so that what used to be the priest facing ad orientem, became versus populum, a message to the laity of the wider emphasis that bishops would place on the people, forgetting God as being the end of all we ought to do. The same goes with communion in the hand. What seems like minutiae truly ripples out towards everything else. While the first Chirstians did indeed take communion in the hand, we ought to remember the climate of persecution at the time and also the fact that after stabilization, change organically took place to combat communion in the hand due to the irreverence that develops from it. Indeed, in both the Eastern and Western traditional rites, the priest would always primarily "face God, " conveying the sacrificial nature of the liturgy and Christian life as a whole. In addition, while after the Council of Jerusalem, Our Lord's mandate to go out to the "nations" was confirmed, it still remained "Jewish" in its core. Not because the faith was Jewish, but because the faith given by God shaped the Jewish people. Even in the various pagan cultures that surrounded Israel, priests would still face away from those in attendance during sacrifices. I believe practices like this are not so much cultural, but universally human. If one actually studies the various liturgical traditions of Christendom, we'll find that they actually do not differ as much as one would think in contrast the artificial nature of the liturgy that eventually sprung in the years following VII. Too much change too fast is what VII allowed for, and we see instead the culture shaping the church rather than vice versa. Worldwide, the liturgy, the very center of the Christian life, is becoming more and more indistinguishable from the profane. Of course church attendance will plummet when the message that the liturgy is for the people takes root. Why go to church when there's a better country concert across the street? Why listen to the Church when the Church should listen to us? Here's my two cents.

[SteveAubrey]

This really puts things in perspective. I am a recent convert to the holy Catholic Church, having been born and raised in a very strict Protestant family. My brother converted in the 90s, so he and I and an uncle are the first Catholics in our family since the 1500s, can you believe that? Not having been raised a Catholic, I am still learning Catholic "culture." One thing that has worried me is I hear "cradle Catholics" talking about how bad things are in the Church since Vatican 2. I hear all sorts of things. Personally, I am so in love with God and the holy Church. I have never in all my life felt like I belong like I do when I attend mass. Then I hear these cradle Catholics even bad-mouthing the Pope, and it sets me aback a tad. I don't speak up because, after all, I'm a newbie, what do I know? I am convinced though that there is only one, true church, our beloved Catholic Church. Thanks for the video! JA

[jdee]

“Let them offend Our Lord no more for He is already much offended.” Our Lady of Fatima.

[rukiachrno]

well Pope Francis is of italian descent, southamerica is not 100% amerindian, the spaniards were european, latinamerican culture still retains a lot of european influence and thanks God for the european evangelization otherwise it would be some weird pagan child sacrifice hell (Im from there I know the details). So I wouldnt talk of latinamerica as if europeans had nothing to do with it.
I dont understand why this modern downplay of europe, when objectively it is the best civilization specially because it accepted Christ first, how many of these non european countries are catholic? they are still being evangelized with catholics being a very small minority, and with europe losing the faith I think is more important than ever that europe be revived.
I think african cardinal Sarah is the best example of how the catholic church must integrate the new catholics from the non european places.

[nickl]

This is...difficult to say the least. I understand what you are aiming for with this video, I also understand what the critics in the comments are coming from. As you show with statistics, the ideas being brought in by new cultures of bishops is, undeniably, a change which is not necessarily a bad thing and indeed can and should be a good thing. This should be stated however with the understood context that The Catholic Church is, and always has been, the most perfect bride of Christ, in which respect it has never changed. We must change and yet we must never change, like a traveler who finds himself in a foreign land, we must adapt to best address the new environment around us but simultaneously never allow the integrity of who we are at our core to be swayed or damaged.

[robfriar]

The lack of history is profound. The Church moved from a Jewish setting to a largely Gentile setting because of the missionary activities of St. Paul. At the Council of Jerusalem, decisions were made under the guidance of the Holy Spirit that opened the Church to a new group.

The Church has always been a "world" Church. The word Catholic means universal, never limited to a national church. Yet, even in the European outlook the defense and defining of Catholic doctrine was the first priority. This is under serious attack today, especially with the Amazon Synod. The German bishops who are promoting this debacle, seek to fundamentally change what the Church is by opening it to pagan cultures among other false teachings. Pope Francis, with his ambiguous teachings has added to the confusion.

[matheussalatielborgescorrea]

I do respect your opinion, father. However, Pope Francis' choices have seemed to be quite disgraceful, I mean, he has chosen lots of modernist cardinals. This must stop, the Universal Church has indeed to be universal, but She also must be traditional and in accordance with 2, 000 years of history. She must be the Church of Christ, of Saint Gregory I, of Saint Basil, of Saint Pius V, of Saint Pius X, of Saint John Paul II, not a recent re-interpretation of the CVII.

[jeremiahong]

A global Church diverse in culture but uniform in one Holy Catholic belief passed down 2000 years by
1. The Apostles
2. Sacred Traditions
Safeguarded by the Magisterium.

Hopefully the next Pope will be less controversial and divisive.

[tdejustreal]

Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.

[dimasbagus]

What is a global church ? What Rite, Theology, Liturgy and Catechism they will be use ? Is Global church loosing and decreasing what our identity; Roman Catholic Church ? We're Latin Rite, should we as a "Global Church", as you said, must losing our identity as a Latin ? I'm from Indonesia, i respect my culture but, i'm not suggesting that our culture must be controlling our Rite, Theology, Liturgy and Catechism.

[ellymaschinowrinn]

I am Catholic because of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist not because it's "inclusive." Yes, there are and must be peoples of every part of the world. Letting worldly societies contaminate the Church is why we are having difficulties now. There is so much misunderstanding now. I feel so sorry for people who have not been properly catechized. Vatican II jettisoned some magnificent Catholic culture. I'm just now discovering the beauty and timelessness of pre Vatican II days. I'm not saying you shouldn't have Novus Ordo; I'm saying the TLM should be a part of the Church too. God gave us this gift and I cherish it. I don't want the filth of the world to destroy the Church.

[josephspiller]

I will laugh when cardinal Sara is elected Pope and makes it so that people have to receive the Eucharist on the tongue.

[justinward]

I’m trying to be charitable here, but I’m finding it hard not to hear this as “the Church was wrong in how she saw herself for two millennia.”

As a recent new convert to Catholicism who was convinced of the eternal nature of the Church, I find this scandalous and probably would have abandoned my walk toward baptism if so had heard this a year ago.

[blazeontheright]

Brother Casey I love you man, I really do, I hope God blesses you, and forgive me if this sounds harsh...but be sure to listen. Now you are so wrong when you say that we are becoming more universal, now we are not "becoming more" universal, we have always been universal. Yes we introduced the Roman Rite mass to many different Churches but that doesn't make it any less Universal, these masses are conducted in Latin, Latin is no longer an official language anywhere (maybe a few cities and provinces here and there) but when you go to France and hear them speak Latin, to Mexico and hear them speak Latin, go to China and hear them speak Latin, it makes Catholicism look as though it's above nations. And that is also not true we have always had national Churches in full communion with Rome for the LONGEST time (before and during Vatican I) in which the mass was conducted traditionally but in accordance with the nation's language, etc.


Btw I have seen other videos you have made and you have talked about how the West and the East are both the lungs of the Church, but I see hypocrisy among the USCCB and others who support the Eastern Churches to keep the fullness of the Orthodoxy, Ancient Liturgy, and traditional mass, yet...they literally are doing all they can to suppress the Traditional Latin Mass which is the Ancient Western Liturgy and Rite that goes back to Apostolic tradition, and the Early Church Fathers. A lot of these new changes and norms occurring in the Catholic Church haven't served for the good at all, all these new changes in the Church are the reasons why so many Catholics think that Christ isn't present in the Eucharist, it's the reason why your average Catholic doesn't understand their own faith, etc. Our Churches are not for you to celebrate your culture (that came before Christian evangelization), your identity, etc. It's to celebrate what God did for us and all he has done for us.

[jacobtaniamclardy]

Our Lady of La Salette, pray for us! Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us! Our Lady of Good Success, Pray for us! Christ Jesus, the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow... Truth does not change. Look to the Saints, from all walks of life and many different countries! All the same church. Saint Clare (Italian), pray for us! Monastic order that retreats from the world, renounces the world, to devote themselves to spiritual work, saving souls!

[isaacrentschler]

I have to wonder what his opinion is on the Holy Latin Mass

[johnm]

I'm pretty appalled that a Catholic priest holds Rahner in high esteem. His theology is offensive to pious ears. And no, father, the Church has been global since day one.