As I researched the piece on Vatican Ambassador-nominee Miguel Diaz, two quotes caught my eye. One was Notre Dame’s Cathleen Kaveny observing “What you see is President Obama taking seriously not just Catholicism as a political force but as an intellectual force.” The other was former ambassador James Nicholson (2001–2005) calling the office a bridge between "the strongest secular superpower and the strongest spiritual superpower in the world.” In both cases, the Church is being described in terms of its presence and impact beyond its own walls—as an important global influence.
I always believed Vatican II intended this and it’s clear that John-Paul II believed it and preached it—but I wonder if the average Catholic cares?
I suspect most Catholics want a place for baptisms, weddings, funerals—but don’t care much about the impact of Catholicism on public life, or even realize that Catholic wisdom could be a force for progress. If so, that is sad—especially since the reason I got into Church work (and still my main motive) was to promote Church life as a forum for mobilizing the social justice power of Catholicism among grass-roots Catholics.
Tell me I am wrong? Tell me people DO care?
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