Growing-up in my Protestant church, I had a mix of religious education classes that were probably more-or-less typical of most denominations. Church history was not taught so much in the perspective of a continuous time-line but more as two chunks of time. The first chunk was the time of Our Lord and immediately thereafter, from 0 to around 100AD as detailed in the New Testament. The second chunk, told in some detail, was focused on the founding of our denomination around 1500AD to the present day.

That is only 600 years of church history. There is a huge gap in the middle that is missing of around 1400 years. This gap, if mentioned at all, was often to set ourselves apart from an allegedly failed Catholicism more than as part of our Protestant history. In hindsight, it was a necessary attempt at justification of our schism more than anything else.

The Catholic Church was certainly not perfect then nor is it today (other than rare infallible statements on faith and morals). No organization composed of fallen sinners can be, including every single Protestant denomination. Only the Catholic Church, from which the leaders of the reformation schism separated themselves, was instituted by Christ and given authority. That is, and always will be, unchanged.

Many in my Protestant church knew well the story and writings of our denomination’s founder, often better than we knew the early Church fathers and pre-reformation Saints (we did not claim any authority to canonize new saints). We accepted without serious question truth as from the Bible only, without dwelling on where and by what authority it came from or by what authority it was changed into our version after 1,500 years. For that matter, that Holy Scripture was changed (mostly by removals) to create a “Protestant Bible” was rarely mentioned, if at all. One great irony is that many Protestants who are aware of this think that the Catholic Church added books to Sacred Scripture and are indignant of the audacity to change it!

My homemade infographic represents the Catholic / Protestant time-line (for simplicity, I did not show the Orthodox Church). It is scaled from the founding of the Church in 33AD to the present. Protestantism appeared around 1500AD. The vertical height is also scaled to represent the current proportions.

The often downplayed point is that Protestant churches are in fact, breakaways from the Catholic Church. They did not appear out of nowhere! The Catholic Church appeared when Jesus created it. It was NOT created at the time of the Protestant schism. However, their Christian heritage and lineage is from the Catholic Church. That is a good thing as their true hope for salvation rests in that heritage. Until 1500AD, Protestants and Catholics were one Church as Jesus intended.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Romans 15:5-7

While the very earliest disciples were known simply as Christians (Acts 11:26, the Church was also referred to as the Catholic Church (meaning universal Church) around the end of the first century (only 30-40 years after St. Paul was martyred). This was helpful to differentiate the true Church from some of the schismatic, heretical ones that began to appear. “Catholic” also appears (around 110 AD) in a farewell letter from early bishop St. Ignatius of Antioch before he was martyred.

See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.

St. Ignatius of Antioch (110 AD)

letter to the Smyrnaeans, chapter 8

The mission of the Catholic Church was to spread the unchanging gospel of Jesus, administer the sacraments and exercise charity. That mission has remained the same for over 2,000 years. The Catholic Church of today teaches the same deposit of faith taught to us by Jesus. Our morality has not evolved. We plead guilty to being “old fashioned” and “behind the times!”

The Catholic Church gave us the Holy Bible by carefully discerning the canon over hundreds of years and many councils (Council of Rome, Council of Hippo, Council of Carthage, Ecumenical Council of Nicaea II, Council of Florence). Our Christian creed – the Nicene Creed – springs from another Catholic council (the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea). The Catholic Church is led by popes in an unbroken line of succession beginning with St. Peter.

So where did this “reformation” movement come from? A Catholic priest and scholar named Martin Luther in the early 1500s. You know the story, but the net is that Luther ended-up creating a new, stripped-down version of the Catholic Church on his own. This was NOT his intention, but he and his followers got carried away with unfolding events. Others, inspired to do the same, subsequently created their own denominations different from Luther’s and from each other. By necessity, the new churches abandoned the authority that originated from Jesus and passed by Apostolic Succession. Also lost was Sacred Tradition (which gives us the cannon of Sacred Scripture), the Magisterium (which interprets it) and the Sacraments — all given to His Church by Christ Himself.

It is our hope that one day, the Church here on earth (the Church Militant) will once again be fully reunited. Until that time, we remain brothers and sisters in Christ, taking different paths to eternal life.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where (I) am going you know the way.”

John 14:2-4

The Catholic Church has been very successful throughout the ages. It has grown and saved many souls. It has many great accomplishments. It is the largest charitable organization on the planet. It has remained true to Our Lord’s teaching while many non-Catholic Christian communities have continuously adapted their beliefs to the wishes of their flocks.

All of this, and more, has been accomplished in spite of imperfections. The definitive judgments of the extraordinary Magisterium (including when the Pope speaks ex cathedra), protected by the Holy Spirit, is infallible. Nothing else is. Throughout the ages there has been scandal and mistakes. As long as we are imperfect, this will continue. The Church instituted by Christ Himself and whose mystical body remains forever headed by Him, will always right itself and march forward.

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:15-19

In recent years, the sexual concupiscence of the outside world infected our own clergy. It has been not only scandalous, but deeply shocking to Catholics. There was confusion, missteps and mistakes made in addressing the relatively small number of people involved. It is the type of sin that we can never declare completely defeated, but here in the US Church we now have layers of effective, pro-active policies in place. I wrote about this earlier in my piece on the sexual scandal.

Another modern challenge to the Church is a chipping-away of our orthodoxy. Or at least the attempt thereof. Thank God (quite literally!) that Our Lord and Savior personally setup His Church. Our faith is unchanging and the operation of the Church is not subject to popular vote. This does not stop those who would, often for personal political or sinful reasons, have us be “less Catholic.” For a number of reasons, these attitudes have taken root in some countries and in some regions of the US.

In many cases the problem is clear, but the overt actions are kept “under the radar.” For example, in some areas Catholics will commonly put political allegiance ahead of life itself in voting for pro-abortion politicians. These same areas tend to reject other Church teachings on homosexual “marriage,” the impossibility of women priests, subsidiarity, the need to go to Mass every Sunday, the need for confession and much more.

Another big problem is over-reaching in the fulfillment of Vatican II. There are many examples of this in my opinion (some of which you might disagree with). One that is being addressed is the poor ICEL translation of the Mass. In Advent 2011, Mass in English will finally use a single translation worldwide that is far more faithful to the Latin original. US Catholics will notice a lot of “changes” in the corrected Mass.

Often in the orthodoxical challenged areas (I am trying so hard not to call them liberal, progressive, non-faithful, schismatic or heretical) the viewpoints and actions are justified under “the spirit of Vatican II.” That is to say, not suggested by Vatican II at all but something they feel should have been. That is to say, Vatican II did not change the faith but should have. Tip: every time you hear “the spirit of Vatican II,” be very, very suspicious!

So, how will the Church “right itself” from this challenge? Pope Benedict’s New Evangelization initiatives will have long-term, lasting impact. Steps taken to “reform the reform” such as the corrected translation of Mass also move us in the right direction. A return to orthodoxy underway in our seminaries and religious orders will bear much good fruit in the coming decades. Better catechesis is obviously needed.

In the day-to-day life of dioceses, perhaps the most important agent for change is the episcopate – the bishop or archbishop, direct successors of the Apostles. Our extraordinary Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has elevated soundly orthodox men to this and other crucial offices. In the short time that I have been Catholic, I have noticed quite a number of outstanding men leading their flocks back to a more solid faith, including:

• Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, Lincoln
• Cardinal-designate Raymond Burke (Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and Archbishop Emeritus of St. Louis)
• Archbishop Charles Chaput, Denver
• Archbishop Timothy Dolan, New York
• Coadjutor-Archbishop Jose Gomez, Los Angeles
• Bishop Robert Morlino, Madison
• Archbishop John Nienstedt, Minneapolis and St. Paul
• Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Phoenix
• Cardinal Marc Ouellet (Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Archbishop Emeritus of Quebec)
• Bishop Robert Vasa, Oregon
• Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Miami

These humble and faithful men boldly proclaim the truth. Their service is genuinely inspiring. If you have read about them in the mainstream media, you will find the assessment of the secular press to be far less glowing. To me, that alone proves they must be doing something right!

Coming up with the above list for this piece was not difficult because…   I keep a list. There is no particular reason for my list other than I want to remember those who have impressed me so greatly. The newest person added just last week, is The Most Reverend Robert Morlino – Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin.

Last June, Bishop Morlino assigned 3 priests from the Society of Jesus Christ to lead the parish of St. Mary’s. Their order is solidly orthodox. Reports are that many in this parish were not. I would say that Bishop Morlino is much more concerned about saving souls than not “ruffling feathers.” Some in the parish did not take this too well.

Their response almost leaves me speechless. About 40% of them actually signed an unprecedented petition to have the priests removed. They have organized a boycott of financial donations to pressure the parish – endangering their K-8 school. They even wrote letters to, in effect, report Bishop Morlino – their bishop – to the Pope via the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington. Are these people completely nuts?

Bishop Morlino responded fully, but in part said:

It grieves me to acknowledge that the reputation of three happy, holy, and hardworking priests has been seriously tarnished by rumor, gossip, and calumny (lying with the intent to damage another’s good name) by some within the parish community. Such conduct is gravely sinful, since some parishioners have been driven by fear, anger, or both, to distance themselves from their priests and even the Sacraments. This situation must cease, and charity must prevail on the part of all.

Furthermore, activities such as protest-letter-writing seminars, leafleting of motor vehicles, door-to-door canvassing for signatures on a petition, etc (that is, exerting organized political pressure on people, where the end justifies any means) is an appropriate tactic in a political campaign, but not in the communion of faith which is the Catholic Church. Groups such as “Call to Action” and “Voice of the Faithful” regularly employ such tactics against legitimate authority in the Church. Because these groups dissent from basic tenets of Catholic Doctrine and Discipline, they are not recognized as Catholic in the Diocese of Madison, much less are they able to exercise legitimate authority. It is my hope that these clarifications will prove helpful.

Read the entire letter on The Badger Catholic blog. Father Z makes good comments on this here and here. Other good coverage is at Popin’ Ain’t Easy.

God bless Bishop Morlino and all of our shepherds. The gates of the netherworld will not prevail.