For a church that gets beat up in the media all the time and gets bashed from the inside, primarily from the guy with the spinning pencil, there has been lots of good news these days. Worldwide ordinations are up to both the priesthood and the diaconate. Recently we witnessed an American diocese, Newark specifically, ordain 18 men to the priesthood. We also just heard of the first ever class of permanent deacons ordained for the diocese of Las Vegas. Now another American diocese will witness service sacramentalized by these good deacons. And recently in Southwark England comes word of 54 former Anglican clergy about to be ordained!
Then comes the great news that Catholic conversions from the robust RCIA program have added tens of thousand of new church members. And more Aglicans are becoming Catholic too under the personal ordinariate set up by Pope Benedict XVI. There is a group of 900 studying as we speak in west London and today we learn of an Episcopalian church parish in Washington, D.C., some 100 members strong converting to Catholicism also under the ordinariate.
These are just a few examples of the promise that Christ gave that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. For over 2,000 years, despite our best efforts as human beings, we try and mess her up but the Church is protected by the Holy Spirit. And the Church functions, unlike any other church, in every land and nation; in every time zone across the globe!
Yes, we will address problems and we certainly have had our fair share of very public problems recently, but those who scream she is doomed or in danger or will collapse; well, they are wrong.
As we prepare for the renewal of the liturgy in the English speaking world and as we work through these early years of the third millenium; the only Church that can claim has existing in all three, we give thanks to God for the Church His Son left us as a visible sign of His kingdom on Earth!
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