The Future of the Church

There is a lot of talk on what kindof Pope the Catholic Church needs. The discourse usually emphasizes somethingthe Church is lacking or doing wrong. When being critical in what the Churchneeds, the difference of opinions is vast. Some say the Church needs a call tomodernization in that a lot of the issues the Church holds as theologicalshould pertain to pastoral discourse, some advocate for transparency andaccountability criticizing the Church’s attitude to recent scandals, some claimthe Church needs to be a living sign of hope as the biggest growing religion isno-religious affiliation in the world, others claim the Church needsunification advocating strongly to build bridges among the very own CatholicFamily, and yet others claim the Church no longer has identity and say in theworld and needs to strongly proclaim its identity in a world that refuses toaccept the gospel message. In fact, the Church is always in need, in need forall of these things and more. We can say the Church is always seeking to berevitalized and modernized by the applicability of the Gospel in the modernworld. The Church has always faced challenges that do not portray the gospelmessage, the Church has always been divided since the time of Peter and Paul asthey discussed whether the gospel should remain in Israel or be proclaim to thegentiles as well, and since the beginning of the Church, the gospel has alwaysbeen countercultural and faced opposition wherever it is proclaimed. Yes, theChurch needs many things, but the Church has always been in need. What makes usthink that the Pope or leader of the pilgrimage Church here on earth will solvethese problems?

Church is you and me. Church is thePope and the College of Cardinals, all the bishops, priests, religious and laypeople who together have choose to live their life a certain way. If the Churchis in need is because it has always been in need and always will be in need.But this is not the job of the Vicar of Christ here on earth only—but ofeveryone who composes and feels part of the family. While it is true thatleadership is where we look to find common ground to encompass the mission thatwas entrusted to us here on earth, we also recognize that it plays a role, asignificant role, but it is not solemnly depended on it. As a Church, let usfind what we lack from each other. Let us become what we lack in our search andprayer.

I do not find myself scandalizedbut what the Church needs to do or should be doing. I also do not over concernmyself with who would be the man elected to take on the Chair of Peter. Leastof all, I do not think that next Pope would change all these. The future of theChurch is always directed by the Holy Spirit and through its guidance we findourselves as cooperators of the mission of Jesus Christ. The future of theChurch then, is up to you and me and our responsiveness to this call andmission.