Always Part of the Family

There are eight of us kids in the Walsh family. Two boys and six girls. We are all very different, and we all get along very well these days. But as a kid, I remember some very…uh, heated discussions. Usually, it was about trivial things that siblings fight about. Sometimes it was about important things.  I’m reminded of Katherine Hepburn’s famous line in the classic film The Lion in Winter, “But what family doesn’t have its ups and downs?”  I think this could apply to the Church as well.

One of the most apt descriptions of the Catholic Church is “the worldwide family of God.”  This makes a lot of sense. The Kingdom of God is built of relationships. The relationship that all members of the Church share is to be in communion with Christ and each other.  Even Canon Law states that the first duty of the Christian faithful is to “maintain communion with the Church.” (Can. 209 §1).  

In its most basic sense, this means that we are united in faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. In its most profound sense, it means we are united at the very level of our being. Remember, faith is first and foremost a relationship of communion with Christ and with each other. Therefore, the description of the Church as family is very apt. 

Look at any family and it becomes obvious they are a pretty diverse bunch. Each member has a variety of strengths and each has different areas where he or she needs the other members to be strong for them. It’s the same in our parish family and the same in the Church universal. The Church is marvelously diverse in its unity. So much so that G.K. Chesterton once described the Catholic Church as, “Here comes everybody!” 

We all have different likes and dislikes.  Different musical tastes and senses of humor. Different cultural backgrounds and pious practices. All of this is what helps make the Church truly “catholic.” In light of this, a problem arises when one or more members of the family begins to see themselves as the “real” members of the family and the others as less so. Granted, some members of the family may not stay in touch as well as others. Sometimes they do things that are against the way they were raised and may even do hurtful things to bring scandal to the family. That does not make them any less a member of the family. 

It’s the same in the worldwide family of God, the Church. Some members remain very close to home. Others may drift away. Others might even say and do things that are diametrically opposed to how we are called to live our faith. But we never give up on them. They are always part of the family. Our task in such circumstances to continually invite all members of the Church to continual conversion of mind and heart; to deepen that relationship of communion with Christ and each other. Reflecting the mercy of Christ, we “admonish the sinner” not to cast them out and show how good and pious we are, but rather to invite him or her in love to a renewed and deeper communion.

Each member of the family is unique and is in diverse circumstances. Therefore, the approach to each will be equally diverse. There is no one-size-fits-all remedy, whether it is a fellow parishioner or a public official. We may be sorely disappointed by another’s behavior. We may be saddened by their absence.  But we are never allowed to cease caring about them.  They are always part of the family.