As agents of hope in the world, the Catholic Church must continue to challenge the non-religious world to look beneath the surface of the secular, said Bishop Greg O'Kelly SJ at the Jesuit Lenten Breakfast in Melbourne earlier this month. Bishop O'Kelly said that the Church offers the world a vision of what it is to be a human being, challenging those who want to stay at the surface of secularism to look more deeply at their motivations and values.
‘People of little or no faith know that education without values, and knowledge without ethics, is a false education', he said. ‘If they agree with that, then what are they being invited to contemplate more deeply beneath the surface of the secular?'
This year's Jesuit Lenten Podcast Series has explored the role of the Catholic Church as ‘Voices of Hope' in an increasingly secular society. Bishop O'Kelly said the topic is an especially relevant one at a time when many are pointing at declining church attendances and vocations as evidence of religion's decreasing influence.
‘We've got people dancing on our grave', said Bishop O'Kelly, pointing to the work of popular atheist writers and commentators. ‘But I think dancing on our graves is no problem to us Christians, because the grave has never been a difficulty for Christians from the time of Jesus himself.'
He said Christians have a way of living that draws on their sense of God's presence in the universe, and His love for all of creation. It gives organisations run by the Church a stronger sense of mission, and allows Christians to live through love in God's presence.
‘What we must offer our brothers and sisters of the non-religious world is a conviction of human beings in God's likeness', said Bishop O'Kelly. ‘We must challenge any shallow description of humanity, because human nature was not made to be seduced or be restricted to economic rationalism.'
While some have sought to distance the Church from the secular world, Bishop O'Kelly said the basic tradition in the Catholic faith has been one of integration - that God loved the whole world, not just part of it.
‘The world is a theatre of God's presence, and the secular is the place of the incarnation', he said.
One challenge the Church faces is how it deals with those who have different views on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Bishop O'Kelly said the Church cannot bully others into sharing its views.
‘Is it too much for us, as a Church, to expect that proponents of views other than ours are acting in good faith? They may not have the whole story - we must do everything we can to educate and give our vision of life - but we must respect the fact that Christ proposed, always. He never imposed.'
The Lenten Podcast Series has so far explored the role of the Catholic Church in important sectors such as education and social services, and among young people. Podcast are available at www.jesuit.org.au.
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