The Demonization of the Catholic Church

Recently, we have seen more public attacks on the Catholic Church. The demonization of the Church continues to embolden people, spurring even more attacks. While this isn’t new to Catholics, we are seeing these attacks more prominently in the news and more widespread than previously. Let’s take a look.

Recent History

Just in the past week, there have been three issues that made the news of attacks against our beliefs and our standing as a Church:

• An episode of an Apple TV show depicted the desecration of the Eucharist.
• The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state of Wisconsin cannot deny the Catholic Charities bureau a religious exemption because it employs and helps non-Catholics
• Protestors in Texas have begun to trail the National Eucharist Pilgrimage across the U.S., mocking the Eucharist.

Many Catholics will recall the opening night of the Olympics, when part of the ceremony parodied the Last Supper. While the Olympic organizers tried to explain this as an “interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus,” it went over like a lead balloon to Catholics worldwide.

The “Demonization” of the Church

These are deliberate attacks on the Church. With Apple TV and the pilgrimage, the attacks are against the Most Holy Sacrament, the Eucharist. This is nothing new. Jesus’ teaching has always gone against what society believes is good and what people should strive for. The Church has been a lightning rod for criticism and attacks since the time of Jesus. The sex scandal and the subsequent cover-up exacerbated the situation. Perhaps it’s me, but people seem to be emboldened in attacking the Church, especially the Eucharist, lately. This “demonization” is meant to cast people’s view of the faith and our beliefs as evil. The reality is just the opposite.

The Church is often portrayed as oppressive or “out of touch” by the media and many cultural groups. This is mainly centered around cultural issues, especially abortion, assisted suicide, and IVF. With the rescinding of Roe v Wade, the backlash was felt in many institutions. This decision gave the pro-abortion lobby another reason to demonize the Church. The Church’s stance on in vitro fertilization (IVF) is another social issue that conflicts with societal norms. There are some serious moral challenges with IVF, although science has given couples who are struggling to conceive another opportunity to start a family.

While the Church has reaffirmed its stance on abortion, euthanasia, and artificial contraception, science continues to advance. New technological advances in stem cell research and genetic modification offer opportunities to cure and prevent certain illnesses. The Church strongly supports medical advancements that respect human dignity but opposes procedures that involve the destruction of human embryos or the manipulation of human life in ways that conflict with moral principles.

Internal Issues and Positions

The Clergy sexual abuse scandal has done immense damage to the Church and continues to foster hatred and mistrust from members and non-members. The scandal was enough to alienate people, but the cover-up exacerbated the situation. The Church has not fully recovered from this. More must be done to regain the trust of parishioners.

Other issues and positions have contributed to the alienation of the Church:

• Various financial scandals, including the conviction of Cardinal Angelo Becciu for embezzling €200 million in 2023
• The Church’s stand on LGBTQ+ and same sex marriage has been a point of contention. Critics argue that this stance fosters discrimination.
• The role of women in the Church, specifically women priests and deacons. Critics have claimed the refusal to ordain women as priests and deacons is outdated and exclusionary.
• The Church’s involvement in politics, specifically in shaping abortion laws, has been polarizing.

Our Most Pressing Issue as Catholics

I believe that these recent attacks, as well as the growing anti-sentiment against the Church, are contributing significantly to what I think is our most pressing issue: the long-term sustainability of the Catholic Church.

Jesus’ teachings have always been counter to societal norms. While the Church preaches about unity and community, society preaches about the individual. This immediately put it at odds with people convinced that the Church was “oppressive” and “outdated.” The Church had an attendance problem before the scandal and a lack of men to fulfill vocations as priests and deacons. As you sit in Mass this weekend, look around and you will see the vast majority of attendees have gray hair. Some parishes have had to cut the number of masses offered or share priests across multiple churches. There has been some recovery as Mass attendance has returned to pre-pandemic levels. The overall direction continues to indicate a decline. Youth attendance has been mixed with some surges, but is back at pre-pandemic levels. The overall trend remains mixed. There are some signs of a resurgence amongst Catholic youth. This can be attributed to events like World Youth Day, SEEK23, and the March for Life.

The issue of Catholic men seeking vocations in the Church is a topic of debate. There are Dioceses in the United States that are seeing a growing response to calls for the priesthood, but there are many reporting that the lack of men is a crisis. Many parishes are seeing priests arrive from other countries, such as India or countries in Africa, to help support U.S. parishes. While we are thankful for their service and assistance, their presence can also reinforce the mindset of a declining Church.

The Path Forward

I became a member of the Catholic Church in 2004. In many ways, I feel blessed to have entered the Church later in life. This gives me a very different perspective on the beauty of our faith and the teachings of Jesus. I pray that others can see what I have been able to see. That doesn’t mean I think the Church is always right, but my conversion has been life-altering. I pray the same for many of the people out there who are searching for something bigger than themselves, yet are bombarded with negativity from the mainstream media (MSM) and groups that oppose Church teachings. We must focus on bringing people back to the Church. That doesn’t mean changing Church teachings, but it does mean being more proactive in communicating our message. We must all become evangelists. The signs of resurgence amongst Catholic youth provide hope. We need to learn how to support their engagement with the Church and attract more youth to the teachings of Jesus. I pray that Pope Leo will be a driving force, attracting people to our faith while addressing internal challenges and articulating our positions effectively.

Please let me know what you thought about this article in the “Comments” section.

Peace