ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI ON THE ROTTEN STATE OF THE CHURCH IN 1774 [sound familiar? Man, how did the Church ever make it to today? Just a small consideration, I submit: God the Holy Spirit. He wrote this to an unnamed bishop] As regards my opinions concerning the present state of the church . . . There is need for prayer and much prayer. All the human science and prudence that there is cannot extricate the church from the present state of relaxation and confusion in which every section finds itself; the all-powerful arm of God is necessary. As regards the bishops, very few of them possess genuine zeal for souls. Almost all religious communities – and one could omit the “almost”– are relaxed. As a result of the present state of general confusion, observance has collapsed and obedience is a thing of the past. The state of the secular clergy is still worse: so, in a word, there is a need for a general reform of all clerics and ecclesiastics if there is to be any improvement in the present great corruption of morals among the laity. . . . I trust in the merits of Jesus Christ and Our Lady that, before my death, which is now quite near on account of my years and the infirmities which afflict me, the Lord will grant me the consolation of seeing the church restored. I assure you, my friends, that I desire, like yourself, to see remedies for so many and such unfortunate situations. In all this matter a thousand ideas circulate in my head which I feel like telling everybody about. But, mindful of my own unworthiness, I have not the effrontery to publicize them lest I should appear to wish to reform the whole world. . . . I wish, furthermore, that he [the new pope] would let it be known to all and sundry bishops who are careless in their duties, who transgress in the matter of residence or in the luxury of their retinue or in excessive expenditure on furnishings, life-style, and similar matters, will be suspended or replaced by the appointment of vicars apostolic in order to remedy the situation. It is important to make and example from time to time. Examples of this sort will make other bishops take notice and moderate their extravagance accordingly. I hope that the next Pope will be very slow in granting privileges which weaken good discipline in religious life. Such, for example, would be permission for enclosed sisters to leave the enclosure out of mere curiosity just to see the things of the world, readily to dispense from their vows and allow them to return to secular life – a practice from which many scandals result. Above all else I should hope that the Pope would be able to recall all religious to their primitive observances, at least in the most important matters. (From "Selected Writings - The Classics of Western Spirituality")
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 05:36:10 +0000
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