LOOKING FOR TRUTH IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

"The Vatican's doctrinal crackdown on American nuns will only add fuel to a fire that now has young Catholics, like myself, fleeing the Church. The unilaterally conducted investigation reins in nuns in for such infractions as not wearing a religious habit or living outside of convents. Or, more to the point, promoting the ordination of women to the priesthood.

Yet it comes at a time when studies show that many young American Catholics--leery of a creed that is identified with scandal and dogmatism--are abandoning their religion in remarkable numbers.

According to a 2007 study conducted by Catholic University's Life Cycle Institute, just 15 percent of college-aged American Catholics attend mass regularly. The rest know Catholicism only from what the media tells them of it. The authors of the report, Bill D'Antonio and Vincent Bolduc, conclude, "Once a generation has established a pattern of Mass attendance, evidence suggests that it does not change much throughout their lives. If we follow the present pattern, the church of 2050 may well be a fraction of its present size."

To stem this tide, the Catholic Church needs to rebrand itself in the eyes of American youth."

Huffington Post

This article contains a statement of truth that leads the author to a completely wrong conclusion. The statement "the rest know Catholicism only from what the media tells them of it", which is true, leads the author to assert that the Church needs to rebrand itself, which is false. This is typical of the way most people think. Instead of searching to find if what the Church teaches is true and conforming themselves to it, they expect the Church to conform itself to their worldview. To "rebrand" so that it is more acceptable to the world. To cast aside truth in search of popularity.

If you don't accept what the Church teaches then leave. Find a church that agrees with you. I mean, how can any church be so authoritarian as to expect you to accept the idea that there may be a higher power than yourself?

And if you can't find that church? Why then, start your own. This is the basis of the Reformation and Protestantism has done quite well for itself. Accept no authority but your own; become your own Pope.

Until we learn to accept the fact that we may not know everything we will learn nothing. These children that want the Church to rebrand , to become more acceptable in their eyes will grow up someday. And hopefully, along with their physical maturation comes growth in understanding of their place in the world and how little they truly know and understand.

With age comes humility. Humility begets wisdom and wisdom drives the search for truth. Truth stands apart from popularity and comfort. Truth is. The sooner we accept that the sooner real understanding of our reason for existence can begin.