Church reform will not bring back those who left the Catholic Church, says Bob Stewart. He believes so-called “lapsed” Catholics, “continue to be people of faith and have never abandoned their faith; they are simply no longer practicing Catholics.”
“As for bringing these folks back to the Catholic Church, I believe what is required is much more than ‘reform.’ Unless there is a genuine spiritual renewal of the Church, i.e., real metanoia that reflects a radical change of heart and mind, I do not see much happening with respect to slowing the exodus from the Catholic Church. Incredibly, the bishops have not spent any time in discussing the exodus!”
Read Bob Stewart’s piece in GoodPeople 2 GoodPriests
Bob Stewart works as an Ignatian Volunteer for the Center of Concern-Education for Justice Project in Washington DC and Social Action Linking Together in Northern Virginia. He has been married for over forty years, and he and his spouse, Charlene, are parents of four children; they have 9 (soon to be 10) grandchildren.
He has written articles regarding Catholic social teaching (CST) for publication on the web site for the Center of Concern—Education for Justice Project and a number of diocesan newspapers. Bob holds graduate degrees in industrial relations and pastoral theology, and an undergraduate degree in philosophy.