A Chara, - I wonder if the time has come for us to set up a sort of associate membership of the Catholic Church here in Ireland? As I see it, there is a huge amount of good-will towards the Church, with most people eager to make the five compulsory visits for Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, their wedding and finally their funeral. They go to the occasional Mass and are regulars at the Vigil Mass at Easter and Christmas. They like the new "Alive-O" religion programme in the primary schools and think their children are lovely when they say that Jesus is their best friend.
On the other hand, this group, which now, I would say, comprises more than half the population, are very clear about their relationship with the Church. They like to have it there for the ceremonial occasions in their lives. But, no bishop or priest is going to decide when, where or how they will worship or how they will lead their lives. Religion, faith in God, a belief in the afterlife, prayer etc. are all fine things, but they are not at the centre of their lives. They are optional extras.
They do their best to lead good lives, rear their children as best they can and be good citizens. But they do not understand, appreciate or want to be part of the Church - the Body of Christ; and they certainly do not see the need to disturb themselves on Saturday evening or on Sunday morning in order to come together to make Christ visible in that great act of worship of God that we call the Mass.
So, perhaps we as a church should respond to the needs of our associate members by affirming their goodness and benefiting from their good-will by providing for the "special moments" of their lives by designing para-liturgies to suit these various occasions. As babies, they could be brought to the church, dressed in their beautiful white robes, for their enrolment as associate members. This could be followed by a naming ceremony and a solemn blessing. Instead of First Holy Communion, which is the second of the sacraments of initiation into the Church, these young children would come up and get a special blessing. Going on present trends, only a minority would receive Holy Communion, so these children would not feel that they were different - the opposite would be the case, in fact.
The sacrament of Confirmation, as the final sacrament of initiation into the Church, would be best celebrated when a young person was mature enough to choose freely - when they were about 17, I'd suggest. The marriage ceremonies of associate members could take place in the church. Having a Mass would be inappropriate; but a well-designed religious service with prayers, readings and hymns would lead nicely into the civic ceremony. And the final ceremony for our associate members need not be changed unless the family members are unhappy with the normal "Rite of Christian Burial".
What I have suggested may sound a bit daft, but the reality is that most Irish people, and the vast majority of our youth are, at best, de facto associate members. They are lovely people, many with a genuine spiritual life which they cherish. But their core commitment is not to Christ and His Church.
But then again, I get the impression when I'm reading the Gospels that Jesus had associate members too. So, maybe it's nothing new. One great advantage arising from the setting up of associate membership would be a greater awareness among the faithful that they are the Church, with all the privileges and demands that go with it. So, why not think about it? - Yours, etc., Rev Patrick Seaver,
Lourdes House, Childers Road, Rosbrien, Limerick.