Be knowledgeable, not critical about our faith

    As we begin the month of March, we as Catholics will witness two highlights of our faith: a conclave and the election of a new pope and the celebration of the greatest feast day in our liturgical calendar – Jesus’ resurrection as we celebrate Easter.
    I was a junior in high school when Pope John Paul II died, coincidentally a few weeks after Easter in 2005. I remember watching his funeral on the news and then learning about the conclave in school and paying attention to what was going on as Pope Benedict XVI was elected by his fellow cardinals.
    Of course, this year, the church will witness something new, something that has not been done for 600 years, as Pope Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy on Feb. 11.
    Reading online comments and cartoons mocking the pope’s resignation, linking his decision from everything to cowardice to knowing that the church is moving in the wrong direction and is outdated, has only made me more aware of just how uneducated people are about the Catholic faith.
    Moreover, the radical push by E.J. Dionne in The Washington Post for a nun as pope and the overwhelming positive response in the move for “progressive” thinking in the church has made me truly wonder whether people have any regard for the sanctity of the teachings of what is among the oldest institutions in the world.
    This is an opportunity for education. Pope John Paul II was the second-longest serving pope in history. It isn’t very often that we get to witness a conclave and the election of a new pope. We need to educate not just members of the Catholic faith but also the entire world that this is a teachable moment, a moment that can potentially draw members of the church back to its flock.
    After watching and learning about the conclave and seeing Pope Benedict XVI for the first time, I remember feeling a renewed sense of excitement and direction in my faith. For some, this may be what is needed.
    Moreover, as Catholics, we need to stand strong and defend our pope against the backlash that he has been receiving. The uneducated do not seem to understand that the pope and members of the conclave make decisions under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God will not abandon his church.
    Rather than allow the uneducated talk of cowardice and misinformation rule in our society, we need to begin understanding our own faith and the doctrines and dogmas that govern it in order to better explain it to those who carelessly push aside centuries-old beliefs in favor of “progressive” thinking.
    This Lent, as we take on a role of penitence and fasting, pray for the direction of our church. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and pray that we will be able to witness the restoration of our faith in a society that has ridiculed it and taken it for granted.
    Pray that its members will return with open hearts and open minds, to educate themselves on the church’s teachings and truly understand those teachings. This Lent, pray for the resurrection of Jesus in our society. Pray for an end to the culture of death, pleasure and individualism.
    Heather Bozant Witcher can be reached at hbozantwitcher@clarionherald.org.