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The results are in! What do Catholics believe/think/feel?

Spoiler alert: it's not the best.

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Holy Scrollers
September 09, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Good morning Holy Scrollers!

Polls, synods, SCOTUS — oh my! There’s a lot going on, so we’ll try to be respectful of your time and keep things concise. Let’s jump right in!

In this week’s edition:

  • New poll reveals ‘spiritual health’, political preferences of Catholics in America

  • Vatican holds talks with creators of the “synodal way”

  • SCOTUS to hear “child protection” cases during October term

  • VA parish caters to neuordivergent Catholics and their families

  • and more!

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Let Ideas Compete, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Summary: The poll reveals low Mass attendance, low belief in Catholic doctrine, and concerning support for Kamala Harris.

Details:

  • Only 43% of Catholics fulfill their Sunday obligation

  • 52% believe in the Real Presence, 32% do not, and 16% are unsure.

  • 28% believe all of the Church’s teachings, while 39% believe most

  • It’s not all bad! Mass and confession attendance were up from the 2022 polling

  • 50% expressed support for Harris; 43% for Trump (6% undecided)

  • 48% of the above who accept all the Church’s teachings would vote for Harris

Why we care: One caveat to have in mind is that 34% of respondents either did not accept some key teachings or were only slightly influenced by Catholicism, so it’s safe to say this isn’t an accurate representation of faithful Catholics. That said, there are certainly still some concerning statistics that indicate the severity of the need for better catechesis. This obviously isn’t a ship that can be turned around overnight, but we’re hopeful that these numbers are a catalyst for change rather than a cause for despair.

Synod of the Union Church, 1887, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Summary: The ZdK held “fruitful” if “confrontational” discussions with curial officials for the first time since the controversial synodal way that ended in 2023.

Details:

  • Vatican leadership had initially opted to discuss the issue with German bishops

  • A change in dicastery leadership and conversations with the bishops, Vatican officials agreed to meet with ZdK.

  • Rome has on more than one occasion nixed the notion of a synodal council, while “The ZdK aims to make synodality permanent.”

Why we care: While it sounds as though perhaps this was more of a diplomatic move by Rome rather than one in which they might actually take proposals under consideration, we worry that this might give an appearance to the contrary. Appearing to entertain the ideas of self-proclaimed “committed Christians” who also seek to undermine some of the core teachings of the Church could be a cause for scandal. Perhaps this diplomatic approach is the only way to turn things around in Germany; until then we’ll be respectfully hesitant about any talks with ZdK.

Erich Salomon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Summary: Cases to be heard include Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, regarding ID verification for pornography, and United States v. Skrmetti, which deals with treatment for dysphoria.

Details:

  • Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton was brought by plaintiffs - including a pornography producers’ trade group - on the ground that the Texas law prohibiting sending porn to anyone under 18 and requiring documentation of age places an undue burden on consumers of said pornography.

  • They allege this is a violation of 1st Amendment rights.

  • United States v. Skrmetti takes on a challenge to a TN law that bans puberty blockers and surgery for minors seeking “gender-affirming” care.

  • The case was joined by the Biden administration, which claims a violation of 14th Amendment rights.

Why we care: We’re surely preaching to the choir here, but why are ID laws considered onerous? We’re perfectly fine with verification of age for alcohol, tobacco, or lotto tickets - but don’t you dare touch the porn! We’ve also talked at length about the so-called “gender affirming” care and the evil it is, but again - society doesn’t trust minors with certain decisions, but when it comes to life-altering mutilation they are somehow perfectly mentally competent. Forgive the snark - it’s simply bewildering to us that cases like these have to go all the way to SCOTUS; at one point in time our society agreed about the protection of children. We trust the court will make the morally correct decisions here.

Credit: Credit: Nativity Catholic Church via pillarcatholic.com

Summary: Nativity Catholic Church in Burke, VA offered a Mass aimed at neurodivergent Catholics with dimmed lights, diminished music, and tools/aids for the congregation. This was their first of the kind, to great success.

Details:

  • Sensory issues, sometimes accompanied by behavioral issues, can make attending Mass as a neurodivergent person or a family with a neurodivergent child difficult.

  • These individuals/families can also face backlash from other members of the congregation

  • These challenges can cause attendance to peter out among these groups, with one study finding autistic children had double the chance of never attending service.

Why we care: We think this is absolutely fantastic. Just because some of use like all the smells, bells, and window-rattling organ music doesn’t mean we all do, but in no way does that lessen any person’s status as a child of God or his/her right to attend Mass if desired. Just as some parishes offer family/children adoration hours during which the expectation of perfect behavior is thrown out for the sake of exposing children to the Blessed Sacrament, so does this Mass provide an atmosphere in which families and individuals can encounter our Lord in the sacrifice of the Mass. Kudos to this parish, and we’d love to see more parishes introduce this sort of thing if/when possible.

Quote of the Week

Remember, Christian, the surpassing worth of the wisdom that is yours. Bear in mind the kind of school in which you are to learn your skills, the rewards to which you are called. Mercy itself wishes you to be merciful, righteousness itself wishes you to be righteous, so that the Creator may shine forth in his creature, and the image of God be reflected in the mirror of the human heart as it imitates his qualities. The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given you; what you love will be yours for ever.

From a sermon on the beatitudes by Pope Saint Leo the Great

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