Sounds a lot like my own childhood in the Catholic Church growing up, except I had the benefit of being flanked by the traditional Mexican piety of my family and neighbors. From the official church, however, all I received was what Alexandra received.
"The Catholics left will be those who, unlike her, know and care about what it means to be Catholic."
Maybe there will be nothing left, or nothing notable anyway. Things don't look good for us.
Arturo:
I know enough authentic Catholics in ecclesial movements, universities and seminaries, and even parishes to find your pessimism unwarranted. We will be fewer than in days past, but we will definitely be there.
Best,
Mike
just drifting back to these posts
i heard an interview on npr today
with alexandra pelosi
and i was not a little disturbed
but then i thought
you now
it is an ignorant person
doing a documentary film
on ignorant christians
christians who believe one book
is enough
philosophy is too confusing
and a catholic girl
who is the victim
of ignorant women who
preached the nice jesus
and everything is beautiful
i should hope that this
sorry documentary film maker
has the benefit of having her
mind turned to what is best
in catholic teaching
perhaps her sense of authentic
contrast with the evangelical world
could start with the catechism
and then a dose of adrienne von speyer
if she really needs a woman to
teach her something
amen
All isn't lost. Perhaps things are pretty "progressive" on the coasts where you guys are, but where I come from, in small-town Indiana (and probably so throughout those "red states") traditional values are still taught, if not exactly in traditional form. I went to a Catholic school, the motto of which was essentially "Rah rah rah, Vatican II!", where one time I remember the priest doing a "rap homily", but we still got browbeaten by nuns and priests, old and young, about the evils of homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, and even Ouija boards.
Matt K--Catholicism rocks here in NC as well. 
Long live Bishop Jugis.
The NYT profile reported a strikingly different quote from A. Pelosi:
"I believe in the culture war," she said. "And you know what? If I have to take a side in the culture war I’ll take their side," meaning the Christian conservatives. "Because if you give me the choice of Paris Hilton or Jesus, I’ll take Jesus."
John Hanson, your post reminded me of Peter Maurin's "Easy Essays" Lovely!
Fred, thanks for the "I'll take Jesus" quote.
Eternal Father, we beg you to send your Holy Spirit to enlighten us all, and especially our sister Alexandra and her family. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
It's great to hear that about Alexandra! There may be hope yet. As the 12-steppers say, one good step at a time.
I understand that large sections of the midwest are more "progressive" and low-church than anywhere else.
"This is not a religion anybody would die for. It is a religion destined to die. Its dilution of truth in a soup of relativism and individualism proceeds apace by the generation."
No, its not a religion that anyone will die for or for which one will willingly suffer and/or give of oneself because its not a religion rather it is a cleverly dressed straw man, whereby true religious liberalism in this case "progressive Catholicism" is attacked through the slight of hand of associating secular individualistic material consumerism with actual belief in the Words of Jesus Christ and other great Saints and Prophets as interpreted by individuals seeking to raise the meek, to further equality and opportunity for all (you know much the way St. Paul said, "Jew and Gentile" or who knows the way Jesus sacrificed for all), and to use political and social techniques to bring about these changes. True intellectuals know the difference between religious liberalism and a small drop of 'religious baggage' that A. Pelosi may have in an otherwise secular materialist life. And the sad part is that you don't even distinguish between a secular progressivism that has many of the same goals as the radical gospel (of which She truly is apart of) and the secular materialist consumerism that both the gospels and 'the secular left' (you know those ‘poor depraved people’ w/o religion) oppose.
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