A Whisper in the Storm –
Years ago, I spoke out against the weaponization of faith to justify exclusion. The backlash was swift: death threats, accusations of heresy, and isolation. Today, I write not as a fearless prophet but as someone trembling for my country, disillusioned by my Church’s silence, and heartbroken by leaders who trade in fear. Yet my Franciscan vocation—rooted in St. Francis’ radical love—refuses to let me stay quiet. This is a call to resistance inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s courage and the silent hope of the marginalized.
Part 1: Echoes of Bonhoeffer’s Germany
In the 1930s, the German Christian movement (Deutsche Christen) twisted Scripture to bless Nazi ideology, baptizing racism and authoritarianism as divine will. Historian Victoria Barnett notes how churches became “silent enablers” of tyranny (For the Soul of the People, 1992). Today, similar shadows loom.
- Christian Nationalism: Writers like Kristin Kobes Du Mez (Jesus and John Wayne, 2020) trace how faith has been fused with political power, justifying cruelty at borders and attacks on Democracy.
- Cheap Grace: Bonhoeffer warned against faith that avoids confrontation with injustice (The Cost of Discipleship, 1937). Yet many churches today bless power rather than challenge it, echoing his fears.
We are not in 1933, but the parallels chill me: the scapegoating of “others,” the idolatry of strongmen, and the silence of good people.
Part 2: The Catholic Church—A Fractured Witness
The U.S. Catholic bishops are divided. Among the most prophetic voices today is Cardinal Robert McElroy (Archdiocese of San Diego), who has consistently challenged the Church to confront its complicity in injustice. Recent actions include:
1. Condemning Christian Nationalism
In June 2023, McElroy denounced Christian nationalism as a “heresy” that “distorts the Gospel into a tool for power,” warning it risks abandoning Christ’s command to love the marginalized (National Catholic Reporter, June 2023).
2. Synod on Synodality and Inclusion
As a delegate to Pope Francis’ 2023 Synod on Synodality, McElroy advocated for LGBTQ+ inclusion and criticized “rigid doctrinalism,” urging the Church to “accompany, not exclude” (America Magazine, October 2023).
3. A Holistic Pro-Life Ethic
In a September 2023 op-ed, McElroy rebuked politicians who reduce Catholic teaching to abortion while ignoring poverty and racism:
“We must defend the undocumented child at the border as vigorously as the unborn.”
(San Diego Union-Tribune, September 2023).
4. Defending Democracy
McElroy partnered with civil rights groups in July 2023 to oppose voter suppression, calling it a “moral evil” (USCCB Statement, July 2023).
5. Climate Action as Eucharistic Reverence
He committed the San Diego Diocese to net-zero emissions by 2030, declaring:
“To desecrate the Earth is to desecrate the body of Christ.”
(Diocese of San Diego, May 2023).
Yet McElroy’s boldness contrasts with bishops who prioritize culture wars over justice. The Church’s greatest sin isn’t malice but inertia. Like the priest in Jesus’ parable, we often “pass by on the other side” (Luke 10:31-32) while the wounded wait.
Part 3: The Franciscan Contradiction—And Hope
St. Francis kissed lepers, gave up wealth, and preached peace to a violent world. Today, Franciscans are torn between comfort and radical love.
- Action Over Words: The Franciscan Action Network lobbies for climate justice and migrant rights (FAN, 2023). Sisters like Thea Bowman (National Black Catholic Congress, 2023) demanded the Church confront its racism—a fight that continues.
- Our Call: To rebuild, as Francis did, we must go to the margins: stand with refugees, kneel with the racially oppressed, and defend God’s creation (Laudato Si’, 2015).
Part 4: A Path Forward—Rebuilding with Mercy
Bonhoeffer wrote, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil” (Letters and Papers from Prison, 1953). Here’s how we resist without losing hope:
- Name the Heresies: Call out Christian nationalism (Jemar Tisby, The Color of Compromise, 2021), greed, and fearmongering.
- Build Sanctuary: Create communities where the Eucharist is shared alongside soup kitchens, protests, and shelter for the marginalized (Catholic Worker Movement, 1933).
- Embrace Joyful Defiance: St. Francis disarmed hate with joy (Canticle of the Sun). When threats come, remember: you’re not alone. The cloud of witnesses—Bonhoeffer, Dorothy Day (Forest, Love is the Measure, 1986), Óscar Romero (Brockman, Romero: A Life, 2005)—walks with us.
To bishops and politicians, we must say: Whose side are you on? Withhold support from those who exploit faith for power.
Conclusion: The Impossible Road
St. Francis once heard God’s command: “Rebuild my Church” (Bonaventure, The Life of St. Francis, 1260). Today, the ruins are not stones but souls—broken by indifference, greed, and fear. We rebuild not with grand cathedrals but with small acts of mercy: a meal shared, a protest joined, a lie confronted.
The road is hard. I know the cost of speaking out. But the God who walked with Francis and Bonhoeffer still whispers: “Do not be afraid. I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).
Let us go to the margins, where love waits to resurrect us all.
Pax et bonum.
References
- Barnett, V. (1992). For the Soul of the People: Protestant Protest Against Hitler. Oxford University Press.
- Bonhoeffer, D. (1937). The Cost of Discipleship. SCM Press.
- Bonhoeffer, D. (1953). Letters and Papers from Prison. SCM Press.
- Brockman, J. (2005). Romero: A Life. Orbis Books.
- Catholic Worker Movement. (1933). Aims and Means. Link
- Du Mez, K. K. (2020). Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. Liveright.
- Forest, J. (1986). Love is the Measure: A Biography of Dorothy Day. Paulist Press.
- Franciscan Action Network. (2023). Advocacy Priorities. Link
- Francis, Pope. (2015). Laudato Si’. Vatican Press.
- Francis, Pope. (2020). Fratelli Tutti. Vatican Press.
- McElroy, R. (2023, June 15). “Christian Nationalism and the Crisis of Democracy.” National Catholic Reporter.
- McElroy, R. (2023, October 10). “Synodality and the Church’s Future.” America Magazine.
- McElroy, R. (2023, September 5). “Beyond Abortion: A Consistent Ethic of Life.” San Diego Union-Tribune.
- National Black Catholic Congress. (2023). The Legacy of Sr. Thea Bowman. Link
- Tisby, J. (2021). The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. Zondervan.
- USCCB. (2023, July 20). “Joint Statement on Voting Rights.” Link
- Diocese of San Diego. (2023, May 24). “Laudato Si’ Action Plan.” Link
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