The 10 Major Faith and Ecclesial Struggles of Our Age

Several years ago, the superior of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Rome asked Fr. Ronald Rolheiser to compile a list of the major spiritual questions bubbling in the Catholic world, based on his experience as a writer and speaker. At NCR’s request, Rolheiser recently took another look at that list, bringing it up to date in light of what he’s seen and heard in the intervening period.

The following is the “Top 10” list Rolheiser put together in late April.

1. The struggle with the atheism of our everyday consciousness, i.e., the struggle to have a vital sense of God within secularity, which, for good and for bad, is the most powerful narcotic ever perpetrated on this planet; to be a mystic rather than an unbeliever.

The God we believe in

HOMILY
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – C – 13 September 2010

Readings: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19; 1 Tim 1:12-17; Lk 15:1-32


More than a week ago, news articles around the world carried a controversial statement from one of the best known scientist in the world. British physicist Stephen Hawking released a snippet from his new book, The Grand Design (for sale just a few weeks before the Pope’s visit to the United Kingdom – and surely there is some grand design in this timing):

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."

Stephen Hawking, presumably after years of scientific inquiry, concluded that there is no need for a Creator of the universe, gravity would have done the job.

The God I don't believe in

“….I would like to end my book with this article which is my simple and honest profession of faith, imperfect but sincere, for my non-believing friends.”
– Juan Arias

“No, I shall never believe in:
the God who catches man by surprise in a sin of weakness;
the God who condemns material things;
the God incapable of giving an answer to the grave problems of a sincere and honest man who cries in tears: “I can’t!”;
the God who loves pain;
the God who flashes a red light against human joys;
the God who sterilizes man’s reason;
the God who blesses the Cains of humanity;
the God who is a magician and sorcerer;
the God who makes himself feared;
the God who does not allow people to talk familiarly to him;
the grandfather-God whom one can twist around one’s little finger;