A Catholic Point of View

Over the years I have been to a few Catholic churches. One on holiday in Portugal, for a meeting so packed that I had to stand outside the church itself because the congregation was literally spilling out of the church. Another time when I was visiting a relative in Ireland and I went to the local Catholic church, curious to see what it was like – it was very much like a local community hub. I’ve been to the Vatican, but at the time I wasn’t a believer and was more interested in the array of often esoteric items being sold in the street leading up to the Vatican.

If the figures are to be believed, then it seems that many new Christians are becoming Catholic. I remember writing a report on how believers were portrayed in film and I found that most of the negative stereotypes concerned Catholic fictional characters, especially priests. Despite the child abuse scandals (which have got to be the worst sins that people from within both Catholicism and Protestantism have ever done), there seems to be something about the Catholic church which attracts many. Possibly it may be the claim that it is the true Church, with the legitimate successor to the first Pope, St Peter. But the Orthodox Church also claims to be the true, original church, so it can get pretty confusing. Especially when you are Protestant (which has absolutely no evidence of being orthodox when it all comes down to it (and has splintered into many groups)).

There is still a lot of misunderstanding and discrimination between some Protestants and Catholics, further evidence of our current lack of unity. For example, they don’t usually pray TO Mary and the saints. They ask Mary and the saints to pray for them in the same way that you might ask a church leader to pray for you. Because they believe that death is not strong enough to block prayers. Yes, they do some things wrong, but they also do a lot right and are as Christian as any other church which holds to the creed.

Archbishop Mark O’Toole of Cardiff prayed in his homily on the 2nd December 2024:

“Help us to come to you as Kyrios, as Lord, as the one who is the source of our joy, of our energy and our life. And to ‘Go’ forth in your name, not go ‘from you’ but to go forward in the power and strength of your presence to those who do not know you, who have not had the beauty of an encounter with you.  To go to those who are furthest away. 

Lord, help us to do this in communion with one another, walking together, assisting each one to be able to participate more profoundly and deeply, so that all may have their voice and their part in bringing others to you.  This is our Mission.”

And about the quiet revival he went on to say that it was being led by young men and laypeople.

Beth Przybylska, strategic project director at the church's Catholic Youth Ministry Federation told OSV News:

"If a mass revival occurs, I'm sure it will find great leadership. But for now, with local priests and parishes preoccupied with their own daily hardships, it's up to youth groups like ours to keep a wider momentum going."

There is speculation that young people are attracted to the traditions and ritual within many Catholic churches. And let’s face it – if you have suddenly become a believer, it is a logical choice to join the largest, least fragmented church in the world… If only just to be safe with ‘you know who’.