According to Bishop Robert Barron, we have dumbed down faith for too long.
Robert Barron, the bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, in his speech in mid-August, explained that events such as the recently concluded World Youth Meeting are not only of great importance for the Catholic Church, but also important to counter the phenomenon that he simply calls the he calls it the "dumbing down of faith", which he believes has characterized the church for too long and too strongly.
Bishop Barron is justly popular for his work in "Word on Fire." (The Catholic media organization he founded uses digital and traditional media to introduce Catholicism to the wider world. Trans.) He is also known for his regular "Sunday Sermons" on social media. In one of his recent interviews on EWTN's "News Nightly", he told Colm Flynn that today we are witnessing an interesting contradiction: on the one hand, Catholicism is declining in certain areas of the world, while at the same time it is flourishing and spreading in African and Asian countries.
"In some ways, we can say that the Catholic faith is in decline in the Western world, but not in other parts of the world!" Bishop Barron said.
"One of the characteristics of the World Youth Meeting is that we can meet Catholics from all over the world, which breaks us out of the sometimes Western, myopic view of things."
"It's great to see a vibrant, vibrant faith in Africa and Asia," he added.
When asked what he thinks makes the World Youth Summit so special, Barron replied:
"People are hungry for God, whether they admit it or not, whether they feel it directly or not."
"So when there is an opportunity to come together to seek and glorify God, young people respond!" - He told.
According to Barron, young people “don't want uncertain, hesitant messages. They expect a clear, unequivocal call, and when they get it, they respond.”
“They want something that has a solid foundation. We have dumbed down our faith for too long.” he added.
The bishop reflected on his own generation. According to him, he himself received a "dumbed down, simplified Catholicism", which itself was a "pastoral disaster".
According to Barron, this is not only his own opinion, but his statement is supported by numerous surveys, which show that more and more people are moving away from the Catholic faith".
He emphasized that the church should spread the gospel. In the interview, he recalled XVI. Pope Benedict's guidance on the three main goals of the church. The bishop formulated these as follows: "Worship of God, service to the poor and evangelization".
According to the bishop, these goals are constantly necessary and timeless, regardless of whether we are culturally successful or are hated - our task is still to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord".
Barron argued that young people need to be taught that social media can be a "tool" but "not the real world."
"The real world is worshiping God, serving the poor, and fellowship with one another"
- He told.
“I like and use social media myself,” he added. "However, it has a seriously negative aspect. Anxiety, depression, and suicidality are all on the rise among young people through overuse.”
“I know we're living in tough times right now,” Barron said of the current world in which young people are coming of age. This is why we need Christ more than ever! I want them to feel that Jesus loves them, is with them on their journey, and wants to be the Lord of their lives in a liberating way."
Translated by: Anna Kántorné Polonyi
Source: Catholic News Agency / zarandok.ma
Featured image: CNS photo/courtesy Word on Fire
