We read this article from the Regina Angelorum newsletter of the nuns of Our Lady of the Angels Poor Clare Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama (EWTN) awhile back and thought it was relevant to our current situation here in the Diocese of Camden. The [anonymous] sister who wrote the article seeks to address empty, worldly, directionless "values." Here in the Diocese of Camden have heard countless arguments from the Galante Administration regarding change. They have spewed psychobabble pertaining to the alleged difficulty that we, the laity have coping with change. This kind of patronizing dribble is without merit because it fails to address the purpose of the change and merely holds up "change" as having inherent value. This type of rhetoric attempts to put the Catholic faithful on the defensive, as if they had to prove their ability to healthily cope with change by accepting the destruction of their parishes. The question remains, is the change we are expected to embrace a change toward the Good, toward God's Will, toward God Himself? What are we supposed to be changing to?

Here is the article:

We live in a culture where it has become popular to promote incomplete ideas. Choice, change and even love are raised high as banners harkening to more elevated paths. But without truth these are paths most notable for their lack of destination. Such emotionally-charged words certainly do refererence authentic aspirations in human nature, but when raised as an empty battle cry they are most unhelpful in indicating the direction of the charge.

The value of a choice is determined by what is chosen. Change is only good when what something is changed to is preferable to what it is changed from. And even love derives its beauty from what is loved. When St. Bernadette was asked what a sinner is, she replied that a sinner is someone who loves evil. It is possible to love evil, just as it is possible to choose evil and possible to change into an evil person.

Many years ago I awoke one morning, shaken by a very vivid dream. It was a dream about two Kingdoms, ruled by two very different Masters. What I remember most clearly about this dream was the conviction that I had upon waking that it would be infinitely better to be a dog in Heaven than to be the highest underling of the devil inhell. These are very different Masters.

As Catholics we do not believe that good and evil are equal forces. We do not believe that God has a real rival in the devil. God is sovereign and even the evil He permits will serve His goodness in the end. Yet, for each of us the choice between good and evil is a real one, and which we choose to love will determine not only where we will go at the end of our life but what we weill BE. Those choices are determining us even now.

We tend to view the consequences of our choices as something external to ourselves, reward or punishment, praise or blame, success or failure. It is true that our choices do have ramifications in the world around us, but we too easily forget that they also have an effect on the world within us. Our choices change us. They cooperate in making us who we are.

If I lie, I become a liar. If I steal, I become a thief. If I rejoice in ean-spirited actions, I become a mean-spirited person. To be sure, it is possible to free ourselves from sinful choices, precisely by repenting of them, but unti we do that they are a force in deterining who we are. We can deform our own characters by embracing evil and neglecting to seek the good. The potential that we have for being beautiful, shining reflections of the God Who created us can go eternally unfulfilled.

This reality is not dependent on anyone's opinion or perception. We aren't good because we are praised. we aren't good because we can convince people that we are good. We are only good to the degree that we love the good, serve the good, choose the good. Whether these choices are hidden or manifest, they make us what we are.

"The issue now is clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side." (the last words of G.K. Chesterton)