Aside from all the thinly-veiled commentary that makes this little more than promotional advertising for everything from All Things New to Vatican II, it’s hard to get past how completely this podcast ignores reality with such vicious (malicious?) zeal. Not just glossing over, I mean like actively and intently denying reality.
In the most recent episode, you’ll hear the head of Kenrick-Glennon essentially blame the Family (you know, the Domestic Church) for the lack of practicing Catholics, and decry that it has anything to do with current Priestly formation. You’ll hear the host talk about how we’ve had plenty of bad Catechesis, but then simultaneously declares we’re in now or are entering the “Golden Age of Catechesis.” If that sounds a bit crazy to you it’s because it is - we have less Catholics today than ever who believe in the Real Presence, parking lots full of rainbow stickers, and we’ve trained everyone to believe their “Formed Conscience” outweighs Church teaching by default - but we’re in the Golden Age? Laughable at best, malicious dialogue at worst.
Interestingly, the host goes on to talk about how the Holy Spirit renews the Church in every age… and then the head of Glennon chimes in to talk about how this happens usually in “ways that people don’t notice.” Which, ironically, is happening - but not in V2, New Evangelization, All Things New or Charismatic Renewal - No. Where that renewal is happening is in Traditionalism, the Latin Mass, and ACTUAL, REAL authentic Catholicism. That’s where growth is occurring. That’s where people are changing their lives to live as Jesus taught. THAT is where marriages are being formed stronger, families are growing, and people are staying in the Church. Which, as the head of Kenrick Glennon blames families, you would think he could recognize where those families ARE staying practicing and committed, but No - he doubles down that on an already weakly formed Church body that the solution is to send them out to the wolves who will subsequently rip them apart.
He actually brags on how he doesn’t wear his collar out in public situations like a haircut. SAY WHAT!? And this guy talks about how there’s no priestly formation problem!? Don the cassock and LIVE authentically in your vocation, not try to HIDE it in some weird evangelical relationship building game before you toss your vocation in as the sidebar commentary to the football game! THIS IS THE HEAD OF A SEMINARY!?
How do you GO and MAKE while hiding your vocation!?
Since he made it a point to really highlight his desire to get back to his Diocese, might I suggest… GO NOW. Omaha actually has some growing and strong traditional communities that might be able to have a good influence on you and your vocation, but for now, I’m not sure I want the head of a Seminary leading by talking about keeping quiet about his vocation and calling it “evangelization” and “relationship building.”
If the Archdiocese was remotely serious about growing, having it’s seminary leader on a podcast blaming families and hiding his collar is about the opposite of a good starting point as you can get.
