Issue 43 Teacher Priests March 28,2013

I had previously discussed changes I would like to see in the Catholic Church as an institution, but only gave a preview of some other ideas I had to get more people involved in the church and at the same time for the Church to evolve itself.

1) The Church should provide exercise classes: Some of you may think why, but think about it. By having a healthy body it can aid in having a healthy mind. By the Church offering such a service, it attracts the health conscious and gives people an opportunity to learn healthy exercise habits. This service can even be turned into a kind of moving meditation with tie chi, yoga or Qi gong. Essentially, it would turn it into a hybrid mass and health class. Further, it gives people more opportunities to be involved with the Church and have something to do. I know that some of my friends see going to mass once a week as a burden, let alone going every single day. By providing this class, people like my friends may feel they get something more out of the Church and thus may see it as less of a burden.

2) Meditation: Back when I was preparing for my conformation, there was a special seminar where we had meditation. We envisioned ourselves on the road of life with the challenges we were facing and might face. But, we also tried to envision our faith itself and how it would get us through those challenges and aid our friends and family in doing so as well. I personally felt it was fantastic, and that this should be provided to people who would like another alternative to a traditional mass. Think about it, in meditation you can imagine yourself by Jesus' side, or even being one with the Holy Spirit.

3) Teach Healthy habits: This encompasses both eating foods and actions in every day life. Basically, the clergy would help younger members of the Church to know a good habit from a bad one (aka a vice) and aid parents when help is needed to council their children. But, with respect to eating, everyone wants to eat healthy that is suited for them. The Clergy would provide methods of tracking what you eat, how much you eat, and how healthy each item is. Long story short, they will help you to eat healthy and live healthy, because lets face it unhealthy parishioners is a bad thing.

4) Use Music: One of the coolest things about a Baptist Church is how they get every single parishioner involved in the mass. They do so with music, and it prevents the mass from turning, well, dull. Some people need that uplifting music to hone their faith and the Church should provide that experience. I'm not saying do away with traditional mass, but also embrace an alternative.

5) Make worship unique and individual: This is probably the hardest component of change for the Church to achieve. I literally want each person to come out of the mass satisfied and uplifted. But, that does not happen to people who simply go to mass like a robot. This is part of the reason I call for the four changes listed above, to make mass a unique experience for each person. In truth, we don't need a Church to be faithful, but we need it to know that there are people like us who worship, have the same questions we do and that we are a part of a larger community. Allow questions of faith, allow new ideas and interpretations, and make it as if the priest is talking to the individual even if he is talking to the whole group. No more robotic motions with people showing up, standing on command and then leaving on command. Faith must become personal and travel with the person even as they exit the Church.

Conclusion: The Catholic Church is struggling. It is trying to redefine itself and correct its errors of both past and present. But, to overshadow, the negative, the Church must renew itself like a phoenix. My suggestions may not be the answer, but I hope they at least enhance the dialogue.