The Catholic Defender: "It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and your religious act like religious. – Fulton J. Sheen

The laity will save the Church, by bringing holiness and the pursuit of holiness into the everyday events and occasions of our lives.  It really isn't all that difficult and only takes some slight shifts in direction, yet the rewards, Graces and benefits will be out of this world!

The importance for Christians to hold the line, that we are born for spiritual combat comes from the Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo XIII (1810 - 1903):

"To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as truth of what he professes to believe. The only ones who win when Christians stay "quiet" are the enemies of truth. The silence of Catholics is particularly disturbing because frequently a few bold words would have vanquished the false ideas."

Pope Leo XIII is very clear the importance of giving witness to the truth! Jesus said that He is the "Way, the Truth, and the Life"! That truth is not subject to the human will, but is the height the human will reaches towards. St. Peter gives this explanation:

"but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ."

What is the need today to save society?

The group of Cardinals began to deliberate this question, one responded, "Build Catholic Schools", another one cried out, "build more churches", and yet another answered "speed up the recruiting of priests". Pope St. Pius X took the opportunity to say:

"No, the most necessary thing of all at this time, is for every parish to posses a group of laymen who will be at the same time virtuous, enlightened, resolute truly apostolic". Jean-Baptiste Chautard "The Soul of the Apostolate"

St. Jude goes one step farther giving foundation for Pope Leo XIII's point:

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

Unfortunately, many people seem to think the responsibility for preaching the faith only belongs to the Clergy, but that is not true at all? Consider Ephesians 2:19-21:

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the LORD."

Pray for our priests and bishops. As we are Ridein the Storm out