Charity begins at home

There are great deliberations going on across the pond this week. Beginning today, and throughout this week, the Episcopal Conference of England and Wales is meeting in Plenary Assembly. Usually when bishops get together for such a tête-à-tête, there can be any number of discussions going on in publicly accessible gatherings and behind closed doors.

It just so happens that there is a 'special guest' who has been invited to at least a part of this illustrious convocation in the person of Paul Joseph Cordes, the Cardinal President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. His Eminence will address the assembly of bishops, inviting conversation around the issue of charity. The Vatican announced today that 'The aim of the visit is to dialogue with the Bishops, in the light of the Holy Father’s first Encyclical Deus caritas est, on how to promote the Catholic identity of the Church’s charitable organizations in a rapidly changing environment, characterized by challenges to the Church’s traditional outreach in this field.'

England and Wales are not the only countries in the world which are experiencing changes in perception relative to the traditional view that the Church has held about its involvement in charitable and philanthropic work, so Cardinal Cordes will doubtless be interested to hear any discussion that takes place this week at Hinsley Hall (Leeds). Other Episcopal Conferences will also be interested to join the fray, if they have not yet done so. Collective wisdom is usually worth listening to. In short, if the Church wants to continue being effective in today's world, we need to return to the basics of caring for one another, of listening closely to one another and to believing that somehow, God is present, guiding the ship.

Coincidence or not, a new book by Father Aiden Nichols, OP entitled The Realm: An Unfashionable Essay on the Conversion of England is being discussed in some theological circles these days. Father Nichols posits that the sovereign nation is ripe for a new examination on the part of those who make faith and such concepts their concern. For the past 500 years or so, England has been largely a protestant nation, but perhaps it's now time for a second look, something that the bishops may also be keenly interested in discussing this week.

The Plenary Assembly of the CBEW continues until Thursday of this week.