Mark Jerome B.

Laboc BSA-2

My Impression of the Catholic Church Today

The Catholic Church, just like any other things in this world, isn’t perfect, it’s far from
being perfect actually. If you’d ask me of my impression of the Catholic Church, I’d say that part
of me is in big doubt, and by that, I contradict some aspects and teachings of the church. Well, life
is full of doubts and contradictions, and this is just one. Let’s stop the show and let us honestly
view the truthful reality that the members of the church have done terrible things in the past that
violated the church’s own moral and ethical teachings and scriptures, and mind you, these things
are still happening in the present time. Church is said to be the people following the will of Christ,
then if these people do things that are against Christ’s will, then there is really something wrong
with the church.
First thing that I don’t like about the Catholic Church is that the leaders teach us that we
shouldn’t live in luxurious life. Luke 12:33 says, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.”
But, just take a look at our priests, our bishops, our cardinals, and the pope himself. They’re living
like kings, with almost all the material things that life can offer. They have cars, golden accessories,
abundant food, with all the VIP treatments. The pope is even living in a church decorated and
plated with gold. As for me, I don’t see the point of wearing expensive accessories, of using gold-
plated chalice, and the like. There are millions of children who are living in poverty and cannot
provide themselves even with just their daily food. Why not just liquidate these luxurious assets
possessed by the church and give it to the needy? In, addition, we can still have our holy masses
without the golden chalices and the rest. The leaders of the church can use much simpler and more
economically practical accessories and paraphernalia instead.
Second thing, the Rome is technically considered a state and is registered as a corporation.
In other words, the pope is not only the leader of the church, but is also a minister of a state and a
CEO of a corporation. Personally, I don’t like seeing the pope being involved in the fields of
business and politics because these sectors are known and are blamed as the roots of greediness
and corruption. I believe that it would be much better if the pope would pay all his attention as the
leader of the Catholic Church who supervises the religious activities of the church.
Third thing is the malpractices of our priests. Our hero, Gat Jose Rizal, explicitly described
the abuses of the different religious orders of catholic priests, well, except for the Jesuit friars
because they were his friends. They used the sacrament of reconciliation to blackmail their enemy.
They greedily possessed a lot of agricultural lands and raised their rental fees which our poor
farmers cannot afford, and they raped every woman whom they desire. I believe these malpractices
are still happening to today. The news would tell us different stories of the malpractices of our
friars. But personally, I know a neighbor who was fathered by a priest, and I think he’s still being
recognized and supported by that priest. My point is, the church must do the maximum effort to
stop and prevent these kind of malpractices, because they are sworn servers and leaders of the
Catholic church, and yet, they are the ones who are violating the teachings of the church.
My list can still go up, but I already pointed out what I was trying to say. I may have the
doubts, but I am still a faithful Catholic. I still believe in one true God, but I do not believe in the
sweet miracle of an unquestioning faith. As René Descartes once said, “If you would be a real
seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all
things.”