Harkening to the Voices of the “Lost Ones”: Attending to The
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Harkening to the Voices of the “Lost Ones”: Attending to the Stories of Baptized Roman Catholics No Longer Participating in the Worship and Community Life of the Church by Bernardine Ketelaars A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of St. Michael’s College and the Toronto School of Theology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry awarded by the University of St. Michael’s College and the University of Toronto ©Copyright by Bernardine Ketelaars 2015 Harkening to the Voices of the “Lost Ones”: Attending to the Stories of Baptized Roman Catholics No Longer Participating in the Worship and Community Life of the Church Bernardine Ketelaars Doctor of Ministry University of St. Michael’s College and the University of Toronto 2015 Abstract The phenomenon of the decline in church attendance and participation has been widely recognized and a source of concern for many mainline ecclesial communities over the past number of decades. In the Roman Catholic Church, this phenomenon seemed to become more apparent following the promulgation of the documents resulting from the Second Vatican Council. Harkening to the Voices of the Lost Ones invites the reader to enter into the experiences of baptized Roman Catholics who, for whatever reason, no longer participate in the worship and community life of the Roman Catholic Church. Not wanting to presume the reasons leading to this phenomenon, I believe that it is essential to listen attentively to the lived experiences if effective outreach ministry is going to be offered to those who have withdrawn from the Church. ii Four common threads were discovered through this study and, though the findings may not be surprising to the reader, what became evident was the readiness of individuals to share their faith stories if given the opportunity – recalling that which once attracted them to the community of faith and voicing clearly what eventually led to their withdrawal from the Church. As the Catholic Church seeks to reach out to individuals and families who have withdrawn from the Church, there is a need for those in leadership positions to listen attentively to the voices of the baptized – not only those who are still occupying the pews but perhaps more importantly to those who have walked away from the worshipping community or who feel excluded by the Church. In addition, the Church will need to be open to the possibility of change to address the spiritual needs of the current culture while remaining faithful to its teachings. iii Dedication To my beloved husband, Ian, who, realizing the various costs it would entail, patiently and lovingly supported me, encouraging me through every step of this journey. To my dear Children and Grandchildren, the Church of today and tomorrow, for whom I was inspired to intentionally address the phenomenon of the Lost Ones. To my loving parents, Charles & Imelda Bezzina, who instilled in me a great love for God and a deep desire to grow in my faith. May each one of you always seek the face of God and fulfill God’s will in your life! With undying love and deep gratitude Bernardine, Mom, Nana iv Acknowledgement The list of individuals and groups who could be named here could go on for a few pages, so many have played a significant role in journeying with me over these past seven years. And though there is always the fear of forgetting someone, I would be remiss if I did not at least attempt to name some of those who journeyed, supported, and worked directly with me to see this dissertation reach its completion. I begin by thanking God who has blessed me with a deep hunger to grow ever closer to Him and to serve those who enter my life daily. To Bishop Ronald Fabbro, C.S.B., and Bishop Emeritus John Michael Sherlock of the Diocese of London who permitted me the time necessary to complete my further studies as I served in their offices, thank you! In addition, my gratitude is extended to Reverend Stevan Wlusek, Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary, who since my arrival at the Seminary has allotted me the time needed to complete the writing of my dissertation. I extend my gratitude to my colleagues at the London Diocesan Centre, St. Peter’s Seminary, and the London Marriage Tribunal who patiently accompanied me along this journey and continued to urge me along. I offer a special word of thanks to Dr. Susan Brown for her patience and guidance particularly toward the end of this work. To the 2008 Cohort of the Doctor of Ministry Programme; thank you for your prayers, and your invaluable support and input as we embarked on this adventure together. To the members of my Ministry Base Group who provided me with the support and direction necessary, particularly at the beginning of this process: Mary Abbey, Richard Corneil, Reverend Frank O’Connor, Mary Ryan, Vincent Taylor, and the late Betty Greer who was called to Eternal Life on August 19, 2012. I am grateful to the late Dr. Margaret O’Gara (+RIP – August 16, 2012), my University of St. Michael’s College Advisor, who challenged me to look through the various lenses of Ecclesiology as I considered the work ahead of me. Her directives, time, and support up until the very end of her days here on Earth will not be forgotten. To Dr. Murray Watson, a friend and colleague who, no matter where he was in the world at the time, patiently read each word of this paper to ensure that both content and grammar were correct; Toda Rabah! v And where would any researcher be without their local librarians? Gratitude is extended to Frances Theilade, Associate Librarian at the A. P. Mahoney Library, St. Peter’s Seminary, London, who patiently provided and directed me to appropriate resources over the years; to Claire Callaghan, Director of Libraries, who arranged for the interview rooms at the Cardinal Carter Library, King’s University College, and a study space at the seminary library; and to Noel McFerran, Theology and Rare Books Librarian at the John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael’s College, Toronto, who was always ready to answer any questions and assist when called upon whether in person or online. Thank you to Alison Hari-Singh of the Toronto School of Theology who, since day one of this process, kept me ahead of the game ensuring continuity in the process. To my Thesis Advisors, Dr. Jaroslav (Jerry) Skira and Dr. Michael Attridge, for the many hours you have devoted to this project – your commitment and support, direction and time, have been so greatly appreciated. Michael, I am extremely grateful for your patience as you read and re-read this paper and provided me with invaluable input. My heartfelt gratitude is conveyed to my dear brothers and sisters, extended family, friends and relatives. Your support, prayers, and encouragement throughout every step of my continued education has been both needed and appreciated. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Parish Team and Parishioners of Holy Family Parish, London, Ontario; to the members of the Congregation of St. Basil, ordained and lay – many of whom have been called to their Eternal Home, the Sisters of the Precious Blood, the Sisters of St. Joseph (London), and the many others who constantly assured me of their prayerful support; I am certain that without those prayers, I would not have seen the completion of this project. Last but not least, thank you, thank you, thank you, to the men and women who took part in the study; without whose willing participation, this work would not have been possible. ******* Scriptural passages contained herein are taken from The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version, edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Roland E. Murphy, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1991). Quotations and references from the Second Vatican Council contained herein are from Trent to Vatican II, Vol. 2 of Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, edited by Norman P. Tanner, (London: Sheed & Ward Limited / Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990). vi Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgement .......................................................................................................................... v Abbreviations of Church Documents ..............................................................................................xi List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. xii List of Appendices ......................................................................................................................... xiii INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER ONE Part I – The Second Vatican Council .............................................................................................. 12 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 12 A Brief History Leading Up to the Council ........................................................................ 12 Giovanni Battista Montini – Successor to Pope John XXIII .............................................. 20 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................