In his book ” Catholics in America, The Faithful,” ( Harvard University, 2010)  James M. O’Toole, writes about Catholic history from Revolutionary times till the present. The church was largely a “priestless” church when our country began in the 18th century, O’Toole writes,  “…early American Catholic lay people were very different from those who would come after them. The institutional presence of their church was always thin and uncertain. Priests and parishes were few in number and widely scattered. Catholics’ connection to their church was less than they might have thought ideal.”

That’ was the world of Elizabeth Seton and John Neumann– saints we’re celebrating in early January. So what kept a church going in “thin and uncertain” times ? O’Toole  offers a lengthy analysis of the devotional and catechetical  materials of the time and writes: “What scholars  have come to call a ‘print culture,’ grounded in printing and distribution networks, supported the religious practice of Catholic lay people in the priestless age.” (p.33)

It looks like we are facing “thin and uncertain” times again as Catholic institutions, parishes, schools, religious groups decline, doesn’t it? What’s our version of a ‘print culture’ to be? What can we give to Catholics whose kids are not being baptized, not receiving religious formation, not going to church, whose neighbors are “spiritual but not religious,” who need an anchor themselves in these stormy times? I think we have to think hard about it. 

We certainly need to look at social media, our new print culture. but let’s also not forget the old print culture – devotional prayerbooks without the “thees” and “thous”. In the past I noticed when I rode the New York subways how many people I’d see reading little prayerbooks. Now they’re glued to iPhones.

Besides our devotional tradition the liturgy of Vatican II is the treasure we need to look to . The lectionary, the feasts, the spirituality of the liturgy can give us what we need – if we can make it what it should be in the church of our day. How can we do it?

We will have what we need in our “thin and uncertain” times. God will provide, but we have to do something too.