Fr. Clavier adds his thoughts to the question of whether or not schism is something to be considered… to which I add my loud Amen.

“As new jargon is the in-thing at the moment, I would suggest that those who cheerfully advocate separation, whether left or right, be termed ‘No –Churchers.’ I do realize that these people are genuinely passionate about the vision set before them. However, if their message to the poor, the weak, the orthodox, the starving, the excluded is: ‘If you can’t get on, break up’ I would suggest that they have nothing Gospel-centered to say at all. The major crime of those who laud separation is that they live in distrust as if this moment is definitive and is the future.

No, I don’t believe that the Gospel is simply one of inclusion or togetherness. I do believe that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. But the oddness of the Church is that none of us are called to make ultimate decisions about the rightness or wrongness of those who make up the Body of Christ and with whom we have fellowship. We are called to exercise loving discipline, in the context of restoring fellowship, not ending it. But Christ is King and in his new kingdom, he reserves judgment – you are so wrong that I must shun you – to the Father. The Church to the Father is that rather odd company of homeless green-carders, who here have no long-lasting place to stay, but who journey on in a procession that would make a sergeant-major faint. This procession wanders around, gets out of step, and breaks up from time to time. When it pauses and sets up tables, it is Christ who re-unites them. But the Father sees the Church as it will be, as it enters the New Jerusalem in perfect formation, in unity, singing the songs of Zion.”

Read the rest here: AFTER THE BALL WAS OVER

(Via Fr. Tony Clavier.)