The article, written by Isabella R. Moyer entitled "Parishes must put new wine in new wineskins" in the National Catholic Reporter inspired my blog about new wine and new wineskins.

Isabella's inspiration for her article comes from a recent quote by Pope Francis in which he stresses the need to renew old and passing Church structures.

"In the Christian life, even in the life of the Church, there are old structures, passing structures: it is necessary to renew them! And the Church has always been attentive to this, with dialogue with cultures ... It always allows itself to be renewed according to places, times, and persons. The Church has always done this! From the very first moment, we remember the first theological battle: was it necessary to carry out all of the Jewish practices in order to be Christian? No! They said no! The gentiles could enter as they are: gentiles ... Entering into the Church and receiving Baptism. A first renewal of the structures. ... And so the Church always goes forward, giving space to the Holy Spirit that renews these structures, structures of the churches. Don't be afraid of that! Don't be afraid of the newness of the Gospel! Don't be afraid of the newness that the Holy Spirit works in us! Don't be afraid of the renewal of structures!"

Isabella focuses on the need for new structures in the Church, hence, new wineskins. Specifically, she presents four examples in the Church of old wineskins.

1. "A heavy-handed, authoritarian pastor or bishop"

2. "Clerical Protectionism on the part of bishops"

3. "Promoting a new evangelization that is about doctrinal judgment"

4. "Extolling women, yet, excluding them from full ministerial participation"

You can read her article at this link 

I'm sure that myself and many, many readers can produce a myriad of reasons why the Universal Roman Catholic Church requires new structures. Isabella gives us only a taste of the various Church offices, Church documents, Church practices, Church theology, and Church membership that requires renewal and new wineskins.

Why is the renewal of the structures as Pope Francis puts it, so important? It is so important because the Church has NEW WINE. This NEW WINE cannot be put into old wineskins. THE NEW WINE WILL BE LOST WITHOUT RENEWAL AND THE CREATION OF NEW STRUCTURES OR WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED "NEW WINESKINS.

Where does all this talk of new wine and wineskins come from? It comes from the Gospel message of Jesus speaking about New Wine. He says, "you cannot pour new wine into old wineskins" "If you do, the skins will burst, and the new wine will be lost". (paraphrased) In Jesus' s time, he was speaking of himself as the New Wine and the Judaic religion with its' traditions and customs as the old wineskins, however, we can well apply his teaching to our own RC Church's current situation.

We have NEW WINE in the R.C. Church today. This NEW WINE is anyone who has embraced Vatican II, mind, heart and soul in Christ. This NEW WINE is Christ acting in and through his Vatican II Church. We cannot afford to lose this NEW WINE, as it is not only the manifestation of Christ, but, it is the NEW WINE that carries on the work of Christ. It is the NEW WINE that responds to Christ's definitive last words "sending us forth to evangelize the whole world". Christ, as the "Alpha" and the "Omega" is always "New Wine" sending forth those who are His Divine Brothers and Sisters to bring the Good News to every corner of the world. We as the Church, the R.C. Body of Christ, in this instance, must be ever ready to hear and receive the Word anew and follow suit. This is why, I find the following words of Pope Francis from the above quotation to be most critical and inspiring: He says,

... And so the Church always goes forward, giving space to the Holy Spirit that renews these structures, structures of the churches. Don't be afraid of that! Don't be afraid of the newness of the Gospel! Don't be afraid of the newness that the Holy Spirit works in us! Don't be afraid of the renewal of structures!"

We know that "old wine" and "old wineskins" obstruct renewal and change, but, more than that, they attempt to confound the plans of God and place obstacles for the Son of Man, even today. People can be doing that, principally, out of fear, so Pope Francis, says, "Don't be afraid of the newness of the Gospel". "Don't be afraid of the newness that the Holy Spirit works in us!" and finally, "Don't be afraid of the renewal of structures!". Someone should have said this to Cardinal Sean O'Malley and the Bishop of Philadelphia who refused to allow the Austrian reformer priest, Father Helmut Schuller to speak on Archdiocesan property!

And I say, "Don't Be Afraid of Jesus Christ and the New Wine", a new wine that Christ created at Vatican II and which must have new wineskins or ALL AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH WILL BE LOST!" Old wine and Old wineskins are about the Lost Generation that Jesus speaks about. He came again with his Holy Spirit in Vatican II, so that, we would be new wine and not lost.......for this generation!

Yes, Pope Francis, let us, as you say, "Go forward, Give space to the Holy Spirit to renew the structures". (paraphrased)

In order for structures to be renewed, there needs to be a decentralization in the power of Rome, whereby, local Conferences of Catholic Bishops are set "free" of the unreasonable clutch of Rome, to better pastor their particular Churches. Rome can then, "oversee" injustices that might well occur in these circumstances, but, Bishops must be "free" and the "laity", no matter their sex, on fire, with the Good News of Jesus Christ" in order to be that New Wine for the Church, and for the many souls, the world over, that hunger and thirst for the living God.

New Wine Needs New Wineskins....

--------------

Comments welcome here