In what ways is the Catholic Church both roman and global?

The Catholic Church is one of the biggest religious groups in the world. As Barzini puts it, “The Church is a world within itself, the most labyrinthine and complicated of all human organizations.” It is especially big in Rome and Italy in general. This is mainly due to the Vatican being in Rome, and the history of the Catholic faith in the ancient city over the last thousand years. The Catholic Church is roman, but it is also global.

The Catholic Church is Roman and it always will be. I have come to this conclusion after living/visiting the city over the last six weeks. Everything that I have come into contact with in the city, whether it be the hundreds of churches or the countless monuments that symbolize something religious, is connected to the Catholic Church. Everywhere you look there is Catholicism. You do not need to be standing in the marvelous St. Peter Square or even the basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere to see it. The Catholicism flows from the people of Rome themselves. In the crosses they wear around their necks and the way they live their lives in such kind, holy ways. Barzini describes their virtue when he says, “They are relatively reliable, honest, truthful, just, obedient, generous, disciplined, brave, and capable of self sacrifices.”

One way they have come closer to the Catholic Church is through the importance of family to the Italian people. Barzini explains this importance when he says, “The Italian family is a stronghold in a hostile land: within its walls and among its members, the individual finds consolation, help, advice, provisions, loans, weapons, allies, and accomplices to aid him in his pursuits. No Italian who has a family is ever alone.” It is advised by the church to look out for the common good of others, even more so for those you love most. Family is paramount in Italian culture. I believe it is paramount because of the church. Gaudeum explains this too, “All pastors should remember too that by their daily conduct and concern(18) they are revealing the face of the Church to the world, and men will judge the power and truth of the Christian message thereby. By their lives and speech, in union with Religious and their faithful, may they demonstrate that even now the Church by her presence alone and by all the gifts which she contains, is an unspent fountain of those virtues which the modern world needs the most.”

Barzini describes the Church as, “honorable, virtuous, far-reaching, powerful and omnipresent…it offers infinite possibilities, it protects and aids its followers, it solves all kinds of problems, it promotes prosperity and security of good men in all kinds of circumstances.” The Catholic Church is also present on a global scale. It starts in Rome, but it reaches out across land and sea. When something has these great characteristics, it is not hard to see why it has lasted so long, why it will continue to last, and why it stretched to a global scale. It is present in the U.S. as well. One way that I have noticed how globally present the church is, is by going to mass where the language is Italian. It is the exact same as mass in the U.S. The readings are the same, the prayers are the same, the kneeling and standing are all done at the same time, the only difference is the language. This proves that the Catholic Church’s reach is in fact global. It is also global in the way the hierarchy of the church works. With the Pope being at the top and then reaching down to young priest in a small county in Ohio.

It is important for the Catholic Church to continue to direct the world and stay relevant even in today’s times. As Michelangelo describes in Smiles, “The Creator, who from nothingness could make all Time and every creature in the void…” It is important for everyone to remember this in the materialistic society we have. With the Catholic Church functioning as it has, I do not think this will be a problem.

Addendum:

I have had the pleasure of attending both Easter and Papal mass in Saint Peter’s square since I wrote the aforementioned blog post. The mass was led by the Pope Francis himself. I cannot think of a time in my life where I have ever felt more connected to my faith. To be there in the square, that has so much history, with around 100,000 people in it was simply amazing.

When I was in attendance I could not help but think how global the Church really is. Sitting in my chair, I was surrounded by people of different heritages. Some even brought their country’s flags to wave for the Pope. The mass itself was given in over 10 languages by different members of the Pope’s staff. The best part was how everyone came together. It did not matter where they can from, everyone was together celebrating with the Pope in the cold rain on Easter Sunday. This was different to what Barzini was talking about in Chapter 15 when he talked about the Alexander VI, “The people cheered also because they hoped the Pope and all his family would soon come to a bad end.” Sunday, everyone was chanting in pure love for the Pope. Barzini also spoke of how the Church is Roman, “The Church had been, since the early Middle Ages, the rallying point of the Italians against the menace of imperial power.” Whenever the Italians had a problem, they would turn to the Church for guidance and direction. It was the only thing that was strong over all the years.

This has all further confirmed what I had talked about previously, the Church is very Roman, but its reach stretches all around the globe.