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The Deep Harm of Polarization and What We Can Do About It

St. John, in his gospel, presents the last supper discourses of Jesus – these discourses unfold over many chapters of the gospel and represent the final words of Jesus to his disciples before he goes to the cross. One of the most salient parts of these discourses is Jesus’s high priestly prayer to the Father where he prays – “that they may all be one, as you Father are in me and I in you.” (John 17:21). Jesus knows that division is a consequence of sin and will visit the nascent Christian community and indeed the Catholic Church throughout her history. The gifts of the Spirit and Eucharist are gifts of unity – to make us more united in faith and charity and more united as members of the body of Christ.

Against this important biblical and theological backdrop, Americans, Christians, and Catholics live in a highly polarized age. As one Catholic told me recently, our divisions as Catholics map very closely to the divisions and polarization which afflict American life, politics, and culture. But Jesus says to his followers in Matthew 20:26, “it shall not be so among you” – in other words, Christian disciples must overcome divisions and rancor to arrive at a more capacious and generous way of being – a way of humble service. As modeled by the Lord, Jesus’s followers are called to embrace all people with charity. Under Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has embraced a more inclusive outreach – as Pope Francis said at world youth day in Portugal – “todos, todos, todos…” all are welcome in the Catholic Church.

As I write this I am on a plane returning from a welcome Mass on the east coast for a seminary classmate and friend who was appointed coadjutor bishop in New Jersey. I realized in the last couple of days, how much sorting we do based on what people look like, their backgrounds, their geographical origin, their political affiliation, and whether they consider themselves traditional, progressive, or centrist Catholics.

In the last couple of days, I, and others took note on whether clergy were in their collars – what type of collars, and whether they seemed to be a supporter of Pope Francis. Once we arrived on the plane back to Minneapolis, I realized that my brain was again hard wired to sorting – was the person next to me watching CNN or Fox – were they watching the debate coverage or sports? Those who study polarization from a variety of angles have noted the acute increase in polarization in American life and in religious communities – not only is the Catholic Church not immune from these trends, we seem to be afflicted more and more by the demon of polarization.

September 16, 2024 by Daniel Griffith

Restorative Justice, Synodality

Synodality, Restorative Justice, and Environmental Stewardship

Last month, I attended a national ecclesial gathering which brought together lay leaders, religious, scholars, bishops, and priests to delve more deeply into Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si and its attendant call to ecological conversion and ecological stewardship. Released in 2015, this groundbreaking document was promulgated ahead of the Paris Climate Summit in an effort to galvanize global support toward collective action in sustaining our planet and its fragile environment. This past October, near the beginning of the Synod on Synodality in Rome, Pope Francis promulgated Laudate Deum, which repeated the urgent warning from eight years ago that our planet’s habitability is in danger and thus requires a response that is intentional, integral, and sustained.

Below, I offer some key takeaways from this informative gathering. I wish to also offer a few words about Laudato Si and the witness of our modern popes – the consistency of which, both in the area of Catholic social teaching and environmental stewardship, has been compelling. I come away from this gathering inspired to do more as a pastor and professor in response to climate change and its attendant pernicious effects. In addition to this blog piece, an upcoming episode of The Basilica of Saint Mary’s new podcast will feature a conversation I recently had with two parishioners who work in the area of environmental justice and conservation.

In the summer of 2017, I was afforded the opportunity to teach in an international summer law program at a Catholic law school in Budapest. The topic of the program was sustainability and law. I was tasked with providing a primer on Catholic social teaching and the Church’s teaching on environmental ethics and sustainability. Our primary text for my section of the course was Laudato Si. It is a sprawling text rich in theological reflection and practical wisdom. Many point to Laudato Si’s emphasis on integral ecology as its primary novel contribution to this vital discussion. I don’t disagree with this claim, but I was as impressed by the fact that the document marshaled robust teaching from the world’s episcopal conferences, especially those most adversely affected by climate change.

Pope Francis also made good use of the wisdom of his predecessor popes – including persuasive quotes on the call the ecological conversion and stewardship from Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI. Benedict’s crisp section (CIV, 48-52) on the environment in Caritas In Vertiate is a master class on the issue and contains many of the themes that Francis more fully develops in Laudato Si, including the call to intergenerational solidarity and justice.

The other thing that struck me from this opportunity to engage with international Catholic law students was the fact that the non-American law students were much more conversant than American students in the soil and ethos of Catholic social teaching (CST). After an intense section on the foundations of CST and environmental ethics, one of the exam questions I asked was whether the decision by the United States to pull out, at the time, of the Parish Climate Agreement was consistent with the global common good. The answer seemed obvious to most of the students and the professor, but the key to a good law school exam answer is in the analysis. Memorably, two women aced the final – one from Nigeria and the other from Indonesia. Also memorable was the answer of one student who remarked in conclusion that not only was the decision to pull out of the Parish Climate Agreement contrary to the global common good, it will also not make America great again!

March 8, 2024 by Daniel Griffith

Restorative Justice

Ten Years On – Healing a Wounded Church and the Work that Remains

Many of us who worked in the chancery office of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis remember vividly the date of September 23, 2013. This was the date that Minnesota Public Radio published a detailed investigative article regarding Curtis Wehmeyer and the multiple red flags not heeded by Archdiocesan officials. Wehmeyer, now defrocked, went on to sexually abuse multiple minors of the same family. The article spread through the Twin Cities community like wildfire resulting in anger, dismay, and many questions on the part of Catholics and clergy in the Archdiocese. I had just begun serving as delegate for safe environment the month before the bombshell article broke and had plenty of questions myself which I began asking of those in leadership above me. MPR followed that fall with multiple other articles which resulted in a near implosion of the Archdiocese in the months and years that followed: the vicar general resigned; the Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy; in 2015 the Archdiocese was criminally charged for failure to protect children; and shortly after, Archbishop John Nienstedt and Bishop Lee Piche resigned.

I want to bring you up to speed now to this fall – ten years after the scandal first broke in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis (ASPM). Earlier this month, the Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing of the University of St. Thomas School of Law (IRJH) and Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) of Washington D.C. cohosted the first in-person National Catholic Restorative Justice (RJ) Conference in Minneapolis. Among the 180+ who attended the conference, the Spirit’s presence could be palpably felt. The Archdiocese of St. Paul, along with several other organizations, was a cosponsor of the conference. It is a testament to God’s restorative grace that ASPM could move from the ashes to a national leader in the use of restorative justice and restorative practices to help foster healing in the wake of the wounds of clergy abuse and leadership failures in the Church. The settlement that was eventually reached between the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office (RCAO) and ASPM importantly contained two restorative justice provisions which led to the positive proliferation of restorative justice within the Archdiocese, at the University of St. Thomas Law School, and beyond. These provisions also led to two Archdiocesan restorative justice positions, including a role in which I serve as liaison for restorative justice and healing.

My work in restorative justice has been both a call within a call and a gift. Collaborating with victim-survivors and others impacted by abuse is humbling and consequential. I find the courage and resilience of victim-survivors to be extraordinary and their wisdom about what needs to yet occur in the Church a sure light, illuminating the path ahead. Today, my work in restorative justice more often than not takes me beyond ASPM – as my colleagues and I are often contacted by dioceses and others in the Church who have suffered harm and are yearning for healing. Having now wrapped our conference in Minneapolis, as I write this I am in Missouri where my colleagues and I will present to a group of clergy about the need for trauma informed care in the Church and the positive potential of RJ to bring accompaniment and healing. Below, I briefly list several important items that need further critical attention in order to foster greater accountability and healing in the Catholic Church. Much of what I offer has been conveyed through multiple conferences and gatherings I have attended over the last several years.

Restorative Justice in the Catholic Church: One of the highlights of the recent restorative justice gathering in Minneapolis was the panel on clergy abuse and healing, particularly because it included two victim-survivors who spoke from their hearts about the effects of their abuse. A recent statement of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors was quoted by multiple panelists who agreed that no victim should be left wounded and in the dark begging for justice in the Catholic Church. Having witnessed the effective use of RJ over the last several years, broader knowledge and use of RJ to help heal the vast wounds that remain is vital for a more authentic and whole Catholic communion. RJ not only finds a willing partner in Catholic Social Teaching, when thoughtfully paired a rich dynamism emerges toward greater restoration in the Church and beyond. The folks who gathered for the RJ conference realized that we are part of grass roots movement in the Catholic Church that has great potential to bear good fruit in the coming years.

Clericalism and Accountability: Pope Francis has referred to clericalism as a scourge and indeed it is. It results in a lack of accountability and a narrow and insular Church culture that continues to self-wound and not learn from past mistakes. Too many bishops and clergy are not held to account for failures of leadership or misconduct and the Vatican is often too slow to respond when these issues emerge. The document Vos Estis Lux Mundi (VELM) needs significant reform and important structural foundations and resources to be effective. One panelist at our conference referred to VELM as more akin to a flickering10-watt bulb than a bright light. Too much is at stake to not get this right. Many conferences I have attended included robust calls for an expanded role for the laity in Church governance as a way of promoting greater accountability in the Catholic Church.

Seminary Formation: Multiple conferences also noted that improving seminary formation is critical to ensuring a healthier and holier Church. During this time in the United States of a renewed focus on the Eucharist, seminarians need to be formed to live and exercise their ministry as humble servant leaders whose lives are generously poured out for others. Christ’s authority was always oriented to healing and service – never to exclude or cast out. Issues in seminary with regard to spiritual formation and human formation need to be approached with rigor and great care. The Church cannot afford to pass through marginal priestly candidates just as it cannot abide allowing abusive or predatory priests to remain in active ministry. Again, too much is at stake to not embrace vigilance in these areas.

Transparency: This is another important area of needed improvement in the Catholic Church. Often when a bishop or priest resigns or is removed from their assignment, no reason is given for their departure. This leaves the faithful in a diocese or a parish bewildered and at times dismayed. Greater prudent transparency is needed in the Church, which in turn fosters greater accountability. The lack of transparency appears rooted in a culture of clericalism which holds the reins of power and information close to the vest rather than responsibly bringing to light the circumstances surrounding a resignation or removal of clergy. As an example of where the trifecta of clericalism, accountability, and transparency troublingly merge, I end where I began, in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It is almost ten years since the investigation of former Archbishop John Nienstedt was first commenced and there is still no public resolution of this matter. This privation of a just and transparent resolution is a grave offense against all the parties involved and against the nature of justice and integrity in the Catholic Church.

Rays of Christ’s light and healing were clearly seen at our recent National Catholic Restorative Justice Conference, but much work remains to build a healthier and holier Catholic Church.

October 10, 2023 by Daniel Griffith

Racial Justice

Civil Rights Pilgrimage Inspires Interfaith Clergy of Minneapolis to Work for Justice – Daniel Griffith

The week of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I traveled with 10 faith leaders of Minneapolis on a civil rights pilgrimage to Georgia and Alabama. Our pilgrimage took us from Atlanta, where we attended the Dr. King commemoration, to Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery, and back to Atlanta. I use the word pilgrimage intentionally as this was a sacred journey made in faith. Personally, this was one of the most moving, sobering, and inspiring journeys I have made in my life. I don’t want to speak for my fellow clergy, but given our collective debrief Thursday, this journey was deeply impactful for all – with a range of emotions expressed by our group. There was a videographer who journeyed with us to document our experience. A film of our pilgrimage will be made available soon to our respective faith communities, and three Sunday afternoon sessions are planned later this winter/spring to unpack our experience and the work that lies ahead.

It is impossible to convey the essence of our journey in a blog post so what I hope to do is set forth, near the end of the piece, emerging themes which I hope are helpful for people of faith as we work together to build a more just and peaceful Twin Cities community and nation. But first, some context.

Those open to truth and the history of our nation will learn that the course of the United States is intertwined with racial hierarchy, racial injustice, and racial subjugation – from the beginning. As Dr. King prophetically noted years ago, our nation was born in genocide – with the brutal treatment of Indigenous peoples and the attendant generational harm suffered by our Indigenous brothers and sisters. Similarly, the slave trade, slavery in America, racial terror, segregation, and mass incarceration in the United States were founded on the dehumanization of Black Americans. A clear thread runs through these epochs of American life.

That Native Americans and Black Americans have suffered acute generational trauma and deep scars from this pervasive dehumanization and attendant injustices should not be a surprise to anyone who is rational or those with a heart which embraces our common humanity and dignity. That we have not come to a reckoning with these deep harms in our American history and life and the acute suffering experienced by our brothers and sisters is a further injustice we bear as a nation. For those in our country who think that the authentic telling of truth and recounting of history is tantamount to “critical race theory” are perpetuating a further lie and attempting to continue the arc of injustice and the desperate grasp at power. As Dr. King again prophetically said, a lie cannot live forever and that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. Dr. King’s resolute sense of hope in the midst of pervasive injustice was born of his faith in a God of justice – a God who journeys with the oppressed – a God who liberates and heals. To those who might be confused about what is true in the history of our nation, come to the south – journey in the steps of the foot soldiers for justice – open your minds and hear the stories of what was, what is, and what can be.

For the past several years, I have been immersed in the work of restorative justice (RJ) – specifically in the context of helping name and heal the harm from the scourge of clergy abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church. In addition, my colleague Julie Craven and I lead a new Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing (IRJH) at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Restorative justice is rooted in the Indigenous practices of First Nation peoples of North America and New Zealand. These practices were employed in response to harm, which included various leaders and members of the community. RJ has now become a world-wide movement, effectively employed across various professions and disciplines. RJ has proliferated globally because of its effectiveness, its adaptability to various circumstances, and because it includes various stakeholders. To be sure, restorative justice is not a panacea and its possible use must be thoughtfully discerned.

January 22, 2023 by Daniel Griffith