Elevated Noise Floor

In Radio Frequency (RF) terms, the noise floor has been significantly elevated since the election of Pope Francis.

The effect of this increase in the noise floor is that it obscures the real signal, making it hard (in the case of communications) to understand the message.

In short, the continual din from the various media (Internet etc),  I have found disorienting. There are so many groups claiming Pope Francis as their own, so much noise, that forming a correct understanding of Pope Francis' nascent Pontificate is difficult.



From my perspective, as a Traditional Catholic, it is very much as if I am in the midst of a storm.

In reflecting on the past 30 years, there is very little evidence that the storm ever abated completely.  Perhaps the Pontificate of Pope Benedict was merely (at best) a slight lull in the storm.


The storm imagery reminded me of the following event in the Bible:

So they let the multitude go, and took him with them, just as he was, on the boat; there were other boats too with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and drove the waves into the boat, so that the boat could hold no more. Meanwhile, he was in the stern, asleep on the pillow there; and they roused him, crying, Master, art thou unconcerned? We are sinking.  So he rose up, and checked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind dropped, and there was deep calm.  Then he said to them, Why are you faint-hearted? Have you still no faith? And they were overcome with awe; Why, who is this, they said to one another, who is obeyed even by the winds and the sea?

Mark 4:36-40

This puts things in perspective.

Thinking about the Stockdale Paradox, as a Catholic, I believe in the Indefectibility of the Church. In addition, the Church cannot bind us to believe something that is against the Faith as this would violate the Infallibility of the Church.  So, I have Faith that the Church will survive this crisis and emerge victorious.

The flip side of the Stockdale Paradox is to "confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be".

So what are the brutal facts of the Church's current reality?

1. The Church is in midst of a major crisis.
2. The Crisis has a number of causes, not the least of which is a leadership crisis that runs from the local parish to the halls of the Vatican.
3. Without a resolution to the leadership crisis, there will be no resolution to the systemic state of crisis within the Roman Catholic Church.

What is a Catholic Layman or Laywoman to do in such a situation?

1. Pray and do penance for the Pope, Bishops, Priests of the Roman Catholic Church.
2. Study the Faith in order to understand the Church's doctrines/dogmas as the Church understands them, not as you would have them understood.
3. Strengthen your spiritual life by prayer, spiritual reading, meditation, contemplation, and above all things regular reception of the Sacraments.
4. Practice the Virtues, and Corporal as well as Spiritual works of mercy.
5. Above all be patient.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

 Sir Winston Church, 1942