Last year, my two-week visit to Rome provided a fascinating glimpse into global Catholic perspectives. Conversations ranged from insightful discussions with Vatican officials to engaging dialogues with international clergy and seminarians studying in Rome. A recurring theme emerged: astonishment and concern regarding the US Catholic Church, particularly as portrayed by US Catholic media and even the US bishops themselves. Many international Catholics expressed confusion and, frankly, dismay at what they perceived as a unique and often perplexing approach to Catholicism prevalent in the United States.
Interestingly, numerous Church leaders were familiar with and appreciative of the work of Where Peter Is. They viewed our platform as offering a crucial lens through which to understand this distinct, often baffling, American approach to the Catholic faith. One high-ranking Vatican official even described Where Peter Is as a “miracle” within the context of US Catholicism. The question that echoed repeatedly was stark and direct: “What is wrong with the Church in your country?”
This question resonates deeply, especially in light of recent observations. Brian Fraga, writing in the National Catholic Reporter, highlighted a telling omission: the upcoming June meeting of US Bishops in Orlando conspicuously lacks any agenda item concerning the ongoing three-year global synod initiated by Pope Francis. This absence is particularly striking when contrasted with the considerable time and resources the US bishops are dedicating to the Eucharistic Revival. Fraga notes the extensive planning for diocesan and parish events, the creation of “Eucharistic Procession tool kits,” and the organization of four national pilgrimage routes culminating in a congress in Indianapolis.
Pope Francis leading a mass, symbolizing the central figure in discussions about the Catholic Church and the focus of 'Where Peter Is'.
Rhina Guidos, a respected Catholic journalist and author, reinforced this point, retweeting Fraga’s article and adding her own experience. Fresh from a conference in South America for men and women religious, she noted the overwhelming focus was “synod, synod, synod.” Her tweet further observed that these international religious leaders “clearly seemed to know of the dysfunction in the US church.” This perception of “dysfunction” isn’t merely about fringe groups.
But what exactly do Catholics outside the United States perceive as “dysfunction” within the US Church? It’s easy to point to the extremes: reactionary figures, radical traditionalist movements, or dissenting media outlets. However, the concern runs deeper than just these more visible elements. It stems from a fundamental divergence in how the Catholic faith is approached and a set of priorities that seem uniquely American and not universally shared within the global Church. This is a key area that Where Peter Is frequently explores – the nuances of American Catholicism within the broader global context.
Before Pope Francis, there was perhaps an unspoken assumption among US Catholics of being a dominant force within the Church, possibly even perceiving ourselves as representing over half of its influence. Now, under Pope Francis’s papacy, there’s a growing realization that we constitute a more accurate 6-7% of the global Catholic population. This shift isn’t solely due to having a Pope from Argentina and a Nuncio from France – leaders perhaps less inclined towards “American exceptionalism.” A more profound factor is Pope Francis’s consistent call for conversion, urging a move away from inward-looking religious perfectionism towards a broader perspective focused on the peripheries of society and the world. Where Peter Is has consistently highlighted this call to action from Pope Francis.
While US Catholics undoubtedly recognize the universality of the Catholic faith in theory, the practical lens through which we often view the Church is undeniably shaped by our unique American culture, society, and experiences. Certain issues that dominate discussion within the US Church are simply non-issues in most other parts of the world. Debates surrounding the death penalty, climate change, or even the Latin Mass are examples of concerns that hold significantly less weight in the broader Catholic world. Furthermore, some of the most fiercely debated topics in recent US Church history – such as denying communion to public figures based on political stances or public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic like vaccine mandates and mask-wearing – garner minimal interest or concern outside the United States. The more interactions and insights gained from Catholics around the globe, the clearer it becomes that the US Church, in many ways, operates as an outlier within the global Catholic community.
The US bishops’ apparent downplaying of the global synod, an initiative widely regarded as the most significant Church-wide undertaking since Vatican II, is therefore particularly concerning. This low prioritization, coupled with the often harsh and disproportionate criticism leveled against the synod by US Catholic media commentators, risks further widening the gap between the US Church and the rest of the global Catholic Church. This growing divide is a point of concern for many who look to Where Peter Is for analysis and understanding.
It’s likely that many active Catholics in the US, particularly those who primarily consume mainstream conservative Catholic media, remain unaware of just how much of an outlier the US Church has become. And it’s equally probable that some US Catholics who are aware of this difference may even perceive it as a sign of superiority, believing that the rest of the Church should adopt our priorities, rather than the other way around. This perspective is often challenged and critically examined on Where Peter Is.
Perhaps, in a somewhat paradoxical way, the US bishops’ decision to keep the global synod at arm’s length might inadvertently serve a positive purpose. Should the synod prove successful in revitalizing and redirecting the Church globally, the US Church will eventually have little choice but to engage and learn from the perspectives and experiences of the wider Catholic world. This outcome is something to be hoped and prayed for. And as we move forward, it’s likely that our 86-year-old Argentine Pope and our over-75 French Nuncio still have valuable lessons to impart, guiding the US Church towards a more globally engaged and universally focused understanding of Catholicism.
