It was the start of The Dark Time, for our world and our Church. For myself, it was the opposite.
Our World
In the late 60s, Sexual Liberalism triumphed, at the elite levels of society, in the Culture War. Women in mass, seduced by toxic masculinity and disguised misogyny, swallowed The Contra-Conception Pill. Not since Eve bit the fruit has there been such a cosmic catastrophe! Never has a campaign from hell been so successfully waged! Decisively, sexuality was torn from it sacred setting in spousal union, fidelity, chastity, and fertility. Thus unhinged, sex and romance were rendered sterile, sinful, extrinsic, futile, oppressive and self-destructive.
Almost immediately, the dire predictions of Pope Paul VI on the consequences of contraception were fulfilled: surge in the divorce rate; systemic massacre of the powerless unborn; degradation of women; pornography normalized into a pandemic; breakdown of the family and intermediate communities; gay activism; and a militant feminism embracive of the tripod from hell (sexual license, "reproductive rights," and careerism over motherhood.) Masculinity fell into crisis. The foundation of our society in marital stability was upended and replaced by a vacuous, isolated individualism of quiet desperation and despair.
Our Church
Catholicism was singularly unprepared for this diabolical onslaught. We emerged from Vatican II in 1965 with a sunny, optimistic game plan: engage the world positively, accepting all that is good and offering the Gospel in a mutuality of trust. We embarked on this campaign just as the world was turning dark. It was as if the three little pigs, with the best of intentions, decided to befriend the Big Bad Wolf, to warm his cold heart with kindness, to relieve the psychological wounds which he diverted into his ravenous appetite! Bad Idea!
A critical mass of Catholic intelligentsia, our "best and brightest," lacking deep Catholic spiritual and philosophical roots, surrendered to the "Spirit of the Age" (often referred to as "the Spirit of Vatican II") and accommodated to this new ethos of sterile, futile sexuality. Thus emerged a novel Catholic Liberalism or Progressivism.
The Church thus entered into a Culture Civil War that has been raging for over 50 years. It is getting worse, not better, with the German Church,"synodality" and a more flamingly "woke" culture on the Left. The combatants are opposing forces on both sides of the issues. A majority of the laity and much of the clergy are detached, disinterested, confused or conflicted.
The 35-year dual papacy of John Paul and Benedict (1978-2013) was a consolidation of a conservatism, tempered by an openness to moderate change in continuity with tradition. The confusing papacy of Francis has disappointed both conservatives and progressives and cast us back into the divisiveness of the 1970s.
Worst of all, hidden from view, a vile pattern of sexual abuse, mostly of teen boys, was practiced by priests and allowed, scandalously, by Church authorities. The Catholic Church had plunged into a darkness that was previously unimaginable.
My Graced 1970
The year after my college graduation and before my marriage, 1970 was my pivot year. At the age of 23, living on the upper west side of Manhattan, studying theology at Woodstock Jesuit School of Theology and Union Seminary, teaching English-as-a-Second-Language in the South Bronx and religion (part time) at Xavier H.S....this year was, for me, overflowing with graces and blessings!
For starters, I dated, courted and became engaged to the Love-of-My-Life, Mary Lynn Remmele. She put me in a permanent state of ecstasy. It lingers even today. We married on the 9th day of January 1971. The beginning of our family.
I studied the Catholic Mystics and Prayer under Joseph Whelan S.J., the best teacher I ever had and the holiest man I ever met. Already "in love," I effortlessly fell in love now with the Church, her saints, and the mystical theology of von Hugel, von Balthasar and others.
I studied Fundamental Theology under Avery Dulles S.J., the undisputed dean of American Catholic theology. Still viewed as a Vatican II liberal in 1970, he went on to singlehandedly resist the fashionable, hegemonic progressivism of academic theology of the 70s-80s-90s; to be given the red hat of a Cardinal; and to endear himself to me by his humility, awkwardness, encyclopedic erudition, balance, loyalty to tradition, brilliance, and resemblance to my uncles. I loved and admired this man!
At Xavier H.S. my department chairman, Neil Dougherty S.J. became also my spiritual director. He completed the threesome of holy, learned mentors, each embodying the classic Jesuit legacy of holiness, learning, and loyalty to the Church.
I cherished a friendship with roommate Gilbert Davidowitz, scholarly, sensitive, neurotic, eccentric, affectionate, endearing, observant Orthodox Jew. And another friend, Tony Petroski, guitar-playing, pot-smoking, gentle, intuitive, authentically hippy Puerto Rican. I enjoyed my students who were learning English.
My best friend at that time was George Lissandrello, a roommate from college seminary. He lived and worked in the gay community of the East Village. Gay liberation was birthing there at this very moment. I was welcomed warmly by George's friends who seemed to find me of interest. Most were raised Catholic and harbored a fascination especially for the stranger aspects of our faith (stigmata, incorruption, levitation, bi-location, etc.) about which they joked but with disguised reverence. George later contracted AIDs and died at an early age. I often recall his solemn, gentle words to me: "The gay life is very, very sad."
The entirety of my adult life was already in the seed of that year of 1970: my marriage, my love of theology and catechesis, my rich friendships with the poor and a dazzling diversity of fascinating endearing persons. In a world falling into darkness, I was...through no merit or effort of my own...recipient of an abundance of blessings! I can never be adequately grateful!
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