Sean Rego ’26
Opinions Chief
Since coming to Holy Cross, I have come to greatly appreciate the Catholic Church, despite my own preference of different sects. Baptized in the Latin Rite as an infant, I’ve never officially left Catholicism, but growing up I always felt more at home with the Baptist and non-denominational churches. For me, there is a beauty in the low churches that is often ridiculed as heretical and backwards. In their most basic goal, evangelicals want the word of Christ to be heard without the corruption of the human world.
But there also is a beauty in the majesty of Rome. The Catholic Church embodies the Western world’s appreciation of grandeur, tradition and hierarchy; these cannot be abandoned. I can extend the same honor to Orthodox brothers and sisters, who eloquently emphasize the mystery of faith, bringing tears to our eyes. Even in the high churches (like Anglicanism and Lutheranism), there is an admirable focus on justice, knowledge and reform. Growing up in the United States, many of us are unaware as to how important interdenominational appreciation and cohesion is to our society. More than ever, we need to defend it.
The many churches of Christianity have been bickering – that’s a very light word I’ll use to describe it – for millennia at this point. As a result, we do not flat out call ourselves “Christian” sometimes, but often defer to denomination. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people say “Oh, we’re not Christian, we’re Catholic” or “Only us Baptists are Christians.” Maybe these people are not representative of all Christendom, but in my experience, this mood of uncertainty chips away at our unity in Christ first and foremost. Very quickly, our allegiance to Him is pushed aside for others.
Just as much as in history, sectarianism destroys the co-existence of the Churches. In Eastern Europe, a battle rages between the patriarchates – from Moscow to Constantinople – concerning who gets the right of autonomy and autocephaly. In the United States, the recent statements of our president have wrongfully scandalized Catholics and has estranged Protestants over the war in Iran (as if killing is ever justifiable by any church). At a broader level, adherers of respective sects are suffering from the lack of Christian unity and faith.
Last year when I studied in Belfast, I had the chance to see how gravely sectarianism affected the British Isles. People who believe in the same God and His gospel were victims of political opportunists and fanatics. In the process, Northern Ireland nearly lost not just her prosperity and future, but her faith. In a global arena, those same degrading forces are turning us away from each other and from our faith. Across all Christian sects, we need to realize our shared and core beliefs if we want to improve our earthly lives.
I know we are a Catholic institution, but first and foremost we are all supposed to be followers of and brothers in Christ. I sincerely hope for that same message to be heard in evangelical circles all the same. Is it not the goal of the Jesuits to create dialogue? Is it not the goal of any good institution to look beyond our own perspectives, even if it may entail a change in opinion or habit? Furthermore, aren’t we all obliged to recognize our human shortcomings? Surely, no one earthly church will ever compare to the heavenly bride of Christ, who is cleansed through the pureness and redeeming salvation of our Savior. We can at least recognize that when we talk to our denominational counterparts.
I still am undecided in many facets of all the churches in Christendom. Indeed, I think certain are more sound than others, but like all humans, we share the same need of salvation and thus must be willing to let God work in us and through us; most of the time, that should be with forgiveness and respect for our fellow Christians, whom we have a duty to help. It is not a surrender to factionalism, but a reminder of the core values of good Christians.
As we know, the College of the Holy Cross is a Catholic institution with many specific values, but our name reminds us of our final, ultimate and unending allegiance to the Lamb of God, regardless of our church, country or faults.
“for where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”
Matthew 18:20
Featured image courtesy of PBS
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