Creative Minority Reader: Cardinal Dolan on NY and Philly Being Mission Territory

Cardinal Dolan writes:

As you are probably aware, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is going through a very rough time. Those good people, our family members in the “Household of the Faith,” and their brave archbishop, Charles Chaput, deserve our love and prayers.

In his courageous and inspired efforts to bring hope and renewal to that Church in crisis, Archbishop Chaput recently made a statement that stopped me cold: “The Archdiocese of Philadelphia . . . is now really a mission territory.’’

Yes, I had to read it twice, too.

Uganda a mission territory? Sure . . .

Peru a mission territory? Yes . . .

Alaska a mission territory? Okay . . .

But Philadelphia? Come on now! That archdiocese in a way was the model of a robust, intact, cohesive Catholic infrastructure! Parishes, schools, apostolates, ministries galore! A huge Catholic population, with cardinals as past archbishops, vocations abounding, close to a million–and–a–half Catholics proud of and fervent in their faith, right?

What do you mean a mission territory? Is Archbishop Chaput bluffing?

No! I’m afraid he’s right on target.