At the same time, the Pastoral activity of the Church seems to have adopted the artificial show as its own instrument. There is many a theatrical display in the small domestic liturgy of the parishes as well as in regards to the extraordinary liturgical staging, similar to a parade or great show. Besides, it is not easy to understand well what the purpose of these puppet theater-like liturgies is, even if we assume good intentions in many of them. Since the mass media are assiduous partners in these liturgies of parade and great show, all indicators seem to point at a purpose of raising emotion among the faithful – perhaps with the intention of preventing the emergence of a consciousness of crisis or of creating a sensation of euphoria and triumphalism favorable to particular rationales. One way or the other, there does not seem to be an excessive preoccupation as to whether or not those feelings have any supernatural content or aim at fostering Christian life. Social welfare and human relationship issues have replaced the Gospel in Christian Preaching to the extent that Theology has been reduced to Sociology or Psychology: They are of the world. Therefore as of the world they speak: and the world hears them (1 Jn 4:5). Something Jesus himself had already said: He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaks (Jn 3:31).

But an observation must be made about these two texts which could be important. It is very worrisome indeed that there are Shepherds existing who speak of the world because they themselves are of the world, but there is the fact, not less frightening, that the world hears them. Undoubtedly this last observation refers to the Christian people or to the great mass of those to whom the Preaching of the Word should be addressed: a People who listen to the Lie, knowing that it is a Lie, because they have previously opted for straying from the Truth.

It is understood that what we have just said is but the tip of the iceberg: the examples could be multiplied; they could point out even graver situations and indicate cases more serious than the ones mentioned here. But sometimes it is not possible, or convenient, to uncover the wound too much – for a variety of reasons, among which the delicate health of the patient is not to be forgotten.

And yet, it is a firmly touted belief in the Catholic world that the authentic Spring of the Church has finally arrived, a veritable Golden Age of a triumphant resurgence which has replaced an Obscure Period at long last and happily forgotten. And woe to him who dares to object to it with the least doubt, for he will be branded as traditionalist, fundamentalist, conservative; as an enemy of progress, of opportunity, and of solidarity; as one who is nostalgic, pre-Conciliar, and even an enemy of the Council, if not suffering from a marked tendency to paranoia. The least attempt at defending himself which our wretched objector might put forward will achieve nothing but to confirm that his state of mental health is bordering insanity. In the grand Era of Dialogue, its greatest promoters are not willing to engage in any with those who do not share the “monological” way of conducting themselves.

In the meantime, the attention of the people is being diverted to ephemeral and secondary problems which have no power to make them forget the true and main ones. Multitudes of documents keep on appearing with reference to social justice and social welfare which is in perfect continuity with the progressive doctrine, rather Marxist, already begun by Pope Paul VI in his Encyclical Populorum Progresio.

 About the point just made, and since I have not been entrusted with the mission of teaching many people, I have nothing to say but what I have always repeated: The Church has Doctors. And there is also a Magisterium and a Hierarchy. Perhaps I may venture to express my preoccupation – having no value other than being a mere personal opinion – with the fact that it seems as if the numerous and grave problems that nowadays confront the Church have been sidetracked. At this present moment, precisely when Bishops seem to be preoccupied with rather foreign problems and forgetful of their own, perhaps it would be convenient to remember Saint Paul’s warning to his disciple Timothy: [The Bishop] must know how to rule well his own house, having his children in subjection with all reverence  – for if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God? – (1 Tim 3: 4-5)

(Translated from the book Esperando a Don Quijote, pages 377 and ff. )