Are we a suffering Church? A Church in crisis? Yes. But we are also a Church deeply alive. Parishes across the U.S. are vibrant and energetic, filled with luminous men and women who are busily doing their part to bring about the Kingdom. Our new series “The Church on the Ground: Going forward in Joy” will highlight some of these ordinary, extraordinary people and their marvelous work.
Our inaugural show of this series features Father Christopher Pollard of McLean, Virginia, pastor of St. John the Beloved, where both the ordinary form of the Mass and the Latin Mass are celebrated. The solemnity of both forms has a transformative effect and inspires both reverence and enthusiasm both in this priest and among the faithful.
Rather than foment distinct “Catholic communities,” Father Pollard has a secret for keeping his parish united. We also talk about the continuous stream of young men responding to their priestly vocations in the diocese of Arlington, Virginia and one priest’s reaction to the clergy abuse crisis.
