Vatican-American Relations

Here are some positive impressions that the Holy See has of Americans:

1. There is tremendous respect in the Holy See for the technical competence and the can-do spirit of Americans.
2. There is awareness that parish life in the United States is remarkably dynamic.
3. There is appreciation in Rome for the underlying religiosity of American culture.
4. There is a lively sense of the generosity and good-heartedness of Americans.
5. There is a growing appreciation in the Holy See for the special challenges facing the American church, created by the press, the legal system, the size and diversity of the country, and its unique cultural tradition.

Now for some negative impressions.

1. The Holy See is a European institution, which means that general European prejudices about the United States find echoes in the Vatican.
2. Some in the Holy See, including some of the deepest thinkers, believe there is something profoundly un-Catholic about American culture that too often finds it way into the church.
3. There is a sense in the Vatican, again one that reflects broader European attitudes, that Americans sometimes have a messianic self-understanding, and a dualistic way of dividing the world into "us and them" that reflects the country's Calvinist heritage.
4. Some in the Vatican believe that American Catholicism sometimes suffers from a weak ecclesiology that reflects the country's Congregationalist tradition.
5. There is a fear that America's youthfulness, and the dizzying pace of change in the culture, produce a certain lack of historical memory.

Finally, here are a few reflections on what American Catholics should keep in mind about the Vatican.

1. Communication across cultures is always a difficult business.
2. Dialogue between Rome and America has never been more important.
3. Finding a way forward is a long-term project, and Catholics will increasingly need to draw comfort and sustenance from their common faith that ultimately the Spirit will not desert the church.