George E. Pfautsch

Toward a Holier Catholic Church: Removing Barriers to Evangelization George E. Pfautsch

For two thousand years the Roman Catholic Church has survived through many periods of difficult times. The most recent period of clerical sexual abuse has been the cause of considerable angst for the Church and has resulted in some substantial economic losses for many areas within the Church. Through the many hundreds of years following its beginning by Jesus Christ, the Church has maintained a governance structure that has changed very little. The ascendancy of Pope Francis to the papacy has brought considerable emphasis on the importance of humility. That emphasis is sorely needed by the Church. This book will examine some areas of the Church, where its historical governance structure is too often an obstacle to the humility the Pope demonstrates and desires within the Church. The time may have come for the Church to examine its governance structure in order for it to be a holier Church and not to be a barrier to evangelization. However, the Church structure is not the only need for change within the Church. With the many changes that have taken place within the Church there is a need for a renewed emphasis on spiritual simplicity and on the basic lessons of Sacred Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. Such changes can remove the barriers to evangelization and provide a greater appeal for many to find a richer spiritual value within the Church.