Devout Catholic and Cool - It Is Possible

Crucifix in hand, Father Meyer posed for the poster, rated R for "restricted to those radically in love with Jesus Christ." Running time is "all eternity," and its title reads, "The Catholic priesthood: The answer is out there ... and it's calling you."

First of all, I didn't realize that a real priest posed for this photo. You can't get much cooler than that.

Secondly, this brings up an interesting subject. I got an email from one of my favorite commenters asking the following questions. I put them up here not to put him on the spot but because I think these are the sorts of questions that get brought up any time we see the Church intersecting with pop culture. It made me start thinking about the whole thing and you know what that means, don't you? Right, a long post. So here goes ...

Isn't this essentially suggesting that God and the Church are either (1) mere fictional Hollywood productions or (2) merely a construct of some evil computer? Do we really need or want to encourage young priests-to-be to be like Keanu Reeves? Does God and His Church really need such gimmicks? Why are they turning to pop culture? Aren't we a counter-cultural Church????????? Do they really not understand that kids will not think that it is "cool," but will think of it as an occasion to ridicule the Church for such idiotic gimmicks?

I actually think it is brilliant. Most kids see priests as middle aged men who are very boring. I think this is a way to get them, if only very briefly, see priests in a new light. They are smart enough (or at least all the ones I know are) to not make the two assumptions suggested. Sometimes all it takes is a new view to twist your brain a different way and I could easily see the Holy Spirit jumping in at that moment to plant an idea in a now-receptive mind.

The high school seniors I showed this to are all very media savvy and ready to be cynical at the drop of a hat. They loved it and didn't ridicule it at all. The fact that most kids understand marketing, movies, and pop culture means they instantly get both the connection and the intent. I was happy to read in this story that the USCCB will be handing these posters out at World Youth Day but disappointed that I couldn't get one for Hannah and a couple of people who want them for their locker at school.

I wonder if part of the problem in looking at the Church and pop culture is the idea of true Christians being "counter-cultural." The Church maintains her own culture, that of following Jesus Christ's teachings. Sometimes that will be more in line with popular culture than others. Obviously we are in a time when we find our Catholic and Christian culture is at odds in a big way with secular ideas of what is normal and good. It becomes very easy to slip into the mode of criticizing anything from pop culture without considering each thing separately to see if it has value or not.

I don't think this means we have given up our ability to enjoy pop culture or, in other words, be cool. It means living in the world but not "of" it. That is what is revolutionary about Christianity. Think about it. Jesus was hanging with the outcasts, potentially the "cool" people to any rebellious kids at the time ... if not with the prostitutes, then how about the fact that he had a Zealot among his disciples? He could interact with all segments of that culture and maintain his own identity ... and that is what "cool" is all about.

Some of the coolest people I know are my brother and his wife, both devout evangelical Christians. They are known as the "cool parents" among their kids friends despite the fact that they aren't gonna put up with anything against their faith. However, they know how to have a good time and make sure everyone around them does ... without having to sing Kumbaya to show how much they love God.

Somehow Tom and I also have become the "cool parents." Looking at us you'd never figure out why. In fact, I'm still trying to figure that out myself. These kids know that if they're at our house on Sunday, they'll be going to Mass with us or giving a darned good reason why not (I actually put six of them in a row through "Meet the Mother" in our living room one morning), I have a "wall of crosses" and statues of Mary and the Holy Family sitting out, and I've been known to break into a conversation with an impromptu lecture about the relevancy of Church teachings to the topic of the moment. Not exactly "cool" material.

I think it boils down to the fact that Tom and I remember what it was like to be teenagers and the people we were before living our faith the way we do now. We're not knee-jerk prudes (This is Spinal Tap is one of our favorite movies and I think that "Big Bottom" and "Sex Farm" are some of the funniest parodies of rock songs ever to come alone), we like all different kinds of movies and music (news flash - we don't like modern Catholic songs because they're new but because almost all of them are bad ... oh, so very bad), we love a good joke even when it's about Catholics, we know we're geeks and can laugh at it ... in short, we are ourselves. Acknowledging that fact in something like the poster above just shows that the priest who thought it up understands that point too (and his diocese did too, which is even more amazing).

The fact that I listen to Muse and The Killers is enough to condemn me in the eyes of people who feel they must define "devout Christian" in terms of separation from the world. In fact, what it does is provide a point of connection between me and others who never would have thought it. Surprise, surprise, I'm "normal" too! (Which would be major news to my sister and parents who now think that because I am a devout Catholic that I only watch "PG" movies and listen to Julie Andrews. Don't know why but that stereotype kicked in immediately for them upon my conversion.)

MORE COOL CATHOLICS
(Thanks to Cheryl for sending me this link.)