I BELIEVE that we are living in a watershed and privileged moment in the history of the Church. Just as the biblical exile brought about the most transforming experience that profoundly shaped the faith of Israel, this transition time can potentially launch the church into a new era of hope, engagement and solidarity that the Second Vatican Council beckoned us with great foresight.
From where I stand , the arrival of Pope Francis and his emphasis on servant leadership have unambiguously signalled this new era.
He himself said poignantly that we are not living in an era of change, but change of an era. By this, he means that it is the Church that needs to live up to its fundamental call to be “Ecclesia semper reformanda” or the Church always needs to reform in order to be in sync with the movement of the Holy Spirit and the direction of the Kingdom.
It is not “business as usual”. There needs to be an attitudinal change at every level, a conversion of mind and heart that conforms us to the spirit of the Gospel, a new wine into new wineskins, not superficial change or worse a retreat into recession.