Episode 3181: Modern Pastoral Sensitivity vs. Traditional Doctrinal Truth

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The Catechism Explained by Fr. Francis Spirago (1899)
A full commentary on the Catechism of Trent, making it practical and devotional. It’s considered one of the best explanations of Catholic doctrine and moral life.
Modern Pastoral Sensitivity vs. Traditional Doctrinal Truth: The Witness of Christ and the Mission of the Church
Introduction
My dear friends, welcome to today’s episode. In our time, one of the greatest contrasts within the Catholic Church lies in the way the Faith is preached. The traditional Catholic Church, especially before the upheavals of the mid-20th century, emphasized doctrinal clarity and fidelity to faith and morals. Priests were formed to preach Christ crucified, not as a matter of personal opinion or sentiment, but as an unchanging truth binding upon every soul.
By contrast, much of the modern Church emphasizes “pastoral sensitivity” a phrase often used to mean being careful not to offend, softening teachings to accommodate the world, and prioritizing human feelings over divine truth. But was this the way of Our Lord Jesus Christ? Did Christ ever place human sensitivities above fidelity to His Father?
Doctrinal Preaching in the Traditional Church
For centuries, priests in the Catholic Church were trained in the great scholastic tradition. They drew upon the writings of the Fathers, Doctors, and Councils of the Church. The goal was not to entertain, but to save souls. Preaching was not about self-expression or pastoral popularity, but about faithfully transmitting what the Church received from Christ.
A priest would preach about the Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell. He would warn of sin and exhort to virtue. He knew he was accountable before God for every word of his preaching. St. Paul’s command resounded in his heart: “Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2).
This doctrinal preaching sometimes unsettled consciences, but it gave the faithful clear direction. The priest was a shepherd guarding his flock, not a hired hand soothing wolves.
The Modern Emphasis on Pastoral Sensitivity
Today, many priests and bishops emphasize a very different approach. Homilies are often centered on encouragement, affirmation, or broad social themes. The language of sin, sacrifice, penance, and eternal judgment is softened or even omitted. The guiding principle is often: “We must not alienate anyone.”
This approach is called “pastoral,” yet it often becomes pastoral only in appearance. A doctor who refuses to tell his patient he has cancer may appear “sensitive,” but he condemns the patient to death. Likewise, a priest who avoids confronting sin does not shepherd souls he abandons them.
Our Lord Himself warned of such false shepherds in John 10: “The hireling sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and flees.”
Christ’s Example: Truth over Sentiment
When we turn to Christ, what do we see? Was He ever “touchy-feely,” careful not to offend His listeners? Quite the opposite.
• When the Pharisees corrupted the worship of His Father, He made a whip of cords and drove them out of the Temple. His anger was holy, for zeal for His Father’s house consumed Him.
• When He taught the crowds about the necessity of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, many walked away scandalized. Yet He did not soften the teaching. He let them go, even asking the Apostles: “Will you also go away?” (John 6:67).
• When Peter tried to dissuade Him from the Cross, Christ turned and said: “Get behind me, Satan! You are not mindful of the things of God, but of men” (Matt. 16:23).
Christ never prioritized human comfort over divine truth. His mission was always to glorify His Father and bring men to salvation, not to make them feel affirmed in their errors.
The True Pastoral Heart
The irony, of course, is that true pastoral charity does not mean softness. It means leading souls to heaven, even if the truth is difficult. Christ the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep. He did not abandon them to wolves in the name of “sensitivity.”
Likewise, the saints and traditional priests of old knew that true pastoral care required courage. St. John Vianney preached tirelessly against sin in his small village. St. Peter Chrysologus reminded the faithful that mercy without truth is false mercy. St. Paul himself declared: “If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).
Doctrinal Clarity in the Traditional Church
For centuries, priests drew on the Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Roman Missal, and the lives of the saints. Their preaching was clear: sin condemns, grace saves, and Christ is the only Redeemer.
• Example: A priest in 19th-century France, like St. John Vianney, preached openly on the dangers of missing Mass, immodesty, or drunkenness. He did not soften his words for fear of “losing” his parishioners; rather, he knew that fidelity to God’s truth alone saves souls.
• Example: Papal encyclicals, such as Quanta Cura of Pius IX or Pascendi Dominici Gregis of St. Pius X, thundered against modern errors. The purpose was not to appear “welcoming” to error, but to guard the flock from wolves.
This was true pastoral care charity rooted in truth.
The Modern “Pastoral” Approach
Compare this with the tone often heard today. Instead of warning against sin, many homilies focus on vague encouragement or themes of “accompaniment.”
• Example: In 2016, Pope Francis said the Church must be like a “field hospital,” meeting people where they are without first speaking of rules. While this imagery has some truth, it has often been interpreted to mean downplaying sin for the sake of “welcoming.”
• Example: At the Amazon Synod (2019), clergy spoke of “listening to indigenous spirituality” rather than calling pagans to baptism in Christ. Pastoral sensitivity became an excuse for religious relativism.
• Example: In many parishes today, sermons on abortion, contraception, homosexuality, or cohabitation are rare. Priests fear offending the faithful or their bishop so silence replaces truth.
But silence on sin is not mercy. It is negligence. A priest who never warns his flock of hell is like a doctor who refuses to tell his patient he has cancer.
Christ’s Own Example: Truth Before Comfort
When we look at Christ, the model of all preaching, we see something radically different from the modern emphasis on sensitivity.
• The Bread of Life Discourse (John 6): When Christ taught that His flesh must be eaten, many disciples murmured: “This is a hard saying.” They left Him. Yet Christ did not retract His words. He turned to the Apostles and asked, “Will you also go away?”
• The Temple Cleansing (John 2): Seeing His Father’s house defiled, He drove out the money changers with a whip. He did not calculate whether His righteous anger might “alienate” some. His priority was His Father’s glory.
• The Pharisees (Matt. 23): He called them “whitewashed tombs” and “blind guides.” These words were not soothing or diplomatic, but they were true. Christ preferred offending men to offending His Father.
• Peter Himself (Matt. 16:23): When Peter tried to dissuade Him from the Cross, Christ rebuked him sharply: “Get behind Me, Satan!”—because the mission was His Father’s will, not human comfort.
Christ’s zeal was always for truth, never for sentiment. He sought conversion, not affirmation.
A Contrast in Tone: Then and Now
• Traditional Sermons: Preached on mortal sin, confession, penance, and the Four Last Things. Priests reminded the faithful that missing Mass is a grave sin, that immodesty endangers the soul, that marriage is sacred, and that salvation is through Christ alone.
• Modern Homilies: Frequently avoid moral clarity. Instead, they stress community, ecology, dialogue, or “not being judgmental.” Rarely do they address the eternal stakes of salvation.
• Christ Himself: Never avoided offense when truth was at stake. He was gentle with repentant sinners, yes but uncompromising in calling them out of sin. To the adulterous woman, He said not “remain as you are,” but “Go, and sin no more.”

The True Pastoral Heart
The modern Church often equates “pastoral” with “non-confrontational.” But true pastoral care is modeled on Christ: a willingness to sacrifice popularity for fidelity.
The saints understood this:
• St. Augustine: “Slay error, love men.”
• St. Paul: “If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).
• St. Peter Chrysologus: “He who is consumed with his own mercy does harm when he spares the sinner.”
A shepherd who never warns his sheep of wolves is no shepherd at all.
Opening Greeting
My dear friends in Christ, welcome to today’s reflection on the Holy Scriptures and the great Feast of St. Joachim, father of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandfather of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On this 9th Sunday after Pentecost, the Church places before us two profound readings: an Epistle from the Book of Ecclesiasticus and a Gospel from St. Matthew. Through them, we not only honor the life of St. Joachim but also see the unfolding of God’s providence in salvation history.
The Epistle – Ecclesiasticus 31:8–11
"Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? For he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting: He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms."
Reflection on the Epistle
This passage describes a man of virtue who, though tested, remains faithful and undefiled. How fitting that this reading should be chosen for St. Joachim. Tradition tells us that Joachim was a man of means, but his greatest wealth was his faith and charity. He and his wife St. Anne gave generously to the Temple and to the poor, keeping little for themselves.
In this, we see the model of a holy patriarch not one who rules by power, but one who leads by sacrifice, generosity, and fidelity. His riches were not earthly but heavenly, for his trust was in God alone. This reading is a mirror for us: do we use the blessings God gives us for His glory and the good of others, or do we hoard them for ourselves? Like St. Joachim, we are called to be found “without blemish,” uncorrupted by the love of riches.
The Gospel – Matthew 1:1–16
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. [...] And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
Reflection on the Gospel
At first glance, today’s Gospel may seem unusual a long genealogy of names. But in this sacred list, the Church proclaims the reality of the Incarnation. Christ did not descend to us as a myth or idea; He entered a family, a lineage, a real history.
Here we find the significance of St. Joachim. Though not named directly in Matthew’s genealogy, he stands as the father of Mary, the Immaculate Virgin, through whom this line finds its flowering in Jesus Christ. Joachim’s role was hidden, quiet, and humble yet essential. Without his fidelity and that of St. Anne, there would be no Mary, and without Mary, no Incarnation.
This Gospel reminds us that God works not only through kings and prophets but through fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, in the ordinary passing on of life and faith. St. Joachim’s life was a seed, small in the world’s eyes, but in God’s plan, it bore the most glorious fruit: the Mother of God.
Feast of St. Joachim
Today, we honor St. Joachim as a model of fatherhood, grandfatherhood, and fidelity. He is the protector of family life, a patron for fathers, and a reminder that holiness is not measured by fame but by faithfulness to God’s call in the hidden duties of daily life.
St. Joachim and St. Anne together remind us of the dignity of Christian marriage and the sanctity of the family, which forms the very foundation of the Church and society. Their greatest legacy was not wealth or worldly success, but the raising of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who would become the Mother of our Savior.

Conclusionary Prayer
Let us now close with prayer.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Almighty and eternal God, who chose St. Joachim to be the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary and thus made him the grandfather of Our Lord Jesus Christ, grant that through his intercession we may grow in purity of heart, steadfastness of faith, and generosity of spirit. May we, like him, use all that we have in service of Thy glory and in preparation for eternal life. Strengthen fathers and grandfathers, that they may lead their families in holiness and love.
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
St. Joachim, pray for us.
St. Anne, pray for us.
Our Lady, assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.