During the coronation of King Charles III of England in May 2023, it was striking that the entire ceremony was done in the context of a eucharistic celebration. In retrospect, this was not so unusual as every major British royal celebration such as weddings, funerals and anniversaries would take place in a liturgical service of the Church of England. The prayers recited, the hymns sung, the order of the liturgy were all familiar to Anglicans and Roman Catholics, and they all spoke of a faith that has guided England for centuries.

However, since Christianity seems to be waning in what were once strong Christian countries, to look at much of England today, not to mention most of what we consider the Western world, one cannot help but ask, “Where did it all go?”

So many of the great cathedrals of Europe, built by the faith of the people, have now become little more than tourist attractions rather than houses of worship. Europe is not the only place where Christian churches that inspired people of faith for generations have fallen out of the use for which they were built. Throughout our own country today, many of what were once Christian houses of worship of every denomination have become art museums, theaters, restaurants and bars, apartment buildings and condominiums, and even mosques and Buddhist temples. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the anguished sobs of our ancestors whose love and devotion built these sacred places where their faith was lived and strengthened. Where did it all go?

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European Example

Fox News reported on June 26, 2023, that in Mechelen, Belgium, Sacred Heart Church had been closed. The building was converted into a cafe and concert venue investors believe will turn the church into “a new cultural hot spot in the heart of Mechelen.” The report noted, “The repurposing of some of Belgium’s greatest churches and cathedrals comes after a 2018 Pew Research study showed that while 83% of Belgians say they were raised Christian, only 55% still follow the religion. Meanwhile, only 10% of Belgians say they attend church services regularly.”

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A generation or so ago, one of the basic general education requirements of many colleges or universities was a course entitled Western civilization. Today, most institutions of higher learning no longer teach that subject, much less require it, because it is considered politically incorrect. One would think that as heirs of Western civilization, especially in this day and age when tracing family origins and histories is increasingly popular, we would want to have an understanding of who we are and from where we came. While it is true that other cultures have been and continue to have a formative role in this complex world, Western civilization has had a significant influence on them, as well. This understanding leads to the reality that a crucial part of Western civilization is the central role that Christianity has played in its development.

Missionary Church

Not least in this development has been the influence of Catholicism on the world. Since the sixth century, Irish missionary monks fanned the glowing embers of faith that had burned low back into flames on the European continent. Other Christian missionaries took the faith to other parts of the known world, and cities and universities emerged from monastic foundations with the idea of establishing a foretaste of heaven here on earth. The role of Catholic monasticism, in keeping alive and developing the arts and sciences of the West, is critical. The Christian faith grew and expanded and was instrumental in bringing together divided factions and uniting peoples.

The Christian mandate, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), urged fearless men and women convicted by their faith to preach the Gospel to leave the comforts of family and home to spread the good news. This, in turn, led to the growth of Christianity throughout the West. Even after tragic splits brought about the Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation, Christianity continued to grow and prosper throughout the world. However, looking around the Western world today, one is compelled to ask, “Where did it all go?”

Today, many faithful Christians wring their hands, shake their heads and bemoan what they see as Christianity being a disappearing factor of Western civilization. Some Christian sects and denominations are shrinking so fast as to threaten their very existence because they seem to have bowed down to the Baal of popular opinion rather than remain loyal to divine revelation. In some ways, the Catholic Church is faring no better. The number of committed Catholics is reportedly in decline and Mass attendance is not as strong as it was in previous generations.

Vocations to the priesthood and religious life are far less than in the past, and at least one congregation of religious women founded in the United States, which for years provided tremendous ministry to the Church, recently actually voted itself out of existence, refusing to recruit any more vocations until, like the Shakers, they are no more. Where did it all go?

Restoring Hope

We are a Christian people and, as such, we are a people of hope. If we do not have hope in the future, we cannot call ourselves Christian with any credibility nor have anything to offer the world to help it see the light of Truth. Where did it all go? It’s still here, but we have chosen to put aside what is true and beautiful, like the crown jewels of England, in favor of cheap costume jewelry with no lasting value.

The treasure we possess in Christ is not meant to be locked away like a museum piece for fear of losing it and brought out only for special occasions. Instead, we need to bring it back into the daylight to reveal Christ’s glory and majesty to a world entering what perhaps can be described as a new “Dark Age” of artificial intelligence and internet manipulation.

Where did it all go? It’s still here. We simply have to restore it. It is undeniable that the Church in Western civilization has had rough times in its history, especially since World War I, which seems never to have actually ended. What has gone wrong must be set right. In the process, let’s reclaim and restore the dignity of the Faith, which the evil one is doing its best to destroy.

The tools we need to do this are acknowledgment of and reliance on the commanding presence of God; the integrity of the truth revealed in sacred Scripture and Tradition; fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church; sincere prayer and courageous outreach and service to the world, especially the poor and disenfranchised, with the salvific message of Jesus Christ. We must recapture the sense of the God-given dignity of every human being from conception to natural death. We must come humbly in worship before Almighty God with good liturgy that inspires reverence and awe in the hearts of people, uniting rather than dividing, employing hymnody that lifts and inspires, that focuses on the majesty and saving power of God rather than popular narcissistic self-promotion. We must strive to bring the world up to the level of Christ, not bring Christ down to the level of the world.

Let’s stop wringing our hands, whining and complaining about, “Where did it all go?” It’s still here! Recover it. As Catholics, stand tall. Stand proud. Let’s put aside the sense of complacent helplessness and renew our commitment as baptized Christians.

Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus … so that in all things God may be glorified!

MSGR. DENNIS L. MIKULANIS, STD, is a retired priest and vicar for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Diocese of San Diego.