Recognizing the potential challenge of what it means to love our neighbors amid the divisiveness accompanying the election season, the Catholic Social Action Office for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has partnered with Glenmary Father Aaron Wessman, GHM, to present a six-part series titled “Our Eucharistic Mission in a Polarized World.” The monthly sessions from May to October will be offered in a hybrid setting. Father Wessman will draw from his own spiritual journey, as well as from his new book, The Church’s Mission in a Polarized World, that he says is “as personal as it is communal.”

The current vicar general and director of formation for the Glenmary Home Missioners, he was inspired to write the book after returning to the U.S. in 2017, following nearly four years of study in Europe. He found “that something had changed from the time I left. I saw it in my extended family [and] the parishes where I was serving and heard from other pastors that there was a deepened sense of polarization; a level of animosity, even hatred, being perpetuated in society, politically and religiously,” he explained. “It was more intense than I remembered.”

As he worked toward a PhD in systematic theology from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), Father Wessman focused on polarization for his dissertation. He realized this was a subject, “that touches my heart,” and recognized the “need to articulate what it means to be the missionary disciples that Jesus is calling us to be. I believe that our polarized culture is impeding us from doing this.”

“Christians and other people of good will are longing for a response that can lead the way out of the divisiveness and vitriol of our times,” Father Wessman wrote. “I wrote this book to provide some assistance to readers to discern a way out of the toxicity in which we live, and to stimulate courage and hope so that all people can see the age in which we live more clearly and respond with the grace necessary to follow more fully the call God has spoken, a missionary call to deepen Christ’s incarnational movement in our world.”

The Church’s Mission in a Polarized World is divided into three parts, Father Wessman explained. The first chapters use political, sociological, psychological and theological research to address, “What is polarization?” The book’s second part offers an examination of conscience for the Church and its members to consider how polarization is impacting our discipleship as Christians and the role of the Church in the world. The latter third offers “a prescription for what we might do,” he said. It presents various individuals and examples from Damien of Molokai to Dorothy Day, who can provide inspiration moving forward.

Ultimately, Father Wessman points readers to Jesus’ example and the “theology of crossing over” as He did as the first step “for all of us.” He emphasizes, “All throughout His ministry, Jesus exemplified crossing into the midst of sinners, the ostracized, and engaging them.” And he notes, “What that looks like practically is to discern where we are being called to do this. If I disagree with someone else, it’s my job as a follower of Jesus to cross over and be in that person’s midst, to love them, to model to the world that I can be in communion with them, even with our differences.”

“Oftentimes, we believe our differences are bigger than they actually are,” he said. “It can be tough work, having these challenging conversations, but it’s our opportunity to stand in solidarity.”

Among the topics in his upcoming talks are: the Eucharist as an antidote to the exclusion and rigid boundaries that often accompany polarized society and parishes; and the eucharistic themes of sacrifice, hope, mission and invitation. “I’m grateful to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for providing the opportunity to give these talks,” Father Wessman said. “I’m hoping that they and the book will give people the tools, resources and spirituality to overcome the challenges of polarization and deepen their sense of unity and community.”

The first three talks are scheduled for: Thursday, May 23, 7

p.m. at Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (Cincinnati), “The Church’s Mission in a Polarized World”; Thursday, June 20, 7 p.m. at Bellarmine Chapel (Cincinnati), “An Overview of Polarization”; Wednesday, July 24, 7 p.m., at St. Michael Parish (Sharonville), Mass followed by the talk “Repugnance vs. Presence.”

Andrew Musgrave, director of the Social Action Office also encourages local Catholics to consider the following resources:

• I Vote Catholic (iVoteCatholic.org) — an Archdiocese of Cincinnati initiative to encourage people to vote with their faith, not their party
• Civilize It (civilizeit.org) — a United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) initiative to encourage charity, clarity and creativity in the election cycle and beyond.
• Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (faithfulcitizenship.org) — a USCCB teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics.This article appeared in the May 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.