Catholic parents trying to raise faithful children have a fairly concrete list of concerns: teaching them the Faith, helping them resist a corrosive culture, and keeping them close to Christ when nearly everything competes for their attention. They might reasonably hope those concerns would figure prominently when their bishops gather. In this article, originally published in Crisis Magazine, Sheryl Collmer asks whether the agenda at the bishops’ conference bears much resemblance to the struggles unfolding in Catholic homes and parishes.

With characteristic bluntness, Collmer challenges the priorities of Church leadership and points to Bishop Joseph Strickland’s intervention as an example of the forthright spiritual leadership she believes the faithful need. Her central concern is the care of souls: children who need formation, adults who need sound teaching, and families who need shepherds willing to address difficult questions plainly. Conference proceedings eventually conclude. The work of helping people get to heaven remains.