Mother Angelica’s Mad Method

This fourth principle of Mother’s Mad Method is fully Catholic and yet independent of the Diocesan hierarchy. While this independence has its pitfalls it also has its benefits. It’s no bad thing for the bishops and priests to have some independent critics, and its no bad thing for apostolates to be started and run independently from the Diocesan bureaucracy and control of the clergy. Sure, Mother Angelica’s Mad Method made some people mad, but that’s part of the fun and part of the risk of being Catholic. The lay people should be submissive and respectful to the bishops, but they’re not expected to be mindless robots or pious automatons.

The fifth principle of Mother’s Mad Method is that it is counterintuitive and otherworldly — but it works. The sensible wording says, “Make a master plan. Get all the finances in place first. Make sure you have proper buildings, health and safety plans for your staff. Make sure you have an endowment fund, insurance policies, legal liability experts, investment and retirement plans in place.”

Mother’s Mad Method says, “Trust the Lord. Roll up your sleeves. Get to work. Get on your knees. Live simply. Hire people who share your vision. Live every day to the fullest. Make a mess and be blessed. If God is your guide, he will provide.”

In fact, Mother Angelica’s Mad Method is nothing new. It’s called living by faith.

You ought to give it a try!

Fr. Dwight Longeneckeris a former Evangelical, then an Anglican priest and now a Catholic priest. Visit his website atdwightlongenecker.comto browse his books and be in touch.