Expose and Engage the ‘Fifth Column’ in the Catholic Church

[Neil_Anthony]

A fifth column is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group, such as a nation, from within, to the aid of an external enemy. Using the above definition I son’t think it is hackneyed at all. IMO, very aproperate use of the term. Lets get back on subject instead of the English lesson.

I’ve actually known Catholics who admitted they were hippies who joined the Church to change it from within. It’s not that far-fetched.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

A fifth column is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group, such as a nation, from within, to the aid of an external enemy. Using the above definition I son’t think it is hackneyed at all. IMO, very aproperate use of the term. Lets get back on subject instead of the English lesson.

“Hackneyed” means trite or stale, ie out of date. The term is certainly that and harkens back to the paranoia of the ‘Red scare’.

 

[Spiritoftruth]

love the politics of fear… look out, they are coming to get you

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

Look, if you think a group is infiltrated, the first thing that happens is that everyone is suspect and there are a lot of false accusals. Next, there comes an orthdoxy, and folks who are not considered right thinkers are purged. This all is very destructive to organizational goals.

 

[edwest2]

“Hackneyed” means trite or stale, ie out of date. The term is certainly that and harkens back to the paranoia of the ‘Red scare’.

An accurate description is never out of date. There was never a Red Scare but there was actual Communist infiltration in the US government.

Peace,
Ed

 

[edwest2]

Look, if you think a group is infiltrated, the first thing that happens is that everyone is suspect and there are a lot of false accusals. Next, there comes an orthdoxy, and folks who are not considered right thinkers are purged. This all is very destructive to organizational goals.

In this case, that is not true. Spefic individuals and groups call themselves Catholics but they say, out loud, what they are for:

Abortion
Gay Marriage
End to celibacy for Priests

There are no ‘right thinkers’ but followers of Church doctrine. As it has always been. Father Jenkins, for example, was not purged but was engaged by his Bishop in loving, brotherly dialogue.

Is it too hard to understand that following God’s Commandments is what being Catholic means?

Peace,
Ed

 

[tm30]

catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=33939

Deception is subtle. It plays on the trust and compassion of the people. Our sincere desire to love our neighbors means we need to understand what the Church teaches about the issues of our day. We need to understand this wise counsel. We need to learn about the ways others seek to undermine clear Church teaching. We must avoid being taken advantage of. In that way, we can witness to the truth and not be confused or taken in by the wolves that have come into the fold.

Peace,
Ed

Good article. I think what it needs to be stressed about the “Fifth Column” in the Church is that it reveals itself symptomatically in the issues (like SSM and abortion), but, like a virus, it’s core purpose is to attack the nerve center of the Body of Christ - which is the Magisterium. The purpose of chipping away at the issues is not to flat out prove the Church wrong - the purpose is to plant the seed in the minds of Catholics that the Church could be wrong. That’s where these actions are most insidious, and as the CCC points out, can lead to spiritual death of others. So, whether or not they win an impossible victory over immutable truths, is irrelevant. If it surreptitiously encourages more and more to question the authority of the Church and eventually treat her teaching as “optional”, then they’ve done their job.

EDIT: On further reflection, perhaps the phrase “Fifth Column” is not properly used here, since these elements are coming out in broad daylight and giving Rome the middle finger these days. It’s a badge of honor for their ilk (Jenkins, Reese, McBrien, various New Age orders of nuns, etc.). The goals are the same, but there’s an amazing current of apathy towards actually correcting these people/groups.

 

[Oceanon]

Dick Cheney is Methodist.

I stand corrected. Thank you.

 

[edwest2]

I encourage my fellow Catholics to talk to your priest or Bishop or even to send a letter to Rome. If we engage the errors with clear Church teaching out of sincere love and concern, we can make a difference.

Peace,
Ed