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gracepoole
Guest
But The Remnant is not “outside.” Yes, it questions some of the pope’s actions and statements. That doesn’t mean it’s heretical. Yet as has happened on this thread, it’s associated with “radical traditionalists.” And using a term coined by the SPLC does give it credibility, whether we want it to or not. As far as I know, there’s no comparable term used to describe all of the groups you identified – they’re simply known as “outside the authority of the Catholic Church,” which doesn’t hold the connotations that “rad trads” does. (Though I’m not even certain that the Church identifies all of them as “outside” – I’ve never seen a decree from the Vatican regarding the National Catholic Reporter, for example.)I don’t give the SPLC any credibility.
Re: “catch-all terms” Any generalization has drawbacks. Consider the differences among these: “Catholics for Choice”; “Network”; “Call to Action”; “National Catholic Reporter”. They are not identical. But all are outside the authority of the Catholic Church. That common element is important.
The same holds true for the groups you mentioned. There’s a slippery slope here, when people a few feet outside the Magisterium point out there are wild-eyed fanatics farther out there - that makes our position ok. But some of those wild-eyed ones once stood where you now stand.
It would be a mistake to demand special recognition for groups - on the Left or Right - a few feet outside. Outside is still outside.