Two perilous, deep truths brought closer to the surface by Father Altman's video- party politics drowning the faith and a growing lack of Charity

[PatienceAndHumility]

The recent events surrounding Father Altman’s video have highlighted two very prominent truths increasingly harming our faith, in my opinion. These are:

• Catholicism is being profoundly afflicted by politics (Vigano etc.), which is drowning the Truths of our Faith
• In turn, Charity is being disposed of in favour of point-scoring and many hearts are being lost

It is important for me to establish from the offset- we all agree that abortion is intrinsically evil. And indeed- the overwhelming majority of the time, assuming we can see all ends, it is the issue which tips the scales. Proportionate reason to vote for a party which supports abortion is more than likely to not exist. But can we see all ends? Trump is a member of the establishment just as much as Biden is. This is party politics. They are both demagogues to their voting demographics. This all runs much deeper…

Father Altman’s political message displays a pervasive naivety about global politics- there is a reason why the clergy must remain bipartisan. Sure- she must also be clear on moral issues. But fundamentally- must remain bipartisan. For Holy Mother Church is above politics.

Alongside this naivety, we have seen copious political and geopolitical manoeuvring filter into the Catholic world. Along with it, this has brought about an increasing lack of Charity. So much so that hearts are being lost. The lack of Charity and the swelling anger which has been absorbed is damaging. We see this reflected clearly in Father’s video (“Godless sheeple”, “pretenders and imposters” who are going to hell if they don’t repent, “proud and arrogant hierarchy”…etc.) but also across many outlets.

My views in longer form on Father Altman’s video “You Cannot be Catholic and a Democrat. Period” are here.

I hope you will join me in at least questioning the recent swelling of activity in regards to the politics afflicting Catholicism…

 

[Shakuhachi]

Catholicism is being profoundly afflicted by politics (Vigano etc.), which is drowning the Truths of our Faith

One of the things about Jesus is that he is balanced. He eats with prostitutes and tax collectors but also tells them to repent. he tells us to feed the hungry but also says the poor we will always have with us. Render unto Caesar but also unto God. Inconsistencies? No.

But more balanced than we would want. We seem to want all or nothing on the Left and on the Right.

 

[PatienceAndHumility]

Amen- and this is being capitalised on by the enemy

 

[Genesis315]

Factionalism and conflict are natural elements of Liberalism (the political philosophy underlying the US system, and on whose spectrum both parties fall), not to mention its core tenet of not recognizing any truth higher than public opinion. The Church condemned it early on for a reason. Catholics of all people should have a unified view of the good, even if there are disagreements about how best to achieve it given the circumstances. Alas, many have lost sight of that good and especially the highest good is no longer a priority. This creates even worse political factionalism.

From Cardinal Henri de Lubac’s “Paradoxes of Faith”:

If heretics no longer horrify us today, as they once did our forefathers, is it certain that it is because there is more charity in our hearts? Or would it not too often be, perhaps, without our daring to say so, because the bone of contention, that is to say, the very substance of our faith, no longer interests us? Men of too familiar and too passive a faith, perhaps for us dogmas are no longer the Mystery on which we live, the Mystery which is to be accomplished in us. Consequently then, heresy no longer shocks us; at least, it no longer convulses us like something trying to tear the soul of our souls away from us…And that is why we have no trouble in being kind to heretics, and no repugnance in rubbing shoulders with them.

In reality, bias against ‘heretics’ is felt today just as it used to be. Many give way to it as much as their forefathers used to do. Only, they have turned it against political adversaries. Those are the only ones with whom they refuse to mix. Sectarianism has only changed its object and taken other forms, because the vital interest has shifted. Should we dare to say that this shifting is progress? It is not always charity, alas, which has grown greater, or which has become more enlightened: it is often faith, the taste for the things of eternity, which has grown less.

The problem is a lack of faith. I don’t know the solution.

 

[Shakuhachi]

Catholics of all people should have a unified view of the good, even if there are disagreements about how best to achieve it given the circumstances.

And be more charitable in discussing their disagreements about how best to achieve it.