The Anguish of the Traditional Catholic in the Age of Pope Fracis

The catastrophic summer of 2018 (death penalty change to Catechism, McCarrick, Pennsylvania Report, Vigano, China agreement) confirmed what had become obvious: the Catholic Church is in the grip of a severely dysfunctional papacy. We are like a family where the mother or father is addicted...to drugs, anger, gambling, sex or whatever. Three paths emerge: to collude with and enable the compulsion; to intervene forcefully; or to distance oneself and pursue one's own sobriety and peace in an alanon-type program. The first is itself a co-addiction; the last two can fruitfully complement each other.

1.  In his customarily brilliant Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell narrates how a high accident picture for Korean pilots, who compare in all ways with other nationalities, was finally linked to their deferential "cockpit culture." Even when facing imminent danger and obvious pilot error, subordinate staff were resistant to confronting the pilot because of a deep-seated Korean subservience to authority. Something similar inheres in Roman Catholicism: we have so much respect for our hierarchy that sometimes we fail to confront them and thus enable abuse. Priest sex scandal! This applies to pastor, bishop and yes even the pope. And so, the pious, sentimental propensity to repress any criticism of pope (or bishop or priest) is contradictory of the deeper Catholic intellectual traditions as well as dismissive of the profound sense of human sinfulness that effects even our popes, beginning with Peter.

2.  The anti-Francis resistance has opted to intervene and assert long-standing beliefs that are being undermined by this Pope and his allies. In the hierarchy itself this is a very small, but strong and lucid group: notably Cardinals Burke, Sarah and Mueller. Each is extraordinary in theological depth, loyalty to the Church, and lucidity in articulation. It is unlikely they will impact this papacy, but they are a source of light and hope for so many of us who are troubled by the reigning confusitoi From where I sit, the resistance is strongest from the laity: Reno and the First Things crowd, Rober Royal and The Catholic Thing, Raymond Arroyo and EWTN, Philip Gleason and others. The laity enjoy a greater freedom to engage critically and I for one am greatly heartened by their clarity and condor.

3. The predominant response may be exemplified by Pope-Emeritus Benedict himself. he has not engaged the papacy in its foibles! Rather, he... quietly, peacefully, prayerfully and confidently...goes about his own now-retired life, no doubt praying, resting and waiting on the Lord. Even as the Francis regime undermines his work (consider the destruction of the John Paul II Institute in Rome)  the retired Pope rests serene in God's providence and the marvelous legacy he has left the Church. It is my impression that most of the loyal laity, clergy, episcopacy and college of cardinals pursue a similar path: not overtly resisting, but persevering in the Gospel truth as we have received it. The lay leaders I most respect..including charismatic Ralph Martin, Kiko Arguello of the Neocathecumenal Way, The Schindlers and others at the John Paul II...have not directly criticized or contradicted the Pope (to my knowledge), but they continue to develop and articulate the legacy of John Paul and Benedict with energy, brilliance and conviction. The American bishops are exemplary also. Archbishop Chaput, perhaps the strongest American hierarchical resistance to this papacy, is muted and flawlessly respectful. The the recent American bishops conference, proteges of Francis (Cupich, McElroy) attempted to dilute the episcopal pro-life stance, in the name of Pope Francis, by removing the word "preeminent" in regard to abortion among other social issues (immigration, global warming, etc.) Bishop McElroy went so far as to say that this emphasis contradicted the teaching of Francis. Chaput forcefully insisted that the American bishops were indeed in union with the chair of Peter as they resisted the horror of abortion. His strong but respectful words were greeted with applause. His position was validated in a vote of 2-1. The American bishops remain faithful, at this point in time, to the legacy of the dual pontificate, but in a reverent, peace-making manner.

To conclude: filial loyalty to the papacy, like love for one's own dysfunctional father,  does not preclude but requires calm, deliberate correction when required. There is a certain Catholic genius for balancing loyalty and confrontation, for preserving unity while unveiling error. Thank God for the resistance, and also for the loyalists who work in a more peaceful, quiet manner!