The Betrayal of the Catholic Liberal

Engagement in Culture War is normative for every generation of Catholics. In recent history we have engaged Communists and Nazis as well as American anti-Papism in mainstream WASP Protestantism, the KKK, Fundamentalism, puritanical prohibionists, and even our masonic founding fathers. The defining conflict of the last 50 years (my adulthood) is over the value of innocent, powerless humans and the meaning of sexuality, gender, family. The most challenging development in this drama has been the betrayal of the Catholic Liberal. Our battle with atheistic Jews, secularizing Anglicans, the greedy rich class, bible-belt fundamentalist, socialist union organizers...all of this is cut-and-dry, garden variety culture war stuff. We are against the bad guys. It is exciting, clear, energizing. Our current conflict is far more troubling: the Trojan Horse is withing our city gates, we are arrayed against each other. "A house divided against itself shall not stand." So I refer to the "Catholic Liberal" and not the "Liberal Catholic" because the defining concept is "Liberal" in the sense that this party has rejected fundamental Catholic positions on powerless life, sexuality and procreation. They have gone anti-Catholic as much or more than the KKK, prohibitionists or our masonic founding fathers. But...and this is the problem...they present themselves not just as Catholics, but as more enlightened Catholics: as more anti-racist, woman-friendly, climate-caring and so forth. We see it currently in the blatant divide within our bishops with prominient Francis-proteges like Cupich and Joseph Tobin coming to the defense of the pro-abortion Biden. This presents a profound spiritual challenge: yes we are to forgive our enemies, but what if the enemy is your very brother who has betrayed the family? What does Michael do about Fredo? This is not easy! But then again: at the end of the day, Jesus had his betrayer, his denier and 10 other cowardly, disloyal disciples. We can expect no better; even as we might hesitate to idetify ourselves righteously with Mary and John and the women at the foot of the cross. Well, a couple of steps are obvious. We are, as mentioned, to forgive and pray for our enemies, especially those close at hand. We are, of course, to work our own inventory, considering our own sins rather than sitting in judgment. We are to consider the goodness in the other, which can coexist and does coexist with non-goodness. And lastly, I find myself practicing a a certain detachment from politics. This is, for me freeing. I ownand am owned by neither Biden nor Trump. THerefore I can befriend partisans of each. In my childhood we owned JFK and the Democrats as our party; later in life I watched as some Catholics owned Ronald Regan. But my own adulthood has been a steady distancing from politics as both parties have degenerated, although in asymetric manners. Increasingly, I myself identify with neither party, but with my Catholic ancestors: the Republican pary is about as congenial to me as were the prohibitionists, masons, or union communists to my fathers; the DNC is something like the KKK or the nativist lynch mobs. As Catholic I am a stranger in a strange land. I detach with love. And I reconcile with Fredo.