This past Pentecost, "Brother Christian Matson" (aka Cole; aka Nicole S ) flamboyantly declared on social media that she (aka he) was a trans-man, employed in theatre-entertainment part-time, consecrated hermit in good standing with his Bishop Stowe, militant crusader for the LGBTQ crusade. The Lexington diocese released a statement entirely commendatory of her (/his) witness.
You see again, dear Reader, how much fun it is to be Catholic. Other religions do not have hermits...nor anchorites, exorcists, seers, stigmatists, relics, incorrupt corpses...much less histrionic, transgendered hermits!
Brother Christian-Cole-Nicole is quite a character! I like him/her! Would enjoy being a friend! Quite a sharp intellect. Did the gender transition early in adulthood and four years later converted from Presbyterian to Catholic under the influence of the Eucharist and English writers Lewis, Chesterton and Tolkien. Did a doctoral dissertation on "Eucharistic language in three mid-20th century Polish theatre companies." Was interviewed on EWTN's The Journey Home about the conversion with no mention of the transition. Searched passionately for a religious vocation: rejected sadly by the Jesuits and went on to spend much of a year with a Benedictine community of men as a temporary disciple of the consecrated life. Was advised sagely by a canon lawyer that with religious community and marriage off the table, the hermit life was his best chance for Catholic consecration.
Can a Trans be a Consecrated Hermit?
Theoretically, I think the canon lawyer is correct: there is nothing explicitly, essentially or absolutely in the trans condition that contradicts a hermit's life. We might imagine such a person, who had transitioned in the distant future, in recovery from a wounded, imprudent past, who humbly, quietly, contritely seeks a private life of prayer as a path to healing and holiness. The continuation of a new, artificial gender, does not have to contradict such a vocation, if the element of quiet is maintained. In a similar manner we might imagine a person suffering from schizophrenia, blindness, borderline personality or pedophilia benefiting from such a structured life, in the appropriate circumstances under the guidance of a wise bishop and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Silence and Secrecy in Catholic Life
The hermit life expresses in a pronounced manner the silence and secrecy that permeates Catholic life.
We might first of all recall the thirty years of privacy and silence enjoyed by Jesus before his public life. Even in that later stage, we hear from him constantly: "Tell no one." Clearly, he required silence, rather than public agitation, until his Passover was complete and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church.
St. Joseph is honored for his silence. Long before John Wayne and Gary Cooper he embodied the strong, quiet man. The only word we have from him in Scripture is the naming of his son (albeit non-biological), Jesus!
Many of our devotions and practices include an element of discretion or quasi-secrecy: Knights of Columbus initiation rituals, the Cursillo retreat, the extended itinerary of the Neocatechumenal Way, Opus Dei...and others are not secretive in a deceptive or shameful way, but are correctly unveiled in the correct time and manner.
The secrecy of the seal of confession is, we all know, ABSOLUTE! No exceptions! A similar veil surrounds the Cardinals' deliberation in the conclave that chooses a pope; as well as much of the delicate, important, indeed sacrosanct deliberations within the Vatican. Normally, the identity of a diocese's exorcist is not widely known...again a prudent exercise of discretion.
The "inner forum" of spiritual direction, even beyond the sacrament of confession, is a serious veil of confidentiality. For example, a priest who receives significant information from a seminarian under his direction (for example a serious difficulty with chastity) is not free to share that in the "outer forum" of priests responsible for deciding to advance the seminarian to ordination.
Our daughter, when she was considering a vocation to the Memores Domini in promises of poverty, chastity and obedience, was guided to avoid involving others in the process. This was a kind of secrecy. To me it made sense as allowing a serenity and freedom from external distractions and pressures in order to attend to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Again, not absolute secrecy but prudent discretion. Her vocation involves a daily hour of silence in the home. This valuing of quiet is meant to permeate the entire lifestyle and spirituality. They take private promises that are not canonically vows and are not formally received by a bishop. And so their life is fascinating: not secretive but discrete, calm, adverse to ostentation, understated.
In the case of extraordinary, supernatural events (apparitions, stigmata, ecstasy, locutions, etc.) the humility of an authentically holy recipient urges quiet and secrecy. Likewise, the Church prefers an aura of silence and calm around such, rather than publicity and mimetic excitement.
Consecrated virgins make private vows with the blessing of the bishop. I can think of several women who I think may have done so. But I do not ask. They might freely share the information since it is not formally a secret. But intuitively I sense that it is confidential and best left up to their initiative if they want to share.
So we see that discretion, confidentiality, quiet, anonymity, humility, modesty and restrain pervade all aspects of authentic Catholic life, but most pronouncedly that of the hermit.
A Histrionic Hermit?
Here we get to the problem with the Matson/Stowe collaboration: not gender itself, but the melodramatic, flamboyant, publicity dimension of the "Pentecostal" proclamation! One can hardly imagine a gesture more contradictory of the spirit of the hermitage!
Matson explains his decision to go public after encountering a young Catholic tormented by gender dissonance. It is his compassion for the suffering that moves him. He is therefore himself a heroic figure, emerging from anonymity and solitude, to confront the hateful, trans-phobic Church, on behalf of mercy and kindness, and willing to suffer the martyrdom of disapproval and condemnation.
I do not doubt that his conscious intention is just such kindness. And it is just such sympathy for suffering that motivates his supporters, including Bishop Stowe.
The issue here is not love versus hate. It is truth versus falsehood. Is Matson a woman or a man? Matson is a woman, not a man. A woman who suffers deeply from some form of gender dysphoria. This is not a man. To affirm her "masculinity" is to do an untruth. Were I in a friendship, I would avoid reference to her femininity, out of deference to her (erroneous) sensibilities, just I avoid direct contradiction of the paranoid convictions of the schizophrenic. Whatever the social posturing, I would always know that I am dealing with a woman, however troubled, not a man, not a third option.
Matson enters the public arena to defend her alleged "masculinity" and advocate trans-ideology: that gender is cultural and personal construct that demands approval from society according to personal choice. She uses her canonical status as a hermit to advance the ideology and crusade.
Pope Francis' Good Example
Sometimes, Pope Francis gets things right! On this he is particularly helpful. In many comments and recently in the new Vatican document on human dignity he has firmly affirmed the binary, masculine/feminine nature of the human person. Sagely, he has characterized trans-ideology as a "colonization" by the secular West, thus using the language of the left against itself. At the same time he has gained publicity by befriending a group of trans people in Rome. They come and have dinner with him regularly.
He is not contradicting himself, but affirming two truths that mutually inform each other. The person, whatever the self-identity, is precious, delightful, and infinitely worthwhile. But there are certain ideas that are wrong and harm the person and these we must contradict. And so, the Pope is affirming these specific people even as he renounces certain false ideas.
Some who criticize this papacy may cynically see a histrionic, melodramatic aspect to his much publicized new set of friendships. Like many successful clergy, he has such a theatric flair. I prefer to follow the guidance of St. Ignatius of Loyola who directs us to put the best possible interpretation on the actions of others, especially Church leaders. I believe his friendship is motivated by love, even if not entirely free of vanity.
The LGBTQ Crusade: Histrionic and Self-Righteous
At its core, the gay movement and identity is not about sins of the flesh: sex, lust and gender. Those we all suffer as a result of the concupiscence that infected us with the fall of Adam and Eve. Homosexuality and disorders of desire and identity are always with us. What changed just over 50 years ago in the Sexual Revolution was a spiritual, intellectual revolt rooted in pride. This has two streams. First is the indignant, morally righteous insistence that such sexual practices are good and decent and that the Church is therefore homophobic and hateful. Second, is the theatrical demand for recognition, approval, sympathy and celebration.
Specifically, this revolt attacks the privacy, sacredness, and delicateness with which our civilization has always surrounded sex. We now understand that JFK and MLK were unfaithful to their wives and serially abusive of young women, from their positions of male power. But they kept their sins secret and thus maintained a social, public, however hypocritical allegiance to marital fidelity. The sexual revolution at its worst destroys all inhibitions, taboos, restrains and boundaries surrounding sex and its proper place within traditional marriage.
Honestly, do we want to know the sexual and identity agonies of everyone? No. We wish them well and hope they find healing and encouragement with the confessor, therapist, friend or support group. But we prefer a sense of decency and privacy about such delicate, sacred things.
The Gay Crusade, violently and indignantly, assaults such restraints and insists upon approval: pride month, parades, rainbows, "coming out rituals," "Pentecostal Proclamations," pronouns. A dark-magical, moral transition occurs: actions that are in themselves disordered and toxic become badges of victimhood, of enlightenment and liberation. The more blatant and shameless the practice and proclamation, the more "heroic" and freeing.
The LGBTQ crusade is the liberation of sex from the restrains of tradition, revelation and the moral order, but it is far more. It is a new religion. A new code of morals and values. The old order of restrain, modesty, marital fidelity, chastity and contrition for sin is overturned. In its place a new cult of self-righteousness that is absolutely intolerant of disapproval. It requires far more than tolerance: it violently demands attention, adulation, celebration, and "Pentecostal" exuberance. It is the new cult of the indulgent, self-righteous, histrionic, Sovereign Self.
Conclusion
Nicole-Cole-Christian is a fascinating personality, entirely deserving of our respect, attention, compassion, and candor. She is our sister in Christ, clearly gifted and very interesting. She is victim of a deceptive ideology as well as emotional confusion, self-righteousness and a histrionic trait.
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