I sometimes encounter people that are Catholic in Name Only. I am not talking about those people who claim to be “cultural Catholics” (another term for fallen away Catholics). No, I am talking about those who reject the dogma of the Church. Those who have an agenda to “change” the Church into something she is not. Something that at a basic level cannot be done - Christ set-up his Church, and while cosmetic or accidentals may change, dogma and beliefs and sacraments can’t.
I sometimes look at these protestants in Catholic clothing and wonder. They don’t believe in the real presence, want women ordained as priests (which if you don’t believe in the real presence wouldn’t matter anyways), want to exclude discussion of sin or hell or the devil, want to change the perennial teachings on abortion, divorce, homosexuality, don’t believe in the Immaculate Conception or Mary’s perpetual virginity, want to turn the Church into a democracy, and definitely would rather the pope just shut up (unless he wants to join them). They are basically liberal Episcopalians who would rather cause trouble where they are than leave.
I encountered some of this persuasion discussing recent information on the fact that 10% of Americans are ex-Catholics. They blame this on an all male priesthood, and the sex scandals (I agree with the scandals, but that is a homosexual problem rather than a male priest problem), they think doing away with the hierarchy and instituting a “wymyn” priesthood would solve the problem. They see the Church entirely as gender politics. All I could think was “what?!?!?” This is a rift that will take a long time to heal in the Church. These people cannot see that it was the hermeneutics of discontinuity, their desire for change without regard to the Truth IS THE PROBLEM. It is the confusion sown over the past 40 years, the loss of the sacred, the lack of catechesis, the derision of the Church from these “progressives.” This has been the poison in the well.
I often find myself wanting to ask these people why they are doing what they do? I understand why the devil takes glee at their rebellion, but why do they do it?
From experience, I know that asking will be fruitless - we don’t even share the same language. They want to talk about gender and sex politics, when the real issue is repentance. They talk control when we need to seek salvation. They want validation when what we need is redemption.
Speaking from my own case, I sounded more like these folks when I wanted to hold onto my sin and my view of the world. It is the sin of Adam and Eve all over again. It was my pride. God needed to conform to MY view, not me to His. I knew better than the Church. And when I looked beneath that pride, I saw sin. I wanted to hold onto my sins. I didn’t want to confess them, because of my shame. I convinced myself of the “primacy of my conscience,” and relativism took over, and I set in my own sin. In that state, I said things about the Church that I regret now (and thankfully were never recorded). It was pride, sin, and a stiff neck that was at the root of my rebellion. It is pride, sin, and a stiff neck at the root of these “Protestant” Catholics rebellion. It took me off course as it has taken them off course and so many millions of others.
So what are we to do? First remember that there is always hope. I think that we are to do what the Church always must do. Witness to Christ. Call people to repentance. Preach the Truths of our faith. Live the truth of our faith, in full loyalty and obedience to the Church. Hold firm against heresy. Finally, we need to love and pray for these people who have set themselves up as internal enemies of the faith. As hard as that is, it is what we are called to do.
In the end, we know who wins - Christ and his Church. Assured of victory, we can stop fighting each other so hard, and live clearly, faithfully, humbly, forgivingly, and lovingly as Christ taught.
