Well, when I was growing up there were labels for Catholics but different than today. There were good Catholics and bad Catholics and we understood what that meant. There were practicing Cathoics and fallen away Catholics and we understood what that meant. But there was usually agreement on what made a Catholic a good Catholic and that usually meant a strong sacramental life, especially going to Mass every Sunday and observing the precepts of the Church.
But since Vatican II, we've been divided between those who are pre-Vatican II and those who are Post Vatican II. We don't respect authority in the Church as we did and we seem to think we can make it up as we go as long as we feel good about it.
Pope Francis has introduced new categories for us, that of the Pelagians and Gnostics. Some are now using the terms ultra traditionalist and ultra progressive.
How do we get back to simpler categories for Catholics that unite us under the pursuit of truth rather than ideologies?
I would submit that Pope Francis knows. Fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church, pure and simple and what the Magisterium allows and does not allow. That has implications for the liturgy and its two forms in the One Roman Rite but also for many other things.
I think Pope Francis is onto something and may restore Catholic sensibilities again. At least let us pray His Holiness does!
1 comment:
We do not need the "ultra" at all. Progressives are progressives and traditionalists are traditionalists. That should be enough. Ultra is just the result of our modern need to super-size everything.
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