Update: In case the title is not to the point, this post is lamenting the names that either side of the political/religious polemic calls the other, and the results of that trend. For those who are not aware of it, “Republicatholic” seems to be a pet name to call people on the right and “proabort” is the exact converse. There is nothing in this post that intends to treat those names as substantial or true, so, please know that the title of this post refers to a certain (sad) way of characterizing Catholicism in the US: as a collection of people who think the other is one name or the other (or something else uncharitable).
It is sad and strange. The more I think about it, the more sad it becomes. Is this all there is for us, for the Church?
Each side will claim that this dualism is the product of the other’s ideology. But each side has carefully chosen their words of choice precisely because they think it exposes the other side as corrupt. Neither side would accept such a description for themselves, and both sides are sure that with just one more comment, or post, or something, the name will stick and they will win. Or, the more realistic ones, offer their insightful names without hope that the other will change, but out of a sense of justice and truth-telling.
Truth be told, these names will never stick, and they shouldn’t. These names only objectify and disfigure our sisters and brothers. They are an honest account of the poverty of our faith in these 50 states.
What would it mean to put down the nasty words we assume to reveal the other to us in advance, and asked them to tell us their name now. Even if they replied with a nasty word of their own, what if we realized that they are only a degree removed from where we once were and cared for them? Let me be less pious about it and just speak plainly:
When will we end this war and division that is fought with language that can incite hatred and anger and rants and raves and lose and disfigure Christ? Even more bluntly: When will we speak to each other as friend and not foe—as person? What will it take?
Death? Forgiveness? Love? War? Triumph? Catholic? Jesus? The State? Culture? What?
I invite you to answer in the spirit of the question.
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