Blessed Pope Pius IX
Since election day many prominent "conservatives" have come out in favor of abandoning the natural law positions on the sanctity of life, contraception, and illicit gay unions. Ann Coulter said that abortion should be legal for pregnancies conceived in rape. [1] Newt Gingrich stated that Republicans may have to accept gay "marriage". [2] Even Louisiana Republican Governor and self-proclaimed "Catholic" Bobby Jindal recently came out in favor of allowing oral contraceptives to be sold over the counter. [3] But for true Catholics who have been enrolled as soldiers of Christ through the Sacrament of Confirmation there can be no compromise. The fight for laws that uphold the law of Christ cannot be abandoned.
It is our obligation as Catholics to resist the imposition of unjust laws by modern society. The Syllabus of Errors, [4] published under the reign of Blessed Pope Pius IX, condemned the proposition that "[t]he Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress, liberalism and modern civilization." [5] If the Pope himself cannot reconcile with liberalism and modern civilization then how can any Catholic be reconciled or accept gay “marriage”, the right to murder (which is what these “abortion rights” activists are really fighting for), and other modern absurdities? Pope Leo XIII explained that “it is the duty of all Catholics worthy of the name… to make use of popular institutions… for the advancement of truth and righteousness… [and] to bring back all civil society to the pattern and form of Christianity which We have described.” [6] In other words Catholics must not accept a situation such as we have today where the civil laws are designed to incite the people to disobey God’s laws. Instead we must work for the restoration of Christian Civilization as Pope St. Pius X so eloquently stated: '[C]ivilization is not something yet to be found, nor is the New City to be built on hazy notions. It has been in existence and still is: it is Christian Civilization, it is the Catholic City. It has only to be set up and restored continually against the unremitting attacks of insane dreamers, rebels and miscreants. Omnia Instaurare in Christo ["To re-establish all things in Christ"].' [7]
In sum to abandon the struggle for Catholic laws is impossible. Our Faith demands that we refuse to give in to the attempts to enact “laws” that go against God’s standards of fairness and reason.
[1] See: http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2012-11-07.html.
[2] See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/20/newt-gingrich-republicans-gay-marriage.
[3] See: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/jindals-op-ed-to-sell-contraceptives-over-the-counter-very-troubling.
[4] Despite the arguments from Progressivists the Syllabus of Errors is binding on all Catholics. The Catholic Encyclopedia entry on the Syllabus states: “All Catholics, therefore, are bound to accept the Syllabus. Exteriorly they may neither in word nor in writing oppose its contents; they must also assent to it interiorly.”
[5] See: http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9syll.htm.
[6] Leo XIII, Encyclical Immortale Dei (1885) 46.
[7] Pius X, Apostolic Letter Notre Charge Apostolique (1910) 11.
It is our obligation as Catholics to resist the imposition of unjust laws by modern society. The Syllabus of Errors, [4] published under the reign of Blessed Pope Pius IX, condemned the proposition that "[t]he Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress, liberalism and modern civilization." [5] If the Pope himself cannot reconcile with liberalism and modern civilization then how can any Catholic be reconciled or accept gay “marriage”, the right to murder (which is what these “abortion rights” activists are really fighting for), and other modern absurdities? Pope Leo XIII explained that “it is the duty of all Catholics worthy of the name… to make use of popular institutions… for the advancement of truth and righteousness… [and] to bring back all civil society to the pattern and form of Christianity which We have described.” [6] In other words Catholics must not accept a situation such as we have today where the civil laws are designed to incite the people to disobey God’s laws. Instead we must work for the restoration of Christian Civilization as Pope St. Pius X so eloquently stated: '[C]ivilization is not something yet to be found, nor is the New City to be built on hazy notions. It has been in existence and still is: it is Christian Civilization, it is the Catholic City. It has only to be set up and restored continually against the unremitting attacks of insane dreamers, rebels and miscreants. Omnia Instaurare in Christo ["To re-establish all things in Christ"].' [7]
In sum to abandon the struggle for Catholic laws is impossible. Our Faith demands that we refuse to give in to the attempts to enact “laws” that go against God’s standards of fairness and reason.
[1] See: http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2012-11-07.html.
[2] See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/20/newt-gingrich-republicans-gay-marriage.
[3] See: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/jindals-op-ed-to-sell-contraceptives-over-the-counter-very-troubling.
[4] Despite the arguments from Progressivists the Syllabus of Errors is binding on all Catholics. The Catholic Encyclopedia entry on the Syllabus states: “All Catholics, therefore, are bound to accept the Syllabus. Exteriorly they may neither in word nor in writing oppose its contents; they must also assent to it interiorly.”
[5] See: http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9syll.htm.
[6] Leo XIII, Encyclical Immortale Dei (1885) 46.
[7] Pius X, Apostolic Letter Notre Charge Apostolique (1910) 11.
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