It has been surprisingly easy for the Anti-Christian Revolution, that is now in full course, to throw the West into Cultural Marxist ‘Woke’ spiritual and cognitive confusion. By investigating two flaws in the reaction that we have made against these attacks on Western culture we might be provoked to change our tactics.
In my mind, these two flaws are that family-oriented individuals failed to hold authorities accountable, and that we failed in attracting and retaining high-talented people. These failures resulted in the isolation of good people to the cultural fringes, geographic suburbs, impoverishment and, ultimately, and too often, irrelevancy. Once the healthy reaction had been neutralised, Revolutionary advances had an open highway.
Non licet tibi habere eam (Mt 14:4). […] uxorem fratris tui (Mk 6:18). But Herod the tetrarch, when he was reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done: He added this also above all and shut up John in prison (Lk 3:19-20).
The gospels are generous to recount when the Prophet John, the testimony of the Light (the Truth) who cried in the wilderness held the king accountable for his public sin.
Strangely, the best contemporary Catholics, who love the Tradition, have not been enough of a testimony of the truth when it comes to holding public civil and ecclesial authorities accountable. This task must be renewed with both ecclesiastical authorities and political authorities.
At first glance, it might appear that the good people are challenging the establishment – they have been doing half of this job by writing to the government, and to newspapers, and by adopting a posture of perplexity and resistance against the mad measures that come from Rome and the several National Bishops’ Conferences.
Resistance to the Leviathan is very much needed, and it is welcome to see the beginning of it, but I am afraid that this kind of resistance does not require special courage, wisdom or grace. Indeed, we witness libertarians and neo-pagans doing the same.
Separation Between Parish and Secular Struggle
I believe that one flaw in good people’s posture lies in their separation of the struggle against the central secular power from the struggle in the parochial life. The local aspect of life is extremely relevant in the temporal arena. I am a great critic of the impulse to solve the liturgical and doctrinal problems of many Sunday Masses by abandoning the local parish and strengthening a nearby church that holds a better Mass. I instead advocate that in parallel to having a Tridentine Mass available at driving distance, each family must carry on the local campaign, door to door, parishioner to parishioner, to improve their regional parish liturgy. This type of posture is extremely rare. Unfortunately, we post-modern laity are naturally rather clerical and have never really developed the art (and it is an art) of holding priests (good ones and defective ones) accountable, but this skill must be quickly learned.
A soul observing us from eternity would see Christians who lose this militancy, also losing true perseverance. The Christian who does not make the huge effort to convert his neighbours and to get a Tridentine Mass at his nearest church will not stick to a path of constant growth, self-awareness and holiness; his Christianity will risk turning into a pharisaical hypocritical façade.
The local effort is enormous, but enormous and certain is the grace that accompanies this job.
There used to be a website in French teaching Traditional people to write politely to the parish priest, bishop and Rome. This website used to carry models of letters to be written and advice the faithful to collect a double-digit number of local supporters for the initiative. Actions like this are part of the art we must again figure out and develop as soon as possible.
I am conscious that zoning laws in America, and some other countries, make this scenario even more challenging as the distribution of family residences impair organic articulation and ownership. The Church spread itself around the world by defining geographic parishes and dioceses, and charging Catholic families living in those boundaries with frequenting the local church. It is rather bizarre, therefore, to instead be able to elect and register in one of the nearby parishes. Historically, the regional nature of dioceses meant that a bishop’s authority was occasionally spread over two countries, whose political borders would change through time, and this is desirable in Christianity. Our love for borders and commandments make our culture better.
Local Politics
This same accountability is needed towards local politicians and representatives, and, once more the geographic nature of power varies from country to country. The United Kingdom has a relatively localised political system which helps us maintain its traditions and liberties, thus suffering less harm than other Western countries, but this local political effort must be made everywhere.
They shall be the true apostles of the latter times, to whom the Lord of Hosts shall give the word and the might to work marvels, and to carry off the glory of the spoils of His enemies.[1]
The apostles we desire at this time must have the prophetism of St John the Baptist. This is the prophetism of pointing out the deviations of our authorities, holding them accountable and limiting their most harmful actions.
