The Liberal Manifestos

One of the beauties of being Catholic, in my opinion, is not having to re-invent the wheel. The church is ancient, she is rich in her teachings and her traditions. Once you study and submit to them, even without totally understanding them perhaps, the heart and soul change and in many ways life becomes easier.

I’ll give you an example. When I was pregnant with one of my children, I remember asking the priest for a blessing for me and my child before labor and delivery. I was still a pretty new re-vert to my Catholic faith at the time. The priest invoked St. Gerard, the patron saint of pregnant woman, for his intercession. That irked me. What did St. Gerard know about carrying a baby inside of his baby, or the fear of trying to get that baby out!! Why would the church pick a man to be the patron saint of a woman thing?! Yet, I was silent and accepted the blessing and the prayers although my mind prickled.

Over the years though, I have made it a point to read about St. Gerard and his life and his special feeling for pregnant mothers and a funny thing happened – it changed my heart and I welcomed his intercession. Heck, I welcome all the intercession I can get, but if a Saint is particularly inclined to give it, I’m all for it!!

So it has been my experience with the rest of the church’s teachings (particularly on birth control). Submission of the mind, leads to peace in the mind, body and soul and in living a fulfilled life.

I feel sorry then when I read liberal Catholics writing their Manifestos of what they believe, picking their way through the cafeteria line and speaking reams about why each choice was made. Thinking through an issue is one thing. Rationalizing decisions is another. And as I read these things I don’t feel a sense of peace from the authors, I feel angst, heart ache, and defiance. How much energy these things must take to write! How could that time and energy have been better spent? I wonder.

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