My country is now in a frenzied mood because of Pope’s arrival. Families, friends, and church groups are making plans to attend public gatherings. Eucharistic adorations and masses are being held for the Pope’s safety. Organizers are rushing last minute logistical preparations, and volunteers are busy with their tasks. Everyone wants to be involved in some way.
Unfortunately, the Pope’s visit has also unleashed the worst among the anti-Catholic media, who take the event as an occasion to express vitriol against the Catholic Church – a lot of it motivated more by hatred than by the spirit of respectful criticism. Articles full of self-contradictions and other logical fallacies in attempts to denigrate the Catholic Church at all costs flood the newspapers and the Internet media. Time and space do not permit me to document here all the anti-Catholic ideas being expressed nowadays on the occasion of the Pope’s visit; it suffices to say that they range from ludicrous to infuriating.
Dealing with a constant barrage of attacks against one’s own religion – not just during papal visits, but every day — gets stressful. As Catholics, we constantly hear that those who are persecuted for Christ’s sake are blessed, that we can by praying for our oppressors and offering up the hurt we feel can purify us and make us saints. But sometimes, even these considerations fail to prop up our sense of humor amidst these attacks. We also feel responsible for the gullible public who are being misled by the purveyors of falsehoods.
Recently, upon encountering what seemed like the thousandth anti-Catholic comment for the day, I wearily asked myself, in the words of King Theoden during the siege on Helm’s Deep in the cinematic version of The Two Towers, “What do we do against such reckless hate?” Then, Aragorn’s reply in that scene came back to me: “Ride out and meet them!”
Yes, “ride out and meet them” – counter evil with an abundance of good, falsehood with the abundance of truth. Just as haters of the Catholic faith use the papal visit as an occasion to spread anti-Catholicism, we can turn the negative publicity into occasions to inform, clarify, and evangelize. While they invoke “freedom of expression” as an excuse to attack Catholicism, we enjoy the same freedom too, and must use it for the good.
Responsibility falls heavily on Catholics with the talents and opportunities to write or speak in public. But the truth is, all Catholics, and not just gifted speakers and writers, can explain and defend their faith. With prayer and study (and there are countless resources available), any ordinary Catholic can give a gentle but clear reply to a question or comment about the Catholic faith. To do so would be an exercise of the Pope’s message of “mercy and compassion”, which happens to be the theme of the papal visit to my country. It would help heal ignorance and feed the hunger for God’s word.
Even if at one point in the discussion, all one can do is admit not having the answers and promise to research the question further, the interlocutor’s encounter with a humble and friendly Catholic who loves the truth will plant a seed that will grow and bear fruit with God’s grace.
One of the blessings that will come from the papal visit would be the opportunities to learn mercy and compassion towards those who hate us. The exercise of mercy and compassion does not mean always keeping silent when faced with anti-Catholicism. On the contrary, mercy and compassion demands that we speak the truth with charity – drowning evil in an abundance of good.
4 thoughts on “Dealing with Anti-Catholicism”
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Thanks for posting this thoughtful and heartfelt appeal. I too am reading a great deal of Catholic bigotry and hateful comments online. It is fed by a few internet trolls such as Steve Quayle and Tom Horn, evangelical Christians who like to sell the idea that Pope Francis is the anti-Christ. A lot of frankly stupid and guillible people buy this. Not to mention that the zionist-controlled media has had it in for Catholics for the last couple of decades. All of this hate just makes me more committed to being a Catholic. I am also happy to report that many alternative news sites are respectful toward Catholics and do not tolerate religious hatred expressed in such openly hostile form because there are enough thoughtful people online to counter it. It’s a long fight, but it’s a good fight, and I am proud to be on the side of the ones who are being attacked. It means we are doing something right.
If you use such phrases as “zionist-controlled media” you are clearly full of fear and anger yourself. The Jewish nation is chosen by God, and forever beloved of God. You and I, as gentiles, are immensely privileged to be grafted into Israel. Don’t boast or disparage – the Jewish root supports you. Read Romans 9 – 11. And the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Very well said.
The cinematic Aragorn’s response is good (and keeps with the actual response of Theoden in the Book: Helms’ Deep moves the Rohiri closer to Sauruman’s stronghold, and thus was more like an advance in preparation for assault). Certainly after what seems like the thousandth anti-Catholic comment of the day, one feels like taken the cinematic Theoden’s of running to Helm’s Deep and holing down in the hopes of surviving the onslaught. Having had an actively anti-Catholic roommate for two years, I can definitely relate to the sentiment. I think that the words of St. James saw me through some days: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).