Left vs Right. What is this? You are probably thinking I will be writing about national politics, however, that is not the case. While we do hear of 'left and right' used to describe political ideologies and what have you, the same terms are used to describe Catholics.
The "left" Catholics are seen as those who are not afraid to question the Church, are focused on social justice and social and Church issues such as: women's ordination, abortion, celibacy, contraception, homosexuality, sex education, 99% v 1%. They seek radical changes that will basically replace Church doctrines in favor of teachings and practices that service man not God.
The "right" Catholics are seen as those who are "republican," adhere to social conservative ideas, are loyal to the Church prior to Vatican II and despise any changes made in the name of Catholic renewal. They seek to put the Church above nations, and prefer clericalism.
These terms sound interesting and there is truth to them; however, they do not reflect a Catholic in reality.
A Catholic is neither "leftwing" or "rightwing." A Catholic is a Catholic when he/she professes the Creed with sincerity, adheres to the Sacred Deposit of the Church (Sacred Scripture/ Sacred Tradition), and are faithful to the magisterium of the Church.
To quote the great outspoken Archbishop of New York, the late John Cardinal o'Connor, "The Church is not a salad bar, from which to pick and choose what pleases you."
So again in case the first time wasn't clear:
A Catholic is a Catholic when he/she is faithful to the Church and her teachings and puts them into practice.
Anyone who claims to be Catholic but picks and chooses what teachings to believe and put into practice is not a Catholic. He/she is a band-wagoner.
