July 13, 2003

For useful reading in these summer months, one informative book is The New Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice published by Oxford University Press. The author, Philip Jenkins, is Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies at Pennsylvania State University. He studies the virulent strain of anti-Catholic bigotry, which the historian Arthur Schlessinger Sr. called the most deep-seated prejudice in the American conscience. With much attention these days being given to political bias in the media, less mention is made of this religious bias, which is so widespread that it has been largely unnoticed. Chesterton said that some things are too big to be seen.

Recently I told a Jewish friend who is an economist that the increase of anti-Semitism in our universities is surprising and dangerous. He thought that anti-Catholicism was even worse, for if the Catholic Church is threatened, no religious group is safe from unthinking attack. There are those in the public forum who see the Catholic Church as the last obstacle to their romantic notion of a secular Man Come of Age. Pro-abortionists portray the right-to-life movement as backward religiosity, dissident Catholics are regularly trucked out on television as the voice of authentic Catholicism, art and public entertainments ridicule creeds without censure, “gay pride” parades desecrate Catholic cathedrals and protestors desecrate the Blessed Sacrament to the bemusement of judges, the same media which promoted “sexual liberation” affects and incites scandal when it corrupts the Church, and Hollywood updates old racial stereotypes with goofy caricatures of the clergy.

Professor Jenkins, who is not a Catholic himself, exposes the depth of irrationality that Catholics face and should expect to face more sternly, if they will be sincere in practicing their faith. Recently a book by Daniel Goldhagen attacking Pope Pius XII was hailed by the media, although scholars almost universally dismissed it as a cataract of lies. The columnist Maureen Dowd continues to write at hysterical pitch about clerical degeneracy in the newspaper that has become a hymnal of moral deconstruction.

Jenkins makes no predictions. We can at least be sure of three things: One, this bigotry will not die easily and the more it is rationally exposed the more it will lash about precisely by the energy of its irrationality. Two, the hierarchy of the Church will have to develop leaders capable of understanding the motives of critics and willing to address them in prudent ways that will lead to conversion of minds and hearts. Three, all those who believe the Faith that comes to us from the Apostles will have to give an account of themselves. Our Lord said that, and He is an Authority higher than any newspaper editor or television announcer.

Fr. George W. Rutler