I Am Roman Catholic

“Hilaire Belloc wrote about how difficult it is for Catholics in the English speaking world to fully appreciate and comprehend some of our great models and great saints and contributors to Catholic culture. He talks about how there is a Catholic culture and non-Catholic culture in Europe, but even in non-Catholic culture they can still perceive and fully appreciate Catholic culture because that culture is nearby ….however in the English speaking world it is particularly difficult to appreciate Catholic saints and heroes because there Catholicism re-entered late as an alien phenomena after society and the nation had been set in a fundamentally anti-Catholic mode..there all the national literature, traditions, law and especially history were and are fundamentally anti-Catholic...therefor it is inevitable that the Catholic body within the English speaking world should breathe an air not its own and be more effected by a spirit and philosophy not its own then is the case in other Protestant nations where Catholicism has existed in an unbroken tradition” [b]~ C. Joseph Doyle[/b], in [i]“Catholic Statesmen of the Twentieth Century”[/i]
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JimboSaturn · 51-55, M

Hmmm sounds like Irish tradition. Really though, why would us Celts feel so persecuted by believing in a Roman institution. As an Irish Catholic, I was once on your wavelength. But no I just want to forget about this sectarianism and whorship my more earthy real spirituality devoid of any anglo or roman power structures. As a Canadian I grew up with a Quebecois Catholic culture so maybe I'm immune to the anti-Catholic persecution as least close to home.

beckychandler · F

@JimboSaturn in the "..." sections he is talking about Britain, U.S., Canada, Australia...and the point is that in those countries and societies it is more difficult to understand and appreciate someone like de Valera.

JimboSaturn · 51-55, M

Humm in all honesty I can't say I can respond to that without more research. But really, this is all tribalism. But this may be obtuse, but I am not a victim of a protestatan society. I refuse to be.@beckychandler

beckychandler · F

@JimboSaturn It is not about indifferentism or ecumenicism (or as it exists now ecumania) -- just the simple fact that Catholics in those societies have difficulty appreciating or relating to those Catholic heroes who would albeit not, for the most part, be models of the spirit you are championing.

GoodoldBob · 61-69, M

You would enjoy G.K. Chesterton, if you haven't already.

Capo2 · 56-60, M

Not sure I completely agree. England was Catholic early on and only became Protestant in the 1500s. You say that about America maybe.

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beckychandler · F

@Capo2 Actually I think you better read a little English history.

Capo2 · 56-60, M

@beckychandler I know what you refer to, but it is one episode in one country for a limited period. I am not anti-Catholic, but a fair reading of history is that they did much more dominating and persecuting than being dominated or persecuted.

beckychandler · F

@Capo2 The point is it is a period that wiped out and outlawed Catholicism. I am not trying to be like a liberal snowflake theorist and wrap Catholicism in a cloak of victimhood -- I am just passing on what I think is an interesting and probably valid point about the perception of Catholics in Britain and the rest of the English speaking world, as a result of that historical phenomena.

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