Todd Flowerday, whose comments have previously appeared on this blog, as well as others on my blog reading list, has some interesting comments on the often strained relationship between traditionally-minded and progressively-minded Catholics. Clearly, such category labels are overly simplistic as an attempt to capture those elusive distinctions that defy categorization. But, on a gross scale, they do serve to illustrate the point.
Mr. Flowerday, who openly counts himself as a progressive Catholic, has some advice for his colleauges:
"I do candidly admit many of my colleagues look very distrustfully upon Catholics who bring a conservative sensibility in their active faith life. I know many people who have been bludgeoned by leaders who promote 'their liberal way or the highway,' often at deep cost to many good people whose only fault is to prefer to pray, pay, or obey as they were taught and are accustomed to doing. This is just wrong. And if we are to look at one of the causes of backlash against our vision of Vatican II, some of us (maybe most all of us) need look no farther than the mirror."He also welcomes honest and charitable discussion from any viewpoint. I believe he sets an excellent example of humility when he admits he may not have all the answers. I've always found discussion with him thoughtful and enlightening. He's probably one of the most affable "liturgical enemies" with which I've had the opportunity to converse. All this is certainly to his credit.
[Via Catholic Sensibilty]
Peace, all.
I suppose I'm honored enough by these kinds words. I would like to be liberally naive and think I have only one enemy. All I would claim to be in regard to traditionalist Catholics would be an adversary, and even that might be too strong a word.
Though not a member or participant in the Common Ground Initiative, nevertheless, I believe a similar such initiative is sorely needed where Catholics bicker with bile over issues not central to a traditional definition of Catholicism.
I put the word "enemy" in quotes, that it might be taken lightly and in a spirit of gentlemanly disagreement. I, too, find the word adversary too strong for anyone with whom I share an authentic desire to worship the same Lord in spirit and truth.
How about a friendly foe? I have a PCUSA lady minister that I liked to get into heated arguments with, but beneath it all we like each other, and for us the friendly foe thing seemed to fit!