El artículo original en español puede leerse aquí.
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A week ago, I visited the United States, specifically the state of Florida. Interestingly, this state still retains the Cross of Saint Andrew on its flag, a reminder of its past. This symbol is present in every corner, alongside the national flag. One day, while driving through a particular street, something caught my attention and left me feeling both sad and disappointed. The street was long and open, with barely any pedestrians, as each small building stood far apart from the next. Without a car, it’s nearly impossible to get around in this city, as everything is very spread out.
What struck me wasn’t this fact, but rather the discovery that every building on the street was a church. There was a Methodist, a Lutheran, an Evangelical, and finally, a Catholic church. It was a «religious» street, or perhaps some might dare to call it a «Christian» street. Outside each church, signs were placed to catch the attention of drivers, making it easy to identify them from the car. As I drove along, I read «Lutheran Church», «Methodist Church», until I reached the sign for the Catholic one. Just as if it were a street filled with restaurants or car dealerships, one could choose which church to enter, deciding which religion to attend. The Catholic church stood among them, part of a street where different churches «coexist», side by side, on equal terms, each considered just another religion among many.
This is nothing new, but it’s always unsettling to witness such a clear display of the ruin brought by religious freedom. The Church, once standing strong, now finds itself alongside those who sought its destruction. It now aligns with the rulers and laws that have reduced it to the same level as other religions, merely another belief system. It’s a sad reality that the Catholic Church has abandoned its mission to fight against those who sow evil in hearts. For Catholics who support religious freedom and the equal treatment of all religions with respect and tolerance, what was the point of the Counter-Reformation? Why did we struggle to stop the advance of Protestantism and save souls, only to now reduce ourselves to just another religion?
This is yet another sign of the Church’s abandonment of its fundamental mission. It has renounced its duty to engage in all areas of public life. Ultimately, it’s further evidence of the Church’s current stance: to remain on the sidelines and treat itself as equal to what it once boldly fought against. There was once no fear in confronting even the most powerful political institutions. There is a good far greater than any other: the good of souls, for «salus animarum suprema lex». They have forgotten that the path to saving souls is by fighting for the Social Kingship of Christ. Retreating to be just another option on a catalog, as is visible on that street in Florida, is not the way forward.
Luis A. Brito, Navarra
Translated by the Gremio San Jerónimo
