Another Catholic Liberal Icon: The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)

Whatever happened to the Catholic faith in America? I can answer that in one word: liberalism, defined as the philosophy that man can reach perfection through his own human efforts. The philosophy of liberalism is a sin against the first commandment. It puts man on a par with God as his own savior. Just give him enough time, enough money, and enough government control and he will create Utopia here on earth. God can take care of heaven in the hereafter; man will create heaven on earth today in the liberal state.

And liberalism doesn't just permeate the bishops' conference, the USCCB. It has infected every institution of the Church: health services and hospitals, charities, and, perhaps most dangerous to the future, education. As all effective tyrants know, take the minds of the young and you own the future.

Which brings me to the National Catholic Educational Association, which like many other so-called Catholic institutions, isn't very Catholic.  And their upcoming convention illustrates it through the selection of Garrison Keillor as the keynote speaker. (Check out the program here. Keillor is speaking on Wednesday.) Garrison Keillor is smart, homey, and well-loved. Doesn't everyone enjoy Lake Wobegon where all the children are above average - well, at least the ones allowed to be born. Keillor is pro-abortion, pro-same-sex marriage, and is a consummate liberal. But there's one thing different about Keillor. He's smart enough to know that liberalism doesn't sell in middle America. So he wants liberals to stop letting the social issues drive away voters. He wants the liberal wolves to put on sheepskin and turn their hair-raising snarls into non-threatening little bahs. You can eat the fools later.

Smart man. And what better place to go to promote his homespun red, white, and blue image than the NCEA convention. Smart on his part and one more example of a Catholic group that doesn't care two hoots about Catholic doctrine. The fact that this is happening also illustrates that the bishops' statements are empty and toothless.  I refer, of course, to the bishops' 2004 document on Catholics in Political Life. It states clearly that, “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”  This statement isn't just addressing politicians, but all those who defy "our fundamental moral principles." What is more fundamental than the right to life?

The actions of the NCEA are a nose-thumbing response to the bishops' 2004 ban. They are giving Garrison Keillor a platform. A man who opposes fundamental Catholic truth is being featured as a KEYNOTE speaker. Oh, he no doubt won't say a word about his support for abortion and sodomy. He'll be funny and charming and will once again illustrate the reality that what the bishops say can be safely ignored by the liberal establishment that controls so much of the institutional church. 

And it's nothing new, just heresy rehashed. Remember when the Arians controlled the Church? St. Jerome says, "the whole world groaned to find itself Arian?" During that time it was Athanasius contra mundum, the saint against the world! He encouraged the faithful during that terrible time, reminding them that while the Arians had the buildings, the orthodox people of God retained the true faith. The heretic-liberals of today may control the bureaucracies, but not the faith. While we fight the battles, we can be encouraged by the thought that the victory is not in doubt. Liberalism, like every philosophy spawned in hell, will be defeated.  

So fight with courage and good cheer. And in this particular battle it might be fruitful to write a respectful letter to Archbishop John Nienstedt, of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul, where the NCEA convention is taking place, asking him to remind the organizers about the bishops' ban on speakers like Keillor being given a platform. The Convention is scheduled for April 6-8 giving them plenty of time to choose an appropriate replacement. Be sure to begin and end your efforts in prayer. That's our real strength and the source of all wisdom.