Leftwing or Rightwing Catholic? (and some book recommendations)

Are you a “leftwing Catholic” or a “rightwing Catholic”?

Both the secular media and voices in the Church seek to attach the political labels to parties within the Catholic Church.

This is a false vision of the Faith, because it assumes “moderates” in the middle who are just peachy.

Instead, we have a deposit of Faith, once for all delivered to the Apostles and passed down. It’s not a left/right spectrum but a percentage. You either hold 100% to this deposit of faith or you hold to it in a lesser degree.

The reason people focus left/right is because the identify left/right political positions to levels of dissent within the Catholic ranks.

For example, if a Catholic holds to the Church’s teaching on contraception/abortion/sexuality then he is labeled “rightwing.” But if a Catholic holds to the Church’s teaching on social justice/just wages, she is labeled “leftwing.”

Being Catholic is like trying to run the football and extend the Heisman Trophy position to the left and the right. 

It’s hard to do it without dropping the ball! But with both arms out, you look rather cruciform…and that’s the point.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how to “carry the ball” with both arms extended.

In the meantime here are two resources. The first is by Kevin Kukla, it’s a free book on contraception/abortion in the Catholic tradition. It’s highly recommended. Here’s the link to his free ebook:  7 Biblical Passages against Birth Control

The second is Brandon Vogt’s new book Saints and Social Justice. I’m trying to get people to read Brandon Vogt’s book because I think that social justice is so badly misunderstood. It’s a so-called “leftwing” teaching. Here’s a link to his book in paperback and ebook: Saints and Social Justice

[reminder]How do we avoid the “right” and the “left” and stay true to the Cross of Christ?[/reminder]