Caesar Alloquitur: Political Parties and the Church

The Necessity of a Temporal Bulwark

Painting by Karl von Piloty showing the foundation of the Catholic League

The most oft leveled accusation I hear leveled against the Church is that she concerns herself too much with politics. When you consider we're a religion that has been broken, beaten, and scarred by various apathetic governments and outright cruel ideologies, it becomes a bit more understandable why we would care so much about politics. From the moment it dawned on the early Church that Rome's infrastructure and the benefits it afforded its citizens was the only reason Christianity was able to spread as quickly as it had (speaking completely in temporal terms) and with Constantine's Edict of Milan, it became clear that the Church benefited when the government was in cooperation with it.

Coronation of Charlemagne

Such was the logic behind the coronation of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor. In the aftermath of the fall of the Western Empire, Europe's future looked bleak as the dark forces Rome once held in check now had freedom to plunder as they pleased. The monasteries had successfully acted as repositories for the wisdom of not only the ancient world, but that of Christ. They formed missionaries who went out to witness to all peoples as Christ commanded. But that mission became strained as monasteries were raided by vikings and those Christian communities that formed were put down by pagan chieftains.

Jean Alaux (1785-1864, French) The Baptism of Clovis

But God had not only illumined the hearts of the common man, but the hearts of kings. Men who had the power and ability to protect and support the Catholic faith in a vital way. As St. Bernard of Clairveaux would postulate later in defense of the Crusades, it would be a sin against one's neighbor to not take up arms to defend the Faith if it was right and just to do so and one had the capability of doing so. The same can be applied to any action of supporting the faith; if you are capable of doing so, why do you not?

The Church and Politics

German Catholic League Colors

Going back to the Reformation, when Catholicism's influence in the temporal sphere was declining and Catholics were suffering for it at the hands of bloodthirsty, vandal Protestants, the Church has always sought to be active on the behalf of the Church. The various, "Holy Leagues" and "Catholic Leagues" established throughout Europe and movements like, "Pilgrimage of Grace" in England show that Catholicism was not willing to go quietly.

But as political spheres changed, and it became quite evident that the majority of the royal houses of Europe were either Catholic and losing or in apostasy. Sadly, most of these royal houses were still valid sources of authority. Even St. Pius V's declaration that Elizabeth's reign was invalid and her subjects were not bound to her obedience didn't hold up with the arrival of the Stuarts. That was when things started to become murky.

The Catholic Church had suddenly lost its pieces on the chessboard, and was limited in what it had left. Those Catholic countries left could not reasonably embark on a campaign of conquest for the Church across Europe with justification, and those that could were either uninterested or otherwise occupied. In many places, the Catholics of the world were forced to look out for their own in rather unorthodox ways. Catholics resorted to choosing the side that was most on the side of the natural law, rather than those who actually were on the side of the natural law. It's a common practice that continues today, seemingly out of necessity.

But there's a problem with this: these parties aren't Catholic. No matter how closely their political science may mirror the Church, and no matter what side of what hot-button issue they are on, there is no Catholic side. It is true that up until the modern era, most countries in Europe had some sort of, "Catholic" party. But in most places today they don't exist. If they do, it is only in the history books.

Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn

The consequences have been manifold and clear. The Church has scandalized herself through her laity and even her own clerics by choosing sides in secular disputes that are not there own. It is something of a necessity; the Church must protect her flock and choose based on the expediency of the situation. She cannot ally herself with those who follow error, but she cannot leave her people defenseless or risk the safety of the Church. This is why I can understand Pope Francis' comments just a little: "I prefer a church that is poor and in the streets." It is the fact we are forced to keep the Church present so she can minister to the people of God that often leads to some embarrassing blunders.

But there's a problem: there are situations where neither side is right in an argument. Let's suppose a Hindu and a Native American who adheres to traditional beliefs get into an argument over the cosmic nature of the planet Earth. The Hindu claims the earth is supported on the backs of elephants, while the Native American claims the earth is on the back of a giant turtle. Both are obviously wrong in this situation. If an astronomer walks up to this discussion, what do you think he will do? Is he going to pick the side that makes the most sense or the side against the one that makes the least sense? No, he'll tell them they're both wrong and explain why and provide definitive proof.

This is what the Catholic Church must do in today's world. She must stop settling and do what she always does and did: strive for excellence.

The Solution

Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn's Coat of Arms; leader of the Counter-Reformation, founder of the Catholic League - Imperial Knight

The Catholic Church needs to realize it can't keep doing this. We are better than walking around giving other people a moral pedestal to stand on. We are our own ideas, and our own theology. We shouldn't go around justifying other people's stances for our own good and then turn a blind eye to the errors they preach. The Catholic Church must take a stand and form its own movement; a temporal arm, to see its will done and to protect it from aggression. This is what the New Holy Roman Empire - the Novum Sacrum Imperium Romanum - seeks to be. This is what it seeks to accomplish. Our stances are defined clearly and only by the teachings of the Church, and we apply them to our decision making in union with our religious forebears. We seek to help, defend, and heal the Faith. We are Flagellum Diabolo, Vallum Ecclesiae; Flail to the Devil, Wall of the Church.

Slowly the sleeping giant of Catholicism is awakening. We are preparing and we are gathering. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will have their fill, and the peacemakers will see the kingdom of God. Do you want to be a part of it? Are you tired of stomaching others because they are the closest to a, "moral right?" Do you want the real right? Are you tired of the political polarization within the Church, and ready to be able to say there are only Catholics and Heretics? With the Grace of God, the New Holy Roman Empire will be just that.

Armed procession of the Holy League in Paris in 1590, Musée Carnavalet.