A reader – perhaps, as he admits, for his first and only time – wrote the following comment in response to my Dominion Day piece:

Newly aware of this Catholic website I am quite surprised and disappointed with the political content. There are many other media sources to read if one is seeking political opinion. A cup of inspirational content with a spoonful of political opinion is not a savoury mix.

The title of this opinion piece would not portend the Trudeau bashing, but the China flag superimposed on the Canadian flag should have been a red flag 😏

Before I leave this too-political site, may I suggest balancing the ‘thumbs up’ agreement button, with a ‘thumbs down’ feedback button (after articles and opinion pieces) to provide those who may disagree, the option to vote accordingly. That is of course, if balanced feedback is desired.

‘Balanced feedback’ is always desired! I had no idea there was a ‘like’ button, or thumbs up, and would gladly put in a ‘thumbs down’ option, but would prefer something written, even a sentence or two. Certainly, I welcome criticism, even if hard to take, and will read what readers send, and, if it makes sense, will try to adapt.

Perhaps, looking back at the piece, there is tinge of ‘Trudeau bashing’. I generally strive to avoid ad hominem arguments. But it’s not so much the Trudeaus I’m criticizing – as tempting as that be, as their personalities, such as they are, rub me the wrong way – but rather their policies. Anyone who will brook not even a whisper of opposition to pre-born murder for all nine months of pregnancy, and who supports the murder-suicide of the elderly and sick, all the while justifying this under the name of ‘compassion’, well and truly deserves to be criticized. Yes, I do have an antipathy for Trudeau, and consider Canadians voting for him to some extent complicit in his malfeasance, but we must love all men, and will their good, which sometimes means pointing out the truth in no uncertain, even ‘political’, terms. (See the upcoming piece by Dr. Alexander Lozano, for a case in point)

But there is a broader issue here, in terms of the mission of Catholic Insight: Certainly we strive to focus on ‘inspirational’ pieces, to give readers a small glimpse of all that is true, good and beautiful, especially in our Catholic Church, the saints, the liturgy, the music, the art, the intellectual and spiritual tradition.

But this theological treasury must also be applied to the real, concrete, historical world in which we live – orthodoxy, or right teaching, must at some point become orthopraxis, right practice. The Church, her pontiffs, saints and even regular pew-sitters, have done no less. We all have a duty to defend the weak and defenceless; to protect our nation from tyrannical over-reach; to educate our children (and ourselves) in freedom; and to safeguard a ‘true, north, strong and free’ political milieu in which we all may speak the truth, even what we may consider to be the truth, freely. Otherwise, we will soon have a Communist People’s Republic of Canada, if we’re not already more than halfway there.

In many ways, I would rather just retire to prayer, music and reading, perhaps with some teaching, cycling and kayaking on the side, and only write in these pages to help get the truth across to others, in a spirit of dialogue and, hopefully, charity.

If I, or anyone else, ever violates that spirit of caritas et veritas, please do feel free to chime in, write, respond. An essay is just what its name implies – an attempt, an effort – and no writing is ever perfect. Readers are in no way bound to read everything printed here, and are certainly free to criticize, or praise, whatever they do read. The truth is found in dialogue, so may the conversation continue!

As a final note, I would prefer if commentators use their real names. I can sympathize with anonymity, but it helps if we all have some ‘skin is in the game’, so to speak, or chips on the table. Barring outright persecution or clear and present fear of retribution – which may happen, as it has in the past – we should stand by our words with who we are, and address each other personally.

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