Two Catholic Factions


I have heard there are factions within both the Catholic hierarchy and lay people. They have to do with what was brought over from Europe versus what developed separately in the U.S.  

While I can't claim to know a lot about this, the parts of the link I can understand are fascinating. In the U.S. have been two competing factions. One has wanted the European Catholic Church to be transplanted to the U.S. The other wants U. S. Catholicism to fit into U.S. society without being looked at as some outside source. This is seen in issues addressed even today. The schism seems permanent. 

The European Catholic Church was one where the monarchy and Pope were joined at the hip. There was no reason to wring hands over separation of church and state because they were one and the same. The Dictator wanted it known he, and only he, was chosen by God to rule. This confirmation was provided by Popes. The Pope needed the revenue and armies to serve Catholic purposes.

An illustration of the European Catholic Church was the Pope during WWII. Many in the church as well as outside of it pleaded with the Pope condemn Hitler's extermination of the Jews. The Pope never did this. He was mostly concerned with which side was going to win and how he could exploit a relationship with the winner.  

The other faction sees itself as a patriotic branch of U.S. society. It is less interested in Vatican rules and more interested in being a full participant in contemporary U.S. life. 

While those who have studied this more thoroughly than I might disagree, I think some of this difference can be seen in the contemporary issues of gay marriage, abortion and birth control. The majority of Catholics poll liberal on these issues. The Pope and Vatican continue to rule conservative. As time goes on, young people are giving up on the rules demanded by the Vatican. The European faction in the U.S. continues to be successful continuing to promote a marriage of their faith and the government. The majority of Catholics are in the faction that has adopted mores of U.S. society. 

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