Reaching Out to the Rad Trads

January 1, 2014 is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and that marks the official start of My Catholic Year. My RCIA begins on January 9. Truth is I'm thrilled about both. Can't wait. This feels like the culmination of something I've been searching for my entire life. And now I've found it.

What I've already learned through this experience though is that if you ever want to seriously torque people off, tell 'em you're converting to Catholicism. Some of my friends and family have expressed support for my decision. Others have been outright derisive and snarky.

In an odd moment of cognitive dissonance, a non-denominationalist went so far as to call me "divisive". If that statement doesn't seem odd, ironic or funny to you, reread it until it does.

The one thing NOBODY has said though is "you're doing the right thing". And this includes even some Catholics I am friends with and/or related to.

You see, Pope Francis has been quite divisive among some Catholics I know. And if you're Catholic yourself, doubtless you've run into this very thing yourself. So no embellishment seems necessary. Still, the group the Holy Father seems to have alienated the most is the radical traditionalists.

Now, just to establish my theological and political bona fides, it's not so much that I'm on the right as it is that I AM the right. I'm everything your average seculiberathiest most fears. My answer to every political and economic problem the country faces is "privatize it". My answer to every social/moral problem the country faces is "no".

I am the right.

And yet Pope Francis offends me not. Partly it's because I'm very well aware of the supposed news media's love for misquoting any religious figure, especially a Pope. If they can stir enough controversy, why, they just might be able to cause a schism in the Church! You may think that's far-fetched but keep in mind they've toppled some Presidents while singlehandedly keeping others in power. Nothing is off limits to them.

But the radical traditionalists, already predisposed to have a dim view of Pope Francis, have accepted the media narrative without question. And in a lot of ways it's not my business to second guess the rad trads. Most of them were elbow-deep in the Catholic Church before I was even born. So I'm NOT criticizing them. But I'm not accepting their premise either.

And for all the reasons they championed Pope Benedict XVI. Specifically, they asked a series of questions. Do you believe this is the church Our Lord founded? Do you believe the Pope is His vicar? Do you believe the Church is divinely guided and supernaturally protected from error? Does the Holy Father's authority come from on high or from men?

Do you believe it?

I'm either the very worst person to ask the rad trads those questions or I'm the very best. Eye of the beholder. But speaking as a former Protestant, former evangelical, former Anglican and former Anglo-Catholic, if I can accept Pope Francis, can't you?