Carny Catholics

Carny Catholics definition:  Carny Catholics are Baptized Catholic politicians and government appointees and employees who opportunistically wear the mask of the Roman Catholic Church but whose words and actions pervasively and perversely betray Truth..  

 
Mark Joseph Carney, Canada’s latest Liberal leader, recently joined numerous other Catholic politicians to declare himself both Catholic and pro-abortion, an odd contradiction of positions irrespective of any other personal beliefs.  Moreover, with this catechetically slippery Prime Minister we must endure yet another “Joseph” besmirching the name belonging to the faithful Josephs of the Bible, most prominently St. Joseph, spouse of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ.  Most recently our American Joseph—Joseph Biden— angrily shadowboxed with anyone who criticized his contradictory brazen promotion of anti-Christian abortion, same sex marriage,  trans sports, and other attacks on ageless Faith. (God will not be deceived.  See Matthew 5:17-19) 

 
However,  Mark Carney’s dissociative declaration in matters of Catholicism presents us a unique and apt way of viewing such manipulative power ladder-climbers.  Henceforth, all such glib, but spiritually dangerous, betrayers of Truth, deserve the moniker “Carny Catholics.”

First some background.   What is a “carny”?  Many of the younger generation may never have heard the term, as the 19th-early 20th century North American traveling carnivals are long faded from the public scene. It was from that environment, though, that the term “carney” rose to colloquially describe those who worked on these lively circuits  across the continent.  Those enticing carnivals included wild animals, bizarrely featured persons (like the bearded lady), vaudeville, burlesque shows, magic acts, exhibits of odd phenomenon in nature,  food,  and lively music. Carnies were a demographic like no other and expressed their lifestyle in colorful and unique ways that included a secret language. 

 
However, before the term carnival was contemporarily coined, the root of such was found in pagan rituals as far back as 5,000 years in ancient Egypt and Greece, according to some archeological evidence.  These festivals honored natural cycles and transitions such as spring equinox (celebrating the transition from darkness to light and the rejuvenation of the earth.)

 
With respect to the Church, the history of the carnival and how these festivities presented themselves in Europe through time is most enlightening and, in some ways, explains the spiritual facades of “Carny Catholics.” 

 
Christianity, including Protestants,  adopted the spirit of those celebrations in music, costume, and other festivities.  The rationale was that these formerly pagan events were deeply rooted traditions, to which even converts clung, so they reformed them along Christian symbolism.  Saturnalia was adapted into the celebration of Christmas and spring festivals became associated with Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When the Church established the Lenten season, carnival preceded it as a time of indulgence of food, drink and other earthly pleasures.

 
In earlier Medieval times, these profane seasons could span from Christmas to Lent, a significant period of time to experience “freedom from daily worries.”(carnivaland.net).  Some historical seventh century accounts describe revelers dressed as animals or cross-dressing.  Does this not conjure up images of Christmas at the Biden White House?

 
The word carnival, which came into use about 1549, originally meant for a “time of merrymaking before Lent” and referred to a period of lawlessness.  Literally from the Latin, carnival, the translation is “carnis” (meat) and “levare” (to leave off).   Still, these events, by any name, “went off the rails. ”  One source referenced carnival as “ritualized under a lord of misrule” denoting the consequences of social chaos.  Misrule, as the name implies referenced a ruler over a season of debauchery.  In France the the overlord was known as the Abbot of Unreason and presided over the Feast of Fools.  The reader understands that these were times of raucous behavior under the guise of permissible indulgence and mischief, as though God would give license to any such evil nonsense.   

 
Through the one, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, God did not.  The Catholic Church repeatedly condemned the Feast of Fools and any such blasphemy and buffoonery.  By the time of the Council of Trent, (1545-1563),  the abuse had largely disappeared among Catholics. 

 
Still, carnivals can be found in all parts of the world, including Africa and South America, and universally include masks and costumes as more contemporary features.  Most familiar in the United States is New Orleans’ Mardi Gras (final day of the carnival) that prominently reminds us of the older, scandalous versions.  

 
However, in the political world, carnivals abound in many spheres, year round.  The Carny Catholic seeks the party life (political and otherwise); pomp and self celebration.  Under disguise of doing “good,” many go along with the most evil elements of our society.  Not unlike the early Christians who coopted pagan celebrations to excuse excessive pre Christmas and pre Easter holy days, the Carny Catholics ever rationalize their compromises.  Through various disguises, they form back door negotiations where they craft bizarre laws that surrender to the most repugnant aspects of human nature.  These same Carny Catholics when “home,” relish the Church “community” and various ministries and events (galas) they can attend for exposure and support.  Like the most ardent feckless festival goers of the past, they simply ignore Church admonishments to the contrary.

 
While no one can judge any particular Catholic politician’s ultimate eternal destination, they must be identified by their behavior that scandalizes the Church, but more importantly the most innocent  Also, they deserve and need Catholic Catechism refresher courses for the salvation of their souls.  Speaking of…

 
Carny Catholics do not even pass the first hurdle of fidelity in following  the first of the ten words ( Ten Commandments).:   You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve.  Implicit is the expectation of “fearing the Lord your God”—being in awe of Him and not going after other gods.  These gods include anything or anyone who opposes Truth and Love.  The first Commandment embraces faith, hope and charity.  “When we say ‘God’ we confess a constant, unchangeable being  always the same, faithful and just, without any evil.  (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2086).  It requires us to nourish and protect our faith with prudence and vigilance, and to reject everything that is opposed to it.  Among the ways of sinning against faith include disregarding or refusing to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief.  (CCC 2088). How many times have the Popes, including Pope Francis decried abortion as murder?  

 
Also present in the obstinate stances of the Carny Catholics is a tinge of false presumption that God will some how “understand” that as elected officials, appointed or hired employees they must bend a knee to the secular world.  However, these are not Catholics  who resist or oppose publicly encoded mortal sins but lack the consensus to overturn such.  They actually zealously pursue, craft and impose these mortally sinful laws on whole populations while eroding the youngest among us.  They are most willing to surrender their allegiance to God to pacify the populace for votes and adulation.   Moreover, they have abandoned their duty to offer God authentic worship as concerns man both as an individual and as a social being.  (CCC 2136)

 
Then there grows a lukewarm response to God’s love, even indifference.  (CCC 2094).  

 
These rebellious men and women soon no longer “see” except their own image in the mirror.  They no longer—if they ever did—respect God with absolute submission and admittance that they are “nothingness of the creature” who would not exist but for God.  (CCC 2097).  Instead, they have morphed into idolators, honoring and revering creatures in place of God. 

 
Having embraced the world and fellow betrayers to such an extent, they can no longer recognize the Light, let alone embrace it, these Carny Catholics begin to morph into god-like power brokers themselves.   

 
For those who question the Carny label, I say:  If the mask fits—wear it.