The MAGA/Phillips confrontation is still fueling discussion on social media. Since two sides seem to have more or less ossified, facts and information are pretty much irrelevant from here on out.
One feature I’ve noticed is circling the wagons around the teenage boys. Tweets, posts, and blogs are getting careful editing as people get more comfortable with the story. On the other hand, Bishop Stowe from the nearby diocese of Lexington doubles down on critical here, and is getting online flak for traitorous behavior.
We cannot uncritically ally ourselves with someone with whom we share the policy goal of ending abortion.
I think this is right. From the beginning of the movement, the core of the pro-life effort has leaned to an unequivocal stance on abortion. Those “personally opposed, but …” have been criticized, and sometimes that criticism has been spot-on. The notion of “appointing judges, but …” like it or not, is another luke-warm stance.
I also noticed the loony fringe has involved itself again in the episode, as reported here. If they only knew most chanceries are populated with a greater slice of anti-Trump than the bishops.
Eventually this cycle will die down. Hopefully, some conversations somewhere will lead to better formation all around. But I doubt much of that will happen online.
Catholic Sensibility 