I read an astute observation on the Restore DC Catholicism blog.
If you take the king’s coin you are his servant. Whether that
service is glorious or bitter is a combination of fate, your abilities and the
king’s wisdom and whim. Our bishops need to understand that. You might be able
to get away with saying “Yeah King, thanks for the money to run my soup kitchen
but just give me the money and don’t ask me to do anything that goes against my
religion,” with a benign king but what if your king is a malignant sort? Then you're in trouble. So the only thing to do is to
stop taking Federal
money!
Thomas Cromwell was King Henry's number one ace. It didn't work out too well... |