Back talking to the professional lay Catholics...

Something is happening in Trad land. That's not a deep thought since something is always happening where there is life but I mean that something new seems to be stirring. People are talking back to the leaders of Trad Inc. and asking questions. Benedict Carter  has come out with his suspicion that the people we've been told represent and are the leaders of traditional Catholics are really controlled opposition who do it for the money, honey.

I don't trust professional lay Catholics in general. I think I've made that clear over the years. I've just  observed too many guys who twist every which way in order to keep the mortgage paid. I've long felt that if you truly do what you do for the love of Christ then do it without pay. I don't have a problem with taking donations to keep the server working and to keep the day to day mechanics of your site in order but I do dislike and distrust the people who are making their whole living off the Faith and claiming that they are more holy than the rest of us and that they are making a sacrifice. Really? How about you get a real job and support your family AND run your site with a discreet donation button that way?


Constant, strident hustling for money for your lay "apostolate" leaves me cold. There is one site that I will not name that sends me e-mails every week asking for money. Another site owner makes long podcasts and essays talking about how hard it all is, how exhausting and how much he could be making if he hadn't taken on this holy cause so hit the donate link. A few years ago, a Catholic writer had or allowed his wife to post on his site with a nagging, pleading missive. She wrote about how hard it was to see her child standing in front of the refrigerator and not being able to afford to have the food that the child wanted. That pissed me off. I clicked away from that site and never read anything from that individual again.

I grew up in a working class household. When my father died, my mother worked two jobs. I never went without food. I always had books, shoes and a Winter coat that fit. I stayed in Catholic school until 12th grade. My mother didn't even ask relatives for help. She just got on with it. So, forgive me if I am aghast at college credentialed individual who has obvious talent and cleverness who wants me to donate to his cause so his kids can eat. Sir, go get yourself a job, handle the responsibility that God gave you and then come back to me. Finally there is one lay professional Catholic who writes on and on and on some more about stupid and worldy (you and me) people but wants us to send our worldly cash to him/her. I say again, you are by your claim, more righteous than me. You are by your claim, more holy than me. You are, by your claim, more educated and sophisticated than me so why exalted sir or madam do you not seek employment and support your rent and food that way and run your site? 

It will be interesting to see how many people start asking the professional Catholics rude questions about how they spend their money and how long they'll keep it up  but I'm amazed  and delighted that anybody has brought it up in public at all.