There's some fantastic analysis in the works to (hopefully) explain what just happened in Canada's federal election. (Not by me, but by those with greater intellect and resolve for this sort of effort.)
The campaign was unlike anything political observers can recall, at least in terms of Canadian history. For many Canucklehead-politicos, this most recent election carried a whiff of American politics with a distinct nasty streak about a mile (or kilometre) wide.
For many voters, I believe, the overwhelming feeling was one of disappointment in the choices presented to them on the ballot.
That something that I believe was lacking? Virtue. The candidates and parties were big on promises about this and that and shoveling gobs of politically correct rhetoric, but at some point - and I think we passed that point - the approach fails to inspire.
Few if any candidates, with the exception of the Christian Heritage Party, mentioned anything about Godly ethics. This was a mistake. People want to be inspired, especially by the people who want to be their leaders. It is a lie that God and Christian morality have no place in politics, a myth we've thoroughly embraced as an electorate. It's time to reject this lie. It's time for Catholics to regain our place in the public square. That "lost ground" in the battle of the culture wars that we're told we'll never get back? We can retake it, but only with Christ.
So where do we look for inspiration? The Church. (Where else?)
A friend brought this to my attention today. It's an excerpt of Pope St. Pius X in Il Fermo Proposito, from June 11, 1905:
“To restore all things in Christ” has always been the Church’s motto, and it is especially Our own during these fearful moments through which we are now passing. “To restore all things”—not in any haphazard fashion, but “in Christ”; and the Apostle adds, “both those in the heavens and those on earth” (Ep.1:10). “To restore all things in Christ” includes not only what properly pertains to the divine mission of the Church, namely, leading souls to God, but also what We have already explained as flowing from that divine mission, namely Christian civilization in each and every one of the elements composing it.
Since We particularly dwell on this last part of the desired restoration, you clearly see, Venerable Brethren, the services rendered to the Church by those chosen bands of Catholics who aim to unite all their forces in combating anti-Christian civilization by every just and lawful means. They use every means in repairing the serious disorders caused by it. They seek to restore Jesus Christ to the family, the school and society by re-establishing the principle that human authority represents the authority of God. They take to heart the interests of the people, especially those of the working and agricultural classes, not only by inculcating in the hearts of everybody a true religious spirit (the only true fount of consolation among the troubles of this life) but also by endeavoring to dry their tears, to alleviate their sufferings, and to improve their economic condition by wise measures. They strive, in a word, to make public laws conformable to justice and amend or suppress those which are not so. Finally, they defend and support in a true Catholic spirit the rights of God in all things and the no less sacred rights of the Church.
All these works, sustained and promoted chiefly by lay Catholics and whose form varies according to the needs of each country, constitute what is generally known by a distinctive and surely a very noble name: “Catholic Action,” or the “Action of Catholics.” At all times it came to the aid of the Church, and the Church has always cherished and blessed such help, using it in many ways according to the exigencies of the age.
How great is that? Pope Pius X, pray for us.
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