Strong Popes Make A Difference

In the context of recent Supreme Court decisions, some people have certainly raised the question of when, not whether, someone will sue a Catholic diocese for refusing to perform a same-sex marriage, and what the judicial outcome may be. Fr Z on his blog has been urging Catholics to prepare themselves for troubling times.

The one historical precedent I haven't seen mentioned, in print or on the radio, is the Kulturkampf, Bismarck's effort to marginalize the Catholic Church in Germany. It isn't fully parallel to the present-day Progressive agenda, and the Catholic Church in the US doesn't currently appear to be as unified against it as it was in late 19th century Germany. However, the consensus appears to be that Pope Leo XIII's strong leadership resolved that particular issue. Since I've become Catholic, I've slowly learned more about Leo XIII. I get the impression that he was a strong Pope along the lines of John Paul II.

We know the Enemy won't prevail. We can trust that the Holy Spirit will send us the leadership we need when we need it.