Father Marcel Guarnizo On The Corruption Of Democracy

On November 22, Father Marcel Guarnizo gave an interview to Celtic Times.  The topic was the corruption of democracy.  During that conversation, Father differentiated between "true democracy" versus "procedural democracy".  I might opine that these could be more aptly called "constitutional republic" versus "mob rule".

A constitutional republic consists of government where the officials are elected by the citizenry and that government must act within the bounds set forth by constitutional law.  That is our form of government; at least that was the intention of our founding fathers.  Within the United States Constitution are key amendments known as the Bill of Rights.  Implicit in the concept of the Bill of Rights is an acknowledgment that the citizens possess rights and that these rights are unalienable because they are granted to human beings by God.  The Bill of Rights is an acknowledgment of our preexisting rights, and it certifies that the federal government will make no attempt to usurp these rights out of respect for the citizenry and respect for God's omnipotent authority.

Years ago I often wondered why the ranks of liberals, progressives, Democrats, etc were populated with far more atheists than were the ranks of conservatives, etc.  The preceding paragraph provides a big part of the answer to that question.  Atheists have attempted to expunge God from their personal lives and from civil life.  But nature abhors a vacuum, and even their human natures sense the void they created by their atheism. Unconsciously seeking for a "deity", they have ascribed that role in their lives to civil government.  Hence we see atrocities like Roe v Wade and the more recent pushes to legalize euthanasia, same-sex marriage, etc.  The proponents for these murderous policies are ascribing to the state authority over life itself.  We also can grasp how and why Obamacare was passed by the Democrat-controlled congress and signed into law by the Messiah Most Miserable.  One unconscionable facet of Obamacare is that it forces every citizen to purchase a commodity that he or she may not desire.  In all these examples, government has encroached upon unalienable rights, with a result that our constitutional republic has degraded to a "mob rule" regime.

Another theme discussed was that of a unifying principle.  It seems that when the constitution of the European Union was drafted, there was not stated therein any principle that might unite the member nations.  Father mentioned that prior to the EU, the various nations had pronounced Judeo-Christian heritages but that those who drafted the EU constitution deliberately omitted any acknowledgement of that pre-existing heritage.  In doing so, they acted against the council of Pope Benedict XVI.  Now there are many problems in the EU, and unsurprisingly so.

The conversation then shifts to the silence of Irish bishops on the threatened abortion law in Ireland.  Both Father and Ms. Sinnott remark that the Irish bishops don't understand the connection between their silence and their loss of freedoms to operate their schools and hospitals according to Catholic principles.  Both opine that the bishops are compromised by the acceptance of government funding.  They could just as easily be talking of the situation in the United States and how our USCCB - heavily funded by the feds - will not speak with force on moral issues such as abortion and gay marriage.  Father remarks about the situation in Germany and Austria, with their "church tax", saying that the next synod on the family should tackle these matters.  Yes they should, but as long as Kasper and Marx wield the influence that they currently enjoy at the Vatican, they will not be upsetting their gravy train.

Father believes, and I concur, that real democracy ended with Roe v Wade, when the right to life of a whole class of citizens was devalued.  Unless we change course on this matter, no other reforms (taxes, economy, etc) will suffice to save our democracies and end the de facto tyrannies (or, as Pope Benedict calls it, the dictatorship of relativism) in which we find ourselves.  Here is the link to the interview.  Listen closely at the 25:00 mark.  At the 26:42 mark, Sinnott asks him what can be done about it.  Among other things, Father urges that all in the Church be educated in these matters, placing responsibility on the bishops and clerics to do so.  My editorial comment: if the bishops won't be equal to that task, the Catholic in the pew will have to educate themselves; in these days of the internet that is NOT hard to do.

Please listen to it and share it far and wide.  Thank you.