You don’t see a lot of “Catholic” protests, that is, a protest that is remembered by history as specifically Catholic. But, in the scope of 1969, the Catonsville Nine, though still incredibly important, were just another protest, if they can be referred to in that way. What really strikes me about the Catonsville Nine is the connections that they have to other Catholic movements in recent times with similar motives and ideals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one of my political science classes, I learned about the idea of “liberation theology,” which is a form of radical Catholicism pioneered by a handful of Catholic priests in the later 1900s. Liberation theology is radical in that it presents the life of Christ as not the gold standard of Christianity, but the only standard: the poverty, the persecution, the love of others. According to these priests, this was the true way of Catholicism, because it followed the radical teachings of Christ to the letter, and took precepts such as helping the poor to the most extreme level possible. But, similar to the ideals of the Catonsville Nine, the idea of liberation theology has seen some pushback among both the laity and Church authorities, though it is now highly touted by Pope Francis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his time in the trial, Father Philip Berrigan called out both the United States government and the bishops of the United States, who he called out for being “cowards” and insisting that they “learn something of the Gospels.” Many people believe the Church is or must be a fully cohesive, unified organization, but the Catonsville Nine saw a problem within the Church and their country and addressed it, despite what their superiors might have believed. That sort of commitment to justice, along with that proposed by the creators of liberation theology, is precisely what is required of Catholics, even though certain individuals in the Church may have disagreed. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You don’t see a lot of “Catholic” protests, that is, a protest that is remembered by history as specifically Catholic. But, in the scope of 1969, the Catonsville Nine, though still incredibly important, were just another protest, if they can be referred to in that way. What really strikes me about the Catonsville Nine is … <\/p>\n