Devout in Name Only

Christianity should serve both elites and the people as one faithful. If the elites abandon their duty to God and nation, the answer is not compromise.

Brinkley Colquitt is an incoming undergraduate at The Catholic University of America.

Converts enter the Catholic Church because they believe it to be true, not just because of spiritual fluff and “feeling good”, but true, moral conviction. Coming from a Protestant background myself, many new Catholics expect American Catholicism to be clear and countercultural, but instead find chaos and confusion. They expect the Church to stand strong where the world has fallen apart, but sadly, it does not extend a lifeline.

Instead, we have seen something else entirely: a Catholicism that is often more interested in appeasing liberals than confronting them. There is no better example of this than Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, two of the most visible Catholic politicians in the country and two of the most persistent opponents of Catholic moral teaching in public life.

Both Biden and Pelosi have long identified as “devout” Catholics. They attend Mass, reference their faith, and use Catholic language to support their policies. All while they also openly support abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender ideology; all of which are positions that directly contradict the Church’s moral teachings.

In Biden’s case, he has gone further than any president in expanding access to abortion, pushing the FDA to allow abortion pills by mail and advocating for federal legislation to codify Roe v. Wade. Pelosi consistently votes for abortion funding and once called the Church’s teaching on the issue “an interpretation.”

Despite this, they continue to receive Communion, a decision that has sparked debate among bishops, priests, and lay Catholics alike. In 2022, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco blocked Pelosi from receiving the Eucharist in his archdiocese due to her public advocacy for abortion, citing Canon 915, which states that those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” However, other bishops have not followed his lead, and Biden has faced no such restrictions in Washington, D.C., where he “attends” Mass.

This inconsistency has created confusion, not just among Catholics, but among the public. It creates a perception crisis that makes the Church appear confused and incoherent. What does it mean to be a Catholic in public life if the most powerful Catholic politicians can openly oppose Church teaching and still be considered “devout?” What message does this send to ordinary Catholics, to non-Catholics, or to young people considering joining the faith? The point is not that the Church should arbitrarily bend to the perceptions of the world. It is quite the opposite, in fact.

For young Christians on the political right, the message is clear: the Catholicism that emerged after the Second Vatican Council, the kind that tried to balance orthodoxy with elite acceptance, has failed. It sought to make peace with secular liberalism, to push dialogue over doctrine, and present the Church as open-minded and modern. These are not new observations, however.

The result has been a dramatic collapse in Catholic identity. According to Pew Research, only about one-third of American Catholics believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Worse yet, weekly Mass attendance by Catholics is now below thirty percent. Many Catholic politicians, like Biden and Pelosi, openly support policies that conflict with Catholic moral teaching, yet they rarely face public correction from Church leadership. There is often talk of a “Christian revival” in America, but whether that will pan out remains to be seen.

It is not just a political problem. It is a crisis of integrity and perception. When Catholic leaders fail to challenge public figures who misuse the faith for political gain, they risk hollowing out the meaning of Catholicism itself. It becomes just another cultural identity, a label, and not a commitment. This is a problem, as any Christian statesman should seek to use God’s love to build strong families and nations, rather than use it as an increasingly less relevant cultural label.

There is a growing group of young Catholics who are not satisfied with the premise. They are not theologians or canon lawyers, but we can see the contradiction when it is right in front of them. Perhaps because of their youth and “media savvy” skills, they understand the perception problem. American Catholics see a president who says he is Catholic and then threatens to veto protections for unborn children. Moreover, there are bishops who remain silent while politicians celebrate abortion. If this is what “devout Catholicism” looks like in public life, then what exactly is the Church standing for?

American Catholics are not asking for the Church to become a political party, but to ignore that Christianity does have political content is deceitful. What is needed is consistency and for the faith to mean something, even when it is “inconvenient.” If the Church teaches that abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent human life, which it does, then it cannot quietly tolerate leaders who advocate on its behalf. If receiving the Eucharist is a public act that signifies communion with the Church’s teachings, then public rejection of those teachings should have consequences, especially when done by high-profile figures who claim to be Catholic.

This bold course of action will resolve the perception problem. It will, perhaps ironically, bring more people to Christianity through a bold and unapologetic outlook. It may create political conflict, but peace for its own sake, or compromise with liberal Christians, is ultimately untenable. It is not about denying mercy, though. “We must defend the truth at all costs, even if we are reduced to just twelve again,” as Pope Saint John Paul II said. The Church’s job is to hold and apply the stakes together.

If the Church wants to reach the next generation, those who are disillusioned, politically active, or searching for clarity, it has to be willing to confront the scandals that happen in plain sight. It has to show that Catholicism is not just a cultural label, but a way of life that demands integrity, even from those in power.

Liberal Catholicism aimed to create a balance between religious beliefs and contemporary society. The result was confusion, combined with compromise, which led to collapse. The Church must reclaim its voice in public life and speak out, even when doing so is difficult or unpopular. To exercise proper witness, we must address everyone with the same transparency, instead of reserving clear communication only for those who present political difficulties.

The situation goes beyond “public image” because it represents a fundamental violation of the Church’s responsibilities. The question is how do we want the whole of the church to be understood — in service to the whims of politicians or the many faithful. In many ways, it is another elites vs. the people distinction. Ideally, the Church will service both groups, but if one falls away, seeking their return does not mean compromising on conviction. The public influence of the Church depends on its willingness to stand up to liberal politicians.

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