Devout Catholic

The Code of Canon Law does not define the term “Devout Catholic”.  It doesn’t even mention the phrase.  When this Baby Boomer was growing up, the term was used a lot.  It meant someone who went the extra mile beyond Sunday Mass, like Mass ushers and the women who laundered and pressed the linen purificators every week.  The term is, thankfully, not used today.  Or at least it wasn’t until J.D. Vance described himself as a Devout Catholic.  He used it to righteously set himself up as knowing better than the entire United States Conference of Catholic Bishops when it comes to Immigration. 

     I couldn’t get a handle on his words on why Catholics should listen to him and not the Bishops who lead the 194 Dioceses everyday in this country.  The ones appointed by Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.  It was that Devout Catholic self-description that had me stuck.

     In my world the bar for Devout Catholic all those years ago was set high by my Father.  He could not walk on his own, crippled with arthritis after a WWII injury in the Pacific.  So he located Saint Joan of Arc Church near his work because it had no steps to get inside.  Then, every day, on his way to work, he went there for early Mass.  He died of a heart attack while praying the rosary.  You just don’t get more devout than that.  My Father would scoff at anyone who described him as a Devout Catholic and certainly would never think of himself in those terms.  He was just another guy in the pew.  Every day.  I don’t see Vance in the same class whether he anoints himself that way or not.

     Another Baby Boomer thing was Pearly Gate Jokes.  They always had someone dying and then standing in front of Saint Peter, keeper of the Gate to Heaven.  Saint Peter determined who got in.  I see a serious version of this for JD Vance, Devout Catholic.  He dies and is standing before Saint Peter, who is standing before the gate.  Behind him, just inside the gate, are thousands and thousands of souls.  With his smug, smiley face, Vance assumes they are there to welcome him, maybe even make him President of Heaven.  But they were Immigrants in life and they strolled right in through the gates when they died.  They matter in Heaven.   Vance does not understand why they are not cheering him with welcome. 

     Saint Peter stares into Vance’s eye and calls out to those behind him “should I let him in?”  In a loud voice as one, they scream “No!”.  And as quickly as that Saint Peter slips back inside to Heaven and leaves Vance outside forever.   Now the Immigrants cheer, then, go back to eternal bliss.  Maybe now Vance might know what such overwhelming rejection feels like.  It’s just a shame it took so long.