I get annoyed by silly media talk of Santorum’s connections to Opus Dei, everybody’s favorite dark and sinister Catholic cloak-and-dagger society. The underlying assumption is that Santorum is a deeply orthodox Catholic, with a whiff of old-school authoritarianism about him. But this is nonsense. Opus Dei is a traditionalist Catholic group, heavily influenced by Spanish spirituality. It’s not my cup of tea, but it puts strong emphasis on fidelity to Church teachings, and I assume that means all Church teachings. Santorum, on the other hand, is a classic American right-wing liberal, picking and choosing his Church teachings, and with a spirituality that seems far more evangelical than Catholic. It is no accident that Santorum’s core support comes from right-wing evangelicals, not Catholics. Opus Dei has a vaguely “foreign” feel in the United States. Nobody could possibly say that about Santorum!
Just look at the record. Santorum believes strongly in the anti-Catholic theology of American exceptionalism. He believes strongly in the anti-Catholic theology of the supremacy of individual freedom, in economic if not in sexual matters. Santorum defines his theology as stemming from the bible (Protestant) as opposed to the single sacred deposit of the Word of God comprising sacred scripture and sacred tradition (Catholic). He embraces an anti-Catholic theology of plundering rather than protecting the environment. He supports a bloodthirsty and pro-death foreign policy. He supports the intrinsically evil act of torture. He seeks to cast out the immigrant, which goes directly against the “biblical values” he loves so much.
Need I go on?
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