The Toxic Mix of: The Church + Politics + Hot Takes

February 2, 2026

by Marcel LeJeune

One of the realities of modern society is that we politicize nearly everything, including the Catholic Church. It seems we can’t approach any issue, have a conversation, or even think about reality itself without it all being invaded by political divides, arguments, and issues.

Politics dominates how we think, where we live, how we act, who we spend time with, the things we choose to spend money on, and more. For the majority of Catholics in the USA politics also impacts how we talk about faith, incorporate doctrines into the day-to-day, what we post online, and more. For some it even impacts their self-identity, how they think about the world, and whether they remain an active part of a parish community.

Politics seems to frame our reality more than God himself, in many respects.

Politics has infected almost every part of modern life and this is NOT GOOD FOR OUR SOULS OR OUR WORLD!

ONE EXAMPLE
I looked up one random post on the USCCB's Facebook page to read the comments. This wasn't a post on politics, but on a video in which some bishops reflected on getting the call from the Apostolic Nuncio about the Pope selecting them to become a bishop. The hot takes came fast and furious. Here are the first two comments I saw from that one post (WARNING - they are offensive):

"I'm curious. Do Catholic bishops have a spine and a set of balls? They're pretty silent about Donald Trump."
"Don’t like the way Trumps cleaning up Biden’s mess? The USCCB hates Trump. He cut their money"

This is pretty much the norm on almost anything from the Bishops. They are all in for the Democrats...or all in for the Republicans. Just depends on your policial perspective.
Also:

The Pope is the problem...or
The Bishops are the problem...or
Vatican II is the problem...or
Evil that has infiltrated the Church is the problem...or
The Synod is the problem...or
A one world religion is the problem...or
All of the above???

For me, the lesson is very simple - the reactions framed around politics do us no good in regard to the Church. Our political framework has failed us. It just doesn't allow us to see things as they truly are. It is a cloudy lens that limits perception.

Right. Left. Conservative. Progressive. Rad Trad. Liberal Catholic. Etc.
I can say this with certainty - God doesn't see the world through a political lens!

BIGGER THAN THIS
This gets me to an even more troubling part of this tendency to politicize everything. Where do we put our faith? Does it lie merely with the men who lead our Church? Do we believe they can destroy it? Do we believe they have that kind of power?

I don’t.

I believe in a completely sovereign God. One who is firmly in control. One who isn’t afraid of my sin or anyone else’s sin. A God who is bigger than scandal, confusion, heresy, and even politics.

I may be alone in this, but I am tired of blaming every problem in the Church on leaders we may have a disagreement (or many disagreements) with. Catholic leaders who sinned, made terrible statements, or committed grave scandals have always existed.

Peter - who denied Jesus publicly and ran away - was made our 1st Pope.
Paul - who was an accessory to murder - was one of our greatest evangelists.
You and Me - who are not perfect - but have been re-born into the family of God by baptism.

In other words, we can’t throw the entire Church under the bus for the sins, problems, or politics of others. Furthermore, I believe politics has become an excuse, for some, to maintain the personal status quo (if our leaders aren't saints...why should I be) and not seek holiness for ourselves (log and splinter anyone?).

The only thing you control is your decisions right now. That is it.

The lack of ongoing and deep personal conversion limits real community, friendship, accountability, evangelization, etc. Politics becomes a steady framework that provides easy answers to things I don't control and a way to understand things. Yet, I can't help but think that we sometimes mistake our own political hot takes as a veneer of holiness. SEE MY RIGHTEOUSNESS AS I LOUDLY CALL OUT ALL OF YOU EVIL DOERS!

Think of it this way. If you were in a cloister, without access to media or news, for the past 20 years, would you be upset about most of what you see going on around you in the Church and the world? Probably not. But maybe you would be more upset with your own failure to love God and others. This is what we need. A heart like God's heart.

But you might respond:
-The laity are supposed to be concerned about the world, so we can evangelize it!
Or
-How can we correct errors if we don’t know about them! It is the duty of the teacher to teach truth!

Sure thing in both cases. Still, let us FIRST examine our motives a bit. I know for me personally, I don’t always react with charity, seek to correct others from true humility, or allow politics to never make a dent in the peace of Christ in my heart. Thus, we have to protect ourselves from these things, because the enemy wants to use politics to:

Attack our peace
Get us to react
Find an avenue into our hearts
Plants seeds of doubt
Have us despair about the future

Try to control things we don’t control
So, try this instead.

Turn off your computers and phones more.
Pray more.
Spend time with good friends and family without talking about the latest political scandal - whether church politics or cultural politics.
Let God be in control.
Help me do the same.

Go be a saint and leave the rest to a God who is bigger than any political issues. Also, maybe slow down, pray, and think deeply about what you are doing before you post the next hot take on social media.
God bless.

Catholic Missionary Disciples

Transformed leaders transform parishes

The Toxic Mix of: The Church + Politics + Hot Takes