I’ve recently been exposed to the world of Anglo Catholics. People who by definition are “Catholic” deemed by people who are already Catholic. What that means, is that they are the crème de la crème of Catholics. They are hip to everything before they become Catholic, they despise the popular culture, and whenever something they like becomes “mainstreamed,” they in turn call that something —Novus Ordo.— Which then they have to find something completely different to like.

I’m sure you’ve encountered these people before. The people with the persnickety musical taste, and spew about their chants whenever they have the chance to. In reality, does listening to a certain obscure Order’s chants really make you the ultimate hip guy or gal?

People that are usually part of this “Anglo Catholic” culture usually think that they are breaking from the mold of society, breaking from tradition. Therefore they dress a certain way and listen to chants that most people never hear so they can be “different” and so juxtapose themselves into the category of ultimate “catholicity.” At least they think that’s what they are doing consciously or unconsciously.

In reality, and in this case, the reality = my opinions, these “Anglo Catholics/Catholic-ettes (is this the feminine form of the word?? I just made it up)” are just putting themselves into another subculture group which means they really aren’t that different after all, they’re just doing the same old things the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, the Polish National Catholics and a whole rack of others Catholic groups have already done. So is being different really different?

I’m not quite sure where this pondering is leading to, and if so, anything concrete. So I think I’ll just stop for now, and go out and buy me some unnecessary liturgical thread and find me an Anglo Catholic chick, cuz they’re hot.

Tip o’ the biretta to the Ironic Emperor and the inspiration of Pious and Overly Devotional.