Recently I had an occasion to examine my own reaction to an accusation of being anti-Catholic, and to assess whether my opposition to doctrines implied lack of respect for those who espouse them. A Benedictine nun accused me of being anti-Catholic because I opposed an effort to persuade an interfaith organization to which we both belong to take the papal position against abortion. Her comment led me to examine what I oppose in the Roman Catholic Church that differs from the position of those currently in that church who seek its reformation. It also led me to list my actions and responses toward Catholics that may speak louder than words. I am opposed to any system of absolute monarchy where the monarch is elected by people appointed by the previous monarch.
Democratic selection is always preferable to election by an appointed elite.
I am also opposed to the assumption that any monarch by virtue of his office is the exclusive spokesperson for God or Christ. This is an arrogance which history has proven in error with respect to numerous pronouncements of the Vatican. I am also opposed to the doctrine of papal infallibility if only because all humans make mistakes, but also because serious efforts by a powerful monarch involve injury to millions of his followers or subjects. The papacy as it has continued throughout history has developed into a theocracy wherein the Pope rules or attempts to dominate secular governments with his decisions. I am firmly in favor of democracy, human rights and separation of church and state, and cannot forget that the Vatican has never encouraged democracy, but moved swiftly in Europe to collaborate with fascism in Croatia, with Nazism through a concordat with Hitler Germany, with fascism via a concordat with Mussolini in Italy, a concordat with Salazar's Portugal, support of Vichy, France and Franco's Spain in return for special favors to Roman Catholicism.