There will be no martial law or military in the streets. That would appear to be so un-American! The officers who enforce the mandate will be lawyers in suits bearing legal documents. The battles will be in the courtroom. The penalties will seem just to the majority of people because we are in a democracy and those who disobey the law need to be punished, for it is the law of the land, and after all, if they had not done anything wrong they would not need to worry about anything!
To disobey the Mandate will seem so obstinate and unreasonable, for the State will not seek to close down any churches. Instead it will support the churches. Clergy training will be paid by the state. The church buildings will be maintained by a church tax which will be called the "tithe". Clergy will remain in their posts. Their dignity will be respected. All they will need to do is sign certain documents which ensure their safety and their freedom of worship in return for acknowledging the authority of the State (in civil matters only of course) These documents will be worded in such a way that a conscience clause will be admitted. The State will control the church "insofar as the law of God allows."
...
In the end, there was not really much of a battle. When things began to reach a crisis point most Catholics quietly stepped back from the fray. The Catholic churches and schools that chose to be sensible and conform have been rewarded. They continue on much as they have done in the past. The Bishops may have removed the word "Catholic" from their name, but they still call themselves "St Patrick's School" or "Sacred Heart Hospital." They seem to operate the same as before. They have Catholic images on the walls and sisters in pantsuits still patrol the halls.
They fit in with the way of the world. Are some of the laws difficult for them? Perhaps in theory, but they obey. After all, it is the law of the land, and they will have seen how the few schools and colleges that stood up for the faith were crushed. So the Catholic Church will seem not to have been affected that much. The change will have been gradual and slow, and most Catholics will find that it is business as usual.
Prepare for martyrdom. And like the good Father said, it won't be the martyrdom of being tortured. It will be the martyrdom of legal battles, of bureaucrats, of government agencies, of hostile public opinion, of employers who won't hire you, of being shut out of certain professions and certain circles.
