Reposts: In Praise of Monarchy!

Monarchy:
- can uphold absolute truth rather than the relativism of majority rule
- is disconnected from the corrupting money interests
- has a non-bureaucratic simple efficiency (no wasteful campaign expenses)
- is non-partisan by definition and unites the people across political views
- can be made integrally Catholic with liturgical coronation and the public faith and positive example of the monarch himself
-is modeled after God's own Kingship and institution of a Kingdom, & there have been numerous royal saints who did monumental works for the Church.

Monarchy has a uniquely personal, empathetic nature that democratic institutions lack. The "government" is literally a person ('I am the state') who can listen, care, sacrifice, make fast but wise mentions decisions in a crisis (unlike the deadlock keeping aid from getting to individuals in the US right now), do diplomatic work directly with monarchs or other countries, and so on. Heirs of monarchs were traditionally taught from birth on how to lead well, preventing for the most part a bad or incompetent leader. None of the dictators of the world wars were monarchs, but rather were installed democratically or with a coup.

A monarch has a personal bond with the country, a role as the father of the people, spouse of the nation, and in a Catholic monarchy the instrument/ representative of Christ the King and His Social Reign. The monarch is relatively permanent compared to elected officials, and is a stable, orderly, loving, exemplary figure who the people can look up to and be encouraged by. The beauty and ritual of monarchy teaches reverence, decency, dignity and loyalty. Direct experience of living in a kingdom with a monarch helps one understand what it means that Christ is King and how that should affect our response to Him.

Better a monarch who can be loved & admired (the European monarchies were well liked, revolutions made up propaganda against them) than impersonal institutions at best tolerable. Every time I've voted has been reluctant "lesser evil" situation, not any confidence in a candidate.
The politicians on both sides claim to care but only look out for their own interests & party (= only half the country), and I don't think it should be accepted as the norm when a better way exists. The revolutions that established the republics were largely violent, deceptive processes which made false promises to the common people then exploited & killed them (ex: French revolution).

Approved Catholic mystics have stated that God prefers monarchy : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

"Monarchy can easily be debunked, but watch the faces, mark well the debunkers. These are the men whose taproot in Eden has been cut: whom no rumour of the polyphony, the dance, can reach---men to whom pebbles laid in a row are more beautiful than an arch. Yet even if they desire mere equality they cannot reach it. Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honour millionaires, athletes or film stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison." [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The revolution built up class war sentiments that caused hatred for "royal-ness" as we've always pictured it. The grandeur, treasures & feasts. Here's why it's actually something to celebrate:

We're made to be social & inevitably end up having living heroes & role models who we admire. Rather than immoral celebrities, why not a king whose glory is made legitimate by Divine right, who made an oath during the Coronation Rite to follow & promote Church teaching. There are so many royal saints & good monarchs who have been wonderful role models by their rule & example, it's great to have them to look up to.

Traditionally, the king is also the father of the people, w/ God-given authority to direct his country. In return for his benevolence the people owe the king filial love: obedience, honor, fidelity. Sinful human nature being prone to rebellion, awe-inspiring majesty of a visibly glorified monarch is a good incentive toward obedience, devotion & healthy fear of law without threats.

And as spouse of the nation from coronation to death, the monarch is unique, beloved & rightfully meant to be beautiful & dignified. King or queen! The people (hopefully!) grow up with the same monarch for much of their lives. Bringer of stability, consolation during difficult
times (like the present!), & receiver of devotion. The monarch's beautiful portrait is visible in public buildings: the hope is that the people will see it & smile having been reminded that even if no one else, this one human being is looking out for their good. (And so is God!)

Also, the monarch is the embodiment of what we tend to call government, central power. "I am the State" was simply the truth! "Patriotism" in a monarchy = entirely the love for the monarch. The best way to inspire this devotion is to have the most visibly majestic, glorified monarch around! This process brings in highly skilled jobs of artists & artisans who make royal treasures, buildings, etc. These remain lasting heirlooms w/ less ongoing expense than one might guess! (The monarchy costs Canadians something like a coffee each per year.)

The monarch is also representative, lieutenant in French tradition, of Christ the King, image bearer of His Kingship and enforcer of His Social Reign. The monarch should then truly remind us of Christ Triumphant in glory & dignity. Something entirely compatible with the virtue of humility, for the crown is inherited by birth & not won, elected or earned. The monarch becomes the bearer of an office greater than his mortal human self & it comes with a duty. He answers only to God but has the utmost responsibility to God to be a good, virtuous king.

Since humility is really just honesty about our own condition, it's more than okay for the monarch to gratefully acknowledge the great gift (w/ even greater responsibility) he's been blessed with. He can & should receive the love & loyalty of his people.

The responsibility of the monarch is immense indeed - symbolically & in many ways literally, the peace & safety of the entire country depends on him. Every one of his decisions could be history altering. His job is one of the hardest and he certainly deserves a reward.
In return for his irreplaceable service, the monarch deserves to be surrounded by wholesome expressions of Truth, Beauty & Goodness. Things the Church has valued from the beginning because Christ redeemed created matter through His Incarnation & wants to bless us abundantly.
The monarch is a wonderful symbol of God's grandeur & the glory we want to look forward to in Heaven. First the Cross & then the crown! Especially the feasts of the king are so reminiscent of those the Heavenly King has prepared for us if we follow His Will now!

About those awesome feasts: It's actually good for the monarch to have access to even a little abundant resources.
1. As embodiment of national power, what he has gives glory to the country.
2. The monarch is so important & precious that in desperate times (a pandemic, maybe ), to lose the king too would be a second catastrophe, of mourning & power void. Or if he appears poor or struggling, could be a sign of national weakness to enemies + demoralize the people. So let the king feast!

Royal garments as we universally picture them aren't merely "fashion" but full of meaning.

As patriarch & bearer of power, the king is majestic, important, triumphant, strong, expansive, prosperous. He inspires our fidelity & honor; we entrust our future into his dependable care.

As image of Divine Kingship & instrument of Divine Right, the king looks pure, shining, noble, dignified, holy, awe-inspiring, pastoral (a topic for a future thread); flowing robes, precious materials. We see in him a preview of God's Majesty & treat him with reverence & respect.

As spouse of the nation, the monarch is beautiful, majestic, pure, radiant, set apart from regular world. We admire & serve him, are willing to defend his honor and/or his life. We take joy in OUR monarch, more than all the others. His public appearances are cause for celebration, his picture is proudly displayed in our buildings. We sing at events & liturgies, God Save the King (or Queen). One of the most majestic, glorious royal occasions of all is the Rite of Coronation... one of my favorite topics!

I can't forget one of the most important reasons we need royal majesty: One should be able to recognize the king instantly and anywhere.

~VIVE LE ROI~

Father of the People
Spouse of the Nation
Embodiment of Legitimate Authority
Representative of Christ the King on Earth and Steward of His Social Reign

Each of these also has a parallel to our relationship with God, which is why it makes sense that God is a King. The word is enough to tell us a lot about Him and understand His nature.

'Kings have the nation as a wife in indissoluble matrimony; presidents, as a mistress in fleeting dissipation.' -Calvo Soteli

We are wired to love & honor our monarch, who's meant to be majestic & even beautiful. Most of us in the republics don't have one & have to look to history. Medieval Catholics wholesomely, innocently loved beauty & so can we

Developing off the Greek concept, the forms of love/relationship in human society fall generally into categories of parent & child, husband & wife, siblings, friendship, and... (forgotten in the republics) monarch & subjects.
There's a significant, purposeful mirroring between the monarchy and the family. The king is the father of the people ([You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]), who loves & cares for his country with benevolence, mercy & concern for true common good. (Same goes for the queen- God save the Queen! )


In return, the people owe him their obedience, loyalty, love and honor as they would their parents. The monarch as father and guardian has the right to justly enforce his rule consistently with Catholic teaching, which he swore to uphold during the Rite of Coronation.

Second, there's an almost chivalrous (but always pure & chaste!) dimension. The king is precious & irreplaceable, beautiful & majestic. Love for one's monarch includes admiration, a sense of reverence & awe, social graces, & willingness to defend him if there was a threat.
Image
Third, what outside of monarchy tends to fall under "patriotism" has its roots in fidelity to the monarch. By his office the king embodies the country/government, giving it a human heart & face. Someone who can listen to the people's concerns & have compassion. Monarchy is thus the only government capable of reciprocating the people's love & devotion because the monarch is a living person. An institution or idea can't, for example, go out and distribute food in person or heal the sick as the French kings used to do (a subject for a future thread! ).

"The politics of love - a polity shaped by charity - is based upon such embodiment, rather than abstractions. It calls for allegiance to, communion with, and love for particular customs, institutions, persons, in which love of neighbour is embodied, with the responsibilities...
...and duties of love not spectral abstractions but concrete practices."
"The cult of the Royal Martyr...is a recognition that the politics of love, if it is to have meaning, is dependent on particular, embodied loves." ([You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] I recommend it!)

Approximately the same idea: love and loyalty to the monarch, wanting to make him proud and defend him in word and deed, is a far better motivator to moral goodness in society than a secular democratic justice system.

The visible humanity, frailty even, of the monarch (imperfections and all) makes him more relatable than the supposed governments of the people. One symbolic representative who unites all, rather than multiple for each state/demographic group/etc. which we couldn't possibly...
obtain equal representatives for all at once without some chaotic, terrible attempt at direct democracy.
Proper love for self and country are directly connected with that for the monarch.

Finally, the monarch reminds us of & connects us to God in a visible way. The French Catholic Monarchy understood the king as the lieutenant & representative of Christ the King, bearing the image of His Kingship & enforcing His Law or Social Reign in society.

We know Christ is a King and has a Kingdom, but how do we know what that looks like & how to act in response unless we experience a preview on earth? Living under the gentle, fatherly authority of a monarch w/ all the due reverence & loving fidelity gives us a visible example of the nature of God & how we should treat Him. It's more than possible to love God, King, Country AND individual people, each in their respective (important) place in our lives.

So yes, love for the monarch (filial, chivalrous, devotional) and love of the monarch for his people (benevolent, inspirational, patriarchal) is wonderful and sadly missed in the republics, this could do a lot of good. Time for Restoration... Vive le Roi!