The Catholic Current LTACL: Facing Down the Tyrants (Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J.)
Mar 18, 2026
A priest explores what it means to use words boldly in a culture hostile to truth. He defines modern 'tyrants' as faceless systems and the forces that shape us. Different ways to resist are weighed, from building safe communities to confronting lies with integrity. The conversation ends with an invitation to continue the discussion and a call to prayer.
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Child's 'Use Your Words' Twist
- Fr. Robert McTeigue recounts a child told to "use your words" who instead says "this is going to hurt" and strikes her brother.
- The story illustrates that words alone can be defiant or moral choices, not always gentle or pacific ways to respond.
Tyranny Beyond Individuals
- Fr. Robert McTeigue identifies modern tyrants as not only dictators but faceless systems: corporations, hydras, and the vague "they."
- He frames these tyrants theologically as the world, the flesh, and the devil combining to create pervasive opposition to goodness.
Good Works Invite Fierce Opposition
- Quoting St. Ignatius, Fr. Robert McTeigue notes that any work worthy of God will provoke uproar and rouse hell's legions.
- He observes from experience that doing good reliably invites opposition and spiritual conflict.