The Uses of Etymology. . .

. . .are not great in the ideological wars. As we have mentioned before, the original meaning of the labels we put on our factions don't really tell us much about them. Exempla gratiæ, the poor old liberals get less and less liberal all the time. Witness the continuing weeping and lamentation of the oh, so free-thinking and liberal French hierarchy in regard to the new Institute of the Good Shepherd and the rumoured motu proprio which is supposed to arrive at any minute and, ahem, "liberate" the traditional Roman Rite. Why, you'd think the Wehrmacht were at the gates again.

Reuters, of course, doesn't really give a toss about Catholic liturgy. But witness this piece. They're having sympathy pains with their lefty episcopal brethren.

And yet more liberality: The Pill of London weighs in with this dire warning of the imminent collapse of all that is Godly, righteous, and sober if the Insitute of the Good Shepherd is allowed to exist.

And this is just the veriest faint echo of sturm und drang that fills the French press all of it fulminating against the five (5) members of the new Institute.

Quite a word, "liberal".