A young priest I know gave a strongly worded homily about the sin of voting for politicians who push abortion and the destruction of the institution of marriage. He named names. Most members of the congregation were supportive, but some walked out or complained to the bishop.
One woman came to him to say that she had been so furious with him all week that for sheer anger and hatred she hadn’t been able to sleep.
That’s not the end.
She went on to say that she had finally realized that he had done nothing but present the faith. All her adult life she had sealed off her faith from her political beliefs, but she had seen that she had to stop doing so. She was at peace.
The most interesting part of the story is what happened next. She told him she still supports abortion and so-called gay marriage but now knows they are wrong.
He replied that intellectual conversions rarely occur overnight, and that what matters is that now that she knows the truth, she pray for the grace to accept it.
She accepted his words, gave him a hug, and said he is a good priest.