Cardinal George on "swimming against the tide"

Here's a bit that jumped out at me, from Cardinal George's recent column, "A Tale of Two Churches":

. . . Swimming against the tide means limiting one’s access to positions of prestige and power in society. It means that those who choose to live by the Catholic faith will not be welcomed as political candidates to national office, will not sit on editorial boards of major newspapers, will not be at home on most university faculties, will not have successful careers as actors and entertainers. Nor will their children, who will also be suspect. Since all public institutions, no matter who owns or operates them, will be agents of the government and conform their activities to the demands of the official religion, the practice of medicine and law will become more difficult for faithful Catholics . . .

Generally speaking, I've thought (and tried to speak and write) more in terms of engagement and participation than retreat and retrieval.  Generally speaking, I've thought it important to insist -- even as I find much to admire in the MacIntyre-ish localism / roots / place / "build community" themes that run through, say, the stuff at Front Porch Republic -- that it continues to be important to do all one can, in politics, law, and litigation, to protect the rights and place of religious believers and institutions in the public square and in the public conversation.  Not too long ago, I might have thought that Cardinal George was being a bit too pessimistic.  Now . . . I'm not sure he is.