What happened to Catholic America?

When did we start to decline in our Catholicism in America. An article on Rorate Caeli blogsite recently posted an article against the idea of Pope Francis canonizing Pope Paul VI. It brought attention to Pope Pius XII and his reign as Pope. During this time it was sited that numbers for Catholic America were amazing! It did not mention that also at this time in America - we had Father Patrick Peyton holding Rosary Rallies as well as a Radio Show/TV.  Also, we had Bishop Sheen leading MANY converts to the Catholic Faith - a "no no" in Pope Francis's book! We are now the Church of Accompaniment - a Church of Tolerance and definitely not Church Militant - one that claims we have the one True Faith!  WHY and HOW?
Here were the statistics quoted on Rorate Caeli for your review before we analyze this:

America During Reign of Pope Pius XII

The answer:  The Religious Liberty Document of Vatican II - that is why we are where we are.  The Freemasons were watching these numbers in America and elsewhere and getting very nervous about the growth of the Catholic Church. They were in high places in the Church already and called for a Council - a pastoral council.  Liberalism which was condemned by a number of pre-Vatican II Popes was now being embraced. Pope Pius X warned of this Liberalism and Modernism in almost everything he wrote. He saw it creeping into the Church and tried very hard to keep it from entering the walls but realized that when he died - if the Popes after him were not diligent - it would come back with a vengeance.
What is Liberalism and how do I recognize it - How do I and my family protect ourselves from the poisons of Liberalism?
Here are some descriptions and explanations from Professsor Plinio Correa de Oliveira (who I recommend  - read all you can of this modern day saint!):  
Characteristics of the Liberal Catholic 
What is a liberal Catholic? He is an individual split by two opposed realities, by two radical positions that he accepts but that exclude one another. One is Catholic radicalism, an invitation to sanctity; the other is liberal radicalism, the complete adoration of self and the rejection of any restraints. These two conflicting invitations co-exist in the liberal Catholic. 

Since he chooses to live in this contradiction, in effect he becomes a Pharisee: He does not want to say “no” to the invitation of God, but above all he does not want to say “yes” to it. He does not say, “God, I want to break with you, to abandon the Faith and to leave the Catholic Church.” He is afraid to say this. He still has some attraction toward these things. 

He also dishonestly closes his eyes to his veiled concessions. When he makes a concession to liberalism, he does not admit it to himself. Thus he is hypocritical and lies to himself.

How this lie presents itself to him? He finds a non-radical interpretation of the Catholic doctrine, an interpretation that does not reach its final consequences. Someone told me that one way to identify a sick tree is to look at the ends of its branches: If the leaves are drying up and only those closer to the trunk are alive, the tree is in the process of dying. If this botanical rule is true, it gives me a metaphor to describe the state of soul of the liberal Catholic. 

The Catholic contaminated by liberalism does not reach the final consequences of the principles he professes. He tends to soften any doctrine that bothers him. For example, when he speaks of Hell, he says: “Yes, I know that many people go there, but my family and friends, who are all fairly decent people, will probably not go there. After all, they have good qualities…” If someone argues: “But Hell is filled with people with some good qualities,” he does not reply and becomes deeply resentful. 

Harboring resentments is, in fact, another characteristic of the liberal mentality. The liberal Catholic is exceedingly resentful; he does not argue, he moans. Later, he will take his revenge and stab you in the back through intrigues or slanders. 

If you touch on the subject of Purgatory, noting that souls suffer a lot there, he replies: “Yes, but the mercy of Our Lady is so great that no one really knows how long God would make a soul suffer in Purgatory.” In practical terms, he transforms Purgatory into a place where God does not punish but only scares naughty souls a little, like parents who give their children "time outs". 

If you bring up the obligation we have to accept Catholic dogma or become heretics, the liberal Catholic will answer, “Yes, but the dogmas have to be interpreted broadly so that almost no one really falls into heresy.” 

There is always a minimization, a restriction to avoid reaching the final consequences and not reach a more complete and richer understanding of Catholic truths. 

This attitude of soul evolves. That is, no liberal Catholic remains in the same position. It is like a leprosy that progresses and eventually consumes the whole person. If the person has a long life, at its end he will have lost or almost lost the Faith. 
Summarizing, these are the basic characteristics of the liberal Catholic:

1. He takes a contradictory position, which accepts two radical and opposed mentalities; 
   
   
2. He is hypocritical because he says he wants to serve God when he wants to serve himself; also he lies to himself by veiling the concessions he makes; 
   
   
3. He is resentful, revengeful and deceitful; 
   
   
4. His error evolves toward apostasy. 

The liberal Catholic – so far as he is a liberal – is not Catholic. What is dynamic in his soul is anti-Catholic and tends toward apostasy. In the dead parts of his soul he is still Catholic. 

MY COMMENT:  The above is very true and we could write more on this - a book actually! We need to be aware of what liberalism is and try very hard to learn the true teachings of the Catholic Church (pre-Vatican II) and stick to these teachings in order to live and die a Catholic.  
If you are interpreting this article as anti-Vatican II - it is because that pastoral council promoted Liberalism and continues to do so - therefore - the numbers you see in the reign of Pope Pius XII are no more - the Catholic Church has suffered a mortal blow with Vatican II liberal thinking but by the grace of God it is not dead! IT IS A MIRACLE the Catholic Church still has a remnant!! 

Our Lady of Fatima did say that in the end Her Immaculate Heart would triumph! She will triumph over this great Apostasy which is the fruit of this Liberalism. One more reason not to get discouraged! We have to fight more than ever for the social Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In this battle, we are not alone; we have with us all the Popes up through Pope Pius XII inclusively. All of them combated Liberalism in order to deliver the Church from it. We have to build up while the others are demolishing! How can we do this - REPARATION!  Someone has to make reparation for this mess - who will do it? That is what this site is all about - May we make this a Lent of Reparation. Pray the Fatima Reparation prayers daily - they can be found on this website. Let us console the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and not give up. We have the power to help win souls for Heaven - let us do that as Our Lady has asked the Fatima children to do!
Our Lady of Fatima - pray for us.