to rebel: to resist or rise against some authority, control, or tradition.
The Catholic Church hierarchy is some areas of the Western world have given the laity a "licence to rebel". This license, like the nefarious permission given to James Bond as a secret agent to do away with whoever threatens either Britain or the free world, is a carte blanche permission.
The laity have been given permission to use contraception, not go to weekly Mass, skip Confession, wear whatever beachwear in Church, not pray at home, not raise children in the Faith, support ssm, and push for wymynpriests.
A licence to rebel does not have negative worldly consequences. On the contrary, Bond always had perqs.
The perqs of those licenced to rebel are sometimes prominent positions in the Church, in chancery offices, and in parishes, two kids and a RangeRover, with multiple holidays, gay lifestyles, self-centered lives.
Who gives the licence to rebel? Bond got his authority from those above him. He acted within a framework of espionage and murder, as well as fornication and a coldness of heart.
So, too, some of the laity licenced to rebel have hardened their hearts against those who do not have such a licence, but a conscience formed by the Teachings of the Catholic Church. Who is responsible for Bond? Both his authorities and Bond.
In other words, there are two authorities in the present Church, working side-by-side but against each other.
One is the Church Militant and one is the group of those licenced to rebel. Each claim authority. One is undercover.
You might be surprised who is licenced to rebel.