We're not talking about obligations to Rome here; we're talking about obligations to God. I think any and every Christian would agree with the principle Lex mala, lex nulla (a bad law is no law) when "bad" means a law which prohibits that which God has commanded, or commands that which God has prohibited.
There can be plenty of debate about civil disobedience: when is it misplaced? When is it allowable? wwhen is it required? and for whom? But the basic principle is clear.
In some ways, the legacy of John Kennedy for Catholic politicians was disastrous. It gave us the Law of Obligatory Hypocrisy (being required to promise in public that your beliefs about right and wrong will not influence your behavior) and the Cuomo-Kerry Corollary (the only Good Catholic is a Bad Catholic.)
People who cooperate with evil are still responsible for their actions, even if it was "their job" or it was "the law" or they were "following orders." Didn't we nail that down at Nuremberg?
It seems to me that a Catholic (or a Mohammendan or a Presbyterian, for that matter) in this republic who believes (or is told by a religious authority) that his duty as a citizen violates his religious principles must choose which duty to obey. If he cannot in good conscience obey his civic duty, he must perforce resign office (if his violation of religious duty was occasioned by the requirements of office) and (if the civic duty is one required of all citizens) accept the punishment of the state. Religious conscientious objectors to military service are an example, they either perform alternative service or accept state sanction for refusal of their duties.
Excellent!
Bravo! Well said!