CatalogFeatures features = CatalogFeatures.builder().with(CatalogFeatures.Feature.DEFER, "true").build();
is taking effect instead of the following entry in the catalog file:
<catalog xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:entity:xmlns:xml:catalog" defer="false">
    <delegatePublic publicIdStartString="DELEGATE-DEFER" catalog="bad_cat.xml"/>
    <!--<nextCatalog catalog="file_cat.xml"/>-->
</catalog>