For the record and for all those who read into posts things that are just not there:
I have not criticized the Pope neither indirectly or otherwise.
I have responded to Cardinal Mahony’s tweets and his interpretation of events and I have offered some of my thoughts on liturgy. For anyone to suggest that I am criticizing the Pope implies that they know the Pope would not agree with my thoughts. I have no idea if that is true or not since the Pope hasn’t done or said anything in this regard yet. So how can I be criticizing the Pope?
I too have no problem with masses done simply but correctly. My points are directed at folks like the Cardinal that wish to strip the mass of anything not sufficiently plain or simple, as if that is axiomatically better. This is made worse by the Cardinal assuming that the Pope supports his ridiculous assertions.
I am not playing games here, I am totally sincere. I have not criticized the Pope at all.
March 19, 2013 at 3:15 pm
After reading so many criticisms of the Holy Father, I never thought yours were. There have been so many vile, vicious attacks that I am left saddened, frustrated, and confused. And these comments are not coming from the progressives, or heterodox. There is much room for discussion, and criticism, but done with respect, humility, and charity. This is how, if done at all, I have seen it here. The far right has spewed out such venom that I am embarrassed to have anything to do with that group.
Signed, A Catholic Who Loves the Traditional Mass AND the Holy Father
March 19, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Absolutely reading my Downton post as an attack is in bad faith.
It made a simple point.
"simplicity is not always humility and pomp not always pride. "
Which in no way precludes the reverse. This statement is obviously true. To read this as an attack on the Pope requires a mind predisposed to see attacks everywhere.
That is bad faith.
March 19, 2013 at 5:30 pm
A Greek philosopher criticized another with false humility saying, "Pride is coming out through the holes of your garment." And as Rick Warren wrote, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself but rather thinking of yourself less." Finally St. Theresa of Avila defines humility as truth. I am not saying that the pope has false humility but rather defining with humility and simplicity is and confirming what Patrick wrote.
March 19, 2013 at 8:27 pm
Patrick,
There is nothing inherently wrong with criticizing the Pope. It depends on what is said, and depends on what the Pope did.
Nathan
March 19, 2013 at 9:10 pm
So if I disagree with your post (e.g. Downton), I am seeing things that are not there? I have bad faith? Why is it always your readers who are wrong?
March 20, 2013 at 1:58 am
Brian,
If you think that my Downton post is criticizing the Pope, then yes. You are wrong.
March 20, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Your Downton post has been linked on Fr. Z's blog (in the comments) as being about the Pope. So apparently, it is a common misconception.
March 20, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Yeah, if the Downton post wasn't intended to be about the Pope, then you are a bad satirist.
Any satire where it is not immediately obvious who the target is, is bad satire. Indeed, any written work where it is not immediately obvious what the topic is, is bad writing. The whole point of full-fledged writing—as opposed to mere mnemonic aids, i.e. proto-writing like birch-bark pictographs and Easter Island rongorongo—is that you don't have to already know the message's contents to know what it's about.
This is the second time where your posts have seemed, to at least a sizeable minority of their audience, to be something quite different from what you claim. At the very least, that is a failure to communicate on your part—and that's kinda the point of writing.
March 20, 2013 at 5:41 pm
I've learned that s/he who sticks her/his neck out and says anything in the public arena will be attacked by some and supported by others. Further attempts to clarify what one meant never really change the minds of those who attacked. So render your opinions, and know that you will never please everyone all of the time.