Let’s play ‘find the poison’ shall we?
On this side we have a person responsible for the Church and the spiritual care of billions of souls using broad and sweeping but suitably vague language to impugn and denigrate many of those well-meaning Catholics who adhere as best they can to the doctrine and Tradition handed down to them.
On the other side we have one of the unfairly impugned making light of it by putting the insult on a mug.
Guess which one of these parties the great blogger who uses his power for nothing but unity, peace, and love thinks is guilty of passive-aggressive BS and of spreading poison?
December 17, 2013 at 5:18 am
"…well-meaning Catholics who adhere as best they can to the doctrine and Tradition handed down to them."
If this is the audience to whom you believe Pope Francis was speaking, and you do not understand Pope Francis at all. Pope Francis was speaking of the modern-day Pharisees who place too much emphasis on rules and not enough on compassion, forgiveness, and mercy. (Both have their proper measure.)
If Pope Francis' admonitions are hitting too close to home, perhaps you should reflect on that instead of mocking the Holy Father.
December 17, 2013 at 6:35 am
This post makes me so sad. Creative Minority Report was once my favourite blog. It was faithful, but funny; conservative but not doctrinaire. Now it seems to have descended into a near constant stream of complaint, fear and ridicule of Pope Francis by Patrick. What I once felt to be a welcome and warm take on the Catholic faith, seems more and more to come across as a frightened embattled fringe. I love you guys. I really do. But I am so tired … I am beginning to feel I have to look elsewhere for my daily dose the Joy of the Gospel.
December 17, 2013 at 8:04 am
"and you do not understand Pope Francis at all." Gee, I'm hearing that A LOT these days.
What Pope Francis meant to say was….insert stupid thing here.
December 17, 2013 at 10:54 am
Ha ha. Great mug!
December 17, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Oh yes. Have mercy on those who ignore 'rules' like church teaching on abortion, contraception, sodomy and who can be ordained, but utterly crush holy, devout, orthodox orders of Franciscan friars who only want to celebrate mass in accordance with church rules. BTW the blogger with the mug has been very supportive of the pope.
December 17, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Jim, you forgot irreverence in church before the Blessed Sacrament. Perhaps, If Pope Francis' attack can be read as an attack on those who are struggling with staying faithful, it may be looked on as a blessing, But where do we go from here? There is only laughter…with tears in our eyes.
December 17, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Shea hates anything and anybody that's a "reactionary". Therefor he hates traditional Catholics who actually think, believe, and practice the faith as it has been handed down. Oh, he doesn't mind the trads, as long as they are ghettoized, but he goes into a panic if they start influencing people outside their communities. Yeah, Marky doesn't want to be in a church were he might have to sit with folks who think a practicing sodomite can't be a saint, Michael Voris would be respected, and the six day creation story would be accepted as factual history, instead of being considered a theory. Yep, he would be very uncomfortable in a church that actually believed in what the church has always taught.
December 17, 2013 at 2:56 pm
"Shea hates…" and that is persistently sinful. That blogger who produced the mug has been supportive of Pope Francis, through all manner of ill-considered sound-bites upon which the media have pounced to prove that Francis is changing or cancelling Church doctrine.
The Church teachings are secure. What Francis has said is simply comment. It alters no doctrine, and is most certainly not infallible. What he has given us so far is simply his perspective, and suggestions for reflection.
December 17, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Mark would be uncomfortable sitting in any church filled with more than himself and the pope.
December 17, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Mark Shea needs to apologize AGAIN.
December 17, 2013 at 3:25 pm
JoAnna, Please explain to us modern-day Pharisees what "Self-Absorbed Promethean Neopelagian" means. No fair consulting Shea.
December 17, 2013 at 3:31 pm
No matter how you look at it "Self-Absorbed Promethean Neopelagian" is not a constructive criticism. It is a pejorative pure and simple.
December 17, 2013 at 4:00 pm
Jim: see the SSPX, and other Catholics who believe they are holy by virtue of following all the rules as they believe them to be.
And, yes, Jim, we are supposed to have mercy on sinners, even those who promote abortion and other sins. Mercy =/= condoning sin, however. Perhaps you should read more about what mercy is and how it is employed.
Rebecca, Pope Francis' words and meaning were, I thought, perfectly clear given their context as well as his other statements. Perhaps if you spent more time reading the words of the Holy Father (including those of BXVI and JPII) you'd understand him better.
Jesus' words often need to be explained as well (hence why priests do homilies). Do you believe it's okay not to follow Jesus' words (and/or slander Him) if you don't understand them?
Yes, Patrick, it is a pejorative. It's very telling that you think it's directed at you. If it is, then you should ask yourself, "Is this criticism justified?"
December 17, 2013 at 4:38 pm
Recent converts like Mark tend to be unbearable at times. he is the worst of the bunch however.
December 17, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Joanna
How could you possibly know what goes on in the hearts and minds of the SSPX. I am no fan of many of their actions, but like you I have no idea that as a group they believe they are justified by following the rules. Frankly, I highly doubt it since many are actively engaged in helping others. You are condescending and judgmental toward those who are different from you.
Splinter, see plank.
December 17, 2013 at 4:54 pm
JB wrote:
"Recent converts like Mark tend to be unbearable at times"
Mark Shea entered the Catholic Church in 1987 – so this particular "recent convert" has been Catholic for a quarter of a century. This is to be contrasted with a non-recent convert like Father Z, who entered the Catholic Church 30 years ago. Those extra 5 years sure do make a difference!
P.S. I've always distrusted that "recent convert" Paul the Apostle. The nerve of him – thinking he had any rate to write a bunch of letter hectoring other Christians when he himself had been Christian for less than 25 years!
December 17, 2013 at 4:55 pm
Patrick – I judge them by their actions and their writings. I do not judge the state of their souls, only that (objectively) they are in a precarious position by rejecting legitimate Church authority.
December 17, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Joanna — You most certainly did judge them.
"see the SSPX, and other Catholics who believe they are holy by virtue of following all the rules as they believe them to be. "
You explicitly write what they believe about their own holiness. How could you know that? You cannot unless you sit in the judgement seat or think that you do.
December 17, 2013 at 5:03 pm
I know that because it is the claim THEY make, Patrick – and their actions attest to it as well.
December 17, 2013 at 5:04 pm
Say what you want about Mark's writing style, but he has been a Catholic for longer than most of the folks who comment at his site.