...a thoughtful piece saying why I think it is a pity that Pope Francis has decided to have women among those who have their feet washed in the Mandatum on Maundy Thursday.
But this has produced such a torrent of inane, and in some cases spiteful Comments about the Pope that I have deleted it.
It was especially nasty to have the anonymous Comment from some one who said he/she was glad I had "FINALLY" (in excited block capitals) said something against the Pope...and that he/she "just wanted to speak out". But Anonymous has not spoken out: merely hidden behind a nasty anonymous comment. And it was this that made me remove my Blog piece. I don't want to be linked in any way to such people.
Please note: I think it is great pity that the Pope has done this, and believe it will one day be reversed. There is something profound about a man kneeling before other men and being at their service, and this is a subtly different thing from the long tradition of Christian kindliness and chivalry towards women. So I think there is much more to explore here, and the Pope's decision will not be the last word on the subject - there can be further respectful discussion over the years on this.
But I am wholly uninterested in any comments from people who loathe the Pope/believe he is the antichrist/point rudely to his clumsy movements/ are longing for him to die/ sneer at him for not genuflecting on one knee/announce that he makes them incoherent with rage/ believe he is an imposter etc etc etc.
2 comments:
I found your views on this point, which are also available elsewhere, well reasoned and entirely convincing.
As a convert of lttle more than eighteen months' standing I will make only one comment on the Holy Father and that is that he frequently leaves me confused as to the certainties that are, for me, the whole essence of our Catholic Faith. I find help and reassurance in the writings of St Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas and the Scriptures.
Bravo Auntie for taking a stand against the trolls (for that is what they are). No-one should be immune from criticism and/or critique but if it is done in the way you describe, it's no better than a form of cyber-bullying. Your blog and the positions you put forward are always so reasoned and sensitively put so there's no need for it to be a lightning rod for those with agendas of their own. If people can't play nicely, they shouldn't play at all...
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