I'm looking forward to see how some will address that claim.
Father Thomas Rosica, Vatican PR aid mentioned it in a speech in Brooklyn where he was presented with the St. Francis DeSales Distinguished Communicator Award by Bishop DiMarzio. Actually, Fr. Rosica did more than simply mention the negative culture on Catholic blogs - he pretty much indicted a large section of the Catholic blogosphere in the address. With good reason, I might add. In fact, after reading the speech, you realize he knows well what's going on online and that means the Vatican knows, and the Pope knows, and, and, and ... I bet there's a list with names on it. ;)
Anyway. Rosica nails it - and I pretty much agree with him.
There's gonna be a fight ...
“In reality they are deeply troubled, sad and angry people ..."
To hear Father Thomas Rosica tell it, sometimes Catholic conversation on-line is more “culture of death” than “culture of life.”
“Many of my non-Christian and non-believing friends have remarked to me that we ‘Catholics’ have turned the Internet into a cesspool of hatred, venom and vitriol, all in the name of defending the faith!” he said.
“The character assassination on the Internet by those claiming to be Catholic and Christian has turned it into a graveyard of corpses strewn all around,” said Rosica, who assists the Vatican Press Office with English-speaking media, on May 11 as he delivered the keynote address at the Brooklyn Diocese’s observance of World Communications Day.
“Often times the obsessed, scrupulous, self-appointed, nostalgia-hankering virtual guardians of faith or of liturgical practices are very disturbed, broken and angry individuals, who never found a platform or pulpit in real life and so resort to the Internet and become trolling pontiffs and holy executioners!” Rosica said.
“In reality they are deeply troubled, sad and angry people,” he said. “We must pray for them, for their healing and conversion!” - Crux
Vatican Intelligence can detect internet chatter, online
weblogs and social media communications, including podcasts, Skype,
as well as Ham radio transmissions. - The Congregation for Bishops.
What?
[H/T to PHBCofI blog for the photo and gif.]
Rosica. Pot. Kettle.
ReplyDeletePreach it, brother.
DeleteSad.
DeleteEver read the vitriol against JPII, Benedict XVI, Archbishop Chaput, etc at NCR? A few weeks ago a commenter at the refined and pacific "Commonweal" said he'd like to "drygulch" "someone in a habit." This was in a post about a video on Religious Liberty from the USCCB. Part of it addresses the situation the Little Sisters of the Poor. I sent "Commonweal an email protesting such violent speech. As of today, the comment is still there:
ReplyDelete"Really? They want to rally the troops due to a shared butthurt over 10 Commandments monuments being removed? This whole thing just makes me want to go find someone in a habit and drygulch them."
Dry gulch means to ambush someone with an intent to kill them.
If we're against hate and vitriol on Catholic blogs then we must include progressive and liberal Catholic blogs. Even Pope Francis, when he speaks about marriage or gender ideology, doesn't escape the venom of the commenters on these blogs.
Hey Terry,
ReplyDeleteFr Rosica has some justification and quite the experience in this area, as he was highly victimized (though not completely innocent - old emails have sinced surfaced ...) by the "Catholic" blogosphere after he tried to stop (or silence if one takes the side of the blogosphere) himself from being harassed and reported about online using civil suit. While yes, material is out there publicly that has shown where he stands theologically speaking, there is a difference between fraternally correct criticism and analysis in the Faith, and public smear campaigns laced with retraction and/or slander.
See here in Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Rosica
And it's interesting you posted a picture of Michael Voris in this post. He was part of that episode Fr Rosica experienced if you care to research things. It makes me wonder if Voris, now being the target himself of not only the darkest elements masquerading as the Church AND the blogosphere himself (certain people, not all) if he will change his tune and the content he produces from ChurchMilitantTV.
Terry,
ReplyDeleteI really did think you photoshoppped MV into the photo.
Katie
Meanwhile...Fr. Rosica goes back to the studio to interview some more heretics for Salt and Light TV...
ReplyDeleteJust having fun here - the blog I snatched the gif from has the best editorials on Catholic blogs. No one gets by without a swift kick in the ass there.
ReplyDeleteIt is a rich irony indeed that Fr. Rosica ,our advocate for all things homosexual, is the PR man for the Vatican. It is this man who now feels compelled to lecture blogdom about charity? LOL!
ReplyDeleteFrank: Have you ever tried to post a comment at America Magazine in defense of the faith? Good luck!
Looking Back: Same-sex “marriage” advocate Gregory Baum lauded by Fr. Thomas Rosica
ReplyDeletehttps://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/same-sex-marriage-advocate-gregory-baum-lauded-by-fr.-thomas-rosica
Fr. Rosica's Homosexual Synod Agenda - YouTube
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWCzy5rRBVs
All I can say to Father Rosica is - Amen, Amen, Amen and Amen! The Catholic blogosphere is one huge scandal. Our job as followers of Christ is to evangelize and bring people to the Church. Anyone reading these horrific blogs would only be turned away from a Church filled with these hateful, spiteful people and their constant condemnation of anyone they don't like, which is anyone who doesn't completely agree with everything they write.
ReplyDeleteAgree ... except it applies to both sides of the aisle. I remember when Papa Benny announced his retirement, NC Reporter's comboxes were full of disrespect, smears and innuendo. I stopped visiting them after John Allen left, glad I did. Crux grew wearisome too as there was one tedious poster who was always badmouthing the Church as well as Benedict and Francis. I ain't gonna bother with the name of the bothersome poster since they do not deserve free publicity. I used to frequent the Catholic Herald too and Z's site but had to move on since I did not care for the disrespect, lack of charity and same old tiresome bs they kept rehasing over and over and over. I am so glad I left all of those places behind.
DeleteFather Bill Peckman says it just so!
http://ramblingsofacountrypastor.blogspot.com/2016/05/wading-through-cesspool-caveat-lector.html
Thanks for the Father Bill Peckman blog post. Good stuff!
DeleteLet me simply say the Good News will not be found on a blog. Catholic or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThat should not be so. As followers of Jesus Christ, we should all be messengers of the Good News. That is the great command given to us in Matthew 28.
Delete