I wanted to say, "You know very well what the Holy Father means ..."

Dissimulation in the blogisterium.

Comments I've received, as well as the few posts I've read complaining about how mean and nasty and insulting and gossipy and mocking and sneering the Pope has been, by people who do exactly the same thing to those who disagree with them.  One writer extrapolated what the Pope said in his anecdote about a seminarian trying on a cappa to demonstrate the Pope thinks of women who want to be priests.  

They miss the whole point because they are busy straining the gnat.  Elsewhere, another commenter asked if it is rigid to oppose this or that sin and misdeed which pundits claim the Church now approves.  Again - missing the point on what it means to avoid rigidity.  These discussions are futile when one's mind is made up that the Pope is the enemy - and those who believe that feed at the troughs of anti-papist Catholic bloggers.

People want answers?

The Pope has explained - he explains it over and over and over.  He warns against narcissism, clericalism, and the arrogance of authority to wield over others, to exclude and demean.

The example of the anonymous seminarian trying on clerical clothing in a Roman shop is clearly an anecdote, stated as a precaution against narcissism and clericalism.  Yet the sensitive and those who love such things take offense, assuming the Pope condemns tradition.  Their claim is absurd, since the teaching of the Catholic Church is steeped in tradition - the Pope is continually emphasizing this in his pastoral work - leaving all to follow Christ, going out to the poor, those on the margins, the abandoned, the lonely, the orphan and widow - single mothers - the lame and the sick, and so on.  Yet people ignore that, condemn it, critique it, and dissemble everything the Holy Father says, as if he is out to undermine the faith.

They know better.  Or they should.

It's about clericalism.  They know it.  They know it in their bones.

The evil of clericalism can still be found in the Church today

“A humble people, discarded and beaten by these people.” Even today, the Pope observed, this sometimes happens in the Church. “There is that spirit of clericalism,” he explained: “Clerics feel they are superior, they are far from the people”; they have no time to hear the poor, the suffering, prisoners, the sick”:

The evil of clericalism is a very ugly thing! It is a new edition of these people. And the victim is the same: the poor and humble people that awaits the Lord. The Father has always sought to be close to us: He sent His Son. We are waiting, waiting in joyful expectation, exulting. But the Son didn’t join the game of these people: The Son went with the sick, the poor, the discarded, the publicans, the sinners – and that is scandalous – the prostitutes. Today, too, Jesus says to all of us, and even to those who are seduced by clericalism: “The sinners and the prostitutes will go before you into the Kingdom of Heaven.” - Today's homily

Of course, I could be wrong.  

Don't be mad.

Happy Holidays!