For the most part, people are very respectful here at C.A., but I’ve had my fair share of mean, angry folks, as well. I just appreciate the kind ones and try to “consider the source” with the nasty ones, and pray for all.
I think that’s absolutely true. The people who create friction are few and far between.
Sometimes, I’ve also seen a few religious on C.A. speak a bit harshly or come off as if they are trying to be experts on everything, which, obviously, we are NOT…but, indeed, if the question is about our religious life, we are “experts”!
I can certainly think of posts I’ve written (who knows, maybe including this one!) which were meant in an entirely open-handed fashion, but when I’ve re-read them a few days later, do indeed sound patronising or dismissive. It isn’t easy to make a point firmly
as the “era of religious is long gone; now it is US in charge”…YIKES! Very sad, indeed (and scary!).
I don’t have any problem with secular people being in charge of things, so long as they are as respectful of people and protocols as we are expected to be as religious. Sometimes this authority is seen as an opportunity to ignore those protocols, however, and promote the pet projects that Brother David refers to without due attention to* actual *as opposed to *perceived *church teaching. Obviously religious can be just as guilty of that.
You are dead on with this statement, especially when it comes to sin & the Church. Some people are looking for confirmation in their sin & do not like it when the truth is presented to them.
I actually don’t find it to be that way, typically. The issues on which people are most discourteous seem to be matters of practice and liturgy, and related questions concerning devotions or the externals of religious life like clothing. Whilst all of those matters are fair game for comment by all, I don’t understand why they seem to attract such venom or indeed, such moral certainty. In that sense the sin in question is the sin of pride.
Also, it is a lot easier to be mean & nasty over the internet then in person. And it comes down to the debasing of our culture where courtesy & respect are being lost.
I think that’s absolutely right; people come here and elsewhere on the net and express a level of aggression and discourtesy that they would not dare to express in public, and which would not be tolerated even once in a face-to-face conversation.
It’s almost a two-sided message that says, “We want priests and religious as long as they agree with us and meet our standards.” This raises a signficant question on which we must reflect. Who does the calling, God or us?
I think this is very true. Recently I contributed to a thread in which a religious sister was criticised because a picture of her showed her in sports gear on a basketball court (she was coaching) and the comment was made that her foundress would turn in her grave to see her not wearing a habit. Quite aside from the absurdity of applying that standard to the particular situation, the negative comments were predicated on a reading of the minds and souls of sisters who don’t wear religious garb, with bad faith and lack of loyalty being ascribed accordingly.
I appreciate that many secular people would like to see more religious in distinctive clothing; I think that people are entitled to express that view, and explain their reasons; I don’t believe for a second that it gives people licence to question the lifelong work and witness of good people, or question their good name (and just to get a little pedantic, canon 220 of the 1983 code would support me there!).
And yes, I know that there are many people who are of the opinion that some religious institutes are too ‘out there’ and not faithful to the magisterium. But I think we have to assume good faith, and that our faith in the magisterium has to include being obedient to the requirements of Christian charity and respect. I always try to assume good motives from others, even when they’re being discourteous. Probably I often fail in that respect.
If we want more priests and religious men, then we have to be open to the men whom God and the Church call. It is not we who do the calling.
Yes indeed, and this sense of ownership that some posters here seem to have, whereby they think they can dictate how religious live, or what they think or wear or how they pray, is lacking in this humility. Sometimes I think that there is a general misunderstanding about the prophetic nature of religious life, which is intended to look forward and to push at the boundaries of Christian praxis, not reinforce a reified and comfortably familiar Church. Respect between the different parts of the church is vital, and no group intrinsically deserves more respect than another. Sometimes I think CAF is a great resource for exchanging views and helping to teach and be taught; at other times it just seems like a bad-tempered brawl in a barroom. I guess we all have to work harder at playing nice.
