So he's not been "banned" from publicly celebrating Mass just "asked to consider" refraining from publicly celebrating Mass? Temporarily, of course. What's the Bishop supposed to do with that? If he refrains as requested, its effect is still the same as a ban. If he decides not to refrain as "asked", he's likely to be portrayed as contin…
So he's not been "banned" from publicly celebrating Mass just "asked to consider" refraining from publicly celebrating Mass? Temporarily, of course. What's the Bishop supposed to do with that? If he refrains as requested, its effect is still the same as a ban. If he decides not to refrain as "asked", he's likely to be portrayed as continuing to be disobedient?
My workplace has had a director step down, with the replaced person continuing to work there. She rotated through another department for a while before returning, because it actually is quite hard to get things sorted out with your predecessor there, even though there is mutual respect, no hard feelings to be had, and no injustice.
I expect the bishop has enough wisdom to refrain for a while, and then start celebrating Mass publicly again. Possibly he will move to another diocese. But he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I suspect there are people who would portray other Catholics, including bishops, as "disobedient" for not jumping enthusiastically if the Pope mentioned that jumping is admirable. But it's a bad idea to act in order to avoid unreasonable criticism - or to overcorrect in the opposite direction.
Thank you for a thoughtful reply. I do pray your hopefulness is more accurate than my cynicism.
I saw what happened when the Bishop was "asked" to not attend the USCCB meeting. He complied yet showed up to honor a previously made promise to pray the Rosary with folks outside, as he has done in the past to their great gratitude. Yet he received criticism for that, with many implying he was grandstanding. Others suggested that if he was there at all, he should have ignored the "request" not to attend the meeting because it wasn't a "ban." Thus, I fear the Bishop may be in a current no-win situation as well, but again, I shall hope you are right and I am wrong.
Maybe. My response to some criticisms has been to shrug, because I was already aware that the person making them wasn't particularly good at observing or analyzing reality, or simply wasn't in a position to know the relevant facts. And I suspect he's got a lot more practice than I do at both good and bad criticism. Plus he sits with the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a day. That can mend a lot worse than a combox can inflict.
So he's not been "banned" from publicly celebrating Mass just "asked to consider" refraining from publicly celebrating Mass? Temporarily, of course. What's the Bishop supposed to do with that? If he refrains as requested, its effect is still the same as a ban. If he decides not to refrain as "asked", he's likely to be portrayed as continuing to be disobedient?
Privately celebrating Mass isn't the same thing.
It's called purgatory.
Yeah, but purgatory is painful yet has a good and holy purpose. What is the holy purpose of this "request"? Who benefits?
My workplace has had a director step down, with the replaced person continuing to work there. She rotated through another department for a while before returning, because it actually is quite hard to get things sorted out with your predecessor there, even though there is mutual respect, no hard feelings to be had, and no injustice.
I expect the bishop has enough wisdom to refrain for a while, and then start celebrating Mass publicly again. Possibly he will move to another diocese. But he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I suspect there are people who would portray other Catholics, including bishops, as "disobedient" for not jumping enthusiastically if the Pope mentioned that jumping is admirable. But it's a bad idea to act in order to avoid unreasonable criticism - or to overcorrect in the opposite direction.
Thank you for a thoughtful reply. I do pray your hopefulness is more accurate than my cynicism.
I saw what happened when the Bishop was "asked" to not attend the USCCB meeting. He complied yet showed up to honor a previously made promise to pray the Rosary with folks outside, as he has done in the past to their great gratitude. Yet he received criticism for that, with many implying he was grandstanding. Others suggested that if he was there at all, he should have ignored the "request" not to attend the meeting because it wasn't a "ban." Thus, I fear the Bishop may be in a current no-win situation as well, but again, I shall hope you are right and I am wrong.
Oh, I completely expect he will be criticized for anything beyond hiding under a rock. I just don't expect him to pay any attention to that criticism.
He's a human being. It's got to hurt.
Maybe. My response to some criticisms has been to shrug, because I was already aware that the person making them wasn't particularly good at observing or analyzing reality, or simply wasn't in a position to know the relevant facts. And I suspect he's got a lot more practice than I do at both good and bad criticism. Plus he sits with the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a day. That can mend a lot worse than a combox can inflict.