Really, Some People Just Can't Read!

I read a blog post the other day that raked Msgr. Charles Pope over the coals because of an article titled "Kindness is not the same as love." After I read Msgr. Pope's article I wondered if the blogger knew how to read. The monsignor was making the point that "Love should not be reduced to mere kindness." It's much more. He specifically said that "Kindness is certainly a good thing and has an important place in our relationships" and "Kindness is an aspect of love." But, Monsignor Pope goes on, "it is necessarily distinct from it, for it sometimes happens that love, which wills what is best for the other, may deem it best not to remove all suffering." And then he writes about parents disciplining their children, etc.

The article made me think of the book Doctor at Calvary written by a surgeon who talked about how he had to harden himself to the suffering of his patients because, of necessity, he inflicted pain to achieve cures. Would he have been kind to let a patient die of infection because he didn't want to inflict the pain of surgical treatment? "I was kind; too bad the patient died." Is it kind to coddle sin and error and call it mercy and love?

Msgr. Pope was completely on target when he wrote:

many false expectations are centered on the exaltation of kindness over love. In our culture, this is manifested in the fact that suffering of any sort is seen as unbearable and even a reason for legal action. It has also led to our insistence on comfort accelerating out of control. The demand for euthanasia flows from this sort of thinking as well.

I sidewalk counseled outside abortion mills for many years when I lived in northern Virginia and I can't count the number of people who accused me of being unkind for telling women the truth about abortion and urging them to rethink their decision. After all, their situation is hard enough without people like me being out there making it even harder.

Remember all those surrounding Brittany Maynard, the young woman with an aggressive brain tumor. Was affirming her decision to kill herself really the kind and compassionate way to go? Many in her family said so. When she considered delaying her suicide, the "compassion in dying" folks were there like a flash to talk her out of it and make sure she killed herself on schedule.

The culture of death wears the mask of "kindness" and "compassion" to cover up its crimes. Abortionists claim they are helping women and it's mean and unkind for people to challenge a "woman's choice." Kindness is often the mask people wear to disguise evil.

Msgr. Pope defends the faith no matter who undermines it, including Pope Francis, and that's the real beef of the blogger. She uses any stick to beat up on those she labels "traditionalists." Her blog is filled with posts attacking Cardinal Raymond Burke, Fr. Zuhlsdorf, and any other priest, bishop, or layman who writes in correction of error. (I always shake my head and laugh because she often criticizes me for being "judgmental.") In this particular post, she accused those who disagree with some of the pope's actions of "hating him." Whoa! Now that is one serious rash judgment! Does Cardinal Zen of China who expressed his concern over the betrayal of the underground Church hate the pope? I don't think so. Does Cardinal Sarah who has denounced clergy who betray the faith? One can hate someone's actions without hating the person. Most of us have that experience in our own families. And Scripture is very clear. "For whom the Lord loves, he chastises; and he scourges every son whom he receives." Hebrews 12:6

Msgr. Charles Pope is an eloquent defender of the faith. (You can listen to Msgr. Pope here and he's definitely worth listening to.) We need more like him...and Bishop Athanasius Schneider...and Cardinal Sarah...and layman Robert de Mattei, etc. All Catholics need the courage to stand up to error and correct it in a spirit of fraternal charity.

But it's unsurprising that a blogger who is an admirer of Fr. James Martin and Fr. Anthony Spadaro would attack Msgr. Pope. Some people who claim to love the faith need a reality check! I think I'll send Msgr. Pope a letter of thanks for his courageous defense of the faith. In the meantime, it will be a long time before I revisit the "I hate traditionalists" blog site (Not it's name.) Reading diatribes against faithful Catholic priests gives me heartburn.

Oh, by the way, please pray for my fellow blogger. We all have blind spots.