“The issue is whether FSSP (ebb tide claiming to be a member) is so closely associated with SSPX that it ought to be excluded also - or whether it ought to be included in the general ‘Catholic’ category because FSSP is in communion with the Pope.”
That is a lunatic idea.
The FSSP is in good standing with the Bishop of Rome. If you start excluding genuinely Catholic groups from Catholic Caucus threads, then you've vitiated the purpose of the label. If the decision of the actual Catholic Church in communion with the actual Bishop of Rome isn't sufficient to define who is Catholic and who is not, then the meaning of “Catholic” as used in the Religion Forum becomes unmoored from reality.
As well, ebb tide is NOT a member of the FSSP (unless I've missed the fact that he is ordained or on the road to ordination). Ebb tide is a CATHOLIC. Pure and simple. No modifiers. No qualifiers. Just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill CATHOLIC.
The FSSP is a society of PRIESTS, DEACONS, and those studying to be PRIESTS and DEACONS.
Laypeople who are not in the seminary on their way to ordination are not members of the FSSP.
Furthermore, it is a society of Pontifical Right, meaning that it answers only to the pope. Is that Catholic enough? As a layperson, ebb tide is entitled to assist at Mass at any Mass celebrated publicly by priests with faculties in communion with the Church. That doesn't include the Masses offered by the SSPX, but it does include those offered by the FSSP.
My perspective was that the caucus label is meant to avoid disruption from OUTSIDERS, not internal disagreement when there are legitimate differences of opinion within the Catholic community here at FR.
What's next - throwing out "Novus Ordo" Catholics who have problems with Pope Francis? I guess I fall into that category. I assist pretty much at the ordinary form of the Mass, in the vernacular, every Sunday and holy day. But sometimes, the pope says things that strike me as foolish, poorly thought-out, badly expressed, or just plain old silly. Am I next to be excluded from Catholic Caucus threads?
Ebb tide is, as far as I can see, a devout, faithful Catholic who is critical of this pope and of Blessed Pope John Paul II. I'm unsure of his views of Benedict XVI. Contrary to popular rumor, Catholics may be critical of a pope's actions and words, as long as they submit to the legitimate, binding Magisterium of the Church. Not every utterance and action of the pope is part of the Magisterium. It's not all infallible (by a very long shot).
My suggestion is to let actual Catholics hash out these issues among ourselves.
sitetest
Years ago there were complaints that the Orthodox, who were part of the "Catholic Caucus" at the time, were disrupting thread after thread. The caucus was then split into Catholic on the one hand and Orthodox on the other, but posters could combine the two on any thread by stipulating "Catholic/Orthodox Caucus." Several Orthodox posters became so indignant about it, they left the forum altogether.
Recently, traditionalists of various stripes have been disrupting Catholic Caucus threads and in a similar hashing session, the guidelines were changed to read as shown on post #8.
Perhaps the best solution is to scrap all of it and instead leave it to the poster of the article to be specific, or not.
Thanks, sitetest. You’ve pegged me pretty well about my concerns about Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II. I do miss Pope Benedict and his too short reign as the Vicar of Christ.