... as a devout and active Catholic ...
IMHO, there perhaps may be a slight contradiction within this ...?
Saint Francis de Sales was one example of a life eager to preach Catholicism. In a homily (given by Fr. Roger Landry) about the horrific child abuse by priests scandal, he referenced the words of St. Francis de Sales who said ...
"Those who commit these types of scandals are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder," destroying other people's faith in God by their terrible example. But then he warned his listeners, "But I'm here among you to prevent something far worse for you. While those who give scandal are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder, those who take scandal — who allow scandals to destroy their faith — are guilty of spiritual suicide." They're guilty, he said, of cutting off their life with Christ, abandoning the source of life in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. He went among the people in what is now Switzerland trying to prevent their committing spiritual suicide on account of the scandals.
I have this acutely uncomfortable feeling that you are looking for ways to criticize me.
Which is not what this thread is about. If I should come as disoriented and confused, well that’s exactly how I feel. I think one can be a devout Catholic and be so confused by lies and hypocrisy coming from the most important guy in my religion and still feel some urge to walk away from it....even if temporarily.
But you found your wedge and got in a dig at me.
Sorry....the Pope’s words were awful.
Keep trying to clean up his mess. Make sure that attacking those who question as part of the defense.
However you respond, you will have the last word.
I am not happy with the Pope. I might add that this is not the first time he’s been misinterpreted. Every time there was a “translation error”.
Like Obama before him, you only get so many lies before people stop listening.
Sir, attacking the down trodden is in bad taste.