[ebb tide]

I had never heard of Ricca before. I'm in the process of being introduced to, and evaluating the evidence. There seems to be a lot on the Internet from the Italian press stating that this Msgr. Ricca is a sodomite.

So why were you so quick to accuse me of slander and demanding not only my repentance, but restitution?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Because this disgraceful sin had been attributed to him without evidence. Now that I have seen evidence --- and from public sources at that, so it seems it is not "secret" sin --- it is apparently not a slander.

I say "it seems" and "apparently" because I don't know how to evaluate these Italian press sources. You'll notice if you google phrases, that a good many of them have the same original source (they all repeat identical phrases and sentences in the same order) ---- which suggests it isn't, say, 200 sources, but one source being recycled 200 times.

However, as an American, and of course as a Catholic, I must deem a person innocent absent evidence to the contrary. I know you understand that.

Rash judgment, detraction and slander are so epidemic against Catholics, and so poisonously destructive, that I am becoming much more vigilant about it.

Detraction is something I have been guilty of, and have confessed, and it's no a "minor" sin. It's a killer.