[ealgeone]

Has any pope ever done this before to members of the faithful--subject them to ridicule?

Sure....Roman Catholics routinely criticize Christians on these very forums.

[Mrs. Don-o]

For that matter, Catholics routinely criticize Catholics on this forum. And man, do we have blistering words for this present, lamentable pontificate!

However, ealgeone, what Rufus asked was, "Has any pope ever done this before to members of the faithful--subject them to ridicule?"

If what you mean by "pope" is "the true pope" (not an antipope) and if what you mean by "the faithful" is "the true faithful" (not people fallen into heresy, schism or apostasy)--- then the answer is

no.

I don't think so.

There was a whole lot of bitter language when you look at times of schism. Thinking of the time of St. Athanasius (when almost all the East had gone over to the heresy of Arius) or the Western Schism (for 40 years after the end of the Avignon papacies) ---severe division and lots of intra-church hatred.

But no, no popes continually sniping at and ridiculing the simple faithful---- ridiculing them precisely for their Catholic culture, customs, faith and morals ---- until now.