A corporal work of mercy.

A corporal work of mercy.
Click on photo for this corporal work of mercy!

Thursday 11 August 2016

Some thoughts on Comments

Since allowing "anonymous" comments on this blog a few years ago, the number of comments has increased significantly. Debate has been robust at times, to be sure. I have very few rules in the combox, they are posted where you leave a comment. I don't believe in a lot of "rules," but it did become necessary to moderate and not allow comments to be published, automatically.

There are a few commenters that some others find frustrating. I appreciate their insights and the insights of those who rebut them. In the case of one, he allows me to become more circumspect, no matter how frustrating he seems. I allow sedevacantists because, while I don't adhere to their position at all, I understand their pain and believe we need to speak together and reason together. They are Catholics every bit as much as the SSPX and those who attend regular parishes. All of us are upset about the state of the Church but we cannot keep attacking each other. We know where the enemies are, let's save the attacks for them.  

I wish to address another matter.

A commenter, under the "anonymous" name has been here for quite a while. A number of months ago, I wrote to him in the box to go away, that he "bored" me. He did for a while. 

A few weeks ago, he left a comment one night on a matter that could not have been known by anyone but a priest. I was already aware of the situation, so the news did not come as a surprise to me. What came a surprise was that a commenter to this blog also knew and would have the temerity to publicly state it. It was quickly determined that because he knew and because of the language employed, the commenter was a priest.

I did not post his comment (and will not discuss the matter). suffice to say, it was a disgraceful and sinful revelation about a brother of his, another priest. It was a disgusting and vile sin of detraction and gossip. It was an attempt on his part to destroy another and use me as the tool to do it.

He has found out that I am nobody's tool, and nobody's fool.

His comments became more numerous, and except for a few when he stopped attacking his brother and kept the comment to the post, I did not publish any of what he left. He became more angry over being ignored and STARTED WRITING IN CAPITALS, the equivalent of screaming. The more I ignored him, the more angry, he became. His comments will not be published, ever. It was not a difficult exercise through my StatCounter, to make some determinations.

One might say, "don't let him live in your brain." Yes, I agree. He does not. What does live in my brain is the fact that the commenter, a priest and alleged self-described canonist, is using my combox as a vehicle to attack a brother priest and disclose private information that is nobody's business. It is repugnant and it is evil.

When this writer comments on a priest, it is about what he might say or write or do in public; - there is a massive difference.  

As for my anonymous canonist friend, he knows what he can do.

16 comments:

Ana Milan said...

You get trolls everywhere on the internet. They are cowards hiding behind anonymous/pseudo names trying to stir-up trouble. You seem to have the matter under complete control & thanks for your honest & heartfelt articles on the ongoing diabolical state of the CC.

Anonymous said...

Thank You Vox for not allowing this persons wicked comments to be made public.. I am sure this person is no priest, what they claim to know although may sound true would be nothing but malicious lies. Some people require many prayers. Please keep up the good work Vox!

Vox Cantoris said...

Ah, but he is a priest. Only a priest would have know what he knew and when. That is what makes it so much worse. Knowing the hatred in his heart and mind for his brother and his attempt to use me to attack his brother. Thank you for your kindness and yes, he requires many prayers.

Peter Lamb said...

When the shepherd is struck, the sheep will scatter. That is what is happening to us. However, Catholic truth is objective and if we stick to what the Church has believed and taught, always and everywhere, we will find each other again.

Vox Cantoris said...

Peter, I appreciate everything that you post here!

Peter Lamb said...

Thanks Vox. :)

Ever mindful said...

Love God, serve God; everything is in that.

St Clare of Assisi


St Clare of Assisi

Born: July 16, 1194
Died: August 11, 1253
Occupation: Saint

Gail said...

I give thanks to the lord above for you and your writings. For the negative must see truth an so it infuriates him. May he ask our Blessed Mother to pray for him that the confusion and garbage he speaks will be forgiven before he draws his last breath. God Bless you

Anonymous said...

Sadly today, even many lay people will employ theological jargon to attack Mother Church and her priests. Worry not Vox. God knows.

Anonymous said...

Pathetic that a canon lawyer would use the Church's sacred teaching to promote filth.

Anonymous said...

I shake my fists at canonists. The canon lawyers could not find "sufficient evident" for my annulment application. Now me and my husband are barred from Holy Communion.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous at 6:19
Most dioceses in the U.S. find "evidence" of nullity in close to 100% of the cases brought before them. That is a shocking state of affairs. If there was not sufficient evidence, then you are still currently married to your original spouse. You can appeal the finding.

Anonymous said...

Vox, you are absolutely correct. Your first duty is the integrity of your blog, not giving a free forum to anonymous rants.

Speaking of anonymous, I post that way merely because it's quick and easy, and I don't post very often. I did not suppose the other folks here would want to particularly identify me.

However, this incident makes me wonder if it may be more in the spirit of mutual respect for we commenters to have a nom d'plume when possible. I don't understand the technical aspects of registering with a google account; the totalitarian "feel" of that company also has dissuaded me from doing so. But I will try to grasp your posting options and select one that is not anonymous. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I don't know the "problem" with the accused priest's private life, but I must say that sometimes that private life you don't want to talk about does affect the public life/office.

I will not give location or names, but I know priests that because of their double life/dubious sanctity, they're never at the parish, they use resources and people in the community to handle their own personal affairs, etc.

There's a thin line between a priest's private and public life. In my opinion, they should live in their private life what they preach in their public life.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Marilyn - You are completely right! I have learned over the last couple of years that "ministries" I was supporting did little more than make sure that Father had pretty vestments and good holidays. What appears to be holy is often deceptive.

Eirene said...

Dear Vox - as you have rightly said - this is your blog. And a good blog it is too! And as a sometime commenter I need to give you this feedback. What people comment is not particularly upsetting to me - but it is the length of endless comments that is. FirstPeterFive stipulated not so long ago that comments should not be forever and that multi-comments by the same commenter on the same subject were not encouraged. Often I wish to see what others are thinking - not just one person going on for reams! One's time in the combox is not eternal and having to scroll down and down and down just so that someone can carry on adding to an already utterly exhaustive litany of "points" is really off-putting. To the extent that one avoids the blog sometimes if one spots that kind of behaviour in the combox. Just saying, Vox and thanks for the courage you show!