Clerical Narcissism - Something You Aren't Likely to See in the Washington Post

I added The Black Biretta to this blog's blogroll, under Other Catholic Websites and Blogs.

Here's an excerpt from today's post:

"Catholic America: Catholic clerical narcissism - On Faith at washingtonpost.com"
The Black Biretta (February 04, 2010)

"Catholic America: Catholic clerical narcissism - On Faith at washingtonpost.com

"Despite numerous efforts, my rebuttal to this article is not being published on the Washington Post website.
"So much for fair and balanced journalism.

"Here is my reply (after you read the above 'opinion' )

"OUCH! Why the ad hominem attack and why was it necessary to imply the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy is guilty of clerical narcissism? I agree that sadly there are some members of the clergy who are more concerned with their 'career' insofar as they seek to climb the ecclesiastical ladder, so to speak. Most priests and deacons, however, got ordained to serve God, His Church and His People...."

"...Professing fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium is something we are not embarrassed nor ashamed of yet I cannot see how it could ever conflict with caring for the poor or spreading the Good News. You do us an injustice by inferring or implying a form of clerical narcissism. When doctors attend annual workshops and network with fellow physicians, it is to help them become better doctors to better treat their patients...."

I've gotten the impression, too often, that many (most?) columnists learned about the Catholic Church by watching "Deliver Us from Evil" (2006), "Monsignor" (1982), and Tom Bosley in the role of Father Frank Dowling in the "Father Dowling Mysteries" series (1987-1991).

The latter is relatively innocuous, although I'm afraid that the clueless representation of the Catholic Church - coupled with bushels of gaffes, like Father Dowling scooting past the tabernacle without a glance. (That's a bit like having a WWII naval epic, where seamen don't stop chatting as the captain walks by.)

I'm glad to see that Padre Giovanni "John" Trigilio put his response online.

I've written before, about information gatekeepers: the people and institutions which determine (or used to determine) what the rest of us saw, heard, and read. I'm sincerely glad that we no longer need to rely on 'the right sort' to filter news and information.

Enough. I recommend reading that post.

Related posts:

• "What is an Information Gatekeeper?"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (August 14, 2009)
• "Year for Priests: 'Lord, Send Us Many Holy Priests' "
  (July 5, 2009)
• "The Catholic Church From a Priest's Perspective: a New-to-Me Blog"
  (April 13, 2009)
• "Good News from Africa: But Some People Won't Like It"
  (March 17, 2009)
• "The News and Palin, Kennedy, Iraq, Lebanon, Hamas: They Just Don't Get It"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (January 9, 2009)
• "Unbiased, Objective, Thorough Coverage..."
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (October 20, 2007)
• "Conservative? Liberal? Democrat? Republican? No, I'm Catholic"
  (November 3, 2008)