NOTE: This is one of a continuing series of blogs on the current situation in our West Chester, Ohio parish.
AN EVIL DEED, as we all know, masquerades under the guise of good.
The contentious campaign that Father Markus Ramolla has orchestrated against our parish, our school, our seminary, our clergy and our staff is no different.
Father has followed what political strategists call “the big tent” strategy. No gripe you have against any of the targets is too small, no beef too petty, no grudge too obvious or self-serving.
So, all your indignation is righteous, all your judgments are definitely not rash, and all your gossiping is merely fraternal charity.
And when you’re standing in that confession line? Don’t think of confessing even a bit of it!
It’s all justified, because it proves that there’s a “dark spirit” hovering over Rialto Road.
There’s a place for you under the big tent at the Wingate. Wilkommen!
And during the social hour after Mass, or in the hotel lobby or the parking lot, well, there are plenty of opportunities to do more good deeds with like-minded Catholics: Recount old offenses, pass along old insinuations, invent new ones, denounce favorite targets and, above all, reinforce everyone’s solidarity against the common enemy.
Since it’s all for a righteous common cause — “truth,” “the people,” “justice for the children” — it can’t really be grudges and hate, tale-bearing and calumny, can it?
Can it?
Thus the power of group hate. It blinds the consciences of otherwise devout Catholics to the hatred that calls itself justice, and to the evil deed that masquerades as the good.