AmericanPapist Comments
Position; Would Shepherd fit on your side of the pond.
Before when he asked to be my friend I didn't realize he was a Bishop. Pretty cool that.
Can't believe thought that I didn't yet have you as a friend on facebook yet Thomas.
Are you certain it is the bishop himself? I shouldn't have thought that the bishops have time for Facebook. Perhaps a member of the diocesan offices, at best.
As I said: "Now, in all probability, the profile is administered by someone in the diocesan offices."
What exactly is the point of this post?
It describes the ways in which a bishop has chosen to minister to his diocese, particularly young adults, for those who don't have facebook.
clear enough?
That's what I thought until I realized how you felt the need to dissect his entire profile... because...?
actually, i only excerpted parts i found interesting or notable. he has much more information on his page. as for the "because", well, have you ever read a personal interview with a bishop? these are prettymuch the sorts of things that come up.
One of our priests was on a flight one day and someone asked him who he worked for, and he said his boss was a Jewish Carpenter! We got a good laugh out of that. Awesome that he has a facebook profile. Gotta evangelize to the new generation!!!
monsignor georg ganswein (sp?) has facebook.
i sent him a friend request but i'm not expecting to be added
I'm friends with a total of three priests on facebook, granted I know them personally, but they work at colleges, one as a professor at Seton Hall, and 2 as Catholic Campus Ministry at two of NJ's public colleges. They are on there as a way to interact with the young adults they work with and have worked with.
It's great to see a Bishop joining the masses and attempting to interact with young adults and teens as they interact with one another. Smart Bishop, maybe someone can man one for Bishop Serratelli in my diocese!
I think Katerina is referring to this:
He has 38 wallposts (he's got some catching up to do - I have 2100+)
What is the point of this other than to brag as if any of us care how many wall postings are on your profile? Does the good bishop even care what's on your profile? This little gloat of yours is indicative of a consistent tenor with all things "AmP," namely, the blithe self-promotion (e.g., reminding us how many visitors come by, creating your own fan page on Facebook) and seeming self-obsession. At the risk of sounding uncharitable, I think the quality that most harms your intentions to be "not your average Catholic," is the incessant self-promotion that is actually a contrary witness to the Gospel's call for humility (I don't mind admitting that I, myself, severely lack in that department). Your blog used to be about the faith. Now, with each passing day, its more about you. That's fine; it's your blog. But if you want to be more than "your average Catholic" (what real Catholic would even perceive himself/herself as better than all those other, average Catholics?), then you ought to shift back to the words of John the Baptist (i.e., thinking "He must increase as I decrease rather than "He must increase as I increase).
Liz, keep hoping! He accepted my friend request (and so did the Bishop).
Facebook is fun and there's a large Catholic contingent on there...
Wow, Policraticus, that's pretty harsh. I think Thomas can be facetious and whatnot without being considered to have a giant ego, or some such nonsense.
Re: Employment. Wouldn't he be self-employed? See for example CIC c. 381 § 1 (diocesan bishops have proper ordinary power, i.e. they exercise their law-given authority in their own name). Although he's responsible for the diocese of little rock, I don't think anyone could say that the diocese controls the bishop like an employer controls an employee or a master controls a servant.
Then again, in secular law, he probably is employed by the diocesan corporation, if there is such a thing for the diocese of little rock.
politcraticus, if ever there was an example of seeing what you want to see, this is it. the hubris revealed it the multitude of presumptions you make about my charecter is very saddening to me. if ever you met me you might realize how silly your tirade seems, but alas, that's seemingly one of the penalties inherent in online impressions...
i mean, do you honestly think I consider myself "more popular" than a bishop? such a presumption is so ludicrious, and so antithetical to the purposes of my blog. what else did i mean by "okay, he's got me good there." try to read my entire posts, and not just select what you want to see...
Katerina and Politcraticus are clearly not on facebook ;-)
A bishop being on facebook (and having "bishop" as his position) is pretty much hilarious and very much exciting to our generation. His list of degrees is about as long as my arm... also entertaining. Normally people add multiple degrees as a gag (not really having them). Comparing facebook stats and dissecting friends' profiles are common activities among our generation (I have 350 friend... well I have 375!)
The two of you missed the meaning of this post by several miles. Bp. should be commended for his work on the New Evangelization.
Policraticus, it could be worse. AmP could have gone off the deep end like Gerald Naus at the now defunct "the Cafeteria is Closed" blog. Man it bums me out how he's changed. Mea Culpa and all that but jeez.
So brag and promote away I say, he's got something worth promoting. (AmP I'll contact ya offline for the kickbacks - PayPal works for me)
if ever you met me you might realize how silly your tirade seems, but alas, that's seemingly one of the penalties inherent in online impressions...
Once more, you extol your own virtues ("If you really knew me in person, you'd see how great I really am"). There is nothing deceptive in "online impressions" when someone incessantly promotes oneself by creating one's own fan clubs, writing entire posts on the traffic of one's own blog, and the like. Self-promotion is self-promotion, Thomas. There's not much room for error in perceiving it.
i mean, do you honestly think I consider myself "more popular" than a bishop? such a presumption is so ludicrious, and so antithetical to the purposes of my blog.
Perhaps what's even more ludicrous is that you think that this is what I wrote. I never said anything about you claiming to be "more popular" than a bishop. Rather, I pointed out how you take even the smallest of opportunities to promote yourself ("I have over 2100+ wall postings!").
what else did i mean by "okay, he's got me good there." try to read my entire posts, and not just select what you want to see...
Nice try to deflect attention from yourself instead of facing up to what you clearly exhibit on a regular basis.
Comparing facebook stats and dissecting friends' profiles are common activities among our generation (I have 350 friend... well I have 375!)
Well, I assume that Thomas is in your "generation." That would place me in your "generation" as well. And I must say that neither or nor anyone of my Facebook friends comparing our popularity together. I'd say that its not so much a generational trait as a lame attempt at self-generated self-esteem.
Again, these are simply differences of personality, not objective measures of virtue.
Here's the irony. Katherine's first comment: "That's what I thought until I realized how you felt the need to dissect his entire profile... because...?"
Interesting that you have done the exact same thing to me... because ...?
I am on Facebook. I have 442 friends and 267 wall posts... I have some catching up to do, don't I?... maybe I will create my own fan page on Facebook :D
well it's nice to know you both are still reading AmP, otherwise i long ago would have changed the blog to something like "www.iloveme.com" and no one would have called me on it! :P
Well I learned something from this combox exchange: If you are going to do the verbal equivalent of stuffing a grenade in your mouth and pulling the pin, at least do it in an entry with real controversy.
Thomas,
I for one don't think you're arrogant. I think you're successful. ;-)
Wow, Policraticus. When I read your first comment I didn't think you were possibly being serious. If Thomas' ego bugs you that much you really don't have to read his blog. Don't cause arguments just for the sake of arguing.
Here's the irony. Katherine's first comment: "That's what I thought until I realized how you felt the need to dissect his entire profile... because...?"
Interesting that you have done the exact same thing to me... because ...?
No she didn't. And her name is "Katerina." I think the problem may not simply be your reading comprehension (more time on a blog than on your actual studies will do that to you), but with your inability to accept criticism.
Wow, Policraticus. When I read your first comment I didn't think you were possibly being serious.
Quite serious.
If Thomas' ego bugs you that much you really don't have to read his blog.
Egos don't bother me much (I have to deal with my own). Flaunting exhibition of ego and self-promotion from a Catholic is what I find peculiarly insolent. I only come by when a reader of my blog or a friend of mine informs me of a truly preposterous piece at AmP, which is almost becoming commonplace.
lol, again, I'm glad to hear that I'm providing conversation points for your soirees. :)
p.s. thanks to all the readers who are jumping in to my defense. you guys rock. on with the blogging! =)
Policratus complaining about someone else's ego has got to be the funniest thing I have ever seen.
Seriously, can I loan you a piece of coal so that in six weeks I can have a diamond? (Ferris Bueller will at least appreciate that reference.)
D'oh. Ferris Bueller fans will appreciate the reference.
"Egos don't bother me much (I have to deal with my own)."
I'd agree with that.
Log. Speck. Eye.
Defense or no defense, the state of affairs remains.
Log. Speck. Eye.
Ha ha, nothing like taking the Lord's words on jugdgment and manipulating them into one's own judgment about the log in someone else's eye. Instead of just judging someone with your own words, you've managed to rise to the level of judging someone with the Lord's teaching on judgment. Now that's something all Catholics should emulate. As AmP would say, "You rock!"
Policraticus,
I think it might have been better if you had e-mailed Thomas about your concerns and thoughtfully discussed it with him personally that to air all of this out for the neighbors to see, as it were. We would do well to check ourselves concerning how this may appear to non-Catholics and non-Christians.
As AmP would say, "You rock!"
Isn't that needless sarcasm?
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