Brainless Idiot not adhering to the comment policy [UPDATE]

Apparently the phrase "brainless idiot" does not adhere to the Being Frank comment policy.

I think that's what I said, I don't tend to be any stronger than that, though it would be deserved for those who continue to drive the Church in NZ into disrepute.

Who knows what Mr Tips said, I doubt it was that bad either.

Related Link: Anything for better seats? ~ Being Frank

Update 14 October, 2011: The Being Frank post that I link to above has been deleted. So, here is the text of the post from my archives (yes, I Scrapbooked it!)

Anything for better seats?
The Dumb Ox, 1 December 2009

I came across an article on page 2 of the Dunedin diocesan newsletter recently, entitled Borrowed robes ensured a prime spot in Basilica.

In the article, Fr. Damian Wynn-Williams brags about how he dressed up in a borrowed cassock and surplice in order to deceive the security staff at Saint Peter’s in Rome into letting him gain access to better seating for a Canonization.

He already had tickets for the event, but he wanted better seating, and so after the Apostolic Nuncio’s request on his behalf failed, he set about deceiving the security guards at Saint Peter’s in order to trick his way into better seats.

I have to say that I was a little bit stunned by this whole affair for several reasons.

1. While it isn’t the most serious of offenses, it is still a blatant act of dishonesty that was perpetrated solely for selfish reasons (to gain better seating than others present at the event).

2. Bishop Colin Campbell – according to the published story – actually came up with the idea of this deception, and then lent Father Wynn-Williams a pectoral cross to wear.

My understanding is that the pectoral cross is actually an official part of the dress for bishops in the Latin rite, so shy would such an important item be lent out to someone for the purpose of tricking their way into better seating at an event?

Would Bishop Colin have also leant out his mitre or crosier if that would have helped get someone a better seat?

Was the intent to deceive the security at Saint Peter’s into thinking that Father Wynn-Williams was actually a bishop?

3. This whole event was quite openly and jokingly bragged about in the Dunedin diocesan newspaper

The Vatican actually has these sorts of restrictions in place for very good reasons, like basic security and safety.

I also can’t help but wondering whether Father Wynn-Williams actually ended up taking the seat from someone else who was rightfully entitled to it.

It seems to me that this incident also highlights an issue of double standards.
Why is it considered outdated and power hungry clericalism when a NZ priest wears proper priestly vestments (like a blacks and a collar), yet when it comes to sneaking into restricted areas of the Vatican for personal gain, dressing up in clerical attire is perfectly acceptable?

It’s starting to feel a little bit like the only time that it is NOT acceptable for a NZ priest to dress in priestly attire is if he actually believes that such attire is appropriate to his vocational calling.

No one is naive enough to think, or expect that priests and bishops will be perfect saints who never make mistakes, but this sort of conduct seems far from appropriate, especially with it being so gleefully and openly bragged about in a diocesan newspaper.

I can see why it was deleted. It doesn't reflect well on Bishop Colin Campbell, to say the least. Or as I said in one of my comments on the post:

What Ox’s post really illustrates is a loss of the sense and seriousness of sin in the Catholic Church here in NZ.

For a Catholic priest to wilfully act in a deceitful way, and to be aided and abetted by his Bishop, and for their exploits to be published for all and sundry to read about with hardly an eye batted by the perpetrators themselves is utterly scandalous. It’s also doubly scandalous that those involved can’t even see anything wrong with what they (the priest, the bishop and the editor) have done.

This sort of thing tends to get some of us a little riled, especially since it’s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.