If it’s any consolation, Dymphna….

I just spoke to the Diocese of San Diego yesterday and they will be giving Mary, Mother of the Son an imprimatur. So, in that case, at least, I hope your fears about me are allayed.

Next time, if you could just write me and present your concerns, that would be nice. If you want the general biblical guidelines they are found here:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)

As far as I can tell from what you wrote, I haven’t committed any actual specific sin. I’m just a vaguely shady character you suspect is up to no good. That’s well and good. But if you think this, shouldn’t you confront me with your suspicions rather than simply solicit more whispering from other people which seems to look uncommonly like malicious gossip and not, you know, Christian charity? The whole “*You* know who I’m talking about” thing seems rather sub-optimal since I, at any rate, have no idea who these mysterious two or three people to whom you refer are and would not have even been sure that you meant me had you not winked and nodded so vigorously to your fellow readers. If things are really so dark and subversive as all that, don’t you owe it to us enfant terribles to confront us about whatever it is you think we are up to (whoever we are)?

I don’t bite. Drop me a line and tell me if you think I’m sinning. If you don’t think I’m sinning, then why are you whispering about me and encouraging others to do so too?

God bless you, Dymphna. I’d write you privately but, well, you don’t offer an email address and you blog anonymously, so I can’t. I hope you will reconsider this sort of stuff.