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Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! (Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault!) I have prayed all through the night over what you, my fellow Freepers have said to me and what the Moderator has said. I want to thank you all for what I've concluded in my prayers are your legitimate concerns concerning me and the rules. I hope that you can accept my assurances that there was not only no malice intended but rather, love.

Ebb tide, I want to especially thank you for your persistence in pursuing whether or not I am a Bishop. It turns out that that is a part of the answer to my prayers. I was consecrated a Bishop in the Traditional Rite some nineteen years ago. Thus my pseudonym, Trad Bishop. Like the centurion in the Bible, I have been used to having people accept my authority and obeying my orders. I am now retired, but again as the Scripture says: "I am a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech." As you are no doubt aware, Consecration to the Episcopacy gives that priest the fullness of the priesthood.

I always try to discharge my duties using 2 Timothy 4:1~5 as my guide. I also try always to keep the image of my crucified Lord always in view, especially in regard to those who, like Jesus, are meek and humble of heart to champion them. Again, as one used to authority, when I identify what I consider by using the example of Jesus in the Gospels, to be an apparent good, e.g. our salvation that Jesus went to the Cross for, I tried not to rest until that good was brought about.

I am apparently, thanks to you, now coming to the realization, since I am retired, that I'm no longer playing on my home field. That I no longer have the authority or the esteem that used to go with my office as Bishop. I'm realizing more acutely that I am the visiting team and that the home teams rules are different from the ones that I had set up for my own ball park.

Again, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

I assure you that this retired old dog can and will learn these new tricks. Please be patient with me and pray for me as I mean you, as I mean my God, only love. I'm still working on that with him also. Again, thank you for your concerns, and please continue not only to point out where I don't fit in, but on a positive note, point the way to do so.

I was introduced to Free Republic recently when googling information on Pope John Paul II kissing the Koran. Lo and behold, there was a comment by someone named 'dangus' that brought into question what the mass of calumniators were saying about our Pope. I read with interest, and he made some valid points that truly put into question of whether or not His Holiness' enemies were up to their usual tricks to attempt to shine a damaging light on him. When I began to follow Free Republic's Religion Forum, I thought that just maybe there were after all Truth seekers here.

Admittedly, I haven't felt welcome and see here that I am not alone. Being the last elderly nun from a Reigious Order, I am not accustomed to the aggression I have found. I did read this thread with interest though.

Being Catholic should mean that we all believe the same doctrines and Dogmas, or else we cannot call ourselves Catholic. After all it is the Universal Faith. Jesus told Pilate that he came to bring Truth. Amazingly, I have been reading here on this forum many little Pilate's in their own way sayin: "What is Truth?" As Catholics, shouldn't each one of us be Truth Seekers?

I don't know how many of you, like myself, remember what it was like before Vatican II. The lines weren't blurred as they are now. The old saying is true: "Rebellion begets rebellion." Who are we rebelling against. Heaven forbid that we admit we are rebelling against God and His Laws. So we say we are rebelling against "the Church", or " The Pope", etc. Why not say: "We like the world and all the goodies it offers. We don't like being different and having to follow stricter rules than everyone else. We don't want to be open for a child with each sex act..." The list goes on .

One thing is most definitely evident, no one wins with division, amongst ourselves and especially with God. I have to agree with this Trad Bishop, in that we need to go back to the time when for the most part, The Church was unified. The underlying factor was the "primitive rule" whose foundation was straight from the The Holy Bible.

We can only change ourselves. If we are truly seeking Truth and we are honestly wanting to please our most Sovereign Lord, then we must go back to best of our abilities to the way it should be before all of these major divisions came about with: the Mass being changed;the abuses of the Eacharist; the watering down of the faith; the contempt between genders, etc. Most importantly each of us need to work diligently in avoiding all sin. That's heroic virtue. Mind you I am pointing the finger at myself as well.

I put the question out there because I honestly want to know. How can we make a difference? How do we unify in love, both of God and our neighbor? How do we go back as the ones people know we are Christians by our love? I personally want to go forward by going back to the way it should be. Any suggestions?

Thus my pseudonym, Trad Bishop. Like the centurion in the Bible, I have been used to having people accept my authority and obeying my orders.

Guess you missed this one.

1Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:1-3 NASB

Your Excellency, (I will refer to you as that to err on the side of caution until/unless someone proves differently),

So that you may know for future reference, when you use “All” in the “To” field of a reply it does not automatically send a reply to “All” in the thread. I think JR put that in there as kind of a courtesy so that the message in question will appear to be for all, but electronically speaking it goes nowhere. Bottom line if you wish for your message to reach one or multiple individuals you must put each name in the “To” field.

Thus, I am “pinging” ebb tide since you mentioned him by name in the post to which I am now replying.

Cordially,