Shem and Japheth, Rather than Ham

  Noah was the first tiller of the soil. He planted a vineyard;  and he drank of the wine, and became drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent.  And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.
~Gen 9:20-23


I admit to having "an issue" with negative pope-talk. Before I begin, I'll offer something close to full disclosure (not exactly full, because I'm going to keep it to the point) - I have nothing negative to say about any of the men who have held the Petrine office in my lifetime; and that begins with Pius Xll. And, to be glaringly clear; I love both the Pope Emeritus and the Pope. 


My "issue" with negative pope-talk really flows from my Franciscan style of Spirituality. The pope is my papa; my dad, my pops, my father. In all of my life, even with regard to those things I may not have particularly liked, I have never - outside of a few conversations with him - felt the need to publicly criticize my dad, nor his actions. 


What does such criticism really serve? Whom does it really serve? What (virtuous) good does it advance? I prefer to approach the "papal negatives" from a contemplative stance -- I'll pray, fast, sacrifice, and do penance for the Holy Father. If I feel it absolutely necessary, in fraternal charity, then -- I'll write to him; as did several saints with regard to popes of the past. I won't take to my facebook page, nor my blog (shameless plug for: thesmallshoppe.blogspot.com) to point out my judgment on the particular actions or decisions of the Holy Father. 


Another thing that gives me pause about "negative pope talk" is the very real possibility that my judgement is flawed. Are there things about the decisions and actions of the Holy Father of which I am unaware, or perhaps misinformed? I'm pretty sure that there often are such things. So, as I've said, until an occupant of the Chair of Peter attempts to teach error as Truth, or to strike down Truth as error, I will not be pointing out my judgments on his daily actions and decisions; not even those pertaining to liturgy. 


For the record, I am one of those "Extraordinary Form" people, who, according to "popular wisdom," are supposed to love Benedict, and hate Francis. I'm just a Catholic who strives to practice filial obedience and charity with regard to those set over me in my family; the Church.