THE UGLY AMERICAN

At mihi, qui quondam, semper asellus eris ("But to me, you'll always be the ass who you once were"). Avianus, "Fable of the Ass in the Lion's Skin." 

Some followers of this blog have gotten the wrong idea. We're not opposed in principle to admiring the clergy.

As a matter of fact, there are many traditional priests -- and a few bishops -- whom we steadfastly admire: Properly educated priests with a zeal for souls, and bishops who lovingly "feed the flock of God...not for filthy lucre's sake, but voluntarily: neither as lording it over the clergy." 

But those good men live far away from the mean streets of dystopic Tradistan, U.S.A. The "clergy" who malignantly cruise those fearful byways -- particularly the "bishops," instantaneously transformed from low-life gutter trash to "men of God" simply by dressing the part -- merit nothing but contempt. But, then, you already know that. You remember we told you about the ridiculous self-styled "missionary bishop with universal jurisdiction" as well as the yellow-livered, quaking troll frightened of his own shadow who surfs the 'net all day long locked away in his office.

You also recall last summer's popular series "Travelers' Tribunal," which acquainted our audience with a gag-inducing smögåsbord of clerical misbehavior ranging from the grossly stupid to the emetically reprehensible. Anyone with a conscience and a sense of decency who read through those posts would find himself empty of admiration for the puny riffraff who pass themselves off as Catholic "priests" or as high-and-mighty "prelates of the S.R.E."

However, insofar as human beings are prone to forget, Pistrina would like to remind everybody again how unworthy of respect Tradistani "clergy" are. So, for your vacation displeasure, here's a little anecdote we heard from sources abroad:

When a member of the traddie nomenklatura made a little tour on the Continent, a couple originally from mainland Southeast Asia, as a gesture of humble gratitude for his visit, generously invited him to a local Indochinese restaurant. In a churlish rebuke to their kindness, it's reported the ill-bred, uncouth jackass badly disguised in clericals boorishly sneered that he definitely would not join them, cruelly adding, "you people only eat cats and dogs."

Any further comment on our part is superfluous. Like the Europeans who learned of this grim episode, American traditional Catholics, presented with such arrogance and incivility, must stand aghast in wincing horror. This piece of rotting sede garbage could buy everything Gammarelli's has in stock, but he'd still remain the gob of spit he was fated to be at his ill-starred birth. Doesn't this graceless cur realize how badly he reflects upon the mother and father who reared him? Probably not. That would require self-awareness and a rudimentary sense of decency.

The only suitable response is revulsion-- and a firm resolution to get out of the cult immediately. It's more than O.K. to stay away when such monsters of uncharity, masquerading as Catholic clergy, creep over the fetid wastelands of Tradistan.

If you consider yourself a Catholic, you have an affirmative duty to get out of any of the traddie cults now.