Vatican City: A Vatican spokesperson has said that Pope Francis is disappointed that a Catholic group blog rejected his offer to wash their feet on Maundy Thursday.
“Perhaps this October, after the Synod of the Family, they’ll come to regret their decision,” the spokesman said. “There’s always next Holy Thursday.”
AoftheA (Acts of the Apostasy News) has learned that Pope Francis had offered to wash the feet of the writers of “Rotating Charlie,” a widely read, popular traditionalist Catholic group blog, on April 2.
Emails obtained from the Vatican via an FOIA (freedom of information act) request revealed the exchange occurred during the first week of March.
The Pope reportedly wrote: “During my pontificate, I have washed the feet of prisoners and invalids on Holy Thursday. It is my desire to continue this tradition, of reaching out to the marginalized within our society, and thus humbly ask to serve you, by washing the feet of your team of writers on Holy Thursday, April 2.”
The group blog replied within minutes, writing “We don’t get where you’re going with this. Seems fishy, so no thanks.”
One of the blog’s anonymous writers explained the group’s response on the condition of retaining anonymity.
“What’s the Pope implying, that we’re dirty or something? We’re good Catholics – pretty pure, actually. There are lots other people’s feet he can wash. Listen, we’ve always had strong suspicions of Francis’ animosity toward traditionalists, and this offer proves it. This is just the latest example of how we’re being persecuted and treated like second-class citizens of the Church. So rather than be put in a position to be bashed and made fun of, we decided to refuse the pope’s offer.”
The Vatican spokesperson told AoftheA News that the Pope was still optimistic.