Sunday, February 12, 2006

My hijacked Blog: Part II

A good friend of mine, Mr. John Ansley (a Catholic educator), wrote the owner/webmaster of a website to express his concerns over the fact that my former Blog (The Ultramontane) had been hijacked and that he believed this to be the work of a certain individual. He also reminded the webmaster of this site that the "Ultramontane" Blog was still listed at this website. In other words, the link was still active.

Mr. Ansley shared his email correspondence with myself (since it was my Blog which was hijacked) and with another individual who is very active at another Catholic website forum which seems to be related to recent events in some way since I have received emails from an individual referring specifically to this particular website.

The person Mr. Ansley referred to in his email has posted his very email at yet another Blog and has referred to Mr. Ansley as a "local lunatic" because of his very real concerns. This person writes:



"Do you think he's completely insane and believes it or did he deliberately make it all up in an act of vengeance?"

And:

"Is he affiliated still with Holy Cross? Somebody ought to drop a dime there and clue them in - I wouldn't want him on campus...and that's the truth. It's diabolical and who knows where he'd take things if they didn't go along with his accusations."

Mr. Ansley is not associated in any way with Holy Cross College or the website of the Holy Cross Cardinal Newman Society. Nor is there anything "diabolical" about this fine Catholic gentleman. It should also be noted that Mr. Ansley has absolutely no reason to seek "vengeance" against the person we believe may have hijacked my former Blog. In fact, he has taken pains to defend this same individual from unjust accusations levelled by someone at the Holy Cross Cardinal Newman Society website.

Why would this person actually take the time to write an entire post - including the full text of Mr. Ansley's email - when his observations were never made "public" in this way but only sent via a personal email to two individuals? The answer is simple. In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet (Act III, Scene II), Queen Gertrude says to her son, Prince Hamlet, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

An innocent person would never have taken such great pains to make such a spirited and public defense. The lady indeed "doth protest too much." Not only does this person "protest too much," but in a personal act of "vengeance" (funny how we are sometimes guilty of the very thing we accuse others of), this person accuses Mr. Ansley of being a "lunatic" who may be "completely insane" as well as dangerous to children and engaged in the "diabolical."

You'll notice that I refrain from using this person's name. Sadly, this person has not only turned this into a public affair but has levelled harsh accusations against Mr. Ansley simply because he expressed his concerns over my old Blog being hijacked as well as his personal opinion as to who did it. The person who we believe hijacked my former Blog has accused me of offering "Kool-Aid" (in other words, false teaching) in the past and has been the subject of much discussion at other Blogs. For example, one prominent and well-respected Blog described this deeply troubled person as an "extreme zealot" who is "pretty much ignored by Catholic bloggers and has made a habit of attacking other Catholic bloggers." (Source: http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/006353.php) .

Other well-known and respected Bloggers and online journalists such as Domenico Bettinelli and Amy Welborn have expressed their concerns over this individual as well. And, after asking this person not to email me anymore (after two angry emails in one day), this person wrote me three more the same afternoon! This even though I indicated I might contact law enforcement officials if the emails continued!

There is a prayer need here. Wherever we encounter such abiding hatred and lack of peace, we can be sure we are really in the presence of the diabolical.

Paul Anthony Melanson

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:45 PM

    Great line from Shakespeare Paul. I agree with you. For someone to write you that many times in one day, even when you asked them to stop, and then to write such a post for their website, is very revealing. It speaks of a guilty conscience.

    The fact that other bloggers have noticed a problem with this person is also telling.

    There are some very psychologically disturbed people out there.

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  2. Anonymous7:14 PM

    Ironically Lisa, two of this person's friends from the Holy Cross website are actively defending her at her website. This even though they are fully aware of her shady activities with regard to slandering others.

    One of them insinuates that my private email to two people - in which I conveyed my very real concerns about this person, "borders on calumny." However, he ignores the truly ugly rhetoric and slanderous accusations made in public and aimed at my person.

    The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

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  3. Anonymous6:45 AM

    John,


    I know now who you are referring to having visited the link to Curt Jester. It has been my impression for some time now that this woman is mentally imbalanced. The anonymity of the internet only serves to encourage people who have various mental health issues.

    You and Mr. Melanson have chosen wisely in your decision to sever any ties with this confused woman and those she is associated with.

    I have decided not to have any future involvement with the organization she is associated with.

    All the best,
    Marie
    marietrem@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous8:49 AM

    I've exchanged emails with a few people who have had the unfortunate experience of having to deal with this blogger.

    There were many who disagreed with her over Fr. James Aquino who was caught in lewd conduct in Las Vegas, Nevada. This woman said the whole episode was a lie and blasted people who accepted the story as credible. Fr. Aquino was removed from active ministry.

    Ignore her. She's off-center.

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  5. Anonymous9:43 AM

    Precisely Robert. The woman in question has never been able to forgive those of us who knew that Fr. Aquino had engaged in inappropriate and lewd conduct of being right.

    She stubbornly resisted the evidence and wound up looking silly and well, childish. Here's the latest on Fr. Aquino from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette:


    Monday, February 13, 2006
    Aquino resigns from Loreto

    Priest quits after sex case

    By Rushmie Kalke TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF






    "WORCESTER— The Rev. James J. Aquino, who in 2004 was accused by Las Vegas police of sexual misconduct, stepped down as pastor of Our Lady of Loreto Parish, the Diocese of Worcester announced this weekend.

    Parishioners were notified at weekend services, said Raymond L. Delisle, spokesman for the Worcester Diocese.

    Bishop Robert J. McManus accepted the resignation, which came after a period of church review following allegations that Rev. Aquino engaged in inappropriate behavior with an adult. The Rev. Rocco Piccolomini will continue to serve as the temporary administrator of Our Lady of Loreto Parish, where he has been since Rev. Aquino was removed from his pastorate on Oct. 31, 2005.

    According to authorities, the Rev. Aquino was issued a criminal citation on Oct. 21, 2004, by Las Vegas vice squad police officers after he was seen engaging in sexual acts with a man inside the Adult Super Store in that city. He was initially charged with lewd conduct and giving false information, because he gave police officers an incorrect Social Security number. The Rev. Aquino indicated under questioning by police — and after pulling his Massachusetts driver’s license from his shoe — that he gave the wrong information because he was a priest.

    The original case was dismissed, but court records show that Rev. Aquino entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct and was required to fulfill certain obligations.

    Rev. Aquino will continue to refrain from public ministry at this time, Bishop McManus said in a statement. He will not be returning to the Office of the Diaconate and will remain on administrative leave. Deacon Anthony Surozenski will continue to serve as interim director of the office."

    Thank you Marie. It really is the wisest approach I think. The lack of peace at the Holy Cross website is also appalling. As is the dissent from Magisterial teaching.

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  6. Anonymous10:05 AM

    John,

    I visited the website in question which has maintained a link to the Ultramontane Blog in the past. Even though you requested that it be taken down, the ink is still there.

    I clicked on the link which reads: "For all of the information we have gathered regarding Voice of the Faithful please click here." This is what I found:

    5. Boston/North/West coordinator John

    6. Boston/South/Media coordinator Carol

    converse with Carol McKinley at her web page

    7. Keene , NH. Coordinator : Paul Melanson :

    converse with him http://ultramontane.blogspot.com

    ääääääää.read him http://www.saintritachildren.com

    ääääääää.read him http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/2005/05/new-website.html



    8.DTF Current news Postings re: VOTF in Worcester ,MA by Richard Blanchard

    http://www.users.trysb.net/dtf

    9. Amy McKinnonπs new web site : http://amatha.blogspot.com



    I think it was really prudent of you to announce that you have no connection to the Ultramontane blog anymore.

    Marie
    marietrem@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous7:36 PM

    I thought you and this person were friendly?

    I seemed to recall her referring people to your blog, and you to hers, etc?

    (Am I wrong?)

    I thought you were both teamed up as an anti-VOTF force?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I thought we were friends too. Apparently I was wrong.

    I still pray for this person.

    God love you,
    Paul

    ReplyDelete