Engineer_comp_geek gives us a fine example of a clear and effective moderation post.
In only 23 words, he
No weary sighs. No pronouncements from on high. No condescension. No self-aggrandizement. Just the facts, jack.
I actually agree with everything here, and the other posts in this thread on a similar theme. Jonathan Chance, knock it off with that crap.
That said, I have no problem with the actual moderation in that thread. Posters are expected to actually contribute in GD. If this dude shows up and doesn’t even bother to lurk long enough to learn that about the culture, best to put him on notice early. No need to bend over backwards trying to pretend it wasn’t a lame OP.
Perhaps you should actually check the origin of the phrase.
Yes, it *can *be used sarcastically, like any phrase. But on this occasiuon at l;east it seems sincere.
While I agree that is a good mod post, I have no issue with Jonathan Chance’s moderation either, and personally I think it would be a shame if all the mods posted and moderated in the same style.
I mean, the guy (JC) responds to this thread promptly, acknowledges an error (which only amounted to one sentence in what would otherwise have been a helpful and welcoming post), apologises to the OP, apologises to those who have expressed RO over the issue, and still you have a complaint to make. What do you want from him, blood? Get a grip and move on already. You are reading inferences in posts not intended by the writer, in my view - easily done online, goodness knows I’ve done it enough myself.
ETA: your comment “Nuances of dictionary definitions aside, in American English, “mea culpa” projects a lot less sincerity than “I’m sorry.” I hear it used sarcastically more than sincerely. Adding the “maxima” only makes it seem more like a throwaway line” is excellent supporting evidence of my comment above. “I’m so sorry” or “my sincerest apologies” can just as easily be used sarcastically as “mea maxima culpa” - or they can be very genuine expressions of regret. In the absence of tone of voice, it’s all in how you read it. Nothing personal, I just think you’re being a bit unfair here. Peter Morris’s post is spot on.
Perhaps you should actually read your cite.
Jonathan, I want to commend you for owning up to your mistake and sending an apology directly to the poster.
What bugged me about that post was partially the tone of “not up to our standards”, but also the manner you addressed his lack of making a Debate. Wouldn’t it have just been easier to send it to GQ or Elections or wherever his thread fit better? I see what you were going for - instruction on what the GD forum is for, but I don’t think this was the right approach for this post.
But since you’ve already apologized, I’ll only poke you one or two more times before I let it go. 
This is the thing for me. Tone is lost in cyberspace as we all know. I saw nothing wrong with the welcome that was given, I didn’t hear it the way many did. One can say the word what and depending how they do so it can mean 40 different things, (okay I haven’t counted but you get the idea).
I was given a clear my mouth thingy by a mod and I didn’t take it as a slight. I realized I had to look at what I did and why it didn’t fit. None of us are 12 here I presume.
Also what is with the mod bashing, I don’t get it. I would have thought by this thread title, it would have been a re line for a personal email to a mod.
I like having mods, rules and regs seems more civilized than chaos, if the goal is a community.
Of course. Just few principles and almost no morals.
I don’t think that OP was up to GD standards, so I’m not seeing the problem with what JC did. Maybe he should have moved it to IMHO or MPSISMs, but what’s wrong with letting new posters know that we expect more out OPs in GD?
This same poster also posted a non-answer answer as the very first response in a GQ thread. Seems like it would do him well to read the registration agreement and posting rules.
Seems like correct usage to me. He’s acknowledging his error here, to the third party that called him on it, and plans to apologize to the poster he was rude to.
This thread went to a weird place.
I didn’t know we had standards. Ignorance fought!
Did they update the registration agreement and not tell us? There wasn’t anything about having to have standards when I signed up.
I may have to resign, as I refuse to belong to a Board that has standards so low I can join it.
Of course we have standards here, but without images, you can’t see them.
So not only do we have standards, there’s a** flag/banner** too?
Next we’ll have half the Board singing
Onward Doper soldiers, marching off to war,
with the flag of Knowledge marching as before
While the other half chants Hell no! We won’t go! and
Hey hey, Zotti hey, how much ignorance did you kill today?
The guy acknowledged his error and sent a message to the OP. What more is expected? Should he wear a hair-shirt for a month, flagellate himself, prostrate himself before board members and beg their forgiveness?
Enough already.
Personally, I’d like to see him apologize for offering such a silly apology.
Personally, he can clear his throat too. I enjoy our collective eccentricities.