Holocaust denial may not be a sin, but it is still repulsive. I remember seeing this picture when I studied politics at Liverpool. It was one of the most profoundly disturbing pictures I had ever seen. At least the Vatican Media Office are finally getting it sorted...
A Vatican spokesman says an apology from formerly excommunicated Society of St. Pius X Bishop Richard Williamson is not enough. The Lefebvrite prelate released a statement Thursday regarding his declarations aired in January about the Holocaust. The prelate denied the gassing of 6 million Jews in an interview that aired on Swiss television at about the same time as he and three other Lefebvrite bishops had their 20-year excommunication lifted. The lifting of the excommunication is unrelated to the bishop's interview and occurred in the context of Benedict XVI's efforts to heal the schism with the Society of St. Pius X.
Still, the coincidental concurrence of the interview and the lifting of the canonical penalty was viewed as an affront to Jewish-Catholic relations in some circles. It led to Vatican officials -- including Benedict XVI -- making repeated clarifications about the Church's respect for the Jews and its commitment to dialogue with Christians' "elder brothers."
In his statement Thursday, Bishop Williamson said that observing the consequences of his interview, "I can truthfully say that I regret having made such remarks, and that if I had known beforehand the full harm and hurt to which they would give rise, especially to the Church, but also to survivors and relatives of victims of injustice under the Third Reich, I would not have made them. […] To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said, before God I apologize."
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said in a verbal statement today that the apology is lacking. He told journalists that the statement "does not seem to respect the conditions established in the Feb. 4 note from the [Vatican] Secretariat of State, which stated that [Bishop Williamson] must distance himself in an absolute, unequivocal and public way from his positions regarding the Shoah."
The spokesman also noted that the prelate's declaration was not a letter directed to the Holy Father or to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, which oversees the Church's efforts to heal the schism with the Society of St. Pius X. Bishop Williamson's personal views of the Holocaust are unrelated to the larger issue of the Society of St. Pius X and that group's lack of full communion with the Church. Bishop Williamson is in the same canonical position as the other three prelates of the society, including its superior-general Bishop Bernard Fellay. Citing canon lawyer Peter Vere, the prelates' ordination 20 years ago was illicit, but nonetheless valid. In other words, it is unlawful because it was against the wishes of the Pope, but effective. This applies equally to Bishop Williamson and to the other three.
The lawyer explained, "Bishop Williamson is not a Catholic bishop in that his episcopal consecration was carried out without papal mandate. […] However, the episcopal consecration was valid -- that is, effective. So he is in fact a bishop with episcopal powers, meaning he can validly -- but unlawfully -- ordain, confirm, celebrate Mass, and validly -- but unlawfully -- perform any other episcopal function."
The lifting of the excommunication, Vere affirmed, does not make the ordination of the four prelates lawful. The Vatican Secretariat of State note from Feb. 4 clarified the position of the society in relation to the lifting of the excommunication: "The remission of the excommunication has freed the four bishops from a very serious canonical penalty, but it has not changed the juridical status of the Society of St. Pius X, which presently does not enjoy any canonical recognition by the Catholic Church. The four bishops, even though they have been released from excommunication, have no canonical function in the Church and do not licitly exercise any ministry within it. […]
"A full recognition of the Second Vatican Council and the magisterium of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI himself is an indispensable condition for any future recognition of the Society of St. Pius X." And those conditions do not promise to soon be met. According to the Italian ANSA news agency today, quoting the Swiss daily Le Courier from Thursday, Bishop Fellay says Vatican II has brought "only damages" to the Church. "The aftermath of the Council has been to empty seminaries, nunneries and churches," he said.
Bishop Williamson, with his views on the Holocaust, faces a challenge above those of his order at large. In a separate section, the Secretariat of State note went on to speak of Bishop Williamson's positions on the Holocaust, saying they are "absolutely unacceptable and firmly rejected by the Holy Father."
In addition to the requirements extended to all the prelates of the Society of St. Pius X, the Vatican added that for Bishop Williamson "to be admitted to function as a bishop within the Church, [he] must also distance himself in an absolutely unequivocal and public way from his positions regarding the Shoah, which were unknown to the Holy Father at the time of the remission of the excommunication."
The Vatican spokesman was not the only one who found Bishop Williamson's apology Thursday lacking. Jewish groups from various countries have also expressed their dissatisfaction. Dieter Graumann, vice-president of the Central Council for Jews in Germany, told the Handelsblatt newspaper that the prelate's statement "leads one to the conclusion that he still believes in the Holocaust-denial."
Are the USA and the UK imitating the policies of the USSR?
The much derided but highly informative website, Prison Planet, today reveals that the 'new policy initiatives' being mooted in the UK about compulsory voluntary service are already in the offing in the US. The website keeps a watchful eye on the actions of States around the globe and mostly on US, UK and European movements of the State towards a new brand of totalitarianism. Quite naturally the US citizens have had a suspicion of the power of the State since the founding of the US and the Civil War.
Hence the right of US citizens to bear arms, as, if the State were to become too powerful, the people would have the power to resist. This was also the reason behind the division of powers between the Executive, the Legislature and the Supreme Court. The great hope was and remains that the Executive never had too much power and the interests of the individual states would always be preserved. Yep, I did my degree in Politics so I know a little bit about this. History suggests that indeed at times of crisis, or actually at any time, to put too much trust in the State or the Government is highly dangerous.
The problems always come in times of 'national emergency', whereby the balance of power tilts at an unequal equilibrium towards the Executive. This was seen most dramatically in the wake of the 9/11 attack and the launch of the two-pronged 'War on Terror' which saw the US and the UK invade two sovereign countries in order to defeat terror. Another outcome of the attack of 9/11 was the Patriot Act which handed much more power to the Executive to call time on democracy and act without restriction in times of national emergency. Most States have this capacity, as seen when, for example, martial law was imposed during times of national emergency in Latin American countries like Argentina during the so called, 'Dirty Wars'.
So, as I mentioned yesterday, the reason the following article is interesting is because the exact same policy is now being mooted here. The policy proposal is from a Democratic Senator from Connecticut who has... '...introduced four bills aimed at establishing a groundwork for a system of comprehensive national service. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., says that the legislation will “create the architecture and the structure that will serve as the invitation for everyone to serve.” The Senate Bills, co-sponsored by Thad Cochran, R-Miss., are companion legislation to bills Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, introduced Tuesday in the House, calling for increases in federal spending for public service programs.
The legislation would target everyone from schoolchildren to the elderly and aim to create new bases of volunteers beyond the usual young-adult pool of service-program participants, reports The Day. Two of the bills, named the Summer of Service Act and the Semester of Service Act, are particularly aimed at middle school and high school students and will offer “credits” in return for participation in community-service programs.
Some residents and education experts are concerned that such public service programs may become part of student graduation requirements. A third bill, named The Encore Service Act, offers cash awards to people aged 55 and over who complete 250 or 500 hours of public service. In return for their service, participants would also receive an education award which could be transferred to their children or grandchildren.Some residents and education experts are concerned that such public service programs may become part of student graduation requirements.
A fourth bill, The ACTION Act, is aimed at increasing awards for AmeriCorps volunteers and reestablishing the Corporation’sconnection with federal agencies. The bill would also grant the 'Corporation for National Service' Cabinet-level status under the Obama administration. Sen. Dodd is reintroducing the bills which he previously failed to bring to a vote. Dodd told the media that the legislation is a response to President Obama’s call in his inaugural address for national service. ”People ask me why I joined - I joined because the president asked,” Dodd said. “We’ve got a president who’s asking.”
The key word here is timing. What do you do when unemployment begins to spiral out of control and the threat of civil unrest increases dramatically? What do you do with 20 million disaffected and impoverished people left stranded by the sub-prime mortgage crisis? Well, the easiest thing to do is to make people do National Service...or worse, make them join the military. The main reason Hitler managed to achieve full employment in Germany was because the nation was miltarised. If everyone's in the army, there is no unemployment. That is how awful dictatorships start. Obama's getting plaudits now for setting a timetable for the withdrawl of US troops from Iraq. Some of them will go to Afghanistan, but again the key word here is timing. He also needs them on home soil because the proverbial is hitting the fan!
Now, accuse me of scaremongering if you like, but what was the method by which Hitler and Stalin attained full employment and made people feel happier again in the midst of an economic meltdown? Err...it was National Service and demands upon people to give total loyalty to and even worship of, the State. The fact the two of them shared different ideologies was irrelevant. To them, the State owned the people, not vice versa. After years of constitutional liberty and relative economic prosperity, the State is coming out fighting in both the US and the UK and is requiring loyalty and subserviance, now that those in authority realise the chips are down and people feel 'without hope'.
By its policies it is no longer saying, "The State is here to serve the people," Instead, it is saying, "The people are here to serve the State." Notice how the US didn't make any sideswipes at China this time for human rights abuses? Not only does China own loads of US Treasury bonds, but the US are nicking all their ideas off the Communist State it so willingly denounced years ago. I have no truck with anarchists, and I don't consider myself to be a political radical...It's just that history has a habit of repeating itself...and repeating itself it is.
Some Catholics might think, 'Well what does this have to do with the Catholic faith?' The problem is that when the State becomes supreme, religion isn't tolerated. The Church is persecuted widely in China, suffered under Nazism and was banished in the Soviet bloc. Wherever the State is too powerful, there the Church suffers. The only people who don't suffer in this situation are the people who merely acquiesce.
25. It is illegal for a cab in the City of London to carry rabid dogs or corpses.
24. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
23. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside down.
22. In France, it is forbidden to call a pig Napoleon.
21. Under the UK’s Tax Avoidance Schemes Regulations 2006, it is illegal not to tell the taxman anything you don’t want him to know, though you don’t have to tell him anything you don’t mind him knowing.
20. In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.
19. In Ohio, it is against state law to get a fish drunk.
18. Royal Navy ships that enter the Port of London must provide a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower of London.
17. In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants – even, if she so requests, in a policeman’s helmet.
16. In Lancashire, no person is permitted after being asked to stop by a constable on the seashore to incite a dog to bark.
15. In Miami, Florida, it is illegal to skateboard in a police station.
14. In Indonesia, the penalty for masturbation is decapitation.
13. In England, all men over the age of 14 must carry out two hours of longbow practice a day.
12. In London, Freemen are allowed to take a flock of sheep across London Bridge without being charged a toll; they are also allowed to drive geese down Cheapside.
11. In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be punished by death before a firing squad.
10. In the UK, a man who feels compelled to urinate in public can do so only if he aims for his rear wheel and keeps his right hand on his vehicle.
9. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed.
8. In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon more than six-feet long.
7. In Chester, Welshmen are banned from entering the city before sunrise and from staying after sunset.
6. In the city of York, it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.
5. In Boulder, Colorado, it is illegal to kill a bird within the city limits and also to “own” a pet – the town’s citizens, legally speaking, are merely “pet minders”.
4. In Vermont, women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.
3. In London, it is illegal to flag down a taxi if you have the plague.
2. In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman’s genitals but is forbidden from looking directly at them during the examination; he may only see their reflection in a mirror.
1. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast is legally the property of the King; the tail, on the other hand, belongs to the Queen - in case she needs the bones for her corset.
With thanks to: Donald Stewart at Faegre & Benson; John Barnett at Burges Salmon; Robert Crossley at Walker Morris; James Odds at Matthew Arnold & Baldwin; and Dan Kieran, author of I Fought The Law (Bantam Press).
Damian Thompson posted this extraordinary picture on his blog. LMAO!
When asked when how long they had been ex-masturbators, the guy on the right said, "Oh about 10 minutes." The interviewer said, "My, oh my, well then I guess congratulations are in order. Here my man, let me shake you by the hand...Oh, on second thoughts."
Rumour has it that before the 'EX' there is an 'S' which is hidden by the creases near the armpit. I'm so juvenile! But then so is the Protestant conception of Faith!
Oh Lord, have mercy! I don't mean to be nasty...I just always think that chastity is a belt best worn around your heart and if you wear it on your t-shirt the likelihood is that people will think you're a bit of a tosser...
By accepting large campaign donations from Planned Parenthood and by acquiescing with their wishes to see public funding go towards the promotion of abortion, President Obama has betrayed the Black community of the United States of America, whose support and admiration he won at the election.The article below is by Martin Luther King's niece, Dr Alveda C. King.
“The Negro cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the futures of his children for immediate personal comfort and safety.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1929-1968
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968
In 1939, Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, outlined her plan to eliminate the Black community: “The most successful, educational appeal to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their rebellious members.”
Dr. Martin Luther King was among a select group of Negro leaders hand-picked to promote a seemingly beneficial plan to promote healthy family planning. It was a plan of wolf in sheep’s clothing and Trojan Horse proportions.
Dr. King, a man of love, peace, non-violence and strong Christian faith would be assassinated before the truth of the Planned Parenthood map for genocide would be made public after the passage of Roe v. Wade.The abortion agenda is in direct conflict with the teachings of Dr. King.
In 1966, Martin Luther King, Jr., a non-violent supporter of natural family planning, received the Planned Parenthood Margaret Sanger Award. In his acceptance speech, Dr. King pointed to the benefits of family planning among Negro families and the "kinship" between the civil rights movement and Margaret Sanger's early efforts.
His hopeful speech would not include abortion: "Our sure beginning in the struggle for equality by non-violent direct action may not have been so resolute without the tradition established by Margaret Sanger and people like her."
As Dr. King’s niece, I too once accepted the lies of Planned Parenthood until the truth of the violence of abortion was revealed to me. If Planned Parenthood had announced that over 50 million babies would be aborted in the onslaught of their agenda, I would never have aborted a child.
Dr. Martin Luther King would never have agreed with the violent violation of the civil rights of the millions of aborted babies, and Planned Parenthood’s subsequent blitz of women’s health problems related to chemical and artificial birth control methods.
This conclusion leads me to remind my readers that I too have a dream. It’s in my genes. How can the dream survive if we murder the children?
Dr. Alveda C. King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life, is a mother, grandmother, ordained minister, author and artistic producer.
Every day it seems a new law comes into being Every day we say, "I can't quite believe what I am seeing" Clearly the previous laws were old and outdated I guess if they didn't make new ones they'd only get frustrated
Yet they keep making new ones and keep getting elected While people are wondering, "Aren't our rights being neglected?" But bad Governments really only want our submission "Come on now and behave like true Englishmen Be polite, quiet, obedient, self-effacing Don't worry if you discover It's your movements we're tracing"
"But I remember the days when I could smoke down the local" "I remember the days when the police were quite jovial" "I remember the days before Governmentalism" "Before we gave up our freedom for fear of terrorism" "I remember the days when free speech wasn't banned" "Before Our Lady's Dowry became an unpleasant land"
I remember the days When I wasn't under suspicion Until one day I stepped out To be greeted by policemen It hasn't happened yet But I'd be willing to bet If I sang this song and a few sang along It wouldn't be a matter of if, no, but when
Because the new laws are chilling If the police beat me up nobody'd be filming CCTV would be doctored While my blood they'd be spilling Only the Good Lord would know That my crushed bones were thrilling!
Because each new law Tries to bury the New Law Because each new law Tries to bury the True Law Because each new law Tries to bury the Maker of the Law
Yet because the New Law Is stronger than the new laws The New Law will win Because the New Law Is Eternal Unchanging It doesn't need any revision It doesn't need updating It just says time and again To the hearts of women And to the hearts of men And to all legislators "Love conquers sin!"
And who'd have thought that? I mean you really couldn't legislate for that But isn't that why they keep making new laws? Because deep down they are afraid? And deep down so are we But it does beg the question "Whatever will they think of next?"
And why is any of the above information really of importance to applying for a job? This one is quite original, I must say, because even the gender identity section has an option for total ambiguity. I mean, on a grand scale, if sexuality, age, ethnicity and disability are not barriers to work and everybody is being treated equally on their merits for a job, then there is really no need for a form. I mean, you look at this form and just think, 'For Goodness sake! I'm a human being!'
I was recently having a conversation with some people after Mass in which we were discussing conspiracy theories. Ah, well here's one for you. I called the local Council today to find out why the Church bins haven't been collected for ages. It turns out that recently the bin system has been changed and the Council no longer collect necessarily from some neighbourhoods bins outside but in communal set areas only. Interesting! No? Uninteresting? Well, hold your horses just one doggon' second. Today the penny dropped...
Talking with someone today who works for the Council I was informed that there is a new scheme in operation whereby the Council are microchipping bins to monitor whether people are recycling or not. If they, for instance, aren't recycling then I can only presume you get a fine or an ASBO or something for anti-social behaviour towards the beloved environment. Well, at least some of the Bishops will be happy...
James Hulme of the 'New Local Government Network' has posted a Telegraph blog on the dynamic new Government ideas for the nation's disenchanted youth. Ultimately, I think this has more to do with the Government's concerns about poverty, which is deep in the UK and, of course, trying to deal with the outcome of that poverty, which is social exclusion (a fashionable phrase I know) and people with a poor education with less opportunities than the more privileged.
It also has something to do with the fact that I think the Government, now that unemployment is spiralling, are gearing up to blame unemployed people for their situation, rather than admit that the Government themselves bear some responsibility for the present economic crises. I don't know! They take all the credit when the economy is in 'boom' time and then blame us when they've bankrupted the State by bailing out incompetent bankers. In these harsh financial times, the only thing left to do is blame the people who don't have a voice: the Poor. This is how the article begins...
Sometimes ideas are so good yet so simple that you wonder why they haven't been enacted by the Government already. This is the case for the recently published proposals from James Crabtree and Frank Field MP to establish a compulsory civic service for young people in the UK. Whilst Hampstead liberals and professional harridans will no doubt balk at the idea, citing an abhorrent infringement of our young people's liberty,the scheme could spark a revival in civic pride and help to tackle unemployment, crime and anti-social behaviour....
...click here for more and see what you make of it. Sounds nice and fluffy on the face of it, but it is just that idea of "compulsory" "voluntary" "work" just doesn't make much sense to me.
The Leeds Cathedral choirs and Aid to the Church in Need are working together to raise money for persecuted and suffering Christians. With a CD of devotional music inspired by Leeds Cathedral's close connection to English martyrs, the three choirs are lending their voices to the work of Aid to the Church in Need.
The recording is called "Catholic Collection II" -- a sequel to the first production in this project. The CD includes a range of music from unison plainchant to congregational hymns to polyphonic chant. Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds said he is "delighted" to support the "wonderful recording of music by the choirs of Leeds Cathedral." He called it a "great joy" to know this recording will help the aid agency - "for in so many parts of the world today people are in need of the consoling love of Christ." The CD is being sold for £11.50 (about $16.74) and can be obtained by visiting www.acnuk.org.
This is a picture of me on my yacht. I didn't mean to get a union jack dinghy it was just the cheapest three person dinghy available at the time. It is quite a nice analogy of the spiritual life, I think. Choppy waters, drifting out to sea...someone call the friggin' coast guard! The tide has changed!
Yes, it is true! The Latin Mass is popular with the young and the Church is seeing young people flock back to Church to attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form! The question is, if you can teach a 3 year old to sing the Sanctus, then why do people think that children can only sing the 'Sorry Song' while intermittently clapping their hands!? Sometimes I don't think we give children enough credit. What a cutie!
I was woken up by Gregorian Chant the other day, by the way, as my clock radio is set to alarm mode for about 8am. "Oh my!" I thought, "What radio station is this? This is great! I'm going to tune into this station every day!" I waited for 45 minutes for the DJ to come on and talk about where this music was being performed, only to realise when the music went silent that it was a Gregorian Meditation CD that was in the CD player and the clock radio was set to CD mode! It wasn't the radio at all! Doh!
We also sang this last night. Lovely, lovely hymn. Looking at the link to this hymn on YouTube I noticed a plea from a Catholic in Pakistan for prayers because of persecutions happening there. He/she says, "Pray for us, we are persecuted, no media shows it, please pray for our women who are raped, killed, nuns and priests persecuted, please, pray for us."
Aid to the Church in need release a report on the persecution of Christians around the globe called, 'Persecuted and Forgotten'. It does appear persecution of the Church is worse in majority Islamic countries than anywhere else. I don't think the mass media do report everything that happens to the Church and to Her members. I know the Orissan Christians in India got a small mention and so did the Chaldean Christians of Iraq, but it usually spends more time reporting mad, suspended Bishops or negative publicity about the Church.
Today has been Ash Wednesday, so obviously the majority of the day I spent in Churchill Square publicly lamenting and wailing on account of my sins, saying...
"Oh lament! Oh lament! Oh let Top Shop fall on me, Oh let Primark go under! Oh let the streets be flooded with migrant workers selling ethnic scarves, 3 for the price of 2! That's right, 3 for the price of 2!"
Winks at migrant worker for a pre-arranged cut of the profits of bellowing advertisement.
"Oh behold my poverty! Oh behold, Western Road and her vacant Woolworths! Oh let Western Road's shops remain vacant, for we Lord, we have sinned! Order a fast! Oh, woe is me! Can't you see I'm fasting, O Brighton!? Oblations and libations! Oblations and libations!"
Dips into a mega-size pack of Monster Munch.
" I haven't eaten all day, look!! I'm wasting away! It's a wonder I've still got hair or teeth! It's a wonder I have fingernails! Oh lament! Relent Lord and show mercy! Oh the hunger pains!"
Reaches into family-sized KFC bucket for another bite of fried chicken, cleverly tucked away.
"Now where was I? Oh yes, O Lament! Lament! I'd urge you all to do penance, oh yes! Like me!"
A little child approaches offering a prawn sandwich.
"Begone, thou vile fiend! Nothing shall pass my lips today, I tell thee! Nothing! I'm lamenting and wailing. Oh the weeping and the mourning! Oh holy joy!
Dabs eyes with Evian.
"Look, look at my weeping! O salvation, oblations and libations! Oh, behold Brighton, my dustiness. I am dustier than Dusty Springfield singing about dust in a desert of dust before the face of our God! Oh I am overcome by my dustiness and I lament!
Reaches into 500g bag of Maltesers, cleverly tucked away.
"O so much fasting! It's a wonder I'm not dead! Yes, brothers, yes sisters, lament like me, repent! O Lord, have mercy, and relent!"
Elderly tramp approaches seeking alms.
"What do you want?! Can't you see I'm too busy lamenting, get away from me you old crone...I mean...Look everybody, I just want you to know I'm giving money to the poor! Yes! Lament! It's Lent! Repent! It's Lent! All our credit is spent! It's Lent! Half of Brighton is bent! That's right, it's Lent!"
Passers-by shout, "Go away you old hypocrite!"
"Oh yes! Oh that's just fine and dandy that is! Here I am pleading to the Lord with tears and fasting on your behalf and that's all the thanks I get! Well, a prophet is never accepted in his own shopping mall...typical!"
A friend approaches...
"Alright, Loz, you got time for a pint?"
"Yeah, go on why not."
"You had a good day?"
"Yeah, you know, same old, same old. Ash Wednesday, isn't it, so been lamenting, wailing and fasting mostly."
The music was lovely this evening and we choristers were complimented on the singing. The main point isn't whether we sung well although the Choir wants to give the best. The main point is that Gregorian Chant is true prayer. It was reintroduced by Pope St Gregory the Great for his monks and as well as being music which is at its heart, prayerful, it is also an aid to prayer for others.
Primarily, this is because you can hear the sense of petition in the Chant, the sense of the penitent's plea, the sense of human yearning for the Divine, even in Latin you can feel it, because of the swift movements in the composition, the lilting and the rhthym, the flickers from minor to major. This is why Chant is so popular in the liturgy, because it creates a sense of the reality, or of our reality, whereas so much modern liturgical music creates a sense of an unreality, of falseness or escapism in a way reminiscent of pop or folk. Anyway, nobody likes a muso, so hope you enjoy the piece.
Attende Domine, et miserere quia peccavimus tibi. Ad Te Rex summe, omnium Redemptor oculos nostros sublevamus flentes: exaudi Christe, suplicantum preces. Dextera Patris, lapis angularis, via salutis, janua coelestis, ablue nostri maculas delicti. Rogamus Deus, tuam majestatem: auribus sacris gemitus exaudi, crimina nostra placidus indulge. Tibi fattemur crimina admissa, contrito corde pendimus oculta, tua, Redemptor, pietas ignoscat. Innocens captus, nec repugnans ductus, testibus falsis pro impiis damnatus: quos redemisti, tu conserva, Christe.
Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. To Thee, highest King, Redeemer of all, do we lift up our eyes in weeping: Hear, O Christ, the prayers of your servants. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. Right hand of the Father, corner-stone, way of salvation, gate of heaven, wash away our stains of sin. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. We beseech Thee, God, in Thy great majesty: Hear our groans with Thy holy ears: calmly forgive our crimes. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. To Thee we confess our sins admitted with a contrite heart. We reveal the things hidden: By Thy kindness, O Redeemer, overlook them. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. The Innocent, seized, not refusing to be led; condemned by false witnesses because of impious men. O Christ, keep safe those whom Thou hast redeemed. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee.
Ask a friend to come over and leave drawing pins hidden in the carpet around your house and leave the rest to Providence.
Obviously, I was up at 8am today, which isn't bad for me, for an ice cold shower and a light breakfast of iron filings on toast, washed down with a brussel sprout and beetroot smoothie. Delicious.
Miami Vice: Stubble-faced detective Crockett and his partner Tubbs. Together they took on the Florida drug world. The show influenced men's fashions toward Italo-casual and interior decor toward the Memphis look.
Ah the eighties...A time when it was cool to be capitalist, when ladies wore shoulder pads, Tubular Bells played everywhere and a female Prime Minister smashed the unions with an iron fist, deregulated the banking sector, destroyed our manufacturing base, privatised every public utility in sight and handed them over to companies motivated only by profit and the pockets of their shareholders, while heroically and determinedly moulding Britain into a beacon of the Global free-market economy. Oh hang on...
Tomorrow is officially the start of Lent. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of 40 days of abstinence and is a penitential season set aside by the Church in order for the Faithful to live more in conformity with Christ and to grow in His love ending with the Easter Triduum of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. For our models we look to the lives of the Saints and of course, Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice, who defeated vice wherever they found it.
I have composed a list of vices which, with the help of God's Grace, I should endeavour to overcome over the Lenten period. Here they are: 1. Pride, 2. Avarice, 3. Lust, 4. Greed, 5. Envy, 6. Anger, 7. Sloth. How very daunting! The very idea of even overcoming two of them seems like climbing Mt Everest...with a sack of rocks on my back! I mean, I can't even give up picking my nose, so quite how I am going to overcome any of these God alone knows. Sloth?! I can't even get up in the morning! Let's not get onto lust...
However, we are not alone in our battles. The Church offers us a wide range of assistance in our battle against the Devil, the World, the Flesh and the Self. Regular Confession, reception of the Holy Eucharist, prayer and almsgiving are among the top recommendations for pilgrim souls. Fridays we can make the Stations of the Cross, reminding us of the true cost of our redemption and a way of making reparation for our sins.
Ultimately, Lent is not meant to be about giving up chocolate or kebabs (as I somehow managed last time round!). It is about repentance, acknowledging our need for God and expressing through deepening prayer a desire to live in Union with God. It is about turning away from our selves, so often the cause of our greatest pains, and turning towards God and the needs of our neighbour, especially the poor, who become our greatest joy.
The choir tonight practised this little number. Clever chap that Mozart. Its the first time I have sang in polyphony but I really love it. Such a beautiful piece as well. The rest of the music for Ash Wednesday is Gregorian Chant, which is nice, but this piece is a bit special.
Ave, verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine, Vere passum immolatum in Cruce pro homine, Cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit et sanguine, Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
Hail, true body born of the Virgin Mary, Who truly suffered, sacrificed on the Cross for man, Whose pierced side overflowed with water and blood, Be for us a foretaste In the test of death.
With the potential of polyphony like this filling Churches in England and Wales, it still seems incredible some people want guitars, tambourines and kazoos. I guess the point is that some Church music is timeless and that some is just absolutely appalling. Leave it to the masters and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Take it away Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
The Telegraph today warns us of the shocking figures of foreigners in the UK. One in nine workers in the UK are foreigners. In the good times nobody cared, but now that UK residents are feeling the heat, calls to send foreigners home will no doubt grow louder. In order to prepare yourself to blame unemployment on foreigners, why not buy one of these British bulldogs complete with a union jack-et.
One in nine people now resident in Britain was born abroad. Official figures show 6.5 million people born overseas were resident in the UK in the year to June 2008, an increase of 290,000 on the year to June 2007. The Annual Population Survey showed 4.1 million foreign nationals resident in the UK in the year to June 2008, compared with 3.8 million in the year to June 2007. There were fall in the number of short-term migrants coming to study for less than 12months, down 13 per cent to 374,000 for the year to June 2007. Other figures showed in that in the 12 months to September 2008, 720,000 national insurance numbers were allocated to adult foreign nationals, seven per cent down on the previous year. Other figures released by the Home Office showed an increase in applications from asylum seekers from 23,430 to 25,670 in 2008. As revealed in The Daily Telegraph today, there was a steep fall in the numbers of eastern Europeans coming to work in Britain.
In the final quarter of last year, 29,000 people came to work in the UK, down from 35,000 in the previous quarter and the lowest level since 2004. Experts have blamed the fall on the recession and the fall in the value of the pound. The Home Office said the data showed that work registration applications from the eight accession countries had fallen to their lowest level since they joined the EU. Phil Woolas, the Border and Immigration minister, said: "The number of Eastern Europeans coming here to work is dramatically falling and research suggests that many of those that came have now gone home. "This will ensure that during these economic times, when people are losing jobs, people already here have the first crack of the whip at getting work."
If you can't afford the veterinary bills and Pedigree Chum, why not consider concealing your growing xenophobia by purchasing some of these delightful union jack boxer shorts. That way, you'll know you are considering voting for the BNP when election-time comes around, but nobody else will!
Behold, ladies and gentlemen, Sister Prawn Cocktail. Elegantly dressed in a thousand island sauce, she is cool, refreshing and, with a twist of lemon, gives the penitential season of Lent an extra zest and vitality much needed for the purgation of our sins. Her companion, Sister Cucumber too is refreshing, and if you can't finish the whole meal, why not use the remaining slices of cucumber as a revitalising eye treatment, while praying, "Lord, may Sister Cucumber bring about an end to my spiritual blindness and may my eyes be further moistened by the waters of repentence."
1. Your house 2. Your car 3. Your job 4. Holidays abroad 5. Nice meals out 6. The friendship of high society 7. Hopes of a promotion 8. Being a shareholder 9. Aspirations of starting a small business 10. Admiration for the efficiency of the UK banking industry
Each wordly renunciation is offset by a spiritual good however. So, therefore the top 10 things to take up during Lent in a recession are:
1. A profound and ongoing relationship with Lady Poverty 2. Camping 3. Busking/Street Entertainment 4. Volunteering/Soup Runs 5. Shopping at Aldi/Lidl 6. Solidarity with the homeless and destitute 7. Fasting (we'll have no choice when hyperinflation hits) 8. Heartfelt, prayerful forgiveness of the Government/financial sector for the economic crisis 9. An eagerness not to blame foreigners or resort to xenophobia and to teach others the same 10. Daily Mass and giving more of your time to the local parish church
Catholics are being urged not to make pancakes this Shrove Tuesday in light of new revelations that the founder of the practice was 'a right tosser'. The tradition which goes back hundreds of years has been maintained by Catholics who needed to get rid of stuff in their cupboard before the penitential season of Lent. A media spokesman for the Vatican said, "Such behaviour can never be encouraged and the Church calls all Catholics to chastity and to take up the Cross, whatever their state of life. In light of the new allegations about the founder of the pancake, we cannot endorse the meal."
All praise be Yours, Lord, for Brother Jacket Potato. He teaches us holy patience by always taking at least half an hour longer to cook in the oven than you had first imagined. Brother potato is a root vegetable of virtue; strong, crusty and hard on the outside, like a wall of Christian armour against sin, only to be soft, warm and lovely on the inside. He is humble and modest but delicious, accommodating himself to a wide range of toppings from baked beans to prawns or tuna/mayonnaise. Garnished with a sprig of lettuce by his side he makes for us an ideal Lenten meal, unless we're addicted to him or unhealthily obsessed by him, whereby we must renounce him gently but courageously.
Imagine being able to sit at the feet of the apostles and hear their stories of life with Jesus from their own lips. Imagine walking with those who had walked with Jesus, seen him, and touched him. That was what Polycarp was able to do as a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist. But being part of the second generation of Church leaders had challenges that the first generation could not teach about. What did you do when those eyewitnesses were gone? How do you carry on the correct teachings of Jesus? How do you answer new questions that never came up before? With the apostles gone, heresies sprang up pretending to be true teaching, persecution was strong, and controversies arose over how to celebrate liturgy that Jesus never laid down rules for.
Polycarp, as a holy man and bishop of Smyrna, found there was only one answer -- to be true to the life of Jesus and imitate that life. Saint Ignatius of Antioch told Polycarp "your mind is grounded in God as on an immovable rock." When faced with heresy, he showed the "candid face" that Ignatius admired and that imitated Jesus' response to the Pharisees. Marcion, the leader of the Marcionites who followed a dualistic heresy, confronted Polycarp and demanded respect by saying, "Recognize us, Polycarp." Polycarp responded, "I recognize you, yes, I recognize the son of Satan."
On the other hand when faced with Christian disagreements he was all forgiveness and respect. One of the controversies of the time came over the celebration of Easter. The East, where Polycarp was from, celebrated the Passover as the Passion of Christ followed by a Eucharist on the following day. The West celebrated Easter on the Sunday of the week following Passover. When Polycarp went to Rome to discuss the difference with Pope Anicetus, they could not agree on this issue. But they found no difference in their Christian beliefs. And Anicetus asked Polycarp to celebrate the Eucharist in his own papal chapel.
Polycarp faced persecution the way Christ did. His own church admired him for following the "gospel model" -- not chasing after martyrdom as some did, but avoiding it until it was God's will as Jesus did. They considered it "a sign of love to desire not to save oneself alone, but to save also all the Christian brothers and sisters." One day, during a bloody martyrdom when Christians were attacked by wild animals in the arena, the crowd became so mad that they demanded more blood by crying, "Down with the atheists; let Polycarp be found." (They considered Christians "atheists" because they didn't believe in their pantheon of gods.) Since Polycarp was not only known as a leader but as someone holy "even before his grey hair appeared", this was a horrible demand.
Polycarp was calm but others persuaded him to leave the city and hide at a nearby farm. He spent his time in prayer for people he knew and for the Church. During his prayer he saw a vision of his pillow turned to fire and announced to his friends that the dream meant he would be burned alive. As the search closed in, he moved to another farm, but the police discovered he was there by torturing two boys. He had a little warning since he was upstairs in the house but he decided to stay, saying, "God's will be done."
Then he went downstairs, talked to his captors and fed them a meal. All he asked of them was that they give him an hour to pray. He spent two hours praying for everyone he had every known and for the Church, "remembering all who had at any time come his way -- small folk and great folk, distinguished and undistinguished, and the whole Catholic Church throughout the world." Many of his captors started to wonder why they were arresting this holy, eighty-six-year-old bishop.
But that didn't stop them from taking him into the arena on the Sabbath. As he entered the arena, the crowd roared like the animals they cheered. Those around Polycarp heard a voice from heaven above the crowd, "Be brave, Polycarp, and act like a man." The proconsul begged the eighty-six-year-old bishop to give in because of his age. "Say 'Away with the atheists'" the proconsul urged. Polycarp calmly turned to the face the crowd, looked straight at them, and said, "Away with the atheists." The proconsul continued to plead with him. When he asked Polycarp to swear by Caesar to save himself, Polycarp answered, "If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian." Finally, when all else failed the proconsul reminded Polycarp that he would be thrown to the wild animals unless he changed his mind. Polycarp answered, "Change of mind from better to worse is not a change allowed to us."
Because of Polycarp's lack of fear, the proconsul told him he would be burned alive but Polycarp knew that the fire that burned for an hour was better than eternal fire. When he was tied up to be burned, Polycarp prayed, "Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole creation and of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour, I bless you, because I may have a part, along with the martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to resurrection in eternal life, resurrection both of soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, among those who are in you presence, as you have prepared and foretold and fulfilled, God who is faithful and true. For this and for all benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be to you with him and the Holy Spirit glory, now and for all the ages to come. Amen."
The fire was lit as Polycarp said Amen and then the eyewitnesses who reported said they saw a miracle. The fire burst up in an arch around Polycarp, the flames surrounding him like sails, and instead of being burned he seemed to glow like bread baking, or gold being melted in a furnace. When the captors saw he wasn't being burned, they stabbed him. The blood that flowed put the fire out. The proconsul wouldn't let the Christians have the body because he was afraid they would worship Polycarp. The witnesses reported this with scorn for the lack of understanding of Christian faith: "They did not know that we can never abandon the innocent Christ who suffered on behalf of sinners for the salvation of those in this world." After the body was burned, they stole the bones in order to celebrate the memory of his martyrdom and prepare others for persecution.
A friend of mine has a court case upcoming. Known to the authorities as having a history of drug abuse and 'anti-social' behaviour, one evening in Brighton he was approached by a young lady, sweating, desperately asking him if he could supply her with a small bag of heroin. Having suffered much of his life with withdrawal symptoms from the drug he managed to obtain her a small bag of it from a friend. He maintains he took no money for it, but did it 'as a favour' because the lady who approached him seemed desperate. Withdrawal symptoms from heroin, as anyone with a bit of knowledge about the drug would know, include sweating, nausea, mania, running nose, itchiness, diarrohea and more. Withdrawl symptoms from methadone are similarly horrendous.
It turned out that the lady in question was an undercover police officer who works in the police laboratories. She had taken a 'blocker' so that drugs she took had no effect on her, but still she smoked the drugs she was given. The friend in question was filmed as he did this and is now awaiting trial for which he could get a maximum of 3 years in jail. Now in jail, awaiting bail, he maintains that although he was 'stupid' to give the lady the drugs, he can't help feeling as if he was the victim of entrapment by the police. He says he knows 30 other people who are now in jail because of the police entrapment operation. Apparently it is called Operation Georgia.
My friend is a recovering drug user, not a recovering drug dealer. He has a history of addiction, institutionalisation and homelessness. The irony is that the people banged up as a result of Operation Georgia are not dealers but, by and large, vulnerable drug users with a history of addiction and illness. My friend knows what he did was wrong, but he was set up in a deliberate method of entrapment by the police, who used some pretty underhand tactics to level the charge of 'supply' to my friend, who could now get 3 years in prison. The irony is that the drug dealers themselves don't appear to be the target of the police operation, but instead the drug users who are seen as a problem. I asked him whether the dealer was given a sentence also. He said, he found it odd, but no, whoever it was who gave the drug to him didn't receive a sentence.
I think this police operation stinks to high heaven, because, in the process of trying to pin the charge of the supply of drugs on those with addiction, they are actually putting temptation in their path, using a vulnerable looking woman with all the outward signs of withdrawal and then slamming the addicts who have been conned into HMP. The same person has an ASBO, so even if he is released from jail in a while, he will still be unable to walk freely around Brighton. He says prison life is appalling, with a toilet only a yard from his pillow. He has no money, no giro, tobacco and feels like he has been set up by the police who only really wanted rid of him. Say a prayer for him.
C4 continued its awful documentary series on the history of Christianity, this week with Professor Colin Blakemore discussing the changing role of Science and Faith in Christianity through the centuries. Above is a statue of Galileo at the Vatican. It was humourous when Blakemore paid a visit to a 'Creation Museum' in Tennessee, where Bible Christians had built a bizarre scene of Adam and Eve walking around surrounded by gigantic friendly dinosaurs. However, his dismissal of Christianity on the basis of reason, empirical data and logic alone was crass and mind-numbingly dull. "Science," he maintained, "I expect one day will make Christianity redundant." Personally, I think that with any luck, the recession will mean financial cut backs for C4 and one day it will make the head of programming redundant.
He spoke with a religious Brother who works at the astronomy institute at the Vatican, who basically told him that the Genesis account of Creation was not meant to be taken literally but as a spiritual allegory, but that when it comes to the Virgin Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, "all bets are off."
The amount of time Blakemore dedicated to trashing the Church for its past errors in the scientific field, literal interpretations of creationism which ignore scientific progress and heresy trials of scientists who disagreed with the Church's stance on the Earth's place in the Universe, was breathtakingly disproportionate to the gentle Brother's assertion that God had, in the person of Christ, inserted Himself into His own creation a little over 2,000 years ago.
Blakemore's response was, "Well, prove it!" The Brother said, "I can't! It is an article of Faith! All we have to go on is the Faith of the Church and the testimony of people who knew Jesus Christ and were witnesses to the Resurrection!" Clearly challenged by considering the idea that God had been made manifest in the World as the Incarnate Word, Blakemore decided to instead go and talk with an Anglican priest who denied the Divinity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection and basically all major tenets of Christianity.
And yet, Blakemore ignored the most important aspect of the Christian faith. Christ! He ignored the entire New Testament accounts of Christ, His Apostles, His Death and His Resurrection. He ignored the fact that no bones of either Our Blessed Lord or His Blessed Mother were ever found, even though historical accounts of His Earthly Life are widely accepted and that according to the Gospel well over 300 people were witnesses to the Resurrection. Anyway, this is not my main point. I suppose my main point is that empirical evidence, scientific testing and cold human logic will never lead any soul to any belief in God. It is a matter of the heart, it is a matter of Grace and ultimately it is a matter of Love.
Take for instance, the Large Hadron Collider, the black hole machine which Blakemore toured after having chatted with his militant atheist friend and absurdly wealthy best-selling writer and expert on God, Richard Dawkins. It cost £8 billion to build and uses the electricity of a small country. Will it find 'the God particle'? Perhaps, but even if it is found, wouldn't it be cheaper and more effective just to pray? I always maintain that everyone finds God eventually, just some believe in Him when they are alive, others when they are dead and that when we stand before Him in the flesh at the Last Judgment, atheistic scientists will get all the empirical evidence they require. Also, if they just abandoned the project and gave up, there would be one less thing to worry about when they start colliding particles and set about heightening the risk of turning the Universe into a new flavour of jelly.
Cold reasoning, logic and emiricism, those great scientific values of the 'Enlightenment' really do rob us of the Divine and often rob us of our humanity. I mean, how do militant atheists and logical scientists deal with aspects of human love while dismissing aspects of the Love Divine as 'delusion'. I'm just imagining a romantic scene at a restaurant
Spouse: "Darling, I love you. Oh, you really are the most fascinating, most charming and splendid person in the World. I love everything about you, even in your faults. To me everything you do is wonderful. I love the way you hold your knife and fork even now, the way you eat and oh, everything about you. Oh my darling, I do just love you so much!"
Atheistic empirical evidence-based logical scientist: "Ah, yes, but do you love me? What is love? Does love really exist? Perhaps you have some kind of chemical imbalance in the brain. Show me the data! Then I will believe you love me, but until I see some empirical evidence in a research paper, I am afraid I cannot believe you. Feelings and emotions which we are experiencing, many of which, objectively speaking, could be desribed as love, could be down to several causal factors. These include transference, biological impulses for the furtherence of the species and..."
Spouse: I'm sorry darling, I just wanted to express my love for you. You make me so happy, sometimes I just thank God you were sent to me. What can I say? I guess we were meant to be!
Atheistic empirical evidence-based logical scientist: "Meant to be?! Meant to be?! Are you suggesting there is some kind of benign Deity up there lovingly upholding the Universe and that He guided we hitherto two lonely souls into each others arms to be married and live joyfully together for the rest of our days?! Is that what you are suggesting?!"
Spouse: "Darling, I was just..."
Atheistic empirical evidence-based logical scientist: "Waiter, get me the bill. I want a divorce."
I pray he burns his morning toast. Go on, Lord, give him a gentle smoting, a light chiding in Your love!
Next week, one Cherie Blair will be revealing the final installment of the series which is routinely laced with poisonous secular arse-nic. She will be covering the future of Chistianity. Cherie is another one of those 'ardent Catholics' who publicly deny Church teaching on birth control, abortion and the gender arrangements that constitute true marriage. We'll watch in bemusement as she tells us how Christianity is thriving in the US while, presumably, she'll be using the opportunity to dish out condoms to school children and cut the red tape at the unveiling of a new abortion clinic, before humbly assisting in making decorative preparations for the Catholic float for Gay Pride Day.
Today's Gospel reading was of Christ's healing of the paralytic, which personally I thought was apt, as this is a term which could quite objectively be used to describe my state at a friend's birthday party last night. Alternative adjectives include wasted, plastered and hammered. The birthday girl reminded me of something I did last night. I said, "That's a ridiculous suggestion. I didn't do that." She said, "Yes, you did." I said, "No, no I didn't. I don't recall doing that." She said, "No, you definitely did." Oh dear...The only thing I was able to do today was get out of bed and walk to to Mass in the evening. A Miracle? Yes!
"A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached to them.
Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralytic man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 'Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' Immediately Jesus knew in His Spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and He said to them, 'Why are thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, "your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up, take your mat and walk?" But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' He said to the paralytic, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.'
He got up, took his mat and walk out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God saying, 'We have never seen anything like this."
The date of October 14 2009 has been set by the Vatican for the Canonisation of Blessed Joseph de Veuster, otherwise known as Father Damien, the Priest who cared for lepers on a colony in Molokai. Fr Damien's life of heroic virtue is a staggering example of pastoral love and service to the most marginalised and excluded.
It was characteristic of him that when he spoke to his congregation he spoke of "we brothers and sisters" but one morning, after the confirmation of his personal suspicion that he himself had contracted the disease, he addressed his flock and said: "We lepers…" It is said that from that day the bitter opposition from among the lepers to his stern programmes melted away.
It is a great paradox of the Catholic faith that a priest who renounced everything to live in service of the poorest should himself contract the disease, but very much an echo of Christ, who became for us a Man of Sorrows, one disfigured and one from whom men turned away their gaze, during His Passion. It is a sign of his total and unconditional solidarity with the poorest.
For a wonderful biography of his life click here. Also you can buy the DVD of the life of Fr Damien, entitled simply, 'Molokai' from Amazon for £14.95 new, or, even better, as little as £1.49 used. Click here for the appropriate Amazon webpage.
The penitent St Jerome beating himself up with stones
Day 1 (Ash Wednesday): It is the first day of Lent. 'Remember, O man, that from dust you came and to dust you shall return.' Taking heed of these words, you gather dust from around your house. You keep a small collection of it on your desk at work and some in your pocket so that every now and then you can fiddle with it during the day in rememberance of the brevity of life and your mortality. You attend the Holy Day of Obligation with piety and awe. Ash Wednesday is a day of Fasting and Abstinence and so it is a lunch of thinned gruel or vegetable soup, if you are feeling indulgent, with a bread crust for lunch and a dinner of sardine delight. It is a day of weeping and mourning both for your sins and for the fact that you've gone and imposed upon yourself 40 days of extreme self-mortification.
Day 2: Lent is a period of time spent in the spiritual wilderness. It is a time to devote yourself to overcoming your sins with prayer, fasting and almsgiving. You decide to turn your house into that wilderness to remind yourself that you are combating self-indulgence and the passing vanities of this World. This is extreme Lent, remember, so you call a house clearance firm instructing them to remove all of your worldly possessions from the house, asking them to sell it all and to give all the money raised to the first beggar they encounter. You now own nothing but the clothes you stand in and your passport. You have freed yourself from the shackles of the material World and are ready to become incredibly bored and spend the next 38 days twiddling your thumbs.
Day 3: Although your house is now desolate, you long to recreate the sense of the desert. You order 3 tonnes of sand from Travis Perkins and with a shovel cover every inch of your floor, turn the heating up to maximum, paint your ceiling sky blue, and swelter in your very own wilderness, eating nothing but fragments of a cactus which you have bought from B&Q. You have asked the Water board to cut off your water supply and are dehydrated, but are comforted by mirages of the Saints and Holy Angels egging you on.
Day 4:Your life of constant interior prayer is intensified by the fact that there is absolutely nothing else to do. Yet unholy distractions will come your way and you suffer your first spiritual defeat in the battle, when, under severe temptation, you leave the life of prayer for an hour and build a miniature city of sand castles formed by spit, tears of penitence and the work of your own hands. It is a work of sublime genius and your have become master of an entire civic civilisation, complete with an elaborate tram network and town hall. Overcome with contrition at your vanity you spend another hour kicking it to pieces and return to your cell to beg the Lord for mercy.
Day 5:The life of solitude can be too much to bear and inspired by the Holy Spirit, you find the joy of companionship when you spot a spider in the corner of your lounge. Having forgotten your own selfish needs you open the window for a while to allow small flies to enter, lest the spider go hungry. They enter by the hundreds because you emit a bizarre body odour. Purified in spirit by prayer and mortification you rejoice in the happiness of the spider who has had his fill of flies. To the survivors you preach your first sermon on the love of God. They rejoice in your growing holiness and virtue and by sign of their gratitude to God, formation fly into a Cross before your eyes. You spend the rest of the day weeping for joy at the gracious love of your Saviour.
Day 6: Friends and work colleagues are concerned and wonder where on earth you have gone, and you have hitherto ignored all calls on the door enquiring of your whereabouts. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, you open the door to one work colleague. He is a worldly soul and still immersed in the fleeting pleasures of this earthly existence and asks if you fancy a pint down the local. Idle chatter, however, you have renounced as part of your extreme Lent so you tell him that you would love to talk to him but you have taken a vow of silence. He says, "Really?" You say, "Yes, absolutely. In fact, I've never been so sure of anything in my life. Silence is the interior route to God, you know, a mystical ladder by which we ascend..." He remains at your door for an hour while you tell him all about the wonderful benefits of your vow.
Day 7: Word of your hermit existence has spread throughout the town and locals gather outside of your window asking for spiritual advice. Many have brought you bread and water, concerned that you are not eating properly at all and are worried your extreme Lent could end tragically. You turn away all offers of help telling the crowd that there is enough moss and rainwater in the gutter outside your bedroom window to last you a whole lifetime and that the Lord in His Providence has provided for all your needs. From your lounge window you introduce the crowd to your new spider friend and tell them that if we are to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven we must be as reliant and dependent on God for our needs as the humble spider. The crowd, astonished by your life of mortification and love for God go home and lock themselves in their houses, sell all they own and sit in their lounges surrounded by a gigantic web structure of sellotape and wait for the Lord to provide for their necessities in their new life of Chrisitan holiness.
Spain. Home of good looking people, romance, cracking wine, delightful tapas and a steady bedrock of Catholicism. Oh, hang on, the Spanish Government are just about to legalise abortion. One by one, even 'Catholic' countries are falling for the pro-choice arguments that relaxing abortion laws leads to better 'healthcare' for women and makes the World a happier place. Since the 1967 Abortion Act, the number of abortions in England and Wales totals approximately 6.7 million.That's 6.7 million human lives snuffed out, and, let us not forget millions of women who live with the painful and self-destructive agony of maternal loss for the rest of their earthly lives.
The move has put the Socialist government on a collision course with the Catholic Church which has argued the need "to restrict and not expand abortion" in Spain. A parliamentary committee presented recommendations to Congress this week that included legalising early stage abortions, while gradually imposing more restrictions as pregnancies progress.
The proposals will form the basis of a draft bill to be presented to Parliament later this year that will tackle one of the traditionally Roman Catholic nation's final taboos and bring the abortion law in line with most other European countries. The move is the latest in an ambitious programme of social change under Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero that has seen him clash repeatedly with the Roman Catholic Church.
Since coming to power in 2004 his socialist government has legalised gay marriage, eased divorce laws and dropped religious education from the curriculum in public schools, all measures which have deeply angered church leaders.
This evening, I attended a lecture by a monk from the World's oldest monastery, here in Brighton. Fr Justin, librarian at St Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt gave a talk on the Sinai Illuminated Manuscript of the Heavenly Ladder by St John Climacus, at St Michael's & All Angels, Brighton. The Monastery houses more than 4,500 ancient manuscripts and tens of thousands of fragments from others. I'm one of those chaps near the bottom of the ladder falling off frequently. Thank God for Confession!
The talk was fascinating. St John Climacus wrote a spiritual treatise on a 30-step ladder to Divine union, called 'The Ladder of Divine Ascent', which reminded me of the works of other great mystics such as St John of the Cross and St Teresa of Avila. It was interesting to think that the monastery at Mount Sinai, until very relatively recently really was in the wilderness, but of course is now a tourist destination. Those who wished to escape the World are now immersed back in it!
The Holy Father recently held up St. John Climacus as a reminder of the need for “continual conversion and purification with the help of the Holy Spirit. Speaking to 8,000 people in Paul VI Hall, the Pope, in February explained that in the first part of “Ladder of Paradise,” St. John Climacus describes a “break with the world in order to go back to a true evangelical infancy, the time of childhood, in accordance with Jesus’ words.” John Climacus teaches that innocence, fasting and chastity are the “pillars” of this journey, the Pope said.
Every “newborn in Christ,” Pope Benedict continued, “learns from these things, which allow the soul to enter in communion with God.” “Blessed be those who mortify their will till the end,” John Climacus said, for they “shall be placed on the right of Christ. The rung of St. John’s ladder is the “spiritual struggle against passions.” St John Climacus saw passions not as “bad in and of themselves,” but taught that they “become so when they are put to bad use by man’s freedom.” In fact, the Pope said summarizing the saint’s teaching, “If the passions are purified they open onto the path that leads to God.”
“The struggle against passions becomes positive thanks to the image of the fire of the Holy Spirit, whose strength ensures victory over passions, transforming them by the Creator’s positive nature,” John Climacus adds. “The fire of the Holy Spirit is the fire of love and truth.”
The third step on the ascent to Paradise that John Climacus describes, deals with “Christian perfection,” the higher levels of which “can be experienced by those who have reached peace of mind and inner peace.”
John Climacus emphasizes the importance of discernment: Christians must examine every aspect of their behavior in order to ascertain their deepest motivations and reawaken a "sense of the heart." This leads to tranquility of soul, “esichÃa,” which prepares Christians to probe the depths of the divine mysteries, the Pontiff explained.
The final part of the saint’s “ladder” is dedicated to faith, hope and charity. John Climacus speaks of charity as Eros, “the figure of the soul’s matrimonial love for God.” An intense experience of this Eros, the Holy Father related, makes the soul progress more than any hard-fought struggle with its passions. This positive character counts more than the struggle itself.
St. John Climacus writes, “Hope is charity’s strength.” In its absence charity is obliterated. Hope surrounds one with God’s mercy. "How topical is the opus of a hermit monk from 1,500 years ago?” the Pope asked. “At first glance, we would say no, but if we look closely at monastic life we see that it is a great sign of Christian life. It shows in capital letters what we write daily in small letters; it shows how a baptized person can live in communion with Christ, his death and resurrection.”
Pope Benedict mentioned how this is demonstrated in relation to one’s ego. “I give up my arrogance, for which I too must judge for I cannot rely on others.” It is a question “of overcoming the arrogance of saying ‘I know best.’” In this manner, the soul grows. “Only hope can make us capable of charity. With hope we can transcend everyday reality,” the Pontiff stated. “We don’t have to wait for success every day but for God himself in the end…We can be good with others without expecting a reward. The mystery of prayer, the personal knowledge of God, hides in charity,” Benedict XVI shared as he concluded with the prayer: Let us use the ladder of faith, hope and charity to reach true life.”
This video was made before the change in the law under the Terrorism Act, which now means you cannot photograph the police, even, we presume if they're kicking the proverbial out of a peaceful protester, arresting a beggar or caught taking cocaine.
The Daily Mirror in November 2008 posted this video of police abuse of power. Clearly, this kind of video footage doesn't reflect that well on the UK Police force. Perhaps, this is one reason why they don't want to be filmed...This was a case of 'mistaken identitiy'. Oh that's alright then, because obviously the 'right man' deserved a good hiding at the hands of the boys in blue. Instead they picked on a war hero who'd served for this country on an ordinary night out in the town centre.
Well, at least, thank God, this will mean the end of those awful 'Police, Camera, Action' programmes, where a film crew follow the police around on a night on the beat in St Albans town centre, while viewers at home cheer the good cops on as they arrest a drunk for having the temerity to swear at them when they don't respond to police 'diplomacy', and then sling them in the cells for a night.
I remember the time a friend and I were once standing outside a nightclub and the bouncer asked us to smoke further away from the entrance of the club. There was nobody else there, partially I expect because it was the first weekend of the smoking ban. I think I sarcastically said, "Yes, you're right, I mean, look at the queue of people trying to get in." We proceeded to have something of an argument and then my friend and I were thrown out of the club. I considered it a grave injustice and said to him something like, "You pray? Well I do! I'm going to pray for you you f***!"
Joe Pesci eat your heart out. That's as close to getting in trouble with authority as I've come.
The only downside of facing the same way as your congregation at Mass is that someone could stab you in the back at any moment.
The Tablet this week lay heavy blows upon a very highly regarded Catholic priest of the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen, one Fr Tim Finegan. Thankfully, there are enough men and women who admire his determination to be faithful to the expressed desire of Pope Benedict XVI to see the Latin Mass implemented in parishes alongside the Novus Ordu, that he will not feel too isolated. Many will have leapt and will continue to leap to his defence.
Elena Curti, who penned the article, sadly, has quoted some of his parishioners who have expressed their disapproval of Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sundays, even though, Fr Tim has made it widely known that on the very same day, Mass is also celebrated in the ordinary form slightly earlier at 9am.
The real giveaway in the article is the headline, which reads, "That was not my Mass." This headline is actually at the heart of the 'divisions' in the Church over Sacred Liturgy and the Mass.
Why? Because no, it wasn't your Mass, never was and never will be. It is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and like all things Holy, the Mass belongs to God. A great part of the problem that a minority of laity, some priests and many Bishops struggle with is really about seeking a balance of power and authority in the Church and an inordinate desire to view Church liturgy and decision-making over it, or even the Church itself, as a 'democracy.'
Listen to some of the complaints which the parishioners made about Fr Tim's implementation of Mass in the Extraordinary Form...
“It is a matter of principle.”What is the principle? As far as I know the chief principle of the Laity is to attend Mass as part of our Sunday obligation. The Laity have not been placed in a position of authority in the Church. The Priest has been, by virtue of his Office at his ordination. Therefore, arguably, our personal feelings about the liturgy we really need to put to one side. God knows, I've sat through some pretty awful guitar Masses in my time, but I don't go and tell the Catholic Herald about it, because I respect the Church and the Priest enough to hold back. I won't say I haven't been tempted, mind.
"I won’t be driven out." Nobody is driven out of the Church. If we leave the Church we leave of our own free will. Ultimately, if I was marooned on a very tiny island and only able to go to one parish and it was full of guitars, keyboards, singers and liturgical dancers, it would be a pain in the arse but I'd still have to go to Mass.
"I have no objection to them having it once a month or once a week, but it should not be the main Sunday Mass and it should not be imposed over the whole parish.”My first reaction to reading this was, 'Who on earth asked you?' Nobody consulted me on any aspect of Church matters. I can't see why they should. Clearly, this person is disgruntled, but really, it is up to the Priest. Also, where he says, "the whole parish", read, "me," because "the whole parish" may not be so keen on the Novus Ordu either. Let the people decide? By majority vote? It is always worth recalling that 'the people' voted Blair in 3 times and Thatcher in twice.
“People who have been away from Church come back at Christmas and Easter and are totally put off. It is so sad.”I see. Yes, it is sad many Catholics only go to Mass twice a year. So, the New Rite didn't retain their interest in the Church and the Old Rite didn't either. Heck, you can't please everyone! Mass attendance is an obligation incumbent upon those souls and it is not up to Holy Mother Church to devise a Mass which is simultaeneously pleasing to everyone because someone will always want something different.
The only Mass which would suddenly attract hoards of lapsed Catholics is one where the Font is a jacuzzi, where the bar in the corner serves free cocktails and where young ladies in Playboy outfits served cheese and pinapple on sticks for those souls yet to be reconciled to Holy Mother Church and who deem themselves unable to receive Communion in good conscience. The moment Priests design Mass around the congregations' whims rather than the worship of God is the moment Mass becomes little to do with God and everything to do with us. Which is why it is best to let the Priest do his job. For proof, look up the words 'Rock-teen/Balloon Mass' on Google and eventually you'll find some pretty horrendous videos.
“I grew up with the Latin Mass and remember sitting watching men and women saying the Rosary, slyly reading the newspaper or making responses they didn’t really understand."Tempting as it often is, watching others at Mass is not advisable. At Mass we should be been praying, revering and adoring God. It is a bit presumptuous to think that just because one doesn't feel like one is 'getting anything' out of Mass, that those around you are not either. The one thing that has struck me about the Latin Mass is that I don't really have to say anything, which is actually a great relief. Thank God for some silence. It's rare I can tell you. "The English Mass made us participants and co-celebrants in the Sacrifice of the Mass. The instruction to ‘open the windows and doors’ is one of the most liberating things to happen in the Catholic Church. If you listen carefully you can hear them being shut in Blackfen.” Ah...Now we are getting to the heart of the matter. We are participants in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in as much as we participate in the Mystery of the Trinity and the Company of Heaven, but this is the case regardless of which rite is used. Our participation in the Mass is not dependent upon us, our endeavours or our efforts. It is always worth remembering that if nobody turned up to Church one Sunday, the Priest would still offer Mass. Pope Benedict's call is for men and women to 'open the windows and doors' of our hearts to Christ...
The word, 'co-celebrant' insinuates a little that the Laity are a bit like the Priesthood in that the Laity respond vocally and utter the sacred words which used to be uttered by the Priest alone. Some people have described this as the 'clericalisation' of the Laity. The idea of the vocal responses, the congregation's vocalisation of the pattern of the Mass, the hymns, bidding prayers, Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, the need for Eucharistic ministers and lay readers all being removed from us and being done by the Priest leaves some people with a feeling of disempowerment. This of course, at a time when society says that only empowerment is good.
Now, I'll grant these parishioners one thing. Disempowerment does not necessarily make us feel warm and cosy but it is undoubtedly holy. Why? I'll tell you why. It's because..."All Power, all Glory and all Honour is Yours, Almighty Father. Forever and Ever. Amen."
Power belongs to God and is shown forth through the Pope, who speaks infallibly on Faith and Morals on the Throne of St Peter, through Bishops who are under obedience to the Pope, through Priests who are under obedience to the Bishops (who, remember, are meant to be obedient to the Pope!) and there the power line stops. Why does it stop there? Because only these people can offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or be instrument's of Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance. Only these people have been ordained to serve God in the Church.
We, the Laity were never meant to be 'empowered' in any other way than to proclaim the Gospel joyously in our daily lives and work. Anyone who thinks Heaven is going to be a 'democracy' will be in for a big shock, when Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal King of Glory, sits upon His Throne at His Glorious Second Coming.
I love it when politicians, or in fact anyone it seems, meets the Holy Father, they have a look on their face that reminds you of a little schoolboy meeting their favourite footballer, even though their 'moral compass' is on quite a few areas, at polar opposites. Meeting the Holy Father, it seems, makes people behave a bit like this...
The press are reporting that Brown 'invited' His Holiness for a Papal visit to the United Kingdom, where he would be warmly welcomed in all parts of the country. The Vatican have been cool in their response to the prospect...Can you blame the Holy Father for not answering 'yes' straight away? I mean, why would anyone want to come to this country? Maybe if PM Gordon Brown wasn't so determined to turn the UK into a police state the country would be more appealing.
I expect the conversation might have gone a bit like this:
Prime Minister Brown: "Your Holiness...I think I speak on behalf of the British people (even though I wasn't actually elected and I and my cabinet colleagues ride roughshod over public opinion on all matters) when I say, it would be wonderful if you could come and visit our country."
Pope Benedict XVI: "Ah yes, as Pope St Gregory the Great said, your countrymen are not 'angles', no but 'angels'! What will I need to bring?"
Prime Minister Brown: "Ah, right, you'll need to bring yourself, obviously, err, your passport, a small viol of saliva or urine would be helpful, so we can get your DN...I mean, err. Also, remember no more than 100ml of toothpaste. You know, for all we know you could be the toothpaste bomber, or, err, anyway, you can't take too many precautions. Also, if you could bring a camera for your memories, but don't, don't Holy Father, take a picture of our policemen because you could get 15 years for that. I know it sounds harsh, Your Holiness, but you can't take too many precautions with these terrorists."
Pope Benedict XVI: "Every now and then I like to smoke."
Prime Minister Brown: "Ah, yes, bit of a problem there too, Your Holiness. We've banned smoking everywhere but outside in the pissing rain and cold."
Pope Benedict XVI: "That seems a bit extreme."
Prime Minister Brown: "Ah, yes, Your Holiness, but we can't have smoke in pubs or cafes or restaurants, or phone boxes, or Heaven forbid, railway stations or airports, or anywhere else you might like to smoke, because..."
Pope Benedict XVI: "Because?"
Prime Mininster Brown: "Because...err, it isn't healthy. I mean, we believe in health in the UK. And smoking isn't healthy is it Your Holiness?"
Pope Benedict XVI: "Anything else I can't do while on my stay?"
Prime Minister Brown: "Don't drink a can of lager outside, Your Holiness, or beg...No, Holy Father, we take street drinking and begging very seriously in the UK. We slap ASBOs on the poor beggars left right and centre, and then if they disobey we sling their sorry asses in jail. But it is all for the greater good and tourism of course. All of these things make some people think the Labour Party are turning the UK into a kind of stasi-esque totalitarian state, but it isn't true. Our citizens can have as many gay civil partnerships, divorces or abortions as they please. See, we're very liberal!
Also, Your Holiness, if you come can you kind of tuck the Cross in a little, under your shirt would be good. You know, we don't want to offend anyone like people of other religions or militant atheists who get hot under the collar about seeing a living example of Christianity. Actually, if you could just tone down the whole Christianity thing in general, that would be helpful.
Oh yes, Your Holiness, you'd be so welcome in our peaceful, tolerant and hospitable land, this land, 'Our Lady's Dowry', converted by St Augustine of Canterbury as advised, as you say, by Pope St Gregory the Great!"
Pope Benedict XVI: "Thank you for your kind offer, I think my diary is full at the moment."
Interesting, and obviously disturbing piece in the Telegraph today. I have a feeling the State of the future is going to make the Inquisition look like a walk in a park on a sunny day.
Melanie Reid of the Times has an opinion piece today on euthanasia, dementia and the 'right to die'. Slowly, but surely, the public image of euthanasia is being changed from something which, like eugenics, was highly esteemed by the Nazis, to something which could feasibly, in the future become a part of UK Government policy, imitating, as it would the Swiss model featured in the public eye so recently.
The columnist argues, quite understandably, that she has seen so much suffering from dementia, taking its toll on the lives of those she loves and has seen at first hand the great pain it brings to loved ones. She argues that if there were a chance that she, in future could suffer dementia herself, that she would rather she had the choice to undergo euthanasia at a time of her choosing and 'check out' of this life, as she says, before dementia sets in.
She says, and I quote, "The General Medical Council starts a consultation in March on end-of-life decision-making that just might recommend that early-stage dementia sufferers and other terminally ill people be given the right to exit peacefully. But don't hold your breath. If we don't wake up to the timebomb of dementia - and forgive my frankness - far too many of us are destined to spend the final 20 years of our lives bedbound, fed with a teaspoon, dribbling quietly and wishing - in as much as we are capable of wishing anything - that we were dead. Just as our sons and daughters, prisoners of our illness as much as we are, will wish the same."
Now, there are some incendiary issues going on in this piece. Here they are:
1. I want to decide when I die (Suicide). 2. I want someone else to assist me go peacefully (Assist my suicide) 3. Because I don't want to be a burden on society or family. 4. Because I don't want to end up like that. 5. So I want to give the medical profession the right to end my life.
Why are these issues incendiary? Well, aside from the moral issues connected with suicide and the moral law, IF, Heaven forbid, the UK Government should allow in legislation the option of euthanasia on the NHS (I mean, we can't just have assisted suicide for the rich, can we? What about the poor?), then what the State would be saying would be, in fact, this:
1. We want to decide when you die (Murder) 2. We want someone else to assist you to go peacefully (Assist in your murder) 3. Because we don't want you to be a burden on society or your family. 4. Because we don't want you to end up like that. 5. So we want to give the medical profession the right to end your life.
The sufferings of people with dementia, the sufferings of families with family members with dementia is very real. However, our fear of suffering and all of our human suffering, more than we can imagine, has been experienced by God Himself.
When Our Lord was in the Garden of Gethesemane, His suffering was very real, His Agony at His coming Passion very real. When He was scourged at the pillar His suffering was excruciating. When He had a Crown of Thorns put upon His head, His suffering was very real. When He carried His heavy Cross, so heavy, that He could not bear it all the way Himself, His suffering was very real. When the soldiers drove nails into His hands and feet, His suffering was very real.
All this He bore, more suffering than even we can know and He bore it not for Himself, but for us. It is only in the light of Christ's Passion, the Passion which redeemed us, that we can fully appreciate the place of suffering in our lives. While it is wholly understandable for us, who do not have His courage and divine love, to run away from the the stark reality of life and headlong for an 'easy' death, it would serve us no good to do that. To suffer patiently has great merit before God. It also, as the late Pope John Paul II witnessed to the World, has great merit before man too.
Once, however, we give the Government the power to 'euthanise' we are putting far too much trust in their hands, at a time when few people trust them to do anything, from running the economy competently, to a just or legal strategy of war and defence, to even getting the trains to work at a fair and reasonable prices. So, then, when the time comes, do not accede to the Government's bill. Because, as is the case still...first they came for the mentally ill, those with dementia... .... and then they came for me.
Oh, and by the way, remember that like the abortion industry, the euthanasia industry is a profit business. Both the abortion 'business' and the euthanasia 'business' is rolling in it and all from people's deaths. £750 was a ballpark figure I heard for an abortion. Life is cheap, eh? How much would it cost to 'check out' of this life?
Papal Visit to Speaker of the Housewith Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats, Rep. George Miller, Rep. Anna Eshoo, Rep. John Larson, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. Edward Markey, Rep. Michael Capuano, and Rep. William Pascrell Jr.
Vatican Statement "Following the General Audience the Holy Father briefly greeted Mrs Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, together with her entourage. His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development." (emphasis added)
Diplomatic way of saying that the Holy Father told Pelosi and her liberal Catholic friends to stop voting pro-abortion.
Pelosi Statement on the Meeting "It is with great joy that my husband, Paul, and I met with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today. In our conversation, I had the opportunity to praise the church’s leadership in fighting poverty, hunger and global warming, as well as the Holy Father’s dedication to religious freedom and his upcoming trip and message to Israel. I was proud to show His Holiness a photograph of my family’s papal visit in the 1950s, as well as a recent picture of our children and grandchildren.”
Diplomatic way of saying that Pelosi can't say publicly what the Holy Father said, because it would be embarrassing to her and to the Obama administration.
I've been listening to Morrissey on Radio 4 and not for the first time he has annoyed me. The cause closest to Morrissey's heart is vegetarianism and spreading his passion for it, and frustration at anyone who enjoys a good leg of lamb every now and then. How awful, he once whinged in his song, Meat is Murder, that 'this beautiful creature must die', talking about little lambs and cows, while lamenting how terrible abbatoirs must be and how he has never understood how humans can kill a flufffy little lamb and then eat it.
Mmmm...Well, I suppose we should all give up something for Lent.
My point is this: Morrissey is a Catholic. Vegetarianism and concern for little animals is all very noble. But what about the human abbatoirs? What about the fact that the unborn are slaughtered week in, week out in every town and city of the UK? What is more important? The plight of the animals or the plight of the unborn, who are fully alive, but unprotected by society and who are totally undefended and unprotected by law?
You cannot murder a cow, you can only kill it, and even then, did the cow really long to see old age? Does the cow think, "Well, this is just unfair! What about my right to life?" We shouldn't be humanising animals. We should be recogising all human life as human.
Mozzer...Meat is not murder. If I kill a bunny rabbit, rightly I am not wanted for murder and I have not placed my immortal soul in jeopardy.
Abortion is. If I kill another human being I should be wanted for infanticide and I have placed my immortal soul in dire jeopardy. The fact that nation states have given abortion clinics across the World a carte blanche to kill as many human beings as they like doesn't change the fact I would be killing a human being. Abortion really is a case of 'this beautiful creature must die.'
What really irritates Moz is the idea of people eating meat. Apparently he can't even sit at the same table as you at a restaurant if you do so. I don't usually act out of spite but I'm going to go to Sainsbury's now and spend a voucher my parents kindly sent me today on some lovely meat, before Lent kicks in.
UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE...
My friend Nick at Choir practice tonight said he saw Morrissey having some noodles in EAT, in Piccadilly Circus today. He was on urgent Police business so couldn't try and talk with him. Luckily for Nick, he didn't have a burger in his hand, otherwise he'd have been scowled at...Nick is a huge Morrissey fan. I remember the time I saw Jarvis Cocker in a cafe in Paris, and I giggled like a schoolgirl.
Women are prouder than men, but men are more lustful, according to a Vatican report which states that the two sexes sin differently.
A Catholic survey found that the most common sin for women was pride, while for men, the urge for food was only surpassed by the urge for sex.
The report was based on a study of confessions carried out by Fr Roberto Busa, a 95-year-old Jesuit scholar. The Pope's personal theologian backed up the report in the Vatican newspaper.
"Men and women sin in different ways," Msgr Wojciech Giertych, theologian to the papal household, wrote in L'Osservatore Romano. "When you look at vices from the point of view of the difficulties they create you find that men experiment in a different way from women."
Msgr Giertych said the most difficult sin for men to face was lust, followed by gluttony, sloth, anger, pride, envy and greed. For women, the most dangerous sins were pride, envy, anger, lust, and sloth, he added. For more click here.
Let's see now, how am I doing on the sins front. 1. Pride (check), 2. Envy (I could do with a job!), 3. anger (yep), 4. Lust ('fraid so), 5. Sloth (err...yes, bigtime!), 6. Gluttony (yep), 7. Avarice (occasionally, usually when I look at my bank balance!)
According to the BBC, a recent survey of Catholics found nearly a third no longer considered confession necessary, while one in 10 considered the process an obstacle to their dialogue with God.
Conversely, therefore that means that two thirds of Catholics do still consider Confession necessary, while 9 in 10 consider mortal sin to be an obstacle to their relationship with God.
So, if you see a policeman behaving unjustly, beating up a fellow citizen or himself breaching the peace, remember to take out with you a pencil, eraser and piece of paper so you can say, "Officer, please can you just hold that pose for a while, I know I can't take a picture of your brazen injustice, but can I just do a drawing, please? I mean, I'm not that good, but it would be really helpful if you could just hold that pose."
Lovers parting at a Cheshire rail station may find themselves caught in a dangerous liaison - especially if they share a kiss under the 'No Kissing' sign. Far from killing the mood, authorities argue the aim is to stop commuters missing their taxis. Officials at Warrington Bank Quay Station agreed to a romance-free zone, which was suggested by the local chamber of commerce.
"They may seem frivolous, but there is a serious message underneath. They certainly make our station unique," Colin Daniels, chief executive of Warrington Chamber of Commerce said.
If lovers want to smooch, they have to do so in the designated kissing area situated nearby. The directive has got tongues wagging at the station - but of course, only in the permissible way. Ruth Hardman and her partner Alan Dawson were heading home to the Lake District. "I was gob-smacked when I saw them. They should spend the money on something more worthwhile," Ms Hardman said.
Amy Swain who was travelling to Lancaster with her boyfriend Malcolm Kenny said she did not see the point in the no kissing sign: "I don't think it'll stop people." Others however could see the funny side. "[My partner's] car was parked beneath the kissing sign and I thought he'd put it up as a joke. It made me laugh," said Lynne Surgenor, from Glasgow.
John Finney, from St Helens, said: "Someone in an office somewhere must have a good sense of humour. "We're law-abiding citizens, though, so of course we won't be breaking the rules."
Train passenger Jenna Seddon, 23, from Warrington, said she thought the signs were sweet. "It's romantic and a bit of fun. It'll stop people from holding up the traffic as well."
The Daily Mail today highlights the views of Dame Stella Rimington, the first female head of MI5, who has lambasted the Government for using terrorism fears to create a 'police state'. Click here for more.
I do not want my blogsite to become a political site and I realise that a good few of my last posts have been political. The Gospel is what we should preach at all times, 'in season and out of season'. However, I am becoming more and more concerned by the new laws being enacted under the guise of 'counter-terrorism' and public 'security'.
I just read an interesting piece on a new law making it an offence to photograph police officers in the UK. Kate Day has a good Telegraph Blog piece here, which is attracting concerned comment. To those who wish to see the police unphotograble as enshrined in UK law, I have two words: Rodney King. The great argument put forward by enthusiasts of CCTV is this: "Well, if you are against CCTV, what have you got to hide?"
Yet, regardless of whether we wanted to be watched when we are in the town centre, on buses and trains, on the underground, on stations and in underground stations the Government have placed cameras everywhere without our consent. Apparently this is all for our protection. However, history has borne witness to the fact that when the State gets too much power, it is not from the external threat or the internal threat that citizens need protection - but from the State itself!
So, then, if you are a police officer and you don't like being photographed...what have you got to hide? While we're on the subject, it is worth mentioning, courtesy of Catholic Online that...
On February 12, nine members of the Campus Life Tour team were arrested while handing out literature on the public sidewalk outside of Parker High School in Birmingham. They were held overnight in Birmingham City Jail and charged with trespassing.
At the time of the arrests, a member of the Campus Life Tour overheard police officers saying, "we need to wipe the cameras", because of the evidence contained on the video - the Survivors were not trespassing on school property at any time during their literature distribution, as the video footage will clearly show.
Following the release of the young people from Birmingham City Jail on Friday, the group attempted to recover their video cameras from the Central Headquarters. They were told that the property was logged as evidence and needed to be released by the officer who checked it in, Officer C. Smith.
Officer Smith's normal shift was 3:00 - 11:00 pm, the Survivors were informed. When they called at 3:00 pm to speak with Smith, they were told she was running late and would not arrive until 5:00 pm, at which time the property department would be closed and the Survivors' cameras would be inaccessible.
"How convenient. The property department closed at 5:00 pm and Officer Smith just happened to arrive late to work the day she was needed to release our cameras," said Blythe. "It is clear the Birmingham Police Department is playing a game with our personal property, and I am going to the Central Headquarters tomorrow to demand an end to this charade. We are confident that the video footage contained on our cameras will prove that the Survivors were not trespassing, and that the Birmingham police officers' actions were unlawful and abusive.
"It is imperative that we recover the camera equipment and data, and we will not rest until the Birmingham Police Department returns our property intact."
Fr Ray Blake of St Mary Magdalen's Church, Brighton
A good friend of mine, Henry, has written a good piece on the need for silence and awe in the Mass. Here is his post and click here to see his blog...
'Be still and know that I am God.' So go the words of a popular hymn, based on Psalm 46. However, stillness in the modern Catholic liturgy is more notable for its absence.
I have attended a variety of liturgies at different places in the past few months. At my local church we usually have a Novus Ordo mass with Latin chant. This is a dignified celebration and as good as it gets when most of the prayers are in English, which is always mildly irritating due to the bad translation and the kitschy "and also with you" response.
At the end of last year I was in Marlow one Sunday and went to mass there, in a nasty 1980s church with a bare brick interior, with unpleasant modern hymns which I had never heard before, sung by a small choir because nobody else present seemed to know them either. Then, in mid-January, I was in Salisbury, which the liturgy used to be quite reasonable but has been distinctly odd recently. On my previous trip, the music was 1970s, and the priest delivered his sermon whilst walking up and down the aisle, which was disconcerting. So I decided to give it a miss and went to an Extraordinary Form mass at Warminster, which involved a 45 minute bus ride each way on a cold evening. But it was worth it not to end up being annoyed.
In my own parish we had an Extraordinary Form sung mass on the Feast of the Presentation, and another, a Requiem for the Parish Priest's father, a few days later. There was plenty of silence at these.
On the Sunday we were promised a "children's mass". From past experience, these consist of jolly hymns with simple tunes, and a clapping Gloria, accompanied by recorded music played too loud on a bad public address system. Numinous it isn't. The readings are done by children, many of whom sound as if they don't know the meaning of the words they are saying - they are just mouthing the letters on the page. I end up feeling angry and avoid them these days, so I went with a friend to another parish.
My heart sank when I saw the list of hymns - banal 1970s tunes, accompanied by violinists and wind players, plus a guitar. It was a pity about the music because the strings and wind instruments actually produced a good sound, but the guitar, as usual was a disaster with a horrible and insistent chunger-chunger-chunger-chunger background.
Then off to Sweden, where the music tends to be old Swedish settings of Gregorian chant, and since the translation is reasonably true to the Latin, the liturgy is satisfactory in a functional sort of way and is never an obstacle to worship. So the next three weeks will be fine and presumably there will be no more children's liturgies for a while.
Following Vatican II, the official view on the language and music in the liturgy is as follows
"However, care should be taken to foster the role of Latin in the Liturgy, particularly in liturgical song. Pastors should ensure “that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them."
This music is well within the abilities of the average nine-year-old child and one must ask why Catholic schools are not teaching it to their pupils so that they can participate in the singing at their Sunday parish masses. Why children need special children's masses is a question that needs to be asked. Making the liturgy childish means that religion becomes something to grow up out of. It could be one reason why young people stop going to church when they reach their teens.
The new English translation is coming soon and will be a faithful translation of the Latin. I wonder how it will go down. My first impression is that it sounds like seventeenth century English and will feel contrived. Some people might be put off by this. In any case, there is a problem with English - the moment someone opens their mouth, they are pigeonholed as regards their class and intelligence. This is a spin-off from the economic and social divisions which cut through British society. People are still judged by the way they sound their vowels! For this reason alone, it would probably be a good thing to phase out the vernacular from general use in the liturgy in English-speaking countries.
Squemish? Scroll down now. Today's Gospel reading has really struck me...
Gospel, Mk 1:40-45
A leper came to him and pleaded on his knees saying, 'If you want to, you can heal me.' Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said to him, 'Of course I want to!' he said, 'be cured.' And at once the leprosy left him and he was cured. And at once Jesus sternly sent him away and said to him, 'Mind you tell no one anything, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence to them.' The man went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places. Even so, people from all around kept coming to him.
Yesterday, miraculously, I was able to get up in time to go to the morning Mass at HMP Lewes prison. It is something I have been meaning to do for a long time, but given that a friend is now there, he has given me a personal reason for doing so. The friend in concern is in prison, as I said, for breaking his Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO), because he was guilty of the heinous crimes of begging and street drinking and was discovered to have broken his ban from the centre of Brighton.
He is one of a seemingly growing number of people who in the light of the Gospel are the new 'lepers' of the modern age. I don't know maybe we should start a band or something...The thing I found striking about the Mass at prison was the sense of brotherhood that we share under the loving gaze of our Heavenly Father. We are all, regardless of our sins or crimes, Brothers in Christ, adopted Sons of God, who loves us regardless of our sins. Knowing this, or at least believing this ardently fills us Christians with joy, another joy that the World cannot give...not perhaps can understand.
As I'm sure you are aware, leprosy, so attached to sin and shame in the Old Testament, was for the lepers of Our Lord's time, not just a disfigurement and disease of the body, but something that excluded the sufferer from the rest of society. The Gospel reading is dramatic for a few reasons. Many things are striking about today's Gospel reading!
Firstly, it is contrasted with the law of Moses which was read in the first reading of the day, by which the leper would have to hide his top lip with his hand and warn others of his approaching by shouting, 'Unclean, unclean.' Christ Our Lord does not ignore the Law of Moses but tells the leper who has been healed by the power of God's compassionate love to present himself to a rabbi to evidence his healing, so that he may be admitted back into society...surely the re-admittance of the man back into society was what gave the healed man and Our Lord Jesus Christ more joy than ever!
Secondly, Our Blessed Lord 'touches' the leper, who is deemed by his society as 'untouchable', someone to be shunned lest you would catch his sickness and disease, someone discarded by society and excluded. It is likely that nobody had touched him in his life since he contracted leprosy, but who is the one person willing to touch him? Our Lord Jesus Christ, who motivated by His compassion in His Sacred Heart, sees not only the injustice of society at large which has left the poor man bereft of friendship and love, but also the person who is stood before Him, unloved by men, asking Him to heal him and to love him!
Thirdly, Our Blessed Lord, because He had healed the leper and the healed man could not contain his joy at meeting Our Lord, took upon Himself the state of the leper and was no long able to go into the town, but had to remain outside, in 'deserted places' where people could come to Him...and of course, they did!
Anyway, I am digressing a little. The Gospel reading today highlights Jesus's love for the poor, the outcast and the excluded. The reason that it was so striking to me was because I am increasinly becoming more aware of people in Brighton who could be described as the 'modern lepers'. The friend in jail, who is not allowed in the town centre but has to remain outside on the edges of Brighton in 'deserted places' is one example.
There are many drug addicts and alcoholics in Brighton who are despised by society and, because the traces of addiction are marked on their faces and in their mannerisms, they are not allowed to go into pubs, bars or shops sometimes because the man on the door doesn't like the look of them. I've seen their rejection at first hand and it is not something you expect from 'friendly Brighton'.
There are HIV positive people who are shunned and excluded even from the gay scene in which they once were welcome, because they, suddenly, are 'unclean'. Some are hounded once they are found out and chased away from their communities.
There are the homeless people who because they look untidy and don't scrub up as well as the 'respectable' people of society are excluded from pubs, shops and restaurants. There are some provisions and services for them, but who ever invites them to dinner parties, weddings, or occasions of joy? Do people who are rejected by society even get invited to Church or feel welcome there?
Yes, it is true, there are plenty of 'modern lepers' today who are excluded from society and are unloved. It is up to us, the Church militant, to reach out to them and show them love because Jesus loves them and wants them to be loved! If we do reach out to the outcasts in society, we can be sure of one thing...The joy of the Kingdom of God will fill our hearts and we will have a joy that no man can take away from us! No man, or indeed, woman.
Finally, it is true to say that we empathise more deeply the plight of the outcast and shunned when we realise our own need to say to the Lord, like the leper in the Gospel, "If you want to You can heal me." For sin removes us, excludes us from God, but through prayer and through the Sacraments of Grace, Confession and the Holy Eucharist we can be told time and time again, by Christ, present in the Sacraments, "Of course I want to! Be healed." For a profound reflection of this read Daughter of the King's post today by clicking here.
Also, click here for Whispers in the Loggia, who has a good piece on the cause for the canonisation of Blessed Damien de Veuster (1840-1889), the Belgian missionary to the Hawaiian leper-colony of Molokai, who has been adopted as an unofficial patron of HIV/AIDS sufferers.
The above t-shirt could be taken a couple of ways. I am sure it is meant as a quick swipe at Catholic education for late teenage lads and lasses venting their feelings at being educated in the Faith and having been given 'Catholic guilt', but it could be taken another way altogether. It could be interpreted as, "I went to Catholic school and my faith, incredibly, remains intact!" It is true to say that many Catholic schools have many non-Catholic pupils and non-Catholic teachers and, having seen the 'Here I Am' syllabus when I failed my PGCE in Primary Education so miserably, pseudo-Catholic teaching!
It is not surprising therefore that given that children go to school nowadays, get told all about sex and contraception and end up becoming naughty, giggling fathers at 13, that some parents would rather teach their little treasures at home, where at least they know that they will receive sound religious teaching and a good general education. They will know because they will see the evidence before them. The Government is attempting to clamp down upon homeschooling, presumably because if they do not, they will not be able to indoctrinate children with atheistic, secularist visions of the World, an unhealthy cynacism for religious issues, and ensure that 5-11 year olds manage to pass their sexual education SATS with flying colours.
If you would like to support the rights of home educating families in the UK please click here and leave your comments in the comments section of the 'Thinking Love, No Twaddle' blog or follow the links to alternative methods of showing your support. You may think homeschooling a great thing, you may not, but be assured that every day a new news story emerges detailing the intensifying, incremental encroachment upon our civil liberties and rights. All of our human rights must be defended, because, quite clearly, politicians gave up defending them years ago.
The following is the highly disturbing and official press release from Survivors Campus Life Tours courtesy of Catholic Online.
Nine college-age members of the Survivors Campus Life Tour were arrested on a public sidewalk at Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, while distributing literature to students at the campus today.
This afternoon, the group of pro-life youth activists quietly held signs, distributed literature and peacefully dialogued with students on the public sidewalk. After being threatened with arrest if they did not leave the area, the group contacted their attorney, who then assured them that their location on the public sidewalk and their free speech activity was legal according to local and state laws. After the Campus Life Tour team members finished handing out literature to passing students and were in the process of loading their van to leave the school area, the police then handcuffed and arrested all nine Survivors without warning. One of the team members who did not assist in the distribution of literature was also arrested and handcuffed so tightly that it caused her to cry in pain.
Kortney Blythe, Director of Survivors Campus Life Tours, repeatedly asked Officer Cooley, one of the arresting officers, the reason for the arrests. He kept assuring the team that they were not arrested, they were only being detained, and he did not know what the charges were. The entire group was never informed of the reason for their arrest as they were being handcuffed, and one of the officers was heard to question his superiors, "What are we arresting them for again?" The police confiscated the team's video cameras and personal belongings, and impounded and searched the Campus Life Tour van. The police also asked the team members where they were staying so they could conduct a search in their hotel as well.
They are now being held in Birmingham City Jail, the jail from which Martin Luther King, Jr. issued his famous letter condemning apathy and injustice. All nine members of the Campus Life Tour team have "willingly [gone] to jail for their conscience' sake" in the same city where Dr. King was jailed for his convictions. In January, the Campus Life Tour participated in the Birmingham Letter Project in Washington, DC, a series of events dedicated to speaking against the injustice of abortion in the spirit of Dr. King. They now find themselves jailed for First Amendment activity in Birmingham, demonstrating that prejudice is alive and well in America, particularly when advocating for the civil rights of the pre-born.
The group is scheduled for an early Friday morning hearing, and have been informed the pending charge is "criminal trespass".
Arrest and detainment for Pro-Life protest is a new development in the US. Looks like the pro-death agenda of the new 'regime' is filtering down to state level. This is a very worrying development. These students were not even camped outside an abortion clinic. I don't think it is too early to say that the assault on democracy and the Church in the US has begun.
May God bless this family. The fact that respected doctors are 'advising' abortions is quite incredible really. Ultimately what right to members of the medical community, who are charged with responsibility for the defence and protection of human life, have to tell someone to have an abortion? And then, once their advice has been rejected once, they tell them again!? Shocking!
Gaynor Purdy was warned her first child could have a fatal chromosome defect and a life threatening heart condition. But she rejected two suggestions to terminate the pregnancy and she and her husband Lee are celebrating life with their "perfect" ten-month-old son. Mrs Purdy, 28, a quality control inspector, said: "We refused to give up on him, and decided throughout the pregnancy that as long as he was fighting, we would continue fighting with him."
The couple from Scunthorpe, Lincs, were delighted when they discovered they had conceived shortly before their first wedding anniversary. Four months into the pregnancy doctors told them that part of their unborn child's heart was narrow and underdeveloped and would mean open heart surgery if the baby was born. They were warned the condition could worsen and around Christmas last year, an immediate termination should be considered.
Further tests conducted a few days later on New Year's Eve suggested the baby could also have Edwards Syndrome - the presence of an 18th chromosome - with a life expectancy of only up to four months if birth is survived. Consultants again recommended the couple consider aborting the baby, fearing he would little to no quality of life once he was born.
For the second time, Mrs Purdy and her husband, a 29 year old forklift driver, declined the suggestion. Kai was born six weeks premature on March 5 at Scunthorpe General Hospital weighing just 2lb 6oz and immediately admitted to intensive care, but was discharged within six weeks.
One side of his heart was slightly bigger than the other which may need an operation to correct in the future, but regular tests have been showing the condition is constantly improving. The chromosome disorder, which affects growth, is also being closely monitored and he is due to undergo some corrective cosmetic surgery in the New Year. Mrs Purdy added: "Doctors told us he was a little miracle baby. They said his heart must have been mending itself. "Last year we were still on a knife edge thinking things would go wrong. But now he's out of the woods we are delighted that 2009 will be Kai's year."
A spokesman from Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust said they cannot comment on individual cases. But he added: "Where abnormalities are spotted in the scans, our multi-disciplinary team will always offer prospective families the full facts and options as presented at the time. "The team will then try to accommodate the prospective parents' wishes in the interests of mother and baby. We wish the family well."
More and more, it seems, the media (at least they're reporting it, I guess!) are highlighting cases of people being silenced by apparatus of the State.
A nurse who was recently suspended for asking someone if they would like to pray with them was suspended by a state-owned NHS Hospital...I think.
A teacher was recently suspended because of a private email which let various people know about an incident which took place between a teacher and her child when the child talked about Our Lord with another child and the teacher silenced and reprimanded her.
A bus driver was reprimanded recently for refusing to drive a bus with a slogan emblazoned on the side from the Humanist Association telling Londoners not to worry because God 'probably doesn't exist'.
Now, I dare say that the 'liberal' tendency which has taken hold of the UK has been encroaching upon religious freedom incrementally over a long time. But what is particularly disturbing about recent reports is the amount of fear that exists in secular society and yes, the State, about God and the fact that people at least respect Him or fear Him a little, fear Him more than the judgment of man.
It could only possibly be out of fear that there now exists a trend in secular society, and it seems the social apparatus of the State in particular, to reject discussion of God. For, if they were so sure that God did not exist, those who have recently done so would not hasten so quickly to dispel talk of Him. The only thing that people genuinely try and silence is the truth. Ironically, what the 'liberal' agenda really cannot stand is debate.
The rights of people to believe and express their faith without having to worry about losing their job or being told to 'shut up' are slowly and incrementally being eroded, though these are early days, I'll admit. Yet this is not yet China. People who opposed formation of UK law in certain areas, brave men and women (yes, there were a few) who during the debate on abortion and the HFE Bill in Parliament stood up and spoke their mind, were allowed to do so. It was just unfortunate that they were in a minority compared to those who thought so very differently to them and therefore British law again went on the side of the atheistic secular agenda.
I suppose the point is that people at the moment are allowed to speak about their faith publicly but recent reports could be indicative of a societal shift away from Christian faith and an almost paralised, fearful response of how to deal with people who are not afraid to express their deepest personal convictions publicly, unafraid of society's perception of them. All three of these cases of the bus driver, the nurse and the teacher are cases such as this. Christians are allowed to worship and are allowed to be religious to the point that nobody in this country is being slung into jail for it. However, once the State and society both reject God and discussion of faith to the point that there are some things you 'are just not allowed to say', then it is a denial of the right to religious freedom that is on its way...It is the forerunner, the embryo, if you like, of a deeper suppression not only of the practice of faith, but of freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and freedom in almost all of its forms.
'Liberals' who wish to deny men and women the freedom to speak their minds and hearts on any matter, be it religious or not, really are afraid of truth and are enemies of truth and enemies of freedom. They decry those who express their religious faith while at the same time lambasting the Inquisition, yet fail to see that they are imitating the methods of it. How long will it take for religious faith and expression of that religious faith in a secular World to be discarded and suppressed as 'heresy'? How long will it take for 'heresy' to be punishable by the apparatus of the State? How long before it becomes a criminal offence?
The post below highlights a case where the State has removed children from a family and then said it is just "too late" when it is revealed that they were not guilty of the charges against them. All human rights are inviolable and they include the right to a family, the right to life, the right to freedom of thought, speech and conscience. The Fourth Estate is the last bastion against the tyranny of the State and the tyranny of a new secular ideology that says that God and Faith, Truth and Freedom and the defence of all human rights are anathema.
A judge yesterday ruled that a couple will never see three of their children again even though he accepted they may have been wrongly accused of abusing them. Mark and Nicky Webster’s three eldest children were taken into care in 2004 after doctors claimed that six tiny fractures found on the middle child had been inflicted deliberately. All three were adopted.
Yesterday, in a failed attempt to have the adoption order overturned, the couple were told that even though they could be victims of a miscarriage of justice it was ‘too late’ for them to be reunited with their daughter and two sons. In a devastating ruling, the judge said that as the youngsters are now settled with their adoptive families they would have to stay there - even though the original decision to take them away could have been wrong.
Last night, Mr Webster told the Daily Mail: ‘I am very disappointed and hurt that we’ve been let down again. I haven’t read the judgment yet so I can’t comment on all the details but I do find it extraordinary that the judges say that there may have been a miscarriage of justice but still can’t do anything about it. The couple’s ordeal began in October 2003 when Mrs Webster took their second son to hospital with a painful, swollen leg. He was found to have a number of small fractures which doctors said could be caused only by physical abuse...(click here for more)
President Sarkozy is trying to assist in making Tony Blair the new President of Europe. What on earth is going on? A couple of blog commentators have noted with unease the rumour that Blair could be preparing for a new role in the EU as President. The reason Blair makes many Catholics feel uneasy is that even though he is a convert he has yet to distance himself from policies he supported while in office, such as his voting record on civil same-sex marriage and most strikingly, abortion. He seems to continue to maintain open opposition to Church teaching publicly, yet seemingly without any hint of criticism from the Bishops of England and Wales.
Even if you can cut Blair slack for his opposition to publicly supporting Church teaching in regard to public policy, the Iraq war was so deeply unpopular and mired in half-truths and political spin and misrepresentation, 'sexed up' secret service documents and muddiness, that it seems bewildering that he can emerge from it with his reputation unscathed and waltz into the top job in Europe, when a full and thorough investigation into events leading up to the Iraq war has not yet been established. But then, that is politics for you.
I wish he would publicy say something in defence of the rights of the unborn but we've never heard it. I just find it so sad that while a million Catholic bloggers support the Church every day, a Catholic who is high profile cannot bring himself to do it.
When I was watching a Channel 4 programme on the history of Christianity the other week, my friend laughed out loud when Ann Widdicombe mentioned that Luther was so furious at the sale of indulgences by the Church and that he saw this as a great corruption. My friend said to me, "Selling indulgences, you have to admit that is ridiculous." I guess, that the 'modern' Catholic would find it hard to answer the charge that the Church was viewed by leaders of the Reformation as corrupt for selling indulgences, or even the theology of Indulgence.
But then, of course, Luther wasn't against merely the 'sale' of indulgences, which does seem a little like 'buying salvation', he was against the theology of indulgences altogether, which unfortunately really summed up his miserly view of salvation and the redemptive, forgiving nature of God.
The picture above is of the relics of St Valentine held in Rome, and I am not sure whether a penitent can obtain a plenary indulgence by kissing it or something else, or not. I expect so. There is still a whole raft of plenary indulgences that the Church offers for sinners, though not for sale, instead free, save for our willingness to receive them.
God loves humanity, this is our Faith. God is Love and this too is our Faith. God is Justice too. Yet, God Himself, as He did on the Cross, contradicts His own Nature. What mankind expects from God; reproach, punishment and shame, God wants to overwhelm with His love. If a husband or wife "indulges" his or her spouse, or a parent "indulges" a child every now and then, we do not think that a cause for great concern. But God, through the Church, does not indulge our sins - He indulges in His forgiveness and the remission of them.
Ultimately, people who think indulgences are a terrible thing are a bit mean. They would say, "Oh so that means even if you have committed terrible sins or lots of sins, you can have them forgiven and the punishment due to having committed them and your time spent in Purgatory lessened by an Indulgence and that makes everything okay?" People who say that, really, cannot bear the idea of an All-loving God who, like a generous father, spares the child the rod and gives him a delightful gift instead, because he knows the child is sorry. People who say that just do not like God being God and God doing for mankind what God loves to do by His very Nature: heal, cleanse, renew, forgive, love and show mercy. They would rather God mete out Divine Punishment to those they think really deserve it. People who are like this forget that man has done nothing of his own merit to obtain salvation, but it is a gift from God. People who cannot stand the idea of Indulgences granted through the Church either by the merits of Christ or Christ's Grace as given through the relics or martyrs or Saints, just cannot accept the gifts of God. We Catholics should never look a gift horse in the mouth!
Click here for a list of Plenary Indulgences compiled by Our Lady's Warrior.
According to the Government's 'green guru', couples who have more than two children are being “irresponsible” by creating an unbearable burden on the environment.Jonathon Porritt, who chairs the government’s Sustainable Development Commission, says curbing population growth throughcontraception andabortionmust be at the heart of policies to fight global warming. He says political leaders and green campaigners should stop dodging the issue of environmental harm caused by an expanding population.
“I am unapologetic about asking people to connect up their own responsibility for their total environmental footprint and how they decide to procreate and how many children they think are appropriate,” Porritt said. Porritt, a former chairman of the Green party, says the government must improve family planning, even if it means shifting money from curing illness to increasing contraception and abortion. He said: “We still have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe andwe still have relatively high levels of pregnancies going to birth, often among women who arenot convinced they want to become mothers."
If you would like to make your feelings known about this horrendous new brand of 'green nazism' then you can contact him and tell him what you think of his views of humanity.Frankly, I'm speechless!
Okay, I'm not! "Isn't it awful that so many pregnancies are going to birth!? Wouldn't the World be much happier if we killed more and more of those burdensome babies and left them in the garbage?" Well actually no, it isn't a terrible thing that people are choosing to keep their babies...
On that subject, by the way, where do all the aborted babies go? Landfill? Well, given that not only does the UK Government not see the unborn child, once they have been slaughtered, as having the right to say, a funeral, it either has to be cremation or burial, doesn't it? Well, how about an environmental argument for not aborting babies? A new advertising slogan perhaps for the 'green movement'..."Don't abort your child, because he or she will end up in landfill. So think again, don't kill your child and think of the environment!"
You can write to Johnathon Porritt at JPBlog@forumforthefuture.org.uk
Alternatively, you can leave him a message on his blog here.
I cannot stand environmental, population research abortionists. Even people who came up with the grotesque Abortion Act of 1967 did so to try and prevent 'back-street abortions'. Well, Little Porritt has had an even more sinister idea. Let's use the 1967 Abortion Act as a contraceptive on a nationwide scale. Johnathon, dear, what you are advocating has a name...it is called eugenics. Can we ship him off to China, please?
Porritt: "Why can't you see there are far too many people living on the planet?! We're using up all the Earth's natural resources and its all because there are too many of us!"
Future UK Government Minister: "My God! You're right! Let's start with you, Johnathon. You use a car and a plane every now and then. Some of your rubbish even ends up in landfill. Let's abort you and then we can think about aborting the children of mothers who have had a couple of children already. Now you're argument makes perfect logical sense!"
Porritt: "But, I just meant the unbor.."
Future UK Government Minister: "No, be quiet, Johnathon, you're taking up too much space."
President Obama is set to bail out the banking industry (what again?!) with a $1.5 trillion plan. I'm beginning to wonder if the astronomical sums of money which are being reported in the news are the US administration's way of saying, "Look, we've got so much money, we literally don't know what to do with it, so we'll give it to the financial sector." Given that the Bush administration poured such vast amounts of dollars into an endless two-pronged 'War on Terror' which can never be seen to have success, where on earth is this bottomless pit of cash?
I sort of understand this new economic-government theory that you can just magic up vast sums of money by passing the debt onto the 'average Joe' for years to come, in a rash-last-ditch-bid to bail out the very people who screwed up the West's economic stability in the first place. But, really, how much money can the Governments of the West just 'create' out of thin air?
I don't understand economics, but it becomes more and apparent that nobody in authority understands economics either, and clearly, financial institutions who gambled away people's money on investments and gilt-edged-whatevers or 'hedge funds' (whatever they are!) clearly don't know what they are doing either.
I suspect that Obama, and for that matter, Brown's, financial 'investments' and 'rescue packages' will be wasted on the banking industry, who, just like me, are selfish and reckless playboys. It's just they look different because they wear suits and own yachts.
I mean, does nobody think to say, before signing the cheque for $1.5 trillion..."Hey, guys, I've just had a thought and it keeps bugging me...What if this package doesn't work? Wouldn't that be, like, a total waste of millions and millions of dollars at the taxpayers' expense? Just a thought, you know, I'm probably just being silly and over-cautious...You know, like, when you go out of the house and think to youself, 'Oh no, did I really turn the cooker off before I locked up?'"
Ooh, update, people, Times Online say its $3 trillion...that's, crikey that's double what was reported yesterday! One of their advisors must keep calling the White House saying, "Sorry guys, I always get my decimal points in the wrong place. Yes, 3 trillion."
'In a hugely entertaining parody of her media persona, a pre-Female Eunuch Germaine Greer stars as a terrifyingly amorous woman who alternately cajoles, pursues and assaults a mild little man with cries of "Darling, do you love me?" until he succumbs to her strangling hands.
The directors were well known for their work in graphic design in the late Sixties: Sharp for his ferocious cartoons in the satirical magazine Oz, Whittaker for his photography on various Beatles album covers. But the main joy here is Greer - as barking as you could possibly hope for, and all the more endearing for it. (Robin Baker)
You can watch almost 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque.'
Chrisitan Guy (amazing name!) has a blog running on The Telegraph on prison and drug rehabilitation which is interesting. Some pretty harsh comments as per usual on discussions concerning men and women who are viewed so, so negatively by the 'respectable' members of society. Well, it is the Telegraph!
Here is the gist of the article...
Dame Anne Owers, publishing her seventh prison inspection report at the end of last month, provided a warning about almost every aspect of our prison system. Alarming but recurrent, her report once again exposed the inadequacies of prison policy, including the stark conclusion that government continues to fail to tackle drugs in prison.
The prison drugs trade is rife, valued at a staggering annual £100 million by the former head of treatment policy at the National Offender Management Service. So deeply saturated is the system that prisoners, such as a recent recovering heroine addict, are desperately attempting to flee custody and avoid their inevitable relapse.
Illegal substances, ranging from cannabis to crack cocaine, find their way through security checkpoints onto the prison wings on a daily basis. Smuggling techniques range from the subtle, such as kissing during visits, to the bafflingly blatant, throwing parcels over prison walls. Drug testing procedures, the results of which claim a ludicrously low 9 per cent of prisoners use drugs, are easily navigated and fundamentally flawed.
Prisoner treatment plans utilise a range of programmes not yet evaluated. Many of these programmes push prisoners toward comfortable maintenance instead of freedom - effective interventions, which get people off drugs and reduce re-offending, such as 12-step programme from the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust, are rare. The thriving drugs culture in our prisons today, which hinders rehabilitation and fuels re-offending, is facilitated by a fatalistic strategy of toleration and containment.
Now, I don't know whether drugs are so rife in prison or not, I guess it is likely that they are, but I can tell you, I was checked pretty thoroughly recently and a dog sniffed me out from head to toe. This apparently was the first time the Prison Chaplaincy Team had been dog sniffed and frisked by the prison staff. It was the first time I had ever stepped foot in a prison in my life and I can tell you it was an eye-opener!
From men and women who I have talked with recently, even tonight, the story I get from the people on the receiving end of society's 'treatments' is that they are really in a much better position to give politicians and professionals the real story of how difficult it is to overcome drug and alcohol addiction.
When I was at ATD Fourth World in London, which is probably where I should be now, rather than spreading myself so very thinly, time and time again the volunteers heard from people living in poverty that politicians always come along claiming they have the answers to people's dilemmnas, but really, it isn't true and if they only listened to people living in poverty, they may come up with something pretty good. But, of course, politicians are university-educated and therefore the only real solutions to people's problems can come from 'think-tanks' and the like and drug 'professionals'. I'm sorry but you're probably not a drug professional until you've professed your drug addiction! ATD Fourth World totally revolutionised my view of what politics and society is about, simply because, it revealed the limitations of politicians and showed me that only people 'on the ground' ever made a difference.
Likewise, if professionals and politicians listened to people struggling to overcome addictions such as drug and alcohol (mea culpa!) addictions then for those battling, as well as those trying to help, things might really improve. So, for example, I talked with one man this evening who is a recovering heroin addict. He is 7 years clean "touch wood," he said, and has ended up in Brighton this week. When he was nicked for heroin he actually pleaded with the judge to send him to jail because he knew if he got off the charge, he would "be shoplifting in 20 minutes time." He wanted rehab, he wanted it fast and he wanted to change his life...Clearly, there were very few available places on quality care rehabilitation schemes, preferably residentital, in the local area and he wanted the next best thing: Prison. This, from the testimony I have gathered, is still the case.
The great mistake that those in authority make about people is to think that people are bad. People are not bad! People do bad things, but everyone, mea culpa, wants to change things about themselves which they know are not right! My opinion is not just borne out of personal experience but from the local people I meet who are desperately poor and who are in a cycle of addiction, homelessness and rejection.
A lady I know is thinking of breaking parole just so she can go to prison and escape her life on the streets, getting soaked through, because Brighton & Hove Council Rough Sleepers Unit only put her up for a night if temperatures have dropped below zero. This is a young lady, on her own, yes with alcohol dependency, but totally and utterly vulnerable. Where are the services for street homeless people, yes, and I know it is shocking, street homeless women, when they are needed? I'll tell you where. Nowhere. Why? Because she does not have a "local connection" and so the Council, rather than assisting her with supportive accommodation or rehabilitation or detox, desperately want to send her to Kent. Kent?! Who does she know in Kent?! Why does she belong any more in Kent than she does in Brighton?!
Therefore, in the absence of any Council services to provide for street homeless people, whose responsility is it to take care of the homeless? Well, those who feel they have a responsibility are usually Christians. CCK, for all of their patronising preaching, tonight gave the young lady in question new clothes as she was wet through. It is Chrisitians, Catholic or not who are providing services of which the Council does not even think. The service to the homeless, anti-freeze, also is Christian. The soup run is run by parishioners, as well as non-church going volunteers on the sea-front. Why? Because Christians of all denominations know that what they do for the Poor they do for Christ Himself. Because Christians know that each person is made in the image and likeness of God. Because Christians know that people are valuable in the eyes of God and not just statistics at the end of a Council or Prison database on reoffending!
A lot of people in this world are "do-gooders" and I understand why people find this irritating, but there does come a point when you realise that a lot of people in this World are getting repetitively shat upon by local government and are indeed seen as 'problems' rather than people in their own right. Be assured that men and women who are street homeless and suffer addictions are complex people, but do not look down upon them, for they are very often living a vicious cycle from which there is little escape. Yes, they need God, yes I need God, yes we all need God, but God doesn't zap any of us and take away our misery, pain and addictions all in one go. God forgives! Many of the street homeless have faith, more faith than I and my Rosaries were snapped up pretty quickly this evening. The founder of ATD Fourth World said, "Learn from the Poor, for the Poor are the Church!" How right he was! If only there were a monastery in Brighton that would take the poor girl in! As we know, there was one in Lewes, but Henry VIII had it mown to the ground!
Exclusive video montage of the Latin Mass on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord at St Mary Magdalen's, Brighton. Clare Bowskill, director of the video manages to make TLM more appetising than shopping at Marks and Spencers.
"This isn't just any Mass...this is Mass in the Extraordinary Form, by candle light."
BBC have highlighted this wonderful sex education film called, The Mystery of Marriage (1932) which is quite charming! Enjoy! In the 1930s, the term 'gay batchelor' was totally without a hint of innuendo!
In times of economic crisis, general hardship and financial insecurity, as the population of the UK tightens its purse strings amid fears of meltdown, what better time to re-start a gardening business?
If you are a Brightonian and need a gardener or know anyone who needs a gardener, give me an email at englandsgardens@googlemail.com and if you are a keen horticulturalist feel free to browse my gardening blog, The Brighton Gardener.
Every baby born a decade from now will have its genetic code mapped at birth, the head of the world's leading genome sequencing company has predicted. A complete DNA read-out for every newborn will be technically feasible and affordable in less than five years, promising a revolution in healthcare, says Jay Flatley, the chief executive of Illumina.
Only social and legal issues are likely to delay the era of “genome sequences”, or genetic profiles, for all. By 2019 it will have become routine to map infants' genes when they are born, Dr Flatley told The Times...
Doesn't it sound like a Sci-fi nightmare Orwellian future where everything about you is stored by the Government? Also, sounds a bit like a eugenics mapping scheme as well.
I went to Lewes today with a friend and was shown for the first time the Priory of St Pancras which was destroyed by Henry VIII's men in 1537. It is funny sometimes how some days are thematic by chance. My friend and I walked around the old priory and kind of mourned for it a little, and for the the life of the Church that once breathed between its walls before the brutality of the Reformation made its mark on Lewes. Tell you what, you've got to hand it to Cromwell's men, if nothing they were efficient.
In the evening I watched 'Christianity: A History', which was this week presented by Ann Widdecombe MP. Now, I know this is going to sound terribly hypocritical, but it was a good programme. Ann Widdecombe was a lot more balanced in her approach to tackling the Reformation than was Omar on the Crusades.
She did, for instance, mention the fact that there was blood spilt on both sides of the Catholic/Protestant divide, not only by Henry's and Cromwell's men, but Catholics in France who slaughtered Protestants in reaction to the Reformation, apparently 10,000 of the poor blighters, as well as the Lewes Protestant martyrs who are commemorated yearly. Bravely, she attended the Bonfire Night at Lewes as well, where effigies of the Pope are burned annually to demonstrate just how deeply the Protestants in the area forgive the Catholics for past crimes.
'Good Lord!', I always think to myself, 'If we Catholics had to parade around our town centres with burning crosses in order to mark every occasion when our Brothers and Sisters had been martyred in history, we'd have to run it in shifts, there would be a national petrol shortage and it would never stop.'
I've composed a song to mark this, one of the bloodiest and most terrible events in British religious history...
Ooooh I got me the Reformation blues Ooooh, dear Lord, please do excuse All the crimes that have taken place In Your Most Holy Name Oh Lord, I got me the Reformation blues
Oooh I got me the Reformation blues Ooooh, dear Lord, please do not refuse Eternal pardon to the victims and perpetrators too In Your Most Holy Name Oh Lord, take away these Reformation blues
Ooooh, dear Lord, when are we gonna learn? Ooooh, we're all Brothers and Sisters Oh Lord, we're all the same Sons and Daughters loved by You Oooooooooooooh Oooooooooooooh Oooooooooooooh Then there'll be no more Reformation blues
But ooooooooooooooooh, ooooooooooooooh, oooooooooooh It's still happening, Lord, everyday, its in the news Oh my Protestant friend keeps irritating me Doubting the Holy Father's Papal Supremacy Defending Luther and his heresy But I can't kill him even though some days I want to For your sake O Lord, I have to love him because You love him too Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh Let the past be the past Let all fratricidal hatred be banished at last Let we Catholics, Protestants and Muslims and Jews Just love each other O Lord And then we'll all, we'll all, we'll all be loving You Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh... Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
Prayer for the Beatification of the Servant of God Mother M. Richard Beauchamp Hambrough, O.SS.S. (1887 – 1966)
We thank you, Lord, because You have moulded a simple and generous heart in Your servant Richard, capable of total confidence and heroic adhesion to Your project of life. Grant to us, who venerate her memory, that we may follow in her steps, and have her as a sister and as an advocate before Your throne of mercy. Glory be … 3 times
In the event of graces granted through the intercession of the Servant of God you are kindly asked to inform: Motherhouse, P.za Farnese, 96 - Rome - 00186 - Italy Tel. +39 06-68892596.
Please pray for the beatification of this wonderful nun who was from the Parish of St Mary Magdalen. Click here for more information on this exciting development!
Here's my prayer:
Dear Mother M Richard Beauchamp Hambrough Your life bore witness to the merciful love of God And you were graced with a fervent love for Christ Giving shelter to those who needed it most.
Please ask the Lord to bung £250,000 to the building fund of St Mary Magdalen's Church, Brighton, where you once worshipped, and saw for yourself how beautiful it once was, and grant that it may be restored to its former glory as a House of Prayer, where the Faithful can congregate to worship God in spirit, truth and safety, in honour of your virtue and sanctity and to the Glory of God.
"O Lord, have mercy!" is my immediate thought on looking at Memling's 'The Last Judgment'. My second thought is"Christ, have mercy!". My third thought is, "Good God! Have mercy!" I've been debating on the Telegraph blog again and I do love a good debate! However, I was posed a feisty theological question which was really quite bizarre.
"Loz, I have a question for you - QUESTION: You are granted ONE wish, that - all war, famine and disease shall be ended on the planet, but for it to happen, you MUST renounce your faith and deny the existence of God. Loz, would YOU truthfully do this for such a reward?"
'O Good Lord!' I thought. Here was my answer...
"1. The question is of itself, a misnomer, for the miracle you are asking for could only take place by a Supernatural renewal of the whole of Creation.
2. In order for such a Supernatural renewal of all of Creation to take place presupposes that God exists, for only He could do it, for only He has Almighty power.
3. At the End of Time, when Our Lord Jesus Christ comes in Glory with His Saints and Angels at His Second Coming, then all that you ask for shall be done. If however, I denied the Divinity of Christ to you, then I would be damned and the Lord and His Holy Angels would be grossly offended. So, no."
I also told him it was worth remembering that a rather similar question had been posed to Our Lord by Satan in the Wilderness during His Temptation and that His reply, though more succinct, was similar. The great difference being that Christ, in His Earthly Ministry actually was the Son of the All-Powerful God! Instead of seeking earthly, temporal kingship or power, Christ chose obedience to God the Father, the way of poverty and suffering and lived the totality of the human experience, even though He was without sin and was indeed the Second Person of the Trinity. Instead of saving mankind from his temporal need, He sheds His Precious Blood on the Cross for man's eternal need - the salvation of his soul!
And anyway it was still a silly question because not only does no man have the power to do the things he suggested but no man would be asked. I expect if he'd asked Bono or Bob Geldof he'd have got the answer he wanted! I told him if he really wanted to end hunger he could help out at the local soup run. Oh, but I do so like a good debate! Let me at them Lord! Let me at them! Ruff! Ruff! Grrr...Grrr...
With concerns growing that local Councils around the United Kingdom are running out of salt to put on the road, the Government are to make a plea for UK Citizens to voluntarily use their domestic salt on their town's streets, in their neighbourhoods and beyond.
The heavy snowfall has taken the Government by total surprise as such vast covering of snow is believed to be only a 1 in 18 year event. Salt also depletes when you keep it in stock by 10% a year and so is expensive to keep topping up in warehouses. So Councils are urging people to take whatever salt they have and use it on their streets.
Donald Parsnip, 52, of Haywards Heath has been out today, mucking in and helping out his country in its hour of need.
"How much salt have you laid down on the A412 today Donald?"
"Well, to be honest, after I heard the urgent local government plea for my salt, I went straight to the nearest bypass and took with me however much salt I had, once I discovered the council were running out."
"And how much was that Donald?"
"About 75g. That was all I had in the house. That meant I was able to salt from here, this lamp-post, to here, where my finger is now, which I guess is approximately 34cm2. I had wanted it for my fish and chips but it was a small price to pay to keep our roads safe."
"Well, it may not seem like much, but its thanks to the unsung local heroism of people like Donald that Britain's streets are being kept safe in this freak weather system we're experiencing. And let's face it, what with salt being so dangerous for us, causing among other preventable health problems such as heart disease, nightmares, involuntary ticks and social ineptitude, it is probably a good thing that more and more people are saving the safety of their streets by literally throwing all their salt onto the roads. On behalf of all of Britain, thank you Donald."
President Barack Obama is telling the National Prayer Breakfast that even though faith too often has been used "as a tool to divide us from one another," there is no religion in the world that is based on hatred.
Obama, in prepared remarks, said, "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being."
Obama is also telling the gathering that the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships that he is announcing Thursday won't favor any religious group, or favor religious groups over secular groups.
He says it will help organizations that want to "work on behalf of our communities," without "blurring the line" between church and state.
For a moment there I thought he had had a rethink on FOCA! Wishful thinking!
Meanwhile the Telegraph has this picture of the former PM, Tony Blair, who it seems, has just fallen for his second US President in quick succession. If I didn't know any better, I'd start thinking Blair has something of a soft-spot for US Presidents with a brazen disregard for human life. What a tart!
Mr Obama praised Mr Blair as "somebody who did it first and perhaps did it better than I will do". Good Lord, Barack, I doubt you'll be able to deceive your own people, set back the pro-Life movement by 20 years and invade a sovereign nation in an illegal war as well as he did, but then who knows what you've got up your sleeve? You're already doing pretty well at two of those things, and who knows you may be even better at the third than him.
Why is it that this picture looks like that scene in Star Wars when the Imperial Emperor applauds Luke Skywalker for giving in to his Dark Side a bit while giving Darth Vader a good hiding. Apparently Brown is going to be fuming that Blair met the new President before him. Looks like Blair has found a new vacant idol to worship...stick to Christ and the His Church, Tony, it's a lot better for your soul than the man clapping you, mate.
Blair: "Can I have some money for my Faith Foundation?"
Obama: "Sure thing. It isn't pro-Life or anything is it?"
Blair: "Oh God no! I wouldn't dream! I mean it's a woman's right to kill her child. Just because I've converted to Catholicism and profess to believe all the Church holds sacred, that doesn't change my view on it."
Obama: "Oh thank God for that! I've got enough of those pro-Life people on my back, while I try to remove all protective measures for the unborn from the legislature and people's memory! It's hard work, I can tell you. Anyway, here's a cheque for $10,000."
Tired of approaching the Blessed Sacrament wondering if you're really in a State of Grace or not? Offended Amighty God by thought, word, deed or inaction? Strayed from the One True Faith for a while and missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation? Given into impure thoughts, sinned against chastity, lied, stolen, been cruel, even killed, slandered, sinned against charity, aided the sin of another by acquiescence or silence, sinned against humility, taken the Lord's name in vain, ignored blithely the needs of your parish or ignored the cries of the poor? Fallen into heresy or error? Forgotten to say your prayers?
Well Confession could be for you. By virtue of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross, His Resurrection and His institution of the Sacrament when He breathed on the Apostles after His Resurrection and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven," the Catholic Church is offering Confession for free. Yes, that's right, absolutely free. Even if you can't afford a pint of milk, you can still go to Confession.
Look at this man, he has used Confession...
You seem a curious fellow. What has using Confession done for you, my man?
"Well, Confession has changed my life. I'm a bit feeble and give into temptations easy, but using Confession has helped me to know God's forgiveness and helps me to try and live according to His Will. I often find myself going back with similar sins, what can I say, I'm a poor addict, but using Confession has helped me see I can do nothing of my own accord, but depend on God's Mercy and Grace*. It gives me a chance to try again to love God but always knowing I am dependent on His Mercy and Love."
"I used to approach the Blessed Sacrament having done things I really should not have done, leaving me not in a State of Grace, but then I discovered Confession and now use it regularly! It's very rare I would approach the Blessed Sacrament without it now out of a sense of filial love and Fear of the Lord. I had been afraid to use it at first because I was shy about my sins, but because I have a generous-hearted and compassionate Confessor and I know he shows forth Christ's unfathomable mercy in the Confessional, I'm not afraid to use it anymore. The worst thing for me now, would be to receive the Holy Eucharist in a state of mortal sin. I think I'd rather have my index finger chopped off."
Good for you, mate! You may just be a stick man, but God still loves you, you see! Eat better, put on some weight and get some colour in your cheeks! It will do you the world of good!
Look at these souls in our laboratory test. See how when this soul prays or attends Mass without the Sacrament of Penance it is still besmirched by venial or even mortal sins and is still soiled. This soul is no less loved by God, but look at the poor creature, for without Grace he can do very little.
Poor lamb. Then, look at the soul which has used Confession. See how Confessions have washed the soul of its sins and now this soul is humble, clean and pure and desirous to receive its Lord and Master in the Blessed Sacrament. See, he likes Confessions so much he's even writing a book about it. Here, mate, I reckon that one will sell by the truckload.
So use Confession: It does what it says on the box.
*You may be asked to do some small form of penance in reparation for your sins to atone for any offence given to God and injury to your neighbour and to encourage you to spend more time in prayer.
There once was a man who had a friend who was very sceptical about prayer. The man would say to his friend, "Well, you know, dear friend, I always pray for you." The friend would answer, "Yes, but what difference does it make?" The man would always say, "One day, you'll know what difference it makes."
When he would leave the acquaintence of his dear friend the man would say, "I am a sinful soul, but pray for me and maybe one day I will be a Saint!" The friend didn't usually pray or understand what he meant fully but because he was dear to him, would say a prayer for him every night he told him to.
The years passed and their friendship grew and grew until one day the man grew gravely ill. Surrounded by his friend and his Priest, his whispered last words to his dear friend astonishingly remained the same, "I am a sinful soul, but pray for me and maybe one day I will be a Saint!" Having said this, the man died peacefully.
The Priest asked the friend, "What did he say?" The friend replied, "I am a sinful soul, but pray for me, and maybe one day I will be a Saint." The Priest replied to him, "Then that is what you must do for your dear friend, also I shall offer Mass for him at your request, whenever you ask."
The days, months and not a couple of years passed when the dear friend would pray for the man and occasionally he would go to the Priest and ask him to offer Mass for him. Whenever he forgot to say a prayer for his deceased friend, his dying words would come to him in a dream, "I am a sinful soul, but pray for me and maybe one day I will be a Saint!" When he remembered this in the morning he would say a prayer for him.
Then, one night, after the friend had said a prayer for the man, he had a dream. The man walked towards him, clothed in garments of glory, shining brilliantly and smiling benevolently at his friend, and beside him other men and other women, clothed in garments of glory, shining brilliantly and smiling kindly upon his friend and the man said to his dear friend...
"Told you! Now, if there is anything I can do for you, anything at all, all you have to do is ask!" The dear friend replied, "Friend, there is only one thing I ask of you." The man said, "Dear friend, and what is that?" The dear friend replied, "I am a sinful soul, but pray for me, and maybe one day I will be a Saint." The man replied, "Well, I suppose I could. I mean, why break the habit of a lifetime?"
On Catholic Online, Deacon Keith Fournier highlights the emerging scandal that Fr Marcial Marcel, Founder of the Legionaries of Christ, had a mistress and a child during his Priesthood. No doubt, this news will be used against the Church in a malicious way. While it is always a cause of sadness when a Priest is found to have broken his vow, who among us have kept our Baptismal vows, which are no less binding?
I'm no Priest, but scratch the surface of my life and it won't take you long to find grave sin or scandal! The Priest concerned, now deceased, will suffer accusations of having led a 'double life'. Yet, really, it is not surprising that he did not tell all and sundry of his alleged love affair or the child that was the result, for if he had done that, it would definitely have caused open and public scandal and he himself would have been at the heart of it and a media furore would have enveloped his personality and the Legion of Christ, itself. The Legion of Christ may have fallen apart because of the founder's affair, had it gone public then, yet now it is a strong organisation of committed Priests and Missionaries, whose work can continue. It still may from the fallout, but let's pray for them, that God may heal the wounds. Call me an old softie, but a truly adult faith does not expect perfection from even respected spiritual leaders in this life.
The same World which denies the Catholic Dogma of Original Sin, of the Forgiveness of Sins, of the Divinity of Christ and of the universal and all-consuming nature of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross will use the scandal as ammunition against the Church. Yet, the Church continues to proclaim the forgiveness of sins and that God is Truth and Love. While scandal is always an embarrassment for the Church, which wounds Her, we who are Catholic are well aware of our own failings, our own weaknesses and the times when we ourselves damage the Body of Christ through sin. Therefore we never condemn and should leap to the defence of those who through human weakness succumbed to temptation, leaving themselves open to public condemnation, whether they are still alive or have died.
Real love, Christian love, does not distance itself from people when we discover something about them which we find scandalous or disappointing. If this were true, I'd have no friends at all! Nor does a Priest's falling out of human weakness blacken his character as a missionary of Christ, because, as is evident, the work of the Legion of Christ continues to spread faith and works of mercy wherever it appears.
This week, Pope Benedict XVI greeted 49 newly ordained priests of the Legionaries of Christ, encouraging them to let the love of Christ invigorate their ministry. He said this after praying the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square. The priests were ordained Saturday by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. More than 3,000 people participated in the ceremony.
If you want to read a more salacious and uncharitable blog post on the scandal, read Damian Thompson. Personally, I can't help feeling Damian's renowned predatory journalistic instincts sometimes get in the way of his sense of Christian charity! Remember, Brother, love covers a multitude of sins!
On a lighter note (I can't read about Angela Merkel's "rebuke" of Pope Benedict XVI without having an irritating facial spasm) an Australian man was arrested at Melbourne Airport for smuggling two pigeons and their eggs in his trousers which he grabbed illegally in Dubai.
Quite right too, for if these pigeons had wanted to fly to Australia they could have done so of their own accord. Look at their little heads, you can tell what a traumatic flight they have had, and as for the 'in-flight' entertainment, the mind boggles!
When stopped by Customs and Eggsise the man was asked whether it was true he had some pigeons down his trousers, to which he is reported to have said, "You're aviary-ing a laugh, aren't you? What me? This is an eggstremely wild, malicious and slanderous accusation...Oh my Lord, how did they get there?! Bird...bird, officer, you don't understand! Why doven't anyone understand? Why doven't anyone understand?! Just coo on earth do you think you are?! I demand to see my solicitor...I'll see your asses in coo-urt! Oh yes! Now that's you've seen mine. Well, my oh my, this has really put the cat amongst the pigeons! I can't believe this is flappening. Whatever nest!? I suppose you think this is some kind of game, don't you?! What, you want to arrest me? Just for this poultry crime?! I suppose you're going to put some kind of homing device on me, aren't you?!" He was carriered off to undergo further investigation. He maintains his innocence and claims that he will be eggsonerated when it comes to trial.
Shouldn't joke about it really, poor man could get a maximum of 10 years for this. Bit harsh I think...
Over at Damian Thompson's blog the debate on the lifting of the excommunication of the SSPX bishops rages on tiresomely. It is tiresome because the Holy Father has made his decision to lift the excommunication and that is that. The fact that one of this schismatic group of SSPX Bishops is a holocaust sceptic/denier is embarrassingly bad press, but then, didn't Our Lord have a habit of embracing the outcast and confounding people's expectations of how He would treat people?
This was one of the themes of Fr Ray Blake's homily last night at the very inspiring and transcendant Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St Mary Magdalen's Church on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
I, for my part, have put my two pennies worth into the debate on Damian's blog. What really annoys me is the fact that even though the Holy Father is extending the hand of friendship he is being castigated. Even though the Holy Father, in the eyes of God, is the humble peacemaker, he is derided as welcoming an anti-semitic. Even though the Holy Father is seeking unity for the Church, he is accused of spreading division. What also really annoys me is that there are so many Catholics on DT's Telegraph blog who time and time again attack the Holy Father, Holy Mother Church and the Magisterium, wishing really, to make the Church in THEIR own image, rather than What She Is, i.e. One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Since when has it been acceptable for Catholics to deride His Holiness, question and deny Church teaching repetitively and hold views on many subjects which are patently heretical and in direct opposition to the Gospel?
Here's my two pennies worth on the SSPX Debate...
The private views held by SSPX are not really matters of our concern when it comes to bringing souls into communion with the Holy See. What is more important? That Williamson and any other Bishops who have dodgy views are locked outside of the Ark of Salvation (The Church) or that they are invited in so that they may still have hope of God's Salvation?
The Holy Father is a true Shepherd because he doesn't want to see men and women left outside the Church, even, yes even if they are reactionaries! If the One True Church still has a place for woolly liberals who patently don't believe even in the Magisterium of Holy Mother Church, who don't believe in Papal Supremacy and the Apostolic Succession afforded to the successor of St Peter and the Apostles, who disobediently question, villify and even try to smear the character of the Holy Father, then it has room for troublesome reactionaries with distorted views of history!
Bishop Fellay slapped down Williamson for his anti-semitic comments. If you went through the entire Church from Laity, Priest, Clergy, Bishop or even Pope with a bizarre personal viewpoint comb, you might discover many, many strange and weird political, historical and social views.
But this isn't what Church unity is about! The Holy Father is looking for an end to unnecessary schism. What concerns him is not what the World thinks of his Pontificate, but what Our Lord thinks of his Pontificate!
We know that Christ prayed the Church may be One and Holy! We know through the private revelations of St Faustina that it breaks Our Lord's heart to see the Church separated and divided! The Holy Father is doing the Will of God, and in the face of the World, the Holy Will of God will always be a huge sign of contradicion!
Have people forgotten exactly what it means to incur excommunication? If there were hope of someone's excommunication being lifted and in doing so, they come back to the True Faith, is that not something to rejoice over? Ultimately, people who do not want to see healing between the SSPX and Holy Mother Church reveal more about their lack of generosity than about the malevolence of the renegade Bishops. For they would rather see the souls of the erring damned, than see them saved!
At a time when the vast majority of Bishops of England and Wales fail even to preach the Gospel, follow the Magisterium, or show obedience to the Holy Father, leaving half of us wondering if they believe in anything at all, the fact that a group of maverick Bishops are reactionary old codgers seeking reconciliation with Rome, is at least something to be welcomed - regardless of whether one of them is patently a nutty old right winger!
Some people are starting to worry about the Holy Father's health. I'm not surprised, the poor man is bending over backwards! He's trying to accommodate the erring and those who have strayed, seeking reconciliation and unification with the See of St Andrew in the East, seeking reconciliation with the SSPX even though they're stubborn as mules and even offering a special prelature to Anglican clergy who wish to come over to Rome! Its bound to take its toll somehow and at some point people are bound to shocked by his sacrificial generosity...in all this what is the Holy Father sacrificing? He is sacrificing his and the Church's pride in order to show forth the generosity and love of Christ!
Last night SMMTV caught up with a 60 year old man who claimed to have gone without TLM for over 40 years. The man, who wished to remain anonymous, when asked how his soul had survived all this time, he responded, "It's been a struggle. I had to nibble on little bits of personal devotions and frequent the Sacraments whenever I could. Without the Sacraments I very well could have died!"
He described with pain how he woke up one Sunday morning only for his whole life to have been changed. "I remember that Sunday well", he said, "I got up and went to Church, doing my usual fast of 3 hours in preparation to receive Our Blessed Lord in the Eucharist, and suddenly when I got there, we had to make loads of responses during the Mass, the choir had gone and we all had to sing and suddenly everything was in the vernacular...even the Priest was facing the wrong way. As you can imagine I was devastated. 'Where has TLM gone'? I thought to myself!"
After 40 years of being starved and deprived of TLM, as you can imagine, he is now enjoying once more the profound depths and riches of Catholic spirituality in praying the Mass and being allowed to pray quietly in the interior of his heart, rather than make lots of responses and have to do and say things that really the Priest has been employed to do.
"Well, if it had not been for Pope Benedict XVI and and a local Parish Priest who is loyal to the Holy Father's papal supremacy by virtue of the apostolic succession given him by the Authority of Christ, I might still be wandering the streets, looking desperately for TLM, only to pop into the odd Church and get a kind of diluted Catholic spirituality, lacking the nutrition and vitality of what I was used to all those many years ago."
Speaking of his pain he mentioned that he had been tempted to attend the Mass of the SSPX after the schismatic bishops had ordained even more schismatic bishops against the advice of the then Holy Father in 1970. "The SSPX were offering TLM, that's right, I could have gone there, but I knew that even though they appeared to be more faithful to Sacred Tradition, I also knew their minds and hearts were not in full communion with the Holy Father, but I knew that if I was patient and kept praying and remained a loyal son of the Church, that TLM would come back to the One True Church. Now, every week I can find TLM again after so many years, thank God! I'm glad that those Bishops are being gently brought back again like the poor lost sheep they are, because if they can accept humbly the doctrine of Papal Supremacy, while renouncing mad and obscene revisions of history, they too will one day be able to bring their sense of reverence for the Mass as a gift to the Church."
The friend I have mentioned before has been put in jail for breaking his asbo by being in a part of town from which he was banned. Nevermind Sharia Law, seems like the Government are taking a similar line with anti-social behaviour 'offenders'. I know some people can be irritating or a nuisance, but if you ask me there is nothing more anti-social than a police van pulling up outside your house and throwing you into jail for a year for the crime of walking down the wrong street.
Oh my word! If you type HMS Lewes Prison into Google, my article on Catholic dissent is the second item to appear in the listings! "Infamy! Infamy! They're going to all have it infamy now!"
Oh me, oh my. Just when you think you can sit in front of a Channel 4 documentary on the 'history' of Christianity without using your dinner plate as a pheasant and roast potato-laden frisbee, violently tossing your dinner into your TV screen, along comes Rageh Omar's 'historical' account of the Crusades. My objections to this programme were as follows:
1. The 'history' of Christianity, and in particular this evening, the history of the Crusades was being presented by a Muslim. Cracking! Who better to present an impartial, unbiased and historically sound documentary on the Crusades than someone who belongs to the Muslim faith - the very faith that Pope Urban II decreed Crusader Knights were fighting against, in protection of the pilgrims and holy sites? I mean, that makes perfect sense! Did they ever ask Malcolm Muggeridge to do a programme on the history of Jihad? No, of course not, because even though, unlike Omar, that guy would have told the truth, it may have been deemed utterly inappropriate, because he was a Catholic!
2. Even if you overlook the fact that the 'History of Christianity' was being presented by a devout Muslim, Omar made it appear as though the Crusader Knights were baby-eating, child-murdering SS stormtroopers, raping and pillaging whomever they could, snatching the loot from Islamic countries and generally slaughtering anyone who stood in their way, while the Muslim hoardes were peace loving wallflowers who just enjoyed sitting around smoking a hooka and playing chess.
That was until the very end when he mentioned that all the military successes of the Knights were overturned by Saledin who he very subtly lauded while still describing him as the hero of modern jihadists such as Osama Bin Laden and the like. Listen, Rageh, if you think the Crusader Knights took liberties in their defence of the Holy Sites of Christendom, I'm quite sure Saledin's men got even, and then some, and then some more! The grotesque barbarism of Saledins hoards in the middle ages was eye-wateringly horrendous, yet you totally failed to mention any of it, because you took a large swathe of your 'historical' testimony from Muslim scholars and whitewashed the brutality of your elder brothers in the faith to which you belong and then said, "And next week, I'll be looking at the Reformation."
3. Omar, (and I'll say it again, just in case there was any doubt) the Muslim journalist, compared the behaviour of the Knight Crusaders, who were, according to the presenter, given carte blanche by Pope Urban II to obtain 'salvation through slaughter' (rather than the Sacraments of God?!), with the Divine Founder of Chrisitanity, Our Lord Jesus Christ, painfully asking whether Our Lord would have condoned such terrible Crusader crimes being done in His Name...
Well, Rageh, something had to be done, mate, otherwise your Muslim brothers, whose vast empire was expanding at a rate of knots, would have traversed not just across the whole of the Middle East, but the whole of Europe and beyond. The Muslim world was expansionist and the danger was that if the Crusades had not been launched, this country, the UK and all of Europe too would be under Sharia Law and Catholics would have had their heads chopped off with adulterers, homosexuals and compulsive thieves long ago! You think the Muslim faith is so universally peace-loving and gentle? Go to Saudi Arabia or Iran and watch a good old stoning! If you still think the Muslim faith is universally peace-loving and gentle then, then you've got a screw loose, mate!
The only reason Saledin didn't have St Francis killed was because the blessed Saint was so obviously holy and a true and living imitation of Our Blessed Lord. The only reason the Muslim hoards didn't take Assisi is because they fell back with fright from St Clare who held the Monstrance up at them forcing them to withdraw for fear of the blinding light of Christ! The only reason the Islamic Turks of the Ottoman Empire didn't take Vienna after Constantinope had fallen earlier was because the whole Chrisitan Community was praying to Our Lady who granted the Polish forces victory against the odds.
At least Our Blessed Lord did indeed say to His Apostles, "Whoever lives by the sword dies by the sword," encouraging Christians to pray for their enemies, to forgive injuries and wrongs and to seek peace constantly. Compare these words to the words of the founder of Islam, dear brother! At least Catholics can say with their hands on their hearts, that in order to make an assessment of the brutality or wisdom of the Crusades you have to look at historical records. In order to make an assessment of the brutality or wisdom of Islam all you have to do is turn on your TV or read a newspaper. When the Holy Father dares to mention that historically-speaking the Islamic faith was spread by the sword, vast numbers of Muslims call for his beheading and the secular world cries out "injustice". When a Muslim presenter rewrites history and pins the blame of the Crusades solely at the door of the Church, everyone nods in agreement at his sense of horror.
Personally, I don't go around picking fights with people of other faiths, I try to seek peace with all, but that documentary on the 'History of Christianity' was about as impartial, unbiased and historically accurate as the views on the Holocaust held by a renegade SSPX bishop who has been generously, compassionately and courageously welcomed back into the True Fold of the Church by the Holy Father, even though he's clearly stark, raving bonkers!
The upshot of the misrepresentation of history employed in this programme is that it gives yet more leverage to people who dislike the Church and more opportunity for them to say, "See, I told you the Church was nasty...look what they did!" I'm waiting for a documentary which reflects truthfully the life and history of the Catholic Church without prejudice, which is balanced and which doesn't attempt to spread doubt and error into the hearts of all who watch it. I could be waiting a long time!
"At three o'clock, implore My Mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in my abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great Mercy for the whole World. I will allow you to enter into my mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of me in virtue of My Passion." - The Promise of Our Lord to St. Faustina
You expired, O Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and an ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. Amen.
New Blog
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This blog has been on a private setting for about 10 months or so. In April
I began a new blog at http://madameevangelista.wordpress.com, but have
decided ...
Liturgy, Beauty and Truth
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Interview With Artist David Clayton
(Zenit.org)
MERRIMACK, New Hampshire, DEC. 2, 2009 - Catholic liturgy has a great
capacity to instruct people in appr...
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59 Legionaries Ordained on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe*ITALY | NEWS |
NEWS*
*Bishop Brian Farrell, LC, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promot...
Prayer Request
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Of your charity,please remember my sister-in-law, Angela, in your prayers.
We received the sad news that no further treatment for her cancer is
possible, th...
Consultation has ended
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Wednesday was the last day to get submissions in to the Director of Public
Prosecutions (DPP) about his interim policy on assisted suicide. The
consultatio...
Judging a Book by its Cover
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As I was getting out of the train at the Union Square subway station a lady
said to me: “I’m a fan! I told all my friends about you. Even to my friends
in ...
Do it Ourselves Song-Writing Game
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As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list, I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And...
Your prayers and kudos are needed for Senator Nelson
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You can't help but admire *Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)* -- he is a politician
with integrity.
Please pray for and send kudos by email to Democrat Nebraska S...
Charlie's confirmation
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On Saturday we got the early train to London, for Charlie's confirmation
(traditional Latin rite) at St James's Spanish Place.
A number of good things abou...
Copenhagen Accord is no accord at all
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It has failed.
All the bell-ringing on the planet could not save it. The fervent prayers of
the most righteous Rev Nicky Gumbel were not heeded. Even the ...
O Antiphon~ Adonai
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God reveals Himself as He will to whom He wills. The Father is revealed to
us at Christmas in the Christ Child. This Child would grow to be the Man
whose...
Light In The East
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China took to its furthest extreme the ludicrous view that the problem with
the world is that it has people in it, doing human things. No wonder,
therefore...
Durham UK: Recent Video by Alastair Roberts
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Thanks to Alastair for shooting this wonderful video of our home city. For
all the readers wondering what it looks like in Durham in the winter leading
u...
No I did not get to Purley so here we go.
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*Weather and the Bloggers lunch. *We go ahead as most of us live within easy
reach of central London. If any of you have to cancel because of bad weather
o...
Advent Apparitions Of Our Lady?
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There are no details as yet as to when the phenomena began, but according to
blog reports crowds began forming on December 9 -- a day after the
Immaculate ...
Gregorian Chant Workshop
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Bognor, Saturday 30 January 2010 10.00 to 17.00
Led by Nick Gale, Director of Music, St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral,
Southwark and Head of Academic Mu...
JP II beatification imminent!
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Father Zuhlsdorf's blog, wdtprs.com, has been covering this .
K.c. would hope deliberation and prayer are emphasized. A couple of things,
a branch of bless...
Reforms suppressed by reactionaries
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Unwilling to contradict Berenike, I nevertheless must ask whether Neocats
might not also be filed under “trads” by nearly all save possibly “trids”.
At any...
Louis Marie de Lescure
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Sometimes It takes me a bit of time to get around to all my favorite blogs. The
Mad Monarchist wrote on 7 December...
"...Louis-Marie de Salgues Marquis de ...
Embertide approaching
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Remember, remember
The three days of Ember;
Abolished, forgotten
Or *not?*
**
Pass my little rhyme and the link around to other blogs once you've read it
:-)
Theology of the Body: Naked without Shame
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We do not have to believe that everything is literal in the Bible. It is
important not to be hung up on misconceptions like this. What we do have to
bel...
The final post
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This will be the last post that I write, since I am moving on to different
things. I’ve appreciated the readership and comments as well as being
ingratiate...
Personstory
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I attended a Mass yesterday in which the celebrant lamented that the 'story
of humankind' was deliberately distorted even by its name: History.
It should, ...
LITURGICAL MUSIC VS. DEVOTIONAL MUSIC
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Music in the Catholic Church can be divided into two categories. Liturgical
music is appropriate for a Mass or any other ritual action that is under the
ju...
Priests
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Today, I was enjoying listening to The Priests singing Amazing Grace and
wondering, where have I seen this before. Then I recalled this photo...
A littl...
Alla fine di tutto questo
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Recent weeks have seen my life change considerably and, with regret, I have
decided to close this blog. I’ve enjoyed interacting with people from all
over ...
Coercive Measures
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*A very insightful and cogent article*:
InsideCatholic
by Russell Shaw
12/18/09
Secularism is naturally coercive. That stands to reason: As the worldview...
O Radix Jesse
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O Stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent
before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay!
Please Help!!!
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The Portiuncula
Franciscan
Hermitage and Retreat Center
Needs Your Help!
As you know, I'm a supporter of Portiuncula Franciscan Hermitage and
Retreat Ce...
Flashback: the Pope 'targeting' homosexuals
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On the eve of Christmas 2008, The Times was one of several newspapers
pushing the story that the Pope had said that "mankind needs protection from
homosexu...
Moving to NYC!
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I got the job I interviewed for last Wednesday in New York, and am very
excited about it. Since I don't know yet whether my boss would approve my
publicizi...
We have waited long enough
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America Magazine organised a petition trying to delay the introduction of
the new English translations of the Missal under the heading, "What if we
just s...
Ember Days
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Have you ever wonder what Ember Days are? Before I started going to the
Traditional Mass, I had never heard of Ember Days. Here, copied from my
Church bull...
I'm a Catholic Too
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When I was an Anglican priest I once said to the (Catholic) Abbot of Quarr,
"I'm a Catholic too, but in the Anglican Church." He smiled and said, "You
shou...
Burn them! or "Catholic Room 101"
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In preparation for Christmas, I think we need a bit of self-cleansing. With
this in mind, I would like to invite readers to suggest in the com-box any
pub...
Jesus on the Seashore
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I really like this lovely meditation from St. Gregory the Great (died 604)
and wanted to share it with you. Via, once again, the invaluable Magnificat
Maga...
Eric Hester meeting with Bishop McMahon
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*Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham is the new Chairman of the Catholic
Education Service
*
*Eric Hester writes* : 'Bishop McMahon is the bishop in charge...
John Pridmore coming to Westminster Cathedral
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John Pridmore is visiting England again in the New Year. He will be speaking
at Westminster Cathedral Hall on 6 January at 7.30pm. John spoke at my
parish ...
The True Monastery
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The monastery was down a dirt road on a small hill, the land having been a
gift from a rancher some hundred and fifty years earlier. Brother Dave, whom
I h...
Help A Brother Out
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Liberalism hesitates to pronounce the words hell or purgatory in pulpit or
in publication, but it is the ancient teaching of the Church, still and
always i...
The Eyeglass
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Fr Tim the Continuous Hermenaut has blogged about eyeglasses (also known as
monocles). It reminded me of a visit I made with a friend to a very
remarkable ...
The case against high speed rail for Britain
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The British government is preparing a report on the future of high speed
rail in Britain. A firm proposal is expected in the spring. Enthusiasm is
growin...
Blessed Ildefonso Schuster
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We are reading in refectory this week from Blessed Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster's magnificent work, The Sacramentary. Here is an excerpt from his presentation...
