Thanks to my St Anthony of Padua Calendar 2010, I know that it is now the 2nd of March. I also know that my tax disc has ran out and the over-bearing State could, at any time, take away my car and crush it into a perfect cube. Just think, if they can do that to my car, imagine what they can do with the education of not just mine (not that I have any) but your children in our Catholic schools, which defend, week in, week out, the purity and faith of the Church's children.
This Miracle, as pictured above, attributed to St Anthony of Padua, the giant Franciscan Saint and penpal of St Francis of Assisi, concerned a baby who fell into boiling water. The description says...
'It is told that a certain mother, in her eagerness to hear Anthony preach, put her baby down in a bath of boiling water on the fire, thinking it was his cradle. Realising what she had done, she was horrified and called on the Saint. Miraculously, her baby was unharmed!'
Obviously, the calendar does not describe what occurred next...
[Ring, ring]
Operator: "Hello, Padua Social Services, Janet speaking, how may I help?"
St Anthony: "Ah, yes, thank God I got through to you. I wanted to tell you immediately of an unfit mother at number 47, Via San Giovanni. It's a disgrace! She put her baby in boiling water. It is only thanks to my sanctity and the power of my intercession with the Almighty that it escaped unharmed. Of course, I was charitable to her face, but thought I'd best call you so you can take the poor mite away from that wretched mother. Actually, to be honest, the place was a bit of a mess. Having done a health and safety course, I'd be thinking, not that I said this of course, that you would think of removing the baby from her care and placing the child with a nice middle-class family in Verona. I know a couple there who are infertile and would just love a baby and let's face it, it would help them because, God knows, IVF treatment is so dodgy."
Operator: "Okay, thanks, we'll look into that. Just for our records, should this go to Court, would you be willing to testify against the woman?"
St Anthony: "Sure, even though I'm a Father of the Poor who protects the widow and the orphan, we must think of the best interests of the child and if that means ripping the child from its roots in the family, then Amen, so be it! The name's Tony. Here are my contact details..."
The stories of families who have had their children unjustly removed by Social Services are many and varied. They must be told. Apparently, they're even taking babies who in grave danger of being, wait for it...too fat, away from families nowadays. If you know anyone who has had a 'raw deal' from social services I'd be happy to publish their story on this blog, another one and/or for a local magazine for Brighton which could be sold in Brighton and perhaps beyond, if only I could get my act together and focus on just one thing. I know that Social Services have a terrible reputation, but, believe me, it is well earned.
7 comments:
If you're so dumb you put your baby inside a pan of boiling water then have to rely upon divine intervention to save it then perhaps it is best if you are relieved of these duties for a while....
Furthermore, it seems only fair that the exorbitant expense of road maintenance by funded by those who actually require it (i.e. those fortunate enough to own a car), so I don't really see what your complaint is over. If there is no threat associated with this cost (such as having one's car impounded) then no one would bother to pay in the first place. Anyway, pay unto Ceasar etc.
I have had a raw deal at the hands of the social serivces and I wish for my story to be made public:
One day while contemplating the magnificence of St. Anthony of Padua, I absentmindedly placed my baby in a pan of boiling water. Upon realising my mistake I began to pray for Anthony's assistance which, unfortunately, did not arrive in time. Following the coroner's inquest it was decided that my other child must be placed in the care of relatives. I have prayed to St. Anthony for the decision to be repealed but have yet to receive his assistance. Perhaps any readers out there could have a go on my behalf as the Council are refusing to listen to reason - Pat
Don't be so cynical please Pat. I for one am pleased that Laurence, a man without children who is acting out solely in the interests of Church authority, is calling for the right of tormented and neglected children who lack any voice or control over their own lives to be left with negligent parents. Children are, as he observes, not the property of New Labour. We all know they are the property of their parents, who should resist all attempts at this regulation of life. If I had my way I would go back to the world of civil law which existed at the time of the early Church Fathers, under which a man's wife and child were legally pieces of personal property to be disposed of as he saw fit. Unfortunately, we live in Satanic times, and there are people out there who want to check that children are not being subjected to phyiscal, emotional, or sexual abuse, are being adequately fed and educated according to generally accepted standards. Please join me in praying for an end to this abomination
Amen. As cases like Baby P have shown, governmental interferance always comes too late. We should instead be encouraging parents to join the Church, where they will adopt a life of righteousness and stop abusing their children. When this doesn't happen, and more and more children slide into misery, we should do absolutely nothing, since a simple faith in prayer is enough (for us. Not for the children affected. But that's not our problem - we only need to cover our own consciences while on earth and hope that God has worked out a plan for their salvation. Unless his plan was to give us the freedom to intervene and ensure that they have a happy and meaningfull life on earth rather than be left at the mercy of cruel and wicked parents. Oh dear, this theology lark is harder that I thought)
It is only thanks to my sanctity and the power of my intercession with the Almighty that it escaped unharmed.
St. Anthony would never exalt himself like this...
I know Hestor...good point.
...but then everything I've attributed to him, he'd never have said anyway.
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