The Conry Test

In addition to Fr Hunwicke's excellent test as to whether the law of gradualism can be squared with the words of Christ, there is another test for the Synod.

If it sounds like the kind of thing Kieran Conry would say, it would be best to ignore it or dismiss it out of hand as the incoherent and confusing utterances of a Prince of the Church trying to conceal his guilty secret, for which he is not yet repentant.

I suppose that an easy-going Gospel for the laity would be an easy-going Gospel for bishops for whom disciplines they accepted are found to no longer be 'convenient', if, indeed, they ever were.

Wouldn't that be so convenient for them?

Every time I read an intervention supporting a more 'relaxed' approach to matters sexual I just think, 'Ah yes, spoken like a true bishop (of Arundel and Brighton).'

It should be no great surprise that in an age in which few bishops seem to understand just why it is that the clergy are called to purity - clue: they daily confect the Blessed Sacrament and thus hold God in their hands and consume the Sacred Host every time they do so - that in that same age they cannot defend Him from sacrilege, uphold His Teaching or mercifully guard mortal sinners from eating and drinking their own condemnation.

It is ironic that the Synod seems to shine a light on the great crisis in the Church without intending to do so. The Synod is really all about the Holy Eucharist, but all many bishops can talk about is human difficulties, human conflict, the diversity of human experiences and human stories. Its all about the Most Holy Eucharist. What a marvellous opportunity to state afresh Who Holy Communion Is. What a wonderful moment in history to proclaim once more that Holy Communion is the Most Sacred Body and Most Precious Blood of Our Blessed Saviour, rather than some kind of party snack dished to all-comers at an ecclesiastical meet 'n' greet. Oh, what a timely chance for the Pope and Bishops and Cardinals to show forth the glory, the Treasure of the Church, the Most Adorable Sacrament of the Altar! Surely, this is an opportunity too good to be missed.

The Pope doesn't genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament, we assume because of sciatica, but how he must long to tell his brother bishops...

"My brothers in the Lord, let us, now that we have contemplated the sublime mystery of the Lord Jesus's Real Presence in this Glorious Sacrament, our most inestimable gift from our Lord and God, let us all, each and every one, fall down in worship and adore Him! Let us worship Him in awe now, for today is the day of salvation, the time of grace, but the Lord has not promised us tomorrow! Let he who believes in the Eucharistic mystery find refuge in Him alone, but let he who does not believe be anathema! Let him be cast into outer darkness, for what the Lord has said concerning His Body and Blood is true today, yesterday and for all ages until He comes again!"

There is, of course, the outside possibility that most attendees of the Synod do not believe any of that and just want to hear a good yarn about how the Church needs to get with the times and discard all that religious mumbo jumbo.