I love my Saturday morning routine. A chance to lie in later than on a school day (that may have to change, as it mucks up my sleep cycle), then Mass in the Extraordinary Form, Exposition, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the opportunity for confession, Benediction and then home or shopping or visiting friends. The only disadvantage is that the morning's news has pretty much become "old" news by the time I get to hear it.
So, Tony Blair has become a Catholic. I would be the last person to say that a true conversion of heart is impossible - I experienced one myself, and as a former acquaintance proclaimed, "You??? You're the last person I'd have thought of as being Catholic!! God really can work wonders...!" However, as I've noted before, and as numerous others have too, Mr. Blair's voting record and public statements on issues such as abortion, embryonic research, homosexual "marriage" and so on have been contrary to Church teaching, and have been public. As a result, his conversion needs to be accompanied by the equally public refutation of this former way of life: a statement that he accepts that his previous actions were wrong according to Church teaching, and that he recognises this and would not do the same thing again...
If we get one, then I am prepared to eat Fr. Tim's biretta (I don't have a hat, and I need my mantilla for church!)
I'm in good company: Damian Thompson has his doubts, and so do the good people at SPUC, according to Fr. John... and Fr. Ray has a few thoughts too
I will, however, pray that I might be given the opportunity to eat Fr. Tim's biretta...
I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I cannot require it of him, I would think a lot more of the man if he made at least a semblance of a public repudiation of his former positions. Best of luck to him.
(note to self: move to Blackfen. Better Saturday schedule. ;-)
Seeing as Fr Tim will obviously need his biretta I suggest a very large portion of sprouts instead!
ReplyDeleteWell as you say conversion is possible..let us pray...
ReplyDeleteI'm one of the ones who doesn't want a public recantation: he's done it by becoming a Catholic.
ReplyDeleteLet's give Tony the benefit of the doubt until he says something contrary to the faith. Like Fr. John says -- he would have had to do a confession, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for the hat -- Mac, c'mon, girl. THINK. Easy solution. You bake a cake in the shape of a biretta. You can have some lovely confection on top for the pom-pom.
You basically make a double layer cake, And you can conjure something for the 3 "wings" 4 if it's an academic biretta. if the latter you can use red, blue or green piping to trim the corners as the case may be. pom-pom goes in that color. White cake, dark fudge icing. For the "wings" you insert an oreo cookie on the outside corners for the round part, and butt up against an English tea biscuit cookie for the longer part of the wing. That part gets covered in icing too.
I can see you're going to have to make this cake regardless. :-D I will help you eat it!
Karen
Be fair Karen... I did say that I'd pray it was a true conversion!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I like the cake biretta... but I can't cook worth a damn. You make it, and send me a slice!!
;-)
I think TT, that the problem with our Church the way it is being run, is that one does not have to become a Catholic to be "received" into the Church.
ReplyDeleteWe are skeptical, and angry in some cases, because the Cardinal received him without requiring a public repudiation of all the many grave offenses against the Truth of which Mr. Blair has been guilty over the years.
THe problem is not with the state of Tony's soul, which we may say nothing about. The problem is with what used to be called 'giving scandal".
That the Cardinal did not require any sort of public repudiation gives Catholics and the world outside, the inescapable impression that one can be a Catholic and hold all sorts of heretical and, frankly, evil notions and do any number of wicked things.
"Giving scandal." Look it up. It's the Cardinal's act that has me riled. I'm sure Tony hasn't a clew.
Welcome home, Mr. Blair!
ReplyDeleteI've been seriously wrong about many things in my professional and personal life, and when I have come to recognise I was wrong I have wanted those affected to a) know that I was wrong, b) know that I was sorry about being wrong, and c) know that I wanted to make whatever amends were possible.
ReplyDeleteThe nation has been affected by Tony Blair's anti-Catholic policies while he was in office. He has been seriously wrong on many crucially important matters - matters of fundamental morals and on life and death. Surely, if he accepts the grave harm that he has done he will WANT to say something publicly to acknowledge that harm. And he will WANT to do whatever reparation he can.
If Tony Blair remains silent on the matters that concern you, me and countless other Catholics it can only suggest that he has not so much 'converted' as changed religious affiliation. His reception into the Church will have been a sham - bringing dishonour to him and to those who brought him into the Church without properly ascertaining his sincerity.
I sincerely hope that he has genuinely converted to the Catholic faith. Conversion is not, however, a private matter but something that is very public. Catholics are entitled to know whether his conversion is genuine or not.
Girl, you got it! I'm half hoping he says something insane just so we can have cake. :-D [JUST kidding, Fr. Blake, et al.....]
ReplyDeleteKaren
oh, Mac -- does Fr. Tim have a doctorate from a pontifical institution...philo, theo or canon law? We get a FOUR cornered hat and can use colored icing for the piping depending on the degree.
ReplyDeleteKaren, no, no doctorate. A simple black biretta will suffice!
ReplyDelete