...Well what do you know? Damian Thompson has finally gotten around to publishing the Bloggers' Choice for the Westminster Cathedral Pointy Hat Sweepstake...
Favourite is Fr. Aidan Nichols, a Dominican theologian. Cardinal Pell comes in second, joint with Fr. Tim Finigan. Mr. Thompson had very nice things to say about Fr. Tim:
"What a suffocating closed shop we have running the Church in England and Wales! Fr Finigan, parish priest of Blackfen, Kent, is a traditionalist pastor of great holiness and intellect; he also writes a fantastic blog. That a priest of his quality should not even be made an auxiliary bishop, while box-ticking middle-managers of very limited gifts receive a mitre, is a scandal."
Given the hierarchy's attitude towards Mr. Thompson, I'd guess that Blackfen can rest easy: we're probably going to be able to hang on to our Parish Priest for a while longer!
Dear Mac
ReplyDeleteThanks for your welcome. Have been watching the blogosphere for a few months - at least one person I know is going to roast me when I tell her I have started a blog. The other part of blogging, of course, is engaging in "comments" ..so I am going to have to start doing that soon!
Joe
I don't know whether to be angry or sad about this. DT is right-there is NO bishop here any of us, given a chance, could vote for.
ReplyDeleteI read (in the Catholic Herald) what Fr Joseph Quigley- who is directly under the gaze of Vin Nichols- said about the state of Icons which Vinnie gave such a blessing to-even writing the Preface, and I just wonder-what's the point?
What are bishops for, these days, anyway?
What are bishops for, these days, anyway?
ReplyDeleteWell, as most of the 'shepherds' appear by and large to be in cahoots with the wolves and seem to do precious little else than lead their flocks down the Swanney, it would seem a very real question for our times.
Where oh where are we to find Bishops of the same backbone and deep love for Jesus and the Catholic Church as in ages past who preached fearlessly against the zeitgeist, against heresy and paganism - converting countless thousands of people and saving souls.
Today it seems that the heretics and pagans are winning all the battles while our Bishops sit 'closed mouthed' in their PC comfort zones.
But despite the silence rest assured that the WAR is won - thanks only to the most Holy and Precious Blood of the Lamb.
Deo Gratias.
Re Fr. Finigan- I totally agree,
ReplyDeleteHow did the Church in England and Wales get to this state?