Telling It Like It Is...

My post on David Cameron's determination to push through same-sex "marriage" was written in a bit of a hurry - I had come out straight from school, gone shopping for the refreshments for Fr. Finigan's final talk on Vatican II for the Year of Faith, set everything up and then got out my laptop for some very quick blogging. I was sure that, over the weekend, there would definitely be some sort of response from the Catholic Hierarchy. After all, this blatant attack on the institution of marriage couldn't possibly be allowed to go unchallenged...

No response from the Bishops of England & Wales. It wasn't just that I didn't notice anything - Fr. Ray Blake also noted the deafening silence.

So I was very pleased to hear rumours that, once again, a Bishop from Scotland had stepped into the breach, and was stating, in no uncertain terms, that David Cameron's reassurances on the one hand and attacks on the other really wouldn't do. Unfortunately, Scotland on Sunday didn't seem to like the fact that a Catholic Bishop should want to defend Catholic teaching, and so took the Bishop to task for his "intemperate" letter with its "sarcastic" tirade. Scottish bishops do have a bit of a reputation for directness of approach, but, given the mainstream media's enchantment with the idea of same-sex marriage, I was a little dubious as to the truthfulness of the account of the epistolary exchange.

Nowhere did the original letters appear, and so I contacted the Bishop himself.

The full correspondence made for very interesting reading. It wasn't my idea of an intemperate and sarcastic tirade. A little forthright, perhaps, not written in the usual diplomatic-ese, but only in so far as it called a spade a shovel. The Bishop showed great restraint, in my humble opinion, in not calling the spade a shovel and battering the Prime Minister over the head with it. Instead he merely handed the shovel over and invited the Prime Minister to recommence his digging...

To begin with, Bishop Devine's first letter was asking the Prime Minister for an explanation of the conflict between his statement that Christians should have the right to wear a cross at work (and that the law should be changed to allow this, if necessary) and the Government's petitioning of the European Court of Human Rights to judge that Christians should accept that personal expressions of faith at work might cost them their jobs. The letter ended by asking for an assurance that Christians' freedom of thought, conscience and religion would be respected.

The reply from Mr. Cameron was abrupt and rather dismissive. He stated that the Government's position was that people should be allowed to wear a cross at work, but that the Government wanted to fight against this at the European Court of Human Rights because the cases being examined had been lost at tribunals and courts in the UK and the Government didn't want UK law to be overturned in Europe.

Oh, right. That's ok then. Injustice towards a minority group is allowed, and actually to be encouraged, just so long as it is British injustice. None of that European injustice for us Christians, thank you very much!

Bishop Devine, not unnaturally, appeared to feel that this really needed a reply. He reiterated his point that the first letter had actually asked for assurances about freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and went on to state that no such reassurances had been given. The Bishop also pointed out that, with the conflicting positions of what Mr. Cameron said and what he actually did, it was hardly surprising that people would be wary of trusting him in the future.

The Bishop also pointed out that Catholics were the one faith group not provided for in law, and stated that he suspected it was only a matter of time "...before you go one step further and outlaw the teaching of Christian doctrine on sexual morality on the grounds of discrimination."

The Bishop then warned Mr. Cameron against rushing through legislation on same-sex marriage:

"Counsel from respected legal experts warn of the damage that redefining marriage will do to Christian religious freedom and the protection of family life, all of which will further undermine Christians freedom of conscience. We face the prospect of teachers being forced to teach against their religious beliefs or face dismissal... the likelihood that parents would have no right to withdraw their child from lessons endorsing gay marriage; the probability of public sector workers losing their jobs for not promoting the government's new vision of marriage and carers being rejected for fostering because of their Christian beliefs. This amounts to a serious threat to civil liberties even to the extent of preventing people doing things which are manifestly good for society."

Bishop Devine quotes the Holy Father, and then continues:

"In a recent report the UN special rapporteur said "The state has to respect everyone's freedom of religion or belief as an inalienable - and thus non-negotiable - entitlement of human beings." Sadly, under your premiership, this most basic of human rights is no longer being respected in the UK."

The Bishop of Motherwell has called the Prime Minister to account for his inconsistencies. No doubt he will take an awful lot of flak from the mainstream media for daring to speak out. It is important, I think, for ordinary Catholics to assure the Bishop of our prayers and support - it is possible to email messages for the Bishop care of the Chancellor of the Diocese (Bishop Devine doesn't appear to have a personal email address on the Diocesan site.)

And finally today, one of the English bishops, Philip Egan, has published a statement on the Portsmouth Diocese website, warning Mr. Cameron against pushing through legislation of same-sex "marriage". We need to pray for him, and for the other Bishops who have not yet had the courage to stand up publicly in defence of Church teaching.

End Of The World? Still Hand In Your Homework...

The idea that the Mayan calendar has predicted the end of the world on 21 December this year seems to be gaining momentum. NASA has even posted a debunking page.

Several of my students have pointed out that, if the world is about to end, it is extremely unreasonable of me to give them all homework. I retaliated by promising them that, should the world actually end on December 21, then I will excuse them from handing the work in on the first day back in January...

Cameron's Either Lying Or Stupid...

According to the news today, and on the front page of the Daily Telegraph Online, The British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron wants to allow gay "marriages" to be conducted in churches, synagogues and so on.

For the sake of argument, let us overlook the little point that gay "marriage" hasn't actually been passed through Parliament - though from the way the PM is going on about it, he considers it to be a fait accompli. We shall also overlook the fact that this has nothing to do with equality before the law, as civil partnerships already provide this.

I want to look at the assurances being given by the Prime Minister.

He said: "I'm a massive supporter of marriage and I don't want gay people to be excluded from a great institution. But let me be absolutely one hundred per cent clear, if there is any church or any synagogue or any mosque that doesn't want to have a gay marriage it will not, absolutely must not, be forced to hold it. That is absolutely clear in the legislation."

No, it isn't.

The European Court of Human Rights, back in March this year, ruled that same-sex marriage is not a human right. In its conclusion, it also pointed out that if same-sex couples are allowed to marry, any church that offers weddings will be guilty of discrimination if it declines to marry same-sex couples.

There is always the slight possibility that I am sharper, and more on-the-ball that the Prime Minister's legal advisors. It's about as slight as my chances of being elected Pope. So that means the Prime Minister is giving assurances which he hasn't checked out (ie. he's mind-blowingly stupid.) Alternatively, he's lying through his teeth, and assumes that the British Public are too stupid to notice...

I didn't ever think that I'd prefer to think the Prime Minister of the country is a blithering idiot...

Dance For Rio...

Having found out about the great band ooberfuse via His Hermeneuticalness' blog post on Shabaz Bhatti, I was delighted to spot that one of the band had started following me on Twitter. It seems that Cherrie Anderson, who is one of the very talented songwriters and vocalists, likes to read my blog. I've got a sneaking suspicion that it's because of the cats. They are, after all, adorable, despite what His Hermeneuticalness says!

Anyway, I promptly started following back. And, from Cherrie's latest tweet, it seems that ooberfuse are making a video for World Youth Day 2013. They want volunteers who like dancing and want to be in the video to turn up at North Greenwich tube station on Saturday morning - that's December 8th. - at 9am.

It sounds like tremendous fun. Sadly, with two dodgy knees and an even more dodgy ankle, dancing isn't my thing these days. I'm also attending the Missa Cantata at Blackfen for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. But if you do happen to be free, I'd recommend it...

Here's the video they made in memory of Shabaz Bhatti, to give you a taste of the group's musical style...

Oh Please...!

Well, maybe after all the previous stuff, she'll say something radical. You know, something Catholic...

...But I won't hold my breath!

Twitch of the mantilla to the Lovely Bones.

Wasps In Autumn...

The Call to Action group which is trying to organise meetings of dissenters in various dioceses around the country remind me of wasps in autumn. They're dying, and they become more vicious because time is running out.

As I said on Twitter, I rather resent having to pay any attention to this unhappy coterie: I'd much rather settle back, and find out, in this Year of Faith, exactly what Vatican II actually did say about things like obedience to Papal authority, rather than being forced to repeat myself ad nauseam to people who are so wedded to their little fantasies of how the Spirit of Vatican II opened all the windows and doors of the church that they wouldn't recognise an actual Vatican II document if it sat up, waved a tie-dye stole and a tambourine, and bit them on the bum.

So why am I wasting a perfectly good evening's blogging time?

Well, it is rather invidious, this dissent thing. Dissent must make a noise. It has to be vocal. It is instability attacking stability, and so it needs to pop up all over the place in order to convince the powers-that-be that change just has to happen, because simply everyone is calling for it.

Quite apart from the fact that the Church, being a supernatural institution started and protected by God himself, isn't going to cave in to that sort of rubbish (well, not when considered in the light of eternity) there is the purely human aspect of it. The faithful Catholics in the pews who attend Mass regularly and support the Church with their time and money aren't, by and large, a vocal group. They expect things to be taken care of. Most of them won't actually notice the Call to Action types - just as they didn't really pay any attention to the Stand Up for Vatican II crowd.

The faithful parish priests, on the other hand, are hearing nothing but the vocal minority. With the best will in the world, it is difficult to keep one's spirits up in the face of such relentless poison. And, believe me, this stuff, just like a wasp sting, is a poison. It's killed off plenty of vocations over the past forty years, and destroyed many people's faith.

It is absolutely vital that this sort of dissent is dealt with. It's tempting to leave it to die quietly, but a dying wasp is vicious, and a whole nest really needs expert removal.

There is a precedent. The Bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska, issued an automatic interdict in 1996 which progressed to excommunication on members of the organisation within his diocese. This was backed up by Rome. In view of the latest Motu Proprio, the Bishops of England & Wales cannot just sit back and allow this to continue unchallenged. Silence implies consent.

Faithful Catholics also need to make their feelings known by writing to their Bishops. Find out where the meetings are to be held, and if it is on Catholic premises, then demand to know why.

If it all gets too much, remember to laugh about it. The gates of hell shall not prevail.

Finally, remember to support the very many faithful priests and religious who are as tired of this nonsense as anyone else. And don't forget to pray.

Reflections Of A Feline Nature...

The other day I was indulging in some idle reflections on why a comfortably sleeping cat (or even a picture of a sleeping cat) makes so many people smile. I concluded that it has something to do with the fact that the sleeping cat implies trust. If a cat is happy, things can't be that bad.

Both Cardinal Furretti and Monsignor Miaowrini were rescue cats, each adopted at approximately four months of age.

Furretti was adopted first, along with her brother, Cardinal Catzinger. Actually Catzinger was the one who picked me out; once he had conferred the seal of approval, Furretti wouldn't leave my side. The two of them had been dumped in a stairwell together, and it's as if she has some sort of separation anxiety. She loves to be in the same room as me, and sleeps on the bed beside me most of the night. She will also come over to say hallo when I get home in the evening.

About a month after Catzinger's death, I adopted Miaowrini. She had been abandoned, and, from the nervous way she shied away from me whenever I even looked at her, I suspect that she had been very badly treated. Gradually she would approach me, and allow me to stroke her, but she didn't like to be picked up. Then, after about 18 months, she started flopping over onto her side as I approached, wanting to have her tummy tickled.

It's taken two years, but finally Miaowrini has jumped up on to the bed beside Furretti and me, and has curled up and slept. And then she has woken up, stretched, purred, rolled over to be tickled, and then gone back to sleep... and watching her lie there makes me smile...

The two cats will continue to have their little squabbles, and I shall have to guard against accusations of "favouritism" from one or the other, but right now I have two happy, sleeping cats on my duvet. And that's a definition of happiness.

Questionable Questionnaires...

The Bitter Pill has a survey up about the new translation of the Mass. As well as a sloppy approach to Catholicism, it seems that the publication takes a sloppy approach to questionnaires.

The questions are clumsily worded and there were numerous errors in the text. Several commenters over at Fr. Z's blog uncharitably suggested that this might be because the people who wrote the questionnaire don't go to Mass regularly, and so are themselves unfamiliar with the new translation. I prefer to think that the authors of the questionnaire usually attend Mass celebrated according to the Usus Antiquior, and so are unfamiliar with the English...

Obviously someone alerted the powers that be at The Bitter Pill that they'd goofed. The questionnaire has been changed to remove some of the ambiguities - for example they clarify that you might hear a phrase rather than say it. This does rather affect the answers one might give, so it's worth going back to check your responses.

Reflections For Advent...

Every year I grouse about the fact that earlier and earlier Christmas celebrations crowd out the season of Advent. This year I'm delighted to note that Father Z has decided to help out by publishing a podcast reflection for each day of Advent.

I no longer bother with iTunes now that I've ditched the iPhone in favour of my beloved Android Samsung Galaxy Nexus, so I'm not sure if there is a way to download the podcasts automatically (there probably is a way, I'm just too busy (ok, ok, too lazy!) to look into it. However, it will come up on Google reader each day.

In case you missed them, the first three days' reflections are here: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Tempus Fugit...

The chaps at Papa Stronsay have produced their wonderfully uplifting calendar again. Time to pencil in all your important engagements, Latin Masses to attend, conferences to go to...

Don't waste any more time! Order your very own copy now... and maybe even buy a few copies as presents!

Another Motu Proprio To Make Hearts Rejoice...

It's strange. Before Summorum Pontificum, I'd never heard of Motu Proprios, though I now know they existed. I'm pretty sure that the Holy Father has actually issued a few more, but, in my heart, Summorum Pontificum was THE Motu Proprio.

As of yesterday, this is no longer the case. Pope Benedict has delivered another Motu Proprio to warm the cockles of faithful Catholic hearts...

The title, Intima Ecclesiae Natura, is rather more wordy, but don't let that put you off. This MP is on charity, and particularly on Catholic charitable organisations. Yes, important, but surely nothing to get excited about? Actually, here in the UK, it constitutes a tolling bell for organisations such as CAFOD, which will now be required to toe the line on Catholic teaching on contraceptives or else change its name to AFOD.

I believe that the US also has one or two institutions which will be similarly affected.

The bit that got me all excited was the realisation that this will apply to all Catholic institutions which claim charitable status... for example, The Bitter Pill. True, The Tablet doesn't actually use the word "Catholic" in the title... but it does have the phrase "The International Catholic News Weekly" under the title on the website. And, if it isn't Catholic, why should it be distributed and sold in churches across the country?

There are some real grenades just about to be lobbed at organisations which claim to be Catholic, but in reality sneer at the teachings of the Church and at the Holy Father. In particular (and the emphases are all mine):

Article 4. - § 3. It is the responsibility of the diocesan Bishop to ensure that in the activities and management of these agencies the norms of the Church’s universal and particular law are respected...

Article 7. - § 1. The agencies referred to in Article 1 § 1 are required to select their personnel from among persons who share, or at least respect, the Catholic identity of these works.

Article 7. - § 2. To ensure an evangelical witness in the service of charity, the diocesan Bishop is to take care that those who work in the Church’s charitable apostolate, along with due professional competence, give an example of Christian life and witness to a formation of heart which testifies to a faith working through charity.

Article 9. - § 3. It is the duty of the diocesan Bishop and the respective parish priests to see that in this area the faithful are not led into error or misunderstanding; hence they are to prevent publicity being given through parish or diocesan structures to initiatives which, while presenting themselves as charitable, propose choices or methods at odds with the Church’s teaching.

And another salvo is found lurking:

Article 10. - § 3. In particular, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that charitable agencies dependent upon him do not receive financial support from groups or institutions that pursue ends contrary to Church’s teaching. Similarly, lest scandal be given to the faithful, the diocesan Bishop is to ensure that these charitable agencies do not accept contributions for initiatives whose ends, or the means used to pursue them, are not in conformity with the Church’s teaching.

This really is a Motu Proprio about which to celebrate! What a wonderful present for Advent from the Holy Father! How many hearts will rejoice at the news...? I think we'll probably be having more champers and chocolate cake at Blackfen...

Now, all we need to do is wait for the Bishops of England & Wales to follow the instructions... (Please be charitable in the comments box!)

Ten Years On...

Today I celebrated the tenth anniversary of my vows. I usually arrange to renew my vows on the first Saturday in December, as this coincides with the monthly Missa Cantata at Blackfen, making it a handy time to have a bit of a get-together afterwards. This year the first Saturday fell on 1st December, which is the actual anniversary, which was rather pleasing.

My good friend @fitzrufus who also blogs at Vox in Rama Audita Est came all the way over from the Netherlands, and she stayed with me overnight (this seemed to be the best way to ensure that we actually had time to talk, as I knew that today would be far too hectic!)

@Londiniensis, who occasionally comments on blogs, but now concentrates more on Twitter instead, also made it down to Blackfen for the day. Gem of the Ocean (who tweets as well) also came along, and the mighty Zephyrinus was MC. Tom was there to help with the singing, and his children joined in at the last Salve Regina of the year with gusto. Their mother gleefully informed us that they've been practicing the Alma Redemptoris Mater all week. Father Tim Finigan was there, of course, and with me that made it a six-blogger occasion... (Eight if you include Londiniensis and Delia (another commenter, who sadly couldn't stay for the party.)

Father Whinder, an old friend (as he so ungallantly reminded me), was once the most blogged-about non-blogging guest of English Catholic blogs, and he journeyed over from Mortlake to help me celebrate. The ubiquitous non-blogging priest from Chislehurst was absent, but we snaffled some of his parishioners, one of whom was happy to serve on the sanctuary...

Chislehurst's torchbearer on the right...

The Guild of St. Martha took care of the catering, and provided a rather scrumptious spread after the ceremony, and Danika from the parish club made sure that spiritual sustenance was available for those of us who fancied something stronger than tea. (I was a little disconcerted when I recalled that I used to teach Danika Science and RE...)

It really was a very special day, and I'd like to thank everyone who helped me celebrate!

Stepping Out In Style...

Life for Cardinal Furretti and Monsignor Miaowrini was beginning to get a little precarious. The ledge outside the cat flap was rotting away, and the available space being reduced bit by bit. I had placed a chair nearby because Miaowrini couldn't comfortably manage the distance between the ground and the ledge, and that was starting to disintegrate as well. On more than one occasion, when the two cats were vying for the prime spot on the ledge, I heard an ominous slithering sound followed by a thump as one or other of them stepped on the rotten piece of ledge...

Jonathan, Blackfen's Senior MC came to the kitties' rescue. He'd told me that he had some old bits of wood handy, and he'd weather-proof them and attach them to the wall outside the cat flap. I was expecting a couple of bits of MDF...

In fact these are not just any old bits of wood. They have been beautifully varnished (so much so that I wonder if the kitties will end up slithering off the ends) and fastened securely to the wall in a step-like fashion. Furretti has been out and in again, so that's ok. Miaowrini's still out gallivanting, so I don't know if she's figured out the new system yet...

More Advent Preparations...

I wrote a post about preparing for Advent. Less than a week to go now. This year I have the candles (purple, pink and white) all ready to go... though I have to admit that was because I didn't get around to using them last year!

The actual greenery will have to wait until the weekend.

Anyone who wants to do some spiritual preparation could benefit from reading the words of the Abbé Gueranger, so kindly reproduced by Zephyrinus. Part One is up already. Part Two will follow in due course...

Catholics Don't "Believe" - They Know!

One of the best explanations of why we, as Catholics, assert that life begins at conception, written by Creative Minority Report Guest Blogger, Rebecca Taylor.

I have to plead guilty to having used the phrase that Rebecca deplores. She is absolutely right, though. Her final paragraphs contain a challenge for all of us:

Every one of us is a continuous organism from the moment we are conceived to the day that we die. It is illogical that we be valued and protected under the law only for a part of that continuous process.

So the next time someone says to you, "Human life does not begin at conception," correct them and tell them that life indeed does begin at conception and what they really mean to say is "I don't believe the life that begins at conception has value." (And then explain to them why that stance is totally illogical.)

And if you must use the word "believe" when discussing the beginnings of life, please do not say, "I believe life begins at conception." Say instead, "I believe the life that begins at conception has moral worth simply because it is human."

Earworms...

YouTube is a real gift for tired teachers. A short video clip to illustrate a point can work wonders, and the sillier it is, the better!

Occasionally it backfires...

This afternoon my Year 10s (14-15 yrs old) were entranced by the following clip, and proceeded to join in with the chorus...

Unfortunately I can't get the tune out of my head. Aaaarghhh!

Preparing For Advent...

The traditional liturgical calendar gives us the season of Septuagesima in which to prepare for the rigours of Lent. It allows us some valuable "thinking time" - Ash Wednesday can catch us unawares if Easter is early.

Unfortunately, there is no corresponding season in which to prepare for Advent.

With the secular emphasis on Christmas (sorry, the "Festive" season), the round of present-shopping, parties and such-like, Advent can get lost. And yet it is a season in its own right. We are preparing for the coming of Christ - a remembrance of his first visit and an anticipation of the second!

There's a week to go before it starts. So take the time to decide what you are going to do to celebrate Advent.

Entente Cordiale...

Maybe it's the effect of Furretti's promotion to Cardinal. Alternatively, it might be due to the bad weather. Right now, the kitties are getting along nicely. Cardinal Furretti has extended the tongue of friendship and licked Monsignor Miaowrini's nose.

Both cats dislike the rain, though Miaowrini, being more of an outdoor type, tends to brave the elements for longer. Furretti only goes out for the minimum of time necessary to do her stuff, and then she comes bounding back in, demanding to be dried off. Miaowrini gets much wetter, and also miaows asking to be dried, but she is frightened of towels, so it's rather more tricky...

Anyway, it is very wet and cold outside, and so I've turned up the heating. Both the kitties came to keep me company while I blogged...

(The Cardinal decided she wanted to snooze on the cardigan and towel...)

Donor Cards...

I used to be a firm believer in donor cards. I remember being quite angry that, on the death of my father, no one at the hospital believed my mother was in a fit state to consent to his organs being used. When his personal effects were returned, we found his donor card in his wallet.

Now, I am not so sure about the wisdom of carrying a card. The more I learn about hospital procedures, the more suspicious I become. When, exactly, is a person considered to be dead? And if, in order to allow organs to be harvested for transplant purposes before the heart has stopped beating, the diagnosis of "brain death" is accepted, then what exactly is "brain death"? And now we hear of cases where the donor has recovered just in time to stop having vital organs removed...

Tony Bland had to have opiates administered so that he wouldn't show distress when he was being starved and dehydrated to death. Now "dead" patients are having to be anaesthetised to stop them reacting to the pain of surgery to harvest their organs.

Coma, the book by Robin Cook about a health centre which purports to look after coma patients whilst secretly harvesting their organs for transplantation is beginning to appear prophetic...

Blessed Miguel Pro

Today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed Miguel Pro, a Mexican priest of the early twentieth century.

I heard the name a while back, but I didn't know very much about him until I read this excellent summary of his martyrdom on the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma blog. The similarities in the stories of the persecution of the Church in Mexico and the persecution carried out in England at the Reformation were quite striking. Nothing new under the Sun? Or does persecution of the Church always follow the same pattern? There's an extended blog post in there somewhere...

I was particularly amused by the tale of a young woman helping Fr. Pro to escape by linking arms with him and pretending to be his wife/girlfriend. There is a very similar account of one of the English martyrs (I forget which one) being saved from capture by the pursuivants when a maidservant pushed the priest into a water trough (or duck pond.) It was assumed that the woman, a known Catholic, would never do such a thing to a priest...

It is finding out about things like the persecution of the Church in Mexico that highlights the paucity of History teaching in the UK. The only thing British children get to hear about Mexico is that the Aztecs/Incas were there. The teaching is so vague that, even now, I don't know the difference between the Aztecs and the Incas...

Richard Collins also writes his own blog, Linen on the Hedgerow. It's well worth keeping an eye on his personal blog as well as the Guild one, because he doesn't always publish the same stories on both (I envy his industry... I have problems writing for just the one blog!!)

Happy Feast Day !

Oooops. Wrong celebration! This is the photo I meant to put up...

Happy St. Cecilia's Day. If you want to know more about the saint herself, do go and read my previous post about her.

And, to my many American readers, have a happy thanksgiving as well. Just one word of warning. If you are a vegetarian, and are happily planning on tucking into the tofurkey, be aware that it has nothing to do with tofu. The tofurkey is a cute little critter, and you have had it slaughtered...

Another Quick Plug...

A brand new blog is up and running, and is worth keeping an eye on.

It's by a friend of mine, Catholic Christian, who has just moved to the big, bad city,and he wanted to start a blog to record his thoughts and experiences.

Anyway, do pop over to Roamin in London when you get a chance

Women Bishops...

I returned to the Church twenty years ago, after what I describe as my Damascus Road conversion. I was pretty arrogant back in those days (some say that I still am) but I knew that the only way to avoid making a mess of my life again was to submit to the teaching authority of Holy Mother Church. She had, after all, survived 2000 years of human mismanagement, and Jesus had guaranteed that the Holy Spirit would preserve her. It was a no-brainer.

About a year or so after my reversion, the women priests thing kicked off in the Church of England. I didn't understand all the theological arguments - I still don't - but the Catholic Church stated clearly that you couldn't have women priests, because she didn't have the authority to do what Christ himself had not done. The lack of authority was the bottom line. That was enough for me.

The Church of England decided to go ahead and ordain women, but then, to put it bluntly, they dropped the idea of authority back when they split with Rome over the matter of a certain King's divorce. At the time it was argued that it was alright to ordain women as priests but they wouldn't ever go ahead and be ordained as bishops.

This struck me at the time as a rather disingenuous statement. Even to my untutored ears, it didn't sound right. After all, if you are going to dispense with the arguments against having women priests, then there are no arguments remaining against having women bishops. If there are no theological reasons to prevent women being ordained as bishops, then it boils down to a matter of equality. You cannot say women can not be bishops just because they are women when you wouldn't accept that argument about women becoming priests in the first place.

Today the General Synod voted very narrowly against women bishops. I think the Church of England is in trouble here. Anyone care to take bets on how long before we have the first court case under equal opportunities legislation?

A Compliment To Treasure...

I usually read all my favourite blogs via Google Reader. It cuts down on time wasted in clicking on links in a blogroll and finding that there's not been an update yet. It was a major consolation when my computer broke down, as I was still able to read all my favourites on my mobile phone (Google Reader is excellent on phones) and so I didn't have the attack of the vapours which total deprivation would have induced.

The downsides to using Google Reader are that I don't get to see the comments and that I don't see the design and layout of the blogs I'm reading. The former isn't too much of a problem - I can go and look at the original post if I think it provoked a good response. I don't usually bother too much about looking at layout on other blogs, it only comes to my attention when I am actually opening up specific posts in order to link to them.

I noticed that I received several referrals from my friends on Papa Stronsay this week. It surprised me, because I hadn't actually seen any posts from them linking to my blog. Just in case I had missed something, I pottered over to have a look. Imagine my surprise when, scrolling down the sidebar, I discovered that I'd been given my very own "icon" on the blogroll...

Both Cardinal Furretti and Monsignor Miaowrini made it into the picture. It is absolutely wonderful ! So a big thank you to the Community for the honour.

A New Blog To Read...

While I was checking out my stats and finding out where my readers are coming from, I discovered a new blog. Further investigation revealed that Recusancy is written by a young woman who has a love for the Church and the Holy Father, and a hatred of bad hymns. She also writes some seriously good stuff, particularly on healthcare.

Pop on over and explore for yourself - she's only been blogging since August, but she's already in the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma. Leave a comment or two and welcome her to the Catholic Blogosphere!

Maternal Mortality...

The case of Savita Halappanavar is a very sad one. It is always sad when a young person dies. The amount of hysterical outrage in the Press from pro-abortionists, however, strikes me as being artificially manufactured.

Firstly, the full facts are not yet known, and won't be until after the inquest. There is no evidence that an abortion would have saved Savita - and, in fact, the president-elect of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) for 2013-2014, Dr.Divakar, said that an abortion performed in a situation of acute septicaemia could well have resulted in hastening Savita's death.

Another reason that I consider the outrage of the pro-abortion lobby to be insincere and opportunistic is the lack of comment about the rates of maternal mortality in countries which do allow abortion. In 2010, the number of maternal deaths in the UK was double that in Ireland, and the US rate was more than three times that of Ireland. Ranking 6th in the world, Ireland is one of the safest places in which to give birth. The UK, which has what is effectively abortion on demand, ranks 23rd in the world, and sepsis is the leading cause of maternal mortality here.

Hard cases make bad law. Savita's death is a tragedy, but we need to examine the true facts before claiming that abortion should be made legal in order to reduce maternal mortality rates.

Red Hat Arrives From Rome...

Last Sunday, Cardinal Furretti's red hat arrived from Rome, courtesy of Annie Elizabeth and family who acted as couriers.

Annie and her family were in Rome for the FIUV pilgrimage Mass at St. Peter's in thanksgiving for Summorum Pontificum. You can read her excellent summary of the pilgrimage procession and Mass, along with some stunning photographs over on her blog. There are also two very amusing (and impressive) video clips of her youngest child singing the Salve Regina and the Regina Caeli (yes, I know it's the wrong season, but he's only three!!) from the roof of St. Peter's.

I tried to photograph Furretti with the hat on, but she was so ecstatic at its arrival that she wouldn't let go...

LMS Requiem Mass...

I attended the Requiem Mass for deceased Latin Mass Society members and their families at Westminster Cathedral this afternoon. The Mass itself was wonderful. Despite being able to attend the Traditional Latin Mass every weekend at Blackfen, I like to go to these big Masses every now and then, to remind myself that I am part of the wider Church... as well as enjoying a bit of extra pomp and ceremony!

It's a shame that, given the occasion, the Bishop's sermon didn't reflect on the need for us to pray for the dead. There was a lot about the love and mercy of God, which is all well and good, but we also need to remember that Hell exists, and we need to make a conscious effort to avoid it. St. Bernadette was reported as saying that she feared languishing in Purgatory for lack of prayers for the repose of her soul after her death. If such a saintly individual was so concerned to have prayers and Masses offered, then we more fallible types should really bear it in mind...

Joe Shaw was taking plenty of photos, and I'm sure that they'll end up on his blog in due course...

Wonderful News...!

I am completely bowled over! Due to the generosity of one of my readers, I have been able to get a new computer!

I opted for an Acer laptop, as I thought it would be more versatile. I bought it this evening but couldn't play with it immediately as Rosary & Benediction was on this evening... and I wanted to say a prayer or two in thanksgiving. I am still getting to grips with Windows 8 (grrrr) but need to get to bed, as I have school in the morning.

So, blogging will resume very shortly. Watch this space!

Update...

The computer chappie has confirmed that my computer is well and truly dead. Something to do with a motherboard. Apparently it's cheaper to buy a new computer than fix the old one. But that's not an option right now... Ho hum. Could be worse...

Blogging Has Been Suspended...

My desktop computer has died, and I can't afford to get it fixed just now - or afford to get a new one. I can't blog from school, and blogging on my mobile phone is too much hassle. I hope to be back up and running soon!

I Don't Want To Jump On The Bandwagon, But...

Lots of stuff has been written about the recent woes of Dr. Tina Beattie. She has complained that there is a blog campaign against her, and that is the reason she has had a couple of speaking engagements cancelled. There are some excellent summaries out there - Mark Lambert has the most comprehensive round-up, including links to Dr. Beattie's cries of victimisation.

Time to call a spade a shovel, I think.

Yes, several bloggers have written posts decrying her opinions, and expressing relief that she will not be given a platform at Catholic institutions to air her opinions.

However, this is not the "sovietisation" of the Church. This is what happens when faithful, orthodox Catholics (who are, quite frankly, totally hacked off at having her personal opinions touted as being compatible with Catholic teaching) get to demonstrate their democratic right to exercise free speech. That's what blogs are for - they allow those of us who wish to do so (without the benefit of friends in the mainstream media to give us a platform) to express our views to a wider audience.

Dr. Beattie's invitations to speak are extended to her in her capacity as a Catholic theologian. After all, that's the billing she gets in The Tablet. It's the description she gets given in the mainstream media. No-one contacts me to ask if I will talk on the teachings of the Church - I have no official standing. She is asked to speak solely on account of her position. If the views Dr. Beattie holds and expresses are not in accord with the teachings of the Church, (although she is at total liberty to hold and express those views) then it is no surprise that the invitations to speak at Catholic institutions are withdrawn.

Hardly rocket science, is it?

Dr. Beattie can think, say and write whatever she wants. She has that freedom. But she can't do it and honestly claim to be speaking as an authority on Catholic theology.

Prayers From Papa Stronsay...

Now there's an offer you can't refuse!

The Community on Papa Stronsay are offering to pray for the deceased relatives and friends of anyone who asks. They even want to encourage prayer for dead enemies!

Just send an email with the names to the dedicated email address and the names will be printed off and placed near the tabernacle in the chapel, to be remembered at each Mass during the month of November.

The Community is a real prayer powerhouse, so get those names in! Free some more souls from Purgatory!

All Souls...

The Mass was totally awesome.* You could almost hear the cheering from Purgatory...

There are a few more photos (only a couple) on my Flickr page.

*Yes, the Mass is always awesome, but some times it's more awesome than others...

New Blog On The Block...

A brand new blog has come to my attention - and just for once it isn't a blog which I just haven't seen before. Matthaeus just started blogging on Sunday at Sub Umbra Alarum Suarum - though he has been a commenter for much longer. Do go over and welcome him to the Blogosphere.

He has a beautiful shot of a church or chapel as his background wallpaper which one just glimpses as the page loads. Very tantalising, and a promise of good things to come, I think...

Celebrating The Feast...

We really are very blessed at Blackfen. A week ago we started our Quarant'Ore celebrations and then had four Missa Cantatas in four days. Then Low Mass on the Monday. Today we had the first of another four Missa Cantatas - today's was for the Feast of All Saints.

We were very lucky to have a surprise visitor for the Mass - Clare from Brighton joined us, and sang with Julia and the choir. It sounded really wonderful. Singing is thirsty work, so a visit to the Parish Club afterwards was in order...

The servers proved to be a little camera-shy on this occasion.

Tomorrow we have a Missa Cantata for the Commemoration of the Holy Souls, then we have our regular First Saturday Missa Cantata and the usual Sunday parish Missa Cantata. Eight Missa Cantatas in eleven days is pretty impressive for a parish church...

All Saint, All Souls & The Month Of November...

The month of November is often portrayed as a gloomy one. In the Northern Hemisphere it is marked by cold, wet weather and grey skies. The nights are getting longer. The year is coming to a close, and it feels like everything is doom and gloom, with the Church's emphasis on death, the Holy Souls and Purgatory. The joyful celebration of the Feast of All Saints lasts a single day. The Holy Souls get a whole month...

And yet, in reality, the month of November, properly considered, should be a beacon of hope and light for us all. It shows us to what we aspire, and it shows us how we will, most probably, attain it.

We start with the great Feast of All Saints. A glimpse of heaven, it is the Church Triumphant, and we are given a chance to honour all our favourite patron saints, but also, more importantly, we are given the opportunity to celebrate the many saints who are unrecognised...

There are two categories, I like to think, of unrecognised saints. The first one is that of the really saintly individuals who just don't attract a cultus after their death. They will never be canonised because the Church needs a couple of miracles (at least) before that happens, and it is rare that miracles are granted unless we ask for them. Without groups of people actively praying to the deceased for those miracles, and campaigning for the Church to recognise them as saints, the individuals just never make it "onto the books." We may be fortunate in our lives to meet such individuals and to recognise their saintly qualities, but they are the hidden saints.

The second category is, for me, the more interesting one, because it is where most of us hope (and expect) to end up. We all want to be saints (well, anyone who believes in an afterlife, that is.) We just might not describe it that way. Think about it - when was the last time you heard anyone actually declare that they want to go to hell for all eternity? By definition, everyone who is in heaven is a saint. Today is the day to celebrate the mercy and love of God that allows us to hope that we might one day scrape in. All Saints' Day also celebrates all those who have ended up in heaven after their time of purification in Purgatory, and, as such, is a celebration of "the hope which is in us".

Our sins mean that we deserve to go to hell, because all sin is an affront to God. But through the mercy of God, those of us who have not separated ourselves from him by unrepented mortal sin can still hope for heaven. Purgatory is where we are made fit to be in God's presence - it is a gift to us, as we would be unable to bear being in his presence if there was the least stain of sin on our souls. This is the Church Suffering - though every soul in Purgatory rejoices in that suffering which allows them to get to heaven. And so, tomorrow, we celebrate the fact that Purgatory exists - All Souls' Day is even more dear to me than All Saints' Day, and the two are inseparable.

The thing is that the Holy Souls in Purgatory can do nothing for themselves. The process of purification is beyond their control. The Church, however, allows us to help. The prayers and penances offered by us, the Church Militant, for the Holy Souls gets them to heaven. Every Plenary Indulgence offered on their behalf brings a soul out into the Beatific Vision for all eternity. Plenary Indulgences applied to one's own soul only last until the next venial sin - so, for most of us, it is a fleeting benefit!

November, with the extra emphasis placed by Holy Mother Church on prayers for the Souls in Purgatory, is a month of great rejoicing.

This Explains Rather A Lot...

I had heard from several sources that Bishop Kieran Conry was rather resistant to the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and that, as a result, requests for the TLM in Arundel & Brighton weren't encouraged (to put it politely) despite the provisions of Summorum Pontificum.

Having read a summary of the Bishop's thinking on the Mass at the time of the Reformation, it all becomes clear.

If, as Bishop Conry appears to, one believes that:

"...over the centuries, and especially after the Protestant Reformation, many of the elements of the Mass had become obscured. Much of this was a consequence of the continued use of Latin, which served to alienate and distance people from the action of the Mass"

then obviously one would be very averse to its continuation.

Unfortunately, Bishop Conry appears not to have read Eamon Duffy's classic, The Stripping of the Altars, which paints a very different picture of faith and worship among the laity in England and Wales.

He also doesn't appear to have read The Spirit of the Liturgy by Pope Benedict (written when he was Cardinal) or else he wouldn't talk about the priest having his back to the people.

Even more unfortunately, the Bishop doesn't appear to have paid any attention to the documents of Vatican II either... you know, the ones which called for Latin to be retained in the Mass, and Gregorian chant to be given pride of place (among other things)...

Pray for the Bishop. And pray for his flock.

New Cardinal For England & Wales...

In a shock announcement, it seems that there is, after all, to be a new Cardinal created for England & Wales.

My saved friend, Eccles, gave details of the six new Cardinals to be appointed in the next consistory, and, at first sight it appeared that England & Wales was not to be honoured. However, this was actually an administrative error, so there has been a special catsistory, held for the specific purpose of awarding a red hat for England & Wales.

I can reveal that the new Cardinal was none other than Monsignor Mastai-Furretti.

Cardinal Furretti is reported as being rather chuffed by the news, though she did want to send her condolences to Archbishop Vincent Nichols, who has lost out on yet another red hat opportunity...

Mgr. Guido Miaowrini was unavailable for comment. She is sulking. I will probably find a headless pigeon in my bed shortly...

Bara Brith...

Some time ago, Leutgeb had promised to bring back a sample of the spotty Welsh bread for which her blog is named.

The loaf made its appearance during a quick restorative drink in the Parish club, just after the second Missa Cantata of the Quarant'Ore on the Friday evening...

Celebrant, singers and a couple of servers were all in need of sustenance after the Mass, so the loaf didn't last long. One solitary slice remained, with all of us eyeing it hungrily, wondering who would make the first move. We decided to divide it equally...

As you can see, it proved to be delicious...

Feeling Lost...

Well, that's the end of the Quarant'Ore at Blackfen for another year. It's very strange, but, as the Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the Tabernacle after being exposed for the forty hours, there is a terrible sense of loss. I'm not the only person to have noticed it - and yet, Our Lord hasn't gone anywhere. He still awaits us in the Tabernacle of every church, and at every Mass.

I said it in my last post, and I'll say it again - it really is a tremendous privilege to be able to assist at the Forty Hours, even if only for a short time.

You can read Fr. Tim's account of it, and see a few more photos taken during the Forty Hours over on Flickr.

Quarant' Ore At Blackfen...

On Thursday we are starting our annual Forty Hours' Exposition, commonly known as the Quarant' Ore. It's a wonderful event. It starts with Mass, and a Procession, and a Litany, and then Our Lord is exposed on the Altar for Adoration for the next forty hours (hence the name.) Then everything finishes with another Mass, Litany, Procession and Benediction (I think... I'm a bit hazy on how it ends because I'm usually keeping my eyes open with matchsticks by this point...)

It is a tremendous privilege for the Parish to have the Quarant'Ore. People can come along to the church whenever they can, for as long a time as they want... or, if only for a few minutes, that's ok as well. If you are fortunate enough to be able to attend at the end, there is a palpable sense of loss as the Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the Tabernacle. It is incredibly moving.

It reminds me of my own return to the Church, twenty years ago - and it's as vivid as if it was yesterday - I became aware that Our Lord is waiting for each one of us, waiting for us to turn and face him, to spend some time with him, to invite him into our lives. He will never force himself upon us, he just waits for us to recognise him and accepts whatever acknowledgement we give him.

It rather brings a lump to my throat just thinking of how immensely patient he is with us.

Now What...?

Rorate Caeli reports that Bishop Williamson has been expelled from the SSPX. Given how close the SSPX seemed to get to being brought back into full communion with Rome (is that the right term?), it will be interesting to see if this makes any difference.

No, I don't really understand all the ins and outs of the situation. Archbishop Lefevre defied Rome and ordained priests and bishops - and Bishop Williamson was one of those bishops. If he now goes off and ordains priests and bishops, will there be another breakaway group? And what happens next?

I do, however, hope this paves the way for reconciliation of the SSPX...

I also wish that someone would write an idiot's guide explaining the whole thing...

Requiescat In Pace...

When I saw Bernini's Elephant Obelisk in Rome last May, it reminded me of my dear friend Quentin, who blogged as Dominic Mary. He loved hippopotamuses (should that be hippopotami?) but elephants came a close second, and he posted a series of elephant photos when they appeared as part of a temporary outdoor exhibition around London.

Today's Latin Mass at Blackfen was offered for the repose of his soul - it's his anniversary - so it seemed like a good time to post my photo of Bernini's Obelisk as a tribute...

You can see some more photos I took during my visit to Rome over on Flickr. I've still got two days' worth of photos to label, but you can have a look at what I've done so far...