Chesterton Knew The Importance of Ecumenical Dialogue

Chesterton Knew The Importance of Ecumenical Dialogue

Tuesday 31 August 2010

John Smeaton On The Tablet



John Smeaton of SPUC, has a very interesting post (http://bit.ly/95klN8) which in part shows that The Tablet is totally anti-Catholic. It is clear that The Pill is totally rotten to it's core and may well always have been. As one comment on Fr Z's blog said in response to my post, Catholics Don't Take The Pill Or The Tablet, I’m reading “The Letters and Diaries of John Henry Newman”, and occasional mentions of the Tablet pop up, with comments strikingly similar to ours (of course, I’m also not an Ultramontane!). Let’s see, so far for this volume, subtitled The Vatican Council, I found:
“The Tablet is far from accurate in many of its details.”—Bishop W. B. Ullathorne, 20 January 1870 (XXV, 18, n. 1).
“I go about very little [in Rome], but wherever I do go, I find the Tablet is considered intolerable.”—Henry James Coleridge, S.J., 23 March 1870 (XXV, 60, n. 3).
+++
Ven. John Henry Newman, pray for us!
Comment by amsjj1002

Some of the other comments on Father's post are also of interest....well to me at least.

Monday 30 August 2010

John Pridmore In A Tie


I have know John slightly for a number of years, but don't think I have seen him in a tie before. Here is a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OY5DUuYDpo) of him speaking in Father Stephen Boyle's great Parish way down south in New Addington. After typing this I found a copy of his book, From Gangland to Promised Land, in a local charity shop, the updated 2008 edition no less. I think I would be right in saying that his book has sold more copies that Gordon Brown & Mrs Blair's books put together! To get a copy see, www.johnpridmore.com

Saturday 28 August 2010

Successful St Catherine’s Trust Summer School


The St Catherine's Trust for Traditional Catholic Education held its sixth Annual Summer School from Sunday 1st to Sunday 8th August at Ardingly College in West Sussex. It was attended by forty enthusiastic students aged from 11 to 18, and a volunteer staff of sixteen, including a chaplain, Fr Andrew Southwell.

The students studied a range of subjects covering every aspect of Catholic belief, history and culture, and heard a piano recital by the professional pianist Matthew Schellhorn, and a talk from the Catholic journalist Dominic Scarborough.

There was daily Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form, including Mass in Arundel Cathedral, by permission of Bishop Kieran Conry.

As part of the Summer School, the Latin Mass Society held its first ever residential Latin course, directed by Philip Goddard, the LMS's adviser on Latin, which made use of the LMS's teach yourself Latin primer, Simplicissimus. The course was based on the Latin of the liturgy, and examples and exercises were taken from liturgical texts. Students were divided into 'beginners' and 'intermediates', although all joined together for lectures on psalmody and liturgical poetry, the history of liturgical texts, and Latin in Philosophy. Students were delighted with the amount of Latin they were able to absorb, describing the course as 'transforming’ and ‘enriching' their engagement with the liturgy of the Church.

Doctor Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the LMS, said: “The Summer School is always exhausting but exhilarating; it is inspiring to see so many children being so prayerful. This is surely what Pope Benedict wants as part of the re-evangelisation of Europe”.

The St Catherine’s Trust Summer School is financially supported by the Latin Mass Society and other benefactors, and accepts students regardless of their ability to pay. Next year it will be held in Ushaw College in Co. Durham, from Sunday 23rd July to Saturday 30th July: see http://www.stcatherinestrust.org/ for more details.

[See http://tiny.cc/dog3e for pictures.]

Friday 27 August 2010

Government Set To Apologise To The Pope


In light of the sharp rise in teenage pregnancies in Britain this year, the Con Dem Government along with ex-Ministers from the last Labour Government will say ‘Sorry, sorry and sorry’ to the Holy Father next month. The latest statistics show that in spite of the State, Marie Stopes et al telling every child in school that, “sex is just for fun, so just do it when you feel ready, but don’t get pregnant“, the number of pregnancies have risen. (See The Good Counsel Network’s blog for July for information about contraception failure) The pregnancy rate among the under 16's was up by 6.4%, whilst pregnancy outside of marriage amongst those saving sex for marriage is almost unheard of. This clearly shows that the Church is right, again.

As sexually transmitted diseases have also increased, could someone tell me what are the odds of a couple who saved sex for marriage and then stayed faithful, catching one of these diseases? The powers-that-be will tell you that this is not possible, but I think this says more about their sexual behaviour, than anything else! Chastity is not easy, but all things are possible with God.

If the secular world was sane the above would happen.

Tuesday 24 August 2010

Priestly Sexual Abuse, Putting The Record Straight


We all know that when the Holy Father visits Britain next month the media will be full of stories about Priest sexual abuse. Today I found a helpful leaflet after Mass called, Putting The Record Straight, from Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, http://www.proecclesia.com/ What follows is most of the text of the leaflet taken from their website, the last paragraph is missing. Do contact them for copies and spread the word.

"First we must express our deep sympathy with victims of sexual abuse and with their families. To hear that any Catholic priest used his privileged position to abuse children fills us all with shame and horror, and that this was ever condoned by any bishop is totally unacceptable.
However, there is no question that the Catholic Church and our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI are undergoing a savage and ill-informed attack from the secular media of this country. We intend to list a few facts which we hope will put this attack in its proper context, partly out of regard for the truth but also to give ordinary lay Catholics the information they need to defend our beloved Church, to their family and friends, workmates, colleagues and fellow parishioners - while agreeing that child sexual abuse is a terrible evil which must be promptly rooted out, wherever it is discovered.

I. The Church

Recent coverage in the media gives everyone the impression that the sexual abuse of children is a particularly Catholic problem. Even the three party leaders discussing the Pope's visit in their televised debate spoke as if this should be taken into account, although they could have been expected to know better.

The figures show a different story. An American study, published on line by Sam Miller, who is not a Catholic but a prominent Jewish businessman from Cleveland, reveals that while a disgraceful 1.7% of Catholic Clergy have been found guilty of sexual abuse, 10% of Protestant Ministers have been found guilty. It also showed child abuse to be far more prevalent in schools, youth organisation and sports training with Catholic clergy at the bottom of the list below doctors, teachers and farmers. Mr Miller ends his article with these words “ Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher . . . Be proud to speak up for your Church. Be proud that you are a Catholic .”

The official figures in England and Wales are lower. Only 0.4 % of Catholic priests have been accused of child abuse in England and Wales since 1970 less have been found guilty.
That it happens at all is a terrible scandal but the truth is that only a very small number of Catholic priests ever abuse children sexually and it is dishonest of the media not to make this clear. When a Muslim terrorist plants a bomb which kills a large number of people we are always told, every time it is mentioned, that this movement concerns only a very small number of Muslims who are not representative of the vast majority. Where is a similar disclaimer for Catholic priests? Why are the British people being given only half the story?

The truth is that a young child is now safer in the Catholic Church than in any other institution including nursery or school. Since the Nolan Report, as soon as a priest is reported to have abused a child, the police are informed and the priest is removed from his parish that day and kept in a Convent or Monastery away from children while the accusation is thoroughly investigated. Even after the police have dropped the case, satisfied that there is no truth in the allegation, the Church continues to complete Her own investigation until satisfied.

It is encouraging that some non-Catholic journalists have pointed out these facts online and in personal articles out of an interest in seeing fair play. Sadly Church Officials in this country have been very slow to join in and help redress the balance.

II. The Pope

Our Holy Father has come in for special attention in this outpouring of hatred and abuse which is particularly distressing, as not only is he innocent of the charges made, he is the one who has done so much to prevent any future possibility of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.

I think we need to remind our non-Catholic friends, used to much smaller National bodies, that the Catholic Church consists of 1.3 Billion people world-wide who are looked after by over 400,000 priests. Obviously with these numbers it would be absurd to expect the Pope to leap into action at every allegation – true or false – and investigate it himself. Fortunately he doesn't have to as the local Bishop has the power and indeed the duty to suspend the priest immediately, inform the police and set up an investigation while fully co-operating with the police inquiry.

So lets stop blaming the Pope for generally failing to react to allegations of sexual abuse.
However there are two cases where he is to some extent involved which require some examination.

1. Father Murphy of Milwaukee Archdiocese.

The New York Times used this case to attack the Pope most unfairly without consulting Father Thomas Brundage JCL, the presiding judge in the case, about the true facts. It is clear that bad mistakes were made but they were not made by the Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger as he was then. The facts revealed by Father Brundage reveal that Father Murphy who taught in a school for the deaf, abused a boy in 1964 and went on to abuse other boys.

The boys complained to Father David Walsh who quite correctly reported the matter to the Archbishop, Rembert Weakland, who unaccountably did nothing for years. So Father Walsh informed the Police who, surprisingly, took no action either. Eventually Father Walsh wrote to the Pope's representative, the Papal Nuncio in Washington about it. A meeting was held in 1974 attended by two Papal representatives and Father Murphy was suspended and removed from the school but the delay, inexcusable as it is, cannot be laid at the door of the present Pope. No-one in Rome even heard about this crime until ten years after it happened and Father Murphy was already suspended. Archbishop Rembert Weakland has also been disciplined now and removed from his Diocese.

Because the boys now said the Sacrament of Penance was used to approach them, this case had to go to Rome so Archbishop Weakland wrote to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Cardinal Ratzinger, the present Pope, but it is unlikely he even saw the letter as the answer came two months later from Cardinal Bertone, his Deputy. This is because Cardinal Ratzinger was best qualified to deal with matters of Doctrine while his Deputy handled administration.

By now Father Murphy had had two severe strokes and was not expected to live long and as, he was already suspended and could no longer harm children, it was decided that it would be better not to start the lengthy defrocking procedure which would involve the boys again as witnesses. Two months later Father Murphy died and went to answer to his Maker.

I hope this shows that to claim as so many papers did that the Pope ‘did nothing and blocked action in this case ‘ is just not true.

2. Father Hullermann of Munich Diocese

The second attack concerns a Father Hullermann of Munich Diocese where the Pope was Archbishop. In 1980 Father Hullermann was accused of sexual abuse and sent for therapy, which at that time was thought to be effective. He came to live in a rectory in Munich to receive this therapy and while there helped out in a Munich parish on Sundays. This should not have happened but the present Pope who would have been involved if Father Hullermannn were appointed parish priest, would not necessarily have known this was happening. In 1982 the Pope was made Prefect of the Congregation for the Faith in Rome and seven months later, when he had completed his therapy, Father Hullermann was, against the advice of his therapist, assigned to a parish in Grafing. He was convicted of serious sex offences in 1986 and this is described by the media as a ‘smoking gun' against Pope Benedict XVI although he had been four years in Rome by then.

On the strength of these two false accusations we have the Oxford Professor, Richard Dawkins describing the Pope as “ a leering old villain in a frock….in charge of a profiteering, woman-fearing, guilt-gorging, truth-hating, child-raping institution. ” Fortunately, Damien Thompson puts this in perspective by writing “ The article conjures up the image of a nasty old man who's losing his marbles. It's not very nice about the Pope either ”!

We also have Foreign Office officials compiling a very offensive plan for the Pope's visit which includes items such as ‘visit an abortion centre, bless a homosexual civil union, etc.' The French paper, Le Monde joins in with a disgusting cartoon of the Pope with a child and there is a petition on the internet protesting about his visit. On 26th April Radio 4 broadcast a Report on “ The Pope's Track record in dealing with paedophile priests ”! They discussed the two cases covered above at some length, even describing Archbishop Weakland as a ‘whistleblower', but finally, disappointed at the lack of any real evidence against the Pope, they assured listeners that ‘Lawyers were still combing through documents looking for any evidence against the Vatican and the Pope'.

Now why would they want to do that?

A few more questions

How can we explain this media hysteria about something concocted out of nothing? If they are really concerned about children who are being abused why don't people attack places and institutions where it is much more prelevant? What about beginning with abortion clinics where not only are hundreds of unborn children killed but pregnant 13 and 14 year olds are regularly counselled without ever being referred to the police although they are obviously victims of child abuse?

The situation today

In 2001 Pope John Paul II asked Cardinal Ratzinger to look into the question of sex abuse. The Cardinal decided that Bishops needed more guidance and he devised a form which must be completed every time an allegation of sex abuse is made. This form must be sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith when it is completed so Rome know how many allegations are made and what action has been taken. This simple procedure would probably have prevented the delay with Father Murphy's case and it should help in any future cases. So, far from being the problem, Pope Benedict XVI should be recognised as part of the solution.
The rest of the solution is Prayer and watchfulness. Prayer for Seminary students and Priests, for Bishops and Cardinals for Richard Dawkins and his fellows, whatever their motives, and for our Holy Father."

Monday 23 August 2010

Monkey Wrote Shakespeare Sonnet!


Ever heard the one about putting enough monkeys in front of enough typewriters and in time they will write a Shakespeare Sonnet? It has been tried, the result shocked me.

Has Science Discovered God? Monday 23rd August 3pm, Wednesday 25th 8am or Thursday 26th 8pm, Sky 589 or online one hour long documentary.

Please forward this to as many atheists et al, as you can. The facts may help them!

Saturday 21 August 2010

A Melkite Catholic Priest Helps Out


Dear Stuart:

As a married Melkite Catholic priest with 2 jobs, I can't begin to blog although I hope someday to start my own. However, I am intrigued by the question that led you to seek me out.

We have a tendency to see history through the lense of the present. Can you imagine anyone asking in the year 675, "Please, could you direct me to the nearest Roman Catholic Church?" There would have been no answer to the request because it didn't exist. The same silence would have met the question "Please, could you direct me to the nearest Orthodox Church?" These distinctions are modern and it seems originated in the late 19th-early 20th century via the Anglicans.

When I was a U.S. Army chaplain, it was always interesting to see how the Army Chaplain Corps included Mormons and other similar heterodox groups under the "Protestant" umbrella. Sometimes, even the Orthodox were drafted under that umbrella. It reflects a confusion that probably existed within Christianity (and maybe in every religion's history). However, there was a "sense" to it in that I noticed that Episcopalians had more in common with Mormons than with Missouri Synod Lutherans! My own case, moving from cradle Baptist, to Episcopalian (ordained 8 years), to Russian Orthodox (ordained 2 years), to the Eastern Catholics (Melkite the last 13 years) reflects a search not so much for pedigree (although it began that way) but to (I hope) a greater spiritual connection with the truth.

Within Orthodoxy I shortly discovered that I was experiencing the same symptoms that I suffered within Protestantism IE a lack of authority. Who has the authority to decide? It seems to me that the Lord Jesus, in His blessed ministry to reveal the Father in His Person, would not have left us-incarnational as He is-without a tangible authoritative structure. Unfortunately, within Orthodoxy I experienced a similar mess as in Protestantism and while the diversity of ortho-doxy was not as pronounced, certainly a case can be made that the diversity of ortho-praxis was for me mind-boggling. There has always been diversity within the Church, but when diversity becomes the main ingredient in the ecclesiastical soup, the devil is probably striving for schism and/or apostasy.

There must be a communion, protected by the Holy Spirit Himself, where diversity is allowed but unity (spiritual, organic and authoritative) is ensured. When I moved to be in communion with Rome via the Melkites, it wasn't a change of faith or even of Church as much as it was a change in discipline, of praxis. The Melkite bishops themselves have come out and said that they agree with everything agreed upon during the first millenium and that they are ready to organizationally cease to exist when Orthodoxy and Catholicism re-unite, securing a movement for Melkites back as Orthodox in communion with Rome. So when I became Melkite, I didn't stop being Orthodox. I began to recognize the Lord's establishment of tangible authoritative structures.

The Orthodox conciliar approach to authority is but one aspect and a modern one at that. How far back (pedigree?) is this idea of the Patriarch of Constantinople as "first among equals"? The ancient canons are clear that Rome and the Petrine See hold first place but it is also clear that we are not talking about an absolute monarchy on earth either (unfortunately it is often seen like that by both sides-and too often practiced like that in Western ecclesiastical history).

So arguments about pedigree are really a-historical. What is happening in orthodox(small "o") ecumenical circles is a realization of this, an understanding that the middle "royal path" is where the living, breathing, Spirit-filled Church is heading (especially in light of the coming persecution). Polemics is a cheap tool of demons.

I have published this comment as a post, as it seemed well worth a read to me. Converts have many varied stories to tell of the paths that they have trodden to finally get home.

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Urgent Help Needed


I emailed a link to my post, 'How Old is Your Church?' to a number of Orthodox & protestant parishes and have had a few comments, please join in. Then would you be so kind as to email the link http://ecumenicaldiablog.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-old-is-your-church.html to your local Orthodox & protestant parishes (find them on the internet) and to any Catholics who think all Christians are the same. Having had a bit of a look on the internet I was quite shocked to find how set in their schism many of the Orthodox are. So let us all say the Prayer for Wales, England, or Scotland (or your local one) for the Unity of Christ's Church on Earth. In some places these prayers are still said at Benediction, if not in your parish there is nothing to stop you praying it quietly to God, unless you are the Priest, and then out loud please Father.

Monday 16 August 2010

Latin Mass Society Introduces a Walking Pilgrimage to Walsingham


The Latin Mass Society is organising a Walking Pilgrimage from Ely to Walsingham from Friday 20 August to Sunday 22 August. There is a noble tradition of walking pilgrimages to Walsingham which the LMS wishes to revive. The pilgrimage is inspired by the great Paris to Chartres Traditional annual walking pilgrimage which attracts thousands of young participants.

The LMS pilgrims will leave Ely on Friday 20 August after a 7.00 am blessing in Ely Cathedral. Accommodation will be in tents. There will be daily Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite concluding with a Traditional Mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation at Walsingham at 2.30 pm on Sunday 22 August. This will be open to all.

The pilgrimage will be restricted to adults for this year whilst any practical problems are ironed out. It is hoped it will be much larger next year.

Dr Joseph Shaw, LMS Chairman, said: “I am very excited by this pilgrimage – it’s the sort of practical and challenging devotion which young people in particular find of great benefit. This is just one of the evangelical activities by which the LMS is responding to Pope Benedict’s call for a fresh presentation of the Faith in Europe”.

For registration and full details potential pilgrims should e mail the organiser, Paul Smeaton, on paulsmeaton@hotmail.co.uk or telephone the LMS office on 02074047284.

Picture:
Chartres Pilgrimage Joe Shaw and Banner May 2010: Dr Joseph Shaw, LMS Chairman, with a banner of Our Lady of Walsingham on the Paris to Chartres Walking Pilgrimage, May 2010.

Saturday 14 August 2010

Oh No, More Television!


Brother Francis Edkins, CFR was at my wedding back in 2001, he is an English convert with an amazing story to tell. You can see him on EWTN (Sky 589) on Sunday 15th August at 8pm or Wednesday 18th at 11am. I remember him talking once about hearing that, "Our Lady will return to England, when England returns to Walsingham," so he walked out of the door and on to Walsingham!

Soldiers Lives Worth Less Than Politicians?


As we see, almost daily young men dying where politicians have sent them, Afghanistan at the moment, I think it is well worth rereading Chesterton's poem. He wrote it shortly after the death of his brother at the end of World War I.
Elegy in a Country Churchyard

The men that worked for England
They have their graves at home:
And bees and birds of England
About the cross can roam.

But they that fought for England,
Following a falling star,
Alas, alas for England
They have their graves afar.

And they that rule in England,
In stately conclave met,
Alas, alas for England,
They have no graves as yet.

Friday 13 August 2010

The Power Of The Rosary


Good Counsel had a great blog post on Monday, here is part of it;

A British soldier was saved by his rosary beads in Afghanistan when he stooped to pick them up and saw that he was next to a landmine. Glenn Hockton, 19, was on patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when bent down to pick up his prayer beads after they fell off, Daily Express reported [last] Tuesday.It was then that he realised that he was standing close to a mine.“As he (Glenn) bent down to pick up his rosary to see if it was broken, he ­realised he was near a landmine.“He had to stand there for 45 terrifying minutes before his colleagues managed to get him,” Glenn’s mother Sheri Jones was quoted as saying.Nearly 65 years back, Glenn’s great-grandfather’s life was saved during the World War II, thanks to rosary beads. He survived a blast, which killed six of his platoon.Joseph “Sunny” Truman was with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.“Grandad (Truman) was walking across a field with half a dozen of his platoon. He bent down to pick something up and was the only one to survive a sudden bomb blast. He had picked up a rosary,” said Truman’s grand-daughter Sheri.She said she was shocked when Glenn told her about the ­coincidence.

Secularists will so often look at Miracles in great old books such as The Secret of The Rosary, by St Louis De Montfort and make snide comments about 'people back then', but this is now! Our Lady of The Rosary, Pray for us!

Thursday 12 August 2010

Prepare For Cardinal Newman's Beatification


Cardinal Newman's Beatification will take place in Birmingham on 19th September (bring a Welsh Flag). Go and read his complete works and Father Kerr's short work and you will know all you need to know..........or you could watch Cardinal Newman at 2000 on EWTN each Monday at 6.00am or Fridays at 5.00pm, 30 minutes long. Father you may have read all of his works etc. but have most of you parishioners? Go on, put it on the newsletter. As I doubt any or many Priests read this blog do pass it on.
Or, if you can, come and hear Fr Nicholas Schofield, the youngest Parish Priest ever appionted in Westminster, talk about Cardinal Newman's life. The talk starts at 7pm on Tuesday 14th September in the social centre, below the Church of St James Spanish Place, 22 George St, London, W1U 3QY. Father Schofield is PP of Uxbridge, diocesan Archivist and a prolific historical writer, but more immportantly he supports the Good Counsel Network!

Wednesday 11 August 2010

How Old Is Your Church?


If you are a member of an Oriental Orthodox church, the foundation of your church was the year 451, when Dioscurus, Patriarch of Alexandria, rejected an Apostolic Christological teaching which was defined against the heresy of Eutyches and the Monophysites at the Council of Chalcedon by the infallible teaching authority that Christ gave to His Church. See: www.newadvent.org/cathen/03555a.htm

If you are an Eastern Orthodox your split from the Church founded by Christ developed from the year 1054, when the Pope was forced to excommunicate Michael Caerularius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, because his political jealousy of the Pope’s divinely instituted supreme authority drove him to schism, which the other Eastern patriarchs and, later, other new national and independent Churches followed.
See: www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-Augustinian monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England or another Anglican church, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry.

If you are a member of the Episcopal Church, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in Britain’s American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Mennonite, your movement was named after its inventor, Menno Simons, who founded it after becoming an Anabaptist elder in 1536. The Amish, started by Jacob Amman around 1693, are just one of many different church bodies within the Mennonite community in the U.S.

If you are a member of one of the approximately 750 Reformed Churches created from the 16th century onwards, your Protestant body originated from the tenets of the Swiss Reformation led by Ulrich Zwingli and, later, the doctrinal principles of John Calvin.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in
England in 1744. If you are a member of one of the Holiness Churches, your movement stemmed from an attempt to return to Wesleyan teaching in 19th century North America, from which the Church of the Nazarene (Est. 1908) and the Salvation Army (Est. 1865) later evolved, amongst other groups.

If you are an Evangelical, your religion is rooted in the 18th century Anglo-American religious movements of figures such as George Whitefield, John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards. More recent religious groups that have developed from Evangelicalism include the Calvary Chapel (Est. 1965) and the Vineyard Movement (Est. 1982).

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.

If you are a member of the Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ or Independent Christian Churches, your church originated from the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement formed in 1832 in Kentucky, USA, or various congregations formed in 18th century Britain.

If you are a Seventh Day Adventist, Mrs. Ellen Gould White inaugurated your group in the United States in 1860.

If you are a Jehovah's Witness, your religion was invented by "Pastor" Charles Taze Russell in 1874, incorporated 1881.

If you are a Pentecostal, your religion was begun by William J. Seymour in 1906 during the “Azusa Street Revival,” Los Angeles, and was influenced by members of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement. Other Pentecostal denominations later formed, such as the Assemblies of God at Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1914.

If you belong to the Charismatic Movement, your religion evolved from Pentecostalism from the 1960’s onwards; for example, after American Episcopalian, Dennis Bennett, claimed in 1960 that he had experienced certain spiritual gifts.

If you are a member of one of the approximately 19,000 Neo-Charismatic, Neo-Pentecostal or “Third Wave” churches, your church developed in recent decades from Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement. Examples include many African Independent Churches and Latin American churches.

If you belong to another so-called Christian organisation, your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past century or so.

If you are a Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and that His Church is still the same, into which He calls all people.

Do forward this to any Christians that you know.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

We Few We Happy Few


There will be an Old Rite Mass organised by the Latin Mass Society, on Friday 13th August at 6.30pm at Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane, London.
This Mass is offered for the work of the Good Counsel Network, a Catholic Pro-Life group with a great blog. Only a few of the faithful attend this monthly Mass, on each 2nd Friday of the month, so do come along and be one of the few, as this video makes clear.

Monday 9 August 2010

Good Television


A Profile On Courage: Fr John Harvey, OSFS. Here is a great Catholic programme about the Church's teaching on homosexuality and true pastorial care for those with same-sex attraction. It will be shown on EWTN (Sky 589) on 11th August 8.00am and 12th August 8.00pm, it is one hour long.

Saturday 7 August 2010

Pro-Life Novena For The Assumption


Priests for Life are starting this novena today, please join in and tell others. See their site for more details and the prayer in Spanish

Lord Jesus Christ,
You have conquered the power of death
And opened for humanity
The hope of eternal life in body and soul.

You granted your Mother
A share in heavenly glory,
And did not allow decay to touch her body.

As we prepare for the Feast of the Assumption,
Grant us new confidence in the victory of life over death,
And renewed reverence for the human body.

As we honor Mary, Assumed into Heaven,
May we proclaim the hope of Your Gospel:
That you want every human life seated on your throne.

May that hope strengthen us to protect every life here on earth.

You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

Blessed Are The Ticketless




Leeds to Hyde Park to see the Holy Father, without a ticket for the Vigil. This is the best I've heard so far! Having read my post about filling Hyde Park inside and outside the Vigil, Pat said, "I had decided to do that rather than Birmingham."

"See you in Hyde Park then", said I.

"Great. Will get coach and walk over with a banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Hyde Park. God bless." Said Pat.

So I asked, "Have you got a ticket for the Vigil with the Pope at Hyde Park?"

"No, I was just going to let Our Lady of Guadalupe sort it" said Pat!

Friday 6 August 2010

Sorry, 'Elsewhere' Link In Last Post Is Working Now

St Felicissimus, You Know.

As today is the Feast of St Felicissimus & other Martyrs in the 'Old Rite', and tomorrow in the 'New Rite', today's Post has gone elsewhere to celebrate.

Thursday 5 August 2010

Darkness, But Fools Say 'Twilight'


The computer crashed twice while uploading the photo of Fr Amorth and then lost the photo! Yes Mum, I know these things happen, but sometimes it is not for the reasons that you think. I was sent the following and as I have not seen the films, nor read the books, but know some who are obsessive about them, here it is;

Vampire Logic

With the issuing of the third movie in the Twilight series I have to speak out about our culture's twisted fascination with vampires. I don't hesitate to tell people that I am totally disgusted with the new fad sweeping over our youth culture these days. It is not just kids that are taken up with the wiles of the dark world either: many moms of teens are swooning for them too. I think that these seductive creatures are simply the spawn of the Harry Potter culture that has for over a decade now been indoctrinating kids to think that the occult world is normal and that all this evil messaging is harmless when dressed up as entertainment. That's vampire logic - and just what the devil wants us to think.

Gone are the days of Bella Lugosi's Dracula (1931) where good was good and evil was evil. A crucifix would drive Dracula away and then he had to go into his infernal coffin when the first streaks of dawn appeared. He was in every way presented as a creature of evil, dark of heart and dread to encounter. He drank human blood too, a feature that was supposed to strike terror in every person who valued his life's essence. The image of a blood-sucking creature who lives in slime and darkness and will pounce on you to drain out your very essence should terrorize every decent person. This is because vampires used to be images of demons. That's what demons are all about: the vanquishing of all human decency and life. They represent the spiritual vortexes of the demon world that drag down to the depths of hell all who fall prey to their wiles.

But, my, how vampires have come up in the world these days.

Nowadays vampires are divided into good and bad - no longer intrinsically evil. The good ones rescue vulnerable women instead of biting them and, allegedly, drink only animal blood (well, we haven't seen the last Twilight movie yet...). And crucifixes? Don't think you'll see any of those driving away bad guys in these movies. The heroes are the "good" vampires, not the Church or religious faith in Christ.

These super-star vampires also walk around in sunlight and, as a matter of fact, their skin just happens to glisten like diamonds when exposed to direct sunlight. Isn't that wonderful? The glam vamps are gentlemen, chaste and well-intentioned, yet they are always hovering around the edge of "falling" and in seductive situations which cause young people to think that they are capable, like their hero vampire, Edward Cullen, of going just so far and pulling back, out of self-control. That's teaching them to play with fire, not a real chastity message for kids.

The worst part of this fascination with vampires from a faith point of view, however, is its blasphemy of the Eucharist. "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you," said our Blessed Lord in Chapter 6 of John's Gospel. He is the One who offers His flesh and blood for the life of the world. The vampires eat (bite) the flesh and drink the blood of victims rather than give their own to redeem others. Their bites corrupt and transform their victims into vampires like themselves. They have no life in them. They are the "living dead" by their own estimate.

How sad that this generation has been so taken in by those who represent the very antithesis of the core reality of our Faith - the Eucharist. Vampire logic is anti-Eucharistic logic, and it's very dangerous for our kids. In their obsessive fascination with such darkness, kids (and adults) turn their backs on the One who actually died for them.

To those who say, "Oh, Father, it's only harmless entertainment, " I say simply: You've been warned.
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Bishop To Say Old Rite Mass


Latin Mass Society Residential Training Conference for Priests wishing to Learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite: DOWNSIDE ABBEY, Stratton on the Fosse, Somerset. Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 August. Daily liturgies - Tuition and practice in Low, Sung and High Mass and the other Sacraments - Tuition for beginners and more advanced students - Opening and closing High Masses - Daily Offices and Rosary. All inclusive fee of £115. Book now to guarantee your place. Contact the LMS office on 020 7404 7284 or e mail: info@latin-mass-society.org.
Liturgies Open to the Public (Details: LMS office on 020 7404 7284):

Tuesday 10 August at 11.00 am (St Lawrence Martyr) Solemn Mass
Wednesday 11 August at 11.15 am (SS Tibertius & Susanna Martyrs) Missa Cantata
Thursday 12 August at 11.00 am (St Clare Virgin) Pontifical High Mass Celebrant: Bishop Athanasius Schneider ORC Auxiliary Bishop of Karaganga, Kazakhstan
Friday 13 August at 11.00 am (SS Hippolytus & Cassian Martyrs) Solemn Mass

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Let's Fill Hyde Park Part III


Let us all go to Hyde Park on Saturday 18th September to support the Holy Father. If you can't get a ticket, come anyway. Details of any Priests leading the ticketless will be posted here as I find out about them.

Bring a seat if you want one, a bit of extra food & drink for those who forget and a Welsh Flag of your choice. Also see Part I & Part II and tell everyone.

Monday 2 August 2010

Letter to the Catholic Herald


The editor of the Catholic Herald has every right not to publish my letter, but with this Internet thing I have every right to bore you with it! Why I have not received a free copy of the book to review is also beyond me. I've ordered it from the local library, if it ever shows up I will let you know what I think of it.

Dear Sir
I read with great interest your review of The Essential Belloc (Catholic Herald 9th July). I 'blame' him and Chesterton for my conversion to the one True Faith (that is Catholic Faith for the information of any fool who does not know it). I went so far as to walk to Rome 10 years ago following in his footsteps (do see his book, The Path to Rome), as a pilgrimage of thanks. [Three youngsters from Blackfen, have just done Blackfen to Rome by bike]Whilst I agree partly with Robin Harris, your reviewer that Belloc's "refusal to engage in the customary ecumenical pieties [could] cause an involuntary shock." One should look beyond what he said and see the results. I have started my own blog; http://ecumenicaldiablog.blogspot.com/ to engage in ecumenical dialogue 'a la Belloc'.
For example it may seem to some that Belloc was a bit harsh to Maurice Baring at their first meeting in what he said. Belloc told Maurice Baring (a non-Catholic son of one of Europe's most celebrated banking houses) that he would certainly go to hell. What Baring wrote to Belloc many years later, in 1934 needs to be remembered if we are to engage in fruitful ecumenical dialogue.
“I realise and give thanks for the privilege of having known you; and be sure of this, but for you I should never have come into the Church: you were the lighthouse that showed me the way, the beacon; and once I was there you remained a tower of strength in times or moments of difficulty, and we both agree that that is the only thing that matters.” So let us not be too harsh on our prophet.
God bless
Stuart McCullough