10 July 2017

It's Time We Talk ...


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You know what it’s like when the things you’d rather not see begin to protrude into your peripheral vision.

You notice the sacked Rome correspondent of The Tablet, who now writes for an equally Catholic publication (ie not) describing Cardinal Sarah as clueless and pharisaic simply because he (the Cardinal) says that in a Catholic Mass, the bread to be consecrated has to be bread and the wine to be consecrated has to be wine. You notice his advice to another Cardinal to “ditch the dress and the dangling cross. They look ridiculous and irrelevant.”

You notice Austin Ivereigh, the head of Catholic Voices, making a disgracefully snarky remark about Cardinal Pell simply because he (Ivereigh) doesn’t think that he (Pell) is sufficiently on-message.

You notice that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) has allowed Catholic Voices to become “one of the successes of the New Evangelisation”.  You notice Catholic Voices saying that the “CBCEW refer media onto us when appropriate. They support Catholic Voices as part of its ‘Confidently Catholic’ agenda, encouraging lay Catholics “to know and live their faith with courage and give witness to it with confidence.”

You notice that a commentator on social media points out that Catholic Voices can’t actually speak for the Catholic Church (in England and Wales, or anywhere) because of its canon law status (or rather its lack thereof) and realise that the point will be completely ignored because the CBCEW doesn’t bother with that sort of thing any more (unless, of course, it suits them, as when a Bishop tries to close down a parish).

You notice that the two bloggers who led the charge against the Catholic Education Service (CES) eventually had to give up on the incisive campaign against the intrusion into the Catholic education system of Stonewall simply because the CES realised that it was bigger and more powerful than any blogger.

You notice that the Bishops in the CBCEW who you can confidently predict are personally against the watering down of the position that divorced Catholics who “remarry” can receive Communion are not speaking out or up. You ponder what you know about caudillismo, an unfortunate recurring feature in post-independence Argentina and other South American countries, and wonder how it could take hold in any part of England and Wales.


You notice that you have two choices: to move your head further down: to bury it in the sand so that you can block your peripheral vision.  Or to lift your head and start looking around again, and be prepared to say what you can see.

4 comments:

Zephyrinus said...

Let these "So-Called Catholics" attempt a Discourse with Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, when they have departed this life.

No doubt, such Non-Catholic Edifices, e.g. The Tablet, will attempt to "Spin" such a Discourse.

Then, no doubt, it will be the time for The Tablet Chappies (and Chappesses) to try and tell Our Blessed Lord that He "has got it all wrong and is too "rigid".

Let these "So-Called Catholics" carry on in their merry way.

Meanwhile, True Catholics can go to Confession, Exposition, Benediction, Vespers, Missa Cantatas, Holy Communion, and say The Rosary.

And Pray.

Left-footer said...

Thank you, Tony, and God bless.

I was talking recently to the young curate who teaches in the same school as I. He expressed terror - his word - that the Catholic Church will suffer schism under this Pope. I share his fears.

So far here in Poland the Church remains strongly - even fiercely - faithful.

Oona said...

To encourage you slightly, many of us have not given up on the fight against the CES and the LGBT document. The pressure is still on. You can expect to see many teachers standing firm against it when the compulsory RSE becomes statutory.

Fr Tom said...

The Minister Education has stated her intention is to make Law of her beliefs about all forms of gayness/ tans this ian's bi that for all schools. She will call it RELATIONSHIPS so parents can't remove their kind from the Class because it is not called Sex Education. The CES Can surely not call themselves Catholic if they go along with imbuing our children with immoral beliefs which will put their souls in danger. Many Catholic Governors will fight this as will many Headteacher' and staff. Parents too will not like it at all when they read Miss Greenind plan. Needless to say the Minister is a lesbian with a live in partner.so much for a Conservative Goverment. The gay lobby is so powerful now they are like the Nazis in their forceful propaganda. A Paris Priesthood