LancashireCat

Leaning.........................

2011-06-30T22:07:00.001+01:00

This is a link to a trailer for the film, True Grit, a remake of the John Wayne Oscar-winning film.
Now it isn't the film, though it has been well reviewed, but the song played at the end over the titles, a song called "Leaning on the everlasting arms" sung by American country singer, Iris Dement, which is the point of this blog. It's an old country gospel song, expressing with wonderful simplicity and beauty, the awesome fact that come what may we can always lean on the strong and everlasting arm of God. In fact, it tells us as much as we need to know about our weakness and the ever-present strength of God our Father.
So often, we complicate our faith and agonise over things that in the end don't matter. For me this song cuts through all of that and brings me back to the wonderful simple truth of God's love and his strength and my utter need for them.It takes me back to the simple faith of my childhood. Faith needs True Grit and tears; this song inspires me to both.
Please, listen to the song and let it move your heart and your spirit.

Pakistan:Blasphemy Law

2011-06-27T15:29:00.003+01:00

I am indebted to Michael from ACN UK for leaving me a comment and a request to draw attention to the Blasphemy Law in Pakistan, an upcoming rally and an online petition.Below is Michael's comment which is self-explanatory.

" Protect Christians and other minorities in Pakistan - sign Aid to the Church in Need's petition to change blasphemy laws.

Backing ACN's call to change Pakistan's notorious Blasphemy Law, Britain's leading Catholic, Cardinal Keith Patrick O Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews said: " I have been aware of the persecution of Christians and those of other faiths in Pakistan and I am only too happy to endorse this petition."
The laws have been cited as the the cause of 14 seperate attacks on Christians over the last two months and the deaths of at least fifty Christians in the last decade as well as many Muslims.
Please show your solidarity with Pakistan's faithful - and ask for peace, justice human rights for all people of Pakistan - by signing our petition www.acnuk.org/petition

The petition will be handed in at 10 Downing Street on Saturday in a march organised by the British Pakistani Christian Association in association with other organisations, including Christian charities and representatives of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities.

ACN UK Director, Neville Kyrke-Smith, who will be among those handing in the petition at 10 Downing Street said: " Blasphemy for us is just a word. For Christians and all people in Pakistan, the accusation of blasphemy can lead to death - it did for Shabaz Bhatti, Pakistan's minister for minorities. Please sign for freedom and protection of religious minorities... you will be helping the Christian and other communities who suffer intolerance and persecution due to the present blasphemy laws."
John Pontifex, ACN UK Head of Press Information, will be one of the speakers at the protest.

Please sign the petition and forward to others. Do join us at this urgent protest on Saturday 2nd July beginning at 11.00am at the High Commission for Pakistan, Lowndes Square London, SW1X 9JN."

God's secret shoppers

2011-06-23T15:43:00.001+01:00

Big stores employ people to go round their shops to experience and report back on how customers are treated;on how well or how badly staff are doing what they are supposed to do.
Well, suppose God had his own secret shoppers, people he sent to test out how well his operation on earth was working and how well those in his service were doing their jobs. Can you imagine how God must feel when he sees how his people sometimes treat each other; not in the big Christian killing Christian way but in the small everyday encounters by which most of us live out our faith!
I was talking to somebody who told me that as she was leaving church the other day, she was asked by a couple if they may go in to say a prayer, though the church was due to close. It seemed that one of the two was a Catholic but hadn't been to church for years. They were told yes, go in light a candle and pray. Now maybe they were secret shoppers; maybe God put a prompting in their hearts to pray at that moment and, on this occasion, the secret shoppers got the right response. Who knows what the long term impact might be in that particular situation. Alternatively what it might be if they had been rebuffed in any way.
Now whether or not God has his secret shoppers - and I have no doubt that God does - the important point is that how we treat others, especially in our "holy places" is crucial, not only for our own spiritual well-being, but also for the extension of God's redemptive plan. It is through such small actions that the Kingdom grows or fails to grow. It is our part of the deal. Our salvation obliges us to share in building this Kingdom and we are accountable ultimately to God for the times we build and the times when, by our attitude or response, we not only fail to build but destroy what Kingdom life may exist in those we treat badly.
Sadly, there are often other spirits than the Holy Spirit, that dictate how we behave towards each other, no less inside our church communities than outside. But, if we let the Holy Spirit be our guide then we need not fear the secret shoppers and we can get on with building the Kingdom.

South Sudan

2011-06-18T18:34:00.000+01:00

Aid to the Church in Need reports on the serious and continuing problems on the border of North and South Sudand here for link. Please pray for those Christian and Muslim people whose prolonged suffering continues.

Forgiveness too.

2011-06-17T15:29:00.001+01:00

One of the things that the Bible is critical of is our love of gossip. Everybody gossips, listening to and passing on rumours, information and so on. Sometimes gossip is harmless, but more often than not gossip is motivated by some very unpleasant attitudes. We like to condemn those we don't like or those who we believe have sleighted us in some way. Sometimes it's a way of hitting back, sometimes it is born out of smug selfrighteousness and often there is a lot of scapegoating present. We like to get other people on our "side". Gossip can be thoroughly unpleasant and dangerous. It is particularly dangerous to our spiritual health which is why the Bible warns against it.
In the last post on forgiveness, the act of forgiving was seen to open up the possibility of healing the person who had committed the offence as well as benefitting the forgiver. Not so with gossip.
Gossip heals and benefits neither party. When we gossip and build up our malicious image of an individual, we are refusing to forgive. More than that we are blocking the flow of grace and implying that the person is beyond change. Gossip is profoundly un-Christian. It does not flow from our God-given ability to love and forgive. It fails to see another person as made in the image and likeness of God. It refuses to allow God's grace to heal and it binds the gossiper into sin. We might feel "righteous" but that is self-righteousness which is the direct opposite of the rigtheousness that comes from God.
Instead of gossiping, then, the Christian response is to avoid this "occasion of sin" and pray for all parties involved in the gossip. That way we can begin to follow the demand of Jesus that we love and pray for our enemies and those who use us badly. Sometimes we need to go to God first for him to heal us of this sin; afterwards it is much easier. We should not let the same lips that praise God do the work of the devil.

Forgiveness

2011-06-17T15:05:00.000+01:00

Yesterday's Gospel, Matthew 6: 7-15, has Jesus teaching the disciples to pray what we now call, the Lord's Prayer. The passage concludes : "Yes, if you forgive others their failings, you're heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either."
It is the word "failings" that is of particular interest in this translation, the Jerusalem Bible. We are more familiar with trespasses or debts. The word is interesting because it can be interpreted more widely than meaning the things done to a person; or not done as the case may be. It is possible to see the word extended to the aspects of the person's character or personality that causes them to sin in the first place : the less savoury bits of our human nature. In this interpretation we go beyond forgiving the words or actions that offend us and we begin to understand the source and by forgiving the underlying human weakness, not just the outcome of that weakness, we open up the possibility for God's grace not only to forgive but also to heal.
If we adopt this approach, it raise big issues about how we relate to others, particularly those we don't care for.

Care not killing

2011-06-17T13:29:00.000+01:00

Care not Killing campaigns against euthanasiaand advocates for better pallaiative care for terminally people. I have created a link to their website. See sidebar for link.

Catholicism v Nationalism 2

2011-06-10T18:52:00.001+01:00

In the last post of this title, I expressed concern over the history of Croatian Catholicism and its identification with extreme nationalism, manifested in acts and behaviour that demonstrate not a love for one's country alone, but applied hatred for those who are neither Croatian nor Catholic.
The history of Croatia during World War 2 and the atrocities committed are well documented.
Equally, it is true that Archbishop Stepinac suffered under the post-War communist regime and suffered because of his faith. However, he was also the senior churchman in Croatia during the brutal reign of the Ustashe, a group of people so evil they even managed to sicken the Nazis.
Whether or not Stepinac actively supported the Ustashe, his failure to openly and robustly reject and condemn them stands against him. It is highly probable that elements of Catholic clergy were vigorous supporters as we have seen with Serbian Orthodox clergy both during the Balkan and Kosovo wars.
Archbishop Stepinac was not martyred for his faith, he was imprisoned and, no doubt, suffered. But, the question arises: if he was prepared to oppose and suffer by standing against the ruthless Communist authorities, why did he not stand openly against the Fascist Croatians?
Perhaps the answer lies in the unholy mixture of Catholicism and Nationalism. The Communists were not only anti-Catholic but had as a basic tenet of their system the eradication of religion. Stepinac therefore was right to oppose this in support of his faith and his flock. However, the evil
of the Ustashe was cloaked in the Catholic Faith. These brutal murderers were Catholic and probably fervent in their faith. Though what understanding of Catholic Christianity allows the brutality and oppression they committed is quite baffling.
So, the malign mixture of faith and nationalism tainted the Catholic Church and compromised Archbishop Stepinac. We are the Church of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the World. When we narrow that idea down to a particular nation or political system, right or left, we reject all that the Church and Scripture teach us about God's love. We take that beautiful and noble idea and drag it through the dirt for political power or national pride. We create a Via Dolorosa that ends in a new Calvary.

Southern Sudan

2011-06-09T15:18:00.000+01:00

Sudan has been riven by division and civil war for 20 years. Next month Southern Sudan is set to become an independent state. The largely Christian country will have to begin almost from scratch to build an economy and a social structure for the governance of the country. Northern Sudan military forces are still posing a threat to the South. There is clearly a long way to go before independence becomes a solid reality. An article from Zenit here gives further background.
There is a real need for prayer in support of Christians and others in Southern Sudan who have undergone years of persecution and still have a long journey ahead of them to be truly free.

Supporting small business: Cafod campaign

2011-06-05T14:11:00.001+01:00

Cafod is running a campaign to encourage the Government to support the development of small businesses in developing countries through International Development funds. For further info and to add your name to the petition to Andrew Mitchell, Development Secretary, contact Cafod at this link cafod.org.uk/business

Nationalism and Catholicism

2011-06-04T14:14:00.005+01:00

See here Cranmer has a post on his blog today about the Pope's visit to Croatia and his urging of that country to join the EU despite fierce opposition around the loss of national identity. Read the post for a well informed analysis.
My issue is about some points raised in the post about Croatian Catholicism and Croatian nationalism, if it is possible to seperate the two in practice. Given the history of Croatia during World War 2 and the more recent events in the wars in Yugoslavia in the eigthies and the atrocious ways in which "fervent" Catholics treated their enemies, armed and unarmed, the question arises about the nature and the influence of Croatian Catholicism. Going back even farther to World War 1, we have the Vatican encouraging the "Catholic Austro-Hungarian Empire in attacks on Orthodox Serbia, leading to religious and ethnic cleansing and, of course, the Great War itself. The kind of nationalism that has bedevilled(interesting word) the Balkans is extreme and dangerous. It is easy to absorb a religious faith into it, particularly when your enemies have a different faith as the Orthodox Serbs have. But in conflating the two, inevitably the nationalism proves stronger and re-defines the faith to support its pupose. Catholicism or Orthodoxy should never be so strongly identified with any nation. Faith and religion transcend national boundaries, they are universal. If we forget that we find ourselves needing to paraphrase Mme. Roland facing execution in revolutionary Paris:"O religion, what crimes are committed in thy name."

So,for the Vatican is it not only a question of my country right or wrong but also Catholic right or wrong? And is the Pope now running the risk of identifying with and seeming to support some very unhealthy and un-Christian understanding of what Catholic means.
The Pope will pray at the tomb of "Blessed" Archbishop Stepinac, who was created Blessed by Pope John Paul 11 after his persecution and suffering during the post-war Communist regime in Yugoslavia. There remain however great uncertainties about his role during World War 2 and his links to and support of the facist Ustashe who undoubtedly were every bit as bad as the Nazis in their persecutory zeal.
A difficult visit then and one that might have been better avoided. They say never talk about politics and religion. The Vatican needs to get better at seperating the two.

Are you a natural........

2011-06-01T15:03:00.002+01:00

In Mark's Gospel (Mark 8: 1-10) we have the feeding of the four thousand by Jesus with just seven loaves and a few fish. As with the feeding of the five thousand where Jesus uses five loaves and two fish, we are given an account of Jesus miraculously using what he had in order to feed all those present, with the disciples later collecting baskets full of leftovers. Generations of Christians have taken this at face value and marveled at the power and generosity of God at work in Jesus. What you would call a supernatural explanation. But this account is not interpreted in this way by everyone and, as such, acts as a dividing point between what you might call the naturals and the supernaturals. There are those who now promote a type of Gospel which excludes to a large degree any element of the supernatural, denying the miraculous events in the Gospel by re-interpreting them in a natural and human context. And so for example we have the well known modern version of the above Gospel passage where the multiplication of bread and fishes has nothing to do with the sovereign power of God ministering to the needs of his children, but is to do with the crowd being so overcome by generosity and compassion at somebody handing over their own bread and fishes that they immediately share out all they have, rather than scoff it themselves. This is the natural explanation. Human beings, of themselves, are capable of casting off the limits of their humanity and all they need is an inspiring lead to encourage them to do so. No need for divine intervention, no need for salvation; no need for anything other than a positive lead from an inspiring human being. So Jesus becomes a " good man" and an inspiring teacher, both of which he was; but the power of God acting directly into his own Creation,out of compassion, through his Son in human form has no part.
We are capable of being so much more than we think if only....... In this version we do not follow Christ as the Son of God, but as an inspiring human teacher.
Of course, once you remove the supernatural from the miracles and they are downgraded to pious, inspirational tales then you have to think about the other supernatural elements of Christian belief. What about the Virgin Birth, what about Resurrection? What about the Precious Blood and the Body of Christ present at every Mass? Are these real and, if so, miraculous and supernatural; or are they just human creations that we find helpful? Have we created them to make sense of life and our experience, to give it meaning and hope?
The Church has many opposing groups: conservative and modern, traditional and liberal etc. but the fundamental question is are you a natural or a supernatural? The two are radically and irreconcilably opposed. As Jesus said " You cannot serve God and Mammon". One is true, the other a wicked and dangerous heresy.

Never too old

2011-04-11T16:06:00.000+01:00

I've just read an article in the paper about some research done on church attendance. The research suggests that the decline in church attendance has something to do with the fact that as a population we are healthier, live longer and, therefore, are less pre-occupied with death and the need to think of life after death. On this basis, it says, the young will not be interested in religion and the other end of the age spectrum is where we need to pitch our evangelisation efforts. There is reference to the Cof E and its efforts to use "street cred" approaches with young people without too much success. There are, obviously far more complex reasons for decline in membership of churches, and far more complex reasons than fear of death for making a committment to a life of faith; but there may be something useful here.

There is, rightly, an emphasis on "youth" in catechesis and recruitment but, sometimes it seems, to the detriment of older people. The Church, naturally, thinks of the next generation but there are vast numbers of retired people who are not believers or certainly not practitioners. They are the people who need to hear the Gospel just as much as the young. Their need to accept their salvation through Jesus Christ is just as necessary as that of a teenager with a long life ahead. And the bonus is that such people would have time to attend Church more frequently, to participate in parish life and work and would , hopefully, be able to offer an example to younger members of their families.

Perhaps those responsible for the Diocesan evangelisation strategy should think about this.

This is what Psalm 91 says about the usefulness of the old:
                                        "The just will flourish like the palm tree
                                          and grow like a Lebanon cedar......
                                          still bearing fruit when they are old,
                                          still full of sap, still green......

Sleeping giant

2011-03-23T14:30:00.005Z

" What a great potential of grace lies dormant in the vast numbers of the baptised "
John Paul 11

This comment comes in a reflection on Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit poured into the life of each baptised person. The words seem to contain both regret and hope. Regret that the gift has been given to so many and yet the grace it brings too often lies dormant; and hope of what great potential this sleeping giant of grace holds for the Church and the world. A recent piece of research suggests that in a number of countries religion is dying and will soon be extinct. There is grave concern about the future of the Church in Ireland and whether it can recover from a combination of priestly scandals and an increasingly influential secular culture. And yet there are many baptised people in these places, all gifted with the Holy Spirit. There are still a good number in our churches in England and yet if we are honest the tide is against us. In society generally and amongst the young particularly there is both indifference and outright hostility to religion. The Church talks about "youth" but, by and large, "youth" doesn't talk about the Church.

But, is it surprising that this state of affairs exists if, as Pope John Paul says, the grace of Baptism is largely dormant. What are the channels for God's transforming grace and power, if baptised Christians do not live in the fullness of the given grace and in surrender to the Holy Spirit. It is surely only the Holy Spirit working through believers who builds the Kingdom. We must remember the Parable of the Talents and the warning of what happens to the steward who fails to invest and to grow his master's wealth. There is such potential within us, such power available but clearly there are too many of us who are happy to receive but not to pass on, or who stifle the Spirit by indifference.

Now is the time for the sleeper to awake. We must pray fervently and urgently for the release of the Holy Spirit within us so that the dormant grace will flow into the world. Do you want to stand before God and explain why you buried his gift?

Pope Benedict

2010-09-19T15:32:00.003+01:00

I admit to being somewhat indifferent to the Pope's visit in advance. I was wrong. From his landing in Scotland to the final blessing in Birmingham, it has been an amazing, encouraging and moving experience. As the Pope stood next to the Queen and the two national anthems played, I experienced a great feeling of pride: here were the Queen of my country and the leader of my Church. It defined for me what it is to be an English Roman Catholic. Over the next few days we witnessed the emergence of the "real" Benedict and not the malign caricature so often portrayed by the media and his enemies. He came across as a gentle and warm man and it seemed clear to me, that even many among the politicians and media presenters were touched by his personality. His visit has done a great deal to gently but firmly assert the value and importance of religion and the right of Roman Catholics to be and to be heard.Of course, there was opposition and controversy but it was not of his making and the pettiness and spite of it did nothing to diminish him, but spoke volumes about where the true spirit of love, mercy and justice is to be found.
He has energised and re-supplied a beleagured Church in this country with the spiritual and intellectual requirements to live in faith in a secular society, with pride and without apology for ones' belief or diffidence in expressing it.
So this great and holy Pope returns to Rome, but he leaves us in better heart and spirit, because of his apostolic visit. My hope and prayer now is that the Bishops clergy and laity build on what he has created and not simply revert to the old ways. He has given us a true spirit and the backbone that it needs. We are English. We are Roman Catholic. This is our home and we are going nowhere, least of all disappearing into the shadows of a "private" faith.

Aid to the Church in Need

2010-09-04T18:33:00.000+01:00

Aid to the Church in Need is holding its annual Westminster Event soon. Here are the details.

Annual Mass and "Hope without fear" event
Westminster Cathedral and hall
Ambrosden Avenue
London SW1P 1QW
Saturday 16th October

Mass of Our Lady ( Feast of St Margaret Alacoque)

The day begins with Sung Latin Mass in Westminster Cathedral at 10.30am. Mass will be followed by an afternoon of talks in the cathedral hall. We're delighted to welcome some very special guests from the suffering Church in Sudan and Siberia.

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio, South Sudan, is leading his people in South Sudan through a time of great uncertainty. Despite the country's fragile peace agreement, he has seen his people fall victim to atrocious attacks including crucifixion. Benefactors are helping to provide hope, funding Christian education at the Save the Saveables schools, training seminarians, Sisters and catechists, and helping priests reach Christian communities with new vehicles.

Father Michael Shields from Magadan , Siberia, is a long time friend of Aid to the Church in Need. An American from Alaska, he chose to serve in a former Communist gulag camp in Magadan, Siberia. Millions died here. Father works for those who survive, ensuring their stories are told and their suffering acknowledged by the authorities. He is the author of the Aid to the Church in Need publication Martyrs of Magadan - a book that tells the stories of 15 survivors of the gulags. Earlier this year, Aid to the Church in Need paid tribute to Father Michael's work by including him in the book Heroic Priests.

Neville-Kyrke Smith, UK Director, Aid to the Church in Need, Has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe and, this year, he will give an update on the help benefactors are giving to Christians in the Ukraine where he recently visited.

John Pontifex,UK Head of Press and Information Aid to the Church in Need,
will speak about suffering, faith and hope in Pakistan and how benefactors are helping to nurture this hope.

For more information please visit our Website:
http//www.acnuk.org./events.php/223/aid-to-the-church-in-need-annual-mass-and-hope-without-fear-event-westminster

Liars

2010-06-12T17:53:00.003+01:00

Today's Gospel is one of those uncompromising statements that Jesus makes, which leaves no room for self-delusion. It begins by talking about oaths and the futility of swearing by this or that and then goes on to say stick to Yes or No. This bit contains a real challenge akin to when Jesus asked whoever was sinless to cast the first stone. Because, the truth is we are all liars and pretty well experienced at it. When I read this, I suddenly realised what a liar I am and how I have heavily littered by path through life with lies great or small. Until reading it I would admit to the occasional porkie, but that would be just the tip of the iceberg. And there is something more worrying than the capacity for self deceit, when deceiving God or others. Elsewhere in the Bible, Jesus refers to the Evil One ( mentioned also in this Gospel) as a liar and the father of lies. So, we can be assured that when we lie, we are doing the will not of our Father in heaven, but the father of lies. There are, therefore no little lies, no white lies. They are all wrong and sinful and an offence to God and a rejection of his grace and love. Sadly as Jesus points out, those who find more and more exaggerated oaths to support their honesty are more likely to be lying and doing the work of the wrong father.

So, let's take lying in all its forms much more seriously. If it is a sin, then I have a lot of unconfessed sins to account for. Maybe I should take up the challenge Jesus lays down in this Gospel.

By their fruits......Cumbrian murders

2010-06-03T14:37:00.005+01:00

Yesterday saw the progress of evil through small, peaceful, unsuspecting communities, ill prepared to deal with such savage and unprovoked violence. Indeed, what community could be prepared for such an event or even to anticipate that it may happen. We rightly conduct our lives looking for a more hopeful and pleasant reality. But, whether the level of death and suffering amount to yesterday's horrific level, or whether it is a single act of violence and destruction, we know only to well the presence of evil within our communities.

As Christians, we have an understanding of evil that locates its origin outside of humanity in the objective evil known by many names, the most common being Satan. When evil acts are committed, it is this force that gives them birth and delights in the misery that they bring into the lives of human beings. But the origin of the act does not absolve or excuse the individual from complete personal responsibility. Lest anyone be deluded enough to blame the Devil alone, we need to say that it is in the exercise of our free will that we enter into a diabolical partnership of wickedness and we, therefore, are utterly culpable for the acts - can we still call them sins? - that we carry out.

It is true that there are exceptions such as those who are disturbed by mental disorders of one kind or another whose judgements are so impaired as to make it impossible for them to know a right action from a wrong one. The evidence so far does not suggest that the perpetrator of these killings was mentally ill, certainly not to that degree. In fact, the evidence suggests that he was very much in control of what he was doing. In one particular instance, he beckoned a poor 66 year old lady to come across to him and when she did so, in all innocence, he shot her in the face. And so, a woman delivering catalogues for Betterware to earn a few pounds extra was brutally and deliberately murdered by someone who did not know her and had no reason at all to harm her. That sounds like evil to me.

Even in Christian circles these days we are reluctant to talk about evil and sin. We attribute wrongdoing and failure to psychological, environmental, cultural influences and so on and, of course, these are factors. But they are also the ways by which evil is mediated into the world.
Our humanity and our society are compromised by original sin and by the continuing malice of the evil one, so we fall short of the perfection in which God created our species and which is his desire for us to return to.

For whatever reason, Derek Bird made a pact with the devil. Not a conscious, melodramatic selling of his soul, but a surrender to that potential for and attraction to evil which is inherent in our fallen natures. He is responsible for the acts he committed and must now answer to God for his sin. His only hope is God's mercy.

Aid to the Church in Need

2010-02-06T14:54:00.006Z

A couple of nights ago, there was a talk at Sacred Heart Church, Blackpool given by the Lancaster Diocese rep for Aid to the Church in Need(ACN). There were four people turned up, not counting the priest, a poor turnout. As it happens, it was well worthwhile taking the trouble to be there to hear the plight of our fellow Christians throughout the world, mainly in the Middle East and the Far East, but also Latin America. Whilst we have some mild degree of persecution in this country, others across the world have a much tougher life because of their faith. Murder, rape, damage to property, false accusations and poor access to justice, economic and social deprivation are the familiar lot of many Christians. Christian communities are under pressure and in some countries, Iraq for example, the very existence of the Christian community is under threat;this in the place where some of the earliest Christian communities are to be found.

Aid to the church in Need provides help to such communities working though the local Bishops. It is not only Catholics but all Christians who might benefit and, in the case of education, people of other faiths who have access to Catholic schools. ACN has less of a profile than,for example, CAFOD and it's work and its methods are different in some respects, but no less valuable.

As always, there is a need for funds, though Thursday's talk was not a fundraiser. There are all the usual ways of supporting ACN: donations, merchandise, fundraising and, of course, prayer for the workers and for all our persecuted bretheren. It would be good, of course, if other parishes were to invite the local secretary for ACNN to give his talk( perhaps when the weather is warmer and the nights lighter). His contact details are in the Diocesan directory. We should not, though, just walk by on the other side. We are not being asked to suffer and die for our faith: others are. We can do something so that ACN can continue to do something.

Click on the blogpost title to link to ACN UK webpage.

Anniversary waltz

2010-01-21T15:22:00.007Z

Last Sunday I went to a service of unity at Sacred Heart Church in Blackpool. It was organised, I think, by the Methodist Church and was reasonably well attended. It was an hour of reflections, prayers and Scripture readings on the theme of light and darkness; and it was very well done and moving. In between the readings and so on there was excellent, loud and joyful praise led by the music ministry from two of the Churches. I suspect that Sacred Heart hasn't experienced the like of that praise for many a year. The music did not make me think nostalgically about the hymn singing at the various Sunday Masses I go to.

Anyway there we were, gathered together from our different traditions, doing what the Lord Jesus asked us to do: to be one. So, in the time of Prayer for Christian Unity, we got together and danced the anniversary waltz and, no doubt we will gather together and dance next year around the same time. That's how anniversaries work. There was no doubting the genuineness of those present and the pleasure of meeting together. But, while the week of Prayer for Christian Unity is to be valued and such meetings to be encouraged, you have to ask the question:Is that it?

The service was led by a a very pleasant woman who was the secretary for the local Council of Churches. I suppose I knew vaguely of its existence but that's about it. What does it do? When and where does it meet? Who is part of this Council and what sort of feedback, connection and consultation is there to the pewfodder? I cannot speak for the Methodists and Anglicans but, from the RC point of view, I feel the return of an old and reliable friend: communication or not as the case may be. I intend to do a seperate post on this, so let's move on.

Christian Unity is urgent, it is a command of the Lord, not a polite suggestion. Praying once a year and meeting during one week each year is just about a start. Now, I know there are big issues of doctrine, practice, organisation, authority and so on that seperate us, but these are not up to us to deal with; bigger fish than us swim in that pool (maybe one or two pirhanas as well).

But we should not hide behind the big issues nor use them as reasons for not meeting, sharing with and getting to know our non-Catholic but authentically Christian sisters and brothers. After all, we share the same Spirit and acknowledge the same Lord and Saviour.

Now,maybe there are all sorts of activities going on out there and maybe I should stop blogging and get out more. But I don't know what is happening and that brings us back to the issue of communication.

The name of Allah(2)

2010-01-10T15:27:00.009Z

Whilst we might deplore the violent reaction of the Malaysian Muslims, it does tell us how highly Muslims value the name of Allah and how openly they are prepared to acknowledge and defend the use of the name. So where do we Christians stand in relation to the Holy Name of Jesus? Do we stand comparison with the fervent respect that Muslims accord to the name of Allah? Whilst there has always been a tradition in Catholic Christianity of devotion to the Holy Name, in practice we do very little to show what the name means to us and to oppose the improper use of the name of Jesus or Jesus Christ which, sadly, is all too common nowadays. It would be true to say that "Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" are used more nowadays in public as forms of cursing or swearing than they are in a reverential or holy sense. In films, books on TV Jesus is casually, deliberately and intentionally, in some cases, blasphemed and his name placed on a par with other swear words. If it is not the use of the name of the Saviour of the world, it is an equally casual recourse to the word God to express anger, frustration etc. Often, nowadays this takes the form of the three in one words omygod or omigod, so beloved of young people and so frequently encountered on TVand so on. Without pushing my paranoia too far, I suspect that quite often there is a calculated use of the words God, Jesus etc. with the purpose of offending, trivialising, mocking or whatever.

It is to the credit of Muslims that they would not tolerate such profane use of the name Allah. And it is to the shame of Christians that we so often fail to defend the names we hold sacred and to challenge a society that has so wrongly and maliciously appropriated them for more malign and unpleasant uses.

We need to look again at how we really understand, value and revere the names of Jesus and the word God. For a Christian to use the name of Jesus or God blaspehemously is a grave offence
Even in prayer, we should not lightly or casually utter the holy name, which is a whole world of prayer in itself.

And we should begin to learn from our Muslim brothers. I don't mean let's firebomb the BBC , but let's begin to make the case for more respect and to allow the name of Jesus to be raised up high so that eventually every knee will bow at the name of Jesus to the glory of God.

There are prayers and litanies to the Holy Name. Maybe now is the time to begin to reurn them to more general usage. Seek out a prayer and begin to incorporate it into your regular prayer time in reperation for the sins against the Holy Name. You could use a prayer like the "Jesus Prayer" or this one which is the concluding prayer of an old, traditional Litany to the Holy Name.

Lord make us love and fear thy name at all times;

for they are never disappointed of thy guidance,

whom thou dost firmly establish

in thy friendship.

Who livest and reignest world without end.

The name of Allah

2010-01-10T13:28:00.011Z

Recently there have been some news items about the firebombing of Christian churches in Malaysia.This results from a court decision that allows Christians to use the name of Allah in worship to the distress of some Muslims who believe it to be wrong for non-Muslims to so use the name of god. Apparently, though it is not unusual for Christians in some parts of the Middle and Far East to follow this practice. It raises questions though for Christians as well as Muslims.

I suppose the question that comes to mind is:why would Christians want to use the name Allah at all? It is not scriptural nor is it part of Christian Tradition. Jewish tradition held that the name of God is so sacred it must not be uttered or written. The form it takes in Scripture is that of a four letter shorthand, known as the tetragrammaton, rendered in Christian scripture as Jehovah, Yaweh or variously Lord etc.

The Christian God has no name. What name would you give to God? Paul refers to the nameless God in the Acts of the Apostles when he was preaching in Athens: " Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because as I strolled around looking at your sacred monuments I noticed....an altar inscribed: to an Unknown God. In fact, the unknown god you revere is the one I proclaim to you" (Acts 17:22-23 Jerusalem Bible).
However, Christians do have a name that is sacred : the name of Jesus. God is revealed in the humanity of Jesus and it is this name which we should revere.

In Acts4:12, Peter and John are before the Sanhedrin and Peter says this about the name of Jesus: "...for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved." The name Jesus means God saves. Again in Acts 9, Jesus commands Ananias in Damascus to go to the blind-struck Saul, saying to Ananias:"Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel.I myself will show him much he must suffer for my name".( vv15-16).

Paul in his letter to the Phillipians makes the great statement about the importance of the name of Jesus, when he refers to the prophecy of Isaiah ( 45:23); he says: " And for this God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in heaven, on earth and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father." ( Phil. 2:9-11). The use of the word Lord links the name of Jesus directly with the unspoken divine name of God.

So, names are very important and names which are held to be holy are more than important. And our belief is that we have been given the name of Jesus which is more than just a name to identify him. It is sacred of itself and contains the power and reality of God. Our Christian understanding of the sacredness of the name of Jesus is somewhat different than that of Jewish or Muslim tradition and, of course, we must believe that it the truth of God that we acknowledge and revere this name above all names. But more of this in the next post.

Take a trip in the Tardis

2010-01-08T14:43:00.002Z

Well, Dr Who has finally re-generated and become himself, but not himself ( makes sense to Dr Who fans). This transformation took place in his time travelling machine, the Tardis. Any fan knows that the Tardis is an amazing machine that outwardly looks like and has the dimensions of an old-fashioned Police box; but inside it is huge beyond anything you could expect from looking at the outside. And, rather than being fixed in a particular place, it has the capacity to travel to the farthest extent of time and space. The Tardis is a triumph of reality over perception: what you see is less than what you get. So, anyone who enters the little box of the Tardis has access to infinite possibilities.

Little box? Little box? Ah yes! We have little boxes in our churches. They are still known, quaintly, as confessionals, even though the accent on what goes on in them has changed over the years, from confession of guilt for sin to reconciliation. Fewer people enter them these days and, in some places, you might have to make an appointment to do so. ( I wonder who among the disciples acted as diary secretary for Jesus?) But they are still there and still accessible. Your average confessional is about the same size, outwardly as the police box on which the Tardis is modelled; though it lacks the Tardis' internal dimensions. Or does it?
.
The Tardis is a triumph of reality over perception. Well, so is the confessional. It appears to be a small, dark box with a kneeler and a curtained grill, quite cosy in Winter and a bit stifling in Summer; but this is the perception, not the reality. The reality is that whoever enters the box enters into a different world where Jesus is present in all his fullness to hear, to heal, to forgive and, yes, to reconcile. Of course, it is a priest beyond the curtain but it is not he, of himself, who forgives, heals etc.: it is Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. The box, does even more than the Tardis, opening inwardly into the infinity that lies beyond time and space. It is far more miraculous than the Tardis could ever be. And it's real.

So, why not think about time travelling for yourself. You won't re-generate but you will be transformed.Why not make make this a regular and frequent encounter. Why not broaden the extent of your experience beyond anything you could imagine and, in the process grow in the knowledge and love of God. It will, finally, lead you to places where the Tardis could never go.

Obfuscation

2009-12-05T18:42:00.004Z

I was driving along the other day when the word obfuscation popped into my mind. Now I like the word; it sort of rolls around nicely and drops off the tongue, but you've got to be careful what pops into your head and rolls off your tongue when your driving. Anyway, a short while later after a rest at the road side, I drove on and got home safely. But I didn't forget obfuscation. I knew what the word meant but checked out the dictionary for something precise: to darken or to confuse were two of the definitions and they suited perfectly what had developed in my mind.

Satan has many titles and one is the Prince of Darkness or you might say the prince of obfuscation; because Satan likes to darken and to confuse; to throw shadows over things or to make things seem different than they are. He distorts truth and tries to make us see things his way. You can see him at work in the world. Christians are called the children of light: the light of Christ. But that doesn't mean we can't be deceived by darkness. And of course as Christians, we should not be obfuscating at all. So when you see deliberate acts of obfuscation you can usually tell that the values of Christ are not at work, but more likely the values of Satan.

This was more or less the extent of my thoughts on obfuscation and Satan, prince of Darkness. But then I came across what seem to be examples of obfuscation: the deliberate darkening or confusing of issues. And these came from within the Church.

First an item about Cardinal Egan, former Archbishop of New York, and allegations that he was less than open during investigations into an abuse scandal in his previous diocese. Then I read an article in the Catholic Herald in which the writer, a priest, tried to explain how the Irish clergy could be less than open without telling lies by using a concept called mental reservation. This means that if you hold back bits of the truth i.e. reserve them to yourself, you are not guilty of lying. Apparently this is acceptable. the writer quotes the example of a parish priest asking a curate to say he isn't in when a troublesome visitor calls. By saying "He isn't in" and reserving to himself the words "to you" the curate is not technically lying. Mind you the example is light years away from the Irish clergy matter. Clever though, eh? So a lie isn't a lie if you don't tell the truth, or the whole truth. Sounds promising.

But to a non clerically trained person like me, not gifted in the subtleties of moral philosophy or whatever it is, a lie is a lie. Now, I lie like the rest of you; but I know when I am lying and, if there is such a thing, it's usually an honest lie. The idea of " mental reservation" seems to me awfully like the philosophical nitpicking that Jesus abhorred in the Pharisees, those "whited sepulchures". Not that I would want to apply the image of outwardly pristine but inwardly rotten to the events in Ireland. Never(post-modern irony).

Back to where we started. They obfuscated and , it seems, there has been much obfuscation in parts of the Church where such scandals have taken place. Is there a place in the Church for obfuscation, for casting shadows or shading the light? Is it the Lord of Light we serve or the prince of obfuscation?

Be prepared(1)

2009-12-02T18:35:00.003Z

We are in Advent. For Catholic Christians, this is surely the beginning of the New Year, not January when we remember the pagan God, Janus, with his two faces looking to the past and to the future. Nor is our new beginning in Lent when we purify ourselves in anticipation of Easter. Advent is the beginning of our journey, and it is a journey we make in time. In Advent we symbolically live with Mary her journey through the nine months of her pregnancy: a time of expectation, anticipation and uncertainty. Mary prepared for the birth of her child as we prepare spiritually for the same event. But when we look at the Incarnation, the " end time" of Advent, we see a mirror image, like the reflection of a rainbow. There is another coming into the world, the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings, Lord of Lords to claim His Kingdom and to judge the world. The liturgy of Advent points us to both these inseperable events in the faith journey of humanity. We reflect on the end times of the old Covenant and the end times of human history at the return of Christ.

So, we, like Mary, experience feelings of expectation, anticipation and uncertainty. It is the coming of Christ that evokes those feelings and as we look at Scripture we are reminded that we are in need of being prepared for the coming of Christ; for come He will. Just as the Incarnation fulfilled Mary's anticipation and expectation, so too will the return of Christ be the fulfilment of ours. And just as Mary had to prepare for the birth of her children, so too we must prepare for his return. Advent is a reminder for us to prepare and to be prepared for the day of Christ's return the time of which only the Father knows. Advent is every bit as solemn as Lent, every bit as spiritually focused and every bit as necessary to our continuing growth to salvation.Sadly it is all too easily spoiled by Christmas; the pagan celebration that is, not the birth of Christ.

The message , then, is prepare, prepare,prepare. Do not be deluded by the paganism but arrive at the joy and celebration of Christmas by the discipline of a Spirit-led Advent. Be prepared and stay ready. Advent is not just for Christmas.

Baptismal vows

2009-11-27T18:27:00.005Z

I went to a Christening ( Baptism) last weekend. It was in an Anglican Church. The thing that struck me though was when we were invited to renew our baptismal vows. The responses from the crowd of people there( 4 christenings, over a 100 people) were encouraging, considering that many probably don't give much thought to these promises, made by our parents and repeated by us at Easter. But then how many of us practicing Christians give much thought to them from one Easter to another. And yet they are fundamental to our faith, hence their use in Baptism at the beginning of our Christian life.

Anyway I gave it some thought and got out the Missal and read the promises again and was struck with the clear statement of what it means to be a Christian. The vows encapsulate the whole of our faith teaching. In fact, I have made a practice of saying them daily as an act of commitment and also to remind myself of what I profess to believe. They are a sure reminder of the choice we are faced with: to follow the path of evil or to choose Christ. For the serious Christian they provide a warning and an encouragement.

So, maybe it's worth giving it a try. Don't wait till next Easter to renew your vows. Do it daily. That way you can re-commit to God and turn from evil consciously and as an act of will. They are also useful as an examination of conscience at the end of the day. Whose path did you follow?

Here are the baptismal promises. there are two options for the first set of questions:

Option1:

Do you reject satan?.....I do

And all his works?.........I do

And all his empty promises?.....I do

Option 2:

Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom

of God's children?........I do

Do you reject the glamour of evil, and refuse to be

mastered by sin?........I do

Do you reject satan, father of sin and prince

of darkness?................I do

Do you believe in God the Father Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth?.................I do

Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only son,our Lord

who was born of the Virgin Mary,

was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead

and is now seated at the right hand

of the Father?.................I do

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body

and life everlasting?................I do

This is a good, positive way to start your prayer time and to end your day. Try it

Scandal in the Church

2009-11-27T13:57:00.003Z

Jesus tell us that the branch that does not bear fruit is cut away and destroyed. Elsewhere we are told that by our fruits we are to be known and distinguished as followers of Christ. If we look to the word of God and apply the words we find there we can begin to get some idea of where change is needed and being called for. Sin requires repentance and the Church as an organisation when guilty of sin must repent as individual Christians. This requires , of course, much more than a simple request for forgiveness following upon an apology, however sincere these might be. It requires something much more fundamental: a hard look at the way things are and the direction being followed, and then a decision to make radical change; to seek a new direction and a new form of living. Out of the darkness of the events in Ireland good and light can emerge; if there is true repentance leading to real change. Maybe the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church and calling for this new direction which in fact leads us away from dependence on worldly power and structures and leads us back to Christ and the journey in faith.

Throughout most of its history the Church has been a major power player in worldly affairs, at times indistinguishable from other powers in its methods, operation and values. There are many times when the Church has compromised its mission and chosen to follow the ways of the world instead of the narrow way that leads to salvation. Now there are signs in the Church that the familiar things are failing: lack of vocations, buildings closing, falling numbers in congregations, division and scandal and so on.

What to do in this situation? Do we cling to the sides of the rocking boat, as the disciples did as Jesus slept through the storm? Do we cling to the past and try to recreate things that were but have now gone? Do we seek to maintain and develop our worldly connections and influence by selling our souls as we have done in the past? No! we listen to the Spirit, we try to discern the will of God? We begin to pray from our hearts and to live the Gospel and we hear the call of Christ, get out of the boat and walk in faith on the stormy waters towards him.

Scandal in the Church

2009-11-26T22:05:00.004Z

Shocking! Disgraceful! Scandalous! Shameful. You can add your own adjectives. It would be hard to overstate the feelings that any decent person would have at the revelations of abuse and cover-up in the Irish Catholic Church. The abuse itself was terrible but to conspire to cover it up, to protect the guilty and to deny the reality of the victims experience are actions which themselves are not only reprehensible but probably criminal. Now it seems that there is something about Irish society and culture which made such a cover up possible; but the fact that Christian priests behaved in such a fashion raises a question about the Church itself, the priesthood and the nature of faith and belief, which allowed such events to happen. Only one of the Archbishops is alive but it would not be an injustice were criminal charges to be brought against him.

The truth is that the behaviour of the clergy of the Irish Church, regardless of prevailing cultural norms, has nothing to do with Christianity; has absolutely nothing to do with Christ and has everything to do with the ruler of this world. The Irish Church was a major part of the establishment in Ireland; it was a worldly organisation and not a Christian community. Yes, there are, no doubt, many wonderful Irish Christians and they are victims in there own way; but

whilst they were trying to live Christian lives, the front organisation, which called itself the Catholic Church was going about its own business as an integral part of Irish society. An organisation, a business, a career option and so on. The conspiracy to cover up the crime was just a logical consequence of the conspiracy between the Church, effectively a state Church, and other elements of the establishment. In reality, it had moved an impossible distance from the vision and teaching of its founder. It was " a form of religion" but not a Spirit -filled Church.

It's a strange sort of shepherd who out-wolves the wolves; who locks the sheep outside the sheepfold and protects the wolves inside.

Irish Christianity will be badly damaged by this scandal, as will Christianity in general. This isn't just a case of giving the enemy ammunition, it's loading and aiming the guns for him. But maybe, just maybe, there is an opportunity. Maybe there is a prophetic message to be heard amongst this sin and scandal

Stand up stand up for Jesus

2009-11-02T18:34:00.003Z

"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the Cross", the first line of one of my favourite hymns when I was a lad in Bolton, standing at the back of Breightmet Congregational Church.
Well, the Church has gone now and many of those who sang with me have departed from life,
but the words of the song still sounds as rousing and still remind us of our Christian identity.
We are all soldiers, enlisted in the army of the Lord Jesus Christ. St Paul tells us to put on the armour of faith and other pieces of spiritual armour because we fight not against human enemies but against powers and principalities. We fight against evil and the seduuction and temptation to turn from God and choose the world and the devil. In this fight no quarter is given; in this fight we get our strength from the victory of Christ on the Cross. Yes, Christ has won the victory but not everyone has yet been liberated. We are called to be the army of liberation, bringing the freedom that God offers to each one through Jesus.

Satan is the enemy of God and the Cross is the sign of God's victory and the beginning of the restoration of Creation to what God intended it to be. We recognise the work of Satan when we see and hear things that are contrary to God and his plan and his revelation. We see the work of satan in the "ways of the world", in the passing values and fashions; the attitudes and opinions that contradict the teaching of Christ.

Recently we have had Halloween when we, as Christians, celebrate the wonder of the presence of the saints before the throne of God in Heaven. A promise to us and a reality to the saints who have died. And yet, in all the publicity in newspapers and on television, did you see any mention of the real meaning of Halloween? Probably not; but you would have seen the promotion of an alien and pagan ritual, glorifying the dark side. Of course it is only "fun" for children. Fun, to dress up as the devil, as a ghoul as a rotting corpse? Perhaps I have an atrophied sense of fun. Maybe there is no harm directly, though I disagree; but indirectly we are allowing the evil one to delude and deceive people into thinking he is not real and harmful.

But where is the Church in this? Any promotion of Christian teaching or counter-attack against this deceit? I didn't see anything. And how many churches colluded with this travesty of our faith by allowing their buildings to be used for Halloween parties? How many Catholic schools
had kids dressing up? You cannot fight the enemy by playing with him or denying him.
There are two sides in the fight; you can only be on one side.

Talking to each other

2009-10-24T18:31:00.004+01:00

Picture a hot, dry day. A huge trailer passes by, throwing up a cloud of dust which hangs for a few moments before disappearing, whilst the trailer moves on. So we had Fit for Mission or so it seems. I have not seen anything much happen locally as a result of Fit for Mission other than a church close and some proposals for future parish amalgamations. In Blackpool, the Deanery Pastoral Council defunctus est ( I got that from the Bayeux tapestry) and there is no rush to replace it. Whatever its faults might have been, though, it did represent a willingness and an opportunity for lay people to be part of the process of growth and activity in the Church in the area. Now there is no collective body in which lay views can be made known.

Whilst I would not be keen to rush into Deanery pastoral Council 2, it concerns me that there is no clear way forward; and who, is going to make the decisions about what happens in the Deanery. Fit For Mission, if it has not already been back -burnered must now be discussed at local level and that means a significant and continuing role for the laity.

The problem I have is that there is little or no communication within the Deanery. We need to look urgently at the issue of communication. If you don't know what is happening how can you contribute and if ,as a lay person, you can't contribute then where does that leave you in terms of being a Church member?
So is Fit for Mission dead? Are there any plans locally? Is there anybody there?

Amnesia of love

2009-10-24T18:10:00.006+01:00

"Love does not bear a grudge.It appreciates others anew each day and with new love, and it forgets what is past."
Dietrich Bonhoffer
This amnesia of love requires us to live in the present moment. Love has no history,it has no future; it has only the present moment. Perhaps, not even that, because when we truly love as God loves, we step outside of time and into eternity.
Love is not a feeling, it is an action. To know how to love we look at Jesus and reflect on Paul's words in Corinthians 13. Corinthians 13, in fact, provide us with the perfect example for a daily examination of conscience. "Love one another as I have loved you" is the daily measure of our faith.
Bonhoffer says other things about most of our love being self-love, though heavily disguised. Perhaps the best antidote to the poison of self love is to remember that if God loves me, I don't need to waste any time on loving myself.

Benedict the Poacher

2009-10-22T18:38:00.003+01:00

Much discussion in even the secular Press about the Vatican's proposals to welcome in more dis-affected Anglicans and to welcome them on a much more formal and structured way. I don't profess to understand the technicalities of the proposal but it does seem that provision is being made for a substantial Anglo-Catholic presence in the Church. These new entrants won't be just slipping quietly into the back pews. No, they will have there own distinct identity and practices and will form a church within the Church.

All this seems to have come upon the leadership of the Anglican Communion like "a thief in the night" and though positive, ecumenical noises are continuing to be made, it does have the appearance of making the best of a bad situation.

I don't think though that there is any place for triumphalism. If this has been arranged without clear and continuing communication with our Anglican brothers and sisters it does look a bit shabby. Not only that, there are many practical hurdles to leap over before these new entrants are fully integrated.
Where does it leave our relations with the rest of the Anglican community?
And where does it leave the "liberal" members of the Church of Rome who are witnessing a very clear shift towards a traditional, orthodox Roman Catholicism.

Benedict has set out his stall from the return of the the schismatic, Vatican 2 deniers. This new move makes clear his agenda and his vision of the Church.
I suppose my concern is that having identified his vision of the Church, are we going to move forward from that or continue to go backwards into a pre-Vatican 2 mindset? I hope that this move does not give encouragement to the more fanatical of our Traditionalist bretheren.
PS I am not amongst the "liberal" group. I value the Roman Catholic Church for its strong , clear doctrinal and moral teachings. I do not, however, want to return to a clerical, centralised autocracy.

Population control

2009-08-17T15:13:00.003+01:00

I was drawn to this issue by an item on Spirit Daily(see link at sidebar) and a reference to Jonathan Porritt. Until earlier this year, Jonathan Porritt had been Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee (SDC), a Government advisory body reporting directly to the Prime Minister on matters of sustainable development. I linked into Mr Porritt's blog and there he refers to a report from the Optimum Population Trust (OPT) proposing future limitations on the number of children per family in the interests of population control and for the betterment of the whole planet. Mr Porritt begins his comments thus " absolutely love the new campaign from the OPT...do your bit for climate change by having fewer children - or no children". Mr Porritt is no linger Chair of the SDC but he is a Patron of the OPT. The item can be read at www.jonathanporritt.com/pages/population

I then went on to the OPT website and looked at a report from July this year. The researcher quotes the 1968 UN Declaration which says "individuals have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children." The report contradicts this and denies the right of the individual to take this control. It suggests that reproduction should take more account of wider social, economic, environmental issues and that the public duty aspect of planning a family is greater than the right of the individual. Two quotes iillustrate: " There is no unlimited right to have children....." and " individual right here is said to be balanced by public responsibility". OPT also link increasing population with the inevitability of human conflict.

In its section on population policies OPT states " Every country should act urgently to improve women's rights, including removing barriers to women's control over their own fertility".
It advocates a lot of the familiar policies of the pro-abortion and anti-life agendas: more sex education, free family planning ( they talk about using ordinary commercial outlets to avoid "medical barriers", greater use of media in storylining and reporting to promote the OPT agenda and so on.

Throughout they use the word "volountary" and to be fair they do not, as far as I can see advocate coercive measures. But what if volountary doesn't work? What is their fall back position? Bearing in mind some of the apocalyptic rhetoric in the climate change arena, one could ask: is there sufficient time for volountary measures to work? That being the case, the issue of Plan B is very relevant. There are clearly agendas here that are anathema to pro-lifers and
certainly very much outside Catholic doctrine. But putting aside those issues, there is still a very worrying move towards increased social control and diminution of human rights and personal liberty. But, if you paint the picture black enough and ratchet up the scare tactics, then people might well agree to all sorts of things. Indeed, we have already surrendered much of our privacy and personal liberty. It seems, though, that things have only just begun.

None of the political parties in the UK have definitepolicies on this issue, but OPT and the SDC are clearly influential in devloping political thinking with very good access to politicians and the media. Expect things to change.

The Feast of the Assumption

2009-08-16T12:49:00.004+01:00

This is a great feast that celebrates humanity and God's final plan for all the those who do his will. Mary did and as a result salvation came to the world. She was honoured for her faithfulness. I understand this Feast better today because of two excellent homilies by our parish clergy. I know this feast poses a problem for non-Catholics and even for some Catholics and that is sad. But if we realise that God is giving us a message of hope and that His message comes directly out of Scripture and the events of the lives of Mary and Jesus then we can begin to appreciate the wisdom of Pius XII in promulgating this doctrine of our faith.

The Kingdom of God

2009-08-13T18:57:00.004+01:00

The world's in a mess, the Church is failing etc. This is a great time to be a Christian. It is a wonderful time to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Forget the doom and gloom of statistics, abandon the woeful planning for "downsizing", do not listen to counsels of despair. Remember: this is the favourable time of the Lord. Is God any less with us? Is Jesus Christ no longer our Risen Lord and Saviour? Are we not the recipients of His wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit?
Do we not recall His words that He would be with us till the end of time? Do we not have faith any more?

This is a wonderful time to be a Christian. We should thank God for being alive at this time in the history of salvation. God is seperating the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats. This is a time of choice: are you for the Lord or against him? To be for him means a whole hearted committment, an act of faith not just belief in teachings and doctrines, not just Sunday observance. We are asked to choose to follow the living Lord. We are being asked to take up our cross each day and sometimes that taking up of the cross will involve loss; loss of things familiar and comforting.

But what is being stripped away is not the reality of God, the truth of His saving power or humanity's need for Him. We are losing non-essentials, things that have served their purpose, things that no longer point to Jesus but have become an end in themselves. We will lose buildings, stuctures, systems, people both clergy and lay. We see the "power" of the Church brought low in worldly terms. Hallelujah! We will become the Church of Christ and not the compromised Church that we have become. "My Kingdom is not of this world".

We cannot build His Kingdom. Only Jesus can do this by the power of the Holy Spirit and the submission of those who truly call him Lord and do His Father's will.

So it is great to be a Christian. The old is passing away. The new is being born.

We are like the Christians at the beginning: persecuted, few in numbers, lacking power and influence in the world; but filled with the mighty power of God's Spirit and becoming a holy nation, a royal priesthood, living by faith. Praise God for what he is doing in out time.

Purification (2)

2009-08-13T18:42:00.003+01:00

Then there is the world. It's in an economic mess. There are wars, threats from terrorism, erosion of personal and civil liberties in the name of security, increasing centralisation and globalisation. We have epidemics and threats of epidemics and we have governments willing to pass legislation contrary to God's law of life and to make life increasingly difficult for Christians to practice their faith. And these are democratic states not repressive dictatorships. Militant secularism and militant atheism have more political and cultural clout now than the Church or religion generally. The indifference and hostility of many towards religion and Christianity in particular and the advance of nonsensical New Age beliefs make it difficult to see how the churches can recover lost ground, let alone advance into new territory. The world no longer needs or heeds the Church.

Purification(1)

2009-08-12T18:38:00.004+01:00

What is happening in the Church and in the world? Well, Churches are not what they were. Congregations falling, vocations disappearing, an increasingly elderly clergy and laity profile, younger generations indifferent or hostile, divisions within different Christian denominations as well as the historical differences between them. The Christian Church has fallen from its pre-eminent position in society, particularly in the West, to one of marginalisation and increasing secular and legal hostility. In short the Church is no longer an influential member of the establishment, having lost much of its corporate, political and social influence.

Under pressure from secular legislators and the myriad temptations of popular culture, it is fading to become nostalgic memory , rather like the Elves at the end of the Lord of the Rings. Will the Church quietly, metaphorically sail into the West, leaving just memories and the world to the new age of Man? Maybe, if Christians continue to see the Church as it has been, instead of looking to build the Kingdom of God as Jesus intended and commanded.

Vanity ......

2009-08-09T14:46:00.001+01:00

By following the link to http://www.lifenews.com/nat2486.html you will be able to read an unpleasant and disturbing article about the lengths that some people will go for the sake of beauty and rejuvenation and the lengths that others will go to cater for them and make money in the process.

One of the "by-products" of an aborted child is thought to be helpful in reversing the physical effects of ageing. There are clinics around the world that now offer a service to women who put vanity and personal appearance so high on their list of values. I say women but I dare say there are more than a few men who might want to look younger.

So abortion isn't enough. There is the dubious use of embryonic material for stem cell research, which at least has , as its objective, health improvement, however dubious the means of achieving this; but then we have the use of embryonic material for pure vanity. In a utilitarian age, it is not surprising that re-cycling can descend to such wicked depths. It seems odd that the re-cycling of body parts of their victims by the Nazis for medical and scientific purposes was rightly condemned, yet we take embryonic material for beauty purposes.
Is there a difference?

Downing Street petition

2009-08-08T14:38:00.003+01:00

There is a petition on the Downing Street website opposing any change in the curresnt law on assisted suicide. This is av important opportunity to record opposition and is also part of our ongoing spiritual warfare.
The link is: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/notolegalsuicide

Padre Pio and solar power

2009-08-08T13:49:00.008+01:00

A report in the Daily Telegraph says that a 200ft statue of Padre Pio is to be built which will have the ability to trap sunlight and convert it to energy. Well, I have to start somewhere, so I'll start with the statue itself.
200 ft high? Grandiose and tasteless come to mind. Perhaps also something about graven images. Yes, I know the Church has statues and has a good case for that; but 200 feet? ( Hope I don't run out of question marks). When does the messenger become more important than the message; or more to the point than the sender of the message. There is an unhealthy feeling of adoration and cultism around some of the Padre Pio activity. No human being is worthy of such representation, particularly if that human being is allegedly a humble servant of God, dedicated to a life of poverty. Even St Francis doesn't have anything like this and I wonder if he would approve. No, I don't need to wonder. Why is money being raised for this when ......... well is there any point listing more worthy reasons for this 21st century version of Franciscan begging.

So onto solar power. I suppose this is a PC nod to the climate change agenda. Maybe if the statue has a practical function then it might be easy to get permission to build, make it more generally acceptable etc. But, if you want a solar energy provider, don't mix it up with spirituality. I know someone will be saying that the green agenda, saving our planet etc. is a perfect practical, Christian response and maybe it is. But there is also the danger that linking with the pseudo-religion of some environmentalists and their Gaia worship is far from Christian. We do not need to bend the knee to environmentalism if we are living a truly Christian life. We know God created all things, holds all things in being and gave man dominion over his Creation. It's not something new as it is for the climate change lobby. True we could have done a better job but we don't need to be told how to be good stewards. Like so many of the wonderful truths of our faith we just need to work harder at being better in making them reality.

So, if you want another statue of Padre Pio, then keep it life-size; or better still slightly smaller. And if you want a solar power, build a windmill.

The bigger picture.

2009-08-07T15:01:00.004+01:00

I was thinking the other day about inner city problems and gang violence. There had been something on the news again. Listening to the item, it struck me that the focus is always inwards; what can we do in the community, gang, individual etc. Whilst there are clear practical and material needs to be met, this approach looks incomplete. Maybe the problem is that these communities and the individual people in them are too enclosed, too detached from the bigger picture, the world beyond. It's well known that individuals who seperate themselves from wider social interaction run the risk of eccentricity or worse still actual mental health problems. So groups and comunities that are not nourished by or feed into the wider community eventually have nothing to grow on and nothing but there own narrow experience to base their lives on. If such communities are materially and economically deprived to begin with then it is hardly surprising that development and growth can be limited and often maladaptive.
So, in addition to input to develop infrastructures and personal input to help individuals, maybe we should be adding the need for"output", a contribution to the wider world, not when things are better but during the process of change.
Maybe churches have a role in encouraging individuals to think beyond themselves as a means of changing things for themselves. Jesus told us we had to die to self and to take up our cross daily. I don't think He meant that as an act of Christian self-improvement. His words are for all and offer life to all, not just those who have done RCIA. His words are spirit and life and we should help others to apply His wisdom in their lives whether or not they are believers. Applied, this word becomes deed and the Gospel lives.

The writing on the wall

2009-08-06T18:31:00.005+01:00

Fr Val Farrel on his blog has a post about praying for vocations. He begins, a little frustratedly, by musing as to whether the Christian religion is really finished, not on the basis of falling numbers but on the worried response of Church leaders and the view that the answer is to pray for more priests. He suggests maybe the present situation is God's response, His plan; and it is our human arrogance that makes us seek our own response instead of His will.

I have a lot of sympathy for the points he makes. We are so locked into "traditional", even automatic responses and behaviour that we probably don't think much let alone seek to discern the will of God. Well,we have the promise of Jesus that the Father will give us all that we need so firstly we need to go back to trusting in the word of our Lord. But Jesus also said that those who have ears to hear should listen and that is what we are not good at. The lay faithful are pointed in the direction of saying a "traditional" prayer in response to the vocations need. Why not just listen and try to discern what the Lord is saying.

It might come as a surprise to some that the Holy Spirit does not just speak to and through professional clergy or canonised saints i.e. dead professional clergy, but to and through every faithful Christian according to the promise of Christ and to the prophecies in the Old Testament.

There are clearly going to be much fewer priests for the foreseeable future but that is not a recipe for disaster: it is an opportunity for the Church to walk in faith to be led by the Spirit and to cast off the old ways that are no longer part of God's plan. I'm not calling for Vatican 111 or anything ridiculous, simply suggesting that the laity need the clergy and the clergy need the laity. Remember St Paul's teaching about our being members of the one body.
And we all need the Holy Spirit.

Much will have to change: attitudes, local, parochial and deanery structures need shaking up. But first let us just pray as a group of faith-filled Christians in the Deanery of Blackpool and the Diocese of Lancaster for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and then listen.

Assisted suicide

2009-08-04T18:36:00.004+01:00

So the bandwagon builds up speed. A day after her "historic victory" as the impartial BBC presenters put it, Debbie Purdy was saying that she should be allowed to die in England. Within 24 hours what she had wanted had changed to something else she wanted. Additionally there is a Labour backbencher hoping to introduce a Bill into Parliament on this issue. His chances of success would have been slim but today, Harriet Harman, Leader of the House, makes positive noises on the subject. With Government support the Bill would have a much better chance of succeeding and, with a Government in desperate need of popular support, it's unlikely they will fail to jump on this populist bandwagon.

Today the Director of Public Prosecutions indicates that any change to clarify the law on assisting suicide abroad will also apply to assistance at home. And of course there is the Human Rights Act Article 8 which seems likely to be invoked as giving a right to die as part of the right to live. In addition, the Royal College of Nursing(RCN) have moved from opposing assisted suicide to a neutral position following "extensive" consultation. It would pay a visit to their website to see that the next move is likely to be a more pro-active stance.

Reading the comments on an article in today's Daily Telegraph shows a level of support and also an arrogant and contemptuous dismissal of the position of religious thought and morality on the issue. The article argues that it is unfair that rich people can trip across to Switzerland whilst the poor have to stay at home and die miserably. It also use the arguments that were used for abortion: that the present arrangement is a mess and needs to be tidied up. We all know where the limited objectives of the Abortion Act ended up.

So the process has begun and it will have just one conclusion: the increasing introduction of different levels of euthanasia. There is considerable public support, there are key public bodies pushing the agenda, their are weak political parties influenced by party interest, pragmatism and anti-Chrisitian agendas and there is a Christian Church which cannot speak with one voice and cannot be sure of its authority over its own members let alone the great mass of unbelievers.

All we have left is God. So let us continue to pray and to intercede for this country which has deliberately set its face against God and all he stands for.

It is our duty, as today's first Mass reading tells us, to remind the sinner of his sin and it also our duty to plead for the sinner before the throne of God. The victory of euthanasia when it comes will be a hollow one. We have the victory of the Cross and a mighty deliverer in Christ.

Royal College of Nursing

2009-07-25T14:38:00.005+01:00

The Royal College of Nursing( RCN), has formally changed its position on assisted suicide from against to neutral. The RCN website states " The RCN is to move to a neutral position on assisted suicide following a discussion at its Council meeting(24 July)" and " RCN Council's position,which followed extensive consultation, means that the RCN moves from opposing assisted suicide to a position where the college neither supports nor opposes a change to the law to allow assisted suicide." The communique refers to the complex legal, ethical issues etc which were raised and the concerns about vulnerable patients and patient care in general, which were raised in the consultation and in the extensive information giving exercise that appears to have taken place before the consultation exercise and the Council discussion.

So, on the face of it an open process, with opportunities to hear pro and con information and then express one's views through a voting process. But, I'm not so sure. It appears that there might have been extensive information giving - and it would be interesting to see the actual content and balance- but the "consultation, though extensive in intention was anything but in response. It seems 175,000 members were contacted but there were only 1200 responses. Of these 49% supported assisted suicide, whilst 40% opposed with the remaining 11% forming a sort of "don't know" group.
Now, according to my dodgy arithmetic, 49% of 1200 is 588 and 40% of 1200 is 480. So the decision of the Council, assuming it was based on the response, was taken on behalf of 588 members from a total of 175,000. The 11% "don't knows" amounts to 132 members.

What would be interesting is to know the views and deliberations of each member of the Council. Where do they stand on the issue? How can you make such a significant change on the basis of such a minority response. We are talking about human lives as well as the relationship of care between nurse and patient. Are the Council members not concerned at the low level response to what appears to have been an extensive information campaign? And what does it say about the nursing profession when so few appear willing to respond on such a vital issue? At least the "don't knows" took the trouble to respond. Maybe it's already a non-isssue for most of them.

I am trying to avoid being sceptical but democracy and openness are not always what they appear:
they can be used help carry through hidden agendas. I have had enough experience of "consultation" during my working life to understand its limitations and also its dubious usefulness.
Is this vote the beginning of a softening up process to move towards a pro position on assisted suicide? I think so but only time will tell. In the meantime there is an imprtant prayer need here.
For Catholics and many other Christians this is a non-negotiable issue.

Abortion advertising

2009-03-26T15:30:00.004Z

There is news today about a three month consultation on the proposal to allow advertising of pregnancy advice services (though abortion will not be mentioned) and condoms on television, including before the watershed. The word consultation needs to be taken with a pinch or two of salt. I suggested it is a PR word for a done deal.Why a done deal? Because the Government and such services work hand in hand to promote "good sexual health" and to educate young people about safe and responsible sexual activities. In fact they have been working together for a long time and with so much success that we have the highest rate of teenage pregnacy in Europe and alarming levels of sexually transmitted diseases. So succsessful has this information and education strategy been that they now would like to extend it via television into our front rooms.

What seems to have missed their attention is that the strategy has failed. Time for Plan B? Not really, they don't have a Plan B which does not include promotion of their "services" and sale of their products, including abortion both surgical and medical. But like the War and the Germans abortion is something we musn't mention.

The reality is that while we have a popular culture that is built significantly around sex and the promotion of sex as a must have lifestyle issue, it is hardly suprising that young people, at whom large parts of this culture is directed, will be influenced in their "lifestyle" choices. These influences are present in television programmes, including TV soaps aimed at younger people. It is unavoidable in the music business and in promotional music videos and live shows. It is part of much popular literature and used to sell just about anything. Access to sex is also probably now regarded as a Human Right. So even the best "sexually educated" young person is going to find a great deal of counter pressure given the influences around them. And of course we have a significant teenage alcohol problem in this country which adds further pressure and risk. Education is going to have limited impact in the face of the power of popular culture. In fact, the statistical evidence of pregnancy and STD levels would suggest that the not inconsiderable education and health promotion efforts to date have had limited success.

These are the inevitable outcomes of society that over promotes the cult of celebrity and its attendant manifestations in popular culture. Until we begin to stop buying into the deceits of popular culture, education on sexual health and behaviour will continue to fail, wasting time, money and lives. Unfortunately the tactics of the educators too often mimic the style of pop culture to get their message across. Popular culture has nothing to offer in terms of sex eucation

Cult of Death

2008-10-02T14:39:00.003+01:00

Those who oppose the Gospel of Life are in the process of trying to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. No doubt encouraged by their success in eliminating millions of lives ( or foetuses as they might say) in the rest of the UK they want, in a spirit of democracy and social justice, to extend the same opportunities to the people of Northern Ireland. Well, we have the evidence of 41 years of lies and betrayal to guide us on this and that tells us that once you open the door slightly to something like this you finish up having it kicked in in your face. So if you want to do something to stem the tide sign the petition on the 10 Downing Street website. I understand the address is: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Anti-Abortion. The petition closes on 11/3/2008. You can also just Google 10 Downing Street and follow from there. Do it!

Come and join us

2008-03-05T18:36:00.002Z

The last post was critical of Church authorities and most of the previous posts have been in a similar vein. We each have a right and a duty to criticise or at least comment on the organisation which is known as the Roman Catholic Church, to which I belong. The Church as an organisation and a human structure has such a long history of fallibility and failing that to pretend it was otherwise would be foolish and dishonest. And, fortunately,we are not now living in a time where even mild dissent could be terminal, as in the past. It is perfectly consistent and rational to claim to be a member of the Church and, at the same time, be openly and seriously critical of its human and structural failings. The organisation, bureaucracy and personalities of the Church are not above criticism nor are they infallible, except in very limited circumstances.

So here we are, floating along in this rackety old tramp steamer, garlanded with some fairy lights and tinsel to brighten it up. But, at least, both crew and passengers have a clear idea about their port of destination. They may disagree from time to time on the course to set and frequently they may feel as if they are storm threatened and sinking; but they know about storms and boats: the first Captain, after all, was a fisherman and used to the sea, though not above getting scared in a big storm. And it is this history and this past experience that keeps the boat afloat, the crew from mutiny and the passengers content.

So if you are looking for a luxury liner with all the comforts and everything Bristol fashion and ship shape, this is not the boat for you. But if you are serious about making the only voyage that matters then either sign up for the crew or book a cabin. Surprisingly there is never any shortage of space. You can bring all your excess baggage and the crew will help you get rid of it.
Think about it doing it. Think about the cruise, not just of a lifetime, but for all time. There is a booking office near to you. Drop in.

Where O where are Burke and Hare?

2008-01-13T17:40:00.000Z

According to a front page story in the Catholic Herald, the body of Padre Pio is to be dug up(exhumed sounds nicer) and put on public display. Not surprisingly, his family aren't keen on the idea. The local Archbishop, allegedly with interest from the Pope, is behind the scheme. The Prefect of the Congregation for the causes of Saints says"Every now and then it is common for exhumations to take place of personalities within the Church to see what condition their body is in and to see if it can be better preserved."

It's hard to know where to start but here goes. Why in Heaven's name in the 21st century are we digging up dead people, whether or not they are "personalities"? Why do we want to see what condition his body is in? And what if it is in a pretty nasty state;what then? Why does he need to go on display? He's dead. If this was proposed at a local fairground or in Ripley's the Council would rightly respond to the overwhelming public outcry at the tastelessness and unpleasentness of the idea. We shouldn't be worried about his body; that will rise glorified on the last day. We should be more interested in his message whilst he was alive and his intercession in Heaven.

This unhealthy pre-occupation with the corpses of saints is medieval and says nothing to a secular world that doesn't listen to the Gospel, so isn't likely to be swayed into conversion by the state of a corpse.

I think there are bigger issues for the Church and the world. I can't see Jesus going round Palestine approving an idea like this. It is not really what the Gospel is about. Sadly it is , sometimes, what the Roman Catholic Church is about.

The Last Post?

2008-01-08T18:41:00.000Z

I am thinking that this might be my last post as Lancashire Cat. I haven't posted for some weeks and apart from saying this might be my last post, there isn't much else to say.

However, it seems the Bishop is receving plaudits for his proposals for schools. Long overdue proposals but well done to him. Catholic education (well the education might be right) is long overdue for the cracking of an episcopal whip. You might ask who allowed this dire state of affairs to arise or how it was allowed to occur, but let's not spoil the spirit of fraternal admiration I'm trying to work up.
There is, at least, a chance that the schools of the future might actually have to live up to the Catholic tag. There will probably be much fewer of them, but so what? Quality not quantity; a Christian ethos not bums on seats. Maybe some of the new breed of pupils in our changed schools will actually attend Mass and some might even enter the priesthood.

Well I enjoyed that and this won't be my last post. Much more to say. I think that Lancashire Cat, though, needs to look outside of the Diocese and cast a CATholic eye over wider affairs. A new day has begun.

Don't point it's rude.

2007-10-04T18:29:00.000+01:00

I am angry with the leaders of my church for the way the present situation has been allowed to develop. I am angry with their proposals for change and their passive acceptance that we need to circle the wagons and plan for a tough time. I am angry that there seems to be no hope or belief that things can get better; that we can begin to turn things round and win converts. I am angry that they are prepared to write off the vast majority of the population of my country who, by their reductive actions, they believe will never join us. I am angry with the historical laissez-faire of past generations of laity and clergy who failed to follow the Gospel exortation to evangelise and, instead, relied on large families to produce the next generation of believers and Ireland to send us priests. I am angry that my fellow Christians in the pews have been ignored and patronised; but I am also angry with the alarming passivity of so many of them. I am angry with the elitism and parochialism of many parishes that create barriers to true involvement by other parishioners and I am angry with the lack of faith in Christ that underpins our present situation. I am angry that we have a church that appears to be seperate from the Holy Spirit and the power of that Spirit. I am also angry with my self for being no different.

So what next? The review will do its thing and buildings will close, priests move etc.: that seems inevitable at this stage. But suppose we decided to walk in faith; what then? Suppose we began to pray earnestly and take our faith more seriously? The present situation is your last wake up call, so: WAKE UP! Whether we have a faith to pass on and whether we have anyone to pass it on to is largely to do with us: the laity. Now is our moment; now, maybe, the Holy Spirit is shaking our slumbering spirits.

Creative writing(part 2)

2007-10-04T18:08:00.000+01:00

Anyway, to continue. The message that I get from the feedback forms and the feedback to the feedback (I think) is that the "consultation" (when you see quotation marks you know that something fishy is suspected) is not a consultation in the sense that a wide and extensive number of people have been consulted on a genuine, your-opinion-really-counts-and- we -are -genuinely- open -to- ideas basis. A plan was in place and probably has been for some time. The details weren't there but the broad strategy was clear. The consultation was a smoke screen. True the ideas about what your parish could do better or differently were welcome, but there was little if any chance of any alternative to the structural changes that will eventually be agreed. The consultation has barely scraped the surface of popular opinion with small numbers of people meeting, contributing and then forms being completed by priests or parish council. I would be really interested to know how many people have actually been involved in the process. What is the ecclesiastical version of cannon fodder?

But does it matter in the long run? Does it matter that we are a declining force in the country and have been for some years? Does it matter that those who steered us into the iceberg are the ones trying to get us floating again? Well, yes it does. And I will tell you why I think so in the next post when I have got my breath back and had a lie down.

Creative writing(Part 1)

2007-10-03T18:31:00.000+01:00

I was thinking about Fit for Mission, like you do, and I went onto the Diocesan web and found the parish submissions and the review team response. Believe it or not this was the first time I had seen a parish submission form, completed or otherwise, and I was impressed. Whatever talents or lack of talents the writers of these documents have, they are not lacking in abilty when it comes to creative writing. Put it another way they are masters of spin to rival Alaister Campbell at his peak. I read some of the docs from my area and, apart from an interesting similarity of style, they revealed information, activities and plans that came as something of a surpirise to me. So glowing were these fictional narratives that for a moment joy filled my heart when I thought how successful, enterprising, imaginative, appealing etc. etc. the local churches are; that there would be no need for any change here: in fact we could probably sort out the rest of the Diocese. Why, I thought, we must have lines of men waiting for a place at the seminary; with more women joining religious orders than there are in Tesco on a busy Sunday; converts were hiring coaches to get to RCIA meetings and plans were being drawn up for new churches to take the overspill. Then I banged my head and reality checked in.

The truth is that these accounts are not representative of reality. One parish talks about prospects of evangelisation through the attached CATHOLIC primary school. Ignoring the fact that this is not Biblical evangelisation and the amazing observation that we should need to evangelise those attending a Christian, Catholic school, it leaves out the fact that the priest of the parish said to his (very small) review group that what went on in the school was nothing to do with him. Needless to say this did not find its way into the written submission.
Pause for breath(see creative writing 2).

What comes round........

2007-09-25T18:00:00.000+01:00

" I give him thanks in the land of my captivity,
and I show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners.
Turn back, you sinners, and do right before him;
who knows if he will accept you and have mercy on you."
Tobit:13:6

This is a verse from the second reading in today's Morning Prayer of the Church. The verse stood out for me as I read it and it seemed to speak directly to the state of Christians today in this country. We are not physically exiled from our homeland, as were the Israelites; but we are spiritually exiled from the mainstream of life in this our homeland. We worship different gods; we follow different patterns of living; we are culturally very different: that is if we are truly following Jesus.
The life of an exile is difficult and often painful in the seperation from the homeland; but what does the writer of the book of Tobit say? "I give him thanks in the land of my captivity" is his response. He still believes, trusts and hopes in his God, though all evidence and experience seems to suggest that God and his people have been vanquished by a stronger people, leaving only the options of pining for what is lost or assimilating into the new culture. As Christians we must follow his example and give thanks to God for our present situation and not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by that situation.
He goes on to say that he shows the power and majesty of God to a nation of sinners and exorting the sinners to turn back and do right before God in the hope of seeing his mercy.
Reading this, it does not seem to me that he is referring to the nation that holds his people captive; rather he is referring to the people of Israel who are rightly punished for their iniquity,but still have God to redeem them.
So if we can parallel the Israelites situation with our present situation, we can also apply the writer's analysis and his exortation to ourselves. True we live in a sinful nation; but is that not a result of our failure to preach and to live the Gospel? We have compromised the Good News.The captivity of the Israelites was seen as God's punishment for their failures. We see all around us the evidence of our failures.
So let each of us, and each Church thank God for his mercy; let us repent and do right and live and preach the Christian Way. It is the only way out of this land of bondage.

The man in the next room

2007-09-19T18:46:00.000+01:00

Suppose you had someone staying with you in a room in your house. You really liked the bloke and spoke about him and occasionally, say once a week, he prepared a meal for you and you went along, had the meal then went back into your own part of the house until the next weekly invitation came. If anybody asked you about the man, you might be a little bit embarrassed and reluctant to talk about him, although to yourself you would say that he had become the most important person in your life. And you still just kept seeing him for this weekly meal and having told yourself again how wonderful he was and how important he was, you went back to your 6+ days of life and he stayed alone in his room. You didn't think of him much during the 6+ days and certainly didn't share that part of your life with him or involve him in it. When he talked during the meal he talked of things that were very different from your "other life" and when he was talking they made sense. But after the meal was over it was as though the words had to be kept between the two of you inside that room and could not be carried out into the rest of the house and the rest of your life; they had no place there. It might be because you thought the words were so precious and beautiful that they had to stay in the special surroundings of his room; or it might be that the words seemed different outside the room and made the rest of your life less comfortable and more challenging than it had been.
Imagine that there are lots of rooms all over the place and the same man is sitting down with many other people to a weekly meal only to be left alone until the next week. Is this how we should treat the most important person in our lives? Isn't this how we so often treat Jesus?

There is somebody out there

2007-09-16T18:54:00.000+01:00

A comment and an encouraging one at that. Please, if there is more than one reader please add your comments. Thoughts, opinions, experiences, suggestions all are welcome, positve or critical.
So you are out there,now let me know.

Is anybody there? Does anybody care?

2007-09-11T18:33:00.000+01:00

The bell has rung and Round 2 of Fit For Mission is well underway; this is the consultation on the first consultation and I heard something that makes we wonder if it really matters to anybody in the pews what happens. One parish, trying to be open and consultative sent out 500 simple questionnaires with acccompanying information to their parishioners. The response? 20 were returned: 20 out of 500! Questionnaires are a notoriously uncertain way of opinion finding but this is a truly desperate response. So why this desperate apathy? Even given the level of cynicism and the common view that decisions are already made, surely people have enough interest in their faith to want to express a view about its future, let alone fight for it. Surely more than 20 out of 500 have something to say.

We talk about the lapsed who don't attend. This response suggests that there are many more lapsed who just happen to turn up. Sorry if this upsets any more Traditional Catholics: but turning up for Mass on Sunday is not enough! It is not living your faith and it is probably not a Living faith. Get the message people. We are dying as a faith in this country. We are under attack from powerful secular influences and we respond with apathy and indifference. I forget sometimes that this is Lancashire and the soil of Lancashire Catholicism is drenched with the blood of martyrs. Do I hear them whisper "why did I bother"?

It's now or never.

2007-08-20T18:25:00.000+01:00

No this isn't Elvis alive and doing a blog. Shame really because listening to him sing would be preferable to listening to some of the desperate stuff that has bounced off my eardrums these past few day. You don't mean Fit for Mission? Well yes and no. I have heard of things that I find intensely irritating: examples of the parochialism and pettiness of what passes for Church life; of people creating unnecessary obstructions to the development of a well planned programme of evangelisation and of individuals choosing to spend their own money rather than jump through the silly little hoops set out for them with the dubious possibility of some cash at the end of the process. On the one hand you have a group of Christians wanting to evangelise and on the other you have a system, a process, rules, bureaucracy.I tell you Jesus would have had a tough time getting funding for his Mission.

So why the Fit for Mission connection? Well simply that unless there is a radical intention to simplify and liberate the system of doing things; until we have openness and an end to the protectionist attitudes of the "elect" in parishes and on deaneries; until we realise that WE are the church, not the building not the hierarchy not the system, then Fit for Mission will be neither fit nor a mission.

I understand that the next stage of the review is upon us. Well I hope there is wider consultation than before. Nobody up there (not Heaven) seems to appreceate the disconnection between where they are at and the vast majority of Catholics in the Diocese.
A priest suddenly announces he is to stop the evening Mass on Sunday. No consultation or discussion, just an arbitrary decision. Apparently it's against canon law to say so many Masses.
Maybe so; but is this how a family communicates?

Anyway there you are. If you want to have your say now is the moment. Get in there; say it as you see it. At least, even if you are ignored you have been true to yourself. There is just a possibility that this consultation could be genuine if you do.

I have to go now, Elvis wants to use the computer.

Here I stand

2007-08-10T17:45:00.000+01:00

Good quote from Martin Luther. Why I quote it is in relation to some of the previous posts which are critical and unfavourable to the Fit for Mission review. I have already deleted some critical blogs and had thought about deleting these too; but I have decided aginst it. It would be dishonest and I do think that the Church as an organisation and a hierarchy should be criticised when necessary. In challenging the day to day operations is in no way an attack on the Magesterium of the Church. As laity we are more than entitled to voice our opinions and views on how our churches are run and, more importantly, how we fulfill our evangelical commission from Christ. So the blogs can stay. Now is the time for the laity to speak out and to take a lead. Even if that means challenging the traditional set-up then so be it. (Is that OK, Martin?).

The Maze

2007-08-10T17:31:00.000+01:00

I was in Church, before the Blessed Sacrament, and this image came to me. People wander around looking for direction in their lives, but they are like people in a maze trying to find their way to the centre, but at every turn choosing the wrong direction. Sadly what they don't know is that at every turn Jesus is standing there and saying: "Follow me. I am the Way. I will show you to the centre." So they go down one path and there at the corner is Jesus; but they choose the other way. They come to the next corner and the next and so on, and either wander all their lives down blind alleys, or someone says to them: "when you get to the turning next time, look for the man who is there: he knows the way." Until they know about Jesus they will not see him;and if they don't see him they won't follow him. That's where we come in.

Chicken or egg?

2007-08-02T18:26:00.000+01:00

Which came first:the idea for the review or the financial crisis? Not that they are linked, but it would be interesting to know. If we hadn't had a financial crisis would we have had a review? Why are we suddenly focussed on Mission when we should be focused fully on that all the time? And why has the Diocese drifted for so long without the present sense of urgency when congregations and vocations have been falling for years?
What will happen to the proceeds of the sale of land from "redundant" churches, most in prime building areas?

Will the money be re-invested in the local faith community and the local churches; or will it be centralised for Diocesan use? Surely the community losing churches has to have some clear understanding of what will happen in a practical sense as a result of the loss; and what benefits might or might not accrue to the area.

I don't know what forum exists to discuss these and other questions which are, I believe valid. Perhaps someone will enlighten me.

Parish or perish?

2007-08-01T18:32:00.000+01:00

We are clearly retaining the traditional parish structure, though geography and population might give parishes a different feel in the new structure (and new structure there will be , make no mistake). Presumably we will keep the deanery as well. What do you mean : what is a deanery? What we desperately need to do, if we are not simply to replace the current defunct stucture with a similar one on a slightly larger scale, is to radically alter the way parishes and deaneries operate. They clearly do not work at present and do not involve, represent or communicate with the vast majority of the faithful within their geographical areas. Some of the questions we should be asking are: how do we engage parishioners and why are we failing to do so at present? Why are so many nominal Catholics just that? Why do so many people just attend Mass but do not seem interested in any greater committment of time to their faith? Why are so many unable or unwilling to share time and talents in their parishes or deaneries? Is there a comfort zone for priests and a few laity which they are reluctant to allow others into? How are parish councils created, elected, unelected, changed, accountable etc.? Ditto for deaneries. These bodies are not representative, democratic or accountable and we live in a world where people are used to these values in their institutions. Perhaps, even at this stage of the review, an independent local forum for laity would not only validate the review process but could offer a much wider lay input than has been provided so far. It could also form the blueprint for future laity work, providing a truly equitable way of meeting our mission obligations. We need to chuck out old style ways of working and, in some cases, destructive protectionist attitudes. If not, we will not be or become the living body of Christ and we will not provide the effective, evagelical witness that is our obligation and our society's right.

Getting in a lather over soaps

2007-07-09T18:15:00.000+01:00

Soaps,that is soap operas, are such a part of the TV wallpaper of life that it's difficult to imagine TV programming without them. They provide simple, straightforward entertainment that does not demand much from the viewer nor do they profess to be anything much in the way of art.
I am a fairly keen viewer of soaps: Coronation Street, Home and Away and Neighbours. At this point I pause and reflect on the confession I have just made. Anyway, until recently, I watched then waited for the next episode, without having much recollection of the one I had just watched. That's the way to do it. But a recent episode of Coronation Street made me think and realise that these apparently harmless, vacuous programmes are possibly quite the opposite.
Soaps are story driven and characters swap from situation to situation and relationships are changeable to say the least. One female character in an Aussie soap has had three sexual relationships-or "taking it to the next level" as they euphemistically say- and she still hasn't left school. Dread to think what her exam results will be like.

The episode of the Street had a storyline about a middle aged woman having a casual affair with a married man and the criteria for deciding whether she continue this was "if it makes you happy". This seems to sum up society's attitude to so many things: the pursuit of personal gratification rather than any reference to subjective let alone objective moral standards.

People watch these people on their TV and, in the absence of any other reference point, might adopt the values they see portrayed there. TV is a very powerful medium, hence the power of advertising. As Chrisitans we should be more aware of the negative influence of soaps and TV in general. If you want to win the war, know your enemy.

Divine retribution. My contribution

2007-07-01T18:06:00.000+01:00

I have just been reading Ian Dales Diary blog and he was facetiously apologising to the flooded people of Sheffield, because his decadence has brought down the wrath of God. It seems that the Bishops of Carlisle and Liverpool have linked the floods to Britain's decadence, in particular the issue of gay marriages etc. Apart from the gobsmacking idea that Church of England Bishops actually mention God (clearly some must even believe in Him or her as the case may be) I'm not sure what to think.

I read Ian Dale's blog daily, the best of the bloggers, and he seems to me to be a decent man with much to say that is worth listening to. I can understand his being offended at the Bishop's comments and I can understand his thoughts that it shows the Cof E is not really in touch with modern Britain. But I also understand the Bible's view of human behaviour that is contrary to God's plan for mankind and I understand that we do live in a culture that is clearly, in many ways, contrary to the way God would want it to be. I'm not really sure that God smites individuals or communities for their disobedience in such a direct way, but there clearly are consequences, though I do not profess to understand the dynamics of the process.

My problem is that my Church has clear and very strong views on gay marriage etc and I subscribe to those views. I do find the blatant exhibitionism of Gay Pride marches and the sometimes evangelical zeal of some gay people offensive; but there are many decent, loving people in committed gay relationships whose example of love and devotion shame many in heterosexual relationships. I am not a liberal Catholic and do not believe that the Church should conform itself to modern values and mores. It should lead not follow. But I am troubled that decent people are offended by our beliefs, which does not invalidate them, it simply makes it absolutely necessary to have what I call a compassionate disagreement.

This is a bit of a ramble but it illustrates the dilemma I feel.

More Old Time Religion

2007-07-01T17:51:00.000+01:00

A few posts ago I mentioned prayer practices which had , to some extent, gone out of practice. I have just completed a novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and found it helpful both spiritually and practically. A novena is, firstly, an act of discipline where you determine to follow a course of prayer for a period of time. This involves an act of will and a committment to fulfill the intention. The will is strengthened having made the committment to, in this case, the Mother of God.

If the novena is for remedy of a personal weakness it has the very practical effect of creating a period of time during which it is less likely that you will allow that particular behaviour to occur. For example, an irritable person might use the period of the novena as an opportunity to practice control of that weakness, whilst at the same time seeking the help of Mary to overcome it. It is good both psychologically and spiritually.

There are many forms of prayer which too often lie unused. They give a form and framework to prayer time and, through repetition and familiarity, can instill the truths they represent deep into our hearts.

Give it a try.

why worry?

2007-06-23T18:35:00.000+01:00

Today's Gospel has to be the most practical and yet the most ignored bit in the Bible. Jesus tell us not to worry;how we are so much more than sparrows and grass in the fields, yet God looks after them; how we are to seek first the Kingdomof God etc. For a world riven with anxiety and doubt, where a third of school children are reported to be experiencing mental health problems and where adults survive on alcohol, drugs and other dubious support systems, then you would think these words would be as welcome as rain in a drought. Yet how many Christians live by this advice? No, more than advice. Jesus doesn't suggest that we don't worry or obliquely direct us towards non-worrying, like one of those ubiquitous counsellors; he commands us not to worry: "do not be anxious about your life."(RSV); "that is why I am telling you not to worry about your life"(Jerusalem Bible); "this is why I tell you not to be anxious"(Revised English Bible). These are commands or instructions to be obeyed, coming from the Son of God.

In any case they are very good advice, since worrying is utterly pointless and is probably the most destructive cancer of the human spirit. We achieve nothing by it and lose our peace of mind instead.

Our old, Irish priest put it clearly in his sermon today: we have only the moment we are living; we do not know when we are to die and we should live the moment we have. What is gone cannot be re-lived and what is to come will one day not arrive. Worry does not change that one jot.

Christians could be a real witness to a troubled world if they obeyed this command.

Old time religion

2007-06-21T18:38:00.000+01:00

The Church has a treasure house of prayers many of which seem to be well and truly hidden away these days. Apart from older Catholics and those pre Vatican folk, there are probably few now who pray some of the traditional prayers and novenas. Whether these have been actively discouraged in a renewed and more modern church or whether they have just been replaced by other prayer forms is anybody's guess. But generations of Catholics have been sustained in their faith by these prayers and novenas and ,though their piety may be unacceptable to more modern mindsets, it would be completely wrong to dismiss or diminish the faith of those who prayed them as, sadly, often happens today. The fashion for more "personal" and spontaneous prayer seems to reflect our more individualistic age; and it is true that older prayers could be said by rote without much meaning. But such prayers have much to recommend themselves. After all, the Our Father, is such a prayer.
Perhaps we need to go back and look again at the way others prayed and continue to pray. There is great treasure to be found in the prayers of the past. More to come.

God or Mammon?

2007-06-02T18:18:00.000+01:00

Our 2 Cardinals have both made robust comments about changes to the Abortion Act, in particular reminding our MPs about their duties as Catholics against their duties as an MP. They clearly face a dilemma; either way offending some element of their constituency. One Lancashire MP, if newspaper reports are correct, works it out along the lines of: I am an MP who is a Catholic, not a Catholic MP. Sounds like the influence of a good Jesuit education or a talent for political spin.

But it won't wash. You cannot resolve such a moral dilemma by choosing a noun instead of an adjective. If this MP chooses to abstain or to take a pro-abortion stance then it is clear which element of the constituency has the strongest call.

Yes it is difficult and we encounter the old arguments about back street abortions etc. all of which were and would be terrible and wicked things; but this MP and all other Catholic MP(or those MP who are Catholic) do not have the luxury of choice. Church teaching is clear and absolute and carries spiritual consequences for not following it.

It is difficult for an MP in this situation but they chose to take the responsibility of the offfice and they cannot trim their consciences when awkward decisions are to be made.

In fact they could take a stand and be a great example for the rest of us, because we are now entering a time in this country where the silent persecution of Catholics and other Christians has begun and will increase. The new religion of political correctness and the hidden agendas of those in power leave no room for the older faiths.

If that last thought sounds paranoid, read your newspaper more carefully and listen to the TV news reporting of religious matters. Battle is joined there are no non-combatants any more.