Archbishop Muller Please Read

I have just read and heartily recommend A great post from Ignorant Redneck.

Freedom of Speech or Expression

As the king of Brobdingnag (I think)  remarked to Gulliver,  "A Man may be allowed to keep Poisons in his Closet, but not to vend them about as cordials." For his gigantic majesty, that settled the question of freedom of speech.

Given the right king or dictator, that would settle it for me, too.

Crudass MP. Awaiting a response from Brentwood Diocese

Following my post yesterday, I have emailed the Diocese of Brentwood for an explanation for their giving a platform to J Cruddas MP, and shall publish their response (if any) here.

Do I make myself Clear?

SPUC's Blog reports that the egregious Cruddas M.P., a "Catholic" supporter of abortion, will address a meeting of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Social Responsibility/Peace group, or whatever it calls itself. Bishop Thomas McMahon, it seems, will introduce this theological prodigy.

So much the worse for Bishop Thomas McMahon.

No doubt, if Cruddas were a Hindu, his diet would include beef: if a Jew or a Muslim, pork and lobster milkshakes. Either way, I guess his co-religionists would, quite properly, have nothing to do with him.

And I want nothing to do with him, or with any supposedly Catholic organisation which gives him a hearing. 

Not Very Snug, I'm Afraid.

Looking desperately for some reason to feel optimistic about the future of the Catholic Church in Europe, I am close to despair. We have, apparently, a heretic leading the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Where to turn to find the truth now?

If the Catholic Church were a business, it would be now on its financial knees.

What to do, apart from praying?

Go to bed, like Betarix Potter's Mr John Dormouse, and murmur, "Very snug"?

Prophetic Words from Arthur Sullivan

I can only say that I am astonished and somewhat terrified at the result of this evening's experiments: astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record forever. But all the same I think it is the most wonderful thing that I have ever experienced, and I congratulate you with all my heart on this wonderful discovery.


Sir Arthur Sullivan, on hearing his song "The Lost Chord" recorded on Edison's "Improved Phonograph" on the fourth of October 1888.


Prophetic words.

Excellent post from The Larry D at Acts of the Apostasy.

Please read an excellent post here from The Larry D at Acts of the Apostasy. 


While power-hungry nuns zoom around the USA demonstrating for God knows what, a newly-ordained Chinese Catholic Priest has disappeared in China.


And does the hurting Sisterhood not care about real persecution?


Do bears relieve themselves in arboreal surroundings?

Fine Post from Richard Collins - Opposing both State and Church

Please read Richards Collins's post today  here  .

Gracious God, give me Thy grace so to consider the punishment of that false great council that gathered together against Thee, that I be never, to Thy displeasure, partner nor give mine assent to follow the sinful advice of any wicked counsel.

Amen.

St Thomas More

Who said this, and about whom?

Many were the voices raised against him, not least in this our church, by those for whom the easy option of blind obedience to mere dogma was more attractive than the pursuit of Truth through a truly enlightened Conscience.


Usual prize - sonnet or Sapphic ode on subject to be chosen by winner.

Life is too short

Life is too short for

1. watching television
2. reading anything much, apart from history, written after the death of Evelyn Waugh or John Betjeman
3. conversing with arrogant fools
4. modern 'culture', whatever that may be
5. Picasso, Ted Hughes, and a thousand other worthless charlatans and their pseudo-intellectual promoters
6. German philosophy, theology, or what-not
7. the opinions of tinpot scribblers in the editorial columns of newspapers
8. most modern church 'music'
9. witless, banal, goodthinkful, inane, anodyne homilies
10. reading this. 

An Act of Faith

Lord, I believe in You and all that Your Church teaches, because You have said it and Your Word is true.


I remember those words from A Simple Prayer Book. 


When, or if, we say that we believe in all that the Church teaches, are we thinking of what the Church has always taught, or the kind on 'nuancing' indulged in by ++s Nichols (speaking of mortal sin), Muller (writing about Our Lady's perpetual virginity and about Transubstantiation), and others whose names I cannot recall?


Or, to put it more flatly, whom is the simple layman to trust, because for the life of me, I do not know.

Grateful and Epigrammatic Thoughts on Not Being Retired

Just like last year! My attempts to retire have failed.






How, freed from labour's yoke, the spirit soars!
How swiftly inactivity grates and bores!

A Simple Prescription for a Fatal Condition

Mundabor discusses here the very real prospect of Hell, and the power of the Rosary.


His post is well worth reading and needs no comment from me.


God bless!