Whom do I follow?

Well, I have tried. I joined an Advent Preparation group and it was going quite well until Tuesday. We were following guidance leaflets published by the Diocese of Portsmouth. I think my views on the bureaucrats of Portsmouth are well known. They are starting a new church in Portsmouth. The bishop is leading us all into a beautiful land where we will all `bear fruit`. Except of course those people who preferred to stay behind in the safety of a hut. The trouble with these people is that they are afraid to move forward, they are stuck in the past. Well that being the view of those £2,000,000 a year bureaucrats all recruited for their knowledge and support of this great move forward, it is not surprising that those who follow Rome will find obstacles in their path. My real obstacle came in the questions I had to answer in the guidance leaflet. After telling the story of John the Baptist urging his followers to leave him and go to seek Jesus the leaflet continued:-

`We often find ourselves in situations where we are asked to leave behind
things, ideas, and beliefs which we hold dear. Perhaps this can sometimes
feel like a betrayal or a denial of any value in what came before. But
leaving them behind does not mean that they have no value or that they are
not true. It means that we are called ever onward to new things and,
in fact, without those things that came first we would not move forward.
so just like the prophets who came before him, John came to build on what
was past and draw others towards `the One`. The One whose way was prepared
was Truth itself.

Now I do not kknow if my old friend, the Cardinal, who conversed wit5h me in my past posts is around but I hope he is because I have a lot of difficulty with this `wise saying`. I am happy to `move forward`, it is just that I need confidence in the person or persons who are asking it of me. It would seem that John asked his disciples to abandon him and go to Jesus who was Truth itself. Now it seems that some prophet is asking me to abandon Jesus and move on with him.. You see my dilemma. Who is this prophet? Before I abandon a belief I hold dear I will have to be pretty sure of his credentials. We have been bearing fruit for a number of years in the Portsmouth Diocese so let us go over these successes.

1. Since the bishop came to POrtsmouth we have been losing 1,000
Mass goesrs every year. This means that the income from 1,000
people has gone. Recently finding he did not have enough money to keep
his projects going the Bishop hired professional fund raisers at t
the start of his money raising campaign then later just asked
Parish Priests to raise a sum. My own parish was asked to contribute £125,000. There was no attempt to save on the £2 milliion bureaucracy.

2 When the new Religious Education Programmes were brought in they
were hailed as something that would increawse the faith of the
children and enrich the Church. 30 years or so later, 9 out of 10
children who start catholic schools have no faith and come from
non religious homes. Their parents having never been taught the fait in the first place cannot pass it on. 97% of children who leave Catholic Secondary
Schools leave alienated from the Church. The bureacracy will however
ignore this - preferring to boast of the Academic records. Why do
they not seek to improve schools? The answer is found in the
parishes. The efforts to create a broad church where `all ` were
welcome and could `follow their conscience` would be undermined by
proper Religious Education.

3 It was Archbishop Martin of Dublin who recently commented on preparation
for First Holy Communion. He commented on how parents would spend
and indeed go into debt for beautiful clothes for the children yet
when they received HOly Communion thay had been taught nothing on the
Real Presence of Jesus.or the spiritual beauty of the day. Confirmation, he went on, is seen as a graduation from the Church.
His comments for Ireland are more than true for
Portsmouth. This a a diocese which did not celebrate the Year of the
Eucharist because the Bishop felt the Sunday Gathering was the important
thing. So the Tabernacle is deposited corners out of the way
so that Catholics will learn not to genuflect and acknowledge Him. No
doubt this is one of the beliefs of the past Catholics had held dearly
but although the presence of Jesus is still true we must `move forward``.

4 The disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament has led to a shortage of priets.
Is this too strong? Yes, I know, the lack of catholic teaching has
led to a shortage of priests. The values of the secular society
supported by the bureacracy has led to a shortage. There
are many causes but if anyone were to honestly ask the question "HOw
can we solve this, they would look around at diocese tht have done so.
This is never done in Portsmouth and to be fair in any other English
and Welsh Dioceses. Why does Namur in Belgium last year have 35 men
studying for the priesthood? Why is nobody interested?

5 When Humanae Vitae was introduced in 1968 there was a great
commotion and people were encouraged to `follow their consciences`.
It would be fine if they had but soon the contraceptive mentality set
in and those using contraceptives soon became the keepers of everyone
elses conscience. "It is the only thing to do!" say many teachers
as they relate the use of condoms to adolescents. What about adultery
and fornication? What about young girls going for abortions? What about
the misery of young people? There are ready quips given out for those
`moving forwqrd`. "But they come back to Church" What about the thousand a
a year loss of Massgoers. "God will not judge them on this,as longs
as they give to the poor".. Well of course youngsters living together
are noted for ther generosity to the poor. What about the Teachings of
Jesus? "They do not apply today, do they? We have moved on and left
those true but dear beliefs behind"

6 What are the big questions asked in your parish? Is it concern for the
young, the old, the sick. What get most of the `leaders` going is women
priests and married clergy. Well that is why they are leaders. They
have moved forward.

When I look at the Portsmouth Diocese it is a mess. but we are always promised things are happening. We are on the move. New Pastoral Areas are being formed. and I have to be part of a great parish coveirng anytning from 25 to 50 miles.
but I must move forward. Just a joke.

AND SO ENDS THIS BLOG..........

Because of a new venture I am taking up I have decided that I must give up some activities in my life. My daily viewts, about 70, will have noticed that I am becoming more and more interested in Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scotland. When I was in my twenties I had friends who shared my view that she was a saint and martyr. As time passed on my interest in her diminshed and I had little time in my life as the father of six boys on a modest income to keep it going. When Christine Grahame the Scottish MP made a proposal to move the body of Mary Stuart back to Scotland my interest was stirred again. I am now planning a website devoted to her cause. The history that most people read on Mary follow the lead of those with are either of an anti-catholic leaning or are very Pro-Elizabethan The English and Scottish historians are read but not the French biographers. Agnes Strickland was the first to criticise Elizabeth but this made her very unpopular indeed and her book quikly went out of print. But she points to sources that can be traced. What I need badly is an historian who can help me. He or she will come. I am now setting up the website www.marythemartyr.co.uk. If you have an interest then look in to the site in about a weeks time. My site the Conversion of England will continue - it is quite fascinating what I am findout out.

The Cause of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.

During the whole process of her trial and execution, Mary acted with magnificent courage worthy of her noble character and queenly rank. There can be no question that she died with the charity and magnanimity of a martyr; as also that her execution was due, on the part of her enemies, to hatred of the Faith. Pope Benedict XIV gives it as his opinion that on these two heads no requisite seems wanting for a formal declaration of martyrdom, if only the charges connected with the names of Darnley and Bothwell could be entirely eliminated ("Opera omnia", Prato, 1840, III, c.xiii, s. 10).

We know from Agnes Strickland and French Biographers that Mary moved Darnley to Kirk o`Fields to nurse him from the Small Pox. She splent months at his side, nursing and caring for him. We know of the Ainsley Bodn in which even her half brother Moray was implicated to kill Darnley and let Bothwell rule. On Bothwell we have her letter to the Pope of the day asking him to intervene and dissolve this marriage which was against her will. Darnley and Bothwell can be completely eliiminated.

Adult Faith: What the Pope said at Vespers on feast of St Peter and Paul.

The words "adult faith" in recent decades have formed a widespread slogan. It is often meant in the sense of the attitude of those who no longer listen to the Church and her Pastors but autonomously choose what they want to believe and not to believe hence a do-it-yourself faith. And it is presented as a "courageous" form of self-expression against the Magisterium of the Church. In fact, however, no courage is needed for this because one may always be certain of public applause. Rather, courage is needed to adhere to the Church's faith, even if this contradicts the "logic" of the contemporary world. This is the non-conformism of faith which Paul calls an "adult faith". It is the faith that he desires. On the other hand, he describes chasing the winds and trends of the time as infantile.

The `Missa Recitata`. or Dialogue Mass.

Exploring an old Missal I have just come across the `Missa Recitata`. Now I must confess that this is something I never knew about before and about which I believe that many Traditional Catholics should know a great deal more since it was introduced by Pope Pius X. My missal tells me that in the early Church it was custom for the people to join in with the Altar Server in amking the responses and this was a custom which had ceased by the end of the sixteenth century. St Pius X made a strong plea for active lay participation in the liturgy. But it was left to bishops to decide for their dioceses so it seems to have sunk to oblivioon. Yet even the saintly Pius recognised what the bishops had called for at Vataican II, greater lay pareticipation in the Mass. What the committee commisioned to carry out reform did would of course have broken the heart of St Pius X. But yes, there is still a call for greater lay participation in the Tridentine Mass. And those who use the Traditional Mass should be aware of the call of St Pius X and the call of Pope Benedict to helpl him towards reform. We seem to have a stand off position in the Church from both sides. "Not an inch,No surrender". This is unworthy of the People of God and we should be helping the Pope with his reforms.

A Bundle of Beauty

One of the great consolations of older people is to have grandchildren. I am doubly thankful to God for this little lady Rebecca. After six sons and one grandson it seemed there would never be another Kearney girl. Then Rebecca arrived. At last I have someone in the family who loves to sing and entertain people. She goes to Ballet and tap and enjoys showing me what she has learned so far. She is a sweet, loving and beautiful child. I am sure the world will hear from Rebecca one day - she is so talented at her early age. Thank you God, for this wonderful gift.

Westminster Abbey: a place to worsip God or to fleece the tourists?.

I visited Westminster Abbey earlier this year. A man at the entrance demanded £12 each for me and my wife. At the end of my visit I felt I had be been robbed. It was just a museum of dead bodies. From the crypt bodies had been brought upstairs and placed at every convenient spot. There was Lord and Lady `something` and Lord and Lady `something else`. 98 percent of the bodies meant nothing to anyone but there were the few. The tyrant Oliver Cromwell had a place in a chapel. I eventually found the chapel of Our Lady. I knew it was the chapel of Our Lady because I managed to squeeze past the tombs of Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I which took up all the space. There was no sight of Our Lady. I decided that if I had an ancestor there I would be making plans to have them removed. I am already making up my mind to have Mary Stuart Queen of Scots moved back to Scotland, or perhaps the Chappel of St Andrew in the Cathedral That was a great idea from Christine Crahame the Scottish MP. The Abbey claim they keep her there to fulfill the wish of her son. But Mary wanted to go back to France. She certainly did not want to lie beside her murderer, Elizabeth. Now the powers at the Abbey have decided on a fresh projecto. To let tourists go to the places above the Abbey where they can display some beautiful artefacts. Just throw a few of the tombs out and they would have plenty room. Then they plan to make some kind of crown above the the Abbey to show its relationship with the monarchs of England. No doubt there will be an extra charge of £12 or so to go up there by elevator. Of course a restaurant will have to be provided so that meals can be available for those who decide to spend the day there. Probably American Tourists. It is all very shabby and disgraceful. The ABbey was built to give glory to God, and only God. The Abbey authorities are turning it into a den of thieves.