Thursday 21 February 2013

Integrity: What Our Actions Say About Ours


Deacon Ordination
I have spent some time cogitating this week about why a man would agree to be ordained as a Roman Catholic priest if he does not agree with all of the teachings of the Magisterium?  It's not as though anyone actually holds a gun to a man's head and insists that he accept ordination to the priesthood.

Friday 15 February 2013

Giving Up WHAT For Lent?


Pope Resigns

This picture, which was shared by Patrick Kelly on Facebook, caught my eye today.  I must say when I heard on the news that the Pope had resigned my first thoughts certainly were that it was a hoax.  Sadly not, but I have written about that already.  For now, remember that laughter is really good therapy.  I hope this brings a smile to your face and brightens up your day.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Death Of The 'Spirit' Of Vatican II


Open Church Doors: Let the Church out into the world

The “spirit of Vatican II’ is a phrase that always causes me great consternation.  It is my opinion that those who are less than pleased with what the Council Fathers actually had to say, which is communicated in the various Vatican II documents that flowed from the Council, constantly refer to what they ‘think’ the Council was saying as the ‘spirit’ of Vatican II.

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Reacting To Pope's Abdication


Cardinal Francis Arinze
I have no doubt that many of you, like me, were completely shocked by the news of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation.  (Some say it should be called an abdication and not a resignation because the Pope has no one to whom he resigns.  I don’t think it’s that important.  Resignation or abdication, he will cease to be the Bishop of Rome on 28 February 2013 at 20h00.) 

Cardinal Napier On Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI



Cardinal Wilfred Napier spoke recently to Stephen Grootes about the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.  Cardinal Napier expressed his believe that Pope Benedict XVI is a man of principles who has acted courageously by doing what was in the best interests of the Church.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Parishioner Donations Thrown Away


Burning Parishioner's Money

A reader recently wrote to me about his concern that his parish was wasting parishioner’s donations to the Church in order to pay for copies of The Southern Cross newspaper even though they had not actually been sold to anyone. 

Friday 8 February 2013

Death Warmed Up



I was considering a Blog post to explain why my posts have slowed during the last two weeks.  Words do not however always convey the message as well as an image does.  So, consider this picture and I am sure you’ll understand why I was less active. 

Speak Up


“…but the Church has with firmness maintained that life in
the womb is ever sacred and no one hasthe right to end it.”

I must give credit to Michael Shackleton for the good editorial in this week’s edition of The Southern Cross.  The editorial, entitled “Fruit Of The Womb”, discusses the sad reality of abortion.  It expresses the urgent need for Catholics to stop simply silently accepting the immorality that society wishes to impose on them, even it is ‘written’ into the laws of the country.  Michael Shackleton rightly highlights that this ‘silence’ “scorns the Church’s strong and categorical teaching that what is legally passed into civil law is not inevitably passed into morally acceptable conduct.”