Long Break.....

As you will no doubt have realized, this blog is on an extended sabbatical, it may return, but I have too many other duties. Joseph Pearce has asked me to write on the St. Austin Review blog, so we shall have to see.............Keep well, and keep the Faith!

Daniel in the Lion's Den

The speech in Westminster Hall - truly "Caritas in Veritate!"

"This truly great Englishman"

Words of the Holy Father, spoken at his General Audience, in preparation for the most important and difficult visit of his Papacy, about Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman who will be beatified next Sunday..........."this truly great Englishman....it is my hope that more and more people will benefit from his gentle wisdom and be inspired by his example of integrity and holiness of life." Pope Benedict XVI. The words the Pope applies to Newman could just as easily refer to Pope Benedict - except he would be a "truly great Bavarian!"

Not a good Pope

We do not have a good Pope: we do not have an outstanding Pope, we have have a great Pope! I wonder if most of us, lay and clerical, realize the Pope that we have been given at this precise moment in history.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, of which the priesthood is the expression of his love, as St. John Vianney said. The Holy Father answered five questions from priests from different continents - his extemporaneous answers were, quite literally, extraordinary. Watching the Holy Father,through the blessing of EWTN, I realized that George Weigel's book 'God's Choice' was absolutely correct. As diabolic forces mass against the Church and her priests, what an incredible blessing to hear Peter address the priests of the world - the priests of Jesus Christ.

Beautiful - and Powerful!

Yesterday, on the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, our beloved Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, consecrated all the priests of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This event, as the Year for Priests comes to an end next month, has profound significance, both theologically and spiritually. The Successor of St. Peter has entrusted the priests of the world, in a formal act of consecration, to the spiritual care of the Mother of God in the very place where She appeared. As the Pope has reminded us, we are only seven years away from the centenary of Her appearance. With all that has happened, and all that will happen, I think this moment is going to have profound significance, not only for all priests, but for the whole Church. Thank you, Holy Father!

As Arnie would say.....

"I'll be back..."

Happy Octave!

A happy, blessed and peaceful Easter Octave day to my faithful three or four readers! I must confess that the Triduum was not what I had hoped for - unfortunately, I allowed myself to be distracted by the venomous, serpentine and diabolic attacks on the Holy Father and the Church which reached a spittle-flecked crescendo on Easter Day. I was so distracted that, during the Vigil, I forgot to get the people to renew their Baptismal vows until we had started the intercessions - mea culpa - I am sure they think their priest is a moron! However, I had a lovely call from a parishioner this evening - a mother of five and a great inspiration to me - she told me to stop listening to the news - they loved their priest and they loved the Holy Father - thank God for parishioners like that!