Britain Needs Finigan!


Torch of The Faith News on Friday 17 October 2008 - 07:06:57 | by admin

fr._tim_for_red_hat.jpgCanon Law states that the lay faithful have the right to express their needs and desires to their leaders in the Catholic Church.

The Church in Great Britain faces grave challenges in light of increasing persecution from a secularized culture on the one hand, and a spirit of dissent and disunity which has reached the highest levels within.

And so this blog-post constitutes an appeal to Rome to consider Fr. Tim Finigan of Blackfen in Kent for the next Cardinal of Westminster - or at the very least an episcopal appointment within our ancient lands.

Through the past two and a half years of running his blogsite, Fr. Tim has consistently demonstrated;

1. Expert use of the most state of the art social communications technologies in the service of spreading the Gospel and encouraging his fellow Catholics. 

2. Strong commitment to implementing the reforms called for under the leadership of Pope Benedict XVI -in both liturgy and catechesis.

3. Clear articulation and defence of the Catholic Faith in key matters. Consistent examples include upholding the truths of marriage, the right to life of the preborn and the elderly, and pointing out the problems arising from the scandal of the reception of Mr. Tony Blair into the Church (despite Mr. Blair's consistent refusal to publicly recant his anti-life and anti-family voting history and public policy, and the continued support of abortion recently confirmed by the Millenium Goals of Mr. Blair's Faith Foundation).

4. His abilities as an able theologian and willingness to travel to teach the faith in its integrity; even to people in diverse cultural situations.

5. Immense popularity across the spectrum of age, region and educational background - and particular appeal to younger people who shall have to carry the Faith forward into the new millenium.

6. A deep understanding of contemporary British culture and the present place of the Catholic Church within it.

7. Strong leadership - The Church in Britain is bleeding away literally tens of thousands per year and some estimates hold that we have only 800,000 practicing Catholics left. In short, we cannot continue to sustain such losses and need to develop much more robust catechesis and authentic pastoral care of Catholic souls and those of our contemporaries.

8. He has a sense of humour and, as G.K. Chesterton said of the angels, 'Can fly because he knows how to take himself lightly!' 

( This latter quality must be essential in light of the challenges we all face!)

And so we pray, hope and make this heartfelt appeal regarding Fr. Tim Finigan of Blackfen. 


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