What a Terrible Mess!

Torch of The Faith News on Sunday 08 May 2016 - 11:31:42 | by admin

A Bombshell!

We were hoping to leave the ''engine room'' for a while and provide something a little more spiritually edifying for Sunday. Unfortunately, events have overtaken that intention with news of the latest bombshell to reverberate from the very heart of Rome. It is kind of ironic that this should happen during the weekend of World Communications Sunday...

1 Peter 5, The Remnant and various other sources are reporting on a translation of an interview given by Archbishop Bruno Forte to Zonalocale.it on the 3rd May, 2016.

Archbishop Forte is of course the man personally chosen by Pope Francis to be the Special Secretary for Synods '14 and '15 on marriage and the family. He is also the man who is widely reported to have been behind the insertion of those infamous statements about ''valuing homosexual orientation'' into the mid-term report of Synod '14.

According to the English translations of Forte's interview with Zonalocale.it: Archbishop Forte has in fact revealed a ''behind the scenes'' (moment) from the Synod: ''If we speak explicitly about communion for the divorced and remarried,'' said Archbishop Forte, reporting a joke of Pope Francis, ''you do not know what a terrible mess we will make. So we won't speak plainly, do it in a way that the premises are there, then I will draw out the conclusions.''

''Typical of a Jesuit,'' Archbishop Forte joked.

Before anyone rushes to suggest an inaccurate source or a faulty translation, the original has been in the public realm in Italy for several days by now. As Forte gave the interview it would have been up to him to deny the reports by this time. His failure to do so has put the onus on Pope Francis to deny it. Again, no such denial has been forthcoming. We cannot therefore fail to see Forte's words as a dreadful confirmation of all that we have been saying recently about the disturbing ambiguities present in Amoris Laetitia. Some joke!

Confirming Worst Fears

Christopher Ferrara reflects at The Remnant: ''Forte isn't telling us anything that wasn't already perfectly obvious: the Phony Synod was merely the delivery vehicle for what Francis had already decided to do. What is remarkable about Bruno's admission, however, is his utter lack of concern about revealing explicitly to the world that the ''synodal journey'' was an exercise in cunning and deception designed to hide from the faithful and the few opponents in the hierarchy what Francis had in mind from the very beginning of his pontificate, when he heaped praise on Cardinal Kasper's ''theology of mercy'' from the balcony of Saint Peter's during his first Angelus address.''

For our part, we find it remarkable that such a high-ranking prelate can speak so flippantly about the subtle promotion of large-scale sacrilege and mockery of the sacraments.

Whilst it is said that ambiguity is of of the Devil, it is also said that at some point he always has to show his evil hand. It certainly looks as though the mask is now steadily coming off. Surely, the hierarchy can no longer maintain their strange silence? The whole scenario is nothing short of apocalyptic.

A Bigger Mess Coming?

May we not forget the most recently released warning about a coming chastisement, which is attributed to Sr. Lucia of Fatima: I felt my spirit filled with a light-filled mystery which is God and in Him I saw and heard: the point of the flame-like lance which detaches, touches the axis of the earth and it (the earth) shakes: mountains, cities, towns and villages with their inhabitants are buried. The sea, rivers and clouds leave their bounds, they overflow, flood and drag with them into a whirlpool, houses and people in a number unable to be counted; it is the purification of the world from the sin it is immersed in. Hatred, ambition cause destructive wars. Afterward I felt in the increased beating of my heart and in my spirit a quiet voice which said: ''in time, one faith, one baptism, one Church, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic. Heaven in eternity!'' This word, ''Heaven,'' filled my heart with peace and happiness, so much so that, almost without realizing it, I continued to repeat for some time: Heaven, Heaven!''

It was this experience which gave Sr. Lucia the strength to write the Third Secret of Fatima.  

''Messy Church''

During this past week: we have heard Amoris Laetitia described in a homily as a ''defence of the family'' and have seen it welcomed unreservedly by our Bishops of England and Wales; we have heard rank heresy preached during Mass in another parish; and elsewhere we have encountered orthodox priests who, in spite of the gravity of these times, have not even preached at all, in order to fit around sports fixtures in the media. Whilst false shepherds are throwing down poison, some orthodox ones are allowing an admixture of poison to become mixed with healthy food without warning and others still are failing to feed their flocks anything at all. It does seem as though the diabolical disorientation, so chillingly explained by the good Sister Lucia, is continuing to increase by the day. 

As we are now well into the traditionally Marian month of May, we must pray very much for Our Lady's maternal protection for the Church and for souls in the times ahead.

Our Lady of Fatima - Pray for us!

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That Was The Week That Was...

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 07 May 2016 - 17:26:39 | by admin

We've been a bit scattered by events closer to home this week. Still, we haven't failed to notice some of the ongoing occurrences in Rome. No wonder the great convert Msgr. Ronald Knox wrote: ''He who travels in the Barque of Peter, had better not look too closely into the engine room''! That being said, we did not think that we could let this week pass without at least some brief reflections on the following four happenings.

1. Joe Biden

On Friday 29th April, the pro-abortion US VP Joe Biden spoke at a Vatican event on adult stem-cells. Mr. Biden spoke just before Pope Francis gave a speech and exchanged greetings with the Pontiff afterwards. 

As we noted last week, this public promotion of Mr. Biden does rather pull the rug from beneath the feet of those faithful Catholic faculty and students who protested when Mr. Biden was awarded the prestigious Laetare award by Notre Dame University earlier this year.

It is worth noting that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a policy document as long ago as 2004, calling on Catholic institutions not to allow pro-abortion politicians to be given awards, honours or platforms which might suggest the Church's support or cause scandal.

In any case, there is a certain irony in the choice of Mr. Biden to speak about adult stem cell research, given that he supports the tax-payer funded destruction of human embryos for ''research'' purposes. Biden is also notorious for his support of abortion and LGBT ideology. On hearing of Mr. Biden's visit to the Vatican, Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Rhode Island commented on Facebook: ''According to published reports, Vice-President Joseph Biden, a Catholic, has joined Vatican officials in promoting health care for the poor, a noble idea to be sure. But I wonder if the pro-abortion Biden wants to include abortion and contraception in that health care he wants to provide for the poor. ''Obamacare'' certainly does. Just ask the Little Sisters of the Poor.''

Indeed...

2. The Edge

Numerous commentators observed the fact that David Evans, perhaps better known to many as the ''Edge'' from U2, had taken a break from U2's present tour, which includes a visit to the globalist Davos meeting, to attend the same Vatican conference on regenerative medicine; and that he had also met with Pope Francis.

Interestingly, ''the Edge's'' daughter Hollie Evans posted up a picture of her Room No 666 on Instagram with the message: ''Just arrived with my family for a once in a lifetime Papal blessing at the Vatican. And this is the hotel room no. I get. Ha!'' As a backdrop for the picture, Hollie's photograph featured the - let's be totally honest - weird sculpture by Pericle Fazzini from the Paul VI audience hall.

Perhaps nothing better illustrates the decadent state of contemporary Rome than the fact that ''the Edge'' was allowed to play four songs for the conference delegates in the Sistine Chapel last Saturday night.   

Whilst the divorced and re-''married'' pop-star sang his gig numbers, with his trademark beanie hat still planted firmly on his head, a choir of young people stood with their backs to the beautiful High Altar and provided the musical accompaniment for the gathered throng. And so, the very House of God is dishonoured once again. How it grieves the Catholic heart to see God's holy sanctuary debased in this way.

During the week, Rorate Caeli drew attention to the title of one of ''the Edge's'' performed songs, in relation to the June 2008 directive from the CDF, forbidding the pronouncement of the tetragrammaton YHWH in liturgical celebrations, songs and prayers.

Whilst clearly the CDF directive would never even have envisaged the singing of popular culture songs for entertainment in any, let alone in one of the most important, of the sacred chapels/churches it is worth drawing attention to a little-known fact.

In the build-up to the Second Vatican Council, a Rome Synod was convened to first prepare the way. This synod produced an important and completely traditonal decree, called Veterum Sapientia. Although this would be one of the beautiful texts to be rapidly discarded once the actual Council found itself being taken on a dramatically different trajectory, it is important to draw attention to one of its prescriptions.

Along with the solemn confirmation of the use of Latin, the condemnation of all attempts at liturgical creativity by celebrants, the prescription for the traditional placement and form of sacred tabernacles, and the emphasis on early baptism of infants, Veterum Sapientia expressly prohibited the giving of concerts and other performances in churches.

Last summer, we were deeply saddened to learn that parish priests in the Republic of Ireland were letting out their churches for folk concerts as a way of raising revenue in the face of falling Mass attendance. This was happening in spite of the public protests of those concerned lay people who do still attend Holy Mass every week. Heck, while we were over there last year, there was a even a priest going around parishes throughout the country as a ''folk singer'' on tour!

It is interesting to note that Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich prophesied a coming time of darkness in Rome, when there would be gambling, drinking, talking, and even the courting of women, going on inside the churches. In the early 20th-Century, there was a peasant farmhand called Sepp Wudy who prophesied the coming of the second, and then a third, world war. Among the signs which would precipitate the coming of the direst of tribulations, Wudy listed a widespread decline of faith, large-scale confusion and the playing of dance music in churches with parsons singing along...

In connection with this, we were similarly disturbed to read of Archbishop Lorefice, of Palermo, cycling in to Holy Mass wearing his mitre, chasuble and other vestments. It has been reported in a number of places this week, that the Francis-appointed Lorefice supports the Bologna School's conception of the Second Vatican Council as a ''rupture'' with the past. Well, it does sound as though his chain has come off!

3. Rotarians in Rome...

It was certainly buzy in Rome last weekend! Some 9,000 Rotarians were present with the large crowds of police and armed forces members who had gathered for the special Jubilee Audience with Pope Francis.

At the end of the audience, a delegation of Rotarians met with and greeted the Pontiff.

The Canadian Vox Cantoris blog recalled that the Rotary organization gives funds to the notorious Planned Parenthood empire. Further than that, Vox pointed out that, although not directly Masonic, the Rotarians were founded by two Freemasons. In addition to that, the Holy Office, under the authority of Pope Pius XII, issued a decree banning priests from joining the Rotary Club.

All of which makes it more disturbing that Pope Francis not only met with Rotary delegates last week, but that he also accepted ''honourary'' membership in the organization - which he described as ''prestigious'' - way back in July 1999.

4. The Charlemagne Prize

Vatican Radio reported yesterday that Pope Francis had taken possession of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen.

Whatever nuances one might want to make in reviewing the methods employed by Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance, it remains the case that Charlemagne advanced Christian civilization and united Europe around Our Lord Jesus Christ the Universal King and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We're not altogether sure that this is the same kind of ideal being celebrated by the Charlemagne Prize today.

During yesterday's prize-giving ceremony, the winner of the prize in 2015 also gave a speech. This was none other than President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz.

This gentleman is also a former chairman of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; a group which is strongly committed to promoting the LGBT agenda and the fallacy of ''legal and safe'' abortion throughout Europe.

It is interesting to note that, whilst Pope Francis delivered an acceptance speech heavy on calls for dialogue and the integration of immigrants, Cardinal Walter Kasper was all the time sat on the front row during the ceremony. Let us not forget that this same Cardinal Kasper has been boasting to Aachener Zeitung that he was the one who persuaded Pope Francis to accept the Charlemagne Prize in the first place. Let us also remember that Kasper was similarly sat on the front row during last year's Papal visit to the Lutheran temple in Rome; during which visit, Pope Francis deferred to the presence of Kasper and gave a vague answer to the Lutheran woman on reception of Holy Communion. And then there was the whole Kasperian backdrop to the Synod on the Family and Amoris Laetitia...

The Plot thickens.

Perhaps old Msgr. Knox was right about that engine room...

Keep the Faith!    

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Kevin Anthony Ashcroft - Requiescat in Pace

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 06 May 2016 - 14:08:43 | by admin

We commend our friend Kev to the unfathomable Divine Mercy of Jesus. Please do keep up the prayers and penances for the repose of Kev's immortal soul; and for all of his family members to be comforted in this sad time of grief.

''From the beginning, the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic Sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance under-taken on behalf of the dead: Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why should we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them'' (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 1032).

May the choirs of angels come to greet you.

May they speed you to paradise.

May the Lord enfold you in His mercy.

May you find eternal life.

St. Kevin of Glendalough - Pray for him.

St. Anthony of Egypt - Pray for him.

St. Anthony of Padua - Pray for him. 

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Ascension Thursday 2016

Torch of The Faith News on Thursday 05 May 2016 - 09:01:42 | by admin

In the Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas observes three things of the Ascension into Heaven of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the fortieth day after His Glorious Resurrection.

Namely, that the Ascension was sublime, reasonable and profitable. St. Thomas expounds each of these aspects in three ways.

1. The Ascension was sublime.

a) He ascended above all the corporeal heavens. Prior to this all earthly bodies were on earth.

b) He ascended above all the spiritual heavens. As we read in Ephesians 1:20-22: Raising (Jesus) up from the dead and setting Him on His right hand in the heavenly places, above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and He hath subjected all things under His feet.

c) He ascended even unto the Father's throne. Right hand is not to be taken literally, but metaphorically, when we speak of God. Christ as God sits at the Father's right hand in terms of equality with the Father; while as a man He sits at the Father's right hand as being next to Him in the highest goods.

Now this is what the devil craved, but Christ alone rose to that height.

2. The Ascension was reasonable.

Again, St. Thomas develops this theme in three ways.

a) The Ascension was reasonable, because Heaven was due to Christ according to His nature: since it is natural for a thing to return to the place where it originated. Now Christ drew His origin from God Who is above. Though the saints will also ascend to Heaven they do not do this as Christ did. He ascended by His own power; the saints ascend as members of Christ, Who is the head of the Church.

b) The Ascension was reasonable, because Heaven was due to Christ on account of His victory. He overcame the devil and merited to be exalted above all things. I have overcome and am set down with My Father on His throne (Rev 3:21).

c) The Ascension was reasonable, because Heaven was due to Christ on account of His humility.

There never was a humility so great as Christ's.

Although He was God, He chose to become man. Whereas He was Lord, He chose to take the form of a servant, obedient unto death.

Humility is the road to true exaltation. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11); He that descended is the same also who ascended above all the heavens (Ephesians 4:10).

3. The Ascension was profitable.

St. Thomas again considers this aspect in three ways.

a) Firstly as our Leader: in as much as He ascended in order to lead us thither: because whereas we knew not the way he showed it to us: He shall go up that shall open the way before them (Mic 2:13) - and in order to assure us of possession of the heavenly kingdom: I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2).

b) Secondly, in order to increase our confidence in Him: in as much as He ascended in order to intercede for us. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just (1 John 2:1).

c) Thirdly, in order to draw our hearts to Himself: Wheresoever thy treasure is, there also is thy heart (Matthew 6:21). 

This leads us to despise temporal things - in the sense of being rightly detached from them. As the Apostle says: If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.

We wish every grace and blessing to our readers on this celebration of Ascension Thursday.  

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Some Traditional Latin Masses for Ascension Thursday in the North West of England

Torch of The Faith News on Wednesday 04 May 2016 - 14:19:29 | by admin

Catholicism: Good, Beautiful and True (image of the Dome in Ettal Abbey, Bavaria).

Things are looking up a bit in the north-west of England, with all of these Traditional Latin Masses being celebrated for Ascension Thursday! (Please note: this list applies only to the north-west and it may not be exhaustive).

New Brighton

ICKSP Shrine Church of Ss Peter, Paul and Philomena, Atherton Street, CH45 9LT.

9am - Low Mass (with Organ played)

7pm - Sung Mass

Carlisle

Our Lady and St. Joseph, Warwick Square CA1 1LB.

7pm - Low Sung Mass

Liverpool

St. Anthony's, Scotland Road, L5 5BD.

Please note the time of Mass has been moved from the usual Holy Day time to 12:30 for tomorrow's feast.

Lydiate

Our Lady's, Southport Road, L31 4HH.

7pm Low Mass

Manchester

English Martyrs, Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, M16 8QT.

7pm - Low Mass

Preston

ICKSP Shrine Church of St. Walburge, Weston Street, PR2 2QE.

8.30 am and 7.00pm

St. Helens

Holy Cross, Corporation Street, WA10 1EF.

7pm - Low Mass (Preceded by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 6pm and Confessions from 6:15pm)

Warrington 

FSSP Shrine Church of St. Mary's, Buttermarket Street, WA1 2NS.

12.10 PM 

7.30 PM

Communion, Psalm 67: Sing ye to the Lord, Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the east. Alleluia!

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Please Pray for Our Family-Friend Kev - May He Rest in God's Peace

Torch of The Faith News on Monday 02 May 2016 - 18:09:10 | by admin

Liverpool 1977: Alan (aged 5) with Kev (aged 2) during a street party to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.

Of your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of our family-friend Kev. He has sadly suffered a heart attack and died at the young age of 41. Please also pray for all of his family; especially for his three children.

As the picture above shows, we have known Kev for a long time. Indeed, when we were growing up in the 1970's, our two families shared many musical evenings and also went away on holiday together a number of times.

Each summer, our mums and dads would hire a MK 1 Ford Transit Panoramabus, load it up to the gunwales with buckets and spades, and head off to sunny beaches on the Isle of Anglesey and the Isle of Man.

I have a vivid memory of Kev's mum, Margaret, sitting in a hotel room in Douglas one summer evening, whilst horse-drawn trams clattered in the background, and teaching us kids how to say ''Goodnight and God bless'' before we went to bed. I remember that Margaret did not only teach us how to say it; but she also explained why we should say it. I still remember how utterly secure I felt when she explained that God knew and loved each one of us. There was such a sense of ''goodness'' about that moment, I have never forgotten it. 

Sadly, Margaret died suddenly in February 2009. She is buried just a couple of rows away from my dad, who died in October 2012. Before that, Kev's Dad, Tony, used to often come to my mum and dad's prayer group here at the house. Something else that I will never forget is the way Tony gave me such a fatherly hug when I was getting into the funeral car at Dad's funeral; he seemed to impart new strength into me as I was beginning to waver with emotion. Truly, the blessing of old family-friends is a great grace. 

Kev has been living away in Sheffield for a while. The last time I met him, we were both visiting those beloved graves one Sunday last year.

Kev had a great character, sense of fun and warmth of personality. When you met him, you knew that he was interested in you as a person.    

It is all very sad.

Please do pray for his soul and for his family.

Eternal rest grant unto him dear Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him; and may he rest in peace. Amen.

St. Kevin of Glendalough - Pray for him.

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Celebrating St. Joseph in the Traditional Liturgy

Torch of The Faith News on Sunday 01 May 2016 - 20:26:12 | by admin

Today we will share a brief reflection on two related aspects in the Traditional Latin Mass for this second feast of St. Joseph (the first being the 19th March). 

1). The Epistle was taken from Col 3: 14-15, 17, 23-24.

In it we read: ''Whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that you shall receive the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.''

2). The Gospel was from Matthew: 13:54-58.

It begins: ''At that time, when Jesus had come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: ''How came this man by this wisdom and miracles? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his bretheren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude: And all his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hast he all these things?'' And they were scandalized in His regard. But Jesus said to them: ''A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.'' And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.''

At times, orthodox Catholics who try to serve the Lord and His Church can feel somewhat discouraged when their sincere efforts are misunderstood, sidelined or outright rejected.

Although this must be a hard cross to bear, it is a most worthwhile one. This particular cross, if given to Our Blessed Lord can preserve such Catholics from thinking that they are in any way important in the overall picture. For sure, they are important in one sense, but only in so far as they fulfill what God's will is for them. Anything else might lead to pride or self-assertion. The cross of rejection contains within it the opportunity for death to self, spiritual growth and an opening to total dependence on Christ. 

If you can keep going in your apostolate and journey of conversion when there seems to be little success, or even little point in continuing, then you can be more certain that you are doing things for Christ and not for your own vainglory. The lack of success can also serve as a purification from such vainglory as we are prone to in our fallen nature. The key is to allow God to work in all circumstances by staying very open to Him and His grace. It can even be beneficial to ask God to hide your fruits from you if this will best serve your salvation and sanctification.

In today's Gospel, we see that even Our Lord Jesus, St. Joseph and Our Blessed Lady found themselves being rejected as though they were a group of ''nobodys'' by their local community - in a certain sense by their local ''church''.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God Incarnate.

Our Lady, who is the only person, aside from Christ to be totally without all stain of sin.

St. Joseph, who is not just some carpenter from the back of beyond, but the Just Man of Sacred Scripture; the greatest of saints after Our Lady.

The local people were not able to recognise the greatness of these greatest of persons ever to have lived on this earth.

And what does it matter to be rejected by limited, sinful, changeable and often pedantic human creatures? St. Teresa of Avila had it right when she observed that one day human creatures might be singing your praises and the very next be found criticizing you. This is why detachment is a step towards freedom in Christ. 

Today's readings help us to see that what is most important in this world is to do all things well and to do them for the love of God in Jesus Christ. Human affirmation, though nice when it happens, is not so important and is not to be our goal.

If you don't yet have a copy of the excellent book The Glories of St. Joseph by Traditions Monastiques, then we encourage you to get hold of a copy as soon as possible. It has been literally life-changing for us; this was the book in which we found our often-mentioned 30-Days Prayer to St. Joseph at the start of 2004.

The book contains a most helpful reflection on the heavenly virtue of chastity by St. Francis de Sales.

One of the great saint's points in his discussion of that theme can be related to our reflection today.

St. Francis de Sales wrote: ''Precious things, such as sweet-smelling ointments, are not exposed to the open air, as the fragrance would gradually be lost in the environment and be spoiled by insects. Likewise, holy souls, fearing to lose the value and merit of their good deeds, should place them for safe-keeping in a vessel, not in a common one, but in a precious alabaster vessel, like the one used by Mary Magdalene as she poured out the ointment over the Sacred Head of Our Lord (see Mark 14:3)...

... This alabaster vessel is the humility in which we must, in imitation of Our Lady and St. Joseph, keep our virtues and all that would draw admiration from the world, being happy to please the Lord and dwell under the sacred veil of self-abjection. We wait for God to come and take us to a safe place filled with His glory, and where He will Himself display our virtues for His honour and esteem.''

And so, let us conclude with those beautiful words from today's Traditional Latin Mass Epistle: ''Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.''

Therein lies true liberty.

St. Joseph the Worker, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church - Pray for us!

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The Tina Beattie Scandal Just Got Worse - and Became Local

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 30 April 2016 - 17:27:25 | by admin

We have just learned that Tina Beattie used a secretive Facebook page to coordinate that letter, which was sent to the Polish Bishops calling for the fallacy of ''early, safe and legal'' abortion in their country.

In addition to this, we have now also discovered that the letter was signed by a number of so-called ''Catholics'' in the UK.

Amongst these signatories, are also the names of two people from the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

These are Sr. Mary Rose Fitzsimmons HHS and Claire Ball.

Both of these people are publicly operative in the parishes of St. Agnes and St. Aidan in Huyton.

Sr. Mary Rose Fitzsimmons has described herself on the letter as a ''Spiritual Director and Pastoral Worker'' in Liverpool.

Claire Ball has described herself on the letter as a ''religious education teacher'' in Liverpool.

If this last name seems familiar, it may be because, on 23rd February 2014, we had commented at the excellent Protect the Pope website that Claire Ball was the ''parish pastoral assistant'' at St. Agnes in Huyton; and that she was publicly named as the parish contact for the dissenting group A Call to Action (ACTA) in Liverpool. Five days prior to our comment, ACTA had held a meeting in the parish room at St. Agnes.

We had contacted the auxiliary bishop 3 times to warn him about this (at that time, there was still no Archbishop), and about the fact that the parish was also holding regular ''Yoga'' meetings, with no reply forthcoming.

It is now just over 7 weeks since we raised awareness about Ms. Carrie Morrow bringing in a homosexualist drama-group to present a play about two princes ''getting married'' to the young children in her care at Sacred Heart School in Atherton. She had also got them to design ''Gay Pride'' posters for the ''Wigan Pride'' event. Since then, some 6,777 people have signed a CitizenGo petition asking for Liverpool's Archbishop Malcolm McMahon to intervene for the defence of the Catholic Faith, childhood innocence and parental rights. As yet, there has still been no public response from His Grace or from any of the priests or teachers in the Archdiocese.

And now, yet another grave scandal is erupting within the Archdiocese with the news that a ''Catholic'' religious sister and RE teacher have signed this letter supporting abortion in Poland.

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon must act in order to defend the lives of the unborn, call these public dissenters to repentance and protect Catholics and others from this next wave of grave public scandal. As with Tina Beattie, these local dissenters must be forbidden from receiving Holy Communion, and from teaching in any official capacity, until they have publicly repented of the public scandal of calling for a law which would aid the destruction of human babies in utero.

It is hard not to see a connection between the growing boldness of dissenters connected to ACTA and His Grace's scandal-giving public welcome to them in October 2014. In all politeness, we must say that the bishops need to get orthodox and man-up.

Please contact Archbishop Malcom McMahon and ask him to take urgent corrective action. Remember these public Catholic ''educators'' have just publicly called for nothing less than the legalization of the abortion of babies. In secular business, employees who publicly dissent from the rules and ideals of their employer would face rapid and robust disciplinary action. It is much more necessary to take such action in the Church when souls are at stake.

There is a CitizenGo petition asking CAFOD to remove Tina Beattie from their Theological Reference Group. We urge you to add your name to that petition's 4,487 signatures. Also, if you have not yet signed the petition about the homosexualist agenda at Sacred Heart School in Atherton, then please do that while you are there! (It is on the 4th page at CitizenGo).

And He said to His disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come: but woe to him through whom they come (Luke 17:1).

St. Agnes and St. Aidan - Pray for us!     

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Feast of St. Catherine of Siena - Traditional Calendar

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 30 April 2016 - 15:11:51 | by admin

The Traditional Calendar today gives us the feast of St. Catherine of Siena; one of the greatest female saints in the long history of the Catholic Church.

St. Catherine was born as the twenty-third in a family of twenty-five children in 1347. From her youth she expressed a great love for God through intense prayer and mortification.

Initially, St. Catherine's parents wanted her to marry and refused their permission for her to enter religious life. After a while, they relented and allowed her to live at home as a Third-Order Dominican. At the age of 16, she began to go out and take care of the sick and destitute poor.

St. Catherine was blessed by God with supernatural favours, mysticism, invisible stigmata and deep wisdom.

Among the greatest achievements which God wrought through St. Catherine, was her contribution to the return of Pope Gregory XI to Rome from Avignon in 1377. In a series of letters, which demonstrate great humility, love of Christ and filial concern for the Supreme Pontiff, St. Catherine forthrightly informed Pope Gregory that God wanted him to return to Rome.

Those letters to the reigning Pontiff contain much of spiritual value and perennial wisdom. In one of these communications, St. Catherine wrote to Pope Gregory: ''I have heard here that you have appointed the cardinals. I believe that it would honour God and profit us more if you would take heed always to appoint virtuous men. If the contrary is done, it will be a great insult to God, and disaster to Holy Church. Let us not wonder later if God sends us His disciplines and scourges; for the thing is just. I beg you to do what you have to do manfully and in the fear of God.''

St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogues remain among the greatest of the classics of Catholic spirituality. They emphasize the great love of Christ as revealed in His Passion and Death on the Cross.

Although St. Catherine died and went to God on 29th April, 1380, much is still known about her personality, life and work from her correspondence with Popes Gregory XI and Urban VI, her spiritual Dialogues, sixteen preserved prayers and some 383 extant letters.

In 1970, St. Catherine of Siena was named Patron Saint of Italy, co-patroness of Europe and the second female Doctor of the Church. After more than seven centuries, she is still remembered for her outstanding charity, deeply Christocentric spirituality and courageous acts and words during some of the greatest trials ever to have faced the Catholic Church.

In the light of present events, St. Catherine can thus teach us a great deal about courage, humility, interior life and the importance of cultivating a love for the Pope which permits, and at times requires, forthright honesty. Any comments about the Pope and present events needs to be motivated by charity and concern for God's honour, the good of the Church and the salvation of souls.

Readers who are interested in learning more from St. Catherine of Siena might be interested in the following book titles: The Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena from Baronius Press Classics; The Life of St. Catherine of Siena - The Classic on Her Life and Accomplishments by Her Spiritual Director Bl. Raymond of Capua from TAN Books; and Catherine of Siena, by Sigrid Unset, from Ignatius Press.

In the present times, we cannot recommend highly enough the practice of stocking up on spiritual works about great saints like St. Catherine of Siena, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Alphonsus de Liguori and St. Therese of Liseux to help sustain and deepen one's faith, and that of family members, in the times that lie ahead.

Collect Prayer from Traditional Latin Mass: O Almighty God, grant we beseech Thee, unto us, who commemorate the passing from this life of Thy blessed virgin Catherine, yearly to keep with rejoicing this her festival, and unceasingly to profit by the example of such great virtue. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, One God for ever and ever. Amen. 

St. Catherine of Siena- Pray for us!

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Open War is Upon You!

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 29 April 2016 - 09:55:30 | by admin

There is another moving scene in the Lord of the Rings trilogy when King Theoden of Rohan is faced with the reality that the evil Saruman's vast and foul army of Uruk-hai and Orcs is advancing on his kingdom.

Against advice that he should ride out and meet this army in order to protect the women and children in his lands, King Theoden states that he would not risk open war.

At this point he receives a firm reminder from Aragorn, son of Arathorn, who utters the unforgettable phrase: ''Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.''

Too Risky?

In the days, and now weeks, following from the release of Amoris Laetitia, it has at times seemed that those good and orthodox bishops who remain around the world have not wished to risk ''open war'' in the Church.

To some extent this is understandable. After all, what faithful Catholic wants to seem to resist a Pontiff, to cause scandal among the faithful, or confusion before the eyes of the outside world?

However, it is past time for us all to take a reality check and notice that open war is indeed upon us, whether we would risk it or not.

I speak, of course, of the open war that now rages with increasing boldness against all that is good and holy in this world.

Events are ramping up in intensity with every passing day. During our wedding anniversary celebrations a couple of days ago, we learned that the ultra-Modernist Hans Kung - sorry, still no umlauts - has been boasting to the National Catholic Reporter (often nicknamed the ''Distorter'' in the USA!) that he has publicly confirmed his reception of a letter from Pope Francis, responding to his request to ''give room to a free, unprejudiced and open-ended discussion on the problem of infallibility.''

This can be seen as a further advancement of Pope Francis' now accustomed style of advancing radical agendas with plausible deniability, by allowing other people to issue shocking statements to the media and leaving these undenied and uncorrected.

This has been seen numerous times through the non-interviews with Eugenio Scalfari, the widespread reports of the content of telephone calls to various lay-people and the release of staged photographs/video-clips at opportune moments.

Too Much!

At the same time, this particular example takes this technique to an altogether new level. As the agenda of Pope Francis, Cardinal Kasper et al meets with less and less resistance, so too does their boldness increase in proportion.

Events are now accelerating. 

For example, did you see what the dissident Hans Kung just did in that statement above?

He described the dogma of papal infallibility as a problem! And he then suggested that Pope Francis has given him the full freedom to deal with this ''problem'' through an open-ended discussion.

Anyone who is still alert and intact after the opening skirmishes, or rather the full-frontal assault, of Synods '14 and '15 should have some grasp of what this portends for the Church.

I've been saying here, off and on at least, since November 2014 that the real issue to be fought here, important though it was, is not marriage and family per se, but the very fact that those attacking in that area need to be exposed as the Modernists that they are. If this were a war, and in the spiritual sense it certainly is, then the attack on marriage would represent a front in a battle. To win the overall war, it is necessary to strike at the lines of supply and the ideologies of those fomenting war. In November 2014, I described the attack on marriage as a poisonous fruit; but I also pointed out that Modernism was the evil root. Indeed, I said that we ought not to waste too much energy grappling with the fruits, when we needed first to deracinate these grubby roots.

The dissident Hans Kung's attack on Papal Infallibility, and pretty much all that is Catholic, is nothing new. He wrote his vile book Infallibility a whole year before I was even born.

What is new, is that instead of now being censured by the Popes, as he was in former times, he is now apparently being welcomed by Pope Francis with open arms. Instead of digging out the roots of Modernism, Pope Francis thus looks to be setting the axe to the very tree upon which he, and all of us, sit.

In recent years, as well as disgracefully suggesting that he wanted to be euthanised himself, Hans Kung has been forwarding the agenda of globalists who want to use religion, and religions, to construct a new paradigm of globalist ethics.

It is worth noting that numerous sources stated in 2007 that he had been awarded the Kulturpreis Deutscher Freimaurer (Culture Award of German Freemasons) for a ''lifetime of service to the Craft''...

It is a known fact that Kung has not only been a long-term denier of Papal Infallibility - like, does Kung think that he is infallible himself then?!! - but also denies the Resurrection, plays down the divinity of Christ, argues that bishops do not receive their authority from Christ and suggests that any baptised person can consecrate the Holy Eucharist.

As I write this, news is breaking that Madrid's Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra has forbidden the CDF's Prefect Cardinal Gerhard Muller from presenting his new book State of Hope at the local university, because the text is described as being ''against the Pope''!

To Battle!

As things seem to fall apart, and to quote W.B.Yeats' poem The Second Coming, ''the centre cannot hold,'' it seems that the words of Aragorn to King Theoden of Rohan must be urgently conveyed to the remaining orthodox bishops who clearly do not wish to risk open war.

My Lords: War is upon you, whether you would risk it or not!

Our Lady, who warned of these times, with the promise of Christ's final victory, at Akita, Fatima, La Salette and Quito - Pray for us!      

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