Palm Sunday 2016

Torch of The Faith News on Sunday 20 March 2016 - 10:03:30 | by admin

The Church now enters into Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday - the Second Sunday of the Passion. The entire week is dedicated to the commemoration of the Passion and Death of Our Lord.

In the Traditional Liturgy, the palms are blessed with the most solemn blessing and a procession commemorates our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As it returns to the church, this procession halts at the door, and the chants of the two choirs within and outside signify the singing of the divine praises by the Church triumphant in Heaven and militant on earth. The Mass which follows marks a change from joy to sorrow, for the Church now turns to mourn the humiliation and suffering of the Redeemer.

In his study The Epistles and Gospels for Sundays and Holy Days, Msgr. Ronald Knox recalled that a close reading of this Sunday's liturgy reveals that not only palms (as in St. John's Gospel), but olives, too, have a place in the tradition for this celebration (e.g the antiphon for Prime).

Msgr. Knox's reminder can be helpful for what follows as we reflect on a common thread found in the writings of St. Andrew of Crete, in the 8th-Century, and St. Bonaventure, in the 13th-Century.

St. Andrew of Crete: 

Come then, let us run with Him as He presses on to His Passion. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in His path, but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes, so may God Who cannot be contained within any bounds, be contained within us...

... So it is ourselves that we must spread under Christ's feet, not coats or lifeless branches or shoots of trees, matter which wastes away and delights the eye only for a few brief hours. But we have clothed ourselves with Christ's grace, or with the whole Christ - 'for as many of you as were Baptized into Christ have put on Christ' - so let us spread ourselves like coats under His feet.

St. Bonaventure: 

O Jesus, I contemplate You in Your triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Anticipating the crowd which would come to meet You, You mounted an ass and gave an admirable example of humility in the midst of the acclamations of the crowd, who cut branches out of trees and spread their garments along the way. While the people were singing hymns of praise, You were filled with pity and wept over Jerusalem. Rise now, my soul, handmaid of the Saviour, join the procession of the daughters of Sion, and go out to meet your King. Accompany the Lord of Heaven and earth, seated on an ass; follow Him with olive and palm branches, with works of piety and with victorious virtues.''

The Surest Way

When you stop to think about it, the crowds who joyfully greeted Jesus, as He entered into Jerusalem, would turn on Him within the week. 

This is summed up in one of the verses of the hymn My Song is Love Unknown:

Sometimes they strew His way,

And His sweet praises sing;

Resounding all the day

Hosannas to their king:

Then ''Crucify!''

Is all their breath,

And for His death

they thirst and cry.

Feelings of adulation in following Jesus might come - or they might not come - in the walk of Christian discipleship. As St. Andrew of Crete and St. Bonaventure remind us, such things are not as important as faithfulness.

We knew a good Catholic lady who died in her early 90's some years ago. She once said that she had never experienced any such elated feelings, although she faithfully attended Holy Mass every single day with prayers and great reverence. She did not seem troubled by this, because she knew deep down that she loved God tranquilly. The important thing was her faithfulness to Christ in all seasons.

Although God does allow us consolations in the spiritual life, and we should be grateful to Him when they come to us, it is a life of faith lived through acts of the will that is most greatly meritorious.

Oftentimes, the making of such acts of faith in times of darkness and trial is of more lasting benefit to our ongoing conversion and sanctification. It is not being seen amidst the noisy crowds, either in places or in cyberspace, but the daily acts of self-sacrifice and love, often those things that are seen only by God, that will help any of us to enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem with Jesus.

As this week teaches us, eternal beautitude comes only by faithfully following the harder Way of the Cross, with the help and encouragement of God's grace.

There is a beautiful pious legend which suggests that the reason all donkeys have a cross-marking on their shoulders and backs - check it out next time you see one! - is because Christ rode an ass into Jerusalem.

Whatever the truth of that legend, it remains the case that the King of the Universe chose to ride on the back of a humble donkey.

Today, He again seeks humble creatures to bring His presence into a boisterous and sin-darkened world. May the events we celebrate today help us to aspire to be those humble creatures as we enter together with our Blessed Lord into Holy Week 2016.

We wish you a blessed Palm Sunday.  

 

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A Blessed Feast of St. Joseph to All our Readers!

Torch of The Faith News on Saturday 19 March 2016 - 11:42:37 | by admin

Faithful Catholics look forward to this date each year as a celebration of the life and glories of St. Joseph, the greatest of saints after Our Lady.

This year has been somewhat different for many, because of the concerns and fears lingering around the expected Apostolic Exhortation, its background, gestation and the open agendas of those writing it. Such worries were only increased this week when Cardinal Walter Kasper, sounding more like a 19th-Century liberal-Protestant ''exegete'' than a prince of the Catholic Church, crowed to a gathering in Lucca that the apostolic exhortation will represent ''the first step in a reform'' that will mark the ''turning of a page'' in the Church's history ''after 1,700 years.''

Putting out the lights?

We've mentioned before the seeming subversion, or even inversion, of various major feast-days to fit a programme which seems to harmonize more closely to the unfolding agenda of globalization, than to authentic Catholicism: at Pentecost 2014 there were multi-religious prayers in the Vatican Garden; the new marriage-annulment laws were signed on the Feast of the Annunciation, announced on the Feast of Our Lady's Nativity and became law on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 2015. On that day too, Catholics around the world were scandalized by the projection of the globalists' climate-change propaganda movie, by groups with occult names, onto the facade of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; the feast of Epiphany in 2016 was marred by the papal video, which placed the Christ-child as just one symbol amongst several religions of the ''children of God''.

If Kasper is to be believed, it seems that today's celebration of the feast of St. Joseph might become part of a similar trajectory. Indeed, not only is the long-awaited (feared?) exhortation due to be signed by Pope Francis today; but Vatican Radio has reported that the lights of the Cupola atop St. Peter's Basilica, along with those that illumine Bernini's colonnade embracing St. Peter's Square, will be extinguished this evening to mark Earth Hour - an initiative promoted by the World Wildlife Fund. It may be remembered that, as long ago as 1998, this organization claimed to find scientific evidence for the ''need'' for mass population control.

It seems that those who gather in Rome to celebrate St. Joseph will be left out in the dark.

Fear Not - St. Joseph is the Patron of the Universal Church

All of this being said, however, none of the above-mentioned themes is meant to be the focus of today's article. Instead, we hope to encourage readers to see beyond these testing issues in the light of God's providential plan. Further than that, we pray that readers will thus enjoy a blessed and hope-filled feast of St. Joseph.

The remainder of this post will be taken directly from the words of Bl. Pope Pius IX when he declared St. Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church, on 8th December 1870. His words remind us that God is in charge, that He has had today's problems in hand before you and I were even born and that He has given us St. Joseph to protect the Holy Church.

As Lord and Ruler of God's Household, and Protector of His Greatest Treasures, in time we shall all come to see that nobody, but nobody, messes with St. Joseph!

Decree of Bl. Pius IX delaring St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church 

As God appointed Joseph, son of the Patriarch Jacob, over all the land of Egypt, to store up corn for the people, so, when the fulness of time was come, and He was about to send on earth His Only-Begotten Son, the Saviour of the world, He chose another Joseph, of whom the first Joseph had been the type, and made him Lord and Ruler of his household and possession and Guardian of His greatest treasures. And Joseph espoused the Immaculate Virgin Mary, of whom was born by the Holy Ghost Jesus Christ Our Lord, who deigned to be reputed before men the Son of Joseph, and was subject to him. And Him whom so many kings and prophets desired to see, Joseph not only saw, but abode with, and embraced with paternal affection, and kissed, yea, and most sedulously nourished, even Him whom the faithful should receive as the Bread come down from Heaven, that they might obtain eternal life. 

On account of this sublime dignity which God conferred on His most faithful Servant, the Church has always most highly honoured and lauded the Most Blessed Joseph next after his Spouse, the Virgin Mother of God, and has implored his intercession in all her great necessities.

And now that at this most sorrowful time the Church herself is beset by enemies on every side and oppressed by heavy calamities, so that impious men imagine that the gates of Hell are at length prevailing against her, therefore the Venerable Prelates of the whole Catholic world have presented the Sovereign Pontiff their own petitions and those of the faithful of Christ confided to their care, praying that He would vouchsafe to constitute Saint Joseph Patron of the Catholic Church.

Moreover, when at the Sacred Ecumenical Council of the Vatican they renewed still more fervently this their petition and prayer, Our Most Holy Lord, Pius IX. Pope, moved thereto by the recent deplorable events, was pleased to comply with the desires of the Prelates, and to commit to the most powerful patronage of the Holy Patriarch, Joseph, both Himself and all the faithful, and solemnly declared him Patron of the Catholic Church, and commanded his festival, occurring on the 19th day of March, to be celebrated for the future as a double of the first-class, but without an octave, on account of Lent. Further, He ordained that on this day, sacred to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and Spouse of the most chaste Joseph, a declaration to that effect should by this present Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites be published. All things to the contrary notwithstanding.

Prayer to St. Joseph 

O great and good St. Joseph, chaste spouse of the Immaculate Mary, and guardian of the Word Incarnate, we place ourselves with confidence under thy protection, and beg of thee to teach us to practice the virtues of the Child Jesus. We thank God for the singular favours He was pleased to bestow upon thee, and we earnestly desire to become pure, and humble, and patient, like unto thee. Pray, then, for us, St. Joseph, and through that love which thou hast for Jesus and Mary, and which they have for thee, obtain for us the invaluable blessing of living and dying in the love of Jesus, Mary and thee. Amen.

Holy Joseph, patron of a happy death, pray for us.

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Another Case with Serious Ramifications Here in England

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 18 March 2016 - 09:43:19 | by admin

Christian Concern relates the disturbing story of a Pentecostal Minister called Barry Trayhorn. In 2011, he began working as a gardener in a sex offenders' prison at HMP Littlehey. He was eventually invited by the prison chaplain to begin leading some of the chapel services on a voluntary basis.

During one of these services in May 2014, Mr. Trayhorn quoted 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 from memory. These verses deal with sins including adultery, homosexual practice, greed and drunkenness. Stating that he was the worst sinner that he knows, Mr. Trayhorn drew from this text to speak about, ''the wonder of God's love and the forgiveness that comes through Jesus to those who recognize their sin and repent.''

Four days later a complaint was made against him and he was immediately barred from participating in chapel services. In the weeks that followed, a series of issues was raised about his conduct as a horticulturist at the prison, prompting disciplinary procedures.

In August 2014, Mr. Trayhorn was signed off work with a stress-related illness. On three separate occasions, his manager visited him at home to discuss the work-related issues. On two of these occasions, she was accompanied by a senior prison official.

That November, Mr. Trayhorn resigned from his gardening job, saying that he had been harassed because of his Christian faith and that, given the way he had been treated, it was impossible for him to return to work. Two days after his resignation, a disciplinary hearing was heard in his absence, at which he was given a final written warning.

He took his case to an employment tribunal which considered his case in November 2015. He was supported by the Christian Legal Centre. On 10th March 2016, an Employment Appeals Tribunal ruled that Mr. Trayhorn was not discriminated against on the grounds of his religion, ''because of the way his message was received''. It went on to suggest that Mr. Trayhorn had spoken of God's forgiveness in an ''insensitive'' way which ''failed to have regard for the special nature of the congregation in the prison''.

Confrontation in the Media

Christian Concern also reports that Mr. Trayhorn and his Christian Legal Centre case worker Libby Powell had been subjected to personal attacks from an interviewer during a radio programme to discuss the case on BBC Three Counties Radio, on 3rd November 2015.

The BBC Trust has since ruled that the interviewer, Iain Lee, who has since left the station, was in ''serious breach'' of editorial guidelines, and had been ''unduly confrontational'' during the programme. Recordings of the show, evidence Mr. Lee describing Libby Powell as a bigot, blaspheming as he describes Mr. Trayhorn as obnoxious, and shouting: ''Let me finish Barry. Let me finish before you spout your hatred.''

Serious Ramifications

Aside from the matter of this interview, the ruling of the Employment Appeals Tribunal appears to have major ramifications here in England.

Andrea Williams, founder of Christian Concern, has said: ''This is a chilling judgment and one which should alarm MPs and Church leaders alike. What we are seeing, month by month, is a systematic marginalising of Christians in public life. It happens slowly, case by case, sector by sector but before long, no Christian whether they be ordained like Mr. Trayhorn or simply an office worker will be able to openly state what their deep, sincere convictions are without fear of being reported to their employer and called a bigot.''

This case clearly has serious ramifications for Catholic priests and laity. Most exposed by this case, at least to begin with, are clearly those priests who serve as chaplains to prisons, hospitals and schools. The problem is exacerbated when one factors in that many clergy in the UK already live in fear of reprisal from their modernistic bishops for simply preaching Catholic dogma - never mind dealing with the moral teachings! This is made worse by the problem of ''false brethren'' in the pews. For example, we know of two priests whose homilies on Purgatory - not even on Hell mind! - received written complaints to their bishops.

Gathering Pace

Bishop-Emeritus of Lincoln, Nebraska, Fabian Bruskewitz, recently said to LifeSiteNews: ''We've had bakers refuse to bake cakes for gay ''marriages'' and as a result, they are imprisoned or fined. They have to go out of business. We've seen florists who don't supply flowers. I'm convinced that there's going to be every effort made to destroy everything Christian that would in the least bit oppose this kind of degeneration.''

In just three weeks here in England we have witnessed: Felix Ngole being kicked off his social work course at Sheffield University for supporting Kim Davies and Biblical teaching relating to homosexuality on social media; Richard Page being removed from his position as a Magistrate for simply stating that he did not think there was sufficient evidence that placing a child with a homosexual pairing would be in that child's best interests; Catholic parents being investigated for hate crime by the police and scoffed at as a ''homophobic minority'' by their school's headteacher and various media outlets after their young children were shown a play depicting a same-sex ''marriage''; and now the ruling against Mr. Barry Trayhorn's case - begun after he had simply shared from the Gospel in a Christian chapel.

May Our Blessed Lady protect and strengthen us all.

Please Pray for Our Priests!       

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We Wish You a Blessed Feast of St. Patrick!

Torch of The Faith News on Thursday 17 March 2016 - 12:08:33 | by admin

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.

We wish a blessed feast of St. Patrick to all of our readers; especially to our Irish readers who read faithfully each day. May God protect you as you continue to witness to the whole Faith in God's own country.

Those words of St. Patrick at the start of this article seem especially appropriate to us today.

A few hours before I wrote yesterday's article, an electrical appliance suddenly blew up and went on fire in my hand. It was all very dramatic for a couple of minutes as I dropped the thing, tried to get it safely unplugged and then out of the back door! We've been thanking Our Lord, Our Lady and my Guardian Angel for protecting me.

This incident reminds us of the importance of remaining in the state of grace and making the morning offering each and every day. You truly never know the minute!

Let's be encouraged by some beautiful words by St. Teresa of Avila: ''In a state of grace, the soul is like a well of limpid water, from which flow only streams of clearest crystal. Its works are pleasing both to God and man, rising from the River of Life, beside which it is rooted like a tree.''

St. Patrick of Ireland - Pray for us!

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Part Two - Concluding Thoughts on Brentwood Cathedral's ''Mass Particularly for LGBT Men and Women and their Families''

Torch of The Faith News on Wednesday 16 March 2016 - 18:01:53 | by admin

Celebrations particularly for...

The Catholic Church affirms that there are 7 Deadly Sins and expresses a parallel tradition of 7 Virtues. It is a classical theme that we used to explain, whilst offering presentations in parishes, under the title Back to Virtue - Christian Values in an Age of Chaos.

No-one would imagine for one minute a scenario in which a cathedral or parish would host an event, much less a Holy Mass, which aimed at celebrating one, several, or all of the 7 Deadly sins; or honouring those who struggle against, or worse still, engage in them.

For example, and please forgive the seeming impiety, no-one would expect to find advertisements for a Gluttons' Mass, a Lusters' Mass, or even a Mass particularly for the Envious!

Every sincere Catholic will struggle at some point in their lives with some - most likely with all - of the 7 Deadly Sins. That's a fact of life, which is primarily down to Original Sin, Concupiscence and the temptations of the Enemy. Our Lord, knowing the clay from which we are made, has bestowed the Sacraments upon us to help us to overcome our brokenness, sinful tendencies and original and actual sins. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not then the place to ritualize our sinful tendencies.

Rather, and with the preparation of integral Confession, it is the place to remedy them. Indeed, one of the beauties of our holy religion is that it provides us a private setting in which to face up to, deal with and gradually overcome our sins and sinful tendencies with the help of God's grace and mercy. People who scoff about ''Catholic Guilt'' miss the point that, whilst everyone experiences guilt, practicing Catholics deal with it! Or rather they bring it to Christ and He deals with it for them.

Another thesis?

I mention all of this because the fact that Fr. Dominic Howarth, and thus by extension Bishop Alan Williams, do not offer ''Brentwood Cathedral Masses particularly for practioners of any of the 7 Deadly Sins and their families'' suggests that they are promoting an alternative to the Church's traditional understanding of homosexuality. Let me explain...

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that people experiencing homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity and that every sign of unjust discrimination against them should be avoided (CCC 2358).

At the same time, the Catechism describes homosexual acts as intrinsically disordered and contrary to the natural law (CCC 2357).

It is this last proposition that, although based in natural and divine law, and representative of the constant teaching of the Magisterium, has come under increasing attack, even from within the Church, by those seeking to overturn Church teaching in this area.

Only this week, we received an update from the estimable Voice of the Family organization; which again warns that the Final Report of the Synod of Bishops to the Holy Father, by striving to bring Catholic moral teaching in line with the norms prevailing in the modern world, pursues an approach that runs contrary to divine revelation and the natural moral law.

Whilst modernist prelates have, with every appearance of support from Pope Francis, worked very hard to steer and subvert the recent Rome Synods away from Catholic teaching in the area of personhood and sexual ethics, others are also busily operating down at the cliff-face to deconstruct, and then reconstruct, the Church according to the fluctuating mores of a post-modern society. There seems to be a general movement in the days of Pope Francis for modernist dissenters to just get on and force changes in doctrine by first changing so-called pastoral practice.

This all reminds me of a dreadful report that I encountered, from a diocesan youth service team, just a few months after I had converted in 1993. The report basically suggested that young people who dissented from the Magisterium over contraception, homosexuality, masturbation and sex-outside-of-marriage, should just ''get on with their own project'' until Pope John Paul II died and a more liberal Pope could be elected! The answers to a synod-style questionnaire which supported that report had been gathered randomly from drinkers in various pubs. This shocking report became the source of my first battle against modernism...

Anyway, developing our theme, we turn again to Ania Kowalski's report of her meeting with, the then, Fr. Alan Williams in August 2013 to plan for an openly LGBT pilgrimage to Walsingham by the dissenting homosexualist organization known as Quest. Ania suggested that Fr. Alan Williams had said at the time ''how beautiful'' all the diversity in the Catholic Church was. Anyone could thus legitimately ask whether (now) Bishop Alan Williams regards homosexuality in the terms of the Catechism as an objectively disordered inclination (CCC 2358) or, as many who are pushing for changes in Church teaching view it, as an expression of ''beautiful diversity''?

Perhaps the answer to that can be found in the fact that he allowed Sunday evening's Mass to be celebrated at all; and by the choice of Fr. Dominic Howarth as the homilist - or ''preacher'' as the advertising materials had it.

The Homily

If Catholic teaching on homosexuality, and indeed about all aspects of sexual ethics, was only about acceptance, respect and compassion for persons experiencing such inclinations, then Fr. Howarth's homily would have been an engaging model.

He did indeed express some important points about meeting others with love and a listening ear to their sufferings. Again - although his choice of ''LGBT'' terminology itself suggests that he subscribes to the ideology which is opposed to the Church's sexual ethics - his challenge to both Catholics and to those who identify as homosexuals to avoid hatred through love is laudable in itself.  

But, as we have seen in the Catechism, such welcome of persons is only one part of the picture. Further than that, CCC 2357 explicitly states that homosexual acts can in no circumstances be approved.

Now, inviting ''LGBT men and women and their families'' to a Cathedral Mass could simply be read as an invitation extended to people who experience this inclination and to their families. This might perhaps call to mind some of the Masses and prayer groups formed to offer support to reforming drug-addicts and their families. On the other hand, it also lends itself to a just as likely - indeed in the present cultural circumstances, much more likely - interpretation as an invitation to homosexual pairings to attend as homosexual pairings.

This approach is thus a source of some of the problems we highlighted in our post yesterday: it would be an occasion of sin to some; a source of confusion and scandal to others; an opportunity for some to mockingly flaunt same-sex partnerships right inside a Catholic cathedral; and an opening to the real danger of sacrilegious Holy Communions.

Traces of Hegel and the Use of Dialectic?

I think we need to draw attention to something which appears to be hidden in plain sight in the homily preached by Fr. Dominic Howarth.

Each of those who attended this event were handed a take-home picture of a tree, growing out of a wall along the Philosophenweg - the Philosophers' Walk - by the River Neckar at Heidelberg. This might perhaps give us both a clue and an interpretive key to understanding Fr. Dominic Howarth's homily at a deeper level; for Heidelberg University was the place where Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel spent a couple of years of his life. Hegel would have been no stranger to the aptly named Philosophers' Walk...

In his homily, Fr. Dominic Howarth suggested that this tree, growing out of a wall at Heidelberg, sparked a thought in him; ''in our lives are we sowing seeds or building walls?''

Fr. Howarth then slickly imposed the images of a tree of mercy growing through a wall of hatred or judgement, ''whether that is a wall put up by some in the Church, or indeed a wall built by those whose sexuality is LGBT and who have come to hate the Church.''

I think that we need to reject this paradigm at the outset. It is not hatred or wall-building to uphold the natural and divine law. Fr. Howarth admits his position relating to the modernistic desire for a change of Church teaching - from a conception of homosexuality as a disordered inclination to one of an acceptable sexuality - by suggesting: ''we have to search our hearts and face a difficult truth: that by some words and actions of our Church, over many decades, we have built walls and closed doors to those who are LGBT.''

Notice too that Fr. Howarth explicity stated where he stands, with his acceptance of ''LGBT'' as a sexuality, rather than a disorder. Indeed, he spoke in this manner a number of times during his homily.

Shattering the Church for a New ''Synthesis''?

Towards his conclusion, Fr. Howarth suggested a deeper story within the image of that tree growing through the wall in Heidelberg. He said that in time the tree will break down the wall and that, in that moment, the tree itself will die, ''torn apart as the wall crumbles.''

He then added: ''And - like Good Friday - that looks rather bleak and deeply sad. However, and this is not a perfect parallel with Easter, but it is significant - although the wall will be shattered beyond repair, and the tree destroyed, the tree will rise again from the rubble. Why? Because of the seeds it spread throughout its life. Disciples, if you like.''

At first appearance the thrust of the homily could be seen as a charitable call for both Catholics and those in the ''LGBT movement'' to listen to each other and thus avoid hatred or judgement.

But, because of Fr. Howarth's acceptance of ''LGBT'' terminology, his repeated invitations to the dissenting homosexualist Fr. Tim Radcliffe OP to speak to young Catholics, and the setting of the Philosophers' Walk at Heidelberg, I am made wary of the possible shadow of Hegelian dialectic.

Let me explain.

We recently considered the subtle use of Hegelian dialectic by the opponents of Church teaching to gradually move those who resist them to a position of acceptance. We considered how Hegelian dialectic uses a model of Thesis, Anti-thesis and Synthesis. Further than that, we looked at the hidden steps of: Create the Problem; Control the Reaction; and Offer the Solution.

If we consider Fr. Howarth's tree in the wall in light of Hegelian dialectic - and his mention of Heidelberg's Philosophers' Walk positively seems to invite this - then Catholic sexual ethics could be seen as the Thesis (wall), ''LGBT'' could be seen as the Anti-thesis (tree) and the modernists' hoped-for acceptance of ''LGBT sexualities'' by the Catholic Church could be viewed as the new Synthesis (a wall shattered beyond repair, a dead tree and seeds of new life/new type of disciples).

Again, the model of the tree and wall could be representative of us being proffered a problem, a controlled reaction and a solution. For example: the problem could be the disharmony between Catholic sexual ethics and the advancing LGBT agenda; the controlled reaction could be to invite LGBT men, women and their families to an event and call everyone to listen to each other; and the solution could be to merge Catholicism and LGBT at the pastoral level through LGBT Masses which tend to normalize homosexual pairings, regardless of doctrine. This is why I said earlier that we must reject any paradigm that depicts the upholding of Church teaching as a form of hatred. This would not only avoid hatred, and being depicted as a ''hater'' for upholding Catholic morality; but it would help Catholics to avoid being coralled into a controlled reaction situation. 

One of the spookiest aspects of all of this is Fr. Howarth's depiction of wall-builders who put Jesus to death. This comes rather close to portraying those who uphold Church teaching, and reject LGBT ideology, as wall-builders who reject Christ and might resort to violence. His presentation of the ''shattered wall, beyond repair'' takes on a darker hue if I am right to speak of Hegelian influences at work in his presentation. This is because the Hegelian model would reduce the Church to a Thesis that could be overcome - shattered beyond repair even - by being merged with an Anti-thesis into a new Synthesis. Of course, the gates of Hell shall not prevail, but faithful Catholics can expect a bumpy ride...

Whether the Hegelian influence is there in Fr. Howarth's homily or not, and the location of his tree and wall at Heidelberg does appear to suggest it, there is one thing that is absolutely beyond doubt.

In the conclusion to his homily, Fr. Howarth did not fully express Our Lord's words in the encounter with the woman caught in the act of adultery - taken from the Gospel for that day's readings in the new calendar - when he avoided saying: ''Go and sin no more.'' 

As such, his homily had focused on Christ's words that only he without sin may cast the first stone. The conclusion to his homily thus made it seem that Christ had not only accepted the woman caught in adultery, but also had accepted her act of adultery.

This sense can only have been deepened by his almost final words, which asserted: ''And so we plant seeds of mercy even when it is hard, and we are ridiculed, or much worse - secure in the knowledge that we are beloved by God. We do this as brothers and sisters, who share the same Eucharist.''

And so, with this implied invitation to all to come up for Holy Communion, regardless of whether they accept Church teaching or not, regardless indeed of whether they are involved in homosexual activity or not, a certain understanding emerges.

It seems that, for Fr. Howarth - and for Bishop Alan Williams by association - Catholics are to listen with love and acceptance to those promoting homosexual relationships; whilst those who support LGBT are only to listen to a part of the message of the Gospel, thus ignoring objective doctrine and receiving Holy Communion just as they are.

And this is seen as mercy?

Truly, it suggests a broken wall indeed...

(Oh, and by the way - Fr. Dominic Howarth is the vocations director in the Diocese of Brentwood).  

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Breaking: CitizenGo Petition about the LGBT Play at Sacred Heart Primary School in Atherton

Torch of The Faith News on Wednesday 16 March 2016 - 10:49:18 | by admin

We have learnt this morning that there is an on-line CitizenGo petition calling for Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool to intervene in the situation that has been unfolding in Sacred Heart Primary School in Atherton.

As we stated on Friday, if His Grace does not act soon to defend Catholic truth, preserve childhood innocence and uphold the rights of Catholic parents, then Catholics throughout the Archdiocese would have such a duty. 

Therefore, although we do not know who created this on-line petition at CitizenGo, we commend its author(s) for making such a faithful stand and encourage readers to join with the 2,000+ people who have signed it so far.

The petition at CitizenGo reads:

Dear The Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon OP and Headteacher of Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Carrie Morrow,

I trust you are aware of recent activity in Sacred Heart Roman Catholic School in Atherton - a school which comes under your jurisdiction - which has recently been promoting the LGBT agenda through a play and have recently been awarded the ''Rainbow Flag'' by the Proud Trust for their role in promoting that agenda.

It appears that a number of the parents have already spoken out on social media and have subsequently been vilified by the local press and insulted by the Headteacher, Miss Carrie Morrow.

This denial of the Catholic Faith within the context of the school, as well as the usurpation of parental authority on the part of the school, is utterly unacceptable.

At least part of the purpose of the school is to instruct the children in the faith, and part of the reason parents send their children to this school is to receive such instruction. Miss Morrow has, by her action, undermined the faith, challenged the very nature of faith schools and has rejected parental authority, and this cannot be allowed to continue.

Of course, persons with same-sex attraction have exactly the same inherent dignity as everyone else, but how the school approaches this - if indeed it should be approached at all given this is a primary school - should be done in a properly Christian manner.

I therefore demand a public apology from the Headteacher for her actions, and trust that you, as Archbishop, will take appropriate disciplinary action.''

Readers can sign up to that on-line petition via CitizenGo's website. 

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Part One: Some Thoughts on Brentwood's ''Mass Welcoming LGBT Men and Women and their Families''

Torch of The Faith News on Tuesday 15 March 2016 - 17:55:49 | by admin

It is difficult to know where to begin responding to the news that, ostensibly for the Year of Mercy, Brentwood Cathedral hosted a ''Mass Welcoming Particularly LGBT Men and Women and their Families'' on Sunday evening. Still, because this relates to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the source and summit of the life of all Catholics, it would be difficult for us to remain silent.

Perhaps the first and most obvious thing to be said relates to the primary ends of the Holy Mass.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is primarily offered for four ends: Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation and Petition. 

These ends mean that the Holy Mass is not about the furthering of ideological agendas.

This brings us to the use of the ''LGBT'' terminology in the advertising for Sunday evening's Mass. Nobody in our society would deny that the LGBT terminology describes an ideological movement which forcefully rejects the objective content of Catholic sexual ethics.

Therefore to use this terminology seems to be suggestive of a very different approach than that of, say, having a Mass offered to help people who experience same-sex attraction to receive God's grace and find the friendship and support, of the local Church community, in living out a life of chastity and Christian discipleship.

Clarity

Even this latter approach would need the exercise of prudence to ensure: that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was not utilized as a vehicle in the service of ideology; that nobody was given the impression that same-sex pairings were being either celebrated or promoted; that those experiencing same-sex attraction were not unduly exposed (in the alternative senses of being patronized, victimized or else put on a pedestal); that the integral teaching of the Church on the reception of Holy Communion was presented clearly; that other Catholics were not scandalized; that non-Catholics were not confused; and that such a gathering did not become an occasion of sin to participants.

This last point is of particular importance in light of the fact that such events have frequently and sacrilegiously become settings for homosexual ''pick-ups''. For example, someone recently commented, at Clare Short's Faith in Our Families blog, about one of these Masses in Chicago: ''After that mass (sic) many of the guys go to a local gay bar for 'Show Tunes Night' to get drunk, lust after other men, and try to hook-up. Right after Mass.'' (Sadly, we still cannot get links to work inside our news/blog page since experiencing a technical glitch... Do, please, check out Clare's blog though!).

Clare sums things up well in her article by saying: ''I am worried that this gay Mass, rather than leading people to repentance and forgiveness, is instead leading people to believe that the Year of Mercy is all about saying that certain sins are no longer sinful.''

We think that Clare's fears may be well founded.

Some Wider Context

Let's take a step back for a moment to glimpse some wider context.

When it was announced that Fr. Alan Williams was to be elevated from being the Director of the Shrine of Walsingham to being the new Bishop of Brentwood we were quietly confident. 

This was because I had met Fr. Alan just over 20 years ago when an old lady - since gone to her eternal reward - took me on my first ever pilgrimage to Walsingham, as a then recent convert.

Even though it was so long ago, I have always remembered Fr. Alan as a deeply perceptive, prudent and prayerful priest (try saying that with a mouth full of chocolates!). He was also very welcoming and interested in my journey of conversion. Although my feelings were a little stung at the time, I have also been impressed in the longer-term by the way that he gently corrected my younger self for speaking too loudly, to my old lady friend, as I entered into the Shrine building. He did this in a manner which was at once firm and fatherly; adding a reassuring grin after he had firmly hushed me. In two decades I have never forgotten that meeting with a good man of God.

Welcoming People as Opposed to Welcoming Ideologies

Anyone who runs a large shrine needs to have discernment, together with an open and accepting approach towards the countless different personalities who might visit for a multitude of different motivations and reasons. Still, there is a difference between welcoming individuals, or even groups, and welcoming their various agendas; especially if these are at odds with Catholic truth.

At this point, I want to quote from an account posted by a lady called Ania Kowalski at the website of the dissenting Quest organization. Regular readers will know that we have critiqued this organization and its homosexualist agenda before, due to its promotion of dissent from the Magisterium in relation to homosexual relationships and acts.

On 1st November, 2014, Ania wrote about the warm welcome that she received from Fr. Alan when she met with him, in August 2013, to discuss a pilgrimage to Walsingham. Nothing to surprise anyone there.

However, from a Catholic perspective, the problem arises when Ania states that Fr. Alan had said that Quest would be most welcome to attend as an LGBT group. Now, to be fair to him, Ania's article does acknowledge that Fr. Alan claimed to have never heard of Quest before. So, it would seem that, when he agreed to their group's official pilgrimage, he did not know about their public dissent from Magisterial teaching over homosexual relationships and acts.

Still, even without this easily researchable information, the fact that Quest was encouraged to come as an LGBT group is highly problematic, in light of all that we have said above regarding terminology and ideology.

For example, it would be very easy to check if this group supported its members in living chaste lives in the way that, say, the Courage organization does. As we have argued above, the use of LGBT terminology is itself supportive of a movement that forcefully rejects Catholic truth in relation to sexual ethics. In spite of that, Ania rejoices in her article that, the then, Fr. Alan told her that a support group like hers would be great and to ''keep going'' with it.

Then, on 14th April 2014, Fr. Alan Williams was announced as the next Bishop of Brentwood. When the Quest group did attend Walsingham that year, the members wore large T-shirts emblazoned with a Quest Lesbian and Gay logo. It seems that these were even worn for Holy Mass and for the carrying of the statue of Our Lady in the procession...  

Fr. Dominic Howarth

The name of Fr. Dominic Howarth will be familiar to those Catholic parents who withdrew their children from last year's CYMFed - Flame 2 youth event when it became clear that Fr. Dominic Howarth had, for a second time, invited the dissenting homosexualist Fr. Tim Radcliffe OP as a keynote speaker - he had also spoken at the initial 2012 event at Howarth's invitation.

Again, may God bless her, it was Clare Short who asked on 1st December, 2014, via her Faith in Our Families blog: ''Are CYMFed recognizing and respecting parents' role as primary educator and protector?''

In light of that whole Flame 2 debacle, it should perhaps come as no surprise to learn that Fr. Dominic Howarth was described as the ''Preacher'' at Sunday evening's ''Mass Welcoming Particularly LGBT Men and Women and their Families'' in Brentwood Cathedral.

Fr. Dominic has posted up his homily from the Mass on his Twitter page. We intend to reflect on that in part two...

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Passiontide Encouragement from the Traditional Liturgy

Torch of The Faith News on Monday 14 March 2016 - 17:43:24 | by admin

There is no doubt about the fact that these are grave times for Christians. Just last week, FOX News reported that, through a combination of Islamic extremism and authoritarian governments, 2015 was the worst year on record for Christians globally. In hard numbers, this increasing state of anti-Christian persecution led to some 7,000 Christians being killed last year alone.

Whilst the Open Door World Watch List exposes North Korea, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan as the most oppresive countries for Christians, it is clear that Western nations are becoming increasingly hostile through things like the rigid promotion of LGBT ideology. A number of Americans were forced out of business last year and the series of events here in England are increasingly troubling.

As we have twice reported, just last week parents of children at Sacred Heart ''Catholic'' Primary School in Atherton were dismissed as a homophobic minority by the headteacher; after she had first offended them by allowing an adult theatre company to perform a ''gay play'' - which features a same-sex ''marriage'' scene - to the young children, without even the knowledge of their parents. As we reported on Friday, the headteacher was subsequently awarded an ''LGBT Rainbow Flag Award'' for her efforts. So far the silence from the Archbishop, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Laity, throughout most of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, has been absolutely astounding.

England has also witnessed the recent expulsion of Felix Ngole from his social work course at Sheffield University and the sacking of the magistrate Richard Page.

Mr. Ngole was unceremoniously kicked off his course after expressing support for the heroic American county-clerk Kim Davis, and explaining Biblical sexual ethics, on his Facebook page. Mr. Page was removed from office by the Lord Chancellor for speaking out about the placing of children in same-sex households; even though he had merely stated that there is not sufficient evidence to convince him, as a magistrate, that it is in a child's best interests to place him with a same-sex pairing.

In hoc signo vinces

During these days of Passiontide in the Traditional Calendar, the Missal expresses much encouragement for suffering Christians.

For example, the Introit prayer for yesterday's Mass is the cry of the Innocent One who is unjustly persecuted. The Gospel also described how Jesus calmly but firmly proclaimed His superhuman origin, power and life against the jeers and insults of the Jews.

In addition to these aspects, the Traditional Missal adds a Collect prayer for each day of Passiontide. This can either be prayed for the Pope, or against the persecutors of the Church. The latter reads: ''Receive in Thy mercy, O Lord, we beseech Thee, the prayers of Thy Church: that overcoming all adversity and error she may serve Thee in security and freedom.''

We are certainly beset with adversity and error all around these days. Let us take comfort in the knowledge that Christ has suffered all of this in His Sacred Passion, and that He is truly Present in the Most Blessed Sacrament for us. It is in Him that will we find our true security and freedom. 

As the Emperor Constantine learned, when he saw the cross of light above the Sun with the words In hoc signo vinces, it is through Christ's Cross that we shall conquer!

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Passiontide Begins - Come to Me in the Sacrament of My Love

Torch of The Faith News on Sunday 13 March 2016 - 16:57:31 | by admin

Psalm 119:165: Much peace have they who love Thy Law.

Keeping Christ at the Centre

One of the most remarkable aspects of the last few years is the amount of energy that has been spent focusing on - and arguing about - those who cannot receive Holy Communion. This must have pleased the Devil no end. The true focus should surely have been, as it ever was, on who can receive Holy Communion. And that pretty much boils down to: any baptized Catholic; who has the faith; has sufficient use of their reason to understand that it is Christ being received; is living in the State of Grace; and has fasted for one hour beforehand.

With such clear and basic rules every single person can easily ascertain what they need to be doing, or indeed not doing, to be in a position to receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion. To play down these rules is to prefer sin to Our Lord Jesus Christ - and to encourage others to do the same. It is as straightforward and as ugly as that.

The Priority of Grace

Further than that though, before any notions of what we need to be doing, or not doing, is the fact that Holy Communion is an unfathomable gift which is made possible by the grace of God alone. Holy Communion is not something that we can earn; much less demand. The authentic Catholic life is always a response to a free gift of God's love and grace. The above mentioned rules are not mechanical things that we do in order to make God love us, or to make ourselves worthy; rather they are the ways that God makes us able and open to receive His love and worthiness. 

To grasp this, it can be helpful to us to think more deeply and more often about that concept of the State of Grace. Too often as Catholics we have become accustomed to think of this in a somewhat self-focused sense. Often we think that by going to Confession, we are the ones putting things right with God by our efforts. Although this is true in a certain sense - as we must put in our efforts! - we need to always think primarily in terms of God's grace preceding, accompanying, pursuing and leading us.

It is God Who calls us to repentance; and it is He Who makes that repentance possible and fruitful. Our primary focus should always be on Christ, what He is doing to save us and what we need to do to be saved in light of His love, grace and mercy. It is always primarily about Him. We are always the junior partner, as it were!

To illustrate what I am trying to say, I call to mind old Fr. Pat Walsh, God rest his soul, at the Blessed Sacrament Shrine in Liverpool, reassuring me through the curtain in the Confessional: ''Ah, sure, the very fact that your kneelin' there right now shows that God's grace is leadin' you... You didn't just come there on your own. He is the one who brought you here.''

There is a great quote from the Acts of the trial of St. Joan of Arc, which relates to the gift of the State of Grace: ''May it please God to put me in it; if I am already, may it please Him to keep me there.'' This is something we could all benefit from praying often. To be in the State of Grace is at once a free and unmerited gift, something we need to enter into through sincere Confession and conversion of life, and something essential for salvation that we need to call others into. As we have said at least once before: No good priest ever told anyone to put off their conversion.

The Grace of Passiontide

The Traditional Calendar today gives us Passion Sunday: an important celebration that helps to refocus us on Christ and what He did and does in His Passion for us. As we enter Passiontide, the statues and crosses are traditionally veiled in order to help us to concentrate on Jesus and the events leading to His trial and death. They are not veiled to block us out, but to help us to enter into the sacred mysteries of this holy season.

Some readers might find the following reflection helpful in keeping the focus on Our Blessed Lord and His immense love for us as we enter into Passiontide. It is taken from In Sinu Jesu, The Journal of a Priest; and was found at the marvellous Vultus Christi blog of the monks at Silverstream Priory in Co. Meath, Ireland. If you are looking for Christ's peace in these trying days, it is well worth visiting the good monks' website every day. May this reflection help each of us to prefer Jesus Christ to all our old sins; and to get rid of them this Easter in Confession and conversion of life. When God loves us as much as this, no-one is excluded from returning to Him with a truly repentant heart.

Nothing of My Passion has passed away

There is not a single moment of My sufferings that is not present in this the Sacrament of My love for you. Here you will find Me in every detail of My Passion, for nothing of My Passion has passed away. All remains actual and efficacious in the mysteries of My Body and Blood given up for you.

If you would be with Me in My sufferings, come to Me in the Sacrament of My Love. If you would keep watch with Me in Gethsemani, come to My altar and abide there with Me.

If you would accompany Me in My imprisonment, in My trial, in My condemnation, and in My being mocked, scourged, and crowned with thorns, seek Me out in this Sacrament where I wait for a little compassion from those who profess to be My friends.

I am still carrying My cross, and the weight of your sins falls heavy on my shoulder, and crushes me even to the ground. None of this is over and forgotten; it remains present in the Sacrament of My Passion, in the Mystery of My Sacrifice made present on the altar and remaining wherever I am: the Pure Victim, the Holy Victim, the Spotless Victim, Whom you contemplate in the Sacred Host.

Here I am present, crucified, with My Wounds pouring out blood, and My prayer to the Father piercing the Heavens. Here I am present in the very moment of My death wherein all is consumated. Here I am present with My open side, from which flow out blood and water to purify souls, heal them, and restore them to life.

Would that My friends knew this: that all of My Passion is contained in the Most Holy Sacrament, not as something lost to a past that can never be recovered, but as My perfect and all-sufficient oblation to the Father, renewed here and now in every detail, although sacramentally, and without a new shedding of blood.

This all my saints understood: the presence of My Passion in this Sacrament, and this Sacrament as the memorial of My Passion. This the Holy Spirit teaches even to the little and to the poor who open their hearts to My mysteries made present at the altar. This is the great reality that, today, so many have forgotten.

For this reason do I ask you to come to Me here in the Sacrament where I wait for you, and to offer me the consolation in My sufferings that only you can give Me, and for which I have waited so long.

We pray that all of our readers will have a blessed Passion Sunday and enter into the remaining two weeks of Lent in a renewed spirit of conversion of heart to Christ.

May we console Him in His Passion for us!

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Ite ad Joseph! - Go to Joseph!

Torch of The Faith News on Friday 11 March 2016 - 18:21:18 | by admin

Remember that the St. Joseph Novena begins today and runs through until his feast day on the 19th March.

Whilst there are various versions available, we have found the one at EWTN's website to be helpful in recent years.

There is a splendid quote about St. Joseph in part VI of St. Teresa of Avila's Autobiography. It reads:-

''Would that I could persuade all to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honoured him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good... I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself - then he will find out from experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him.''

St. Joseph, Protector of the Universal Church - Pray for us!

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