From www.bbc.co.uk
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has said he is deeply sorry and ashamed about the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests.
Cardinal Sean Brady also apologised for the way the Church covered up the abuse, which happened in Dublin.
He spoke after an Irish government report revealed abuse over decades, a systematic cover-up by the Church, and a lack of action by the Irish police.
The Church put its own reputation ahead of the welfare of children, it found.
The Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin covered a period from 1975 to 2004.
No-one is above the law in this country
Some offending priests were shifted from parish to parish, leaving them free to abuse again.
Cardinal Brady apologised to the victims and their families.
"I am deeply sorry and I am ashamed," he said.
The report also said that state authorities facilitated the cover-up by allowing the Church to operate outside the law.
Cardinal Brady extended his apology to all the people of Ireland for the lack of action by the Church.
"No-one is above the law in this country.
"Every Catholic should comply fully with their obligations to the civil law and co-operate with the Gardai in the reporting and investigation of any crime."
He said children's welfare was now a priority for the Church.
The Irish government also immediately apologised.
Victim Marie Collins: "This is the end of a very long road"
"Whatever the historical and societal reasons for this, the government... apologises, without reservation or equivocation, for failures by the agencies of the state in dealing with this issue," a government statement said.
The report investigated how Church and state authorities handled allegations of child abuse against 46 priests made by 320 children. Eleven priests were convicted of sexual assaults on children.
Irish Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern vowed to bring those who had carried out the abuse to justice, regardless of the amount of time that had passed.
Cardinal Brady's words were echoed by the current Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, who said he offered "to each and every survivor, my apology, my sorrow and my shame for what happened to them".
The report found that four archbishops - John Charles McQuaid who died in 1973, Dermot Ryan who died in 1984, Kevin McNamara who died in 1987, and retired Cardinal Desmond Connell - did not hand over information on abusers.
The report states that senior members of the police regarded priests as being outside their remit and it claims some police officers reported abuse complaints to Church authorities instead of carrying out their own investigation.
The commissioner of the Irish police, Fachtna Murphy, apologised for the police failure to protect victims.
The Commission said all complaints of clerical child sexual abuse are now reported to police.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Abuse 'covered up' by Dublin Archdiocese
From www.rte.ie/news
Thursday, 26 November 2009 17:20
The report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin has said it has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese and other church authorities.
The report accuses gardaí of connivance with the Church in effectively stifling one complaint, and allowing the perpetrator to leave the country.
The three-volume report, covering a period of abuse from the period 1975 to 2004, was published this afternoon by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
The Commission of Investigation cost a total of €3.6m up to April of this year.
The report rubbishes the view put forward by the church that the abuse was hidden from view and somehow took church authorities by surprise.
It states that the vast majority of priests turned a blind eye to abuse although some did bring complaints to their superiors.
In June and July of 2009, just as it was finalising its work, the Commission became aware of additional information which it states may require further investigation and if necessary the preparation of a final report.
The report states that the Commission has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese of Dublin and other church authorities.
It states that the structures and rules of the church facilitated that cover-up. It also says that State authorities facilitated the cover up by allowing the church to be beyond the reach of the law.
It claims that the welfare of children, which should have been the first priority, was not even a factor considered in the early days by State and church authorities.
The preservation of the good name, status and assets of church institutions was the first priority, according to the report, which states that priests were seen as the most important members of the institution.
The Commission says that it has identified 320 people who complained of child sexual abuse during the period 1975-2004.
It also states that since May 2004 130 complaints against priests operating in the Dublin Arch Diocese have been made.
The report details the cases of 46 priests guilty of abuse, as a representative sample of 102 priests within its remit.
The report strongly criticises gardaí. It states that senior members of the force regarded priests as being outside their remit and it claims there are examples of gardaí reporting abuse complaints to the Diocese rather than investigating them.
It states that in the 1960s, then Garda Commissioner Costigan's decision to hand one case to Archbishop McQuaid was inappropriate. It also states that the relationship between some senior gardaí and some priests and Bishops was inappropriate.
The report says it can find no direct evidence of a paedophile ring existing among priests in the Dublin Archdiocese although it says there were some worrying connections.
The report highlights the case of a Fr Carney and Fr McCarthy whom it claims in one case both abused the same child.
The abuse by Fr Carney often occurred at swimming pools sometimes when accompanied by another priest.
The report states that it was not until 1995 that the Archdiocese began to notify the civil authorities of complaints of clerical abuse.
The Commission concludes that in light of this and other facts every bishop's primary loyalty was to the church itself.
All the Archbishops of the Diocese in the period covered by the Commission were aware of some complaints, according to the report.
The move by the Archdiocese to take out insurance against potential compensation claims arising out of clerical abuse was according to the report an act of proving knowledge of child sexual abuse as a potential major cost to the Archdiocese.
The report running to hundreds of pages details particular priests and the litany of abuse perpetrated by them.
The HSE National Counselling Service has collaborated with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, the Church-funded Faoiseamh service, One-in-Four, Connect and the Samaritans to ensure that every caller affected by today's publication will be offered the service they feel is right for them.
Thursday, 26 November 2009 17:20
The report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin has said it has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese and other church authorities.
The report accuses gardaí of connivance with the Church in effectively stifling one complaint, and allowing the perpetrator to leave the country.
The three-volume report, covering a period of abuse from the period 1975 to 2004, was published this afternoon by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
The Commission of Investigation cost a total of €3.6m up to April of this year.
The report rubbishes the view put forward by the church that the abuse was hidden from view and somehow took church authorities by surprise.
It states that the vast majority of priests turned a blind eye to abuse although some did bring complaints to their superiors.
In June and July of 2009, just as it was finalising its work, the Commission became aware of additional information which it states may require further investigation and if necessary the preparation of a final report.
The report states that the Commission has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese of Dublin and other church authorities.
It states that the structures and rules of the church facilitated that cover-up. It also says that State authorities facilitated the cover up by allowing the church to be beyond the reach of the law.
It claims that the welfare of children, which should have been the first priority, was not even a factor considered in the early days by State and church authorities.
The preservation of the good name, status and assets of church institutions was the first priority, according to the report, which states that priests were seen as the most important members of the institution.
The Commission says that it has identified 320 people who complained of child sexual abuse during the period 1975-2004.
It also states that since May 2004 130 complaints against priests operating in the Dublin Arch Diocese have been made.
The report details the cases of 46 priests guilty of abuse, as a representative sample of 102 priests within its remit.
The report strongly criticises gardaí. It states that senior members of the force regarded priests as being outside their remit and it claims there are examples of gardaí reporting abuse complaints to the Diocese rather than investigating them.
It states that in the 1960s, then Garda Commissioner Costigan's decision to hand one case to Archbishop McQuaid was inappropriate. It also states that the relationship between some senior gardaí and some priests and Bishops was inappropriate.
The report says it can find no direct evidence of a paedophile ring existing among priests in the Dublin Archdiocese although it says there were some worrying connections.
The report highlights the case of a Fr Carney and Fr McCarthy whom it claims in one case both abused the same child.
The abuse by Fr Carney often occurred at swimming pools sometimes when accompanied by another priest.
The report states that it was not until 1995 that the Archdiocese began to notify the civil authorities of complaints of clerical abuse.
The Commission concludes that in light of this and other facts every bishop's primary loyalty was to the church itself.
All the Archbishops of the Diocese in the period covered by the Commission were aware of some complaints, according to the report.
The move by the Archdiocese to take out insurance against potential compensation claims arising out of clerical abuse was according to the report an act of proving knowledge of child sexual abuse as a potential major cost to the Archdiocese.
The report running to hundreds of pages details particular priests and the litany of abuse perpetrated by them.
The HSE National Counselling Service has collaborated with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, the Church-funded Faoiseamh service, One-in-Four, Connect and the Samaritans to ensure that every caller affected by today's publication will be offered the service they feel is right for them.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
New EU President elected
By John-Henry Westen
BRUSSELS, November 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)
After his secret election as the new President of the European Union, many are trying to figure out just where on the political and ideological spectrum Herman Van Rompuy, the little-known prime minister of Belgium, falls.
Van Rompuy is to step down as prime minister so he can take up his new post on January 1, 2010.
While Van Rompuy is rumored to be a devout Catholic, his recent talk of "global management of the planet" has caused some concern in conservative circles. Speaking at his first press conference after his election as President of the European Union, Van Rompuy said: "2009 is also the first year of global governance with the establishment of the G20 in the middle of a financial crisis. The climate conference in Copenhagen is another step toward the global management of our planet."
At the same time, Van Rompuy has a history of support for Christian values and Europe's Christian identity that, for some, soothes concern. In 2004 Van Rompuy spoke out against Turkey's entrance into the EU, saying: "An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past. The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are also fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigor with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey," he said.
Van Rompuy's history as a devout Christian who has even written books on the defense of the right to life, could easily lead to great hopes for the future of the EU. However, Paul Belien, editor of the pro-life and pro-family Brussels Journal who knows the new EU President personally begs to differ. Belien warns that "Herman is like Saruman, the wise wizard in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, who went over to the other side. He used to care about the things we cared about. But no longer. He has built himself a high tower from where he rules over all of us."
Belien, who met and conversed with Van Rompuy several times in the 1980s, described the EU leader prior to his going over to "the dark side" this way: "Van Rompuy, a conservative Catholic, born in 1947, was active in the youth section of the Flemish Christian-Democrat Party. He wrote books and articles about the importance of traditional values, the role of religion, the protection of the unborn life, the Christian roots of Europe and the need to preserve them."
By 1988, however, Van Rompuy was Leader of the governing Christian Democrats. And in 1990 the Belgian Parliament voted in a very liberal abortion bill. Belien relates that at the time Belgian King Baudouin resigned rather than sign the bill, but was reinstated later by Parliament.
As Belien describes it: "In April 1990, the King did in fact abdicate over the abortion issue, and the Christian-Democrat Party, led by Herman Van Rompuy, who had always prided himself on being a good Catholic, had one of Europe's most liberal abortion bills signed by the college of ministers, a procedure provided by the Belgian Constitution for situations when there is no King. Then they had the King voted back on the throne the following day."
Belien's revelations of the King's brief abdication over the abortion vote were published in the Wall Street Journal, and he was fired from the Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen under pressure from the government, which was attempting to keep the matter secret.
Belien describes many other political shenanigans engaged in by Van Rompuy after he became the Prime Minister of Belgium. But perhaps the most telling observation left by Belien is that Von Rompuy, "kept publishing intellectual and intelligent books, but instead of defending the concept of the good, he now defended the concept of 'the lesser evil.'"
BRUSSELS, November 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)
After his secret election as the new President of the European Union, many are trying to figure out just where on the political and ideological spectrum Herman Van Rompuy, the little-known prime minister of Belgium, falls.
Van Rompuy is to step down as prime minister so he can take up his new post on January 1, 2010.
While Van Rompuy is rumored to be a devout Catholic, his recent talk of "global management of the planet" has caused some concern in conservative circles. Speaking at his first press conference after his election as President of the European Union, Van Rompuy said: "2009 is also the first year of global governance with the establishment of the G20 in the middle of a financial crisis. The climate conference in Copenhagen is another step toward the global management of our planet."
At the same time, Van Rompuy has a history of support for Christian values and Europe's Christian identity that, for some, soothes concern. In 2004 Van Rompuy spoke out against Turkey's entrance into the EU, saying: "An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past. The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are also fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigor with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey," he said.
Van Rompuy's history as a devout Christian who has even written books on the defense of the right to life, could easily lead to great hopes for the future of the EU. However, Paul Belien, editor of the pro-life and pro-family Brussels Journal who knows the new EU President personally begs to differ. Belien warns that "Herman is like Saruman, the wise wizard in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, who went over to the other side. He used to care about the things we cared about. But no longer. He has built himself a high tower from where he rules over all of us."
Belien, who met and conversed with Van Rompuy several times in the 1980s, described the EU leader prior to his going over to "the dark side" this way: "Van Rompuy, a conservative Catholic, born in 1947, was active in the youth section of the Flemish Christian-Democrat Party. He wrote books and articles about the importance of traditional values, the role of religion, the protection of the unborn life, the Christian roots of Europe and the need to preserve them."
By 1988, however, Van Rompuy was Leader of the governing Christian Democrats. And in 1990 the Belgian Parliament voted in a very liberal abortion bill. Belien relates that at the time Belgian King Baudouin resigned rather than sign the bill, but was reinstated later by Parliament.
As Belien describes it: "In April 1990, the King did in fact abdicate over the abortion issue, and the Christian-Democrat Party, led by Herman Van Rompuy, who had always prided himself on being a good Catholic, had one of Europe's most liberal abortion bills signed by the college of ministers, a procedure provided by the Belgian Constitution for situations when there is no King. Then they had the King voted back on the throne the following day."
Belien's revelations of the King's brief abdication over the abortion vote were published in the Wall Street Journal, and he was fired from the Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen under pressure from the government, which was attempting to keep the matter secret.
Belien describes many other political shenanigans engaged in by Van Rompuy after he became the Prime Minister of Belgium. But perhaps the most telling observation left by Belien is that Von Rompuy, "kept publishing intellectual and intelligent books, but instead of defending the concept of the good, he now defended the concept of 'the lesser evil.'"
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Did Pope John Paul II self-flagellate?
From www.telegraph.co.uk
By Nick Pisa in Perugia
Published: 6:00AM GMT 23 Nov 2009
The Pope, who died five years ago, is being considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church.
As part of the Vatican's investigation thousands of documents have been collected and examined by officials from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Among them is the testimony of Tobiana Sobodka, a Polish nun of the Sacred Heart of Jesus order, who worked for Pope John Paul in his private Vatican apartments and at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.
Sister Sobodka said: "Several times he (Pope John Paul) would put himself through bodily penance.
"We would hear it – we were in the next room at Castel Gandolfo. You could hear the sound of the blows when he flagellate himself. He did it when he was still capable of moving on his own."
The flagellation is also confirmed by another bishop who has given testimony. Emery Kabongo was a secretary for Pope John Paul.
"He would punish himself and in particular just before he ordained bishops and priests," he said.
"I never actually saw it myself but several people told me about it."
Self flagellation is sometimes used by devoted Catholics as it reminds them of the whipping endured by Christ at the hands of the Romans before he was crucified.
It is still common in the Philippines and Latin America, some members of strict monastic orders and some members of the lay organisation Opus Dei – who feature in the Dan Brown blockbuster The Da Vinci Code.
In the film – which was condemned by the Vatican – murderous Albino monk Silas, who is a member of Opus Dei is seen in a brutal scene whipping his back and drawing blood as he prays on his knees.
A Vatican spokesman said: "The investigation and documentation is still secret and as such we can make no comment on it until the final report is published.
"I know that the nun in question has returned to Poland and she would have spoken with the Congregation as she was with an order that worked in the apartments of Pope John Paul."
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has been investigating the case for Pope John Paul since he died and has approved the late pope's "heroic virtues" and the paperwork has been sent to his German successor.
The late Polish pope's beatification is expected to take place sometime next year, perhaps in April, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of his death or in October to coincide with his election in 1978.
By Nick Pisa in Perugia
Published: 6:00AM GMT 23 Nov 2009
The Pope, who died five years ago, is being considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church.
As part of the Vatican's investigation thousands of documents have been collected and examined by officials from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
Among them is the testimony of Tobiana Sobodka, a Polish nun of the Sacred Heart of Jesus order, who worked for Pope John Paul in his private Vatican apartments and at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.
Sister Sobodka said: "Several times he (Pope John Paul) would put himself through bodily penance.
"We would hear it – we were in the next room at Castel Gandolfo. You could hear the sound of the blows when he flagellate himself. He did it when he was still capable of moving on his own."
The flagellation is also confirmed by another bishop who has given testimony. Emery Kabongo was a secretary for Pope John Paul.
"He would punish himself and in particular just before he ordained bishops and priests," he said.
"I never actually saw it myself but several people told me about it."
Self flagellation is sometimes used by devoted Catholics as it reminds them of the whipping endured by Christ at the hands of the Romans before he was crucified.
It is still common in the Philippines and Latin America, some members of strict monastic orders and some members of the lay organisation Opus Dei – who feature in the Dan Brown blockbuster The Da Vinci Code.
In the film – which was condemned by the Vatican – murderous Albino monk Silas, who is a member of Opus Dei is seen in a brutal scene whipping his back and drawing blood as he prays on his knees.
A Vatican spokesman said: "The investigation and documentation is still secret and as such we can make no comment on it until the final report is published.
"I know that the nun in question has returned to Poland and she would have spoken with the Congregation as she was with an order that worked in the apartments of Pope John Paul."
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has been investigating the case for Pope John Paul since he died and has approved the late pope's "heroic virtues" and the paperwork has been sent to his German successor.
The late Polish pope's beatification is expected to take place sometime next year, perhaps in April, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of his death or in October to coincide with his election in 1978.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Litany for the Holy Souls
O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:
My dear parents and grandparents, My Jesus Mercy
My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, My Jesus Mercy
My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation, My Jesus Mercy
My spiritual and temporal benefactors, etc.
My friends and neighbors,
All for whom love or duty bids me pray,
Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,
Those whose release is near at hand,
Those who desire most to be united to Thee,
Those who endure the greatest sufferings,
Those whose release is most remote,
Those who are least remembered
Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,
The rich, who are now the most destitute,
The mighty, who are now powerless,
The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly
The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,
The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,
The tepid who devoted little time to prayer,
The indolent who neglected to perform good works,
Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,
The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,
Parents who failed to watch over their children,
Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,
Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,
The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God,
Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,
Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,
Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,
The popes, kings, and rulers,
The bishops and their counselors,
My teachers and spiritual advisors,
The priests and religious of the Catholics Church,
The defenders of the Holy Faith,
Those who died on the battlefield,
Those who fought for their country,
Those who were buried in the sea,
Those who died of apoplexy,
Those who died of heart attacks,
Those who suffered and died of cancer,
Those who died suddenly in accidents,
Those who died without the last rites of the Church,
Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,
My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat,
PRAYER
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious.
P. The Lord be with you.
S. And with thy spirit.
May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
My dear parents and grandparents, My Jesus Mercy
My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, My Jesus Mercy
My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation, My Jesus Mercy
My spiritual and temporal benefactors, etc.
My friends and neighbors,
All for whom love or duty bids me pray,
Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,
Those whose release is near at hand,
Those who desire most to be united to Thee,
Those who endure the greatest sufferings,
Those whose release is most remote,
Those who are least remembered
Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,
The rich, who are now the most destitute,
The mighty, who are now powerless,
The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly
The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,
The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,
The tepid who devoted little time to prayer,
The indolent who neglected to perform good works,
Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,
The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,
Parents who failed to watch over their children,
Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,
Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,
The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God,
Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,
Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,
Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,
The popes, kings, and rulers,
The bishops and their counselors,
My teachers and spiritual advisors,
The priests and religious of the Catholics Church,
The defenders of the Holy Faith,
Those who died on the battlefield,
Those who fought for their country,
Those who were buried in the sea,
Those who died of apoplexy,
Those who died of heart attacks,
Those who suffered and died of cancer,
Those who died suddenly in accidents,
Those who died without the last rites of the Church,
Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,
My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat,
PRAYER
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious.
P. The Lord be with you.
S. And with thy spirit.
May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Why Catholic churches are like shabby department stores
From http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100012986/why-catholic-churches-are-like-shabby-department-stores/
By Damian Thompson
Here’s an article I’ve written in the latest Catholic Herald, about the Church’s desperate need to move away from a culture of mediocrity and “making do”:
Recently I attended a Catholic service in a church, and a diocese, which shall remain nameless. This is not because there is anything scandalous to report, but because I’m about to compare it to a 1970s department store and I don’t want the priest to cancel The Catholic Herald.
The church was (I would guess) Victorian Romanesque, or maybe neo-Gothic – the truth is that it was so nondescript that it didn’t leave much impression. It was very much the sort of church thrown up in large numbers at the end of the 19th century, and I imagine that in its heyday it was bustling, happy and sentimental.
Then, after Vatican II, its interior was modernised. But we’re not talking savage reordering here: just the usual wall-to-wall carpeting of the sanctuary, removal of the altar rails and – unforgivably, not least because it makes a nonsense of the high altar – the removal of the tabernacle to… somewhere. I didn’t even notice; just that it was missing from its place of honour, installing an emptiness at the centre of things.
Sometimes you walk into a modern Catholic church and think: this is really just a community centre with icons. But the sacred purpose of this particular church was still plainly obvious; it was just that neglect and botched repair jobs had somehow sucked the sacredness out of it.
The analogy that came to mind was with a family-owned department store, perhaps in a seaside town, that had been a byword for character, twinkling service and low prices for decades. But then, in the 1970s, younger customers deserted it for chain stores, so someone gave the shop a makeover in brown and cream formica panelling complete with snazzy logo. And the regular customers said: “Ooh, it’s a bit trendy for my tastes, not the same, I can’t get used to it” – but they did get used to it, because the staff were the same and nowhere else sold that colour of stockings that Mum liked.
And now the shop is really struggling, because Mum passed away years ago, and the old faces have long gone and they still haven’t got round to replacing the brown and cream formica and they never will because everyone knows that when the last family member retires it will be House of Fraser or whatever.
You get the idea. This parish church was modernised so long ago that (I’m guessing) very few parishioners can remember the priest who oversaw the changes. Many of them are probably unaware that the tabernacle has been moved – and that includes members of the team of “eucharistic ministers” (as they’re not supposed to be called any more) who, judging by the rota pinned on the noticeboard, make up an extraordinarily high proportion of the active congregation.
It was the same story in the sacristy. The priest was wearing a double-breasted polyester alb whose top half resembled a chef’s outfit. I didn’t know such a thing existed. The door of the wardrobe was open, revealing a jumble of highly coloured cheap chasubles (also polyester) that could have been mistaken for the women’s clothing rack in an Oxfam shop.
Now, I know this sounds like sneering, and missing the point: the Apostles did not worry about the cut of their fisherman’s clothes, and the Gospel is not about externals: there are churches, especially in the Anglo-Catholic wing of the C of E, where fussing about the embroidery of a chasuble or the choreography of censing the acolytes takes precedence over visiting the sick. (Though, to be fair, some of the most ritualistic parishes are also the most pastorally diligent.)
I’m not saying that the alternative to the shabbiness of this church is to turn it into a mini-Oratory. Nor do I want to suggest that the priest and ministers of Holy Communion in this community are not faithful Catholics, any more than I would accuse the staff of the department store of shirking their responsibilities.
But what the parish priest and his bishop need to understand is that these things matter: from the collage of outdated posters at the west end of the church to the badly repainted apse at the east, every single item of church art or furniture gives the impression of “making do”. The message: this is just another church.
Visitors to Catholic churches before the Second Vatican Council used to comment on how strange they found the experience. Their reactions weren’t necessarily positive and one can understand why the late 20th-century Church wanted to stop creeping people out, as the Americans say. But at least Protestants knew they were entering the sacred space of a religion with the self-confidence to welcome visitors on its own terms, to confront them with a culture nourished by the blood of martyrs and ambitious in the demands it made on the faithful. To experience that feeling now, you would have to visit a mosque. (Incidentally, it seems that Catholic schoolchildren do have to visit mosques these days – but that’s another story.) In contrast, a bored visitor sticking his head into this church wouldn’t instantly know that it was Catholic, so afraid is it of giving offence. That’s pretty shaming; for, however rudimentary the chapels in which our forefathers worshipped, one thing was never in doubt, and that was their communion with Rome.
The culture of mediocrity, of making do, that has pervaded the Catholic Church in England and Wales extends beyond what happens in the sanctuary. Therefore putting things right is a wider project than the more solemn celebration of Mass, which the coming English translation will help to effect, along with the increasing conservatism of new priests. We need to move back to what the Church used to offer – and, significantly, the commercial world is increasingly able to provide to meet rising consumer expectations: a total experience drawing on the highest standards of professionalism in art, architecture and music.
Perfectionism; attention to small details; impatience with the second-rate – these are what we must demand of our pastors and what, in a Church run by Archbishop Nichols and soon-to-be Archbishop Longley, there is now a faint chance of achieving, particularly with a papal visit in the offing. That means no more excuses, no more amiable making do – and definitely no more polyester.
By Damian Thompson
Here’s an article I’ve written in the latest Catholic Herald, about the Church’s desperate need to move away from a culture of mediocrity and “making do”:
Recently I attended a Catholic service in a church, and a diocese, which shall remain nameless. This is not because there is anything scandalous to report, but because I’m about to compare it to a 1970s department store and I don’t want the priest to cancel The Catholic Herald.
The church was (I would guess) Victorian Romanesque, or maybe neo-Gothic – the truth is that it was so nondescript that it didn’t leave much impression. It was very much the sort of church thrown up in large numbers at the end of the 19th century, and I imagine that in its heyday it was bustling, happy and sentimental.
Then, after Vatican II, its interior was modernised. But we’re not talking savage reordering here: just the usual wall-to-wall carpeting of the sanctuary, removal of the altar rails and – unforgivably, not least because it makes a nonsense of the high altar – the removal of the tabernacle to… somewhere. I didn’t even notice; just that it was missing from its place of honour, installing an emptiness at the centre of things.
Sometimes you walk into a modern Catholic church and think: this is really just a community centre with icons. But the sacred purpose of this particular church was still plainly obvious; it was just that neglect and botched repair jobs had somehow sucked the sacredness out of it.
The analogy that came to mind was with a family-owned department store, perhaps in a seaside town, that had been a byword for character, twinkling service and low prices for decades. But then, in the 1970s, younger customers deserted it for chain stores, so someone gave the shop a makeover in brown and cream formica panelling complete with snazzy logo. And the regular customers said: “Ooh, it’s a bit trendy for my tastes, not the same, I can’t get used to it” – but they did get used to it, because the staff were the same and nowhere else sold that colour of stockings that Mum liked.
And now the shop is really struggling, because Mum passed away years ago, and the old faces have long gone and they still haven’t got round to replacing the brown and cream formica and they never will because everyone knows that when the last family member retires it will be House of Fraser or whatever.
You get the idea. This parish church was modernised so long ago that (I’m guessing) very few parishioners can remember the priest who oversaw the changes. Many of them are probably unaware that the tabernacle has been moved – and that includes members of the team of “eucharistic ministers” (as they’re not supposed to be called any more) who, judging by the rota pinned on the noticeboard, make up an extraordinarily high proportion of the active congregation.
It was the same story in the sacristy. The priest was wearing a double-breasted polyester alb whose top half resembled a chef’s outfit. I didn’t know such a thing existed. The door of the wardrobe was open, revealing a jumble of highly coloured cheap chasubles (also polyester) that could have been mistaken for the women’s clothing rack in an Oxfam shop.
Now, I know this sounds like sneering, and missing the point: the Apostles did not worry about the cut of their fisherman’s clothes, and the Gospel is not about externals: there are churches, especially in the Anglo-Catholic wing of the C of E, where fussing about the embroidery of a chasuble or the choreography of censing the acolytes takes precedence over visiting the sick. (Though, to be fair, some of the most ritualistic parishes are also the most pastorally diligent.)
I’m not saying that the alternative to the shabbiness of this church is to turn it into a mini-Oratory. Nor do I want to suggest that the priest and ministers of Holy Communion in this community are not faithful Catholics, any more than I would accuse the staff of the department store of shirking their responsibilities.
But what the parish priest and his bishop need to understand is that these things matter: from the collage of outdated posters at the west end of the church to the badly repainted apse at the east, every single item of church art or furniture gives the impression of “making do”. The message: this is just another church.
Visitors to Catholic churches before the Second Vatican Council used to comment on how strange they found the experience. Their reactions weren’t necessarily positive and one can understand why the late 20th-century Church wanted to stop creeping people out, as the Americans say. But at least Protestants knew they were entering the sacred space of a religion with the self-confidence to welcome visitors on its own terms, to confront them with a culture nourished by the blood of martyrs and ambitious in the demands it made on the faithful. To experience that feeling now, you would have to visit a mosque. (Incidentally, it seems that Catholic schoolchildren do have to visit mosques these days – but that’s another story.) In contrast, a bored visitor sticking his head into this church wouldn’t instantly know that it was Catholic, so afraid is it of giving offence. That’s pretty shaming; for, however rudimentary the chapels in which our forefathers worshipped, one thing was never in doubt, and that was their communion with Rome.
The culture of mediocrity, of making do, that has pervaded the Catholic Church in England and Wales extends beyond what happens in the sanctuary. Therefore putting things right is a wider project than the more solemn celebration of Mass, which the coming English translation will help to effect, along with the increasing conservatism of new priests. We need to move back to what the Church used to offer – and, significantly, the commercial world is increasingly able to provide to meet rising consumer expectations: a total experience drawing on the highest standards of professionalism in art, architecture and music.
Perfectionism; attention to small details; impatience with the second-rate – these are what we must demand of our pastors and what, in a Church run by Archbishop Nichols and soon-to-be Archbishop Longley, there is now a faint chance of achieving, particularly with a papal visit in the offing. That means no more excuses, no more amiable making do – and definitely no more polyester.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Our Sad Times: Irish Bishop questions ban on women priests
From http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eymheycwcwoj/rss2/
14/11/2009
Bishop of Killaloe Willie Walsh has questioned the right of women to be ordained - challenging the papal ban.
Bishop Walsh - who'll celebrate 50 years as a bishop this year - expressed sadness at the Church's exclusion of homosexuals and divorcees.
He also challenged a lesser Vatican rule which refuses the Eucharist to Protestants.
Bishop Walsh was addressing the Association of European Journalists in Dublin last night where he said Ireland's Catholic bishops 'owe a debt of gratitude to journalists for investigating and exposing' the abuse scandals highlighted in the Ryan report.
14/11/2009
Bishop of Killaloe Willie Walsh has questioned the right of women to be ordained - challenging the papal ban.
Bishop Walsh - who'll celebrate 50 years as a bishop this year - expressed sadness at the Church's exclusion of homosexuals and divorcees.
He also challenged a lesser Vatican rule which refuses the Eucharist to Protestants.
Bishop Walsh was addressing the Association of European Journalists in Dublin last night where he said Ireland's Catholic bishops 'owe a debt of gratitude to journalists for investigating and exposing' the abuse scandals highlighted in the Ryan report.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Prophecy of St Edward the Confessor
From Prophecy in the Catholic Encyclopedia on www.newadvent.org
"Ambrose Lisle Philipps in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury dated 28 October, 1850, in giving a sketch of English Catholic history, relates the following vision or prophecy made by St. Edward: "During the month of January, 1066, the holy King of England St. Edward the Confessor was confined to his bed by his last illness in his royal Westminster Palace. St. Ælred, Abbott of Rievaulx, in Yorkshire, relates that a short time before his happy death, this holy king was wrapt in ecstasy, when two pious Benedictine monks of Normandy, whom he had known in his youth, during his exile in that country, appeared to him, and revealed to him what was to happen to England in future centuries, and the cause of the terrible punishment. They said: 'The extreme corruption and wickedness of the English nation has provoked the just anger of God. When malice shall have reached the fullness of its measure, God will, in His wrath, send to the English people wicked spirits, who will punish and afflict them with great severity, by separating the green tree from its parent stem the length of three furlongs. But at last this same tree, through the compassionate mercy of God, and without any national (governmental) assistance, shall return to its original root, reflourish and bear abundant fruit.' After having heard these prophetic words, the saintly King Edward opened his eyes, returned to his senses, and the vision vanished. He immediately related all he had seen and heard to his virgin spouse, Edgitha, to Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and to Harold, his successor to the throne, who were in his chamber praying around his bed." (See "Vita beati Edwardi regis et confessoris", from manuscript Selden 55 in Bodleian Library, Oxford.)
The interpretation given to this prophecy is remarkable when applied to the events which have happened. The spirits mentioned in it were the Protestant innovators who pretended, in the sixteenth century, to reform the Catholic Church in England. The severance of the green tree from its trunk signifies the separation of the English Church from the root of the Catholic Church, from the Roman See. This tree, however, was to be separated from its life-giving root the distance of "three furlongs". These three furlongs are understood to signify three centuries, at the end of which England would again be reunited to the Catholic Church, and bring forth flowers of virtue and fruits of sanctity. The prophecy was quoted by Ambrose Lisle Philipps on the occasion of the reestablishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England by Pope Pius IX in 1850. "
"Ambrose Lisle Philipps in a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury dated 28 October, 1850, in giving a sketch of English Catholic history, relates the following vision or prophecy made by St. Edward: "During the month of January, 1066, the holy King of England St. Edward the Confessor was confined to his bed by his last illness in his royal Westminster Palace. St. Ælred, Abbott of Rievaulx, in Yorkshire, relates that a short time before his happy death, this holy king was wrapt in ecstasy, when two pious Benedictine monks of Normandy, whom he had known in his youth, during his exile in that country, appeared to him, and revealed to him what was to happen to England in future centuries, and the cause of the terrible punishment. They said: 'The extreme corruption and wickedness of the English nation has provoked the just anger of God. When malice shall have reached the fullness of its measure, God will, in His wrath, send to the English people wicked spirits, who will punish and afflict them with great severity, by separating the green tree from its parent stem the length of three furlongs. But at last this same tree, through the compassionate mercy of God, and without any national (governmental) assistance, shall return to its original root, reflourish and bear abundant fruit.' After having heard these prophetic words, the saintly King Edward opened his eyes, returned to his senses, and the vision vanished. He immediately related all he had seen and heard to his virgin spouse, Edgitha, to Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and to Harold, his successor to the throne, who were in his chamber praying around his bed." (See "Vita beati Edwardi regis et confessoris", from manuscript Selden 55 in Bodleian Library, Oxford.)
The interpretation given to this prophecy is remarkable when applied to the events which have happened. The spirits mentioned in it were the Protestant innovators who pretended, in the sixteenth century, to reform the Catholic Church in England. The severance of the green tree from its trunk signifies the separation of the English Church from the root of the Catholic Church, from the Roman See. This tree, however, was to be separated from its life-giving root the distance of "three furlongs". These three furlongs are understood to signify three centuries, at the end of which England would again be reunited to the Catholic Church, and bring forth flowers of virtue and fruits of sanctity. The prophecy was quoted by Ambrose Lisle Philipps on the occasion of the reestablishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England by Pope Pius IX in 1850. "
Monday, November 9, 2009
Ideas in 2012 Movie is similar to Catholic prophecies
From www.examiner.com
Sony's 2012 movie is coming out in less than a week. Its director, Roland Emmerich mentioned that his movie shows the destruction of Rome, St. Peter's Basilica, and the famous statue representing Catholicism in Rio de Janeiro.
In an interview with the online SciFiWire website, he indicated that the reason was, "Because I am against organized religion."
What he may not have realized is that there are a variety of predictions from Catholic mystics that indicate that Rome and the Vatican will be destroyed.
One is actually by a nun who shared his last name. In the early 1800's Anne Catherine Emmerich claimed to see the following in a vision in which St. Peter's is featured:
Anne Catherine Emmerich: May 13, 1820...I saw again the present Pope and the dark church of his time in Rome...I saw heretics of all kinds flocking to the city. I saw the ever-increasing trepidity of the clergy , the circle of darkness ever widening...Again I saw in vision St. Peter's undermined according to a plan devised by the secret sect whilst, at the same time, it was damaged by storms. (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, 2009, p. 103).
Whether or not Anne Catherine Emmerich's storms are intended to be literal or figurative, she predicts a time of danger for Rome and the Vatican.
Other Catholic mystics had similar visions of the destruction of Rome and the Vatican. Here are two:
Nun Ludmilla of Prague (cir. 1250): Hardly three generations will pass after the world war, when one will also endeavor to prevent the Pope from exercising his sacred office, which will be a sign that the fall of Rome and the end of the world is near (Culleton, Reign of Antichrist, p. 131).
Anna Maria Taigi (died 1837): "described to me the great ordeal ahead. Rome would be battered by revolutions...Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. Then entire nations would return to the unity of the Church, and many Turks, Pagans and Jews would be converted and their fervour cover with confusion the original Christians. In one word she told me that our Lord was intending to cleanse the world and His Church..." (Bessieres A. Wife, Mother and Mystic (Blessed Anna Maria Taigi), p. 166).
So while they do not specify that Rome is destroyed by a flood or fire storms from the heavens (two of the destructive forces shown in Roland Emmerich's film), the idea that Rome ultimately may be destroyed is consistent with even certain Catholic prophecies. And it is interesting to reflect on the fact that Ann Catherine Emmerich did indicate that Rome would be "damaged from storms".
Sony's 2012 movie is coming out in less than a week. Its director, Roland Emmerich mentioned that his movie shows the destruction of Rome, St. Peter's Basilica, and the famous statue representing Catholicism in Rio de Janeiro.
In an interview with the online SciFiWire website, he indicated that the reason was, "Because I am against organized religion."
What he may not have realized is that there are a variety of predictions from Catholic mystics that indicate that Rome and the Vatican will be destroyed.
One is actually by a nun who shared his last name. In the early 1800's Anne Catherine Emmerich claimed to see the following in a vision in which St. Peter's is featured:
Anne Catherine Emmerich: May 13, 1820...I saw again the present Pope and the dark church of his time in Rome...I saw heretics of all kinds flocking to the city. I saw the ever-increasing trepidity of the clergy , the circle of darkness ever widening...Again I saw in vision St. Peter's undermined according to a plan devised by the secret sect whilst, at the same time, it was damaged by storms. (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, 2009, p. 103).
Whether or not Anne Catherine Emmerich's storms are intended to be literal or figurative, she predicts a time of danger for Rome and the Vatican.
Other Catholic mystics had similar visions of the destruction of Rome and the Vatican. Here are two:
Nun Ludmilla of Prague (cir. 1250): Hardly three generations will pass after the world war, when one will also endeavor to prevent the Pope from exercising his sacred office, which will be a sign that the fall of Rome and the end of the world is near (Culleton, Reign of Antichrist, p. 131).
Anna Maria Taigi (died 1837): "described to me the great ordeal ahead. Rome would be battered by revolutions...Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. Then entire nations would return to the unity of the Church, and many Turks, Pagans and Jews would be converted and their fervour cover with confusion the original Christians. In one word she told me that our Lord was intending to cleanse the world and His Church..." (Bessieres A. Wife, Mother and Mystic (Blessed Anna Maria Taigi), p. 166).
So while they do not specify that Rome is destroyed by a flood or fire storms from the heavens (two of the destructive forces shown in Roland Emmerich's film), the idea that Rome ultimately may be destroyed is consistent with even certain Catholic prophecies. And it is interesting to reflect on the fact that Ann Catherine Emmerich did indicate that Rome would be "damaged from storms".
Sunday, November 8, 2009
USA passes health care bill with Stupak-Pitts Amendment
Washington D.C., Nov 8, 2009(Catholic News Agency).
Late Saturday night, the House of Representatives passed the health care bill with a 220-215 vote. The bill includes the Stupak-Pitts Amendment which prohibits tax-payer dollars from funding abortions.
Commenting on the approval of the amendment, NRLC Legislative Director Doug Johnson recalled that the Obama Administration and congressional leaders "spent months concealing and misrepresenting provisions that would directly fund abortions through a government plan, and subsidize premiums for private abortion plans."
He continued: "Today's bipartisan House vote is a sharp blow to the White House's pro-abortion smuggling operation. But we know that the White House and pro-abortion congressional Democratic leaders will keep trying to enact government funding of abortion, and will keep trying to conceal their true intentions, so there is a long battle ahead."
CNN called the approval of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment a big win for pro-life Democrats as well as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Following the amendment’s approval, the House voted on the entire bill.
It passed 220-215. According to FOX News, 219 Democrats and one Republican were in favor; 39 Democrats and 176 Republicans were opposed.
Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA) noted that "Although an amendment passed to bar federal funding of abortion, Democrat leaders refused to guarantee that it will be in the final bill. The vote on the amendment may have been a ruse to gain pro-life Democrats vote for the bill."
"This bill will erode the best health care system in the world. In exchange for insurance, we'll lose access to proper health care. We'll lose health care providers who will leave the profession. CWA will fight to protect Americans from this government orchestrated destruction of America's health care system as it now goes to the Senate."
The bill will now be debated and voted upon in the Senate.
Late Saturday night, the House of Representatives passed the health care bill with a 220-215 vote. The bill includes the Stupak-Pitts Amendment which prohibits tax-payer dollars from funding abortions.
Commenting on the approval of the amendment, NRLC Legislative Director Doug Johnson recalled that the Obama Administration and congressional leaders "spent months concealing and misrepresenting provisions that would directly fund abortions through a government plan, and subsidize premiums for private abortion plans."
He continued: "Today's bipartisan House vote is a sharp blow to the White House's pro-abortion smuggling operation. But we know that the White House and pro-abortion congressional Democratic leaders will keep trying to enact government funding of abortion, and will keep trying to conceal their true intentions, so there is a long battle ahead."
CNN called the approval of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment a big win for pro-life Democrats as well as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Following the amendment’s approval, the House voted on the entire bill.
It passed 220-215. According to FOX News, 219 Democrats and one Republican were in favor; 39 Democrats and 176 Republicans were opposed.
Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America (CWA) noted that "Although an amendment passed to bar federal funding of abortion, Democrat leaders refused to guarantee that it will be in the final bill. The vote on the amendment may have been a ruse to gain pro-life Democrats vote for the bill."
"This bill will erode the best health care system in the world. In exchange for insurance, we'll lose access to proper health care. We'll lose health care providers who will leave the profession. CWA will fight to protect Americans from this government orchestrated destruction of America's health care system as it now goes to the Senate."
The bill will now be debated and voted upon in the Senate.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Italy school crucifixes 'barred'
From www.bbc.co.uk
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy.
It said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child's right to freedom of religion.
The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education.
The Vatican said it was shocked by the ruling, calling it "wrong and myopic" to exclude the crucifix from education.
The ruling has sparked anger in the largely Catholic country, with one politician calling the move "shameful".
The Strasbourg court found that: "The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions."
It also restricted the "right of children to believe or not to believe", the seven judges ruling on the case said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
Mrs Lautsi complained to the European court that her children had to attend a public school in northern Italy that had crucifixes in every room.
She was awarded 5,000 euros ($7,400; £4,500) in damages.
Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi said the European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter, the Associated Press reported.
"It seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe's identity, which was and remains essential."
He told Italian TV: "The crucifix has always been a sign of God's love, unity and hospitality to all humanity.
"It is unpleasant that it is considered a sign of division, exclusion or a restriction of freedom."
Many politicians in Italy have reacted angrily.
Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition", and not a mark of Catholicism.
One government minister called the ruling "shameful", while another said that Europe was forgetting its Christian heritage.
The government says it will appeal against the decision.
The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome says that it is customary in Italy to see crucifixes in public buildings, including schools, despite the constitution saying that there should be a separation of church and state.
The law requiring crucifixes to be hung in schools dates back to the 1920s.
Although a revised accord between the Vatican and the Italian government ended Catholicism's position as the state religion in 1984, the crucifix law has never been repealed.
Some conservatives have already complained about schools dropping nativity plays to avoid upsetting Muslim children.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy.
It said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child's right to freedom of religion.
The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education.
The Vatican said it was shocked by the ruling, calling it "wrong and myopic" to exclude the crucifix from education.
The ruling has sparked anger in the largely Catholic country, with one politician calling the move "shameful".
The Strasbourg court found that: "The compulsory display of a symbol of a given confession in premises used by the public authorities... restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions."
It also restricted the "right of children to believe or not to believe", the seven judges ruling on the case said in a statement quoted by AFP news agency.
Mrs Lautsi complained to the European court that her children had to attend a public school in northern Italy that had crucifixes in every room.
She was awarded 5,000 euros ($7,400; £4,500) in damages.
Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi said the European court had no right intervening in such a profoundly Italian matter, the Associated Press reported.
"It seems as if the court wanted to ignore the role of Christianity in forming Europe's identity, which was and remains essential."
He told Italian TV: "The crucifix has always been a sign of God's love, unity and hospitality to all humanity.
"It is unpleasant that it is considered a sign of division, exclusion or a restriction of freedom."
Many politicians in Italy have reacted angrily.
Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition", and not a mark of Catholicism.
One government minister called the ruling "shameful", while another said that Europe was forgetting its Christian heritage.
The government says it will appeal against the decision.
The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome says that it is customary in Italy to see crucifixes in public buildings, including schools, despite the constitution saying that there should be a separation of church and state.
The law requiring crucifixes to be hung in schools dates back to the 1920s.
Although a revised accord between the Vatican and the Italian government ended Catholicism's position as the state religion in 1984, the crucifix law has never been repealed.
Some conservatives have already complained about schools dropping nativity plays to avoid upsetting Muslim children.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
November is the month for Holy Souls
From http://www.communityofhopeinc.org
Novena for the Poor Souls
(Prayers from the Raccolta, 594-595)
Prayer to be said every day of the Novena
V. O Lord, hear my prayer;
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Eternal rest, etc.
Sunday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Thy glory, where it may praise and bles Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Monday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory, that it may soon begin to praise Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Tuesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, particulary that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising Thee in Thy glory and blessing Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Wednesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem, whilst He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is richest in merits in Thy sight, so that, having attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise Thee triumphantly and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Thursday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He Himself, on the night before His Passion, gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in Purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise Thee therefore, together with Thy divine Son and the Holy ghost in thy glory forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Friday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Jesus Thy divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory, where it may praise Thee and bless Thee forevermore. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Saturday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence of and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, through all the ages. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Novena for the Poor Souls
(Prayers from the Raccolta, 594-595)
Prayer to be said every day of the Novena
V. O Lord, hear my prayer;
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Eternal rest, etc.
Sunday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Thy glory, where it may praise and bles Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Monday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory, that it may soon begin to praise Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Tuesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, particulary that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising Thee in Thy glory and blessing Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Wednesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem, whilst He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is richest in merits in Thy sight, so that, having attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise Thee triumphantly and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Thursday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He Himself, on the night before His Passion, gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in Purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise Thee therefore, together with Thy divine Son and the Holy ghost in thy glory forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Friday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Jesus Thy divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory, where it may praise Thee and bless Thee forevermore. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Saturday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence of and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, through all the ages. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Eternal rest, etc.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
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