Wednesday 27 April 2011

ARCHBISHOP STACK - DO YOU BELIEVE IN OUR LADY'S INTERCESSIONARY POWERS?


"Not an English and Welsh Bishop again"
                                                     


The new Archbishop Designate of Cardiff, His Grace, George Stack gave an address to the General Synod of the Church of England in which he, apparently, denied the role of Mary, Mother of God with regards to her intercession.

Now the important word is "apparently" because, as William Oddie of The Catholic Herald points out, the Archbishop's phraseology is open to some interpretation - but it damn well shouldn't be! Surely that's why our priests rise up the hierarchical ranks, because of their ability (among many other things) to pronounce clearly and without error on the teachings of Holy Mother Church.
It is not good enough to make a statement that leaves a number of speculative options open as to the meaning behind the words.

I am not one of ++ Stack's biggest fans, I disliked the way he handled the Vaughan School debacle and how he responded to letters with a letter of his own (standard response) plus a computerised signature......very low grade in my books.
However, I would like to think that, on this occasion, the Archbishop has been misunderstood and I would also hope that he will issue a corrective statement in which he clearly lays out the role of Our Lady as part of Church teaching.

BUT..........more than that I would hope (and strongly recommend to his Grace) that he leads a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Wales, Our Lady of the Taper, in Cardigan.
Our Lady of the Taper - what is the
relevance of Lourdes if we do not
believe in Our Lady's intercession?


 In fact, it would be a very good thing for Welsh Catholics if the new Archbishop were to lead the Latin Mass Society Pilgrimage to the shrine this year - and even celebrate a Latin Mass (EF, that is).
You see......it's not just the people of Cardiff who want to know, it's not even the Catholics of the rest of Wales, it's all Catholics from all over the world who want to be reassured of the Archbishop Designate's belief in Our Holy Mother.

4 comments:

  1. There are many references in the Catechism to refute the Archbishop's ill-judged comments.

    One of the most obvious is article 969.

    "The Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix".

    Therefore the intercessory merits of Our Lady cannot be denied, except by those who wish to sell out to other faiths who find this concept difficult, in the interests of so-called "ecumenism".

    By selling out in this way, we are not doing ourselves any favours as catholic people, we will not make our faith more popular or acceptable and we will ultimately jeopardise the whole of our teaching on Christ,

    For the Catechism also says that what is belived and taught about Our Lady ultimately protects what is taught about Christ himself.

    His Grace would do well to read this in detail.

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  2. No,no,no,no,no,no,no!C'mon now!Go read Lumen Gentium and Redemptor Mater and see what is said about Mary's subordination. This does not exclude the attribution of the above labels, however, this is not on the basis of equality, but a cooperative sharing in, on the basis of first in the order of grace. Leave orf the bishop - he's a good man and a wise choice by the Holy Father!

    Great blog!
    Brian

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  3. Our Lady's intercession is real, alive, active, something that Satan himself shrinks in horror from. I know this more clearly than I know about Christ Jesus. That is not to take away from Christ Jesus, it is just the way the Father has shown me, the path I must take.
    To call upon Our Lady, at the hour of death, is not to be led away from God. Therefore, to request her intercessions during life's trials, which are many, is not to second best Our Lord. Her whole existence, from beginning, to ongoing eternity, is to praise God. We are on safe ground, yet anyone who is troubled, need only ask God the Father, to confirm this to them. Ask and you shall receive. I know this, because I did ask and I did receive. Mightily.Not through any of my doing, through the grace of God, undeserved by me, I assure you. I am sure the Archbishop, if he is Welsh, has been misrepresented (his views). The Welsh are usually cool and kosher, on these matters, in my experience.

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  4. Oh dear, I come from Cardiff, the Church there is not in a good state. Do say a pray for Bishop Stack, he will need it. The National Shrine is outside his Archdiocese, but he could walk to Our Lady of Penrhys with SPUC.

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