Few who live in Britain will be ignorant regarding the highly invasive and damaging Japanese knotweed.
But, for the sake of those fortunate enough to live in countries where this weed has not spread its roots, let me give an account of its emergence as Britain's number one horticultural enemy.
It was brought to Britain probably on the return journey made by the same woolly minded souls that took wild rabbits to Australia and released them into an environment so bountiful that their already advanced reproductive mechanisms went into overdrive.
For a while the 'weed' was admired in the gardens of the great and good until it showed its true nature by smothering all other flora and fauna by its leafy greediness and by moving out of the gardens of the stately homes and into the highways and byways of the country.
Its root system is so strong and pernicious that a mere fragment left in the ground will thrust through any concrete base laid over it.
Impervious to weedkillers and professional herbicides it advances unseen at the rate of knots (sorry) until is too late.
It attacks from all angles and causes millions of pounds worth of damage to building foundations; indeed, it is capable of reducing a house to rubble.
So it is with the group calling themselves 'ACTA' - A Call to Action'.
From their website it almost appears as if they are a quite attractive positive force aiming to enhance the development of the Faith by harnessing laity and clergy in a drive to support change.
But, in fact, the roots of ACTA are seemingly busy worming away into the hearts of parishes before revealing their true aims, women priests, married clergy, homosexual marriage, concurrence with contraception and, who knows....abortion?
In short, from a seemingly harmless group, a network of dissent and disaffection emerges and all regard for doctrinal truth goes out the window.
If left to their own devices they are capable of smothering all in their path unless, of course, the Bishops of England and Wales act to halt their advance.
But then, most of those appear to support ACTA's agenda.
We live in interesting times.
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| A destructive force - Japanese Knotweed |
It was brought to Britain probably on the return journey made by the same woolly minded souls that took wild rabbits to Australia and released them into an environment so bountiful that their already advanced reproductive mechanisms went into overdrive.
For a while the 'weed' was admired in the gardens of the great and good until it showed its true nature by smothering all other flora and fauna by its leafy greediness and by moving out of the gardens of the stately homes and into the highways and byways of the country.
Its root system is so strong and pernicious that a mere fragment left in the ground will thrust through any concrete base laid over it.
Impervious to weedkillers and professional herbicides it advances unseen at the rate of knots (sorry) until is too late.
It attacks from all angles and causes millions of pounds worth of damage to building foundations; indeed, it is capable of reducing a house to rubble.
So it is with the group calling themselves 'ACTA' - A Call to Action'.
From their website it almost appears as if they are a quite attractive positive force aiming to enhance the development of the Faith by harnessing laity and clergy in a drive to support change.
But, in fact, the roots of ACTA are seemingly busy worming away into the hearts of parishes before revealing their true aims, women priests, married clergy, homosexual marriage, concurrence with contraception and, who knows....abortion?
In short, from a seemingly harmless group, a network of dissent and disaffection emerges and all regard for doctrinal truth goes out the window.
If left to their own devices they are capable of smothering all in their path unless, of course, the Bishops of England and Wales act to halt their advance.
But then, most of those appear to support ACTA's agenda.
We live in interesting times.
A very good analogy Richard.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter! Keep up the good work in your inimitable style that only you do so well.
We are in Cardigan if you want to meet for a cuppa or a 'Brain's' ( now that Lent is over!!!)
Thank you Momangelica. We would love to meet up but, at present, are 'bows under' as the saying goes in Pembrokeshire...off to Lourdes in just over a week!
DeleteBeannachtai na Casca ort agus ar do mhuintir (Blessings of Easter on you and on your family). What's the Easter greeting in Welsh? (Indeed, what's "Welsh" in Welsh??).
ReplyDeleteYour tale reminds me of a dear Lithuanian friend (now passed, may she rest in peace), who came to live in Ireland. She had never seen ivy growing on trees before - in Ireland the trees are covered in it. When I was in Lithuania once, for my son to see doctors, I remarked at there being so many beautiful healthy trees in Lithuania, all free from ivy. My friend then said that oh! how she had wanted to take ivy from Ireland to Lithuania to plant next to trees so that they could be kept "warm" like the trees in Ireland!!! You can be assured I advised her most strenuously against such an action!!
And Easter blessings on you and yours Lynda. Sadly, I'm a Saisneg and have no knowledge of Welsh!
DeleteYou're a "Sasanach", as Gaeilge (Englishman, in Irish).
DeleteIndeed Lynda although my heritage lies in Skibbereen!
DeleteVery good post, Richard! Wow! BTW, did you know knotweed is edible :-) Happy Easter.
ReplyDeleteThank you Esther....I trust you are not suggesting cannibalism!
ReplyDeleteACTA has re- emerged, noticeably since Francis I. It is the resurgent liberal/Relativist factions in the Church which were declining under Benedict XVIII.
ReplyDeleteTheir false hope is that Francis will be a reformer open to doctrinal change.
The tactics are unchanged since first warned about by St Pius X (Pascendi Domini) and Pius XII (Humani Generis). They seek to relativise Catholic doctrine bringing into line with Secular thinking and other secularising ecclesial bodies. They feign orthodoxy, while attacking Truth with insinuation, inference, vagueness and ambiguity.
Sadly - as in the 60s/70s - the silence of the Hierarchy is their greatest weapon. Apart from a small number of clerics, it is lay voices that are standing up to them, particularly in the US of A, as with Voris, Kwasniewsky, and in Europe, Mosebach and de Mattei, and Richard of course!.
When will our Hierarchy wake up?
Thanks Jacobi...as to your last question....not for some time, I suspect.
DeleteOn the plus side, it's edible
ReplyDeletehttp://www.eattheweeds.com/japanese-knotweed-dreadable-edible/
Chloe, yes, but are the ACTA members? Happy Easter to you!
Deletethanks for wasting my precious time you fuckwit.
ReplyDelete