Protect the heretic

O Mary conceived without sin, pray
for us who have recourse to thee

So now we are in Lourdes and soaking up the holy aura that permeates every inch of the town.

But I cannot switch off my brain from thinking of the latest in the Protect the Pope saga.
 I am sure that Deacon Nick and his wife will, by now be heartily sick of the whole shebang and even wish that the blog had never been started in the first place.

They need our prayers.

But I also read on That the Bones you have crushed may Thrill blog that Lancaster Diocese is the recipient of an ACTA meeting next Tuesday.

And that, frankly, gives me a massive spike (in my blood pressure).

I intend to set off shortly for the Grotto and to sit and pray and meditate, for quite some time.

I shall pray for Deacon Nick and Martina, his wife.

I shall pray for Bishop Campbell.

 I shall pray for those who follow ACTA.

And, of course, I shall pray for all bloggers, followers, tweeters and members of the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma.

I can do no more that place my concerns into the hands of our blessed Mother.

Other posts on the subject are at Bara Brith, Lucas Cambrensis and Fr Z.

 

Martin Luther - a priest "in good standing"

Blessed Martin Luther

News from Rome that Martin Luther has been restored "to his rightful position in the Church" and has had his faculties restored posthumously,  has been greeted with lots of hugs and squeals of delight from the members of the group known as HERETIC.

A spokesperson for HERETIC stated that:

"It is only right that, in our inclusive non judgemental Church,  we right the errors committed by less enlightened Catholics in the past."

Rumours abound that Archbishop Cranmer, Richard Topcliffe and Oliver Cromwell are to have their causes for beatification put forward this year and that some miracles have been attributed to Vlad the Impaler and Pol Pot who may also be put forward for sainthood at a later date.

 

ACTA announces new fundraising scheme

In a desperate bid to raise funds ACTA has announced plans to invest in the production of a range of bottled beers.

The first product in the range is featured below

 

Japanese knotweed, coming to a parish near you!

Few who live in Britain will be ignorant regarding the highly invasive and damaging Japanese knotweed.

A destructive force - 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.

 

Ode to Spring

ACTA conference ahead

Oh, to be in Southwark

Now that ACTA’s there,

And if anyone’s awake in Southwark

Do they know, and do they care?

That the framework of the Church

Is in danger, in the lurch?

 And after April when May begins,

Will we lose sight of all our sins?

Will women priests and inclusivity

Drive us down towards iniquity?

Hark where the Bishops meet and gather

Do you hear the endless blather?

 In Bulinga Fen and Eccleston Square

Where magic circles have their lair

 All will be rapture in the spring

And crows warble and magpies sing

The sunlight shines and boldly glimmers
Upon the serried ranks of zimmers

The endless chattering sound of dentures
  ACTA types on their adventures.

Apologies to Robert Browning

Twelve headlines to warm the heart

             

If you were to pick up your Saturday morning paper, what headline would you most like to see?

We are surrounded by bad news stories at present from both inside the Church and the outside world.

We read of good Catholic journalists being sacked, of Deacons sat upon, of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate being stitched up and the growth of nutjob groups such as ACTA.

In the outside world we have Syria, the baby faced lunatic killer Kim Jong Un in North Korea and, of course, the prospect of an all out war in the Ukraine, something that our politicians seem to be treating with a remarkable lack of interest.

So here are my ten most wished for 'Catholic' headlines, please feel free to add some of your own but, as always, please use your name or a pseudonym....thank you:-

1. "The Tablet goes into liquidation"

2. "Pope Francis requests that all parishes provide an EF Mass each Sunday"

3."English and Welsh Bishops exclude ACTA from church premises"

5. "Bishop Fellay leads the SSPX back to the fold"

6. "Richard Dawkins converts to the Catholic Faith"

7. "Welsh National Shrine of Our Lady of Cardigan appointed as an annual pilgrimage venue for traditional Catholics"

8. "Cardinal Raymond Burke appointed as Cardinal Prefect to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith"

9. "Pope to consecrate Russia to The Immaculate Heart of Mary"

10. "Archbishop Fulton Sheen to be canonised"

11. "British Bishop jailed for opposing Same Sex "Marriage" teaching in Catholic schools"

12. "Bishops ban standing and reception by hand for communicants"

The wrong reform of the reform....

Is this the finish? Have the snakes won?

A brief dialogue with a friend on Facebook brought me up short.

He stated that, for him, the 'brick by brick' approach was over.

And I agree with him.
It's just that I think that I have been ignoring the fact.
 Blocking out what is taking place in the Catholic Church at present. Not wishing to think the unthinkable.

In truth, I think the 'brick by brick' aspiration was over on 13th March 2013.

Dead in the water and, if we keep thinking that this is just a lull, we are deluding ourselves.

I state this not with any degree of pessimism; we've been here before in 1988 and the dreary years that followed.

Our curate in 1989 told all our fellow parishioners that we were heretics, just because we attended the Latin Mass.

Archbishop Ward of Cardiff Archdiocese proclaimed traditionalists as being "neo heretics"

My own Bishop wrote to me telling me that I was on the road to perdition...yes, really.

The bishops, in the early 90s were having a field day.....no one to hold them to account...they could ALL be mini popes tucked away in their rather unhumble houses and apartments and, as a man they all took it upon themselves to make life hard and cold for Catholics who wanted nothing more than to attend a Tridentine Latin Mass and bring their children up with some chance of them keeping the Faith, rather than throw them to the wolves of the Catholic Education system.

And now, we are back to square one.

Thankfully, we have one or two Bishops who at present are fighting our corner for us in England and Wales, but for how much longer?

The video clip below is appalling, it shows what an increasing number of Catholics expect from the Church and are beginning to demand from their Bishops who, no doubt, being men of putty, will bend to their demands.

This is the modernist vision of the reform of the reform.

People power. Faith and morals out of the window.

Keep a bucket handy when you watch it - oh, and there's a particularly beautiful hymn at the end.

That hymn says it all really.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdrZv2ypc7A

Five go adventuring - again!

Publishers Jeeves and Radscarp have commissioned a sequel, specially written for an adult readership,  to one of Enid Blyton's 'Famous Five' series of children's books.

In the updated version, the Five are all now in their late sixties and members of ACTA (A Call to Arson).

The aims of this group are to overthrow the wicked Catholic Church by undermining its teachings on issues such as the sanctity of human life, women priests and  the celebration of the Latin Mass, a ceremony full of ritual and sinister chanting.

In keeping with the times there have been a few name changes for the five main characters.

Julian has become Darren, Dick is now Ciaran, while Anne (now a nun of sorts) is now known as Sister Kylie.
The tomboy George (Georgina) has changed to Grunty and the final member of the gang, the happy go lucky scruffy but loveable mongrel, Timmy, is now called Basil.

A spokesman for Jeeves and Radscarp said that:
"We plan to launch an updated version of 'Five go adventuring' featuring the charming  'gang' of friends and their hilarious adventures as members of ACTA and, if this is successful, fans can look forward to many more updated titles in the future".

Here is an extract from 'Five go adventuring again':

"Come on Darren" cried Cieran as he eased open the solid and heavy church door. "Let's see what we can vandalise inside".

"Wait for me boys" yelled Grunty:
 "Remember I've got to lug Sister Kylie around after she sprained her ankle when she fell off the tabernacle in the last church we did over".

The five entered into a darkened church where just one or two candles flickered in front of what the gang called effigies of the saints.

"Where's Basil gone now?" hissed Darren:
"Don't tell me he's still got his incontinence problem"

A low growl alerted them to Basil's presence.
 He was sitting on top of a pile of magazines and, yes, he was still having trouble with his old problem.

"Stop him, oh, stop him do" shrieked Grunty:

"He must not defile copies of The Tablet, it's our main organ for fomenting dissent aside from the Bishops Conference"

"Be quick with those matches said Sister Kylie, we need to start a really good fire this time. I want to see this old church go up in flames".

No sooner had she uttered these words than the Sacristy door was violently kicked open and there, silhouetted in the doorway, stood the figure of the parish priest Father Blogton.

A double click informed them of the fact that, he was holding his Burns and Oates, 12 bore pump action shotgun, and it looked as if he was prepared to use it.

"Run" they all shouted, apart from Basil who gave a loud whine and relaxed his bowels all over the copies of The Tablet........"

Don't let ACTA get away with it

You would be forgiven for believing that there is a massive groundswell of opinion in the pews that calls not just for change but for a drastic re-configuration of Catholic doctrine.

That is not the case. The British branch of ACTA has, allegedly 1500 'active' members.

I am uncertain as to what ACTA means by 'active' but, I shall be charitable and guess that they mean card carrying members.

But, any group that bangs on about women priests and women conducting "communion services" and other such matters, really needs to do some navel gazing to determine whether they are on the right bus.

As an ex PR man I can testify to the fact that, if you shout a message loud and hard, it will, in time, be believed by the masses (not a ploy that I used, I hasten to add).

 Therefore, this group needs to be challenged, in a charitable way, before they gain acceptance through apathy and ignorance.

They are due to meet with Bishop Egan on March 6th (in an earlier post I quoted from ACTA's minutes of a meeting when they expressed disappointment at Bishop Egan closing the door to them. Now I am pleased that he is going ahead with a meeting as the ACTA regional team need to be told a few home truths, and + Egan is the man for the job).

So, please email His Lordship at  bishop@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk and respectfully request that, when he meets with ACTA he bans them from using Diocesan premises for any of their meetings.

Let's nip it in the bud.

And, while we are at it, please write to your own bishop asking that ACTA be barred from using Church premises.

Excellent posts on ACTA are available at:


De Omnibus Dubitandem Est
Protect the Pope

Door closed to ACTA in Portsmouth

Cells of the ACTA (A Call to Action) group seem to be popping up everywhere; Lancaster, Birmingham, Brighton,  where next - Chipping Sodbury,  Llandewi Brefi?

This group claims (and I am sure they are right) that many of their members are ordained - that really makes their shenanigans all the more shameful.

Meetings are planned in the Westminster Archdiocese and Southwark in February but, it appears that Bishop Egan of Portsmouth, great man that he is, has said "no" to meeting with them in the foreseeable future.

A few knaves and a joker or two!

This from the September 2013 minutes of the ACTA meeting attended by Tom Woodman, Peter Birks, Derek Reeve and Claire McKenna. Well, at least four people attended, they could have had a game of bridge.

"It was suggested that all Portsmouth members should be informed that Bishop Philip Egan had found himself unable to meet with us and that they be encouraged to express disappointment to him by post...."

OK, so good English is not one of their strengths but it is heartening to see at least one of our bishops having the fibre to refuse to meet with such a hobbledehoy bunch.

I do not think that ACTA is going to move into a position of power or influence any time in the near future, but there is no room for complacency.

So what can be done?

The finest strategy instantly available to all of us is, of course to pray for them; offer up Rosaries, make penances on their behalf and, if you are a priest, perhaps say a Mass for them - but don't, whatever you do, make Church premises available to them.

A Prayer for those who challenge the doctrines of the Faith

O God, everlasting creator of all things, remember that the souls of unbelievers were made by Thee and formed in Thine own image and likeness.

Remember, that Jesus, Thy Son, endured a most bitter death for their salvation.

Permit not, I beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thy Son should be despised any longer by unbelievers,  but do Thou graciously accept the prayers of holy men and of the Church, the Spouse of Thy most holy Son, and be mindful of Thy mercy.

Forget their idolatry and unbelief and grant that they too may some day know Him Thou hast sent, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Life and Resurrection, by whom we have been saved and delivered, to whom be glory for endless ages. Amen.

A statement from the ACTA conference

You may view the interpreted version HERE



Or, even, the actual one HERE

A letter to Pope Francis

Your Popliness

We represent a lotta people, OK?

We like what we have seen of you so far, you have our respec' and we especially like the way you handle a beachball - you're a cool dude HF!

So, as we are most of the peeple of the Church we want you to listen up and show a bit of dissernment, innit?

Most of us ar reely gud Cafflicks and sum are preests and even deekons, so you gotta listen man.

Now, we need to move with the times and give ourselves a realitty check. We can't no more be nasty to peeple who have extreem affecshuns for goats and cravvats; and if we relly meen we luv eech other we need to let gays guys like other guys and the same for the ladies innit? And the same goes for those who are a bit AC/DC - if yu noe what we meen?

So pleese give us some wimmin preests and let our man preests get married and forget about all that contrasepshun rubbish.

And, if yu could get rid of the Latinistas once and four all yu wuld do us all de big favur.

Yours till the goats come home

Mrs Spud McGillicuddy
Hon Sec A Call to Apostasy (ACTA)

Is this the battle hymn of the ACTA mob?

To be filed under the "Two legs good, four legs bad" heading

A church hall somewhere in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton

Catholics of England! Catholics of Ireland! (and Wales)

Catholics of land and sea and skies!

Hear the cloven hoofbeats of tomorrow!

See the golden future rise!

How does the life of a Catholic pass?

In endless drudgery.

What's the first lesson a Catholic learns?

To endure the slavery.

How does the life of an Catholic end?

In mass apostasy.

Catholics of England! Catholics of Ireland! (and Wales)

Catholics of land and sea and skies!

Hear the cloven hoofbeats of tomorrow!

See the golden future rise!

Now the day of the beast is coming,

Tyrant man shall lose his throne

And the shining fields of England (and Ireland and Wales)

Shall be trod by apostates alone.

Pull the rosaries from out your pockets

Tear the scapular from your back!

Bell and thurible must rust forever,

The Magisterium we will attack.

Catholics of England, (and Ireland and Wales, and, possibly, Scotland) 

seize the prizes,

Cash and abortion, free love and gay,

Indifferentism, heresy and same sex 'marriages'

Shall be ours upon that day.

(Apologies, George)

What do you look for in a Bishop?

Do you look for a warm character, one who oozes holiness and yet is fearless and outspoken when it comes to speaking up for the Faith?

A man who is unafraid to tell the truth regardless of the consequences?

A clear, positive speaker who makes his point without hesitation or prevarication?

A beacon of light and a leader and role model to his priests?

And, one who is, to paraphrase the late Alice Thomas Ellis, a Catholic?

Well please feast your eyes on this interview with Bishop Kieran Conry (who proudly proclaims that he never reads blogs).

Really, My Lord? And I thought you were the epitome of a modern Catholic bishop.....

 

Shortly I shall be running a poll on Bishop Conry and how inspirational you, dear reader, find him.

 

I shall post on that once my pulse has slowed and heartbeat returned to normal after watching this Bishop frankly and lucidly expounding on lapsed Catholics (I thought it was non pc to call them that these days).

H/T to Deacon Nick at Protect the Pope for his post on the ACTA and the Bishop.