.....Something missing?
You bet there's something missing.....umm.....a crucifix?.......an image of the Christ child?......the Holy Family?.......Virgin and child?.....even a bleeping robin on a log would be better than this image that graces the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales new website designed to issue an invitation to
"Come home for Christmas' is the campaign heading which, to me says, come to Midnight Mass and then you can b----r off again for the rest of the year.
The website is here.
What's that? You deliberately omitted traditional Christian imagery because you didn't want to put people off?
Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry! I forgot - we are now the Church of Latter Day Restraints - don't mention the Son of God whatever you do!
What a crying shame that the Bishops didn't take a note out of Bishop Tobin's book and issue a letter full of sincerity without any hint of hyperbole....here it is in case you've forgotten it, courtesy of Catholic Online:
http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=39581
Ever since Bishop Davies announced that he'd arranged for the heart of St. John Vianney to visit his diocese next summer, I have been convinced that it will have more effect than the bishops' so called initiative. BCEW does not have its finger on the pulse of British Catholicism. They have totally lost touch. Bishop Davies does have his finger on the pulse and is utterly in touch. Mark (no pun intended)my words!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the purpose of their Lordships picture?
ReplyDelete"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry! I forgot - we are now the Church of Latter Day Restraints ...."
ReplyDeleteLOL! I love it!
Not sure if it's just the image on a screen -but is that supposed to be the stable under the star? Very difficult to make out!
ReplyDeleteI'd be a bit more positive about the attempt. I don't think there's any one answer to how you get people back into the Church. I think this sort of friendly Catholic-lite probably is part of the package, but when it becomes the only package -and moreover, when it starts to dominate day to day Church life for Catholics once back inside the Church- then it's a problem.
Chris - I think it must be a masonic sign :)
ReplyDeleteTony - thanks my boy!
Lazarus - I don't think that any aspect of Catholic-lite is suitable to draw people back to the fold. And we don't need it. The facts speak for themselves if only some Bishop or other would put them across.
I don't know about masonic(!) but I can't think it would be much of an appeal to "resting" Catholic women.
ReplyDeleteIt's just another tricksy shot signifying, er, not very much. Par for the course, unfortunately.
@ Richard
ReplyDeleteWell, it's a bit shameful to admit it, but my journey to Catholicism was begun precisely through this sort of fluffy, feel good Christianity. If Anglicanism -and it was precisely because Anglicanism did offer Christianity lite that I went to it rather than Catholicism- hadn't been doing this sort of thing, I'm not sure I would have begun the journey into the Church.
I completely agree on the need for Bishops to state doctrine etc clearly. But we're really dealing with a pagan society. And -thinking back to me twenty years+ ago- some of those pagans need to be dealt with on the abysmal cultural and spiritual level they're at.
Again, my worry would be that this sort of campaign is the sole method. It won't attract everyone. It certainly won't sustain them once they're back in. But it might attract some and it did me.
(And now I'll go away and blush at the memory of my younger self!)
Lazarus - it is because the Catholic Church has converts of such strength that we survive...as a cradle Catholic I am ashamed to say that we all too often take the faith for granted and do nothing. What do you think of the US bid to bring Catholics back? (my post today).
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Yes, I like that! (I think I've seen it on EWTN a few times before.) I particularly liked the way it reminded the audience just how glorious the Church is: spread throughout the world, founding Western civilization...
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, that's what's missing in the UK campaign. No sense of glory. Father Barron's DVDs look good as well: http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2011/12/catholicism-series-being-offered-in.html.
Do admire that US get up and go! (Although not sure it always translates well. I'm sure I might have sniggered when I was an atheist.)