I think that I can safely claim the most outrageous headline for any post this year.......and, sadly, it is true.
Let me begin at the beginning.
~After last Saturday's great Mass and blognic involving the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma, I was on a high.
I had been fed a high protein diet of red meat, spiritually speaking.
And so it was I arrived at St James's Spanish Place for the 9.30am Mass the next day, Sunday.
All was good, all was calm. The celebrant (sorry, don't know his name) gave an excellent sermon on the same theme as the one that Fr McHardy had touched upon: we are moving into challenging times and, as Catholics, we must be prepared to stand our ground and not flinch in the face of the enemy.
After Mass, with two daughters, son-in-law, two grandchildren and Mrs L in tow, we opted for a Sunday brunch in Hyde Park, sitting outside a cafe on the banks of The Serpentine.
Again, all was good and calm untill a sudden commotion.
The crowds on the walkway were excited and there was a flurry of excitement and anticipation and then.......they appeared.
About 12 'nuns' surrounding a 'Pope' all running for some cause or another.
Oh, such jolly good fun. Let's ape the Catholic Church and mock the Holy Father.....how extremely witty and novel.
I was incensed (but not in the thurible sense).
Our family peace was disrupted by this rabble and, to make matters worse, much worse, the 'inepte' imitating the Pope was delivering mock (mockery) blessings to the crowd.
Aaaagh! My blood boiled over and I did a very untypical thing and a very un English thing; I bellowed at the top of my voice:
"Do it with a Muslim"
Not very good grammatically, I give you but I only had a split second to respond.
The 'Pope' looked mildly puzzled and the group kept on running but a few folk at surrounding tables seemed to find it amusing, whether in agreement with my sentiment or, more likely, at the fact that I had shouted in the first place, I do not know.
But, I do know that I am heartily sick of seeing such idiots poking fun at my Faith. It provokes a sort of Don Camillo side of my nature and I have to restrain myself from picking up a bench and launching myself at the transgressors.
Of course, they would never attempt such a stunt dressed as Imams with the women wearing hijabs and niqabs.
Why?
Because as well as being morons they are also cowards.
Let me begin at the beginning.
~After last Saturday's great Mass and blognic involving the Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma, I was on a high.
I had been fed a high protein diet of red meat, spiritually speaking.
And so it was I arrived at St James's Spanish Place for the 9.30am Mass the next day, Sunday.
All was good, all was calm. The celebrant (sorry, don't know his name) gave an excellent sermon on the same theme as the one that Fr McHardy had touched upon: we are moving into challenging times and, as Catholics, we must be prepared to stand our ground and not flinch in the face of the enemy.
After Mass, with two daughters, son-in-law, two grandchildren and Mrs L in tow, we opted for a Sunday brunch in Hyde Park, sitting outside a cafe on the banks of The Serpentine.
Again, all was good and calm untill a sudden commotion.
The crowds on the walkway were excited and there was a flurry of excitement and anticipation and then.......they appeared.
About 12 'nuns' surrounding a 'Pope' all running for some cause or another.
Oh, such jolly good fun. Let's ape the Catholic Church and mock the Holy Father.....how extremely witty and novel.
I was incensed (but not in the thurible sense).
Our family peace was disrupted by this rabble and, to make matters worse, much worse, the 'inepte' imitating the Pope was delivering mock (mockery) blessings to the crowd.
Aaaagh! My blood boiled over and I did a very untypical thing and a very un English thing; I bellowed at the top of my voice:
"Do it with a Muslim"
Not very good grammatically, I give you but I only had a split second to respond.
The 'Pope' looked mildly puzzled and the group kept on running but a few folk at surrounding tables seemed to find it amusing, whether in agreement with my sentiment or, more likely, at the fact that I had shouted in the first place, I do not know.
But, I do know that I am heartily sick of seeing such idiots poking fun at my Faith. It provokes a sort of Don Camillo side of my nature and I have to restrain myself from picking up a bench and launching myself at the transgressors.
Of course, they would never attempt such a stunt dressed as Imams with the women wearing hijabs and niqabs.
Why?
Because as well as being morons they are also cowards.
"Because as well as being morons they are also cowards."
ReplyDeleteHear, hear!
I had planned to get to Mass at St James's last Sunday... But had to go elsewhere in the afternoon.
It was nice to see you and yours on Saturday. Thanks for all you did in organising it.
Bully for you! Glad it all went well.
ReplyDeleteGod bless!
Good for you!
ReplyDeleteFashionable idiots overran the Papal States on this day in 1870, and they can bully us and mock us and persecute us, but they can never persuade us. Viva Christo Rey!
-- Mack in Texas
20 September 1870
ReplyDeleteLike vultures hovering over the faithful dead
The rank red rags of base repression hung
Upon the blast-breeched walls of captive Rome;
The smoke of conquest fouled the ancient
streets
While mocking conquerors marched their
betters
At the point of enlightened bayonets
To the scientific future, murdering those
Who bore themselves with quiet dignity.
False, sinister Savoy sneered in disdain
At ancient truths, this costumed reprobate
Who played at soldier once the firing ceased,
And claimed Saint Peter’s patrimony on
The corpses of the merely useful who
With this day’s slogans fresh upon their lips
At dawn advanced upon the remnant walls
So thinly held by so few Papal Zouaves
And thus befeathered fat Vittorio
Was given his victory by better men
On both sides there, their corpses looted by
The pallid inheritors of Progress.
The son of a Sardinian spurred his horse
Along the streets of now obedient Rome,
And to the Quirinal by a passage broad,
And finally to the Ardeatine Caves.
Glad you stood up to them, Richard... Good going!
ReplyDelete" I have to restrain myself from picking up a bench and launching myself at the transgressors."
ReplyDeleteMaybe less restrain in future, please? :-) Suppresion can be bad for the heart and blood pressure!
That should have been "less RESTRAINT"
DeleteI hope you don't mind a less enthusiatic reply and I am aware that I am a stranger to this place. I ask for your forgiveness in advance if you find my comments offencsive. They are not meant to be.
ReplyDeleteWhen Muslims threaten the liberty or even the lives of innocents because they have been offended (Ambassadors killed because of an ill thought out internet film) we rightly condemn their over-reaction. Then to regret not giving in to the temptation to lob a bench at someone for a similar offence is somewhat hypocritical. The offence they caused you was almost certainly unintentional and borne of ignorance. Please Sir, if you get the opportunity, explain to these people (maybe via a local paper's letters page) why what they did is offensive. You cannot condemn the ignorant. Ignorance of the law is a defence according to Saint Paul.
We should be teaching the ignorant, not condemning them and leaving them just as ignorant. Thankyou Sir. May God bless you.
Richard,
ReplyDeleteGood for you-I have giving you an A*Plus-you are certainly a Man of great courage too!
Michael.
Good for standing up to them!
ReplyDeleteThank you all....I really was not looking for any accolade but it was appreciated.
ReplyDeleteEFPE - Father, there are times when a punch on the nose is the most effective medicine. I shall try to be less restrained in future.
Great poem, Mack, thank you.
Janet Russell, you are very welcome but I don't think that you can compare what I was contemplating with the stoning of a woman, the flogging of a child or the actions of a suicide bomber on a tube train.
Sometimes a good English (or Irish) response is the best.
Sir I did not mean to make that comparison but to compare the over-reaction as I stated.It is over-reaction that can lead to unfortunate consequences. If you have access to a Bible would you do me the honour of looking up the following.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 5.44
Matthew 18.22
Can't find one instance where our Lord said "a punch on the nose is the most effective medicine".
I will not trouble you again.
Janet, please comment any time.
ReplyDeleteOur Lord did take a whip to the moneylenders did He not?
I warmly commend reading some or all of the Don Camillo books. God bless. Richard
So right, Richard. They would never have the courage to mock anyone but Jews or Christians. For the most part, I think it is ignorance not malice which causes such displays. However, it is necessary to educate the ignorant & I congratulate you on your attempt!
ReplyDelete