German Bishops' Conference: let's scrap the tax and start proclaiming the faith!

In a remarkable about turn, Cardinal Marx, President of the German Bishops' Conference will release a statement on the morning of April 1st declaring his support for an end to the infamous Church tax so that they might concentrate on teaching the Gospel.

Cardinal Marx will state at a press conference, "For far too long the German church has been more focussed on money rather than the faith. In the spirit of Pope Francis' call for a poorer church we will now ask for an end to the church tax which has driven people away from the pews. Our focus will now be evangelisation, including teaching the truth about marriage and the family - something we have failed to do in recent years."

Pope Francis has not yet commented although has a packed schedule on the same day as shall offering an older form Pontifical Mass with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate and asking their forgiveness for all the persecution they suffered over the last two years. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. It's amazing being able to celebrate Christmas with not only my wife but my newborn son giving the nativity story extra poignance. 

As we celebrate the incarnation it's worth meditating with Pope Francis' words at Midnight Mass:

"On this night let us share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not be afraid!” (Lk 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen."

Pope's Effigy Burned in Argentina as he defends the unborn

Pope Francis speaks plainly on the dignity of the unborn in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium.

Satan does not like this - already anti-life activists are burning the Pope's effigy in Argentina as reported in Rorate Caeli.

"Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless among us ... this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is sacred and inviolable, in any situation and st every stage of development. 

"... The Church cannot be expected to change her position on this question. I want to be completely honest in this regard. This is not something subject to 'modernisations'. It is not progressive to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life."

Let's thank God that we have a Pope willing to defend the most vulnerable in society - and pray for his protection. 

The Council and continuity

There seems to be two types of heresy most rampant in the Catholic Church over the last 45 years - those who believe the Holy Spirit left the Church during the Second Vatican Council and those who think that it was the first time He showed up. 

When I was a child - back in the early 80s whenever I did something such as genuflect, talk of the "Body of Christ" rather than "special bread" or say how much I loved Gregorian chant and the Latin Mass I would be told by various elderly ladies that we don't say and do these things any more.

There was a nativity play at a "Catholic" school in my home town and one parent asked why there wasn't an angel appearing to Mary and was told by a "Catholic" teacher that "we don't talk about angels anymore."  I spent almost half of my life being told, "That was the old church" or "in the new church we ... don't do that."  

In my experience the biggest obstacles to unity, to evangelisation and works of charity are those liberal "Catholics" who seek to spend time, money and resources seeking rebellion and sowing confusion and error.  

It was a breath of fresh air therefore to have the Catholic Faith reaffirmed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church under Blessed John-Paul II and for Pope Benedict XVI to focus on the hermeneutic of continuity. 

It is blatantly absurd for a Catholic to discount everything that happened either before or after the council and to claim that a new church appeared in the 1960s doesn't make someone a traditionalist or a liberal - it means they don't believe in the Catholic Faith as revealed by Jesus Christ to the Church He founded and promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail. 

I was delighted therefore to hear that Pope Francis has very strongly reaffirmed the importance of the Council of Trent and the hermeneutic of continuity.  

Some people may be surprised by this but I just think we can reply in the affirmative to the question: "Is the Pope a Catholic?"

"Think about such things"

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:4-8

If you had spoken to me six years ago about the power of positive thinking I might have thought you were a new ager with a naive and unrealistic view of life.  St Paul's words to the Philippians however show that focusing our mind on what is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy is not only a good thing but thoroughly Christian.

There are a number of Catholic writers whose orthodox, traditionally minded views I share but I am repulsed by some of the venom they hurl upon other people.  Rather than stating the truth with kindness they hurl ad hominem insults, attack swathes of people and fire denunciations before understanding what another person is trying to say.

I was recently looking at some Catholic blogs and they were criticising the Pope, not for what he has said but because of what other people said he had said based on second hand reporting.  They were attacking the Pope for courting popularity and presuming to understand his motivations for his recent interview - and thinking the worst.  

The writers didn't ask others to pray for him or suggest any practical course of action but left me feeling irritated and downcast. Perhaps if Pope Francis' detractors spent as much time in prayer as he does (including an hour's adoration of the Blessed Sacrament daily) they would experience - and exude more joy.

In this blog I am determined to focus on what is true, noble and admirable and seek to encourage rather than condemn.  This is not due to naivety but heeding the words of St Paul.   Where I disagree with others, I seek to bear in mind the words of Saint Augustine:

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

Happy Easter!

Χριστός ἀνέστη! Christus resurrexit! Christ is risen!

In the words of Pope Francis:

"Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness, and that is where death is ... let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life!"

Happy Easter!

Pope Francis to meet Benedict XVI

Some analysts were wondering why Pope Francis chose today to meet his predecessor.

I think it's obvious - the bus didn't run until today.

Is the Pope a Catholic?

Something that never fails to amaze me is that after almost 2,000 years of the papacy, so many people expect a new Pope to change Catholic dogma.

One acquaintance of mine, a relatively well educated Anglican, said she was relieved that the new Pope believed in the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception.

The fact is, the Pope doesn't have the authority to change doctrines and to overrule God's commandment, "Thou shall not murder" isn't possible.

"But I know Catholics who don't agree with this." I hear you say. Well, sorry to be blunt, but if someone, knowing the church teaching on the sanctity of human life or any other teaching regarding dogma publicly denies this, as opposed to genuinely misunderstanding it, then they're not Catholic.

I am excited by the Pontificate of Pope Francis and whilst he is a man of surprises in so many ways, we know beyond any doubt that he isn't about to change Catholic dogma revealed by God.

Does Pope Francis believe in the right to life?

Yes - or as others might put it, "Is the Pope a Catholic?"

"Francis, rebuild my Church!"

Pope Francis' election by the College of Cardinals last week has sent shockwaves around the world.

The media seem to love him - although the bigoted Guardian, of course, tried to spread, discredited lies about him, but the consensus seems to be that he is loved for his simplicity, humility and sense of humour.

Now that it has been confirmed that he took his name after Saint Francis of Assisi, it brings to mind not only St Francis' poverty and love for peace and the environment but also the words he felt Christ speaking to him, "Francis, rebuild My Church!"

Let's pray that with the Saint's intercession he might help reform the Church and evangelise the world.