Remembering a Pro Life Hero

The Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer is perhaps one of the greatest pro-life heroes of the 20th Century. Today is the anniversary of his birth and the following words should inspire and challenge us to do more to protect life: 

"Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak ... Christians should give more offence, shock the world far more, than they are doing now."

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. 

Anniversary of Shame

The sixth of August is the anniversary of one of the most evil war crimes of the 20th Century. 

The United States - backed by the UK and other "civilised" nations committed mass murder and torture upon thousands and thousands of innocent men, women and children. 

Growing up in the UK we were told (rightly so) of the horrific crimes of the Nazis and the Japanese occupiers - and rightly so - evil on that scale should never be forgotten. When we forget evil, it is likely to be repeated. 

When we were taught about the atomic bombs, as we were living in a country complicit with this crime, we were told it was necessary to end the war. It could be argued that yes, it did being the war to an end.  

I remember arguing that surely they could have dropped the bomb on an uninhibited island somewhere to show re might of this new weapon - or at least that the second one wasn't necessary - and yet as was often the case I was dismissed as a pacifist or a trouble maker. 

The fact is that as Christians - the ends never justify the means - there can never be an excuse for destroying life if that person isn't threatening yours. 

In the words of the catechism:

"Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation. A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons – especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons – to commit such crimes."  [CCC 2314].

Let's pray for an end to all war and for peace - beginning with peace in our hearts. 

The futility of labelling people

Occasionally the dull and ignorant like give people labels depending on their views. 

It amuses me that when I stand up for the right to life of a child in the womb I get called "conservative".  

When I stand up for the right to life of a murderer on death row I get called a "liberal".

When I stand up fit the right to life of civilians in Pakistan being terrorised by drones I get labelled a "pacifist". 

Three labels. None of them accurate. 

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?"

A radical new Pope?

Over the last few weeks the media has been buzzing with bizarre ideas about what a new Pope could do.

The fact is - a new Pope can NEVER change the dogma of the Catholic Church as he simply wouldn't have the authority. The Church will never change its mind about the immaculate conception, women priests, the sanctity of human life or the number of Persons in the Trinity.

What the new Pope could do however is make truly radical changes in policies in other areas such as social justice, the liturgy and clerical abuse.

In the unlikely event a radical new Pope were to read this, here are my suggestions:

Social Justice: If the church wants to truly show that it's on the side of the weakest members of society how about amending canon law to impose an automatic excommunication on anyone who votes to destroy innocent lives? Whether abortion, euthanasia or an immoral, unjust war those who use their power to kill the innocent could be resisted.

Liturgy: The Second Vatican Council refers to all of the faithful as the pilgrim People of God. A powerful way of demonstrating this would be for the priest to celebrate Mass facing the same direction as the people (except on those few occasions he is addressing them). This would focus our hearts and minds on Christ and His sacrificial love for us and not the person of the priest.

Abuse: The new Pope could "invite" all bishops who have abused their position by cosying up to anti-life politicians or covered up child abuse to retire to a life of prayer and penance. Any who are even suspected of breaking the law should be reported immediately to the police.

Now let's pray.

Benedict XVI - the most inspiring Pope in my lifetime

Having lived through four Popes in my lifetime, two of which I can barely remember, there is no doubting that  for me personally the current one has inspired me most.

I am only just about getting over the shock of hearing that our beloved Pope, Benedict XVI, is to resign. My thoughts and feelings have included not only shock, surprise, sadness but also joy that he will, God willing, have some peace in his final days (let's hope years).  Pope Benedict XVI has in many ways, been a Pope of surprises right up until the end including his resignation.

He chose a name honouring a predecessor from before the Second Vatican Council - which in itself was a sign that he is someone truly aware of the hermeneutic of continuity of the Catholic Church before, during and after the Council.  This choice of name, choosing to honour a predecessor who was a man of peace undermined the idiocies of those who either think that nothing good happened before the Council or nothing good happened afterwards.

Pope Benedict's first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est reinforced the core of the Gospel message opening with the words, 'God is Love.'  All of his writings have been Christ-centred - including his series on Jesus of Nazareth - and bring our focus on the core of the Gospel message.

As an Englishman, albeit one living in Hong Kong, I shall never forget the first ever State Visit of a Pope to the UK.  The site of him speaking in Westminster Hall, where St Thomas More was condemned to death reminding us that the church and state can work together for the common good.

The media, including some that are nominally Catholic, have sometimes accused the current Pope of persecuting nuns in the USA.  The truth, as Fr Z reminds us, is that some, let's hope a minority, of religious sisters in the US have moved very far away from Catholic teaching with some opposing the sanctity of life and others openly saying that they have moved beyond Christ.  It is right to at least investigate and take action where necessary.

Pope Benedict's outreach to Anglicans who wish to become Catholic but without losing the beauty of their own liturgical and cultural traditions was a stroke of genius.  Others may talk about Christian unity but he helped deliver it in this way.

One of Pope Benedict's decisions that affected me most personally was his decision to liberate the traditional Latin Mass, which as he pointed out hadn't been abolished anyway.  The beautiful, Christ-centred nature of the extraordinary form of the Mass transcends cultures, reaches across divides of time and language and focuses our attention on the tabernacle and cross rather than the priest. My wife-to-be, a non-denominational Christian at the time, accompanied me to a Latin Mass in Hong Kong before we got married and said that this was a key factor in her understanding of what the Eucharist really means.

It may seem ironic but a Pope accused by the ignorant of being an arch-conservative was in fact, perhaps one of the greatest defenders of Vatican II.  As recently reported in the Catholic Herald, he has defended the true meaning of  the Council against those who have consistently tried to undermine it - including those who hate all things truly Catholic and false traditionalists who object to its authentic teaching.

Let us thank God for Pope Benedict and pray for him as he retires in a few days time.  We cannot understand the pressures that are upon him and we do not know the extent to which he is suffering.  May our Father in heaven give him peace and comfort and may the prayers of our heavenly mother be with him.

I have a dream

Today is the anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King's inspiring speech - "I have a dream" - where he inspired thousands of people to join his fight against racial segregation and discrimination.

Thanks to Dr King, the battle against racial segregation is over but the battle for human rights should always continue.  It is interesting to note that his niece, Alveda Celeste King, an American Christian minister is also a  a civil rights activist - campaigning for women's rights and protection for unborn children.

Let us never forget to fight injustice, wherever it might be. 

How to protect the flock?

Following on from my last post about sheep stealing I wished to share what I believe are vital ways to protect the flock from being poached by others.

At Mass today, the priest spoke gently and kindly, explaining the faith with a sincerity that leads to understanding.  At Mass today no one could doubt the reverence, joy, orthodoxy and integrity of the priest and others present.  The Mass was in the Ordinary Form, in English, but there was reverence and joy.  The parish is clearly one that takes social justice seriously, with prayers for the poor and needy but not forgetting the widespread crimes against the unborn condemned so strongly in Vatican II - i.e. abortion, as well as euthanasia.

My wife and I are new to this parish but every time we attend Mass here we have been treated with respect and kindness.  When I went to see the priest the other day, he greeted me wearing clerical dress and was not ashamed of this witness to our faith.  He was kind, listened and prayed with me.

Throughout my life I have noticed that in many cases two things seem to go together - orthodoxy and kindness.  The priests and other members of the church who are faithful to Christ in what they teach are also so very often the kindest and most genuine in the way they behave.

As a child I remember being laughed at scornfully by a catechist who in the "spirit of Vatican II" (itself nothing to do with Vatican II) mocked me for suggesting that the 'special bread' we were to have at our community meal (by which she meant the sacrifice of the Mass) might actually be the Body of Christ.  It was only because of the kindness and orthodoxy of my parents and a minority of others that I was to be taught the true faith. How can we be surprised when droves of people leave our Church if we are afraid to teach the Truth?

A remedy for sheep being stolen or simply limping off into the wilderness?  Orthodoxy and kindness.

A devilishly good read

Occasionally a Catholic writer comes on to the scene who can captivate readers of all faiths and none.

I have had the privilege of reading a novel called "The Devil's Fairytale" by the little known writer, Greg Stewart. It would be a compelling read for those of any background and would have a positive impact on someone who does not yet know Christ.

The author describes it as follows: It is dark and epic and draws heavily on Grimm’s Fairytales but as the story progresses the reality of a supernatural world unfolds, and then as people takes sides in the developing struggle, a Christian reality slowly shines through, affecting all of the characters in one way or another, There is also a strong pro-life message and an emphasis on the power of sacrifice, friendship and the bond between parents and children.

As one character says towards the end of the book:

‘In all our broken relationships, from our childhood, through to our adult life, from our broken marriages and separated families – and ultimately to the broken relationship we hold with ourselves – not knowing who we are, what we want or where we are going – there is only one true bond that can save us, the bond that is the covenant offered by the eternal love and friendship of Jesus Christ.’

You read this book by clicking: http://bit.ly/cuHXLL. If you know of any publishers who may be interested in this work, please contact me on englishcatholic@ymail.com and I can put you in touch with the author. Alternatively follow the links on the above website and click on ‘back the book’.

"Enemies of the Pope in the Vatican undermine faithful Catholics in China"

I recently attended Mass at a Catholic Church in Shanghai.

Nothing remarkable about that except that like most Catholic Churches in China, things aren’t quite what they may seem. What struck me was that there was a huge, almost lifesize photograph of the Pope with a summary of his life story, alongside a picture of St Peter.

The congregation were English speaking people from many nations and their genuine faith and devotion was evident. During the Eucharistic prayer, however there were the first signs that things were not quite as they should be. The names of the Pope and bishop were missed out. While others went to receive communion, I read the newsletter which contained a touching story about the persecution of Catholics in England under the first Queen Elizabeth, when “faithful Catholics had to keep a low profile and would worship in secret places”. Ironically, this is the situation of many Chinese Catholics today.

The Chinese Catholic Church is sometimes described as being split between the illegal and persecuted 'underground' Church which is loyal to Rome and the official or ‘Patriotic’ church controlled by the communist People’s Republic of China. The Chinese constitution guarantees freedom of religion but there cannot be 'outside interference'. The Papal appointment of bishops is seen to contravene this and so the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPA) was set up in 1957 to do this instead. Pope Pius XII deplored the attitude and activities of the Association and declared as excommunicated the bishops who consecrated new bishops selected by the CPA.

Pope Benedict XVI referred to the agents of the Association as "persons who are not ordained, and sometimes not even baptized", who "control and take decisions concerning important ecclesial questions, including the appointment of Bishops.”At first glance it is simple. The so called ‘Underground Church’ consists of Catholics who won’t compromise and the ‘Patriotic Church’ consists of those who have given into government regulation and interference. In many ways it could be seen as similar to the Church of England under Henry VIII. The government appoints bishops and has the supreme authority but the faith and sacraments are essentially Catholic in that the doctrines – except that of Papal authority – are the same.

Pope Benedict XVI said in May 2007: “the proposal for a Church that is 'independent' of the Holy See, in the religious sphere, is incompatible with Catholic doctrine.” He does not speak of the Patriotic Church or Underground Church but distinguishes between those who accept state control and those who do not. Those who accept state control are under the auspices of a body which is an organ of the communist state and is controlled by a group of people, many of whom are not even Christian.

The situation is complicated by the fact that many bishops appointed by the state subsequently request and often receive Papal recognition. All of these episcopal and priestly ordinations according to a Catholic rite are considered to be valid although the Pope makes it clear that those who do so without Papal mandate or subsequent legitimisation cannot be considered to be Catholic. It is estimated that about 70% of the bishops appointed by the communist Patriotic Association have been subsequently been approved by the Vatican and most visitors to these churches would see them as the local Catholic Churches. Why would Catholics therefore not chose to worship at these churches, something that they can do openly?

Millions of people in China refuse to attend these Masses and do so in secret. Many have been arrested, some imprisoned and others claim to have been tortured. One difficulty seems to be that whilst bishops are often legitimized by the Pope, their subsequent behavior can seem to be schismatic. The Bishop of Beijing was approved by the Vatican and by the Patriotic Association and yet has implied since then, that he sees the church as independent. Literature on sale in the Cathedral bookshop in Beijing describes the Chinese Church as 'independent'.

In Shanghai is a Catholic Cathedral and within the grounds is a flagpole flying the national red and gold flag of the People’s Republic of China. A sign at the Cathedral forbids anyone from taking photographs. One Japanese couple who ignored this had their camera taken from them by force by security. Pictured to the left is a luxurious building describing itself as the Catholic clergy residence which is next to the slightly shabby Shanghai Cathedral. One priest who is in contact with loyal clergy told me that this is basically a bribe to lure into the Catholic Patriotic Association Catholic priests who had previously stayed loyal to the Pope.

In another part of China, I had a conversation with a priest, who for obvious reasons asked to be quoted anonymously. He said that there was a Catholic priest who was originally loyal to the Pope but subsequently decided to join the Patriotic Association. He was rewarded for this by being chosen to be a bishop and consecrated, contrary to Canon Law without Papal approval.

Some years later his appointment as bishop was recognised by the Vatican. I asked this priest, “why do so many people then stay with the underground church when they can worship openly in a church that is not persecuted?’ He replied that many priests and faithful say that while the ‘Vatican’ may recognise that man as a bishop, they see him as a traitor. “He is not our bishop. He has left his flock to gain all the privileges that the state can afford him.”

Surely, a group claiming to be faithful to the Pope, cannot refuse to recognise a man whom the Vatican has now approved? Has the Vatican been misinformed? My contact claimed, "Enemies of the Pope in the Vatican are undermining faithful Catholics in China.” He stressed that Pope Benedict himself loves and cares for the faithful, loyal Catholic community but that he is surrounded by sycophants, career churchmen and people whose love for power appears to exceed their love for Christ. If a power-hungry Vatican diplomat can get the Holy See and China to establish diplomatic relationships then that would make them seem very influential. Perhaps they would receive worldy recognition and perhaps be appointed to high office themselves?

Pope Benedict makes it clear in his Letter to Chinese Catholics: “The present College of Catholic Bishops of China cannot be recognized as an Episcopal Conference by the Apostolic See: the “clandestine” Bishops, those not recognized by the Government but in communion with the Pope, are not part of it; it includes Bishops who are still illegitimate, and it is governed by statutes that contain elements incompatible with Catholic doctrine.” An example of this is that in September 1995, the CPA approved Bishops’ Conference issued a pastoral letter calling for all Catholics to support China’s ‘Platform for the Development of Women’ that includes birth control, sterilization, and the one family-one child policy whereby women who are pregnant after having one child are forced by the Chinese government to abort their unborn babies.

Joseph Kung, the nephew of the brave and saintly, Cardinal Kung travelled with him to the United States after he had been released from years of imprisonment. He is President of the Cardinal Kung Foundation which presents what he sees as the truth about the church in China. He stresses that the persecution of loyal Catholics continues to this day. He points out that many people worldwide hear stories about the Catholic Church in China but do not know that this refers to the communist controlled Patriotic Association. He emphasises the irony of many Catholic missionaries returning to China at the invitation of and operating under the supervision of the communist controlled Patriotic Association but without the permission of the loyal bishops.

The situation is clearly complicated. There are good people who have in conscience made different decisions as to how they live out their faith in China. One Catholic priest in China felt that God was calling him to be a priest and after a great deal of thought and prayer, decided to study at a government approved seminary. He does not like the way the church is run in China (although cannot say this in public) but he does believe that working within the framework of the Chinese Patriotic Association means that he can minister to more people and he does see the Pope as the spiritual head of the church even if he does not appoint the bishops at the moment.

We cannot judge the hearts and motivations of others but we can help the persecuted church. See http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/ for more information and let's pray for Catholics in China.

Amazing Grace

This film should be an inspiration to those fighting for justice today. The struggle of William Wilberforce, motivated by his Christian faith, to outlaw slavery has strong parallels with the pro-life movement today. There is hope if we refuse to give up.

Can I Live?

This is an inspiring song and video from the American comedian, Nick Canon that celebrates life. It is a true story. His mother considered an abortion but in very difficult circumstances chose life. I love the words, "I thank my mother for giving me life." Let us always celebrate and stand up for dignity of every human being.