Monday, November 30, 2009

To Tunbridge Wells...

...for an evening talk at St Augustine's Church, organised by Fr Marcus Holden. A packed hall on an evening of teeming rain and bitter winds. A showing of the new DVD "Arise once More" (Do get a copy...ideal for schools, Confirmation classes, youth groups...) and then a talk on "Celebrating Feasts and Seasons".

Earlier, I had spent the afternoon with relations, having tea by a roaring fire in a lovely family home in the Kent countryside. Talk was of family news, catching up on the latest on Duke of Edinburgh's Award, ballet lessons, school...

And after the meeting, on to stay with kind friends, meeting more delightful young people, enjoying a long talkative supper,swapping news and laughter round a candlelit table as rain lashed down outside...

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Taking a break...

...from some work, I found some good reading on the Internet. Columnist Mark Steyn, for example...

The Equality Bill...

...is being rushed through Parliament and will create huge burdens for churches and small voluntary groups, already worried by innumerable layers of burueacracy. Christians running small firms could find that they are forced to fight costly legal battles if accused by a customer or former employee of "homophobia" or similar. Find out more here.

It is ghastly...

...reading the reports of investigation into child abuse within the Church. Sickening. The detailed report on appalling extreme phsyical cruelty and sexual assaults inflicted on children in institutions run by religious orders in Ireland the 1940s-70s has now been matched by a report on sexual predators among clergy in the Dublin diocese with teenagers from the 70s onwards.

One Catholic commentator has announced that the abuse is all since the Second Vatican Council and that it was perpetrated by "post Vatican II, open-windows, relevant...ecumaniacs, liturgical animators" but this is wishful thinking. The Second Vatican Council cannot be blamed for what went on in children's homes in Ireland in the 1950s, and, alas, the culture of cover-up that was used in the 1970s and 80s did not begin at Vatican II either. We do ourselves no favours by trying to write bracing denunciations of modernism instead of confronting the horrid reality of wrongdoing wherever it has occurred.

Friday, November 27, 2009

At Westminster...

...the annual meeting of the Catholic Union. This organisation has been speaking up for Catholics in Britain for 125 years, and is now livelier than ever. This is just as well because its work is now more important than ever. Its President, Lord Brennan, spoke extremely well and the meeting touched on a number of crucial issues - the Govt's projected plans on "assisted suicide",questions on marriage and family issues, the renewed threats to church schools...the mood and tone of the meeting was challenging and upbeat. Recent recruitment events have resulted in an upsurge of young people joining the Union. Much talk and many plans.

Before the meeting, a sung Mass in the Cathedral, with a Bishop preaching and a special welcome for CU members who had come from across Britain. The first Reading was about Daniel in the lions' den. All too appropriate for Cath. Union members who know what it is to be in the lions' den of a TV studio or debating-hall...

The Catholic Writers' Guild...

...in Manchester meets at the University Chaplaincy, which is immediately opposite the Students' Union, so I was able to give a talk to the Guild after the Union gathering (see previous Blog entry). A convivial evening, and a chance to visit the beautiful chapel(recently renovated - exquiste altar with pre-Reformation carvings) and see something of the vibrant life of the chaplaincy, which has packed Masses, and a range of actitities that include a four-part choir,instruction in the Faith, lots of charitable work caring for the elderly and homeless etc, sports, pilgrimages, trips, talks, retreats, and more...

Student Mass each Sunday at Holy Name church at 7pm is evidently the place to be. Coming up in 2010 there is a walking pilgrimage to Compostella with a stay in Lourdes, and a public presentation of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday in the streets of Manchester...

Manchester...

...and a discussion at the Students' Union under the theme "Challenging Orthodoxy". exploring why we might usefully challenge the current orthodoxy which states that male/female marriage need not be the basis of family life, that current sex education schemes are successful etc etc. Excellent contribution from Professor Brenda Almond pointing out the need to stick to biological truths. But, alas, students preferred to remain within the comfort-zone of current orthodoxies - so they all affirmed the value of lesbian parenting, "who says that heterosexuals make betters parents?" etc etc...afterwards some came up to me to say privately that they agreed with what Prof Amond had said. But they felt they couldn't say so publicly!

Monday, November 23, 2009

It seems that we now have...

...a chap of whom no one in Britain has ever heard imposed upon us as "President" of the European Union. And we haven't been allowed to vote on whether we want to be part of a European Union, or have a President, let alone allowed to vote on who that President should be. And we are all too sick and tired of the whole wretched subject even to feel as angry as we ought.

Years ago at school we sung a hymn which had some lines that have stayed with me: "Empires rise and sink like billows/ Vanish and are seen no more..." One day the EU will be added to those empires. I rather hope it happens in my lifetime.

The Internet...

...is scarily good at turning non-events into news stories and whizzing them around the world, spreading false information. Read here to discover an example...

I'll be in....

...Manchester on Tuesday, speaking at the University, and also at the NW Catholic Writers' Guild...and next weekend I'm off to Kent this parish to enjoy an evening which will feature this film, which is worth seeing...

If you want...

...a thoughtful and interesting comment on the latest Catholic/Anglican thing, this is a good read...

Sunday, November 22, 2009

A young relative...

...came for the weekend, and it was a delight. We had a happy afternoon with Granny, tea and talk and reminiscences and family news and plans for Christmas and so on. Then after a rainy walk, and a cheery pub visit, there was a Chinese meal and a film... and then this morning we went to the sung Mass at Westminster Cathedral, followed by coffee and cake...at the Cathedral there was a spolendid Mass for the Feast of Christ the King, and at the end the choir sang Christus Vincit....

Saturday, November 21, 2009

If you were near Buckingham Palace...

...on Thursday night, you would have heard three rousing cheers for HM the Queen, followed by prayers for her and for our country. This was the culmination of the third of our Catholic History Walks. We began at Westminster Cathedral where a crowd gathered - rather a larger crowd than had been anticipated, and I was glad when the organisers arrived with a good microphone...we went down Victoria Street, and across St James' Park, with stops at various points for talks, and we learned about the Cathedral's history and Cardinal Vaughan, and the Queen's visit there on St Andrew's Day for its 100th birthday, and then St James and the tradition of pilgrimage, and then the Chapel Royal and Charles I and Charles II, and Catherine of Braganza and Henrietta Maria and more...and we took in all the Georges and the Regency and Maria Fitzherbert and thence to the early 19th century and Catholic Emancipation, and by now we were walking up the Mall, and on to Buckingham Palace and Queen Victoria...it was a mellow Autumn evening and a friendly crowd, and a great atmosphere, and a great sense of loyalty as we cheered our monarch, and a great sense of deep prayer as we committed our country - the new session of Parliament just opened with yet more idiotic legislative plans to wreck what's left of our education system etc - to God. Standing there by lamplight, the voices praying the "Our Father...", people open and quite unembarrassed, I suppose it was rather British and eccentric...

Want to join us on future walks? We are doing various routes. The next two Catholic History Walks are on January 20th and February 17th 2010. Each time, we meet on the steps of Westminster Cathedral at 6.30pm, after the 5.30pm Mass...

Come and learn about reviving the Catholic Faith...

...at a screening of a new DVD on just this theme. Aimed specially at the young, but everyone is welcome. "Arise once more" sets out the steps for an authentic revival of Catholicism in Britain.

Beginning with the early arrival of Christianity in Britain, this film takes you on a tour of Catholic history, through the Medieval period and the Reformation, the Second Spring, the Modern Crisis, and ends with hopes and plans for the revival....

Commentary is provided by various speakers and authors including Fr Marcus Holden, Fr Andrew Pinsent, Fr Thomas Crean, Fr
Nicholas Schofield, and more.

SCREENING AT:

- Our Lady of Lourdes, Uxbridge, Middlesex
Friday 27th November 2:00pm

- St Joseph's, New Malden, Surrey
Friday November 27th at 8pm

- Parish of St. Benedict, Ealing Abbey
Saturday 28th November 2:00pm

- Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen, Kent
Saturday 28th November 7:15pm

- St. Augustine’s, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Sunday 29th November 7:00pm


For further details about the DVD or to order a copy visit www.saintant.com
(promotional video clip on website) Tel: 01834 812643

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A party!

...to celebrate the launch of English Catholic Heroines, published by Gracewing Books.

Drinks and speeches and tasty snacks and talk and hugs and congratulations, all at St Wilfrid's Hall at Brompton Oratory. This is a place which is a sort of home-from-home for the Bogles, because we held our Silver Wedding party there, and I have spoken there at all sorts of meetings and conferences and taken part in all sorts of social events. It was lovely to be celebrating with some of the various contributors to this book, and it was a happy evening. Tom Longford, my splendid publisher, presided with much good cheer, and John Jolliffe, who got the whole project off the ground and produced English Catholic Heroes last year was among the guests.

Readers of this Blog can join in the fun by buying the book! Ideal Christmas gift, packed with highly readable stories. Find out about England's great Catholic women, from St Etheldreda to Maria Fitzherbert, from heroic martyrs like Margaret Clithreoe and Anne Line to writers, nurses, teachers, and founders of religious orders...

Are you coming....

...to the Catholic History Walk tomorrow, Thursday Nov 19th? Just turn up. We meet at 6.30pm on the steps of Westminster Cathedral, after the 5.30pm Mass. Our walk will take us across St James' Park, and we'll be looking at the links between the Church and the English monarchy.

Come in comfortable shoes, and be prepared to walk whatever the weather. The walk will take approx one aand a half hours. Afterwards, people tend to drift off to local pubs, of which thgere are several nice ones.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Lots and lots of people...

... hurrying into Westminster Cathedral Hall through ferocious rain for the Towards Advent Festival....we had a magnificent array of Catholic groups and organisations, ranging from the Knights of St Columba to publishers like Fisher Press, Gracewing, and the CTS, we had the Catenians and we had Aid to the Church in Need, we had the Tyburn Nuns and we had pro-life groups and we had the Catholic National Library...and more...and more...

The Schola from the Cardinal Vaughan School sang gloriously - Byrd's Ave Verum was simply superb. Archbishop Vincent Nichols spoke about the beauty and significance of Advent and set just the right tone for the day. There were talks and a tour of the Cathedral, there were delicious refreshments, there was a terrific buzz of conversation and what I suppose one could grandly call "networking", there were stalls selling DVDs of beautiful music, and cards and statues and devotional items and monastic produce and books, lots and lots of books...

Talks during the day included one on Christianity in Iraq - fascinating, sobering - and one on the Crusades with Prof. Jonathan Riley-Smith, whose books on the subject are warmly recommended.

I met Benedictine monks (young, enthusiastic) and friends from EWTN and from the Catholic press. The hall got rather hot and crowded, and there was a sudden glorious rush of cold air as one hurried out to reach Vaughan House, where the talks were being held. There was a fine display of art produced by pupils at Catholic schools. There were people to meet, and ideas to exchange, and things finished with my leading a tour of the Cathedral as dusk fell and the Festival slowly drew to a close...

No praise too high for the Catenian Association which took on much of the workload in getting the day organised, and the Knights of St Columba who loyally distributed handbills in the Cathedral piazza directing people to the Festival, and the Association of Catholic Women which produced wonderful home-made sandwiches and cakes and more...

Every year I worry that the Festival won't be a success, and every year I am shown that I needn't have worried...

A happy evening...

...at Our Lady's Convent School in Loughborough, where I was invited to present the prizes on Speech Day. I was made most welcome, and it was good to be in a friendly atmosphere where one sensed shared values. It was a warm-hearted, traditional Speech Day - we began with "God Save the Queen", in which everyone joined enthusiastically, and there was a splendid array of trophies and shields to present along with prizes (book tokens) and certificates, and there were talks and songs from the pupils, and a speech from me...on the train going home, I settled cosily with hot chocolate and a copy of a book of reminiscences produced by a former pupil. All enjoyable...

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Wow...




...extraordinary evening as a crowd gathered in Kensington to hear about a miracle at first-hand!

At Brompton Oratory - where Cardinal John Henry Newman once preached - a man who was healed of a grave spinal illness stood in the sanctuary and told us that the healing had come as a result of prayer through the intercession of Newman, and that this has been accepted as a miracle by the Church.

A copy of the Millais portrait of Newman stood alongside, its vivid colours glowing in the soft light beneath that great dome. History seemed to merge into the present as Deacon Jack Sullivan told his story - how he had begged Newman's aid as he sat in pain, distraught at the thought that he would have to abandon his studies and would never be ordained, his inability to walk or move making service as a deacon impossible. The miracle - initially of relief of pain so that he could continue to attend college, and then of complete healing, with doctors baffled as Sullivan bounded up and downstairs and along corridors - was described to a rapt audience.

It was a very London occasion - Catholics gathered at this great church on an Autumn evening, lamplight highlighting the golden and russet Autumn leaves, traffic humming. "Saints are our older brothers and sisters" said Jack Sullivan "We say we believe in life after death, but do we really? A miracle like this teaches us in the reality of the Communion of Saints, in which we profess our belief when we say the Creed". Across the decades, beyond two world wars and a thousand massive social and political changes, a saint from Queen Victoria's London was being honoured and remembered...

Autumn is a time for history.The Queen at Westminster Abbey for a service at eleven o'clock and our house, like others, falling silent for two minutes, along with the workmen in the road outside and people in shops and schools and offices.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Yesterday, the day that...

...the Apostolic Constitution for Anglicans who wish to have their own "ordinariate" within the Church was published, I happened to be giving a talk in a Forward in Faith parish. Evidently quite a lively parish, though not large - one main service on Sunday mornings - with Brownies and a playgroup and youth activities etc. Big redbrick church, Stations of the Cross round the walls, Angelus said at noon. Do let's all pray...

Monday, November 09, 2009

Hurrying about...

...getting things ready for the Towards Advent Festival (this Sat, Nov 14th, Westminster Cathedral Hall - BE THERE!), interspersed with family activities. Much of last week was spent assisting an elderly relative to move - she is now happily settled...sorting through the various photographs, cleaning and re-arranging etc was in many ways an extraordinary experience, and one perhaps peculiarly suited to the days just before Remembrance Day. The photographs of my uncles in wartime uniform are a sudden window on to an utterly different era. Even the faces are not modern ones - thinner, somehow more sharply defined...

...And in the middle of all this, I was asked to join in a discussion on BBC radio, about a young man caught on YouTube using a War memorial as a lavatory. What did I think would be a suitable way for him to show remorse/be punished/learn how to behave better? He's 19. My suggestion: he should go to 19 war memorials across Britain, write down carefully and accurately the names on each (this information is needed, incidentally - many of the names, especially from WWI, are being eroded by time and weather), clean and tidy the whole memorial and its surroundings carefully, removing all litter etc, and leave a poppy wreath with a short note of apology for his earlier behaviour...

A chill wind...

...across Exmoor, with scudding clouds. A family welcome, much talk. The curious mix of shops in a modern village - delicatessen and coffee-shops for visitors, jostling with a mini-supermarket. Local cider-tasting and hot sausages on sale at a Saturday afternoon village gathering. Then Sunday morning and the scarlet wreaths of poppies as a small procession winds its way through the village to the War Memorial, preceded by processional cross, choir and surpliced clergy. It all has a timeless feel,but also a sense of vulneralbility - rural life has taken a terrible bashing in recent years and there is no longer that sense of "everything just going on from year to year" that was always part of the English countryside...

Friday, November 06, 2009

A man of courage and wisdom...

...speaks out. Read the speech by the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks in today's press His criticism of moral relativism is timely and trenchant. Wouldn't it be good if we had some Bishops who spoke out like this?

Defending the place of religion in public life, Lord Sacks said : "The place for religion is in civil society, where it achieves many things essential to liberal democratic freedom. It sanctifies marriage and the family and the obligations of parenthood, and it safeguards the non-relativist moral principles on which Western freedom is based.

“It may not be religion that is dying, it may be liberal democratic Europe that is in danger, demographically and in its ability to defend its own values.”

Lord Sacks asked: “Where today in European culture with its consumerism and instant gratification – 'because you’re worth it' – where will you find space for the concept of sacrifice for the sake of generations not yet born?"

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

"The Making...

...of Modern Britain" is a new TV series. In a review of the first part, looking at the Victorian and Edwardian era, Telegraph journalist Charles Moore takes presenter Andrew Marr to task for sneering at what was achieved during those years. Of course there have been many improvements in life for many people since the early 20th century but "As well as gaining much, we have also lost. Honour, manufacturing, oratory, worship, friendly societies, organised temperance, provincial pride, fair play, low taxes, reading and writing, public order, good trains and public clocks which kept the time – just a few of the things which our own age could improve if it bothered to admire the past rather more and itself rather less."

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Latest ghastly slogan-word...

...is "polyamory". This means any group of people who share sexual partners among themselves. Once same-sex marriage is accepted, why stop at just two people? Why not three? Or more? Logic of this=polyamory.

Commentator Dr Albert Mohler in the Bulletin published by Family and Youth Concern, notes: "Perhaps the best way to understand this new movement is to understand it as a natural consequence of subverting marriage. We have largely normalised adultery, serialised marriage, separated marriage from reproduction and child-bearing, and accepted divorce as a mechnaism for liberation. Once this happens, boundary after boundary falls as sexual regulation virtually disappears among those defined as "consenting adults".

"The ultimate sign of our moral confusion becomes evident when virtually no one appears ready to condemn polyamory as immoral.The only arguments mustered against this new movement focus on matters of practicality. Polyamory is certainly not new, but this new movement is yet another reminder that virtually all the fences are now down when it comes to sex and sexual relationships."