De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

On a much more positive note: what are the intrinsic dynamics of conversion to the Catholic faith? What would make an Elder in the Jehovah Witnesses, well known for its covetousness of members, harsh treatment of apostates and fundamentalist approach to religion, leave at great personal cost and become a Catholic? Luke 14:25-27 There are some answers in the latest from Catholic Family Channel One of Nine   (if there ever was a Catholic project worthy of your support, this is it!). I thought this was a wonderfully uplifting story of conversion from a parish a few minutes up the road from me .  A family of Jehovah's Witnesses (the father an elder) convert to the Catholic faith at not some inconsiderable personal cost. As with the stories of converts from Anglicanism , these stories always recall the above Gospel passage for me. I, who was gifted my Catholic faith can only look in awe at those who convert like this. It is in and of itself a proof that the Catholic faith is the t...

BY WAY OF CONTRAST with yesterday's post about a priest in my diocese leading his parishioners AWAY from the Catholic Church, spreading error & confusion, I am very pleased today to share an extremely edifying, interesting & enjoyable conversation brought to us by two EXCELLENT & holy men who are living Catholic truth and happily working in the Lord's vineyard here in Brentwood Diocese: I have to say I find these conversations so enjoyable to watch and to think about. It's proper! It is encouraging and heart warming. This is part of a series of wonderful conversations you can find on the Norbertine's Facebook page on holy subjects. Watch this discussion & compare it with Fr Fox's comments yesterday: IT IS ANOTHER RELIGION!!

A while back we had a really good Parish Mission at Our Lady of Lourdes & St. Joseph. The wonderful Norbertines from Chelmsford came and led a really powerful retreat which drew incredibly positive feedback from across the Parish family. Out of the grace that flowed from that week, Fr. Kevin was determined to capitalise, and asked me to present to the Parish Council on the possibility of running the Apprenticeship in Discipleship programme based on Sherry Weddell's Forming Intentional Disciples put together by the Diocese of Plymouth Evangelisation Team . I met the team when they came to London in October last year and ran a training day on disciple making disciples. The Plymouth team have developed a comprehensive and continuing programme to develop, mobilise support and sustain parish evangelisation teams. Through this programme, they have found that many individuals experience a deepening personal relationship with Jesus. This naturally leads to a hunger to know m...

Some really good news this week in that Fr Hugh Allan OPraem , Prior of Norbertine Commuinity of St Philip's Priory, Chelmsford, has been appointedcas the new Apostolic Administrator of the Prefecture of the Falkland Islands and Ecclesiastical Superior of the Missions sui iuris of the islands of Ascension, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha ad quinquennium (for a period of five years). Fr Hugh succeeds Monsignor Michael McPartland SMA who has been incumbent of this post since August 2002. Monsignor McPartland, having reached the canonical age of retirement, submitted his resignation so that a successor could be appointed. Fr Hugh now has canonical responsibility of the community on the Falkland Islands and the other territories and will continue to support Fr John Wisdom OPraem who lives on the Falkland Islands. Fr John has been in Stanley since August 2015 and has built good relations with the islanders and with the military community at RAF Mount Pleasant on East Falkla...

Wow! What a Mass!! Last night I had the extreme pleasure of experiencing a little bit of heaven on earth, when I attended Mass in thanksgiving for my Parish Priest, Father Kevin Hale's 30 year anniversary of priesthood (yes, you're right, he doesn't look old enough!). Here he is with his dear friend, the recently ordained Titular Bishop of Cuncacestre & auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, the Rt. Revd. Robert Byrne: The Mass was truly sublime; Music was astounding, Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd, the offertory motet was Beati Quorum Via by Charles Villiers Stanford. The voices filled the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Lourdes with such beautiful sound, I just had to close my eyes and soak it up...Every moment a prayer, raising our hearts and minds up to heaven, as if we could hear the angels themselves lifting their voices in praise to The Almighty. We were also joined by a number of Norbertines from the Priory of St. Philip in Chelmsfor...