De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

This is a useful short video from the Iona Institute which clearly and succinctly explains the case for not changing the definition of marriage.

As someone who instructs in the faith, I am obliged to pass on, not my own opinion, but what the Church holds and teaches. This is an obligation which comes with a heavy weight of responsibility for me, because I don't know everything about the faith (who could?) and often, I don't feel like I know very much at all. This means that I am always open to correction, and always trying to find out more. This is the process that has led me to change my perspective on the way we receive Holy Communion, and become somewhat of an evangelical advocate for making a sign of reverence (a deep bow, or genuflection) before we receive the blessed Sacrament, and only receiving on the tongue. If I'm honest, my study has led me to the conclusion that one should rightly be on their knees when they receive, as is the norm when receiving from the Holy Father, but until kneelers are reintroduced, we will have to make do. The way we conduct ourselves is essential and important. It, in it...

Wonders will never cease it seems! Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the former archbishop of Westminster, has spoken out this morning, presenting  a withering analysis in the Telegraph of the current ' shambolic ' handling of the gay marriage debacle. He eviscerates David Cameron's election commitment to strengthen marriage as an institution and is highly critical of Cameron's understanding of the nature of marriage. He also, rightly, attacks the Prime Minister's honesty in the Conservative Party's manifesto. It could seem a little too little too late, but I have heard, and I do believe that Church leaders have been working hard behind the scenes to present a proper understanding of the argument in private. It now seems that they all are feeling a little betrayed by assurances received and are resorting to the only means of defending marriage left open to them, having instigated- and demonstrated the over-whelming public support for a proper understa...

The cry is always the same when we hear about events such as the tragic Newtown massacre that took place last weekend and it is all too familiar to me, as I noted in my post yesterday . So where was God? Tanya Marlow wrote beautifully on how this affected her yesterday. Lisa Graas identified with this in just the same way as I do and posted this beautiful reflection . It might seem a little abstract to you if you're not a Catholic or familiar with the spirituality. But suffering is one of the ways we feel close to God: God is not distant or removed from suffering, He is present in it. If you are a Catholic, or at least familiar with this spirituality, you will certainly benefit from reflecting on her post there. In my darkest days, I identified with Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, which culminate in the Crucifixion, which for me, constitutes the death of my child. There's a huge debate raging about gun cont...

It's been a difficult weekend and today, the media is full of the outpouring of grief over a loss which seems incomprehensible in terms of the magnitude of evil required to facilitate such actions. There must be a sickness in our society, that it would breed a tragedy like this. Immediately, I identify strongly with the parents, having lost my seven year old daughter under tragic circumstances. Something like this is like hitting a raw nerve in me, it provokes a pain which is at once familiar, yet unbearable, and runs to the core of my being. The awful dawning realisation that your little one has died. That they are gone. That there is nothing you can do. It's a grief beyond grief, a pain beyond pain. Twenty children's parents are faced with no other option than to try and cope with this bleak, blank wall of pain today. They will wake to the flat, immovable reality of what has occurred and will continue to wake to it every day for the rest of their lives. ...

Father John Edwards, SJ, died on Wednesday . My Parish Priest Father Kevin Hale, was a great friend of Father John's, and put the following quote from Fr. Ray's blog in our newsletter yesterday: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father John Edwards, SJ. He concelebrated community Mass at Farm Street on Wednesday and died in the evening. In his last circular letter to family and friends he wrote that his impending death brought him immense happiness. His last public Mass was offered for his friend and brother Fr. Hugh Thwaites SJ, the first time a traditional Mass was offered at Farm Street since the 1970's. I am told that he regarded the process of dying as "a very busy affair". He was a good friend to us in this Parish and over the last nine years he has heard thousands of our Confessions! He had a great knack of teaching people to pray and to go to Confession. He was such a good Confessor, he could lift weights that had ground people down for ye...

Part of my initial response to the the news that our bishops were finally speaking out about the gay marriage consultation process was to wonder, somewhat uncharitably I'll admit, if the Archbishops of Westminster and Southwark were kind of forced into making their statement by Bishop Philip Egan's speedy response . Irrespective of why, I am glad they did respond, and I thought Archbishop Peter Smith, who I personally had the pleasure of hearing speak very eloquently on this matter last year at Southwark's Familiaris Consortio  conference, gave a strong argument on the BBC website . Whatever the motivation, I am just so glad Bishops of the U.K. are speaking out on this matter. It's probably not political expedient to say that it may in future be the fruits of Bishop Egan's Episcopacy that embarrasses others to speak out on important issues. It seems to me he is fulfilling his duty as it should be, leading Christ's people with firm information about publ...