De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

Monsignor Nicholas Hudson presently Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart, Wimbledon, has been appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster Diocese today. Sacred Heart was a Jesuit Parish, but due to a shortage of vocations in the Jesuits in Britain it was announced that the Society of Jesus was to hand over administration of the parish to the Archdiocese of Southwark and Mgr Nick was appointed Parish Priest to the Parish where he grew up. Indeed, his family lived just a few streets away from Sacred Heart, where he was baptised and ordained. This appointment follows a spate of appointments over the last few weeks. Mgr Hudson was rector of the English College in Rome from 2004-2013 when he was replaced by Mgr Philip Whitmore . Mgr Hudson has long been rumoured for an appointment to an episcopacy, take this report in 2011 for example. I think this is because it is quite usual for the rector of a seminary to eventually be made a bishop. CEW website has a full report . Biog...

So as of the stroke of midnight, so-called "gay marriage" became legal in the UK and the first same-sex couples were "wed". It is all over the news here, and the rainbow flag which is a symbol of LGBT pride is flying over whitehall no less! The idea I think is that the very perception of gay relationships will change with the advent of "gay marriage", as one of those taking part articulated on the news. For society, I think this will have major repercussions, but not sudden ones. It is part of a decline in moral standards which purports to be about love and equality but in truth betrays any true academic notion of either. Now I do understand that there are many homosexual couples who think that this is about equality and love. I don't think anyone should have to feel marginalised in society, or threatened, or hated, it makes me sad to think they might feel that way. But I cannot help but feel "gay marriage" is forcing a confrontat...

Anyone about my age will be familiar with the polished, glossy tones of Kenny Thomas , a multi-platinum selling artist who dominated the commercial, soul and album charts in the 90’s. What I didn't know was that he is a staunch, devout Catholic with a passion for personal holiness and a deep understanding of St. Thomas Aquinas! Kenny was born in 1968, grew up on Hillside Estate in Stamford Hill and went to Cardinal Pole RC School in Hackney. He was a boxer and a BT technician before turning his hand to a singing career. His breakthrough came in 1991 with his debut hit "Outstanding", a cover of a Gap Band song, which went to number 12 in the UK Singles Chart. Kenny’s debut album, “Voices”, went platinum in its first week and then went on to sell over double platinum in the UK alone, spawning 4 hit singles, including his biggest hit in the July "Thinking About Your Love", which peaked at number four and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks, and "Best Of Yo...

Deacon's Bench reports today that, twenty-three years ago, Bishop Glennon Flavin of Lincoln Diocese, USA, issued a letter to parishioners and physicians, decrying birth control as evil and immoral. He warned Catholic couples using contraception and the Catholic physicians prescribing it they were “committing grave sin.” On Tuesday, Bishop James Conley issued his own letter to parishioners reaffirming the Catholic Church’s stance prohibiting the use of all contraceptives, although his pastoral letter goes to greater lengths to explain the teaching in gentle tones. I think it is very powerful that every priest in the diocese has been asked to discuss the letter and talk about contraception during Mass this weekend. Wow! +Conley said: “We really live in a wounded world when it comes to the family,”  In a move that I think clearly demonstrates the reality of his gentle pastoral care for his flock, he explained how he chose to issue the letter during Lent ...

Sunday's Gospel was the story of the Woman at the Well which is one of those really important Scripture passages which deserves much reflection and consideration. Fr. Kevin offered a very valuable reflection on the Gospel which I have asked him if I can share with you all here. You can also listen to Fr. Kevin deliver his homily here if you prefer. A number of people have told me that they have given up drinking for Lent. I think what they really mean is that they have given up alcoholic drink. There was man in the news at start of Lent who said he was going to live only on beer throughout Lent; apparently it’s possible. What isn’t possible is to live without water. The body can go for days and weeks without food, but without water we would simply die. The body craves water to remain alive; even in those regions of the world where there have been recent disasters, the importance of getting water to survivors is paramount.  Our souls are the same as our bodies in this regard;...

You hear that time heals all wounds. This is a lie. The wound of a lost child never heals, but time does anesthetise you to the pain somewhat. You get used to carrying the cross around with you and slowly, you become able to smile again with honesty. The grief is always there though, often very close to the surface. Sometimes I feel my most honest moments are alone with Mary, bathing her, dressing her, when I can just hold her and cry. Cry for joy because God has given her to me, forgiven me, trusted me, saved me. And cry for Ruth, for the overwhelming love I still feel for her and can no longer express in the tactile way that was so every-day just a few brief years ago. These are strange moments, full to bursting with an incredible amount of love, but also excruciatingly painful. A moment when I let my grief out of the secret, carefully hidden box I keep it in for a moment and allow it to engulf me. I wonder what Mary makes of me dissolving into a blubbing puddle of love in the m...

Today brings the momentous news that the Dominican Bishop Malcolm McMahon, ninth bishop of Nottingham has been translated to Archbishop of Liverpool. This is great news and comes after much worry and speculation about who would actually get this important post. Of course, here in Brentwood Diocese, where I am blogging from, we call him "the other bishop McMahon". Malcolm McMahon was born in London, and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology before working for London Transport. In 1976, he joined the Dominican Order. Making his religious profession in December 1977, Bishop McMahon studied philosophy at Blackfriars, Oxford and theology at Heythrop College. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Basil Hume on 26 June 1982. He served as chaplain of Leicester Polytechnic from 1984 to 1985. McMahon later became Parish Priest of St Dominic's in Newcastle upon Tyne (1989), and of St Dominic's in Ha...