De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

Live streaming was seriously lacking at the consecration of Brentwood's new bishop, the Rt. Revd. Alan Williams last week. However this video has just been posted on Vimeo which presents an excellent summary of the day's highlights: Episcopal Ordination of the Bishop of Brentwood from Paul Desmond on Vimeo .

Well, obviously, he got it wrong lots in The DaVinci Code , but he did give us all something to talk about again! This week, on the CNA website , Bishop Arthur Serratelli, the bishop of Paterson, New Jersey, uses a fascinating archaeological discovery to show how Pope Francis articulates a fundamental Christian truth when he says: “A Christian is not a monad, off somewhere alone. No, he belongs to a people, to the Church…A Christian without the Church is … not a reality… A Christian without the Church is incomprehensible: It is a thing of the laboratory, an artificial thing, a thing that cannot give life…The Christian is always a woman, a man of the Eucharist”    —Pope Francis, May 15, 2014 homily at Mass at Domus Sanctae Marthae . The news that the remnants of a 3rd century A.D. church have been unearthed at Megiddo, the venue for the New Testament's final battle at the end of the world (Rev 16:16) has demonstrated that Brown's assertion in the DaVinci Code , tha...

On Tuesday, Brentwood Diocese' new shepherd, Alan Williams, was consecrated as bishop, and received the fullness of Holy Orders. After 34 years, Brentwood has a new bishop and this can only be a momentous event in the life of every Catholic who lives in Brentwood. Sadly, I could not attend, despite attempted bribery, repeated begging and even threats of physical violence. I was fortunate enough to have an inside track on events however, in the form of the pulchritudinous and erudite head girl from Brentwood Ursuline Catholic High School, Miss Amy Gander. She has written a brief summary of her experience on Tuesday exclusively for readers of De Omnibus Dubitandem Est: Our intrepid reporter selfied with retired Bishop Christopher Budd & Fr. John McGrath In his homily, Cardinal Vincent Nichols talked about aspects of being a Bishop, the roles one must fulfil to honour their appointment, and for me these perfectly summarised the day. First was commitment to prayer...

Today, Aljazeera is running this story: UK Muslims gather to promote tolerance I'm rather cross that Ahmadiyya is being portrayed here as British Islam. It is not. I would argue it is probably what British Islam should be, but the reality is that the opinion among ALL Muslims as to the fact that Ahmadis/ Qadanis are NOT Muslim is unanimous. As such they are NOT allowed entry into any of Islam's holy places, nor participate in prayers or rituals. This is because one of the basic dogmas of Islam (agreed upon by ALL Muslims regardless of denomination) is that the prophet Muhammad (saws) was the LAST and FINAL prophet: the seal of the Prophets. This is in stark contradiction to the Ahmadi belief that Mizra Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet, a messiah, and the mahdi; another contradiction to the belief of ALL Muslims which is that the Messiah and Mahdi are two separate people. In reality, the sad truth is that Ahmadis are being tortured and martyred on a weekly basi...

Habemus episcopum!!! Welcome the new Bishop of Brentwood the Rt. Rvd. Alan Williams... Photo: Rvd James Mackay Packed Cathedral! Photo: @BrentwoodRC A bird's-eye view of the examination tweeted earlier today by  @BrentwoodRC  from the media room. Those who didn't make it inside for the consecration are rewarded and Bishop Alan even poses for a selfie! A new era begins for the diocese of Brentwood after 34 years, we have a new bishop. Deo gratias! I will continue to add pictures as I come across them. Margaret Sullivan & Liam Connolly with Bishop Alan. Some members of BCYS with the Bishop

So, the day has finally arrived. The episcopal ordination of bishop-elect Alan Williams will take place today, week 13 of ordinary time and the feast of St Oliver Plunket, Bishop and Martyr, at noon in Brentwood Cathedral. The diocesan website announces: Finishing touches are being put to preparations in the Cathedral in Brentwood as the long-awaited day looms. This rare and momentous event – the ordination of a bishop - will take place at noon on 1 July: Fr Alan Williams SM will become Bishop of Brentwood 34 years after the building last witnessed such a ceremony. A member of the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers), Bishop-elect Alan is currently the director of the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, will ordain the new Bishop in the presence of the Papal Nuncio, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Bishops of England & Wales, priests and deacons from the Diocese, church leaders from Churches Together in Essex...

Come on in! The water's great! The estimable and erudite Fr. Hunwicke has written a rather stunning blog in which he appeals to those Anglicans not yet members of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham to get aboard the Barque of Peter. In most generous and appropriate fashion, Fr. Hunwicke expresses the great need the Catholic Church has for these men, and the great celebration that would ensue, should they muster the courage (and make no mistake, such a trip requires great courage--and faith) to cross the Tiber. Men who have spent 50 years in the Sacred Priesthood, who are priests to their fingertips, must not be told that they are "too old" for the presbyterate of the Ordinariate; that never again can they expect to stand at an altar holding in their hands the Adorable Sacrifice, that vocation which in the Mind of the Eternal was theirs before the ages began. There must be no subtle (or unsubtle!) systems of discouragement. The spirit of Benedict's g...