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Thursday, 22 April 2010

New deputy director for CES

The Catholic Education Service of England and Wales has appointed Greg Pope as Deputy Director. Greg Pope is a former Labour MP for Hyndburn (he took the seat from the strongly pro-life Ken Hargreaves.) He has voted against amendments to lower the time limit for abortion to 16 weeks. He also signed a parliamentary motion praising a condom manufacturer for helping schools host “National Condom Week”, signed motions promoting the IPPF, and contraceptive awareness week, voted against amendments restricting adoption to heterosexual couples, and has voted in favour of compulsory sex education. For the whole sorry list with links, see John Smeaton: Catholic Education Service appoints anti-life and anti-family ex-MP as deputy director.

Greg says:
The CESEW is widely respected for the work that it is doing under Oona Stannard’s leadership and I am very proud to be joining this successful team.”
For some indications of the wide respect that there is for the CES among the Catholic laity, here are some links:

Damian Thompson: 'Catholic' Education Service's new Deputy Director: retiring Labour MP who voted for abortion

Mulier Fortis: "Catholic-In-Name-Only" Education Service?

David Lindsay: The Wrong Pope

Countercultural Father: Shoot yourself in the foot (why don't you?)

That the bones you have crushed may thrill: Pope, Bishops, Priests, and the CES

21 comments:

Hippolytus said...

This is a betrayal of faithful Catholics.

Elizabeth from Sussex said...

For goodness sake! What next?

Robert said...

Hi,

My name is Rev Robert Wright, Editor for Christian.com, a social network made specifically for Christians, by Christians. We embarked on this endeavor to offer the entire Christian community an outlet to join together and better spread the good word of Christianity. Christian.com has many great features like Christian TV, prayer requests, finding a church, receiving church updates and advice. We have emailed you to collaborate with you and your blog to help spread the good word of Christianity. I look forward to your response regarding this matter. Thanks!


Rev. Robert Wright
rev.robertwright@gmail.com
www.christian.com

Londiniensis said...

The CES do not appear to have a policy on the orthodoxy of its senior management. It is at least to be hoped that they have a policy on their expenses.

Ben Trovato said...

Thanks for the plug, Fr.

This is really incomprehensible by the CES, given the flak it has already, rightly, attracted.

I'm at a loss to know what they - or indeed the relevant bishops - think they are doing.

Hestor said...

Oh for God sake!

nazareth priest said...

Ish.
What more can I say?
This is as Hippolytus said, "a betrayal of faithful Catholics."
We all, US and British Catholics, have to get together on the real issues: human life, sacred liturgy, the rights of us all...Praying here for you...praying.

torchofthefaith said...

Dear Father

Interestingly enough, a parallel situation to the recent CES debacle has unfolded over in Canada...

The Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty - a Catholic with a wife who teaches in a Catholic school - is pushing to force Catholic schools to teach sex ed' to 6 yr olds, graphic sex ed to teens, moral relativism regarding homosexual partnerships, and 'how to prevent unwanted pregnacies and STI's.'

His Education Minister, Leona Dombrowsky - a Catholic and former Catholic School Board Trustee - claims to have the endorsement of the Bishops of Canada. In the meantime the Bishops are unavailable for comment.

Oh - and like Ed Balls, Dalton McGuinty is an attendee at the shadowy Bilderberg conference.

It's like someone took the script for a sick soap-opera, took it overseas, picked locals to play the roles of Oonagh Stannard, Ed Balls and the Bishops and ran with it.

The only key difference is the age of the innocent youngsters whom they wish to brainwash - from age 6and not 5.

Perhaps it's time to join up the dots people...

God bless
Alan and Angeline

universal doctor said...

For goodness sake! Why don't they surprise us for a change and appoint a real catholic? Otherwise they should just disband the whole sorry organisation, or rename it the NOT Catholic Education Service.

Richard Duncan said...

Breaking News …

The Translyvanian Blood Transfusion Service (TBTS) announced last night that Count Dracula Vlad Tepes was joining its team as Deputy Director. In a statement Count Dracula said:

“The TBTS is widely respected for the work that it is doing and I am very proud to be joining this successful team.”

Responding to press reports that Count Dracula’s record as a Vampire might render him unsuitable for the post, a spokeswoman for the TBTS said:

“Count Dracula’s Vampire record is ‘in the past’, and everybody is on a faith journey”

Tony Abbot's view from the sky said...

Labour MP on the chicken with only a 5,000 majority has a nice haven among Catholics who rebel against the Church. the only consolation is that he won't be able to claim these kind of exes working for the Church http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/news/s/1119007_mps_regret_over_shopping_spree

Rusticus said...

Mary, help of Christians, pray for us.

torchofthefaith said...

Dear Fr. Tim

Further to our last comment about the situation in Cananda - there has been some great news issued today which shows what could happen here in Blighty given the correct leadership.

Archbishop Terence Prendergast of Ottawa has now called on people to launch a 'firestorm of protest' against the sex ed plans of Premier McGuinty.

And the Premier (of Ottawa) - faced with a major backlash now looks likely to back down from his former plans.

The schools also say they will be dealing with teaching on these matters in accord with the teachings of the Church. Clearly, British Catholics would now likely view such statements with caution after the debacle with the CES.

Nevertherless, it shows what can be done when Bishops stand and witness and thus rally the faithful to stand together in unity.

Let us keep praying that all concerned will embrace the Truth.

In Christ
Alan and Angeline

Fr Seán Coyle said...

It is not pleasant to be kicked in the stomach. It is particularly unpleasant when the people doing so are bishops who have just 'apologised' for sins of abuse against children.

Why is abortion, the ultimate form of child abuse, also the acceptable form of child abuse?

Is there a single Catholic bishop left in England and Wales apart from the retired Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue?

Victoria said...

Would it do any good to copy out Mr Pope's voting record and send it to the bishops' commission along with the question: " Do you really think it was a good idea to appoint this man as Deputy Director of CESE?" and "What were the criteria which guided this appointment?"

Solent Ramblings said...

If this is true, then I'm left speechless - and very sad.

Perhaps lay Catholics should start withholding the proportion of their collection that goes to their diocesan school fund. Our Bishops really do need to wake up.

B flat said...

The bishops should realise, that they are rapidly becoming irrelevant, because in this, as in their obstinate opposition to the Pope in central matter of worship, they are a hindrance and a scandal to the Faithful.

Bernadette said...

Why do we need an education service for Catholics ?

All we need are schools, committed to teaching the faith. That would be a service in itself.

It would save all of us a great deal of money out of our collection plates each year, as well. That money could be spent on either employing Catholic catechists in parishes or to work as extra learning support assistants in the schools.

Just an idea. We don't have to accept the CES. We deserve better.

fidelisjoff said...

Catholic church in England and Wales continues it devades long dissent. If Mr Pope was faithful he wouldn't get a look in - sad but true.

Delia said...

Can't swear to it, but I'm sure the first time I clicked that first link to the announcement it gave contact details at the bottom, but they now seem to have disappeared.

Loretta Benedict said...

Dave,
I think Jesus missed the memo about all that. Guess the evangelism committee never told Him how to do it right. LOL.
Christian tv

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