This morning my postman delivered copies of the Parish Resources Booklet for the Papal visit. Since the official website has now been updated fairly extensively, I spent some time looking around. Buried rather deeply is a link to the Twitter feed @thepapalvisit and the Facebook page The Papal Visit. I was the 25th person to follow on Twitter and the 187th person to "like" the Facebook page (they have been going for a few weeks.) I post the links here because I think it would be good to get those numbers up somewhat. (It might be an idea to put those links prominently on the front page of the official website.) Do promote them on your own blog, Twitter feed and Facebook wall.
You can also get a poster and web banners (as above) though there is not yet a contact or link for papal flags in various sizes. "Bones" has already commented on merchandise of various sorts and posted a link to items on Zazzle that come up on a search for "Pope Benedict". Perhaps some of you might like to get to work on some more items related to the visit to the UK. [UPDATE: see also Catholics With Attitude which has lots of papal visit t-shirts)
In the Parish Resources Booklet, there are plenty of resources for the kind of event where you meet in a hall, have a "Prayer Focus" with icon, open bible and scented candles on a draped cloth and the programme runs "Welcome and invitation to prayer (5 mins) Gathering Prayer (5 mins) Introduce the theme (1 mins) Sharing time (15-20 mins ) ...." Now look: there are people who love that sort of thing and I hope there are plenty of opportunities for them to share. I will probably facilitate one or two if I can (or facilitate someone else to facilitate them.) The rest of us, who have to resist the temptation to run screaming into the night when ambushed by such an event, it seems to me that we just need to come up with some other ideas rather than spend too much time taking the mickey. (You have to examine your conscience on how much time is just about right.)
To be fair, the Booklet also mentions Novenas, suggesting the Novena to the Sacred Heart (the website has links to EWTN), and a Holy Hour. In fact it says "Perhaps diarise offering one hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament?", but the Holy Hour could, of course, be solemnly celebrated and include Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Another possibility would be Solemn Vespers, or Rosary and Sermon with Novena devotions. For catechesis, some people would welcome lectures on the Petrine office, the life of Pope Benedict, his teaching, or the history of the Catholic Church in Britain. Feel free to make other suggestions in the combox.
The Booklet is quite right to emphasise the importance of visual signs, so the flags, banners and posters in windows are important. I like the idea of a "Commemorative Gesture" as well. The suggestions are "sponsoring the creation of a garden area" and donating books to a local school or charity. I'm sure readers could come up with some other ideas as well.
There has been a lot of quite justified frustration and annoyance about the arrangements for the visit but we do need to be positive, and make sure that we make a strong show of loyalty to Pope Benedict and use the opportunity of his visit as best we can to deepen in our faith and to extend the Church's mission in our country.
6 comments:
Whilst I will be supporting the Papal visit I absolutely refuse to give any money to the collections for it based on four reasons:
(1) according to the 'blood crazed ferrit' of the telegraph more than a few of our enlightened Lords and masters at the E&WBC were planning a booze up afterwoods at our expense which they had to cancel.
(2) To all apperences they couldn't organize a charitable faite if their lives depended on it.
3) Are competing with the previous Government's olympic bid when it comes to bad managment of costs.
4) Along with their immidiate predecessors (I consider Card. Heenen to be the best out the last four Archbishops of Westminster) have overseen the complete and total collapse of the Priesthood and Religious Life in this country
5)To all appearences (I don't know thier minds) would rather see their dioceses collapse around their ears than contemplate admiting Traditional Orthodox men to the Seminary - heck like Fr. Longenecker I'm having to seriouisly consider going to the States in order to find a Bishop/Congregation which will have me
Thus endeth the Rant, this probebly warrents going to confession
Sorry for the double post but reason number six is the brutal series of parish closures in Leeds by thier Bishop who it seems like his predecessor to be more interested in running the diocese as an investment bank than actual concern for his flock, I don't know +Rouche's mind but from appereances I'd hate to be in his shoes when he's called before the eternal throne to render an account over why he prefers using snazzy DVD's to talk to the sheep under his care rather than meeting them in person
Father
There are lots of cheap ways ( 2.99 and up ) to get a good quality polyester Papal flag 3' x 5' which will fly very well from a proper pole, from a window or even on a garden cane ( you just put a slit in the sleeve ! )
I suggest that people go on ebay and search for current offers. Most of the sites which are selling the England flags will also sell Papal ones ! Wouldn't it be good if we all flew ones from our windows during the visit. Perhaps parishes could get group orders as I have found in past most of these flag retailers are more than willing to offer generous discounts when you order multiple flags. Hope that helps
Deacon David Brinn
I think that the most important thing is to ensure that whatever is done at local level is conspicuous; so that no-one is in any doubt that the Faithful welcome the Holy Father, and that if they're not at Coventry (or wherever), it's not because they don't want to be there, but because it hasn't been made possible.
I suspect that 'Proms in the Park' has a lot to teach us about making 'remote participation' visible . . . it probably means co-operation at Deanery level, or something similar, so as to bring large groups together to underline the point of popular support, and to justify events larger than what will fit in the church or parish hall : I'm sure there are plenty of local parks which could handle a gathering of 5,000 or so; and I imagine that the media would be happy to have notice of such events so that they can add them in to their coverage of the 'main event'.
Equally, we can all learn from the current 'England Fever' - flags on cars, flags in windows, badges, things like that . . . let the whole country see our support for the Holy Father.
Sorry, Just another mad Catholic, but your rant couldn't help but bring the Monty Python 'Spanish Inquisition' sketch to my mind...!
Seriously, my parish is currently the beneficiary of free copies of the Catholic Herald on a trial basis to increase subscriptions. The banner headline on the first available copy referred to the fact that most catholics would not be able to see the Holy father in person when he visits; talk about stating the obvious, the Herald will have to do rather better than that.
Father,
I apologize for the lack of charity on this website and others regarding the need to pay for tickets for some of the Papal Masses and the general upset about the Pope's visit. I do not think that Americans, or even some British people understand how poor the Church in the UK really is and how small it is. Also, the tithing is much, much less and people on the whole have a lower, daily standard of living than the Yankees.
Again,the hysterical responses from Catholics sadden me,as it is such an honour to have the Pope visit the UK. Perhaps more people could volunteer rather than complain. I truly believe that the Bishops and charitable Catholics are doing the best that they can under the circumstances. What has happened to civility and kindness?
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