A correspondent has passed on news of Ben Grist, a seminarian of the Diocese of East Anglia who has been studying at Oscott. Ben was diagnosed with a serious cancer and asked to be ordained to the priesthood. The Rector of Oscott and the Diocesan Administrator supported his petition and Fr Ben Grist was ordained at Oscott on Saturday by Archbishop Longley.
Congratulations to Father on his ordination. His priestly office, even in such difficult circumstances, will be of incalculable value. Please join the many people who are praying for Father and his family. (My correspondent told me of a small group who are praying particularly to Teresa Higginson.)
11 comments:
Will be praying!
We have been praying for Fr Ben and rejoice that he is now a priest for ever and ask that God would bless his ministry. What a gift to the Church a holy priest is on earth and for eternity!
Prayers indeed, and if I may in return ask your prayers for my friend Janet who has been diagnosed with a cancer that necessitates some particularly ghastly and debilitating treatment, I would be most grateful.
I will remember Fr. Ben in my prayers. The Lord knows we need good priests so perhaps He will have mercy and leave Him to work in the vineyard.
While I am here I have been asking around looking for advice on our library. I've already asked Fr. Zhulsdorf this but two heads are better than one: As the house librarian in my friary I am putting the library back together after our rebuild. There are a number of volumes by Kung, Schillebeeckx etc., that I feel could be a danger to the faith of our students. Can I as librarian remove such volumes or even dispose of (burn?) them? Would I be exceeding my authority in doing so?
In addition, as I want to build up a thoroughly orthodox Catholic theological section, any suggestions for solid text books would be appreciated. We have a pretty good library but it has been neglected.
Yours, Br. Tom Forde OFM Cap.,
P.S., One our friars has discovered a number of valuable Catholic theology books lying forgotten one from 1624 and another from about 1502 (the latter is hand coloured and was found in an attic). It pays to root around in libraries and attics!
Br Tom - in general, I think that a seminary library ought to have the works of Kung and Schillebeeckx for information. The theology professors should give guidance so that the faith of the students is not compromised.
Fr Paul Haffner has published a number of good and orthodox textbooks with Gracewing, covering many of the major tracts in theology. I would also recommend making sure that the works of Father/Bishop/Cardinal Ratzinger are there, together with the works of Josef Pieper. Obviously the list could go on an on, but another essential author for religious libraries is Thomas Dubay "The Fire Within" on the teaching of St John of the Cross.
Some others off the top of my head:
Ott, "Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma"; Tanquerey "The Spiritual Life"; Leeming "Sacramental Theology"; Joyce "Christian Marriage"; Elliot "What God has Joined"; Danielou "The Bible and the Liturgy"; Quasten's Patrology (even better Cayré's Patrology if you can find a copy)
For a Franciscan library the proceedings of the International Symposia on Marian Co-Redemption published by the Franciscans of the Immaculate would be very appropriate. Some excellent articles in those collections on the primacy of Christ.
Better stop now!
Thanks for the help! have some of those texts already thank God. Will continue to pray for you and for Fr. Ben. Keep up the good work.
Sorry to butt in but having done a theology degree I've found it excruciating being unable to find the documents of the Ecumenical Councils. So for any orthodox Catholic library I would suggest Denzinger's collection and translation of the various canons and documents, alongside which Neuner & Dupuis's book must stand. Denzinger arranges the documents in conciliar order while Neuner & Dupuis arrange them in subject order. Both methods of looking at the documents are really very useful and it's something that many theological libraries lack unfortunately.
Thank you, James. I don't like Neuner-Dupuis because of the slanted comments in their editorial material. But certainly it should be in any seminary library as should Denzinger and its English translation.
A very helpful resource for students nowadays is Catechetics Online resources which has the English Denzinger ("The Sources of Catholic Dogma") as well as the texts of the Councils.
One day, some time in the future, perhaps our Catholic Bishops, Universities, and Catholic publishers, might wake up and realise that it would be really really helpful to have English translations of the most up-to-date criticial editions of these things online. (And indeed to teach students Latin so that they can consult the originals - also online.)
In the meantime ...
Father, forgive my ignorance but how exactly should one pray to Teresa Higginson, i mean, should all prayer be prefaced with something like, 'Dear Teresa Higginson, please present our requests to Jesus'?
Also, i have a Protestant friend with cancer. If i were to ask Teresa Higginson for his healing would you suggest that i tell him or wait until after? I'm not being deliberately presumptuous but just wondering what would be the best way to advance her cause. btw, he is open minded enough to not worry that i were asking the prayers of an (unofficial) Catholic saint for healing!
There are some prayers here - both those composed by Teresa Higginson and a prayer for her beatification. It is also fine to use your own words as you have indicated.
If your protestant friend is open minded as you say, I would suggest telling him that you are praying for him to Teresa Higginson. Apart from the value of the prayer itself, it will be good for him to know of your charity and that you have thought carefully about praying for him.
Thank you for your advice, Father. I've read some of the information about Teresa Higginson - quite amazing!
Re: Ben Grist, he wrote to all parishioners in the Diocese of East Anglia last Sunday to share with us his joy at having been ordained. Teresa Higginson seems an ideal person to petition Christ on his behalf.
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