The Hermeneutic of Continuity

Bishop Sample, of Marquette MI, has written to Bishop Gumbleton to explain politely that it is the usual courtesy for a visiting Bishop to seek the approval of the local ordinary before accepting an invitation to speak in a diocese. Bishop Sample also explains that his own responsibilities would not be helped by the visit because of Bishop Gumbleton's very public positions on homosexuality and the ordination of women. Read: Bishop Sample's Statement . See also the American Papist's Commentary: Bishop Sample prevents Bishop Gumbleton from appearing in his diocese The Citizens for Peace and Social Justice are unaccountably "confused" by Bishop Sample's very clear and polite message. I think they mean that they disagree with him but it sounds better to make the passive-aggressive claim of confusion and hurt. They say Bishop Gumbleton was not told why his visit was not welcome. This is a good example of people making just any old statement in the face of the publi...

C-Fam, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, have a petition to the UN: " International Call for the Rights and Dignity of the Human Person and the Family " in support of the right to life and the right of parents to education their children. They have over half a million responses so far. Sign the Petition here

A correspondent sends me information about this event which I am happy to pass on : For some years now the Life Fertility Care programme has been helping couples to achieve successful pregnancies by natural and less costly and invasive means than IVF, with a very good success rate, by the use of NaPro Technology. See our website www.lifefertilitycare.co.uk In May this year, the Times published an article about this method: An article about this method In order that this natural, less invasive method is made more publically known, Ira Winter, Co-ordinator of the Life FertilityCare Service, is coming to speak in High Wycombe this month, on October 21st. This day is not solely aimed at those who have personal issues relating to fertility/infertility but to try and get the information out into the public domain about natural fertility care. Any medical personnel are particularly welcome. The event is being held in The Environment Centre, Holywell Mead, High Wycombe, HP11 1QX ( directions ...

Today is the anniversary of the miracle of the sun at Fatima, observed by 70,000 people on 13 October 1917. This video has contemporary photographs of the crowds: Back in March, I mentioned the new film " The 13th Day ". It has opened at various locations in the US today. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

Many thanks to Anna Marie for news of this forthcoming Study Weekend. It is a quiet weekend especially for young adults, in a beautiful convent with plenty of time for relaxation and private prayer. Here are the details: Study Weekend at St Dominic's Convent, Stone, Staffs. November 13-15 Purgatory: fire of Divine Love Led by Fr Thomas Crean O.P & Sr Valery Walker O.P. Suggested donation £30 Contact: Sr Valery Walker OP Convent of St Catherine of Siena 155 Huntingdon Rd, Cambridge CB3 0DH 01223 353730

YLE news from Finland reports the remarks of the new Bishop of Helsinki, the Rt Rev Teemu Sippo, regarding Swedish Lutheran proposals to allow religious ceremonies to recognise the partnerships of same-sex couples. He points out that everything that happens in Sweden moves to Finland sooner or later and that marriage should not be regarded simply as an administrative matter but as a sacrament. He fears for relations between the Lutheran Church and the Catholic Church in Finland. He also questions the wisdom of handing out free condoms to young people: Handing out condoms is like telling people to use them. I believe youths should instead be encouraged to practice abstinence. See: Finland’s Catholic Bishop Warns of Rift with Lutherans over Gay Marriage

One of the mums emailed me today with this message in response to my light-hearted comments on the boys who went to visit the relics of St Therese at Aylesford: What a fantastic blog spin on the Aylesford story... you had me crying with laughter!... so I thought I would share the laughter! Its not MI5 its the ‘DA15 Special Forces’ [ED: DA15 is the postcode for Blackfen] The special forces were today on special manoeuvres in an undisclosed location called Kent... honing the skills with precision light transport for their next mission... These vehicles are designed to blend in with the urban surrounding of their next top secret foreign assignment... to obtain St Peters keys for the parish of Blackfen. Dan Brown eat your heart out!

Fr Sean Cole of Bangor to Bobbio sends the disturbing news that Columban Father Michael Sinnott was on Sunday evening from the Columban house in Pagadian City by six armed men while he was walking in the garden. Fr Sinnott will be 80 in December, had a heart bypass four years ago, and has regular medication. Please say a prayer for his safe return to the community in the Philippines where he has served local people for decades. For further information, see Fr Sean's posts: Columban priest abducted in Pagadian City, Philippines Update on kidnapped Fr Michael Sinnott

In addition to the magnificent crowds gathered at Aylesford yesterday , there was the Rosary Crusade of Reparation in Central London. Some of my parishioners went to this and were overwhelmed by the large crowd gathered for the procession from Wesminster Cathedral to the London Oratory where the day concluded with devotions and Benediction. Above is a picture from a small section of the over 2,000 crowd that came a couple of years ago when I was able to attend. It gives you a flavour of the international character of these events. It was possibly an unfortunate calendar clash that today also saw the Day With Mary at Westminster Cathedral. Nevertheless this was also well attended with hundreds of devout faithful taking part in Mass, processions and devotions to our Lady and to the Blessed Sacrament. So here is the Rocket Science Examination: UNIVERSITY OF THE FLIPPIN' OBVIOUS Bachelor of Commonsense Honours Degree Examination Rocket Science Level I (Faculty of drawing conclusions fr...

The parish was buzzing this morning with excited news of yesterday's gathering for the veneration of the relics of St Thérèse. I'll ask the Knights of St Columba if they have a final estimated number for those attending but it does seem to be well over the 10,000 expected. Here, in the crowds, you can see Fr John Boyle giving Holy Communion at the Mass celebrated by Archbishop McDonald. Fr Boyle has pictures, videos and links at his blog Caritas in Veritate . The Union of Catholic Mothers from my parish left early to take their turn in the guard of honour and a coachload of parishioners left before 10am for the (normally) 40 minute drive to be there in time for Mass at 11.30am. In the event, they had to walk the last mile from Eccles since the traffic was backed up all the way to the M20. I sent down a small mobile special forces unit with the mission to capture the relics and bring them back to Blackfen: Unfortunately, the Knights of St Columba were there in considerable stren...

Fr Ray Blake was at Aylesford today and has some photos on his blog. It all seems to have been a great success. A coachload of my parishioners went this morning and I am expecting some photos soon. I am relieved to hear that the tailback of traffic reached to the motorway, justifying my decision to remain in the parish since if I had gone after saying the morning Mass and hearing confessions, I would have had to return to the parish before I actually got to the shrine in order to hear confessions and say the evening Mass. Fr John Boyle was also at Aylesford today and has some photos including this one of Fr Stephen Langridge making good use of the occasion at the Southwark Vocations stall. I look forward to news from the Union of Catholic Mothers in the morning...