The Labour Party and family friendly policy

The election of Ed Miliband as Labour leader shows exactly how far the moral compass of Britain has skewed from centre.

Presumably Miliband has been chosen as leader because the Labour Party (or at least the unions) believe he can lead the party back into government. In other words Labour believe Miliband is electable.

Here’s where the moral issue arises. Ed has a “partner” - Justine Thornton – not a wife. Ed and Justine have a son, born July 2009, and they're expecting their second child in November. Now it may very well be that Ed and Justine are very happy together and it may very well be that they are committed to each other but they are not married.

Clearly the Labour Party doesn’t think it matters to the Great British public that Ed and Justine will soon have two children without being married and the statistics seem to show they are right. After all nearly half of children in England and Wales are born out of wedlock.

And so the Labour Party firmly nail their real family policy colours to the mast.

Image from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282589/Now-Ed-Miliband-new-baby-way.html

Saint Vincent de Paul

27 September is the memorial day for the well known saint, St Vincent de Paul. The Divine Office note about him says:

Born in Gascony in France in the year 1581. He completed his studies and was ordained priest in Paris. He founded the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) for the purpose of the spiritual formation of the clergy and the relief of the poor, and with the help of Saint Louise de Marillac he founded also the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity. He died at Paris in the year 1660.

Catholic Encyclopedia entry

Awesome ball skills!

Comfortable bedfellows

From In Hoc Signo Vinces comes this snippet to the effect that luvvies Johann Hari and Peter Tatchell are far more comfortable bedfellows than we could have imagined.

In writing about issues he "cares" about, Johann tells us:

I could also mention climate change, prison reform, drugs legalization, human rights abuses in Colombia, higher taxes here in Britain, rights for transsexuals, against religious fundamentalism of all stripes, against the World Bank, in favour of understanding and embracing despised minorities like gypsies and paedophiles … I could go on with issues I've written about any you haven't.

Pots and kettles and all that....

Praise to the Holiest in the Height

Only someone with a head buried in the sand wouldn't know that John Henry Newman was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in Birmingham yesterday.

By happy coincidence the hymn for evening prayer last evening - (Sunday week 1 in the 4 week Divine Office cycle) - was the new Blessed's "Praise to the Holiest in the Height".

We also happened to sing the hymn at usual Sunday Mass yesterday but I have a sneaking suspicion that was more by design than by chance!

Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways.

O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.

O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
Which did in Adam fail,
Should strive afresh against the foe,
Should strive and should prevail.

And that a higher gift than grace
Should flesh and blood refine,
God’s Presence and His very Self,
And Essence all divine.

O generous love! that He, who smote,
In Man for man the foe,
The double agony in Man
For man should undergo.

And in the garden secretly,
And on the Cross on high,
Should teach His brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.

Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways.

The breathtaking hypocrisy of Peter Tatchell

The positive nature of some child-adult sexual relationships is not confined to non-Western cultures. Several of my friends – gay and straight, male and female – had sex with adults from the ages of nine to 13. None feel they were abused. All say it was their conscious choice and gave them great joy. While it may be impossible to condone paedophilia, it is time society acknowledged the truth that not all sex involving children is unwanted, abusive and harmful.

Peter Tatchell, letter to The Guardian, 27 June 1997.

Would you trust this man with your 9 year old son? I thought not

A hidden agenda? Surely not!

Golden Mouth

Today is the feast day of St John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. The introductory note in the Divine Office says:

Born at Antioch about the year 439. After a brilliant course of studies he began to lead a life of austerity. He was ordained priest and laboured in preaching, with great fruit. In 397 he became Bishop of Constantinople and showed himself a true pastor, striving to reform the morals of both clergy and people. He incurred the hatred of the imperial court and his work was undermined because of jealousy, and twice he was sent into exile. Overcome by exhaustion he died at Comana in Pontus on 14 September 407. Because of his sermons and writings to explain the faith and to encourage the practice of Christian life he was called John of the Golden Mouth.

Under the old calender, his feast day was 27 January.

The Nativity of Our Lady

Giotto's painting "Birth of Mary"

Novena for the visit of the Holy Father

It's not long now until the Holy Father arrives. In fact he'll be in Scotland in just 10 days meaning the novena for the success of his trip starts today.

This is from The Catholic Herald:

Parish novenas for the Pope’s upcoming visit to Britain begin today.

The Magnificat booklet of liturgies and events recommends a brief time of silent prayer followed by the prayer of preparation after Mass for the success of the visit, nine days before the visit. There is a more extended version which suggests using readings taken from the lectionary and divine office sections for the Chair of Peter and the feast of St Peter and St Paul or to simply use readings from chapters 14 to 17 of the Gospel of St John.

As another alternative, the book recommends that faithful prepare for the papal visit with evening prayer from the Divine Office or Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass.

The prayer of Preparation follows here:

God of truth and love, your Son, Jesus Christ, stands as the light to all who seek you with a sincere heart.

As we strive with your grace to be faithful in word and deed, may we reflect the kindly light of Christ and offer a witness of hope and peace to all.

We pray for Pope Benedict and look forward with joy to his forthcoming visit to our countries. May he be a witness to the unity and hope which is your will for all people.
We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Lady, Mother of the Church pray for us.

St Andrew pray for us.

St George pray for us.

St David pray for us

To access the full Magnificat booklet online, go to the papal visit website to download it.

"Catholic" charities

Fr Philip Neri Powell at Domine, da mihi hanc aquam has had two snippets on "Catholic" charities over the last few days.

Have a look here where he suggests we should start again and paragraph 4 of this post.

It's probably worth mentioning that CAFOD is the English and Welsh "version" of Caritas International.

New blog

If you don't laugh, you'll cry!

Extra-Ordinary Monkeys

Oh dear!

Whenever I begin to moderate my feelings towards the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, they do something so spectacularly obtuse that it's back to square one. Every time. Without fail. This time it's a cracker.

The monstrosity that is the sanctuary for the beatification Mass for John Henry Card. Newman.

Shameful.

The Fishal website