Evangelising Cockneys
Cardinal John Henry Newman, according to John Allen of Crux, could be described as the “patron saint of relevance” as he was one of a handful of thinkers “able to make ancient traditions relevant to the contemporary situation”. Such a tradition, he said, has been kept alive by Catholic Voices, a group of Catholics trained to defend the Church in the public square. To illustrate this he recalled the time he spent in England during Newman’s beatification in 2010. He wrote: “Because it was a Sunday there were a number of rowdy English soccer fans on hand waiting to watch that day’s matches … TVs in the bar were still carrying the final images of the pope’s Mass, and no matter which English network they had on, there were Catholic Voices commentators. “I settled in at the bar next to a couple of guys with thick Cockney accents who, having nothing better to do, found themselves listening to the TV, where a young Catholic woman was describing what faith meant to her in daily life. She came off as rational, funny, and, well, just completely normal and sane. “One of the Cockney guys said to the other: ‘Oi! I guess them Catholics ain’t so bleedin’ crazy after all!’ That, in a nutshell, was the legacy of John Henry Newman in action.”
Ecumenists’ example
At SaltandLighttv.org Sebastian Gomes said ill-tempered Catholics could learn a thing or two from ecumenists. When attending ecumenical events, he said, “I’m always deeply impressed and inspired by their resolve, pastoral and theological sensitivity and joy, frankly, despite the slow, uphill battle they are fighting. “For hundreds of years Protestants and Catholics adopted an ‘us against them’ attitude that defined, in part, their ecclesial identities. Today that attitude is impossible to maintain theologically, not least because it’s simply anti-Christian. But it has not gone away. Instead it’s been redirected at fellow Catholics. A quick search on the internet will unearth a number of Catholic commentators who define their ‘catholicity’ by the apparent ‘unorthodoxy’ of other Catholics.” The Salt+Light host suggested that “Catholics (including Catholic bishops) can also reflect on the meaning of unity within the Catholic Church itself and pray that the Holy Spirit removes mistrust and inspires charity”.
The foot-odour factor
Mulier Fortis wonders if, given how reluctant most men are to take part in the Holy Thursday foot-washing rite, there will be a “gradual (or not so gradual) dominance of female volunteers” following Pope Francis’s ruling. “After all, we have (on the whole) prettier, more dainty feet than men … and generally less foot odour,” she wrote.
✣Meanwhile…
A priest in Louisiana broke two personal records in one day last week: one, a four-hour marathon, the other, a 27-minute Mass. Fr Michael Alello offered runners at the Louisiana Marathon a chance to pray at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Baton Rouge beforehand. About 800 people joined him for the 6am Mass. He told Runners World magazine: “I had my fuel belt on as well because the microphone did not have a clip, and I didn’t have pockets in my running shorts. So my microphone was attached to me with my running belt.”
✣ The tiny Fiat Pope Francis used during his American visit last year is to be sold via auction. The Fiat 500L goes on sale at the Philadelphia Auto Show today. It is valued at $30,000 but is expected to be sold for much more.
✣ London rapper Tinie Tempah has told The Daily Telegraph that he gives away his spare trainers to the Catholic church he attends. The 27-year-old from Plumstead, son of Nigerian Igbo immigrants, dreamed of becoming an accountant before turning to music. He has now had more number ones than any British artist this decade. However, he still attends church every Sunday and gives his spare shoes to it. He said: “The altar boys get them first. They are putting in the most work.”
✣The week in quotations
Only words spoken with love… and mercy can touch our sinful hearts Pope Francis Message for World Communications Day
It would be disrespectful to Whitby Councillor Joe Plant, on plans to change the date of Easter Whitby Gazette
This is a memory of Iraq which has been cut off Fr Emanuel Youkhana on the razing of St Elijah monastery Catholic News Service
If a priest chooses to be just a regular person, he will be … mediocre or worse Pope Francis Audience with Italian seminarians
✣Statistic of the week
302
The number of Iraqi Christians being accepted into Slovakia and the Czech Republic Source: Vatican Radio
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