At the Hermeneutic of Continuity, Fr Timothy Finigan urged Catholics to “care for” Our Lady. “We cannot, of course, give anything of advantage to Our Lady in heaven. She enjoys the beatific vision and is the Queen of all the angels and saints for ever in perfect happiness.”
But on earth, “Our Lady is blasphemed, misunderstood, mocked, and ignored. Only recently, there have been sad photographs from churches in France where the statue of Our Lady has been knocked down and smashed.” We can respond by “showing our devotion to her in reparation for these outrages as well as trying to introduce others to her.”
At Fatima, Our Lady asked for prayer and sacrifice in reparation to the Immaculate Heart. We could do this, and also help others to understand the Church’s Marian doctrines – which would also help them to see Jesus Christ’s “true divinity and perfect humanity”.
Papal errors would not invalidate a pope
In a long essay published at Rorate Caeli and elsewhere, Bishop Athanasius Schneider examined the theology of the papacy. Bishop Schneider argued that a pope who made “serious theological errors or heresies” should not be deposed. “The practice of the Church until now was that she left the final judgment about a reigning heretical pope to his successors or to a future Ecumenical Council, such as in the case of Pope Honorius I. The same would probably have happened with Pope John XXII, if he had not retracted his error.”
If a pope were to make serious mistakes, God would awaken the consciences of cardinals, bishops and even priests and laity to make “corrections, appeals, professions of faith, and public resistance” to error; but also to accept the pope as pope, and pray earnestly for him.
However, Bishop Schneider went on, it is important to avoid “papolatry” – over-emphasising the role of the papacy. While Catholics firmly believe in the doctrine of the papacy, our faith is ultimately in Christ.
Indeed, “The more a pope spreads doctrinal ambiguities, errors, or even heresies, the more luminously will shine the pure Catholic faith of the little ones in the Church”: the faith of children, of cloistered nuns, “the faith of heroic and virtuous lay faithful from all social conditions, the faith of individual priests and bishops”.
Parish plays its part to help Syrian refugees
When David Cameron’s government announced in 2015 that Britain would accept 20,000 Syrian refugees, it asked communities to help. Catholic churches have responded eagerly – and now a parish in Cheshire has stepped up.
As reported on the Shrewsbury diocese website, “Parishioners of the Church of Our Lady and St Christopher in Romiley, near Stockport, have welcomed a family of five.” The family fled Syria’s civil war in 2012 and had been living in a refugee camp in Lebanon.
The family, who are Muslims, have been provided with private rented accommodation and will be helped to learn English and to understand how to find work and access public services.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.