Self-Publicists Really Make Me Cross

Self-publicists really make me cross! Therefore, let me just say that there will be a great one day Catholic Conference in London, on Saturday 9th June organised by The Latin Mass Society.

VENUE: Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ (opposite BHS, less than 5 minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus)

Conference Theme: 'The Traditional Liturgy and the Catholic Life'

This is the first time the LMS has organised a one-day conference, and we have some excellent speakers lined up for you. The conference is aimed principally at ordinary LMS members, although non-members are very welcome to join us. The Conference timetable is as follows:

9am Low Mass at St James's, Spanish Place.

10am Doors open.

10am -11am Registration. Stalls in the Conference Hall will be available to browse

11am - 11.50am 1st talk: Dr John Rao (Roman Forum): ‘From Darkness Into Light: Contemporary Barbarism, the Traditional Liturgy, and the Construction of a Civilized Society’

12 noon - 12.50pm 2nd talk: Stuart McCullough (Good Counsel Network): ‘Spiritual Warfare and the End of Abortion’ followed by Lunch.

2pm - 2.50pm 3rd talk: Fr John Zuhlsdorf (Fr Z): (Title of talk to be confirmed)

3pm - 3.50pm 4th talk: Fr Tim Finigan (columnist and blogger): 'Traditional Liturgy in the Modern Parish’

4pm - 4.50pm 5th talk: John Hunwicke (of the Ordinariate): ‘Education without Religion a pure Evil?’

5pm - 6pm Panel discussion

6pm Close

BOOKING INFORMATION: Admission is by ticket only. Ticket prices: LMS Members £15 Non-LMS Members £20 (includes morning and afternoon refreshments) Optional: Buffet lunch including drinks £9 supplement.

You can buy your ticket by phoning the LMS office on 020 7404 7284, sending a cheque (payable to 'LMS') to LMS, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH or online here.

Photo, Father Finigan giving Benediction in the small Good Counsel Network's chapel and the Server seems to be doing a good job.

"I'm Spartacus!" Says Fr Finigan

When I read this on Fr Finigan's blog, I thought 'Steady on, I've seen that film. Everyone who said I'm Spartacus, gets crucified'. Then I thought, 'That's very good of Father to take the blame, but I'm Spartacus!'
Many thanks to Father Finigan, as it was his, "I'm Spartacus!" that got me to put this add here, do see his blog and links for more details.

Petition Against Communion In The Hand

My good friend [I don't know him at all, I've just lifted this whole post from Fr Finigan], Fr Andrew Wise, of the diocese of Sale in Victoria (Australia), together with Fr John Speekman, has drawn up a petition to the Holy Father which reads as follows:

Your Holiness,
We are convinced of the great spiritual harm inflicted on the Catholic faithful, and the profanation of the Blessed Sacrament that often occurs by the practice of Communion received on the hand.

We implore Your Holiness to personally intervene to restore once again the normative practice of reception of Holy Communion on the tongue alone.

There is also a blog in support of the petition. Andrew Rabel wrote a piece to give a little background to the petition, and Cardinal Arinze has written in support of the piece. Bishop Schneider has also written in support, and has signed the petition. I have also signed the petition. Many ordinary laity receive Holy Communion in the hand because that is what they were taught to do; in some cases they were told that it was the more proper, reverent, ancient, grown-up, or modern way to receive Holy Communion. Bishop Schneider's book "It is the Lord" (sold in England by Gracewing) answers all of the usual justifications for the practice and urgently recommends a return to the practice of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue.

Apart from the major concern over the danger of profanation with Communion in the hand, the "sign value" of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue distinguishes the act of receiving Holy Communion from an ordinary act of taking an ordinary snack to eat. Little toddlers recognise this if they accompany their mother to the altar rail: when Mum receives Holy Communion in the hand, they will often ask "Can I have one?"; this is much less common if Mum receives Holy Communion on the tongue. They are given an early lesson in the difference between the Eucharist and ordinary bread.

Sign the petition here.

[Part of an old post of mine may be of interest here; In a speech prepared before his death the Cardinal said that, "Communion in the hand, moving the Blessed Sacrament from the high altar, failure to genuflect, have in my experience weakened the respect and devotion due to so great a sacrament." (my emphasis) (Catholic Herald 3rd September 1999)

When permission was given by Rome for Communion in the hand, Rome made it clear that,
"The condition [for this permission]is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist." My emphasis added. (click for details)

In Cardinal Hume's judgement then this condition has not been met. Far be it from me to disagree with the Cardinal, so when we take his (Head of the Church in Wales & England) comments, along with the above from Rome, there can be no doubt that Communion in the hand is illicit in Wales & England.

Upon Father Finigan's Orders

Upon the orders of Fr Timothy Finigan, I am now reading the Autobiography of GK Chesterton, having finished The Thing. Well 'orders' is just a lie to see if this title will get a few extra readers! But While talking to Father about Chesterton (soon to be made a Saint), he mentioned quoting the start of the Autobiography, on his blog I think. And then he did quote it to us by heart;

Bowing down in blind credulity, as is my custom, before mere authority and the tradition of the elders, superstitiously swallowing a story I could not test at the time by experiment or private judgment, I am firmly of opinion that I was born on the 29th of May, 1874, on Campden Hill, Kensington; and baptised according to the formularies of the Church of England in the little church of St. George opposite the large Waterworks Tower that dominated that ridge. I do not allege any significance in the relation of the two buildings; and I indignantly deny that the church was chosen because it needed the whole water-power of West London to turn me into a Christian.

It really is very good altogether, and I don't care that the c of E did not like it. They thought that it was too much about Chesterton! Autobiography! But more on this another day.

See you all on Saturday

Fr Finigan Gives Benediction At Good Counsel

Sadly you cannot make out the yellow & white flowers on the Altar in honour of the Holy Father's visit to Britain. Nor for that matter can you see much of Father Finigan, but that is fine as we all know that it is all about Jesus.

The photo is from the Good Counsel Network's Chapel in London.