The Testimony of ArchbishopVigano

If anyone has not yet read the testimony of Archbishop Vigano, I recommend it as an important piece of evidence.  The 11 page document is easily found on the internet in written form, or may be listened to read by Fr Zuhlsdorf on his blog.

I read it on Tuesday after returning from a weekend in Walsingham and elsewhere, and thought that it was explosive evidence very detrimental to Pope Francis and several other high ranking clergy.  I then searched the internet for comment and analysis, and found that almost everyone was defending Pope Francis and picking holes in Archbishop Vigano's evidence.  Some fairly reasonable points were raised which did cast some doubts in my mind about the adequacy of some parts of Archbishop Vigano's evidence.  Finally, I reread the testimony, and my ultimate conclusion is that the Archbishop is correct in every detail.  

The testimony is, for the most part, very detailed, giving dates, places and the actual words of some of his conversations.  My first reason for believing Archbishop Vigano is because of the amount of detail given.  Secondly, I believe the details of the evidence because they contain so many surprises.  There are episodes recounted that, at first sight, seem unlikely, and on reflection are indeed so unlikely that it is difficult to believe that anyone would have made them up.

The numerous people who have come to Pope Francis's defence, led in this country by Austen Ivereigh, have not impressed me with their arguments.  Some of the arguments are well presented, but they all have the hallmark of being orchestrated and very much on the defensive.  It seems as if someone has been managing the responses.

As a rule, I do not comment on controversial issues on this blog, preferring to keep to purely factual matters.  On this occasion, I have made an exception because the subject matter is so grave, and because, after several days consideration I have become convinced of the reliability of Archbishop Vigaro's testimony.

St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York

The pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow and the Martyrs of York will take place on Saturday, 1st September.

Pilgrims should assemble at the Bar Convent at 10.30am for a 10.45 departure on foot for Ouse Bridge, where Margaret Clitherow was executed, and The Shambles, where she lived and a house has been made into a shrine to her.

The procession will continue to St Wilfrid's Church where there will be Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 12.10pm.  Benediction will follow.

Latin Mass for Prisoners

The following story has been reported in New Liturgical Movement, where a more detailed account can be found.

It seems that Archbishop Cordilione of San Francisco, along with the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship, visited the San Quintin State Prison for an evening of Music and Meditation.  Apparently the event, which included both polyphony and plainsong, was well attended and and enjoyed by the inmates, to the extent that 25 of the inmates, presumably with the approval of the prison authorities, decided to form their own schola.  Members of the Institute returned to provide tuition, and the schola has progressed to the extent that it is able to sing at Mass competently.

The sequel is that there is to be a Sung Mass in the prison later this month, and that this is intended to be the first of a series.

Feast of the Assumption

There will be a Sung Latin Mass for the Feast of the Assumption at St Wilfrid's Church in York on Wednesday 15th August at 6pm.

For Those Not Able to Walk 57 Miles

Those who do not feel able to walk the 57 miles from Ely to Walsingham, there is another option.  Pilgrims can make their own way to Walsingham on the Sunday.  There will be a Solemn Mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation at 2.00pm on the Sunday.  Pilgrims can then walk the Holy Mile to the Abbey grounds where there will be devotions.

Walsingham Pilgrimage

The annual walking pilgrimage to Walsingham organised by the Latin Mass Society will take place over the August bank holiday weekend, starting in Ely in the evening of Thursday 23rd August and arriving at Walsingham around midday on Sunday 26th August.

Accommodation in the form of a campsite for men and floor space in a hall for women is provided each night, with evening meal and breakfast also provided.

Pilgrims assemble on the Thursday evening at Ely, and set off after early Mass on the Friday.

Full details and the booking arrangements can be found on the Latin Mass Society website.

Sunday 12th August

There will be a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 5pm on Sunday 12th August at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Baxtergate, Hedon.  It will be offered by Fr Mark Drew.

Attendance at these Masses in Hedon, which are on the second Sunday of each month, has not been good.  I would urge that more people consider attending.

Pilgrimage in Honour of St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York

The Pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York will take place this year on Saturday 1st September.  The programme for the day has changed from previous years, and is as follows:

10.30am     Assemble at the Bar Convent for veneration of the relic.

The procession will set off from there visiting Ouse Bridge, the place of execution, and The Shambles, the location of the shrine, and arriving at St Wilfrid's Church in time for Mass at 12.10pm, followed by Benediction.

Fr Mark Morris Gets the Sack

Fr Mark Morris is Parish Priest of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Balornock in Glasgow.  It was in this church that Cardinal Burke celebrated a Pontifical Mass last year.  Fr Morris has attended many of the Priest and Server Training Conferences organised by the Latin Mass Society, usually bringing with him other priests and servers from Scotland. 

Amongst Fr Morris's duties has been that of Catholic Chaplain to Glasgow Caledonian University - or that was the case until a few days ago when he was dismissed from that position bu the University authorities.  He had offered Rosary, Benediction and a Litany at his church in reparation for the "gross offence against God" caused by Glasgow Pride.

It is pleasing to see that the Catholic students of Glasgow Caledonian University have reacted in a very measured but firm way saying that they were "extremely disappointed" at the move and that it was "abhorrent that a priest should be dismissed for affirming the teachings of the Catholic Church".

The Sin of Pride

As I was collecting Mass books etc at the back of St Wilfrid's Church in York after the Latin Mass last Sunday, an elderly man approached me and asked why it was that he had been refused Communion.  He went on to express his outrage that Communion could only be given on the tongue.  I responded that it was the law of the Church that at Older Form Masses for Communion is given on the tongue.  At this point, he became fairly aggressive and spoke in such a loud voice that he attracted the attention of people nearby, some of whom decided to join in the debate.  He then said that he was a priest, and had been for 62 years, and claimed that he had been ordained long before all those around him were even born.  This could not be true in my case, but he probably did not realise how old I am, so I will forgive him for that error.

Although I would have liked to debate with him, he was so aggressive that no reasonable discussion was possible.  I was anxious to calm the man down, as such a public row in a church seemed improper.  I asked him where he came from, and he replied: Australia.  Eventually he moved on to do battle with Br Henry, who was outside the church. 

I had noticed this elderly man when he entered the church before Mass, perhaps because he was particularly tall.  He went to sit in the front row.  At Communion time, he stood up and remained standing at his place in a conspicuous way.  He did not go to the altar rails to receive Communion, so his allegation that he was refused Communion was not true.  What was true was that, as is normal in St Wilfrid's, there was an announcement that the "law of the Church required that Communion is received on the tongue and kneeling....".  This is presumably what annoyed him, as it was clear from the way he stood at the front of the church whilst others were receiving Communion time that he was trying to make some point.

Why am I relating this story?  It is only to illustrate how how irrational some people (including priests) are when they encounter traditional practices.  This priest claimed that he was not able to receive Communion because it was being distributed on the tongue.  As Br Henry pointed out this is an example of the sin of Pride.  What is more serious is that he was prepared to have a major row inside a church on the issue.  Everything is compounded by his being a priest.