This is the magnificent church of Vezelay in France, where you may venerate the relics of St Mary Magdalene. More pictures and information here. However, just as controversy surrounds her true identity and which stories relate to her in the gospels, so her relics are disputed and surrounded with legend and contradictory stories. Some say Mary Magdalene ended her days in Ephesus with St John and the Blessed Virgin. Some say her relics were removed from there to Constantinople. The... Read more
Guest blogger, The Rev’d Humphrey Blytherington, Vicar of St Hilda’s, Little Snoring and All Saints, Great Snoring, weighs in on Anglican issues. I was enjoying a half pint of lager shandy down at the Goose and Garter the other evening after bell ringing practice, when Nigel, one of the lads said, ” ‘ere, Vicar, wot’s all this about the church needing more bishops? Aren’t there too many already?” “Nigel is quite right”, I explained, “The Church does need more bishops.”... Read more
In response to the new Anglican outfit called ACNA, presiding Bishop Kate Schori has said that ‘schism is an unchristian act.’ Duuh. This coming from the leader of one of the major Protestant schisms? Read more
The Episcopal Church of the USA consolidated it’s progressive stance this week by confirming the validity of homosexuals for ministry at all levels. The meltdown of Anglicanism continues, and there is little in the Christian world that saddens me more. There’s not much new here, but read about it if you wish. Read more
This article from the Daily Telegraph highlights the problem of single teenaged mums in Britain. The UK is now the teen pregnancy capital of Europe. This news comes on the back of a report which states that a multi million pound government program to help reduce teen pregnancies has actually helped them to double. A grim report here. If this isn’t enough, the journalist from the first piece thinks the teen pregnancy problem is the result of the British being prudish... Read more
Our MSM guest blogger, Todd Unctuous reports from Rome While our President was in Europe he stopped in the European country of Italy to visit the Roman Catholic Pope. The German born Pope Benedict reigns over the country of Italy from his throne in the tiny capital city of the Vatican which is situated in Rome. Ensconced in the centuries old walled city, the pope looks out on the world from his ancient centuries old religious perspective. In fact the... Read more
Here’s a news item about church bombings in Iraq. Here Muslims get freedom of religion. There Christians get death threats, car bombs and murder. A holy Catholic woman I once knew said sweetly, “I don’t think I hate anybody, but I think I like Muslims the least.” Read more
If such a religious authority were discoverable, what other traits would it have, and how would this infallible authority be exercised? The Catholic answer is that the Catholic Church teaches infallibly because she is divinely inspired, and this divine inspiration began at St Peter’s confession of Jesus as Lord. At that point Jesus not only said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” He also said, “Blessed are you, Simon, for flesh and blood has... Read more
When considering the traits of an infallible authority there are three other sets of paired qualities that balance one another, and which are necessary. First, the Church that speaks with authority must be invisible. In other words, there must be a quality to it which is spiritual and God given and greater than any visible boundaries. This invisible quality means, for instance, that the true members of the church are not defined and specified. The members of this church and... Read more
Fr. Dwight Longenecker
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