A friend of mine has been reading about the Cure d’Ars and commented that he didn’t think the Cure’s asceticism would be understood in our society. Strange isn’t it, that people in or society are willing to work, sweat, fast and put themselves through considerable pain and embarrassment– (you think the clothes people wear to the gym are flattering?) in order to get a firmer tummy, nice butt or better pecs, but they would consider celibacy, fasting and prayer to... Read more

The town of Lewes in Sussex, England, still has a traditional bonfire where they burn an effigy of the Pope. This custom used to be commonplace across England on 5 November –Guy Fawkes Night. Lots of towns still have bonfires and fireworks, but Lewes is one of the few towns that keeps the full fire burning. The parish priest (an Anglican convert) of Lewes has started an initiative called ‘Know Popery’ in response to this barbaric custom. Fr. Richard Biggerstaff... Read more

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is planning to withdraw from the Episcopal Church. The Bishop, Bob Duncan, has received a this letter of stern warning from presiding bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori. Bishop Duncan has given this pugnacious reply. Anglicans the world over are facing the divide within their church which is now clearly evident. It is between those who wish to follow the faith once delivered to the saints and those who wish to alter the faith according to the... Read more

We had a beautiful All Souls Day Mass at St Joseph’s Catholic School today. The students, faculty and staff recorded the names of their loved ones and each one was named as Mass was said. Most non-Catholic Christians don’t have any truck with the Catholic custom of praying for the dead. Their theology forbids it. Once you’re dead, they believe, you either go straight to heaven or straight to hell. In a sense that’s what Catholics believe too because we... Read more

I’m having some problems with music in Catholic America. Part of it is my problem. I spent fifteen years in the Anglican Church with the New English Hymnal–which is probably the finest hymnbook ever published in the English language. Musically and liturgically it was the best that traditional Anglicanism had to offer. Catholic music in England–well we won’t even go there. Apart from a few islands of decent church music the Catholic church in England was a wasteland. I am... Read more

Going through some old sermons from Anglican days I came across this poem I wrote in 1984, and had forgotten about. What do you think? The Page I saw a king presiding on his throne; his robes were fine, his features kind, but stern. He saw envoys, ambassadors and men with urgent messages who rushed in. He had advisors with portfolios, oily men concerned with profit and loss. Then I saw, standing at the king’s right hand, a small page... Read more

I knew some witches in England. They belonged to a coven which was in my parish. I blogged about them last year this time. Believe, me. They’re real. They’re out there, and they’re not nice. One Saturday morning a fifteen year old girl knocked on my door. She was dressed all in black, with plenty of black eye make up. She asked if I could help. She had been at the pub with ‘Alex’. I knew that Alex was the... Read more

My friend Carl Olson over at Ignatius Insight has written on the Dumbledore homosexual thing. Like him, I haven’t read one sentence of the Harry Potter books, and dozed off in the only one of the movies I was dragged off to see. What I’ve seen and heard of them makes me think they’re derivative and unoriginal. (I know that’s rich as I’ve just finished my ‘Screwtape Letters’ pastiche.) I’m sorry. Should I be interested in Dumbledore’s sexuality? It’s all... Read more

As part of our pro life emphasis for October, today at school mass we had the missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The missionary image is a perfect facsimile of the real image in Mexico. After Mass the students filed forward to venerate the image. It was moving to see them reach out and touch the copy of this miraculous icon. The Protestant in me is always still a bit, well, curious, apprehensive, dubious even, of the veneration of... Read more

When I survey the wondrous crossOn which the prince of glory diedMy richest gain I count by lossand pour contempt on all my pride. Read more