I chanced to come across a programme last night with the title of 'Catholics.'
Deeply suspicious, I sat back and watched only to witness some pretty bland television producing going on.
At first I convinced myself that this was a fly on the wall about Anglican seminarians, so fey and oblique were the comments being made by this group of young men.
And then, as reality began to dawn I imagined that this was an intake from the Ordinariate, still yet to be grounded in Catholic theology and philosophy.
One young man struggled to describe what the Mass meant to him.
I cannot recall his precise words so shall not attempt a complete quote but he waffled on, not once mentioning that it was an unbloody sacrifice, a repeat of Calvary with the continuing Victim redeeming us with His sacrifice.
He finished by saying (after many errs and pauses): "It's the Mass"
Most of those involved were asked to state what the priesthood meant to them. No one appeared to have an authentic viewpoint on this, no one mentioned that they were going to be "other Christs."
If they had been adolescent social workers I would have said that their views were reasonable if a shade green.
But these were Allen Hall seminarians!
The Bishop who ordained them was Archbishop Vincent Nicholls of Westminster - shock, horror! These were Catholic young men.
Small wonder we are in a mess. Is this the best that the seminaries can do?
A seminary, in one respect, should be like a University (Redbrick, of course).
It should accept a green student at one end and churn out a mature, literate, well rounded individual at the other.
I am trying very hard not to pick on individuals and to spread the load of criticism but really we do need some SSPX theology and spiritual integrity injected into the system.
Whenever I come across this sort of evidence, the more I feel less and less Catholic in the modern sense.
I have nothing in common with these people, seminarians, lecturers, Bishops.
We belong to different faiths.
Another X for the Bishops I'm afraid.
Deeply suspicious, I sat back and watched only to witness some pretty bland television producing going on.
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| Would you go for a pint with these men? It's the Linen on the Hedgerow acid test! |
And then, as reality began to dawn I imagined that this was an intake from the Ordinariate, still yet to be grounded in Catholic theology and philosophy.
One young man struggled to describe what the Mass meant to him.
I cannot recall his precise words so shall not attempt a complete quote but he waffled on, not once mentioning that it was an unbloody sacrifice, a repeat of Calvary with the continuing Victim redeeming us with His sacrifice.
He finished by saying (after many errs and pauses): "It's the Mass"
Most of those involved were asked to state what the priesthood meant to them. No one appeared to have an authentic viewpoint on this, no one mentioned that they were going to be "other Christs."
If they had been adolescent social workers I would have said that their views were reasonable if a shade green.
But these were Allen Hall seminarians!
The Bishop who ordained them was Archbishop Vincent Nicholls of Westminster - shock, horror! These were Catholic young men.
Small wonder we are in a mess. Is this the best that the seminaries can do?
A seminary, in one respect, should be like a University (Redbrick, of course).
It should accept a green student at one end and churn out a mature, literate, well rounded individual at the other.
I am trying very hard not to pick on individuals and to spread the load of criticism but really we do need some SSPX theology and spiritual integrity injected into the system.
Whenever I come across this sort of evidence, the more I feel less and less Catholic in the modern sense.
I have nothing in common with these people, seminarians, lecturers, Bishops.
We belong to different faiths.
Another X for the Bishops I'm afraid.
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