Thursday, September 27, 2007

Hitchens will die a Catholic or a Madman


Curt Jestor has this interesting piece on a confrontation with Christopher Hitches and a Catholic priest

FATHER RUTLER: I have met saints. You cannot explain the existence of saints without God. I was nine years chaplain with Mother Teresa [inaudible]. You have called her a whore, a demagogue. She’s in heaven that you don’t believe in, but she’s praying for you. If you do not believe in heaven, that’s why you drink.
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Excuse me?
FATHER RUTLER: That’s why you drink. God has offered us happiness, all of us. And you will either die a Catholic or a madman, and I’ll tell you the difference.

Curt Jetor quotes an eyewitness:
“At the end of the event as he staggered, sweating and red faced, out of the room, he [Hitchens] advanced on Father Rutler in a threatening and physical manner, screaming that this beloved pastor and brilliant scholar whom he had never met was `a child molester and a lazy layabout who never did a day’s work in his life’. His behavior was so frightening that a bodyguard put himself between Hitchens and Father Rutler to protect him. Several of the event organizers then escorted Hitchens to the men’s room and when he emerged he continued his psychotic rant, repeating the same calumnious and baseless screed as before. It was then that Father Rutler, in the most charitable manner, told Hitchens [for the second time] that he will `either die a madman or a Roman Catholic’. … Unless he faces his alcoholism soon, I am betting on the ‘madman’ ending for him.”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Father Rutler was right. I'm hopeful that Mr Hitchens will see the light and not sink into despair. He is a terrible beauty. If he turns to the light he could be magnificent. He is obviously struggling. Prayers for him are needed.

leutgeb said...

Poor man looks a wreck. Booze, fags and coffee all at once?

Let's hope he listens to Fr Rutler.

gemoftheocean said...

What's the line at Ladbrooke's or Vegas?

He might be a much tougher nut to crack than Lord Marchmain.

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...