Friday, July 30, 2010

Priests Open Letter in Support of Pope Benedict's Visit



We, priests of England and Wales, wish to express our joy at the forthcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Britain.
We welcome the many wise things the Holy Father said to us through our Bishops on their ad limina visit earlier this year which are of particular significance to the health of the Church in England and Wales, such as "the Catholic community in your country needs to speak with a united voice" and the need "to be attentive to the promptings of the Spirit, who guides the whole Church into the truth, gathers her into unity and inspires her with missionary zeal".


More than ever, with the proximity of the Papal visit and anxious for its success we recognise especially the need "to draw on the considerable gifts of the lay faithful in England and Wales". Concerned for the Church's mission we to see a great need in England and Wales to ensure "that they [not only the lay faithful but we priests] are equipped to hand on the faith to new generations comprehensively, accurately, and with a keen awareness that in so doing they are playing their part in the Church’s mission". We also acknowledge the importance within our national context of what His Holiness said about the Magisterium, "In a social milieu that encourages the expression of a variety of opinions on every question that arises, it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate. It is the truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition and articulated by the Church’s Magisterium that sets us free."


We wish to thank His Holiness for encouraging our Bishops to hold up to us "an example of dedication to prayer, pastoral sensitivity towards the needs of his flock, and passion for preaching the Gospel", and also for urging them to encourage the faithful "to avoid any temptation to view the clergy as mere functionaries but rather to rejoice in the gift of priestly ministry".
 
Fr Raymond Blake
Fr. Stephen Brown
Very Rev Fr Leon Pereira, O.P.
Fr. Francis Wadsworth
Fr Timothy Finigan
Fr J M Taylor Lanherne
Fr. John Abberton
Mgr Andrew Wadsworth
Fr John Boyle
Fr Francis Marsden VF
Fr Christopher Back
Fr. Gary Patrick Walsh S.S.S.
Fr David B Barrett
Fr William R Young
Fr Stephen Willis
Fr Paul Harrison
Fr Tim Edgar
Fr Ian O'Shea
Fr Tim Whiley
Fr John Osman
Fr Anthony Dykes
Fr John Cahil
Fr John Saward
Fr. David Evans
Fr Thomas Wood
Fr. Mark Naughton
Fr. Peter Charles Crowther
Fr Wilfrid Elkin
Fr Gary Dickson
Fr Hugh Somerville-Knapman OSB
Fr Jean-Claude Selvini
Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP
Fr Seán Finnegan
Fr Seán Patrick Riley
Fr.Aidan Doyle O.S.B
Fr Francis Coveney
Fr Gerald Anders
Fr Michael Sellers
Fr Michael Hall
Fr Hugh Mackenzie
Fr Michael Clifton
Fr. Philip Egan
Fr.Pius Mathew CMI
Fr Martin Thompson
Fr Ian Farrell
Fr Mark Vickers
Fr Jonathan Hill
Fr Simon Henry
Fr Thomas Regan OSB
Fr Michael Brown
Fr Nigel Griffin




If you are a priest in England and Wales and you wish to sign this "open letter", enter your name and address in the comments box and once I have checked the Catholic Directory I will add it to the letter.
The quotes in the letter are the Pope's own words to our bishops.

38 comments:

Fr William R. Young said...

Fr William R Young

Fr Stephen Willis said...

Fr Stephen Willis

Fr Ray Blake said...

Please leave your name AND ADDRESS

fr paul harrison said...

Fr Paul Harrison
St John Vianney
Glastonbury Ave
Blackpool

Fr Tim Edgar said...

Fr Tim Edgar
St Bartholomew's
St Albans
Herts

Father Ian O'Shea said...

Father Ian O'Shea
Cathedral House,
Mount Pleasant,
Liverpool,
L3 5TQ

Fr. Tim Wiley said...

Fr. Tim Wiley,
St. Mary of the Angels,
CrossBank,
Batley

FR Anthony Dykes said...

Fr Anthony Dykes
Saint Wulstan
Church Lane
Wolstanton
ST5 0EF

Fr John Osman said...

Deafened by the silence of those who should have spoken ....reminiscent of the words of Saint John Fisher"The fort has been betrayed by those who should have defended it....
Please add my name to the letter and to the names for the incipient Association of Catholic Priests
Fr John Osman

Fr John Saward said...

Fr John Saward

David Evans said...

Fr. David Evans

TRW said...

Fr Thomas Wood
Our Lady, Star of the Sea
Seaforth Village

Anonymous said...

Fr. Mark Naughton
St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish.
Ossett.
West Yorkshire.

Anonymous said...

Fr. Peter Charles Crowther
St. Joseph's/St. Chad's
Bury Lane
Withnell
Chorley
Lancashire

The Church is blessed to have such a wonderful Holy Father at this time in its history. God bless and protect him.

Torey said...

"More than ever, with the proximity of the Papal visit and anxious for its success we recognise especially the need "to draw on the considerable gifts of the lay faithful in England and Wales"."I am astonished by the truth in those words.

Anonymous said...

Father Wilfrid Elkin
St Mary's Catholic Church
Birch Road
Barnard Castle
Co. Durham DL12 8NR

Fr Gary Dickson said...

Fr Gary Dickson
Sacred Heart & English Martyrs
Thornley
Co Durham
DH6 3HA

HughOSB said...

Fr Hugh Somerville-Knapman OSB
Douai Abbey
Berkshire

Fr Jean-Claude Selvini said...

Fr Jean-Claude Selvini
The Presbytery
98, Mqnford Way
Hainault, Essex

Pastor in Monte said...

Seán Finnegan
45 John Street, Shoreham.

georgem said...

Father, it occurs to me that the laity may of some help here as not all priests will know of, or have access to your blog.
Might it be an idea for us to print out the letter and drop it into the hands of our parish priests with details of your blog, email and postal addresses? Also, to pass all this on to our friends in different parishes.
What do you think?

Fr Ray Blake said...

Georgem,
Yes do, sounds a very good idea.

Fr.Aidan said...

Fr.Aidan Doyle O.S.B
St.Mary's
Abertillery
Gwent
NP131AN
Tel;01495 212339

Anonymous said...

Fr Seán Patrick Riley
liverpool

Fr Francis Coveney said...

Fr Francis Coveney
7 Grove Crescent
South Woodford
London
E18 2JR

Unknown said...

Fr Michael Hall
HD6 2JY

Fr Gerald Anders said...

Fr Gerald Anders
152 Hesketh Lane
Tarleton
Preston
Lancashire
PR4 6AS

(Our Lady Help of Christians, Tarleton and St Peter and St Paul, Mawdesley)

Unknown said...

Fr Michael Sellers
Sacred Heart Church
280 southcoates Lane
Hull
HU9 3AS

Michael Clifton said...

Fr Michael Clifton
15 Camel Grover
Kingston on Thames KT25GR

Fr.Pius Mathew CMI said...

Fr.Pius Mathew CMI
Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
Talgraig
Borth Road
Porthmadog
LL49 9BB

Father Martin said...

Fr.Martin Thompson.National Seminary of Albania,Shkoder,Albania.

Parochus said...

Fr Mark Vickers
St Peter's
Hatfield

Innocent said...

Fr Jonathan Hill
St Martin de Porres
Luton

Fr Simon Henry said...

Fr Simon Henry
St Catherine Labouré
Farington
leyland
PR25 4QG
Archdiocese of Liverpool

Anonymous said...

Fr.Thomas Regan OSB
Our Lady & St.Michael's
10,Pen-y-pound,
Abergavenny NP7 5UD

01873 856660

Please add my name Fr.Ray

'God Bless our Pope the great the good !'

Fr Michael Brown said...

Fr Michael Brown, St Mary of the Rosary,Clousden Hill, Forest Hall, NE12 0AB

Anthony Dickinson said...

Fr Ray,

As a very humble layman, may I offer a heartfelt thank-you to all those priests who have signed your excellent letter. May I commend you and them to the protection and intercession of Our Blessed Lady - Queen of the Clergy.

May I also ask all the readers of this blog to pray for those clergy who might obstinately refuse to sign out of some misguided principles - I'm sure that there are many. May the scales be removed from their eyes and their hearts be softened to see the joy, peace and spirituality of HH Pope Benedict XVI - now gloriously reigning.

Ad Multos Annos to him and to all our 'embattled' priests and religious trying to make some headway in this 'secular' jungle.

Fr Nigel Griffin said...

Fr Nigel Griffin
207 Nelson Road
Twickenham

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