Sunday, May 13, 2012

Tablet Contempt


Under the heading of "Strictest secrecy" The Tablet carries the following letter from Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, it refers to the gossip I and others reported last week.

Comments made in last week’s Notebook (5
May) about the papal nuncio and myself are
mischievous and unhelpful. I do not comment
in any way on recent appointments in  dioceses
in England and Wales and the “quip” attributed to me is not true. As is right and proper,
the meetings of the plenary sessions of the
Congregation for Bishops are held in the
strictest secrecy.
(Cardinal) Cormac Murphy-O’Connor
London W4
It seems pretty extraordinary that having done damage to His Emminence's reputation Ma "P" graciously grants him the right of reply, at the bottom of her letters page, there is no response from the ediatrix, no apology, no explanation. This is a Prince of the Church writing to correct a damaging lie, a detraction, and The Tablet deems it no more worthy than to be placed amongst the rattling of the rusty sabres of its usual correspondents.
It is contemptuous!
It shows how far the Tablet has moved away from being the "Catholic journal of record" it once was. I had lunch with a former Tablet writer recently, he said, "the trouble with Ma is she doesn't get "Catholic".

When will its trustees appoint someone who does get "Catholic" to its staff?

ps I do not buy or read the Tablet, nor do I allow it my church. I do occasionally look at the website, the free bits.

15 comments:

Edward said...

If it was so contemptuous then why did you repeat in on your blog?

Fr Ray Blake said...

Edward, I thought the Tablet's treatment of HE was contemptuous, it at least deserved a little more prominence than the foot of letters page; that is why I reproduce the Cardinal's letter here.

Lawyeratwork.com said...

I find it a disappointment that allegations of any comments made by the Cardinal have not been quickly refuted and corrections made where necessary.

If the Cardinal did not say something then why does he not release a statement saying exaclty what he said or did not say.

If these matters ought to be strictly confidential, then why say anything at all, in the ears of the public or those who will/can repeat?

On the other hand Your Eminence, if you deny saying derogatory or embaressing comments about a very good Bishop - Mark Davies - and some one has printed these alledged comments them send them a Legal Letter and ask for a public apology to be written in the next edition.

Then all Catholic England and Wales will know and understand where Your Eminence is coming from.

Lawyeratwork.com

Pétrus said...

Surely it is time for The Tablet to be removed from sale at ALL churches?

Ray said...

In the article the author states that one of the finest homilies she ever heard was delivered by a women theologian durin Mass. This is not allowed since in America only ordained priests and occasionally deacons may give sermons. It seems the author is defending the indefensible.

Fr Ray Blake said...

" send them a Legal Letter..."
not quite his style!

Anonymous said...

Father Ray,
I agree that the Tablet was contemptuous.....when is it not. The presbytery where I am supplying at present takes the Tablet and it was passed to me yo read. I am afraid that there has been no improvement since I stopped buying it six years ago. Very glad to have deprived the Tablet of my cash...it mounts up over 5years. Why do other people also not deprive the Tablet of money, as I do in my small way? If enough do so then the Tablet may learn that it is worthwhile being a Catholic journal!

Basil said...

I think the Tablet is basically kept going by Anglicans.

nickbris said...

Richard Branson would like some of this Free Advertising,the TABLET thrives on controversy and all these adverse comments only push up sales.

Pablo the Mexican said...

"...ps I do not buy or read the Tablet, nor do I allow it my church. I do occasionally look at the website, the free bits..."

Sounds like somebody got their home delivery cut off...?

*

Et Expecto said...

Not only is it possible to get an insight into the various campaigns being waged by The Tablet by looking only at the free bits, it is also possible to put the cat among the pigeons by leaving comments on their blog which ia aslo free.

mikesview said...

Pablo, just what POINT are you making? Your Meh-hicano subtlety is too much for this Anglo-Saxon thickhead, who can only handle irony, satire and the like.
In the spirit of charity which is enjoined upon us all, I shall assume that you had had one or two too many Margeritas before writing your post.

RJ said...

Haven't read the Tablet for years. On one of the few occasions I looked at it in the last decade, I found myself throwing it to the floor as the word "heresy!" rose to my lips.

John Ryan said...

It isn't YOUR - it's OUR church! Get that into your mind and soul once and for all.

Fr Ray Blake said...

John Ryan,
And I'd always thought it the Church of Jesus Christ, silly me!

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