Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Liverpool Vacant

File:Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.jpg

One of the last acts of his Pontificate; from the Vatican Information Service
The Holy Father accepted today: - the resignation to the pastoral government of the Archbishop of Liverpool, Patrick Altham Kelly, according to can. 401 § 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
Could one consider it as a sign of special concern for the UK that in the last few days of his Pontificate that Pope Benedict has dismissed one Archbishop and accepted the resignation of another?

25 comments:

polycarped said...

Whilst this theoretically makes me very happy - to know that this provides yet another opportunity for ++Mennini to propose more orthodox and strong Bishops like +Davies and +Egan for Sees in England and Wales (please, God and, all being well, our new Holy Father), I also cannot but feel some sadness for the good Catholics in Shrewsbury at the significant prospect of 'losing' the courageous +Davies.

Martha said...

Is can.401 para?2 of the Code of Canon Law of any especial significance, and have the reasons for Bishop Kelly`s retirement been made known?

Fr Ray Blake said...

Archbishop Kelly has been unwell for some time.

Pétrus said...

Canon 401 §2

A diocesan Bishop who, because of illness or some other grave reason, has become unsuited for the fulfilment of his office, is earnestly requested to offer his resignation from office.

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

spring time and spring-cleaning. Purim allows the Jews to put on the joker - the joke being on every enemy of the Jews - defeated. They used to have prayer called the blessing of heretics - birkat ha-minim - it was actually a curse mainly directed at the Church, but on this point the Church is still here; when, mainly in France they had the feast of fools where, purportedly, a joker-like spirit was celebrated, turning the proper way of the Church on its head, it gave space for a 'mock church'. the recent upsets might seem purim-like or feast-of-fools like, but perhaps it's just the thrashing about of disappointed mock church while the true undefeated Church gets on with saving souls rather than courting the favour of the world.

momangelica said...

New Order! That title came as a surprise to me; a cradle Catholic. I didn't know we had changed,only that chances had occurred within the Mass.
There seems to be more schismatic Archbishops,Bishops,priests and members of the "Catholic Community" within,than before N.O. was implemented. But the Catholic Church was/is still "trundling on" in the trustworthy hands of an Archbishop,Bishops,and priests with Faithful followers. "All that is hidden will be revealed", the good and the bad. The True Catholic Church is there waiting for you all to "wise up", to join Her by enjoining your prayers with Hers for the souls worldwide She alone is entrusted to bring to God. She has the same effect upon it's members as before the N.O.age. You just DO NOT hear Heresy among the congregation when we socalise, and the stuff that is discussed in the Tablet and Herald Blog by so-say Catholics is unthinkable. The jolly decent Barque of Peter is sailing and there is plenty of room for "late comers" before she is out of your sight. http://www.sspx.co.uk/
The "disobedience issue" that is dragged out and dangled like a fait accompli? (red herring more like it) It was an act of life or death for the Catholic Church and avoiding it's demise makes a stronger defense. All I've got to say is " Pastoral Council not Doctrinal". Love your Blog Fr. Ray.

Anonymous said...

I love the story of ++Worlock sending for a priest who allegedly had a vision of the BVM in the Cathedral and commanding him under obedience to relate what Our Blessed Mother had said.
After much hesitation the priest whispered19445attfac "She said: I desire a Church to be built on this site"

Seaneinn said...

EF that is very god

Anita Moore said...

I hope the Holy Father also accepts the resignation of that dreadful cathedral, right after accepting those of Los Angeles, Oakland, and Orange, California.

George said...

The Liverpool Cathedral looks like Space Mountain at Disney World.

pablothemexican said...

The photo of the Novus Ordo woship center is an exact duplicate of the Satan devil worshiping Aztec temples in Mexico where that American indian tribe would cut out the hearts of Mexicans and offer them up to Sata .

Interesting photo.

.

The Bones said...

It is incredible that despite the limits of modern technology and spacecraft, that thing can still take a man to Heaven.

JARay said...

I remember the call by Archbishop Heenan for entrants to a competion to build a Cathedral for one million pounds. That was the result. When last I walked around it, some years ago, I had to pick my way through pools of water because the tiles which made the outside of the walls/roof leaked. How many millions did that building actually cost?
I does rather look like a wigwam.
The Anglicans got a far, far better Cathedral.

Physiocrat said...

That building looks as needs to be sent on a trip with a crash-landing on the moon.

Anonymous said...

The call for prayers for Archbishop Kelly to recover from the stroke he suffered only last month are very humbling.

Robert said...

I suspect that few of you have ever been to this Cathedral. Inside, it is beautiful and awe inspiring. JARay thinks that the Anglicans got a far, far better Cathedral, but that's simply a matter of taste. Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is beautiful inside, but from the outside it's a dead ringer for Dracula's castle.

Physiocrat said...

I have been inside and was not impressed. The building was designed by the firm of Frederick Gibberd, which was responsible for some of the post-war new towns. The period was not a good vintage for ecclesiastical buildings.

It is fortunate that the over-blown Lutyens design was never built but the present building is not a great contribution to Britain's heritage of ecclesiastical architecture.

Unknown said...

Robert, I was in Liverpool Cathedrale 30 years ago and found it a little strange! maybe as you say a matter of taste . However what realy offended and shocked me was when i witnessed for the first time communicants taking the Blessed Eucharist to their friend, compatriots who knows who in this new ediffice, in my mind that symbolised everything it stood for

Matthew Hazell said...

Robert, my wife and I visited Liverpool Met some months back. She was in tears by the time we left after about 20 minutes at how awful it was (and is). The horrifying Stations of the Cross were the last straw for her.

Three words sum up how I feel about the cathedral: cheap, ugly and brutal. They could have built something beautiful; instead, someone green-lit the concrete monstrosity Liverpool has today. How modernist architecture uncritically found its way into Catholicism is one of those things I puzzle over every now and then.

Anonymous said...

The interior is not as bad as Mahony's tribute to Albert Speer in California, but I'd still keep a bottle of Emetrol handy: http://www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk/content/Visitus/.aspx

Chloe said...

the inside of the Cathedral is actually a lot more horrible than the outside. something you would not think possible. And yes, the Stations of the Cross are the worst part. They look like something from 'Pirates of the Carribean, the curse of the Black Pearl'. No! It is NOT just a matter of taste! Ugliness is ugliness. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel looks like a rather nasty 1950s tiled kitchen. there is no excuse for it whatsoever. I curl up inside whenever I have to go there. Someone ull it down, The crypt is the only decent part. Why was Lutyens design overblown? Is it possible to overdo giving glory to God?

Winefried

Gungarius said...

During the only time I visited it (in the 1990s) I liked the inside but was annoyed I could not find where the Blessed Sacraent was reserved. Hopefully that has now been rectified.

The top of the "Wigwam" is actually a crown of thorns as it is the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Archbishop Kelly was a good and Holy man when he was my Bishop when I was at Salford University. He took a keen interest in fostering vocations among the students, some of whom are now priests in Salford Diocese.

Patricius said...

Physiocrat is quite correct. Lutyens's design was overblown. Had it been completed it would have been the second largest church in the world and the diameter of the dome would have exceeded that of St Peter's in Rome. That is bad manners at the very least.

Clare Mulligan said...

George, you nailed it. Space Mountain, indeed. And just as dated. Retro- futurism!

Anonymous said...

When is the building site on the photo going to be completed?

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