Sorry about the lack of posting today, I've not had those odd five minutes to sit in front of the screen, but I have just kicked out a gang of delightful people after our evening Mass, we knocked up some Spag Bol and had a drink - just to prove today is still glorious Easter Day rather than penitential Friday looking at Fr Michael Brown's blog I noticed he quotes Bobby Mickens, Ms Pepinster's boy in Rome.
I am not sure who he is having a go at, I have complained to the chairman of trustees and Ms "P" about his reporting of the Holy Father. It is mainly because of him I feel it would be wrong to continue to sell the Tablet in this Church. Anyone read the whole story?
`..it is extraordinary that ordained ministers can find so much free time and energy to "feed a blog". Is it possible that they have no housebound, hospitalised or imprisoned parishioners in need of their presence and ministry? It is also extraordinary that their bishops allow this. But then again we are living in extraordinary times.`
I am not sure who he is having a go at, I have complained to the chairman of trustees and Ms "P" about his reporting of the Holy Father. It is mainly because of him I feel it would be wrong to continue to sell the Tablet in this Church. Anyone read the whole story?
I think, like the good liberal he is, he wants bishops to limit the freedom of speech of blogging priests. Maybe some of us are getting under the Tablet's skin. All a bit sinister, but then the Tablet is. I am told "Rome" wants something done about it by Abp Nichols. He could begin by not selling it in his Cathedral. Apparently, someone at the CDF often says of the Tablet, "It is also extraordinary that their bishops allow this".
Incidentally, this story seems not to be hoax, but I still ask, why did the Tablet print it?
21 comments:
Diabolical freaks at work. Just my never to be humble opinion.
Sounds incredibly similar to the Obama administration's desire to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine" and limit free speech in radio, tv etc.
They don't like it up 'em!
Don't think its an article, I think it's an editorial. Or if it isn't then the editorial is also about the same topic. Much of it fair comment and i'm guessing directed towards Damian Thompson.
The editorial and article about Blair's recent comments can be accessed online FREE.
Did Micken think through his comment before making it, or was it just more kneejerk criticism of something he can't control?
I would argue that a blog is a ministry, especially to the homebound. How else will they hear from a reliable source, and in so much detail, about current events from a Catholic perspective? From The Tablet??!?!! I think not.
Thank you for taking the time to extend your ministry to us, Father, and for keeping us informed and involved.
If I might re-cycle a comment that I left over at mulier fortis on this story: the second Vatican Council teaches us that:
"All members of the Church should be of one mind and heart in their efforts to utilize the media, effectively and without delay, in the manifold works of the apostolate, as times and circumstances demand...Pastors of souls should lose no time in fulfilling their obligation in this respect, closely connected as it is with their ordinary work of preaching"
(inter mirifica 13)
This would appear to strongly encourage pastors to blog...
Like all liberals he will defend to the death our right to agree with everything he says.
Makes one wonder who is actually behind the nonsense,in the "Good old Days" we could send the Boys round.
It was in 'Letter from Rome': something about the Archbishop of Manila, the CDW and the implementations of Sum. Pont.
In this week's there's an editorial which goes along the lines of "Ooh, look! People write stuff on the internet, and it's called blogging, and who'd have heard of it if it hadn't been for that nasty Damian Macbride. You know, he got into trouble because of blogs, and there are some Catholic ones in Britain, and they're not very nice at all". I think there's a grudge match going on between Damian Thompson and Ms Pepinster. Not very enlightening.
In the good old days journalists had the last word and letters of to the editor could just be binned. The internet has changed all that. Challenge is instant and thousands, if not millions, of "silent" Catholics now have access to express an alternative view.
The real message is that they really, really don't like us taking the Mickens.
This is not a religious complaint it is a politically motivated grievance and goes to the heart of what has to be admitted, a predominantly left wing professional journalistic controlled main stream media in this country. Into this rarefied air of illiberal liberalism has appeared a new challenger for the crown of opinion maker and the established journalistic elite don’t like the competition one bit. Free independent though that is not subject to their ‘filters’ is anathema to print and ‘meeja’ journalism.
It has not escaped their attention that many local newspapers are going into receivership (the Tablet is no exception to this hard business reality) and some nationals are likely to follow. They have had to accept tightened expense accounts, longer hours and decreasing wages all resulting from reduced circulations, but worst of all they are no longer able to exert that strangle hold on what the public is and is not allowed to read, see, express or opine in the ‘public square’.
The established opinion of the professional journalist is being openly and publically questioned, heresy to the Mickens of this world. Variously ignored, derided, laughed at, circumvented, questioned, fisked, and in many cases bettered by ‘unqualified’ commentators, this unstoppable invasion of the interlopers on what has previously been considered their own turf is what really irks their journalistic pride. That expression of comment on matters politic, upon which they have had a monopoly for so long is shown to be no more valid, informed or credible than any other and is evidence, if any were needed that the emperor has no clothes, and had been parading naked for years in the opinion of many.
The inherent socialist attitude to control every aspect of the public square for the good of the people is what is at the heart of Mickens complaint, he and his control freak friends can be challenged and challenged publically and effectively, where in the past one would have needed the whole machinery of Fleet Street or the BBC, now one only needs a PC and internet access. So what do they do? They try to exert influence over the Bishops to pull in the reins of the clerical blogger who quite rightly expose their subversive agenda. These ‘professional journalists’ are staring oblivion in the face, impotent to control the blogosphere these are the acts of desperate men and women, rearranging deck chairs as the ship goes down.
Old Bobby Mickens is in good company thought his whinging can be added to those of the other dispossessed such as Michel White, Polly Toynbee, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, John Snow, Paxman and Janet Daley etc, all of which have bitterly decried the intrusion of the internet into their domain. "Delenda est Carthago" as Cato would say.
Total hypocrisy.
What is more extraordinary Mr Mickens is that the Tablet is allowed to be sold in Catholic churches. How Catherine Pepinster et al present themselves for communion every week I'll never know.
The liberals are only liberal about things that do not challenge their position of power and influence.
Blogging priests are a direct threat to the Tablet on both counts,truth is blogs make the Tablet redundant, it no longer has a purpose and nor do the people who produce it, that's very hard for them to come to terms with it seems.
Thank God for our blogging priests, blogs such as this one are used for the propagation of the faith, that is even when a priest is blogging he is doing the Lords work not just taking time out as anyone looking with unjaundiced eyes can see.
I agree wholeheartedly with Gregory and, I should add, Paul VI and the council fathers, in the matter of blogging priests.
But on the other matter - surely the Grasmere story is untrue? It seems obviously so as it gave the clear implication that there was no resident priest at Grasmere, which is not the case. And as other posters have mentioned there are other things which don't add up. Do you have some extra information, father?
Ignore Robert Mickens and his ilk. Keep on blogging ad multos annos
Keep up the good work, Fr Ray. It's definitely getting under he Tablet's skin.
I wonder how many sick, imprisoned, homeless and poor Mr Mickens manages to visit. Typical Liberal. Self-righteous, pompous and, of course, - always right.
"Is it possible that they have no housebound, hospitalised or imprisoned parishioners in need of their presence and ministry?"As we say here in the US: "Give me a break!" Are we to believe Mr. Mickens is really concerned about the 'housebound, hospitalised and imprisoned'...? I rather think not.
This is the typical response of one who sees his 'turf' being invaded by the 'pajama-wearers' - as someone else derisively described bloggers. How dare they!
The truth is blogs like yours Father are a real threat to the
'mainstream' journalists. They can't get away with putting their own particular slant on religious matters and they don't like it. Tough!
I expect much the same sentiment was expressed about Bishop Fulton Sheen when he embraced television and touched the lives of millions.
Keep up the good work Father, you and the other 'sacerdotal scribes' are having an effect - and a good one at that!
Like they say in the Bible Belt: "Preach it, brother!"
I thought the Tablet was in favour of priests not visiting the sick and the housebound. Isn't that what Special Eucharistic Ministers -- sorry, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion -- are for? To free up priests to go to bonding sessions and in-service courses and Free Trade Awareness weekends?
The down-side of course is that priests who aren't part of that particular 'magic circle' have time on their hands to blog instead.
Sorry, Bobby, but you can't win 'em all!
As you are unfailingly polite, positive and courteous about your diocese, and restrict yourself to legitimate matters of concern which have already been ruled on by Rome, I don't think you need to worry - except from being caught up in a general backlash where others are the target. I would counsel that certain people will be looking for quotes to use out of context about priest bloggers in the immediate future, and it would be prudent to slap the wrists of any of us contributors if we resort to ad hominem abuse in the heat of the moment. At the moment it is very fashionable to categorise trad bloggers as "far right" - something which, if applied to you, would cause a few giggles among your parishioners. As for dealing with transgressions by "catholic" publications, I would recommend following the advice of your heroine(!) Mrs Thatcher and not offering them the oxygen of publicity (unless severely provoked).
I wonder if the people who attempted to celebrate the Eucharist, though not priests, incurred the latae sententiae penalty of interdict in accordance with Can. 1378/2,1. If so, they are prohibited from any ministerial participation in the Eucharist or other ceremonies of worship, and from celebrating or receiving the sacraments. (Can. 1332) Is what they did an attempted celebration of the Mass?
I am a homebound person and the internet has opened my world.
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