What I thought was even more interesting was a very surreal interview with Archbishop Longley, it was almost paradigm of how English Church seems to work. Humphries was asking him some very real questions about adherence to the Catholic Faith, whether people accepted or rejected the Church's teaching on such issues as abortion, contraception women priests and homosexuality and the Archbishop kept going on about Newman and the development of doctrine, speaking about the Church changing and adapting to the times.
What he seemed incapable of saying is that the Church proclaims the Gospel which is unchanging and counter-cultural, it offers the Truth "which the world cannot accept".
Towards the end of the programme was a much more spirited interview with Christina Odone and Polly Toynbee, this was obviously meant to be cat-fight.
13 comments:
I heard Archbishop Longley and agree with you Father. Our Hierarchy seem incapable of taking a strong stand on affairs, they sound so limp wristed.
Not like Cardinal Heena who dealt from the top of the pack!
It was alright wasn't it. Merry Christmas Fr.B
The Holy Father's message was concise and to the point. I didn't hear the rest of the programme (thank goodness), having switched to R3 to find that the Pope was the lead news item. No wonder Buckingham Palace got their taster of the Queen's speech out sharpish.
I'm afraid that if I'd heard the Archbishop's performance I'd have been chewing the carpet.
Interviewers must be very puzzled about the chasm between what the Pope says and what the E&W hierarchy say, let alone Catholics.
The interesting factor is that non-believing journalists are fascinated by the Pope. They are able to see what our bishops can't; that this is an honest unequivocal teacher of Christ's message.
The message given out here is that we are all so sophisticated and a la mode that we are happy to bend any rule to suit the secular agenda. Somewhere along the line the faith in this Dowry of Mary has been thoroughly suborned.
Apart from that I wish you and every one a happy, blessed and peaceful Christmas. More than 2000 years and still going strong. Yes, indeedy.
this is the direct link, Father
Beautifully spoken - thank you Holy Father. St Nicholas has sent your written word today via Amazon, Deo Gratias!
Happy Christmas to all!
In all fairness ro the archbishop- I think that I would have punched Humphreys very early in the interview. What a complete and utter wally!
I didn't hear Archbishop Longley - whom I know - on the radio, but if what you say is true Father, then it is very disappointing not to hear him clearly defend the teaching on the Church on the issues you mentioned.
It would be 'nice' sometimes if certain members of the clergy called 'a spade a spade', in all charity of course.
Fr. A.M.
PS. The Holy Father was marvellous. And a very happy and a holy Christmas to you Fr. Blake.
Fr. A.M.
I thought the Archbishop did pretty well, given what a pressurised situation the main 0810 spot on Today with the Humph is. He avoided a number of traps, and made a good fist of trying to get over the wider message. He did miss a trick when Humphries was going on about the Church listening - I'd have suggested that there was an onus on society to listen too, not just to want to hear reinforcement of their current views. On the whole, it was a good performance I felt.
God bless our Pope!
And a Happy Christmas to you, Father!
I agree Abp Longley did well to avoid the bear traps but I think he did a disservice by speaking about "adapting" and not daring to say the Catholic Church's teaching is of God and unchangeable.
+Longley's a lovely man, and some of the questions asked were pretty stupid, but his answers made him sound extremely evasive. Given the Catholic Church hardly enjoys a public reputation for honesty and transparency, the effect was regrettable.
Blessed JHN must tire of hearing his account of the "development of doctrine so abused.
It was so refreshing to hear someone other than the Chief Rabbi deelivering a religious message.
Bernardette,
Publishing that, without evidence, would be libelous.
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