The Relics of St Therese at Aylesford

I went with a group of some 20 people from the parish to Aylesford for a marvellous day of prayer and pilgrimage. As well as from the Southwark Archdiocese, there were many coaches and groups from outside the diocese too. I met people from the dioceses of Arundel & Brighton (including Father Ray Blake) and Brentwood. It is estimated that some 8,000 people were present today, but the total numbers expected over this weekend (see programme here) are likely to be in the order of 20,000.

Apart from the concelebrated Mass and having a sandwich afterwards with some parishioners, together with a number of other priests I spent the day hearing confessions, which was a truly wonderful opportunity to witness the power of God's graces mercifully outpoured on the occasion of the visit of St Therese's relics.

Here is some video of the day:

Preparations for Mass:



Mass 11.30am:



Healing Service 3.30pm:



Here are some of my photos:

Offertory - offering of the chalice

Blessing of roses

Blessing of roses

The relics are returned to the relic chapel for veneration after Mass.

My amateur video of the arrival of the relics:


and Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Bishop Howard Tripp (former auxiliary) and Father Matthew Dickens (Vicar General) process to the altar.


You can see pictures of yesterday's welcoming of the relics with the participation of pupils from schools of the diocese here.

Father Stephen Langridge, Southwark Vocations Director, doing his stuff.

People queueing to venerate the relics.

And lots more news at the official website including opening and closing remarks of Archbishop McDonald (Pray for a Particular Blessing and A Call to do Something in the Church) and the homily of Carmelite priest Father John Keating (Surrendering to God's Love). See also the Southwark Diocesan website.

UPDATE: see how our local media are covering the event.
Kentish Express
BBC Kent

Nobel Peace Prize Winners

Lifesitenews not impressed!

Mother Teresa: "The Greatest Destroyer of Peace is Abortion."


President Obama:See his pro-abortion record at LifeNews.com.


Meanwhile the Vatican's inept Lombardi congratulates him.

Denver's Bishop Chaput would have something to say.

Christian Concern about proposed European Harassment & Discrimation Legislation

Local Christians have brought to my attention the possible dangers of proposed anti-harassment and anti-discrimination legislation emanating from the European Union. If enacted, these laws could prevent Christians living out and speaking about their deeply held Christian beliefs for fear of being accused of discriminating against or causing harassment of a particular person or groups of persons. The criterion for bringing an action to court is that one has perceived that one has been harassed or discrimated against. The burden of proof shifts from the accuser to the accused who will have to prove that the accuser has not in fact been harassed or discriminated against. This could affect a Christian bed & breakfast owner, a pastor who rents out his church hall, Christians who run adoption agencies, etc.

The warning comes from Christian Concern for our Nation who write as follows:

Video on EU Directive on Equal Treatment: Professor Wagner Explains Concerns

Please watch the video (above), where Professor Wagner explains how this Directive has a potentially horrendous impact on Christians and the Christian way of life.

The measures could have the effect of silencing Christians for fear of being sued for ‘harassment’.

Freedom of speech and the exercise of religious conscience are at risk. The stark choice for Christians could be – ‘be silenced’ or ‘be sued’.

Proposals would extend the definition and the reach of harassment. Key concerns are:

• The vagueness of the definition of harassment which will make it far too easy to bring an accusation
• The alarming shift in the burden of proof onto the accused to demonstrate that the person alleging harassment did not, in fact, perceive offence. In practice this could mean that anyone could potentially accuse a Christian of harassing them, leaving the Christian the almost impossible task of proving that the alleged victim had not, in fact, been offended.

The proposals would also extend harassment to harassment by association. For example, a heterosexual could perceive offence because of something said about his homosexual relative, friend or work colleague whilst being provided with goods or services.

The UK Government who support Equality measures even recognise its negative impact on:

• Freedom of speech
• Freedom to speak to non-Christians about the Gospel
• Academic freedom
• Religious groups delivering public services (due to the possible chilling effect on free speech)

We expect the Council of Ministers (with representation from all Member States) to vote in November 2009, so there is little time left to act.

Action to take:

1. Watch the Video.
2. Prayer. We serve a Mighty God. Pray that Nations will say No to the Directive and veto it. Without a unanimous vote in favour it will not be passed.
3. Please read the first 10 pages of the pack and Appendix 1 (example letters). If you have the time or interest, the other Appendices provide more details. To access the pack, please click here.
4. Use the example letters in Appendix 1 to write to your MP and Equality Minister.
5. Encourage your Christian friends in other European countries to do the same and write to their political representatives and Ministers responsible for Equality. The pack contains a list of Ministers from each EU country that might be responsible for equality matters. It is vital that Christians across the EU realise the seriousness of the situation and that Equality Ministers are informed that they can vote “no”.

The final decision-making is now with the Nations themselves in the Council of Ministers, so MPs and the Equality Ministers are the best choice. You can also write to your MEPs to make them aware of our concern not only for our own nations but also for Europe.

Thank you for your support in protecting religious liberties.

Andrea Minichiello Williams
Christian Concern for our Nation

Year of Priest video from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops

From the USCCB Year of Priests website.

British double standards on China - adoption

Following my previous post concerning Elton John's plans to adopt a child from the Ukraine (which did not, in the end, materialise) Roy Peachey paid me the compliment of contacting me to plead the cause for inter-country adoption. Perhaps I had given the impression that I was against such adoption per se, but this is certainly not the case. I think my views are pretty well summed up by Mr Peachey himself in his article published in The Catholic Herald last July:

The ideal scenario, as the Hague Convention recognises, is for children to be raised by their birth parents but when that is not possible adoption can provide the happiness, love and understanding of which the Convention speaks.

The most obvious way for this to take place is through domestic adoption. Indeed, the many signatories to the Hague Convention recognise that it is preferable for children to be adopted within their own country but they also acknowledge that the hard reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of children worldwide for whom this is not possible. Inter-country adoption therefore meets an obvious and immediate need.

However, on reading his article, I linked it with the thoughts expressed by Fr Ray Blake in his post Empire State is Red and Babies are drowned in buckets in which he comments on the celebrations for a Republic that has cost and continues to cost the lives of millions of innocent human beings. Mr Peachey comments on the double standards of our government that allows the adoption of children from Chinese adoption agencies that restrict adoption to prospective parents who are heterosexual and married but which will not allow the Catholic adoption agencies in Britain to do the same:

What is not well known is that, in assessing prospective adopters, the British authorities are required to abide by very specific rules and regulations imposed by the country from which the child is to be adopted. In China's case, for example, neither unmarried couples nor single people may adopt.

Since adoption from China is both highly regulated and well established in this country, these restrictions come as no great surprise to the British authorities. That they are accepted by those authorities reveals a clear case of double standards. The Chinese can insist that only heterosexual, married couples may adopt: Catholic adoption agencies in Britain cannot.

Mr Peachey suggests that a way forward for Catholic adoption agencies is to facilitate inter-country adoption. His article, based on his own experience of adopting a little girl from China, merits reading.

St Anselm, one who searched for the truth to gain intimacy with Christ

A little late, but this video from the Vatican relays some of the Wednesday audience of 23rd September in which Pope Benedict spoke about St Anselm, also as a model for pastors who should love the Church always, be prepared to suffer for her, without ever betraying her.

Bishop Bernard Longley appointed Archbishop of Birmingham

So it has been announced today. Congratulations to him and to Birmingham. They have gained a holy pastor.

Below is a video of an interview with him after hearing of his appointment. He looks forward to the beatification of John Henry Newman and the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. He speaks about families who have a catholic heritage but who lack the confidence to express and live their catholic faith and the challenge of winning them back to the Church. He says how the Church has the right message on life issues and the people to provide support. I'm sure he will be much loved by the people of the Birmingham Archdiocese and he will love them too. Let us assure him of our prayers.

Bishop Bernard Longley: Archbishop-elect of Birmingham from Catholic Church (England/Wales) on Vimeo.