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While you're still reeling from the wickedly unjust conviction of Cardinal George Pell on trumped-up charges of fondling altar boys, let me bring you back to the home front in the Diocese of Palmerston North.
Usually I fulminate about offences against the Blessed Sacrament in the diocesan Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Today I'm on about another cathedral, geographically in the same diocese, but of another, Protestant, religion.
Last week, in a gratuitous insult to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, Sacred Heart College Napier held its end-of-year Mass in the Anglican Cathedral of the Waiapu Diocese, St John's.
Here's what Anglicans officially believe about the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, the transformation of bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord, the Eucharist, the source, summit and centre of our Catholic faith:
"Transubstantiation cannot be proved by Holy Writ but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions " (emphasis mine).
In other words, officially Anglicans think Catholic belief in the Mass is superstition. But here's the funny part, from the online 'Anglican Pastor':
"But Anglicans for the most part were concerned not to give away too much, especially since it was Christ himself who picked up the bread and said, "This is my body".
So how did the Anglicans get around that little difficulty?
They said, "the solution was to affirm that the bread and wine are his body and blood in a spiritual manner and then to qualify that, although the meal is heavenly or spiritual, it is nonetheless a true partaking of the body and blood of Christ".
Have we all got that clear? No, I thought not.
For a bit of sanity, here's Catholic teaching on celebrating Mass in a non-Catholic church:
"As a general rule celebrating Holy Mass in a non-Catholic church should not be done because it may cause confusion among the faithful, some believing that all Churches are equal, when they are not.
In exceptional circumstances, where the Catholic church was destroyed by earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes, the bishop may approve in accordance with Canon Law #93: 'For a just cause with the express permission of the local ordinary (in this case, Bishop Charles Drennan) so long as there is no scandal.
Apparently there was 'no scandal' about the Sacred Heart Mass being held in an Anglican church, although at least one parent was scandalized, and chose not to attend. And if Sacred Heart parents weren't scandalized by the decision to hold the end-of-year Mass in an Anglican church (be it ever so posh) that's an indictment of the preaching and teaching of the Faith in New Zealand, where the laity no longer know grade A from a bull's foot and so are scandalized by nothing any more.
The main city church, St Patrick's must have been deemed too small for Sacred Heart staff, pupils and parents - but 'too small' hardly ranks with earthquakes, tornadoes or hurricanes.
And the parish church of any city should simply not be too small to hold its local Catholic girls' college Mass. The fact - if that's the case - that it is, is also an indictment of the catechesis of laity in this country. Where the laity are convinced of the truths of the Catholic Faith they build churches big enough for all, but here in Godzone it's only attendance under duress at funerals and 'School Masses' that makes the fall-off in Mass counts painfully obvious.
- When a woman can get up and deliver the Sunday homily in the cathedral without scandal, that is an indictment.
- When non-Catholics receive Holy Communion on a daily basis in a church in this diocese without scandal, that is an indictment. I
- When heresies can be preached from diocesan churches on a weekly basis without scandal, that is an indictment.
The New Zealand bishops have a lot to answer for, both now to the laity beset, beleaguered and bewildered by our hierarchy's 'anything goes' spirituality, and also at the Judgment, to our Lord Jesus Christ.
In particular, +Charles Drennan will have to answer for giving permission to Sacred Heart Napier to celebrate on a Protestant altar, where the Sacrament of His Body and Blood is regarded as 'superstition', the re-enactment of our Saviour's crucifixion on Calvary.
Teresa says: How right you are, Julia.
Moi: thank you, but of course it is the Tradition and teaching of the One Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church that's 'right'. I'm just quoting.
Karen says: How can you hold a Catholic Mass in a church without a tabernacle?
Moi: it's possible. Of course priests sometimes must celebrate Mass in horrific circumstances - I've heard of the bonnet of a military vehicle serving as the only possible altar, during battle in a war zone - but in a non-Catholic church like St John's cathedral in Napier, the priest I suppose would have had to guess at the number of communicants and consecrated only as many altar breads as he thought were enough, and then consumed or carried back to the nearest tabernacle (at St Patrick's?), in a pyx, any Hosts that were left over.
What a Mickey Mouse way to carry on.
Owen Jones says: Same lord (sic), different church … get over it!
Moi: There's no getting over, or getting around, or getting past,"Thou are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" Mt 16,18. Jesus says, "my church", singular: not churches, plural.
The One, Holy, Roman, Catholic and Apostolic Church is so named because it is the only Church with an unbroken line of apostolic succession, from St Peter down to the present day.
Jesus then went on, "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it": that is to say, no heresy such as Protestantism, or what the Douay Rheims describes as "pernicious error", such as the homosexual practice and other abuses prevalent in the Catholic Church today, will ever bring it down.
Owen Jones says: Ho humm (sic) can't be bothered any more Julia. You can't see the trees for the forest. Bye. Your God is your god (sic). It isn't everyone's god and they are no less important than you.
Moi: My God in fact is everyone's God, and everyone is more important than me.
Renee Louise Tobin says: when Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church it was on the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the son (sic) of God. Flesh and blood could not reveal this, only the Father. Jesus said.
Moi: Amen to that!
Teresa says: there is only one God and Jesus Christ is his only Son born of the Virgin Mary and died on the Cross for all who believe in him and have been Baptised. St Peter was the first Pope. The Catholic Church is Holy because it comes directly from God. All other Religions are man made. Ask yourself why did an Atheist like Malcolm Muggeridge become a Catholic? All the saints have been canonized by a Pope.
Peter Kynoch shows: a lovely, incredulous young lady who is obviously saying, WHAT???
Moi: The Pharisees were incredulous too.
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