BRAVO, FR BOB!

An openly gay priest on Sunday urged Catholics to go against the Pope's wishes and vote "no" a November ballot measure that would enshrine Minnesota's same sex marriage ban in the state's Constitution.

 Father Bob Pierson argued that Paragraph 1782 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church allows Catholics to make their own decisions in cases where their conscience is not in agreement with the church's doctrine.

The priest recalled that a "young theologian" named Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope, used to teach that people should follow their own inner voice
.
"Our Holy Father taught in 1967 that we must obey our own conscience, even if it puts us at odds with the Pope," Pierson told the crowd of about 200 Catholics at an event in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. "I doubt that he knew that he was going to be Pope when he said that."

And it's a lovely thing to rebut the argument of one's opponents using the words of their big boss.

Thanks to Paul (A.)

PRAYER TIME

G K Chesterton - Tobias Haller

Some days while praying The Daily Office I am distracted the entire time to the point that right in the middle of the prayer time I think of something I MUST jump up and do right this minute.  Other days I'm middling focused.  God is always waiting for me, always present, but sometimes I am not truly present.  Ah, but today was different.  From the beginning, I was right in the groove with God.  The grace of the felt presence of the loving God is a wonder, but it is not to be counted on, and who knows (only God)  but that prayer in the face of great distraction is more efficacious than the prayer that comes easy.  And so I persevere.

O God of earth and altar, you gave G. K. Chesterton a ready tongue and pen, and inspired him to use them in your service: Mercifully grant that we may be inspired to witness cheerfully to the hope that is in us; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The icon is a selection from “quick ikons” of Holy Women and Holy Men written by Tobias Haller.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Despite the headline, I should rather say a few persons in high places in the Church of England claim to speak for the entire church in the matter.

Introducing same-sex marriage could lead to the church being forced out of its role of conducting weddings on behalf of the state, the church claimed in a potentially explosive submission in response to the government's consultation on gay marriage, which closes on Thursday.

To get the churches out of the marriage business altogether sounds like a good idea rather than an explosion to me.  France does it rather well, with the religious ceremony of blessing (if desired) following the legal marriage in the registry office.  But I digress.

I'll let the English speak.

Giles Fraser is "spitting blood".

The Church of England says it is against gay marriage. Not in my name

I am furious about this ridiculous and unrepresentative statement from the Church of England on gay marriage
....

The church is no more a cartel of moral wisdom. And those of us who still stick with it – though there are days like today when this is increasingly hard – do so in the hope that it can be called back to a deeper moral seriousness that is not in hoc to bourgeois notions of respectability and prejudice.

Read the entire opinion piece.  As you see, Giles does not mince words.

Colin Coward is upset (to say the least!).

I woke this morning to the R4 Today programme’s news headlines about the Church of England’s response to the Government’s equal marriage consultation. I felt so angry. The Church has achieved another set of disastrous headlines thanks to its ill-considered submission. The Church looks like an institution in panic and crisis, terrified that the lesbian and gay hordes are about to breach the defences and destroy marriage in one decisive strategic move.

As you may or may not know the Danish Parliament recently approved same-sex marriages in churches in Denmark.

Layanglicana says, "Bring on the Vikings!" 

I know the first Viking invasion gave them rather a bad name (for raping, looting and pillaging, not to put too fine a point on it).

But that was after they had been cooped up for weeks in a long boat. The 21st century version would, I am sure, choose Easy Jet, and  be only slightly irritable as a result. A pint or two of lager and half a roasted sheep ought to mollify them sufficiently to be able to deal with the powers that be at Lambeth. And after all we don’t want them too amenable, the whole idea is to let them show who is boss.

There you have it - the word from England.

As a humble former colonial, I have a nerve to even think of offering an opinion, much less post on the matter on my wee blog, but here goes.  What in heaven's name does the 13 page document sent to the English Parliament have to do with the Gospel imperative of The Two Great Commandments to love God and love our neighbor and the Golden Rule to do as we would be done to?  Archbishops and senior bishops of the Church of England, answer me that.

UPDATE: Another voice from England - Erika in the comments...

the real disaster is what the publication has said to the members of the CoE itself.

- a small group of us claims the right to make public pronouncements on your behalf.

- we do not have to stick to the truth if it doesn't suit us. You may remember that we strongly opposed civil partnerships, but we will now launch a PR campaign trying to make those who don't remember this believe that we actually love gay people in a very cuddly way.

- we believe that everyone in this land should be bound by our definition of marriage, all the 98% of people who don't go to church but who are included in our elevated idea of ourselves as ministering to everyone in our parishes. And so we reserve the right to define marriage for all other faiths too and for all agnostics and atheists.

- we do not need to make the slightest warm pastoral noise about caring about the spiritual wellbeing of gay people. We can just casually dismiss their relationships as friendships without content. If we really believed that God creates them like this but that for some reason, baby Jesus cries if they hitch up, we would be full of sympathy and we would try what we could to make their God imposed loneliness more bearable. But, actually, we don't give a stuff as long as they don't threaten our order of things and keep quiet in their sinful moral morass.

THAT is what this document is saying and it's saying it to its own members.
Which is why I, for one, have had enough and have now left the church. I shall watch it with mild interest from the sidelines to see if it ever joins civilised society again.

Hear, hear!  

STORY OF THE DAY - FAIRY PRINCESS

looking for a slinky black dress for later 
on which is how you can tell this is a 
fairy princess with an edge

Not about me, certainly, but I do love a fairy princess with an edge.

From StoryPeople.

SIGNS - READ CLOSELY

HOLY TENSION

Bro John Anthony

10:24am Jun 10

Most of us prefer easy answers. But here we are invited to live in a place of holy tension, depending on God’s grace to show us when tolerance and patience towards others is called for, and when we are being called to noncooperation and resistance in the face of evil.

-Br. David Vryhof
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Bro John Anthony posted in St. Cuthbert's Cottage

STRESS RELIEF

An office manager arrives at his department and sees an employee sitting behind his desk looking totally stressed out.

He gives him some friendly advice: "I used to be stressed, too, but then I went home every afternoon for two weeks and had myself pampered by my wife.  It was fantastic, and it really helped me relax and be more productive.  You should try it too!".

Two weeks later when the manager arrives at his department he sees the man happy and full of energy at his desk. The out-box is full, and the computer is running at full speed.

He said, "I see you followed my advice?"

"I did," answers the employee,  "It was great!  By the way,  I didn't know you had such a nice house!"



Cheers,

Paul (A.)

Your Monday morning laugh.

BUT IS IT JANE?

New evidence may have revealed the true face of one of Britain's most beloved authors. Using digital photographic tools analysis has revealed writing on a long-disputed oil painting that its owners claim shows Jane Austen as a teenage girl. No other professional likeness of the writer exists.

The discovered words appear to include not only the novelist's name, but also that of the suspected artist.

In the top-right corner of a reproduction of a photograph of the portrait taken before the painting was restored, the name Jane Austen is visible. Next to it is revealed in two places the name Ozias Humphry - an established portrait painter of the period. He was a member of the Royal Academy, and a friend of other better-known artists of the day, such as Gainsborough and Romney.

I'd seen an article about the painting of the teenage girl who might be Austen previously but before the new information came to light.  I believe most lovers of Austen's books would want her to be more attractive than than the unfinished portrait by her sister, Cassandra, of the prim, spinsterly-looking woman, although I don't know why it matters.  It's the set of the mouth and the arms folded firmly in front that put me off.

My expert consultant who sent me the link said:

It has been written about before, but new research makes it very probable that it is genuine (have you read the accompanying article?) and it has a history of descent in the family of one of Austen's brothers.

Yes, Mr Expert Consultant, I had read the article.  Reading Jane Austen's books for the first time as a teenager changed my life, and I've read her works over and over throughout the years.   I'd really like an alternative look to that of the watercolor by Cassandra Austen, so I hope, in the end, that the experts who are studying the painting conclude that the subject is, indeed, my Jane.  Not that it really matters...  Read the entire article.

JOY IN THE LAND OF THE DANES

Church bells are now ringing for everyone, with no exceptions, in Denmark as the Parliament has approved a law allowing same-sex couples to get married in church ceremonies.

­On Thursday Danish lawmakers voted with 85 in favor and 24 against to change the country’s marriage laws wrapping up years of battle for the rights of gay and lesbian couples. The legislation was passed despite a strong campaign mounted by the far-Right Danish People’s Party.

I doubt that the folks in the far-Right Danish People's Party are joyful, but you can't please everyone.  C'est la vie.

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

MY FRIEND PAUL, THE AUTHOR...

A teen from Queen Anne's England unexpectedly finds himself in a parallel world, launching an adventure that spans centuries. Ian the Stranger faces the challenge of defeating a demon of darkness that is ravaging his new-found world, since "nothing in the world will overcome it but it will be overcome." He and his companions follow the tracks of the demon's destruction, doing their best to decipher prophecies and overcome obstacles.

The two bravest among the Norrung tribe are separated as Njothir, their chief, must remain at home to guide the people while his soul mate, Ringskild the warmaiden, is chosen as captain of the band. Pjortan the star singer is sent for spiritual protection and guidance and Wulfdar the healer is at hand for mishaps. Jannir the merchant guides them through strange lands and Meldreth, a lecherous warmaiden, always has entertaining stories to share. Others round out the band, each carefully selected for a quest that seems both foolhardy and absolutely necessary.

I have not yet read The Demon Slayers, but, with Paul, I've followed the progression of the writing of the fantasy/adventure novels over the years, and now that the book version is out, I look forward to a good read.  The Kindle version has been out for a while now, and already two favorable reviews have been posted.  From what I've hear of the novel, it sounds - um - fantastic!

The novel is available at Amazon.  

Kindle version here.

Book here.
 
Give yourself a treat.  Paul blogs at Byzigenous Buddhapalian.