Fr Mark Morris sacked as Chaplain of Glasgow Caledonian University over prayers of reparation for Pride event

Update: There is a peition asking Archbishop Tartaglia to support Fr Morris: https://chn.ge/2JIHh70

Bishop Toal of Motherwell has said this about Fr Morton's comments on Facebook:

“While Fr Morton feels justified in telling Fr Morris that he should have sought the permission and support of his Ordinary before having the Rosary in Reparation for the Gay Pride Gathering, I don't see him applying the same rule to himself in regard to seeking my permission, as his Ordinary, in writing his open letter to Fr Morris. Fr Morton chooses therefore to speak on this matter as an individual and he does not represent me nor the Diocese of Motherwell.

I take issue with Fr. Morton’s uncritical approval of the Gay Pride marches. Footage of any such marches often show people dressed as priests and nuns with the clear intention of belittling and making a fool of the Catholic Church. I understand why they engage in this tomfoolery but for me and other Catholics it creates a negative impression and probably a dislike of such events. I don't agree therefore with Fr Morton's uncritical approval of activities which mock the Church of which he is a public representative. We do need to support and minister to those in our Church who experience same-sex attraction but we can't deny the Church's teaching and throw in our lot with those who do so.”

+ Joseph Toal

Fr Morris, centre, at the Latin Mass Society Priest Training Conference at Prior Park, in 2015.

From Church Militant:

On Monday night, Fr, Mark Morris, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church (IHOM) in Balornock, led a parish "Rosary of reparation for the gross offense to God which is Pride Glasgow."

Shortly after, the service was brought to the attention of officials at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), where Fr. Morris served as chaplain. He was promptly sacked.

Read the story there.

Prayers for Persecuted Christians

The Arabic letter 'Nun', for Nazarene, is being painted
on Christian homes in Mosul, to mark them out.

I posted this in July 2014 for the Christians of the Middle East. Today I repost it with the thought particularly of the Catholics of China.

--------------------------------------------------

At this moment of disaster for the Christians of Mosul, and of the Middle East in general, we should remember to keep them in our prayers, and have Masses said for them.

There are several Votive Masses and Commemorations in the 1962 Missal for suitable intentions ('For the Church', 'Against Persecutors', 'For Peace' and the like). The Collect of one of them was enriched with an indulgence in 1934, for use as a prayer on its own. The indulgence has gone but we can still say the prayer.

Graciously hear the prayers of Thy Church, we beseech Thee, O Lord: that her enemies and all heresies be brought to nought, and that she may serve Thee in perfect security and freedom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ecclesiae tuae, quaesumus, Domine, preces placatus admitte: ut, destructis adversitatibus er erroribus universis, secura tibi serviat libertate. Per Christum Dominium nostrum. Amen.

(Translation from the Raccolta, the official handbook of indulgenced prayers.)

The Raccolta also includes this short prayer, taken from the Roman Ritual:

That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring low the enemies of holy Church, we beseech Thee to hear us.

Ut inimicos sanctae Ecclesiae humiliare digneris, te rogamus, audi nos.

A longer prayer, which isn't in my edition of the Raccolta but which was also granted an indulgence in 1934, was issued as a Prayer Card by the Catholic Truth Society with an imprimatur from Cardinal Godfrey in 1962.

Almighty, everlasting God, look with compassion on all those who suffer persecution for justice’ sake.
     Grant them grace to carry their cross with patience in the name of Thy beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
     Let the chalice pass from them is such by Thy holy Will: yet, in all things, may Thy Will be done.
     Grant to those who persecute, light to see the truth, and the grace of mercy and forgiveness, for they know not what they do.
     Mary, Mother of Jesus, Comfort of the Afflicted, help thy children in their time of bitter trial.

O Lord our God, by the sign of Thy holy cross deliver us from our enemies.




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The results of persecution

Reposted from October 2009. The coming persecution, whether by militant secularists or Islamists, will not be a lovely time of growth and development. It will be horrible.

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Last night I went to the annual Craigmyle Memorial Lecture, hosted by Jim Dobbin MP on behalf of the Catholic Union and given in Portcullis House. This year the speaker was HE Francis Campbell, the first Catholic to be Britain's Ambassador to the Holy See, and still in office. He gave a thoughtful talk on Pope Benedict's conception of Europe and secularism.

An interesting discussion took place during the questions about the effect of persecution on the Church. One questioner was saddened and disillusioned that the church in the Czech Republic, having been active in opposing the Communists, had, since Communism fell, become rather an insignificant force in what is said to be the most secular country in Europe. Another questioner suggested that the reason for the decline in the Czech church was that it was no longer being persecuted.

Masses for the Persecuted: update

A recent High Mass in St Mary Moorfields, London

Further to the announcement of the FIUV of our project to arrange Masses for persecuted Christians around the world, I can now report a number of good responses.

In London, England, four High Masses a year will be offered, in a collaboration with the Latin Mass Society and the London Juventutem group, which have High Masses on the last Friday of each month in St Mary Moorfields in the City of London. They will be for the intention of persecuted Christians, where possible with a Votive Mass, on 24th April, 26th June, 25 September, and 18th December this year. The generosity of the Latin Mass Society has enabled these to accompanied with polyphony.

In Rome, Italy, Una Voce Italia will organise a quarterly Mass.

Una Voce Puerto Rico organised a Mass which took place on 22nd February.

In the Philippines, the Ecclesia Dei Society of Saint Joseph has helped to organize a two-day series of Masses and devotions for the Pope and for Persecuted Christians. This will be held on February 23-24 in the Holy Family Parish of the Diocese of Cubao in Metro Manila, which is the only parish in the whole Philippines with a Daily Traditional Latin Mass.

Una Voce Mexico has also promised to organise a Mass.

Please support this campaign of prayer for our persecuted brothers. Say a Rosary, ask for a Mass to be said. Let us know in the com box of the FIUV blog if you can arrange regular Masses. You can make a donation for Masses also, through the FIUV 'donate' button (please let us know the purpose of the donation).

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Make Friday 1st Aug a day of prayer for Persecuted Christians in the Middle East

The below is copied and pasted from Rorate Caeli. Please, dear readers, disseminate this proposal as widely as possible - no attribution is necessary - not just to trads. See if you can get your parish priest to do something.

In solidarity with our Persecuted Brethren in Iraq and Syria

Friday, August 1, 2014

This was the day chosen by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) for a worldwide day of Public Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in supplication for our persecuted brethren in Iraq, Syria, and the Middle East:

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter asks all of its apostolates around the world to dedicate Friday, August 1 to a day of prayer and penance for the Christians who are suffering terrible persecution in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East.

August 1 is the First Friday of the month and the Feast of St. Peter in Chains, which is celebrated as a Third Class Feast in FSSP houses and apostolates. It is the feast in which we read of the great power of the persevering prayer of members of the Church: “Peter therefore was kept in Prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the Church unto God for him.” (Acts 12:5)

This feast of our Patron should be an invitation to the faithful to join us in Holy Hours and other fitting prayers to beg the Most Holy Trinity that these members of the Mystical Body may persevere in the faith, and that, like St. Peter, they may be delivered from this terrible persecution. May such a day serve as a reminder to us of the stark contrast that stands between our days of vacation and ease, and their daily struggle for survival as they are killed or exiled from their homes. (Source)

It is a day, we believe, chosen wisely by that Fraternity: we please upon all our Catholic brethren, East and West, attached to the Ordinary Form (Mass of Paul VI) or to the Extraordinary Form (Ancient Mass), whatever their theological bent, to join this worldwide prayer day. Whether you consider yourself a more liberal, conservative, traditional, or just plain Catholic, let us join together in this worldwide Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, together with all the Angels and Saints.

It is also appropriately chosen because Pastors and Chaplains will have 10 days to prepare properly, to contact projects that help Christians in need and collect all kinds of contributions for the Christians of the Middle East (from Aid to the Church in Need to CNEWA, the Syrian and Chaldean Catholic Churches, and other organizations), and, in particular, to add to their bulletins and convey to their congregations how to participate next Sunday, July 27.

Please, spread this initiative around. No need to link to us, or to even mention you saw it here -- just copy, paste, and just let this idea spread around throughout the world, through the web, through social networks, to your family and friends.

Bishops, Pastors, priests, join us. First Fridays are a special day of the month, and nothing better next First Friday, August 1, than for all Catholics around the world to join in Adoration before Our Lord to implore his mercy and kindness for our most neglected brethren in Iraq, Syria, and throughout the Middle East.

More Prayers for Persecuted Christians

Pope Pius IX

Here are two more Prayers for the Church against persecution.

The first is very familiar to those attached to the Traditional Mass: it is part of the Prayers After Low Mass. These were established in 1859 by Pope Pius IX (though not for the whole Church), when the Papal States were under threat. The prayers were added to and made universal by Pope Leo XIII. The prayer below is part of Pius IX's original version, though Pope Leo added the words 'the conversion of sinners, and': in other words, it was originally just for 'the liberty and exaltation of our holy Mother the Church'.

O God, our refuge and our strength, look down in mercy on thy people who cry to thee; and by the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of St Joseph her spouse, of thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of our holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.

Deus, refúgium nostrum et virtus, pópulum ad te clamántem propítius réspice; et intercedénte gloriósa et immaculáta Virgine Dei Genetríce María, cum beáto Ioseph, eius Sponso, ac beátis Apóstolis tuis Petro et Paulo, et ómnibus Sanctis, quas pro conversióne peccatórum, pro libertáte et exaltatióne sanctæ Matris Ecclésiæ, preces effúndimus, miséricors et benígnus exáudi. Per eúndem Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R: Amen.

(Although it was always permissible to say them in the vernacular, Rome never produced an official vernacular version. This means that there are various vernacular versions in circulation, authorised by different bishops or groups of bishops. Don't panic if you know another translation! The one above is the one used in England.)

Here is another prayer from the Raccolta, the manual of indulgences. It was granted an indulgence in 1891, and again in 1935.

Prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians.

Virgin most powerful, loving helper of the Christian people, how great thanks do we not owe thee for the assistance thou didst give our fathers, who, when they were threatened by the Turkish infidels, invoked thy maternal help by the devout recitation of thy Rosary! From heaven thou didst see their deadly peril; thou didst hear their voices imploring thy compassion; and their humble prayers, enjoined by the great Pope, Saint Pius the Fifth, were acceptable unto thee, and thou camest quickly to deliver them. Grant, dear Mother, that in like manner the prolonged sighs of the holy Bride of Christ in these our days may come to thy throne and engage thy pity; do thou, moved anew to compassion for her, rise once again to deliver her from the many foes who encompass her on every side.

Even now from the four quarters of the earth there arises to thy throne that lovéd prayer, to win thy mercy in these troublous times even as of old. Unhappily our sins hinder, or at least retard, its effect. Wherefore, dear Mother, obtain for us true sorrow for our sins and a firm resolution to face death itself rather than return to our former iniquities; we are sore distressed that, through our fault, thy help, of which we stand in such extreme need, should be denied or come too late.

Rise, then, O Mary, incline thyself to hear the prayers of the whole Catholic world, and beat flat to the ground the pride of those wretched men, who in their insolence blaspheme Almighty God and would destroy His Church, against which, according to the infallible words of Christ, the gates of hell shall never prevail. Let it be seen once more that when thou dost arise to protect the Church, her victory is sure. Amen.

I've put all these prayers on a page on the LMS website.

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Melanie Philips gets it

On the Johns case, she remarks that the judgement

"embodies the belief that secular values are neutral whereas Christian ones are not. But this is not true at all. Used in this way, secular values – to be more precise, evangelical atheistic values -- are a direct attack on Christianity and normative western Biblical morality."

For a more detailed look at this crucial angle, and why people like High Court judges should adopt such a patently absurd view, see here.

Preparations for Oxford Pilgrimage

A reminder:

the LMS Oxford Pilgrimage is this Saturday!

Solemn Mass in Blackfriars at 11am
(not 11.30 as the Mass listings say)

Procession from Carfax to the Castle,
and then back to Blackfriars, starting at 2pm

Benediction at 3pm (or whenever the procession returns)

The Most Rev Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham, will be present at the Mass and will lead the procession. At the site of the Castle Gallows he will bless a plaque honouring Blessed George Napier, who died there in November 1610 for his priesthood.


Napier saying Mass in his cell on the morning of his execution. His friends had smuggled the necessary liturgical items in to make this possible.



Detail of a late 16th C. map of Oxford showing Oxford Castle. Notice the gallows inside the Castle walls, the mound and the tower to the right: that is St George's Tower (the tower attached to the Castle chapel), which can still be seen today. New Road has not yet been built; nor, obviously, has the canal or the canal basin which was subsequently filled in and is now the Worcester Street Car Park!

Mass in Tyburn Convent

Here is something left over from the Papal Visit: when the Holy Father came to Hyde Park on 18th September, there was a a group of traditionalist young people organised by the LMS and Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP. Fr de Malleray said Mass for them in the nearby Tyburn Convent; here is a photo; it is a bit grainy but the lighting must have been difficult. There are a few more here.

This is the crypt; I blogged about the main chapel not long ago. Tyburn convent stands near the site of the 'Tyburn Tree', the tree-legged gallows where more than a hundred recognised Catholic martyrs were executed during 'Penal Times'. The site of the gallows is marked on a traffic island; here is a photo from Wikipedia.

Pope Benedict: the Church's chief persecutors are within

In reaponse to a journalist's question as to whether he saw his own situation in terms of the Fatima vision of a 'bishop in white' being attacked by soldiers, he had this to say:

"In terms of what we today can discover in this message, attacks against the pope or the church don’t come just from outside the church. The suffering of the church also comes from within the church, because sin exists in the church. This too has always been known, but today we see it in a really terrifying way. The greatest persecution of the church doesn’t come from enemies on the outside, but is born in sin within the church. The church thus has a deep need to re-learn penance, to accept purification, to learn on one hand forgiveness but also the necessity of justice. Forgiveness does not exclude justice. We have to re-learn the essentials: conversion, prayer, penance, and the theological virtues."

John Allen's article on this: http://bit.ly/cdsNYL

H/t Catholic Herald Twitter feed.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Call for assistance from Una Voce group in Cuba

I've had this message from Una Voce International. Please spread the word; I know many people, especially in America, have a special interest in Cuba and may wish to help the faithful establish the Traditional Mass there.

In the context of the appalling persecution Catholics have suffered in Cuba since the revolution, and which is not over yet, this is really a sign of hope.

If you can do anything for the Cuban traditionalists please email asociacion@unavocesevilla.info

I am writing to you in order to communicate a call for help from Cuba. A group of faithful of that hispanic country are organizing themselves to celebrate the Mass and probably to create Una Voce Cuba in the near future.

The problem that they have is that they don't own any ornaments, Missals, liturgical objects, surplices, cassocks for the acolytes. They need
help, and due to their special situation (economic and political environment, dominated for decades by atheist materialism) they haven't got many possibilities to get the appropriate things, nor even to do the right steps to get public help.

If any of you could get ornaments (chasubles, maniples, etc.), even used, to send them, please contact us, they will be very grateful. They also need money to support their apostolate, and of course, prayers for their cause.