One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Not so long ago there was a very serious attempt to change the fundamental nature of the Catholic Church in this Diocese.   There was a failure to pass on the Faith to the young people and the result was that there were few young men offering themselves to the priesthood.   Some saw the relationship between the two and prayed for vocations but others saw it as an opportunity.    Many parishes began to introduce 'Eucharistic Services' led by a layperson and as a result of this a Pastoral Plan emerged.   A 'vision' was presented of a new and exciting Church in he hands of the laity, and the chosen laity were already running most of the parishes.   We would have pastoral areas, a cluster of five or six parishes which would have to be run, because of our declining vocations, by only two priests.   Now just imagine how many Masses would disappear even on a Sunday, and a parish would certainly not  have Masses on every day of the week.    Then of course there would be priests on holiday, priests at conferences, and priests on retreat, well maybe not so many then.   There were objections raised and this produced  a response that the complainers were not people to take seriously since they were the type who did nothing and just sat in the safety of a hut while the chosen ones went forth to a glorious future.   This was not only said but put into print.   There was of course one thing that was made quite clear - we would not have foreign priests and any who did come would have to fit into this brave new Church.   This was to be our English Catholic Church.

But somehow, somewhere, common sense prevailed and we had a movement of priests from other countries, from Europe and Africa into the Diocese.

I raise the subject because this dream of an English Church has not collapsed.   There are complaints that some foreign priests are not settling into our English ways or to put it plainly, they are too Catholic.   So let me describe what the Universal Catholic Church is.   It is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.   Not matter what country or culture the faithful have One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism.   They look to the AUTHORITY of the Holy Father on matters of faith and doctrine, an AUTHORITY given by Jesus Christ.   If indeed these priests are given offence to some by actually being Catholic then the 'some' have  questions to ask of themselves.   But be sure of this, the foreign priests have the support of the majority of parishioners for now in many parishes the majority are foreigners themselves.  What a triumph for the English Catholic Church!