Saturday, November 10, 2007

"Not how we do things here"







I know I have reported on this course before but I was particularly struck by the quote, which I have highlighted from the President of Ushaw. It is from The Anglican Journal.


A three-week course designed to introduce foreign priests to the British way of doing things in the Roman Catholic church has opened at Ushaw College outside Durham in Northumberland, England.

The first group of seven priests is from India, Nigeria and Poland.

Some foreign priests working in Britain tend to be too dogmatic about the church’s moral rightness on just about everything,” said Rev. Terry Drainey the president of Ushaw College. “That’s not how we do things here. This course shows how we deal with a whole range of issues affecting Catholics, including the role of women, divorce, the lay ministry and homosexuality.”

It is the first course of its kind and is the brainchild of Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did I just read what I think I read? Where is your previous posting, Father?

Anonymous said...

Some foreign priests working in Britain tend to be too dogmatic about the church’s moral rightness on just about everything

Does he mean that these priests are simply teaching the dogmas of the Church?

Anonymous said...

Fr. Ray,

This sort of thing is the quintessence of what is wrong with the Catholic Church in England: the Faith reduced to an insipid blend of horizontalism, situationism, political correctness and quasi-secularism -- imposed by means of a "diversity training course." It's the finest in-a-nutshell example of why a major shake-up is needed at the top level.

It's also a string vindication of the now celebrated private meeting between Cardinal Ratzinger and Pope John Paul a few years ago to discuss the terna for Southwark and why the Cardinal felt obliged to use his veto.

I hope the "dogmatic", "sexist",
"rigid", "homophobic", "doctrinaire" -- and properly formed and faithful -- foreign priests gave as good as they got!

Anonymous said...

Fr Ray - this is just too much. Fr Tim has got a post up today about UK bishops in favour of legalising prostitution, now reading your blog I see our bishops have set up the necessary 'apparatus' to de-Catholicise foreign Catholic priests who may be too orthodox and Catholic for the UK.

IF OUR BISHOPS WANT TO TURN PROTESTANT, THEN SIMPLY JUMP SHIP CHAPS, AND LEAVE THE REST OF US TO GOD'S GOOD PROVIDENCE!

Anonymous said...

What a laugh.

I'm sure all these foreign priests will nod their heads with a wry smile and a sudden realisation

"no wonder poor England & Wales has so few vocations, so few conversions, so little faith"

Dr. Peter H. Wright said...

This could be a very good opportunity for Catholic priests from abroad gently but firmly to remind the Ushaw professors what the Catholic Church actually teaches.

The Ushaw professors might learn something.

Physiocrat said...

Sounds like a sort of brainwashing camp has been set up. The had something similar for prisoners of war during the Korean war. It was against the Geneva Convention.

Anonymous said...

Nah! You're having a laugh aren't you Fr? Fr?

Ttony said...

As we used to say:

"Almighty and everlasting God, who savest all, and wouldst that no one should perish: look on the souls that are led astray by the deceit of the devil: that having set aside all heretical evil, the hearts of those that err may repent, and return to the unity of Thy truth."

JARay said...

Unless I am mistaken, Ushaw is struggling to stay afloat. If this is the best that they can come up with then...............!
Yet another bit of England's Catholic heritage up for sale!

JARay

Anonymous said...

Some of the anecdotal evidence coming out of this place is worrying.

These British seminaries should all be shut down. We no longer warrant having 4 alone in the UK! It's all about episcopal ego. It also pulls priests from off the English & Welsh mission which, in the face of parish closures, is unacceptable.

Physiocrat said...

On second thoughts, perhaps we are jumping to conclusions.

The idea could be that as foreign priests are not always as fluent in the vernacular as is desirable for the celebration of the liturgy, and to make things easier both for priests and congregations, they are going to Ushaw to learn how to celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Rite. Once they complete the course, they will be sent out to parishes, thereby, in turn, releasing existing clergy to go for training in celebrating this Rite, in accordance with the Holy Father's intention.

A flock of pigs has just flown overhead.

Anonymous said...

Fr Ray.
Unbelievable, I'm speechless

Anonymous said...

Henry - if only! But we can only do our bit and PRAY.

Anagnostis said...

"When circumstances make it necessary, it is not prelates alone who have to watch over the integrity of the faith." ~ Pope Leo XIII

"The road to hell is paved with the skulls of erring priests, with bishops as their signposts." ~ St. John Chrysostom

Anonymous said...

One would hope that these overseas Bishops withdraw their priests.

It now costs the Catholic Church £500 a week (of our money) to be taught atheism in a British seminary. Quite extraordinary.

The UK Catholic Church is beyond satire.

Anonymous said...

Being Faithful to the Magisterium was all very well in your third world countries but now you have to learn to do it our way in order to be a member of the club.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps thats why the Tablet has Terry Drainey as frontrunner for the vacant diocese of Mbro.

Anonymous said...

Yet Ushaw has also just hosted a training day for the traditional Latin Mass. Welcome to the weird world of the modern seminary.

On the side of the angels said...

the crooked things clerics will do to achieve a crook...sigh....

Anonymous said...

"It now costs the Catholic Church £500 a week (of our money) to be taught atheism in a British seminary."

Which is why I stopped my monthly standing order which I paid for 10 years to support the local seminary. The money now goes to ACN.

If Mgr Drainey is appointed to Middlesbrough (and I hope Rome has a better handle on things than The Pill would have us believe), then that leaves little hope elsewhere.

I'm praying that the circumstances are now such that a number of episcopal appointments could be made (Westminster, Middlesbrough, Lancaster Co-adjutor) from the ranks of the orthodox clergy and, together, they may be able to begin changing the tide of the present Conference. One decent appointment would be good, but the appointee would have a very lonely battle. Three would offer the possibility of a more consolidated approach.

The Nuncio seems to be doing the round of dioceses - perhaps he will do better than his predecessor.

Anonymous said...

The Tablet backs him for Middlesbrough - God help them!

Anonymous said...

anonymous 10.43am: apparently the Ushaw training day was 'postponed', isn't that correct? Does anyone know?

Anonymous said...

Fr. Ray,

If Mgr. Drainey is seriously on the terna for Middlesbrough, can someone kindly get Fr. Z. to fisk whatever Mgr. Drainey has said on Summorum Pontificum.

And if Damian Thompson is still in Rome, raising the Middlesbrough succession at the Vatican can be added to Damian's list of errands.

That should do the trick.

Fr Michael Brown said...

Yes the Ushaw traning day was postponed. I hope it is not postponed for too long.

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