The Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, was interviewed this week while at Lourdes and the press seemed to latch on to his comments regarding young people and the dangers of over-use of online communication and texting. If, as the press would have us believe, all he said about this new medium of communication was critical and negative then also the positive benefits of these recent means of cheap and effective ways of keeping in touch with people, for both young and old, need also to be stressed but not as a replacement for face to face social interaction. However I’m sure he would have been more balanced in what he said and this issue will have been lifted out of the context of a longer conversation and out of his reaction to a tragedy regarding a young person. Anyway, as is the way the press feed one another, this one comment then gives the opportunity for the papers to criticise the negative and anti progress attitude of the church. One commentator in the Times also took it as an opportunity to make a side swipe at Lourdes suggesting that the interview took place “while he (Archbishop Nichols) was vacationing among the keepsakes, relics and discarded crutches in Lourdes”. Is it just my sensitivity or is this as offensive as one person can be about other peoples faith? What justification there is for a statement like this when it has nothing to do with the point the reviewer is taking issue with is beyond me. The final conclusion of the article was that Archbishop Nichols sees only threat, not progress in modern life – it beats me how you can reach such a conclusion from one issue raised. It is a reminder of what our bishops are up against if they speak out on anything to do with our contemporary society and why we pray for them at every Mass we celebrate.
Now that activity at the Cathedral has slowed down for the month of August our thoughts are focussed on planning for the next few months. One event that is not that far off on the horizon is the visit of the relics of St Therese. We anticipate large crowds visiting the relics during the 24 hours that they will be here. We are going to need plenty of volunteers to offer to welcome and marshal the queues of people wanting to pass by the relics to make sure everything runs smoothly. I would be grateful if you can help if you would volunteer for a time slot during the visit. Details will be on the reverse side of the newsletter for the next few weeks.
Next weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady. While many countries celebrate with fiestas, processions and solemn liturgies we can only offer a choice of Masses, including a Solemn Mass and an Art Market on the Piazza of the Cathedral. ‘Holy Virgin, truly mother of the eternal Word who has come into our flesh and our life. Lady who conceived in your blessed womb the salvation of us all, and so are the mother of all the redeemed, you who live ever in God’s life and yet are near to us still - Pray for us’
I’m now off for a week, travelling with my bucket and spade to Anglesey to relive my childhood holidays. Next week you can look forward to an article from Claire – no doubt there will be some comment on what is in or out in the world of wedding fashions this season!
The Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, was interviewed this week while at Lourdes and the press seemed to latch on to his comments regarding young people and the dangers of over-use of online communication and texting. If, as the press would have us believe, all he said about this new medium of communication was critical and negative then also the positive benefits of these recent means of cheap and effective ways of keeping in touch with people, for both young and old, need also to be stressed but not as a replacement for face to face social interaction. However I’m sure he would have been more balanced in what he said and this issue will have been lifted out of the context of a longer conversation and out of his reaction to a tragedy regarding a young person. Anyway, as is the way the press feed one another, this one comment then gives the opportunity for the papers to criticise the negative and anti progress attitude of the church. One commentator in the Times also took it as an opportunity to make a side swipe at Lourdes suggesting that the interview took place “while he (Archbishop Nichols) was vacationing among the keepsakes, relics and discarded crutches in Lourdes”. Is it just my sensitivity or is this as offensive as one person can be about other peoples faith? What justification there is for a statement like this when it has nothing to do with the point the reviewer is taking issue with is beyond me. The final conclusion of the article was that Archbishop Nichols sees only threat, not progress in modern life – it beats me how you can reach such a conclusion from one issue raised. It is a reminder of what our bishops are up against if they speak out on anything to do with our contemporary society and why we pray for them at every Mass we celebrate.