... because I have just read, in an old RC newspaper passed on to me by my Head Server, a piece by someone called "Mgr Basil Loftus". In it he defines the Eucharistic role of the priest as to "animate and energise" the congregation.
As a poor schismatic, I know nothing about RC Theology. So of course I have to accept that this is in fact what the Council of Trent defined as sacerdotium. But it seems curiously like what we Anglicans would call "Extreme Low Church Nonsense".
Does this gentleman really hold a celebret from a validly consecrated bishop in full communion with the See of Rome? He would surely be much happier in the C of E. Should I offer to meet him secretly, in some sleazy pub somewhere, so that we can swap celebrets - and jobs? (But he can't have my wife.)
But, on reflexion, No. The congregation at S Thomas's would lynch him before he'd finished animating and energising them in the Asperges.
And can anyone explain to me what "Mgr" means? I thought it was something rather up-market, because for more than fifty years I have maintained an acquaintance with a very splendid priest called Mgr Anthony Stark. His churchmanship is much more sound. Now I have to assimilate the fact that he is presumably in cahoots with this "Loftus" chappie.
What a dark, mysterious, frightening body the Church of Rome is.
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Father, I'll bet you the people of St. Thomas' would lynch you first.
Nevertheless, if you're really looking for help...this vid gives some ideas how to get started, "animating and energizing." This is from a recent Novus Ordo "liturgy" in São Paulo, Brazil. Fr. João de Campos (in full, un-hindered canonical communion with the Pope!) is their "LIGHTINING ROD FOR JESUS!"
(Roll over Xaviar Cugat!)
http://pt.gloria.tv/?media=34717
Or for those totally dead congregations, HP Lovecraft's 'Herbert West—Reanimator' may better compel folks to worship Jesus with their bodies. "Yo! People of God-get up and shake that thing!"
Yes, schizmatic I am, and today I'm rather glad of that.
I did a Google search and found this. http://michaelclifton.blogspot.com/2007/11/statistics-for-catholic-population-in.html
Google will probably find you other information too. It seems he is a kosher RC priest of the Leeds Diocese, but an embittered liberal (?).
Fr. Anthony
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"I see that the name of Mgr Basil Loftus has come up. I was told that he wrote a column for one of the Catholic newspapers but I have never read anything that he wrote. I was also told that he was very anti-tridentine Mass and liberal in outlook.
He and I were at school together in Bradford. We were in the same year so he is more or less my own age. That being the case, I am the more surprised that he is retired because he is not yet 75.
I remember that he went to the English College in Rome and after his ordination (for the Leeds Diocese) he wangled himself a diplomatic posting from the Vatican. I am fairly sure that he went to Thailand and it was because of this exalted position he got the title of Monsignor. I guess that he thought that he was headed for great hights then.
That came to an end and he went back to his diocese of Leeds. There he wangled himself a country parish on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales at Settle.
Now, he's retired and lives further up North way out of the Leeds Diocese. And he's been retired for some years now. So have I for that matter but my retirement fell due at the age of 65. Any idea what caused his early retirement?"
According to the Annuario Pontificio 2006 (I don't buy it every year), Monsignor Basil Loftus is a priest of the Diocese of Leeds who was made a Chaplain to His Holiness on 1 July 1968.
The Monsignor was a peritus at Vatican II (something he insists on telling us on every possible occasion) and he is the reason I stopped buying the Catholic Times. A year or so ago (it may be longer - it certainly feels longer) he was given a weekly column, half a page in size, in which to show us the authentic meaning of Vatican II: he uses this to promote 60s liberal theology, sneer (carefully but unmistakably) at the Holy Father, and criticise any attempt to establish a hermeneutic of continuity.
Not really One of Us, dear.
"...What a dark, mysterious..."
You ought to try LIVING in her! (/snark)
Mgr Loftus is fairly often discussed by Fr Mildew http://michaelclifton.blogspot.com/
when he does his run downs on the Catholic Press.
I went on a blognic to Scotney Castle with him and others in the summer and aside from giving us a great description of the place's recusant past, regalled us with the letters page of the Tablet. Always a hoot. Not often a great deal to do with Catholicism.
Didn't see many copies being sold in Westminster Cathedral earlier...
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