" PAST " STRIKE THE SHEPHERD

 

"Strike the Shepherd…


that the sheep may be scattered." Zech. 13:7



The annual ante Easter anti Easter campaign in the Media has been going on for over 20 years now. This year’s effort started off with deceptive simplicity. The New York Times rehashed the story of a paedophile priest in Milwaukee Diocese about 20 years ago. It was taken up by the BBC and the London Times who also lent on the Irish abuse scandals (FOUNDATION March 2009). The ABC was quick to latch on. Later a German paper tried to get a run out of a case in Munich of a similar vintage.

Because of the way in which the stories were written (very badly, without checking sources and lacking consistent logic) it was difficult at first to see what was going on. But after a little while it became clear: the purpose of the exercises was an endeavour to attack Pope Benedict XVI by trying to show him to have been derelict in his duty when a Cardinal and even to portray him as an evil criminal conspirator. The ultimate goal then was to attack the credibility of the Church, using the victims of abuse as a “human Shield” for this scurrilous attack. .

After a couple of weeks, the claims were widely exposed on the Internet as having no adverse connection to the former Cardinal Ratzinger at all, whether American, Irish or German cases were considered. This did not stop the main activators – the NYT, the London Times, the BBC and even the ABC tried harder. In the case of the NYT, its story had been torn to shreds by the Philadelphia Bulletin and by Newsweek Online, as well as on the Internet. But it continued re-hashing the piece using increasingly hysterical language, which got to the point of being laughter provoking. The BBC, especially BBC Online, was something else. Its approach was one of coldly malicious propaganda – facts were abandoned – they were inconvenient – and hyped up questions replaced statements – “Will the Pope Resign?” .And stories were illustrated with photos of the Pope taken from behind ( suggesting he had turned his back on….whoever you wish to choose) . This is all too reminiscent of Goebbels era WWII NAZI propaganda sheets. How strange the BBC should thus reveal its models for emulation. The German story has faded for lack of substance. And the ABC, having acquired a taste for expressing its long held anti Catholicism, has latched onto a press release by arch dissident Hans Kung - deludedly styled "a letter to the Bishops of the world" - which is simply a bucket of bile hoisted at the Holy See, and was doing its best to promote it on Radio National

A stunt by the would – be “atheist “(who can believe in atheists?) Dawkins seeking to have the Holy Father arrested and charged with “crimes against humanity” when he visits the U.K.in September, has been conclusively shown to be nothing but a stunt. But the same Media collaborators ran it for a week or so as if it were a substantive issue, simply because it helped hype the propaganda by creating an atmosphere of crisis.

So the principal players, in the midst of this campaign, dropped their camouflage of “professional journalism” and have openly espoused what we had long believed to be the truth about them. They stand revealed as propaganda machines for anti Catholic Church operations, largely due to the fact that their staff have long since espoused abortion, contraception, homosexuality, same sex “marriage”, radical feminism and thus female ordination.

The dust WILL settle in time, at least until Lent 2011. But the question is - how is the Church to respond to similar attacks in future?



She is not like other organisations; she cannot and will not be able to approach Public Relations with the same cynical attitude as the mass media. Nevertheless she will need to become more highly professional in handling and in anticipating media issues. A great deal more can be done to present and represent the Truth effectively and in a timely fashion.
TONY DIXON


(This item appears as the Title piece in a Supplement to the APRIL 2010 Issue of "FOUNDATION")

" NEW " IN TOUCH WITH OUR ORIGINS

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                      Saint Agapitus
 

 

One of the glories of the Latin Church to which we belong, has always been the memory of the early Catholics who blazed the trail of fidelity to Christ for all of us. From my early chldhood I can well recall the stories of Saint Tarcisius, of Saint Helena, Saint Agnes and so many others . Many died in the Roman persecutions.

 

A recent official attempt to throttle the Traditional Latin Mass has had the opposite effect to what its author intended. Shining a spotlight on the treasure which is the traditional Liturgy, has only served to intensify devotion to it and all that surrounds it. The secular efforts to compel a new "world order" have only served to alarm people generally and to put them on guard against all such intentions.

To-day in the Calendar of the Traditional Liturgy, is the Feast of Saint Agapitus.  I have to admit that I cannot recall having heard of him before. Nevertheless in this new era of stimulated traditional interest, I felt compelled to find out about him.I was surprised to learn how much he had in common with current devotion.

Agapitus Anicia was a 16yrs old youth who lived in the Roman city of  Praeneste (Palestrina) in Italy. He was martyred on this day in the year A.D. 275 by beheading, for refusing to renounce his Catholic Faith.According to the story of his young life he had earlier been thrown to the lions , but they did not attack him. In order to effect his martyrdom, the Roman authorities - Prefect Antiochus under the Emperor Aurelian -then decided upon his beheading. 

The heroism of this noble youth and his choice of death before any betrayal of Christ, brings to mind the very modern devotion to Blessed Carlo Acutis. He too was very young and brave in his dedication to Christ, though not a martyr, he died of cancer.His life was truly exemplary as he used his considerable computer skills to foster devotion to Eucharistic miracles. The two young men are now united with Christ for Eternity.

 

                                                              Blessed Carlo Acutis

 

There is much that the Church has always gained from preserving the memory of these early heroes of the Faith such as Agapitus. The purity of their dedication , against every hostile circumstance is truly noble, inspiring and attractive. One has to wonder what could motivate anyone trying to break that link to our origins. If it is not malice of some sort, it is at best shameful ignorance and insensitivity to the natural inclinations of the faithful.

Saint Agapitus and Blessed Carlo Acutis pray for us.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2037195833186405 Devotees of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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" PAST " ALERT BUT MORE CURIOUS THAN ALARMED

                             Earliest photo of yours truly in wicker pram -typical 

                                                         of the time(1940).

 

  No  unkind remarks please - how good do you look when you've just woken up? This may be the oldest photo of me. The pram appears to be parked against the edge of the back verandah of our California Bungalow. Note the restraining harness!

In fact, my earliest memories are of being in that very Pram, looking out through lace curtains in the surgery of Doctor Mannion in Kerrs Road Lidcombe.

" PAST " VOCATION... THE RICH YOUNG MAN

 
                                                     THE RICH YOUNG MAN

 
Extract from "THE PUBLIC LIFE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST " by Archbishop Alban Goodier S.J.

"As Jesus came along with the approving crowd around Him,the heart of the young man was stirred. Jesus was a good man, Jesus was inspiring, Jesus professed to teach, and actually taught, what made men grander and more noble. Even for such as he, this young man thought within himself, He might have some seasonable word to give.

Jesus spoke much of the Kingdom of Heaven,of eternal life; in that He seemed to place the goal of perfect being. Therefore, thought this young man, if he would win a word of counsel from Him, he too must make eternal life his goal. The people round Jesus were enthusiastic for Him; they would approve nothing more than deference shown to Him; therefore, thought this young man, to pay Him public reverence would only add to his own reputation. His mind was soon made up; when Jesus came by , he would do the right thing. He would pay Him respect; he would treat Him as a wise man in the country, he would place himself at the head of those who would show Him honour. 

 No doubt in return he would receive some favour, if only some word of wisdom, and his place in the esteem of his neighbours would be higher than ever it had been before.

When, then, the throng came near where he stood, he made as if he would join it. For one of his position room was quickly made; soon he was in the very centre. At once, sincerely enough, and yet with motives more mixed than he knew, he began to play his part.He went down on one knee before Jesus in the road; he looked up into His face with eyes that meant to be loyal; on his brow was stamped loyalty and truth and frankness and a love of all that was straight and noble. His dress was all that it should be; his voice was mellow and attractive; carefully from head to foot as he knelt he was exactly that which he wished other men to think he was, and which he wished other men to think him.
 

"And when he was gone forth into the way
  Behold a certain ruler running up
  And kneeling before Him
  Asked Him

  Good Master
  What should I do
  That I may possess everlasting life?"(St. Luke 18 - 18-19)
 

Jesus looked at the good-natured,straight, well-groomed youth who knelt before Him. He looked at him,He was pleased; yet He was not enthusiastic.He accepted this mark of allegiance; yet He seemed also to take it as nothing strange or new.  Could He know who this was who was showing Him such consideration? If He did, surely He would realize how much it meant for Himself. Yet no; He accepted the honour but no more; the young man was only doing what might have been expected of him, and as for what he said, Jesus seemed inclined to underrate it. "Good Master!" Evidently the youth had not weighed his words.This was a compliment and no more; and mere compliments meant nothing.
 

" And Jesus said to him
  Why callest thou Me good?
  None is Good but One
  God
  But if thou wilt enter into life
  Thou knowest the Commandments
  Keep the Commandments." (St. Luke 18 - 19:20)
 

Certainly this was not the kind of reception the young man had expected. "Keep the Commandments! " That was commonplace enough, surely anyone of ordinary self- respect observed them. But perhaps He meant something else. Perhaps there were other commandments of which he had not heard, reserved for those who aspired to the Kingdom.John the Baptist had enjoined prayer and fasting;every teacher of higher things had done the same.No doubt those who followed Jesus  had like instructions, and if he showed himself willing to follow he would learn them as well. So
 

" He said to Him
  Which? "(St. Matt. 19:18)
 

But the answer was no less disconcerting. Jesus was still unmoved; He seemed almost not to care; at least one might conclude from His manner that He looked on the young man kneeling before Him as of little importance for His cause.
 

" And Jesus said
  Thou shalt do no murder
  Thou shalt not commit adultery
  Thou shalt not steal
  Thou shalt not bear false witness
  Do no fraud
  Honour thy father and thy mother
  And
  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.."
 

And was this all? If so, then what was the difference between the teaching of Jesus and and that of any other honest man? In what did He excel? If this was all, then why was so much being made of Him? Why were His friends so enthusiastic, why did His enemies hate Him, why did He Himself make so much ado to declare He had come to teach a new doctrine? If this was all , why then he had nothing more to learn. Up to his lights he had lived a life of which he had no cause to be ashamed. Murder, adultery, theft, false witness, fraud - the idea of a man of his station ever committing anything of the kind! As for his father and mother, why of course he showed them honour; every self-respecting and educated Jew did that. And  as for his neighbour, he could call the crowd about him to witness that he had no quarrel with anyone; he was always generous to all. He could only remonstrate ; he could only speak the truth; perhaps if he did he would learn more.
 

"But the young man answering said to Him
  Master
  All these things have I kept
  From my youth
  What is yet wanting to me?"
 

Now at last, though the youth himself did not know it,the truth of his soul began to peer out. Hitherto, almost unconsciously,so much was it a part of his life, what he had said and done had  been little more than a pose. He had come to Jesus because it was the thing to do ,he had bent the knee to Him because by so doing he won approval; he had asked for the key to eternal life, because he wished to attain it, because he believed that in that he would attain his highest ambition. 

But now he was disturbed. Jesus seemed not to make much of him;the ideal he set before him was no better than might suit any common yokel. He began to feel humbled, he grew more earnest, he must really show Jesus that he meant what he said. Even as he spoke, in no Pharisaic mood but in anxious self-defence, the mannerism dropped away and the heart of the pleader rang true.
 

And at once Jesus  responded. The youth was upright; that He had known from the beginning.The possibilities in him were untold; that He also foresaw.The mannerism was no more than a little worldliness, a vanity such as is not only common, but is assumed by many as virtue. The youth had meant no wrong; he had only done what anyone of high ambition would have done in his place. Now, a new motive had been stirred, and he said what he had just said, not to win the esteem of men but to win the regard of Jesus, whose love he now began to desire. To that could Jesus turn a deaf ear?
 

"Which when Jesus had heard
  Looking on him
  He loved him."
 

His eyes turned down to him. There was fire in them now;there was eager love glowing over the whole face; love let loose all of its power and attraction.It would give this youth a great chance. He asked to be allowed to give, and Jesus asked for that which would make him a hero. And to help him make his choice aright He would pour out upon him the whole ocean of His love.
  

"Which when Jesus had heard
  Looking on him
  He loved him
  And said to him
  Yet one thing is wanting to thee
  If thou wilt be perfect
  Go
  Sell all whatsoever thou hast
  And give to the poor
  And thou shalt have treasure in heaven
  And come
  Follow Me."(St. Mark 10:21)
 

Again we have to notice here that habit of Jesus to go beyond every appeal that is made to Him and to give more,to respond to every act of faith and recognition by an increase of both.In no act of generosity will He ever be outdone.The youth had begun with convention, as a youth of his position might; he had used the polite "Good Master", he ended by appealing as to a "Master "in truth. He had at first but asked for the means to attain  everlasting life", and was told it.He was not satisfied, he asked for  more, the grace of Jesus drew him on till he began to yearn for perfection.And in like proportion did the attraction of Jesus grow; first to observance of the Law, then to observance of the counsels; first to common righteousness, then to the perfect man; first to attaining the Kingdom, then to piling up treasures without it; first to a life of ordinary duty,then to a life of union and companionship with Him.
 

"Go, sell all
  Give to the poor
  Come follow Me;
  Jesus looking on him
  Loved him;"
 

in that summary was contained the whole meaning of religious life.
The sequel was sad.As the words were uttered disappointment began to show itself in the young man's face. He had great possessions; with all his wealth he had hoped he might be of service to Jesus; he was asked to get rid of it all, and to waste it upon the poor.He was a man in authority; he had hoped that by his influence he might sway public opinion in favour of Jesus; he was asked to put all his authority away and to join a group of Galilean labourers. Surely Jesus had mistaken; surely this was not common sense; it was not reason; no one who aspired to found a kingdom would so throw away the advantages he had to offer.

So nature appealed; so it justified refusal; and yet on the other side was something which said that he had only been taken at his word. He had asked to be shown how to do a noble thing and it had been shown to him. He had aspired to the most perfect ideal that he could attain and it had been set before him. To be made free, with the freedom with which Christ would make him free, to follow the grail which was the Light of light Himself, to be rich in that which his own soul had long taught him was more excellent, - no, it was not common sense, but it was heroic. It was not according to the nature that clung close round him, but it was according to that better soul which struggled within.He was torn between the two; the joy with which he had sprung into the presence of Jesus faded into nothing. Nature said it was too much; nature said he could not, he should not.It was wrong so to wreck his life, his happiness, his power for good. He rose to his feet, he drooped his head, he turned away, distracted, sad :
 

"And when the young man heard this word
  Being struck sorrowful at the saying
  He went away sad
  For he had great possessions."
 

Jesus let him go; to what he went , who shall say?Maybe for him, in the eyes of the world of men, all went well enough. Maybe he played his part as well as he had played it hitherto, honestly, dutifully, respected by all who knew him,keeping all the rules required by his status; yet would he never forget those eyes that looked on him and loved him, that voice which spoke to him and asked him to be a friend, that soul which cleaved to him and promised him, not only everlasting life, but over and above everlasting treasure, pressed down and flowing over. And the joy for a moment would fade from his cheek, and the heart would shiver,and he would need to shake himself and turn aside to his "many possessions" to convince himself he was a happy man.
 

Jesus let him go. As he turned about and lost himself in the crowd and walked with Him no more, the eyes of Jesus followed him. They followed him and haunted him forever............"

What a dramatic Vocation and what a sorry end. Most young men to-day in Western societies are not necessarily financially rich. They are rich in opportunities and potential. They too have a lot to give up - it seems to them - when the Good Master calls. But if they refuse his call, or try to drown it out with their MP3 players, and distract themselves  with the ephemera of the cyber-world or sports or the theatre, how sad a result that would be. They have the opportunity to serve Him in heroic fashion Contra Mundum -Against the World in a time of very great need.It is not an opportunity to miss!

" PAST " 1943-1945 SIRENS AND SEARCHLIGHTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                      Air Raid Siren
 

A monthly , or bi-monthly feature of life in suburban Sydney during World War II, at least in the vicinity of Berala , in what were then Sydney's Western Suburbs ( now the inner Western Suburbs!), was the sonorous wail of the Air Raid Sirens. 

As far as I am aware the Siren we heard was near the Park in Lidcombe - a brisk 20 minutes walk away. To me it was a marvellous bit of entertainment! We never believed that it could be a genuine air raid, not that that belief was based on any detailed knowledge of the disposition of Japanese Aircraft Carriers - we just knew we were going to be O.K. Similarly, but more irregularly, anti-aircraft searchlights would pierce the night sky - wonderful stuff causing people all around to run onto their verandahs or into their front/back yards to watch the show. There seemed never to be any aircraft around to give the exercise some semblance of reality, and very rarely a second or third searchlight to allow co-ordination exercises.

We had in our backyard a large hole dug as an air raid shelter, but it seemed to me even as a child, somewhat half-hearted and incomplete, and it  was never taken seriously and as time wore on , it was filled in.

WW II Searchlight

 

The War, so dramatic in the films, and apparently serious in the papers - not that I could read them- was somehow at one remove from our day to day lives.  At least that was true for children like me.

" PAST" WRITTEN ON MY HEART

 

 

 

This morning, not too many minutes ago, as I drove to the Post Office through the warm March sunshine and past the lovely Aussie gum trees, there suddenly came back to my memory, the Hymns of Benediction in what has now ,oddly, become the "Extraordinary "Use of the Roman Rite.

What joy they brought me, 65 years ago,and still do now, within days of the big 70! How I loved the opportunity to adore Our Lord as I was immersed in the stately music of those hymns,whose noble yet simple Latin I came to understand over the years of my schooling,especially at Marist Brothers'Lidcombe in Sydney's West.. The great treasures St. Thomas Aquinas left to the Church in those hymns,  "O Salutaris ", "Tantum Ergo"and  "Adoremus" (was the last his also? ) were taken from us, and the Rite of Benediction debased as the false "spirit of the Council"overwhelmed the Documents of the Council.

But those hymns and the prayers of the Rite of Benediction are written on my heart and enshrined in my  mind. And, God willing, they will remain there , with the memory of good Father Con Donovan, big and broadly Irish and as faithful to Christ and His Church as could be, until I am switched from this light to Eternal light and Life for which I Hope.