29 December 2007

Damian Thompson

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The two of you who remember will recall my post when I came out badly worsted from suggesting, on his blog, that Damian Thompson might not have understood something. He is a very talented journalist with a gift for summarising complex issues into succint stories. There were various things I didn't like about his blog, and his aficionados, but I have found more and more over the last few months that his postings were hitting the bull time after time, and if his tone was at times a bit off-putting, his message was spot on.

We learned today via Fr Ray Blake that the Hierarchy is putting pressure on the owners of the papers he works for to tone Damian down. Fr Z (whom God preserve) has picked up on this as well.

I might have minded only a bit about this, but, by one of those coincidences, I spent yesterday reading Fr Aidan Nichol's "Looking At The Liturgy". (My Mother-in-Law is staying for Christmas and New Year: she always sends me money to buy books, but a few days before Christmas we remembered that I'd have to have something she could wrap with my daughter and give to me on Christmas Day. I'd thought of a couple, but Amazon recommended "Looking at the Liturgy" so I ordered it without even looking at the summary.)

How could I have missed this book previously! It is the most devestating and unanswerable summary of where, why and how a liturgical disaster occurred in the Church in the second half of the 20th century. Reading it - I went straight through it and then reread it straight away! - opened a window on how things should be and why they aren't.

One of the reasons for why things aren't as they should be is that the mindset which infuses the Suppository (The Tablet - geddit?) is the same mindset which infuses the Hierarchy of England and Wales. It knows that it is right and has a condescending attitude to the poor ignoramuses who are tied to old ways. One of the "South Coast" Bishops recently rebuked me (indirectly) for asking for more Masses in school: "we need fewer Liturgies of the Eucharist, and more Liturgies of the Word". It is a mindset which uses the authority of the Episcopacy when threatened by critics who revere the institution of the Episcopacy.

Damian has felt unthreatened by mere Bishops because he is defending mere Catholicsm. So they have decided to use mere bullying to take him on. This is shameless on their part!

So, although I think that Damian and I might not last longer than a single shared glass if we met at a do, I have decided that this issue is binary: it's him or them. And I'm siding with him.

6 comments:

JARay said...

Tony my boy, I'm sure that Damian and yourself would last more than one glass if you met at a do.
As a matter of fact, I'd qite like to meet him (and yourself) at a do, but I somehow don't think it very likely.
I must take a look at the book. I enjoyed the last one you recommended. As I said in an e-mail to Fiorella "I see that you have called your daughter Francesca. The same name as your heroine"

A Very Happy New Year to All.

JARay

WhiteStoneNameSeeker said...

I read Fr Nichols book when I was studying at Maryvale. I must admit I preferred the one by some bloke called Ratzinger-but it is a very precise analysis isn't it?

As for Mr Thompson-while I tend to treat what he writes with caution, I too side with him.

God bless

Anonymous said...

Me too!

Tribunus said...

I agree. We should defend him from this sinister interference from Ecclestone Square.

On the side of the angels said...

There have been times when Damo and I have been diammetrically opposed to each other on issues; despite that I love the man and frankly don't care how he says things - he's the only person in the main arena saying it - and sure we have our Father Z and single members of the Faith movement taking a stand - but who else in the centre of it all ? and much as I adore her I can't consider Joanna Bogle credible as she [justifiably] loses her temper too frequently on one hand , then inadvertently conspires with the establishment at the next opportunity for the most banale of causes -becoming an unwitting stooge - she's an innocent abroad - heart in the right place but head everywhere - Clifford Longley's an embarassment and every other catholic commentator is a catholic in name only - every major cleric is letting us down - so who have we ? When it comes to the crunch it's Damian ! Probably one of the most unsuitable candidates for the role - but he's DOING IT when others are silent !

Ttony said...

I'm happy for Damian to be our leader: but he has to lead.