03 November 2011

The Last Post

.
Not just that there has been another virulent attack on my computer, and, this time, on two different accounts on it, and a laptop which seems to have been infected as well.

But also, courtesy of Ches and James an insight into where things are and where I probably shouldn't be.

Imagine a fleet of ships commanded by an Admiral who says all the ships under his authority have to tie fast to a particular rocky isle.  Imagine that many do, but you gradually realise that on yours, the Captain, the senior officers, and those of the crew who deal with the officers have decided that rather than tie fast they will remain close to the rocky isle, but not tied to it.  They will give all the appearance of being obedient to the Admiral except in the most fundamental of obediences. 

The Admiral gave the order because he, better than anyone, is in a position to see just how rough the sea is, but the Captain, Officers and senior rates on our ship reckon that they know better, especially about the place where they are and think that their own ways of dealing with what might come will be perfectly adequate.

Most of the crew will remain oblivious about what's going on, but a few are aware not just of the Admiral's orders but of the senior officers' agreement to ignore them.

What should they do?  Mutiny?  If not, what should they do?  Acquiesce?  In which case what should they answer when at some point in the future the Admiral, or his leader, asks why they disobeyed?

If this is all nonsense, then I should stop blogging because this is all nonsense.

If this isn't all nonsense, then I should stop blogging because I shouldn't be leading crewmen against their officers: there is no justification for Mutiny.

I suppose that the revelation that  Kiko Argüello greets Bishops with the question "Do you believe?" left me wondering how the public statements and public praxis of some our ours could produce an answer "Yes!" without a degree of mental reservation that would make such a "Yes" valueless.  And it was realising that thinking like that about our Bishops was making me the wrong person to write about Catholicism in England and Wales.  I will not criticise our Bishops for what they seem to believe.

So I'd better not blog here any more for a good while.  I'm sure I shall be back eventually, and if I have anything uncontroversial to say (Alan B take note) I can say it over at the Guild.  And a way of getting in touch will always be to comment on any old post from the last few years, all of which comments go to a totally separate e-mail account. 

God Bless you all; God Help us all.
.

15 comments:

Jane said...

You express our frustration perfectly. You are not alone. Assurance of prayers always.

Serious business, this.
J

Left-footer said...

Ttony, your voice is needed.

For myself, I see it as my unhappy duty to mutiny, or rather protest, not against the Admiral or the Navy, but against disloyal officers who seem, at times, to be traitorous and serving the enemy.

Probably it is time for my uncharitable blog to shut up, pack up, and go home. From time to time I do try to purge it of the worst.

Yours will be a real loss. Do please sleep on the decision, and reconsider.

God bless!

Left-footer said...

I hope you don't mind Ttony, but I've linked to this post on my blog, but not tweeted, so as to avoid the attention of trolls.

If you are unhappy about my intrusion, I'll delete my post.

God bless.

Mulier Fortis said...

Ttony, I'm very sorry you feel this way. The blogosphere will be a poorer place without you - though I'm delighted that you think you might return at some point, or will post in the Guild blog...

Prayers and best wishes!

Richard Collins said...

Ttony, return soon, you are needed onboard.

JamesP said...

Blogging or not blogging, you are still on the boat, the rocks are still nearby, your friends are still in danger.

St Thomas Aquinas says that truth is found in resistance to a contradiction - so here's a contradiction for you to resist...

A Bishop knocks on your door and demands to have sex with your young daughter. Are you obliged to be 'obedient' to his request? No? That's because you know he has no authority to demand such a thing. "the college or body of bishops has no authority unless it is understood together with the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter as its head" (Lumen Gentium)

Next he knocks on your neighbours door and your neighbour thinks he has to do everything a Bishop says... do you help your neighbour by stepping in and telling him not to obey the Bishop on this point?

Would that be leading crewmen against their officers? or would it be protecting your brother against abuse of authority?

The sex example is extreme, but it makes it clear that saying no to Bishops is sometimes an option. Telling other Catholics that they are allowed, indeed sometimes compelled to say no to Bishops is sometimes an option. It is sometimes a duty.

Aquinas says... "There being an imminent danger for the Faith, prelates must be questioned, even publicly, by their subjects." (Summa Theologica)

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Toby said...

Anonymous - if you're going to post something that full of vitriol have the guts to put your name next to it. If you're not prepared to stand by your comments with your name, perhaps you should reconsider them.

Toby Lees

Anagnostis said...

Please, Toby, don't discourage him/her! I haven't laughed so much since...since...

..."personal phonogropher"...

...oh, my sides...

Ttony, you're a gentleman and a man of honour, but please re-consider. I think your naval metaphor is ill-adapted, owing more to Ignatius Loyola perhaps, than to Noah and that it might have led you down a false line of reasoning.

You're my principal point of contact! Don't go!

Anonymous said...

No,please dont go.Please dont give up,the church needs you,and so do all your readers of which I am one.Please reconsider.
Sandy.Morris

Ttony said...

Thanks for the good wishes, all; really sincere and grateful good wishes, and the assurance of my prayers.

I'm not emigrating, you know.

James P: of course you are right with your specific examples, but this is about me addressing Bishops and their souls, and that's not for a blog. It doesn't mean not doing anything: just worrying about how I should do it.

Anagnostis: you won't lose me that easily. Bear it mind that it was Scholasticism last week, and the Counter-Reformation this: I am a Roman Catholic.

Anonymous (1): the gift that keeps on giving. God grant that all my allies have adversaries like you.

Alan said...

You are a Catholic of deep faith and perception, Tony, and from such there can be situations where temperate bluntness is very much in order.

I share the hope of others that you will resume.

Thank you, btw, for the message to me, for which I am greatly obliged.

Genty said...

Come back soon. If only enrage our frothing-at-the-mouth chums who have forgotten to take their medication.
I'll miss your posts, sometimes droll, always sound within the Catholic blogosphere (plus the dicky bird photos).
Best wishes and prayers from a far-from-good Catholic.

On the side of the angels said...

“I am not mine own, whether I live or whether I die, I am the Lord’s. There is no longer any me or mine, my ‘me’ is Jesus, my ‘mine’ is to be His. Thou world, wilt ever be thyself, and hitherto I have been myself, but henceforth I will be so no more.”
We shall indeed not be ourselves any more, for our heart will be changed, and the world which has so often deceived us will in its turn be deceived in us; our change will be so gradual that the world will still suppose us to be Esau, while really we are Jacob."

Ttony: Thank you for everything you are and everything you do; and for everything which you will continue to be and do.

God bless you.

Ma Tucker said...

We have a large and detailed history of Bishops in general holding firm in the face of temporal power. NOT.
If your faith depends on your Bishop's you may go home with yourself.