I've just learned of another recusant of sorts (a convert himself, from a family in the Irish Protestant Peerage - very rare indeed). Lord Longford
There are three articles / sermons / eulogies on him here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-64505/Controversial-peer-Lord-Longford-dies-aged-95.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/430115.stm
http://www.rcdow.org.uk/textonly/cardinal/default.asp?content_ref=202
As a British History major, I was fascinated by all these things, and by how connected he was with other British Politicians as well as British RCs.
I have to go back to work now, and I was a real jerk today. Reading about this great man only makes me feel worse. I waste my life in selfishness, laziness, and indulgence, but somewhere there is a deep pain, a longing, to be a saint. May God grant it for me, as he did Lord Longford.
Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Seeing Orange
For one of my British History classes, I have to lead a seminar on the "Glorious" Revolution of 1688. For those unfamiliar with British history: in 1688 James II a Catholic, tried to pass laws of Religious Toleration and had a male heir. This was enough for parliament to treasonously plan a Dutch invasion of England and a Coup D'Etat in which William of Orange, military leader of a Protestant league waging war against Louis XIV of France, could take the crown. Many Scottish and Irish Catholics died fighting for King James, but English historians call the event a "bloodless revolution" (as any student of England knows, Catholics and non-English folks don't 'count'). My professor is an oldschool Englishman who was at least nominally CofE from what I can tell, and characterized James II as a despot and absolutist. But I mean, who wouldn't call legislation for Freedom of Religion despotic? How mindlessly absolutist to act well within constitutional law to protect a persecuted minority. ...sarcasm...
Then I saw this video of Northern Irish politician Ian Paisley screaming at the Pope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCU6Clpkxk It's weird how things change, because I was actually in a bible study with his grandson at bible school in England. I think we stopped being facebook friends when I converted to Catholicism. When we were at school both he (the grandson) and I, actually agreed that we had doubts about those who believed in infant baptism and the Trinity, could really be biblical Christians. Good old Evangelical Arianism and Anabaptism...
Then I found the Canadian Orange Lodge, which is like the KKK for anti-Catholic Anglos. The Strange thing is how I could see myself being in it if I hadn't gone Roman.
I feel like Joseph Pearce a bit, the famous Irish convert to Catholicism. It's always a weird thing to switch 180 degrees from your upbringing. But I find myself with the famous Catholic historian Lord Acton saying that communion with Rome, is more dear than life. It's strange that for us Anglo's, Catholicism is a political thing. For every other race, it's not a political matter if you become Catholic, but for the descendent or student of English History, conflicting loyalties to King and Church have been quite common.
Then I saw this video of Northern Irish politician Ian Paisley screaming at the Pope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCU6Clpkxk It's weird how things change, because I was actually in a bible study with his grandson at bible school in England. I think we stopped being facebook friends when I converted to Catholicism. When we were at school both he (the grandson) and I, actually agreed that we had doubts about those who believed in infant baptism and the Trinity, could really be biblical Christians. Good old Evangelical Arianism and Anabaptism...
Then I found the Canadian Orange Lodge, which is like the KKK for anti-Catholic Anglos. The Strange thing is how I could see myself being in it if I hadn't gone Roman.
I feel like Joseph Pearce a bit, the famous Irish convert to Catholicism. It's always a weird thing to switch 180 degrees from your upbringing. But I find myself with the famous Catholic historian Lord Acton saying that communion with Rome, is more dear than life. It's strange that for us Anglo's, Catholicism is a political thing. For every other race, it's not a political matter if you become Catholic, but for the descendent or student of English History, conflicting loyalties to King and Church have been quite common.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Voyagers & Pilgrims
"carissimi obsecro tamquam advenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desideriis quae militant adversus animam" - 1 Pet 2:11 Vulgate
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul" - 1 Pet 2:11 Rheims
I love 2 parts of this verse: carissimi - beloved/dearly beloved and peregrinos - pilgrims/voyagers.
In Medieval British History I had to study the Peregrinatio, a phenomena where Irish monks would go on a penitential exile/mission in tiny boats all around the atlantic in an effort to fulfill these sorts of biblical exhortations. It was a spiritual martyrdom. It reminds me of those lovely titles we have as Christians and as a Church: pilgrims, journeyers, voyagers, sojourners, not there yet.
I'm reading a book called "Strangers and Sojourners" by Michael D O'Brian (brien? can't remember) and it has alot of these themes. It's great. While Ireland did have it's Anglican church disestablished by Gladstone, I still think of them as Recusants and so I should be posting on Irish Catholicism more often.
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul" - 1 Pet 2:11 Rheims
I love 2 parts of this verse: carissimi - beloved/dearly beloved and peregrinos - pilgrims/voyagers.
In Medieval British History I had to study the Peregrinatio, a phenomena where Irish monks would go on a penitential exile/mission in tiny boats all around the atlantic in an effort to fulfill these sorts of biblical exhortations. It was a spiritual martyrdom. It reminds me of those lovely titles we have as Christians and as a Church: pilgrims, journeyers, voyagers, sojourners, not there yet.
I'm reading a book called "Strangers and Sojourners" by Michael D O'Brian (brien? can't remember) and it has alot of these themes. It's great. While Ireland did have it's Anglican church disestablished by Gladstone, I still think of them as Recusants and so I should be posting on Irish Catholicism more often.
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