Conscience and Conformity

By Unknown on 11:23

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Oswald von  Nell-Breuning was furious.
The rage of the then 90-year old former architect of the papal encyclical of Pope Pius Xl written in 1931 was amply demonstrated albeit with a touch of humour, to the assembled audience at Vaughan House by Fr Patrick Riordan.

So why was von Nell-Breuning transformed into a raging nonagenarian?  Well, in 1931 Pope Pius responding to the dangers arising from unrestrained capitalism and totalitarianism under the communist regimes, called with urgency for the reconstruction of a social order based on the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. von Nell-Breuning was thus venting at the lack of progress by our politicians who he saw as having failed society on all fronts.
Fr Riordan went on the explore the relationship between faith and politics and asked how we should react when faced with choices that contradict the principles of our faith. He drew on the experience of the church in 1937 before the last great war, when Pope Pius XI wrote Mit Brennender Sorge ( with burning concern ) which had to be smuggled into Germany. Its call was heeded by Franz Jägerstätter who in refusing to be called up to fight in a war which was both immoral and unjust in its conduct was executed by the regime.
The meeting concluded with an examination of the role of evangelisation today and considered  the challenges faced by Christians as they  question the norms of conformity urged by the changing values and judgment of an increasingly secular and at times, unjust world when these are in contrast the teachings of the faith. Being true to theWord of God does also mean that we are not like sheep.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III : 70-200L  and 15 FE

Sharing the Spirit with Friends

By Unknown on 15:38

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Very appropriately it was Pentecost Sunday, the day when in fulfilling the promise made to his disciples at the last supper, Christ sent them an advocate to build up His church, that  Father  Jeremy Davies should be speaking at the Tyburn pitch of the Westminster Catholic Evidence Guild. Fr Jeremy in explaining St Paul's letter  to the Ephesians, said that the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to build up the church into a community and into holiness, so as to build up each Christian into the image of our Lord Jesus and thus enable the fullness of Christ to dwell fully in every Christian. Therefore as his disciples were,  we too are in receipt of this same promise of the Holy Spirit.



Addressing a gathering of the faithful and those seeking to know, Fr Jeremy explained that Christ in bringing us into unity with His body paves the way for all of us to become His visible church. In doing so, Christ brings everyone into unity with God's love by bringing them into union with Himself. The journey to God through the Son is possible since Christ himself is in union with the Father as given in the Gospel by St John.
 On that day you will understand that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you  
John 14:20
This journey is further aided as promised by Christ, in the coming of the advocate . It is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the spirit of wisdom and understanding that Luke says which opens the new testament to us. Through His son and by way of the Holy Spirit unlocking all the mysteries and teachings of Christ, Fr Jeremy revealed that God speaks to every human being on this earth.


As Fr Jeremy continued in private discussion with some of the gathered audience, Brother Philip mounted the platform to speak further and take questions from the assembled listeners.


The platform of the Westminster Catholic Evidence Guild at Tyburn bears witness to the message and promises of Christ each Sunday afternoon and is blessed with the presence of Fr Jeremy Davies who journeys down from Luton on the third Sunday of each month.
I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I learnt from my Father
John 15:15
And on each of these days, many friends are gathered to share in the special gifts that call us all to be Christians.


Canon EOS 5D Mark III
24-70L, 15 FE