Informed Sources Report that the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James is raising eyebrows at Ambroseden Avenue with his penchant for the traditional liturgy and allowing himself to be dressed up “like the infant of Prague”!
Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti recently celebrated his twentieth anniversary of episcopal ordination on the Feast of the Epiphany. Whereas previous Nuncio’s have always had their muted celebrations at Westminster Cathedral, the Italian prelate opted to have smells and bells and copes and canopies at Corpus Christi church in the heart of London’s West End. The Archbishop was conspicuous by his absence!
Looking at the get up on the completely over the top sanctuary (anything that can be smothered in gold leaf has been) one wonders if Vatican II has taken place, let alone Pope Francis’s and Roche’s crackdown on the “Old Rite”.
Parish Priest Canon Alun Robinson (ex Anglican in cope on the left) has previous form having made the tiny parish a mecca for ultra right wing Francis hating clerics and laity. No surprise to find Cardinals Burke, Sarah and Arinze frequent visitors and how Alun loves to dress them personally. The young men who flock to the shrine are quite distinctive.
Which begs the question what the big man up too? Informed sources claim that he is angling to succeed fellow Anglican convert Alun Hopes (no relation) as Bishop of East Anglia, hence the salivating around the Nuncio and Curial Cardinal Has Beens.
Such manoeuvrings have not gone unnoticed at Ambroseden Avenue and Elsie is well aware of what the rotund canon is up to. He is going to be a disappointed man.
PAT SAYS
Pope Francis and Archbishop Roche have made it clear that the Latin Mass and its trappings have to be restricted and should not take place in parish churches.
The picture at the top of the blog is like something out of medieval times – with all the gold trappings, lace, copes and coverings.
It is not a scene envisaged by Vatican II.
And why is the nuncio using a crosier?
He is not in his own diocese and has no jurisdiction in Westminster?
It’s quite obvious that these lace bishops and priests see their priesthood in almost Old Testament terms – superior creatures.
Their ceremonies are really suitable for West End theatrical reenactments of “Old God’s Time.
These spectacles are not about service.
Bishops and priests are servants of the people or they are nothing.
If they want to dress in medieval gear then let them go into acting if they have the talent.
Most of them do not have real talent and might have to settle for parish or community amateur dramatics.
And most of those clerics involved in these dramatics are older quuens with younger admirers.
In the meantime Francis needs to sack some nuncios and bishops who are not acting according to Vatican instructions.
A few well thought out sackings would bring the purple actresses into line.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 