The Tablet-Promoting understanding of the Roman Catholic Faith?

Some information available on the website of Charity Commission, the Regulator for Charities in England and Wales :

"The Tablet Trust is a registered charity which has a wholly owned subsidiary, The Tablet Publishing Company Ltd.  The principle activity of the Tablet Publishing Company Ltd., is the  publication of 'The Tablet' and 'The Pastoral Review'.

The Objects, Aims,  Objectives and Principal Activities of The Tablet Trust, as set out in its report to the Charity Commission for the year ended 31/1/2009,  are:

a)  to advance the Christian religion

b)  to promote, present and disseminate the teachings of the Christian religion and to promote understanding of the Roman  Catholic faith, values and principles  (my emphasis)

c)  to advance the education of the public

d)  to pursue such other charitable objectives as shall not be inconsistent with the objects hereunto before set out

The objectives of the Trust are carried out by its support of the religious and educational aspects of  'The Tablet' and 'The Pastoral Review' and support of outside bodies whose activities fall within the Trust Deed objectives"

I wonder how far the Trustees of The Tablet Trust believe they are achieving Object, Aim or Principal Activity  'b'  listed above?

Here it is again:


b)  to promote, present and disseminate the teachings of the Christian religion and to promote understanding of the Roman  Catholic faith, values and principles  (my emphasis)



For example, did the editorial in last week's edition    'promote understanding of the Roman  Catholic faith, values and principles'?


In a week that saw the  mass media bandwagon, both fuelling and being fuelled by, misinformation  following the Holy Father's Address to the Bishops of England and Wales, 'The Tablet' might have made an attempt to explain the teaching of the Church regarding  homosexuality.
It might have wished to emphasise how much importance the Church places on the pastoral care of homosexual persons , thereby promoting understanding of the Roman Catholic Faith.

It might have referred to the  Catechism of the Catholic Church which says:

"2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition."

"2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."

But  The Tablet editorial did none of these.

It got behind the bandwagon and started pushing.

Canadian TV station refuses to run Pro-life Ad.

 “Executives at CHBC and Global TV are claiming that they’re pulling the ad because it’s too ‘graphic,’” said CLC President Jim Hughes. “However, not only was the ad approved by the Television Bureau, but what it depicts is no more graphic than what is shown nightly on the six o’clock news"

“Global should be honest and admit that they’re pulling the ad either because they’re afraid of controversy, or because they don’t believe that the viewpoint expressed in the ad should be allowed to be presented to the public, which amounts to censorship. Either way, we find their actions to be unacceptable, and we urge all pro-life Canadians to express their outrage to Global and CHBC."

 Images which demonstrate the humanity of the unborn child can have the power to change hearts. Maybe that's why such pressure is applied to suppress them.

 There is a petition in support of the Right to Life ad which can be found here.  The Facebook group in support of the ad can be found here.

Full story at lifesite news

The Holy Father 's address to Scotland's Bishops

"Pastors of the Church, therefore, must continually call the faithful to complete fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium,"

The Holy Father- saying what he means, and meaning what he says.

The full text can be found  here , together with the Address of Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, President of the Bishops Conference of Scotland

Pill-Cancer Link Confirmed

 A U.S. study has confirmed the link between the use of oral contraceptives and breast cancer.

"The study, authored by Jessica Dolle and other researchers at the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, appeared in the April 2009 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
It shows a strong connection between the use of oral contraceptives and the deadly “triple-negative breast cancer.” The study found that the connection was highest among women who began using oral contraceptives while they were teenagers."

“Although the study was published nine months ago, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and other cancer fund-raising businesses have made no efforts to reduce breast cancer rates by issuing nationwide warnings to women,” said Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer."

 "Additionally, the study showed a 40% risk increase for women who have had induced abortions. One of the study’s tables listed abortion as a “known and suspected risk factor.” Previously, the National Cancer Institute had said that abortion was not a credible risk factor. "

“Obviously, more women will die of breast cancer if the NCI fails in its duty to warn about the risks of oral contraceptives and abortion and if government funds are used to pay for both as a part of any health-care bill,” Malec said."

So why would the National Cancer Institute let that happen....
Ideology trumping the facts, maybe?

Thanks to, and more information at National Catholic Register

Recommended Reading ..

 Much of the media reporting of the Holy Father's recent Address to the Bishops of England and Wales left little impression that the Pope had anything substantial or meaningful to say about the nature of true equality.
I took Anna Arco's advice and read Laurence Lew OP at Godzdogs.
To echo a commenter over at Godzdogs, it's a brilliantly explained article which even a mere simpleton like me could  understand and grasp.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Caption Contest!

 

Photo courtesy of  Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk 

"I'd like to share with you my hot tip for dealing with dissent"

"But my dear, Christianity is all part of a lovely fairytale, very little of it is factual."

                                                                                                   Mary O'Regan
                                  
   Via an article in the online version of the Catholic Herald, I discovered the blog of Catholic writer, Mary O'Regan,'Bad things happen if good people do nothing'
 
In this post Mary recounts a conversation she had with Baroness Warnock, which took place last year following a lecture at University College, Cork (Ireland), given by the Baroness. The lecture was about promoting a case for experimentation on human embryos.
 
 

                                                                                                  Baroness Warnock
Here's how the conversation went:      

Hello Baroness'. Customary shaking of hands. Dreadfully false toothey smiling from yours truly. The baroness smiled at me in return.
'May I ask Baroness Warnock, you are a member of a Christian denomination.'
'Oh yes, indeed I am a Christian'
‘So, you unreservedly call yourself a member of the Christian faith?’
The baroness looked gamely at me, gave me a knowing nod and said 'Well yes. But my dear, Christianity is all part of a lovely fairytale, very little of it is factual. There's some morals that you can pick and choose from.' Perhaps I strayed from the rules of polite conduct for conversing with baronesses. But I asked, 'thank you for being so kind as to tell me that you are a...Christian. Yet my understanding Baroness is that Christians believe Jesus will be at the end of their lives a judge.'

The baroness's smile disappeared. I sighed, and felt like a TV evangelist. I pressed on and said ‘that He will render an account of our lives when we die. And should Our Lord find fault with your...enthusiasm...for experimenting on embryos...what will your response be?'

Baroness Warnock’s eyes loomed large and she said to me ‘you’re terrible, how can you think such a thing...Jesus as judge...puh...you’re absolutely terrible.’
I gave a shrug . My body language implied, ‘well there are a lot of loonies in this world, I’m just one of them, but since you say you are 'Christian' why do you not shy away from Our Lord’s role as king, who decides where a subject will go at the end of their days?’

I smiled at the baroness, and wished her a pleasant stay in Cork. I told her that I would pray for her. She looked at me blankly, as if to say ‘you obviously think that I’m damned, why bother praying for me?’ Because I don’t know what else to say Baroness, and often I don’t know what else to do other than pray.                            --------------------------------------------------------------------------
I applaud  Mary O'Regan for her courage in bringing to the Baroness's attention the reality of that final reckoning, when all of us will have to render an account. At that moment, belief in what can properly be called fairytales, is unlikely to be of much help.
That Christianity is no fairytale, is a message which needs to be passed on, in the public square and in private life.