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Tuesday 26 September 2023

In thrall to St Greta



Roger Watson has an interesting TCW piece on the increasingly woke nature of the Roman Catholic Church.


The Roman Catholic Church is in thrall to St Greta

IF anyone reading this can afford it, could they please pay the money to whoever it is who has captured the Roman Catholic Church and is holding it to ransom?

The past two years have seen an increasing level of politically charged nonsense from CAFOD (Catholic Fund for Overseas Development) — of which the Catholic Church increasingly seems like the religious bit that is tagged on — on climate change and families (which was also about climate change).

Leaving Mass on Sunday morning, I noticed a pile of glossy leaflets and picked one up. I wish I hadn’t. This leaflet described ‘An environmental policy for our diocese’ (Middlesbrough).

As I walked home before reading it, I made a mental note of some ‘trigger’ words and phrases that would get my goat and, sure enough, they were all there. Thus, the reader is treated to the evils of ‘capitalist economies’, ‘global warming’, ‘green energy’, ‘disinvest[ment] from fossil fuels’, ‘solar panels’, ‘consumption of meat’ and questioning ‘whether we need to fly’. And there was more.



Even for outsiders the whole piece is worth reading as a reminder of a more general issue, the issue of leaders who follow instead of leading. As if many modern leaders have been inserted into their positions because of that politically useful characteristic.


Of course, we should ‘reduce our consumption of meat’ and ‘give careful consideration to whether we really need to fly’. It seems that the Catholic Church really has been captured by left-wing environmental activists who simply want to make life more miserable for everybody. I don’t suggest for a minute that the Church should ‘stay in its lane’. But, instead of issuing advice, much it based on dodgy data, it should be providing a balanced view of social and political issues, including environmental issues, and get back to telling us how to be, rather than what to do.

7 comments:

Sam Vega said...

"It seems that the Catholic Church really has been captured by left-wing environmental activists who simply want to make life more miserable for everybody."

I thought the Catholic Church wanted to make life more miserable anyway.

The C of E is just as bad. As I said a couple of days ago, my wife's first major service involved a climate change prof who sings in the choir. And the Church Times writes about little other than climate change, the legacy of colonialism, and how wonderful trannies are. (We've got a resident trannie as well, warmly encouraged by the congregation and clergy. Just one glance and you know he is the sort of bloke who needs to be on a locked ward...)

dearieme said...

It's open to people to leave the Roman Catholic Church and join the Orthodox Catholic Church. Or something else. Or nothing else.

Doonhamer said...

So no candles. Just little LED pseudo candles.
And the thurible will have an air freshener inside. Or a modified vaper.
Churches will revert to how they were in medieval times - no heating. (Don't mention medieval warm period. Period.)
His Holiness will be in negotiations with Auld Nick about eliminating all that everlasting burning in his domain.

DiscoveredJoys said...

To a certain mindset 'Apocalypse Real Soon Now' is a great simplifier and quite attractive if you think you are in the queue to be saved.

Often predicted but not yet arrived.

dearieme said...

Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher. Christians have just had to develop some patience.

A K Haart said...

Sam - blimey, your congregation sounds as woke as the Lib Dems. When we are out walking and pop into a village church there is a strong sense of cultural and spiritual history, but maybe that's because we're there when the congregation isn't.

dearieme - presumably it is also open to them to go when the church is empty and pray alone.

Doohamer - I agree, churches should revert to how they were in medieval times with no heating. It would be a useful lesson.

DJ - akin to the Harold Camping mindset without the confidence.

A K Haart said...

dearieme - given human limitations, Net Zero is a fair attempt at an apocalypse, so maybe that explains why it is welcomed by some.