FINAL REPORT BELOW
____________
I have been thinking about the recent attacks on His Hermeneuticalness, Fr. Finigan in The Tablet. As I think about them, I get irritated all over again.
Here is a way to reverse the irritation and inflict the same on his persecutors.
For the next five days I propose the
Let’s pound Fr. Finigan!
I propose that you send Fr. Finigan ONE POUND via this blog. After five days, I will pass along what you sent.
For various reasons Fr. Finigan can’t put the button on his own page. WDTPRS shall in solidarity play his vicarius.
Right now £1.00GBP = approx. $1.41214. Find the present rate here.
If enough of you send £1.00GBP, His Hermeneuticalness will be able to waste even more money on, say, silver candlesticks for the Lady Altar and have them inscribed in honor of The Tablet, or perhaps get a nice set of vestments, with little tablets of the law appliqued to the back…. which he will then turn toward his oppressed people.
I’ll keep you updated about how much has come in.
PS: I assure you that the 1983 Code of Canon Law does not include automatic excommunication for pounding a priest. You are now to be punished with a "suitable penalty", which reward will I think be mostly in heaven.
UPDATE: 14:09 GMT 6 Mar
MORNING REPORT
The turn out so far has been well… very strong! People seem both able and happy to pound Fr. Finigan relentlessly.
So far £201.00
UPDATE: 13:41 GMT 7 Mar
MORNING REPORT
People still seem to be taking considerable glee from pounding Fr. Finigan.
So far £342.00
UPDATE: 14:16 GMT 8 Mar
MORNING REPORT
You have attained the sum of £377.00
Slowing down, perhaps, because of the weekend?
UPDATE: 12:23 GMT 9 Mar
MORNING REPORT
You have attained the sum of £468.00
I’m getting a little jealous! Good work, folks!
UPDATE: 12:23 GMT 10 Mar
MORNING REPORT
I am now officially jealous.
Good work folks!
At the end of the "Pound Fr. Finigain" campaign you raised:
£506
I will get in touch with His Hermeneuticalness and figure out the best way to get him the payola.
I might even be able to give it to him myself, if the airfares keep dropping!
In any event, thanks very much for your participation!
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For those that can spare the additional funds, I propose 19 pounds, one for each century that Fr. F. is in continuity with.
Is that a copy of ‘The Remnant’ Fr. Finigan is reading?
Done.
Fr Z,
Can you make an option to increase the donation? [Right now it is set on 1.00GBP by default.]
I spent my semester abroad this year at St Andrews in Scotland…I recently found out that Fr Finigan will be giving a talk to the Catholic Society there, which I will unfortunatly have to miss now that I’m back in America. In lieu of that, however, I’m glad to “pound” Fr Finigan! Ad multos annos!
Great idea, done, with prayers.
DONE!!! Will try to give 5 pounds a day!!!!!
Done! What a great idea! I hope he gets millions.
I pounded him!
I never pounded a Priest before….
Tundo patrem!
Awesome! I just pounded Fr. F and bucked Fr. Z!
Done. Perhaps a good cause for Lenten almsgiving? The one spiritual practice The Tablet(c) undoubtedly bangs on about.
Who ever thought pounding someone could be so EASY?
I just gave Fr. Finigan a good pounding too. Great!
Good call….. I whapped Father Z too. I honestly had never noticed that donation button… and after all these years.
A quid for the Padre. Done and done.
Notice what newspaper Fr. Tim is reading…
[Right now it is set on 1.00GBP by default.]
I was thinking perhaps setting up an additional 3.00GBP (~$5.00) and/or a 5.00GBP buttons.
…Extra work, I know.
Happily done. Will do this each of the five days :)
I just pounded Fr. Finigan. It was very satisfying!
Paul, Edmonton, Canada
1 pound = $2.27 Aust….worth every cent.
Pounding Fr. Finigan: priceless!
(Praying for priests: a duty and an honor! God bless you!)
I know you said that I won’t be excommunicated for my pounding Fr. Finigan.
But, should I take it to confession just in case? ;)
That was the most fun I have ever had making a donation! Father Z., I think you have a talent for fundraising…
Re: 19 centuries: Actually, the Garden of Eden was a Temple, which Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple resembled, and the synagogues, in turn, resembled the Temple. Jesus is the New Temple, his Eucharist the final Sacrifice. Thus, Father is in touch not only with 19 centuries of tradition, but all the way back to creation.
So…depending on what you think of the age of the earth, Father could receive quite a donation!
Ah! Whats a quid amongst fellow religionists? This was fun and easy, Fr. Z. Lets just pray that few of these pounds go to his waist.
I have just bought an annual subscription to The Tablet as I usually enjoy the select articles available free on-line. I don’t agree with every article in it but it’s always a thought provoking read with many excellent contributors. I read the Rembrandt or maybe it was the Wanderer on-line recently and was sickened by it’s justification of torture techniques and human rights abuses for interogating individuals suspected of terrorism. Entirely inconsistent with orthodox church teaching on upholding the dignity of human persons.
P-PS: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Father I agree with the earlier poster. I would have pounded Fr. Finigan a bit harder and more often but I was only allowed to give one pounding at a time and I prefer not to repound. Increase the possibility of the poundage, Father. We can pound on behalf of those who do not and offer up the graces for those others.
This is fun – but do you get charged a fee for receiving funds via charge card? Most financial institutions do…
Who knew that pounding a priest could be so rewarding? :D
Spreading the word on my blog.
Thanks for setting this up, Father Z!
In some (protestant) churches in the US, ‘pounding’ is a (relatively) old custom. When a new minister would arrive at a church, each family in the congregation would ‘pound’ him by giving his family a pound of something — a pound of flour, sugar, oats, butter, whatever — to help get their pantry stocked. A Catholic thing too anywhere?
It’s wonderful to see a brother priest supporting another brother priest. How can I not pound in face of such example of fraternal charity. God bless you, my dear brother priests, Fr. Z & Fr. Finigan.
What a great idea. A few pounds on the way.
Comment by Average (but orthodox) catholic — 5 March 2009 @ 6:01 pm
Big bertha? :)
Cheers to Father Finigan!
-AuroraChristina
Three cheers for Father Z!
What a sovereign way of passing a few quid to Father Finigan.
I see there is another article/commentary in The Tablet this week, an appeal by a priest in Kent (Alban McCoy, I think?) who has introduced the EF at the sunday 11am mass. It has also caused divisions in the parish and he appeals for greater tolerance all round. I haven’t read it yet as my subscription hasn’t come through but I’m looking forward to reading it and the other high quality articles, much better than the predictable but boring Catholic Herald by far. I wonder if it anyone will be eating heir words, or will be humble enough to acknowledge that The Tablets not that bad after all???
Aine – you coducting a witch hunt?
Cool Idea…although is “Pounding A Priest” during Lent a Sin? I will have to confess it this weekend.
Forgive me Father for I have pounded a priest…. and I liked it!!!!!
What a clever turn of phrase I think whoever came up with it should get some sort of pat on the head. [Under another entry, I don’t recall which, a commenter included a phrase along these lines that gave me the idea. It rattled around for a couple days until I could get it going! I am glad to see the interest!]
Done and Done.
Jolly old England, forever!
Pleased as punch to pound il padre!
Forgive me Father for I have pounded a priest…. and I liked it!!
ROFL.
Added another £ to the cause.
I don’t know what the problem is, but it won’t work for me. It keeps saying the following:
“Your credit or debit card has been declined for this transaction; PayPal could not validate the card. Please verify that the information you entered is correct, or try a different credit or debit card.”
I know I entered all the info correctly and that my card is still good, so I don’t know what the problem is.
It would be a perfectly good pound if some of this would go for some pound cake to buy for a social party hour after the holy Mass or for a combined social pound cake party sometime for both the extraordinary form and ordinary form parishoners. Pound the Parish priest for a pound cake gathering for the Parish.
Done – great idea, so thanks Fr Z.
I pounded a priest yesterday evening! Perhaps now I understand what a priest friend told me – I had confided to him that, sometimes, the only thing that kept me from hitting some priests is that it would be a sacrilege. His response was that it might be a virtue!
Yesterday’s pounding was a virtue!!
Daily five pounds sent!!!! Paypal is going to be shut down with all this “pounding”!!!!!
Michael;
There are a variety of reasons, most of them totally innocent on your part, why a card won’t “approve” on pay=pal or other internet based systems. There is a complex verification procedure, and if any part breaks down, it doesn’t approve. Most often the bank server has to send a verification code for your card…. if server time is too slow, the request expires and declines.
I haven’t pounded anyone in a very long time… felt good ;-)
Pax et Bomum,
-Kevin
Take that Father!
[Under another entry, I don’t recall which, a commenter included a phrase along these lines that gave me the idea. It rattled around for a couple days until I could get it going! I am glad to see the interest!]
I’ve never been the most subtle beast in the field but apparently I’ve now mastered the art. :)
Done – but here’s a better idea. Let’s “pound” him every Friday in Lent! I will donate again next week, etc. I will include him on my Rosary today too.
About 200 pounds on day one. Four days to go. We need to keep this up and ‘hit’ Father with 1000 pounds. All the better to aggravate the progressives with. Bwahahahaha
Ooh! If we pound Father enough, will he have to take a tablet to feel better? [ugh!]
Perhaps a nice card should be sent to Ms E. Curti at the Tablet reading “A donation on your behalf has been made to Fr. T. Finigan…”
Done and done!
Perhaps a nice card should be sent to Ms E. Curti at the Tablet reading “A donation on your behalf has been made to Fr. T. Finigan…” Comment by Andrew, UK and sometimes Canada
Oh,yes, I like this idea! bringing good out of evil
Father, I am new to all this stuff, so maybe I wont ‘get through’. But congratulations on your great idea. I have pounded today and I’ll be back to pound some more.
Done. It’s the least one can do for a fellow reader of Der Remnant.
Fr. Z,
Just an idea – born out of mischief I admit. How about Fr. Finigan gives the money to the poor and needy thus destroying the self-righteousness of the Tablet in one blow?
This is a very interesting Idea I do have to say, I clicked that donation button, but since it is an e-check it will take about a week to process. I hope that doesn’t interfere in anyway.
Fun idea. I pounded the padre.
I agree this is a cool concept for fundraising. There was a young woman here in the states who got into trouble with debt and started a website with a similar theme (send me a dollar to pay off my debt). She likewise sold those materialistic things she had bought for herself on ebay. The site was entirely clean and appropriate.
In times like these many may ask “can you spare buck” as opposed to the “dime” during the depression.
Well… here’s a pound.
Pounded him! lol I’ve never said that before, quite the peaceful type ya know!
Some loon called Basil Loftus in this weeks Tablet is suggesting people stop giving to Blackfen because they don’t want the EF, so we have a duty to prove him wrong.
I’ve pounded Fr. Finnigan! I’ve also hit you with a donation, Fr Z. I have to admit I’ve wanted to pound some other priests, but not exactly in the same way…
Some loon called Basil Loftus in this weeks Tablet is suggesting people stop giving to Blackfen because they don’t want the EF …
Assuming this was in a letter, I hope there was a Tablet editor’s response pointing out that no good Catholic can properly oppose any valid form of the Roman rite.
Yep – done been pounded.
Father, this was just a plain ole fun post. Thanks!
Now, for everyone who has not done so yet, POUND FR. FINIGAN
I pounded yesterday and I have re-pounded today.
Added another £ to the cause.
Anyone: I remember seeing the price tag for the Rose Vestments, although I can’t remember where. A (very, very) quick search here, Fr. Finigan’s site, and Holy Smoke blog did not reveal a price tag. What is the target for the donations?
Another pound , as promised yesterday.
Father Z, I love your anti-spam words. So much more interesting than the usual run.
Pardon me, but I’m missing this.
I fully support Fr. Finigan in his efforts. I am unsurprised by The Tablet’s attempt to ferret out controversy over the EF.
But, I’m still looking for some one-to-one connection between Fr. Finigan’s issues with The Tablet and Fr. Z’s request for money for his friend.
Dear Matthew,
The Tablet sneered at, among other things, Fr. Finigan’s expenditure on vestments and “clerical garb”. Damian Thompson suggested an appeal (see Damian’s post) for funds for Fr Finigan to buy rose vestments for the parish. Fr. Z had a similar idea (see this post from Fr. Z.)
The appeals seem to be going rather well – see Fr. Finigan’s recent post. But please don’t let that stop people pounding. Pound away, I say.
MWI Dunn,
Part of the hit piece in The Tab was the suggestion that Fr. F was messing around with the parish finances since he’s buying fab vestments etc. and of course the idea that nobody actually supports rogue priests who want to impose actual Catholicism on their unsuspecting communities.
So all this is just grapefruit juice in the eye to The Lozenge by way of demonstrating support and making it even more ridiculous for the Tabbies to make snide little “he probably bought that chasuble with poor box money” comments.
How this isn’t obvious to anyone is beyond me. BESIDES, someone made the suggestion that since The Tab pounded Fr. Finigan first people who support him should “pound” him as well. There’s your one-to-one connection.
Not only did I gleefully pound Fr. Finigan; today I took considerable pleasure in merely thinking about pounding Fr. Finigan.
Dear Mr. Platt,
You may give money to whomever you want. I’m still not seeing how The Tablet’s sneering warrants sending Fr. Finigan money.
Boredoftheworld wrote:
How this isn’t obvious to anyone is beyond me. BESIDES, someone made the suggestion that since The Tab pounded Fr. Finigan first people who support him should “pound” him as well. There’s your one-to-one connection
Well, . . . . perhaps, because it’s not obvious. It’s no more obvious than The Tablet’s implication that by (gasp!) buying beautiful, new vestments the Good Padre was somehow remiss with the parish funds (which, by the way, according to Canon Law Fr. Finigan may use at his–hopefully, wise–discretion).
I still don’t see how The Tablet’s libel is rectified by Fr. Z’s suggestion that we send Fr. Finigan money. If Fr. Zuhlsdorf wants to raise money for his friend and “brother-priest,” then why not be candid and say: “Please, he needs money; send him money.”
As for the one-to-one connection, I guess we’ll just have to call that one “ineffable.”
Comment by Henry Edwards & Victor…..
Actually Fr Basil Loftus does not (and never has) written for The Tablet. He writes for the Catholic Times newspaper. If you’re going to Tablet-bash, at least get your facts straight.
In fact, there is an article/commentary this week by Alban McCoy (a parish priest in Kent) who has introduced the TLM as the main sunday mass at his church, and he reflects on the divisions and conflict it has been causing (similar to the Blackfen experience) and calls for greater tolerance on both sides. Perhaps you should actually read The Tablet before you denounce and defame it.
Mathew W.I.Dunn: It’s no more obvious than The Tablet’s implication that by (gasp!) buying beautiful, new vestments the Good Padre was somehow remiss with the parish funds (which, by the way, according to Canon Law Fr. Finigan may use at his—hopefully, wise—discretion).
I don’t think that was the implication of The Tablet’s article as already stated. The article pointed out that contary to Diocesean guidelines (and I think Canon Law) Fr F has not published a statement of accounts, nor is there a finance committee established as is required. Both of these things Fr F has accepted and agree to address.
Dear Agnes,
I gather Mgr. Loftus has a letter in the Tablet this week, in which – according to Fr. Mildew, he says:
Dear Matthew,
Bored and I tried to point out to you what was and is the motivation for Fr. Z – and others – setting up an appeal for Fr. Finnigan’s parish. I thought you wanted to know. But I’m afraid that now I think you were just being mischievous.
I stand corrected, I had missed his letter in The Tablet when I flipped through my copy this week. However, I don’t think you can really criticise journals over their inclusion of reader’s letters which do not need to reflect the opinion or editorial stance of the publication. I had a quick look and there seems to be a good balance of letters pro and against last weeks Blackfen article. If they didn’t publish pieces or letters reflecting a diversity of positions then it would be as boring a read as the mundane Catholic Herald!!!
Simon Platt: But I’m afraid that now I think you were just being mischievous.
I think the point is that some of us feel that Fr Zee is being a little ‘mischeevious’
Correction: Monsignor Basil Loftus
Dear Agnes Day: I said
Assuming this [the previous Msgr. Loftus quote] was in a letter, …
I gather that this assumption was, in fact, “straight”, as you suggested it ought to be. And, further, that
… I hope there was a Tablet editor’s response pointing out that no good Catholic can properly oppose any valid form of the Roman rite.
Since you evidently have a copy of the pertinent issue of The Tablet and I don’t, perhaps you will be so kind as to verify for me whether this hope was also borne out in fact.
Dear Henry,
I take slight exception to the tone of your comment which reads as rather excessively demanding and lacking in charity, although perhaps you do not mean this to be so or maybe it is my mistaken perception.
My reading of Msgr Loftus’ letter is that he doesn’t oppose the validity of the EF anywhere, although he questions the appropriateness of it being scheduled as the form of mass used on a regular basis (and more contentiously but besides the point, the use of latin as normative) for sunday parish celebrations. Since the meaning of SF is in many ways ambigious and the clarification document interpreting its implementation is still forthcoming from ED, these points are still open to debate. As such, there doesn’t appear to be anything for the editor to correct and differing viewpoints are represented in other letters printed.
I would say that the article by Fr Alban McCoy is a rather interesting read and addresses some of the dificulties encountered by re-introducing the EF within the parish context, and the paradoxical experience that such actions may not in themselves foster ‘unity’ and cohesion. I’d recommend buying a copy (or at least sneaking a read at the back of the church!).
Agnes, Tell Fr McCoy not to worry it’ll be fine, just like when the NO was implemented, those who didn’t like the change eventually left, such as myself. This time, thanks to our wonderful Pope Benedict, we have a choice. If one can’t tolerate this beautiful gesture from our Holy Father then they have a decision to make, because the Mass of the Ages is here to stay. At the time of the implementation of the NO we were like sheep, we didn’t know we could protest as we’d always been obedient, this time one can draw from the Pill on how to be disobedient. At least they’re good for something. :)
Pounded for the good Father Finigan from Blackfen.
….this time one can draw from the Pill on how to be disobedient… I forgot to add -> should the occasion arise which is something I don’t anticipate.
Dear Agnes,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful reply. I had not assumed that Msgr. Loftus questioned the validity of the EF, since that is clearly not an admissible position for any Catholic to take.
However, I believe any expression of opposition to the offering either valid form of Mass is precisely the offense against “unity and cohesion” that we are well advised to avoid.
In my own not inconsiderable experience with this issue at the parish level, the expressed opposition has always been against the EF being offered, never against the OF being offered. It is this inequality in charity that I believe writers and editors ought to discourage rather than foster.
Of course, as a practical matter, I realize that there is now, as there was in the 1960s, opposition to change in the interest of more deeply prayerful participation in the Mass by all Catholics.
However, the situation now seems much healthier, as our Holy Father realizes that diverse forms may accomodate different worshipers better, as opposed to the enforced uniformity of the 1960s that did not have the beneficial results that were anticipated by many.
Here comes another £ for Father Finigan. My contribution isn’t much but it might buy some matches to light all those glorious candles.
Another £ for Father Finigan. It’s not much but it might buy some matches to light all those glorious candles.
Sorry. Don’t know how I got in there twice. Just ignore me.
I have been trying to donate for a couple of hours but I cannot get beyond Paypal’s first window.
Is it me? I admit to being a techno dummy. Or is it some evil force trying to keep Father Finigan from his pound?
Agnes Day is repetitive, isn’t s/he? I think s/he also thinks s/he’s funny. As for ‘The Tablet’, let those who read it read it, and those who don’t, don’t. Fr McCoy is the Catholic chaplain of the University of Cambridge: an excellent pastor. He says both the extraordinary form and ordinary form with exemplary reverence.
OK I’ve pounded the hermeneutical one. Being British, I was interested to see if paypal would charge me in dollars to be converted into pounds, but actually I think not. I have already responded to Damian Thompson’s similar call to alms – but could not resist joining in the pounding. Keep on pounding away!
Added another £ to the cause.
Fr Z wrote: Slowing down, perhaps, because of the weekend?
Perhaps. I’m glad that you bumped this entry up to the top, because as of yesterday, the entry was considerably down the the page. I suspect that the falloff was due to not many people scrolling that far down the page.
Fr Finigan has a post up today, and apparently he’s under attack from a fellow ‘spirit of vii’ priest. I have just pounded Fr. F. a third time. And I’m protestant and American. Hopefully, good Catholic readers, you could outdo me…
Paypal does take a taste. An irritation, but that is the way it goes. It is better than not doing anything.
Shadrach,
I would be happy to buy a guest subscription of The Tablet for you my friend.
Yes, Fr Alban McCoy did come across as rather a nice chap.
The difficulties of course are not restricted only to the EF…
I was at our principal OF mass this morning which our very nice parish priest has changed to sung latin with full sung propers (previously sung english). I like the latin mass setting and can join in quite well but the propers sound so dreary and nobody knows them as they change each week so there’s a just a faint murmour which is quite indecipherable. All made worse since unfortunately he’s alienated the choir and musicians in the process of suddenly changing over. It’s quite sad really as before there was a full church of 300 who would raise the roof with their singing and this morning I counted only 43 in attendance although I hear many of the displaced now go to the saturday vigil mass or surrounding parishes instead. Surely there’s a middle way and we could have some hymns people could join in with until a latin choir could be established to sing th propers properly (as it were). As I say, he’s a lovely priest so giving, personable and pastoral in all other ways but ‘the latin mass’ is seen as his personal and is having quite a devastating impact (on attendance numbers, as well as the weekly collection). It’s been like this for over a year now and although numbers recovered slighly for a few months (as ‘traditionalists’ from all over north london began to come), the novelty has started to wear off and most as voting with their feet.
Agnes, if in the garden of Gethsemane Christ had determined the viability of his mission in accordance with a ballot or an attendance sheet, we would not be saved. A Latin choir will pick up the propers with practice. Give your priest your support and a chance… patience is a virtue, if you support him patiently and don’t undermine him great fruits will undoubtedly follow, if not in quantity (which is never a good measure: only 1 leper was grateful, after all), but in salvific quality. Mass is not necessarily enhanced by being jolly hockeysticks, or raising the roof with hymns – rather Protestant desiderata – rather it is enhanced by reverence. The Extraordinary Form and the Novus Ordo, said as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council, allow little in the way of departure into irreverence or amplification of soft-focus ideas of community or ‘the people’ at the expense of the sacrament. Anyway, this is not the format in which to repeat your requests for people to read The Tablet or to grouse unkindly about your priest. As for The Tablet, I have been a contributor and know it very well. ‘Personal quim’ really is an unfortunate Freudian slip.
Agnes, my dear little lamb
I know that it is only a matter of time before someone accuses you of being slightly more adventurous alias for your original “Big Bertha” troll persona – and an employee of the Tablet to boot.
I however, believe, implicitly, that you are an entirely innocent and disinterested person whose first appearance on this blog was (entirely coincidentally) a respectable time period after BB was outed (or outed herself). Rather like the Fool and Cordelia in King Lear.
Obviously you are a fan of this controversy, as you have so far not posted on any subject other than that of “The Tablet”, and its general wonderfulness.
I expect the traddie priest in North London can identify you if he reads this blog (I have a shrewd idea of his identity – and I somehow doubt that you hide your journalistic light under a bushel in the parish hall).
Anyway, dear little lamb, don’t let the rude and nasty people on this blog put you off – enjoy your medley of extemporanea.
I just gave for a third day in a row… I am going to try for nine and make a novena out of it :-)
Done.
Just gave for the third time …
Shadrach – the mass was always reverent when it was sung in english with insense and proper ceremonial etc as it was the same priest. My point was that it might have been more wise to have made a more gradual transition (or organic development if you like) rather than a sudden unexpected departure one sunday to the current arrangement. If you had read my comment properly, you would have understood than unfortunately we no longer have a choir so we’re left struggling to murmour our way through the propers without any musical support. I only suggested keeping some english hymns to aid the transition, before we also always used to sing the mass ordinary in english and the sad thing is that people generally did join in and participate well which sadly now isn’t the case with the latin propers (which are beyond the musical ability of the average parishoner). I am supportive of my priest (ie I’m still going) although the way things are going soon I wonder if I will be the only one left in the congregation. It’s got so miserable, I’m almost considering going to the uber-liberal ‘happy-clappy’ neighbouring parish with the rest of them. I would say my comments classify as constructive criticsm. I’m certainly not saying anything I haven’t said to him directly over a beer/cup of tea. Even when he relents, which he is bound to do so, it will take years maybe decades to get the old congregartion back again.
Considering that most traditionalists cite the recent decades drop in mass attendance as ‘evidence’ of the failure of VC2, I find it paradoxical that you now say it doesn’t matter when evaluatng the very devastating impact of introducing the full latin mass in my parish. Evidently, it would have been better to have keep a fair proportion of english. Finally, if this isn’t the forum for recommending journal articles on the TLM (whether in The Tablet, or not) then I don’t know where is. I think it also explains why I was interested in hearng about similar experiences in other parishes like Fr McCoy’s in Kent.
Romanian Marie – Do say hello after mass. Any chance you can start a choir for us?
Romanian Marie: You are quite wrong since I have posted many many times on topics other than The Tablet. But I have posted a few times about it on this thread because a) that is the main subject related matter; and b) I do so hate blind ignorance and people criticising things they do not read or have not experienced. It’s not unlike muslim fundamentalists who cannot even tolerate that others may legitimately have a different viewpoint to them, let alone allow them to express it. I find this witch-hunt of The Tablet as totally preposterous, which perpetuates the self-fulfilling stereotype of traditionalists having a ‘victim’ mentality. As a seminary professor, Fr F is well able to respond to The Tablet himself, without an international campaign and catholic fatwa on his behalf.
PS – I don’t work for, or have any associations with The Tablet. I am simply one of the 65,000 readers and have always thought the cotents to be of a much higher intellectual calibre than the mostly sentimental non-analytic drivel contained in the other catholic papers. I do not actually agree with everything in it but at least it makes me think and reflect on the issues.
Agnes Day, would you mind telling us which parish you go to?
Agnes – > I am simply one of the 65,000 readers.”
Circulation currently stands at 23,636 based on Audit Bureau of Circulation figures for January to June 2007.
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/page/advertising
They actually increased sales by 2/3rds in less than two years?
Agnes -> It’s got so miserable, I’m almost considering going to the uber-liberal ‘happy-clappy’ neighbouring parish with the rest of them.
At the risk of their lives, my great-grandparents, their neighbors and their priests, had to attend Mass in secret, as their parents before them. They would meet at a predesignated place in the remote countryside, at a rock they could hide behind, with a posted sentry on watch. Many were martyred especially the priests. There was obviously no choir but there was something more precious that made them risk life and limb.
Why feel so miserable? Yes, I think you should go for the happy clappy.
shadrach -> “Fr McCoy is the Catholic chaplain of the University of Cambridge: an excellent pastor. He says both the extraordinary form and ordinary form with exemplary reverence.”
Thanks for the information shadrach. I got the impression he was having a problem with celebrating the EF.
Done. 3rd time. Yesterday I did give FrZ a little for bird seed.
Rose – Why do you want to know? Sorry, I don’t think it would be appropriate to name my parish I have already said it’s in north london and having said that is probably too much information. Although if people want to ‘pound’ our parish priest then I think he would appreciate it as currently we are having difficulty paying the water rates since the congregation have plummeted.
Aine, The Tablet’s circulation is 25,000 but the international readership is c.65,000 (confimed by ABC); ie more than one person reads each copy (similar to how people visit more than one page on this blog each day thus artificially inflating the readership figures). Yes my descendents also risked their lives to attend mass rocks etc but as we live in 2009 and I have a catholic church at the end of my road, I can’t see what that’s got to do with anything. Perhaps you are suggesting I attend the SSPX chapel in Kentish Town nearby?
No, Fr McCoy is not having trouble celebrating the TLM, if you read The Tablet you would know that he has written an article reflecting on the divisions its introduction has caused within his parish (as I previously have clearly stated already). Please try to keep up!
Thank you Aine, I had a look at the link you provided. I wasn’t aware that they’d increased the circulation by 66% in less than two years. I can identify with their description of an average Tablet reader:
”Founded in 1840, The Tablet is one of the most respected and authoritative of the UK weekly press. Circulation currently stands at 23,636 based on Audit Bureau of Circulation figures for January to June 2007. The paper version of The Tablet is distributed in over 120 countries around the world and enjoys a very loyal readership, 82% of whom subscribe to The Tablet.
Our readership surveys show that our readers enjoy an above average income and are very interested in education, human rights, travel and books. They are very generous with both their time and money, responding generously to charitable appeals.
Throughout the year, The Tablet publishes a number of Special Issues that are especially popular.”
Let’s get back to the point of this blog. Here’s comes another pound.
I would suggest that anyone wanting the current audited figures for The Tablet goes to ABC website. If you dig aroung in the archive, there are links to it. Latest figures (2008) show a dramatic drop in circulation. Of course a “typical reader” who is exposed to the “intellectual calibre” of the contents of The Tablet would be able to find the link for herself. She might also be aware that Cambridge is not in Kent.
. . . the sustained pounding continues from the Land Down Under :-)
Done. Day 5. This makes me feel better. Thank you,Father.
therese b, thanks for the suggestion, I went to the website and looked.
For those who are lazy, try here: http://abcpdfcerts.abc.org.uk/pdf/certificates/15725183.pdf
Agnes, the ABC only audits circulation, not readership. It’s impossible to audit readership because it’s so nebulous. You’re only guessing. Readership is an estimate. So let’s stick with the circulation numbers.
Oops! I just donated and realized it’s over. Oh well. Have a round at the pub on me.