Was She Drunk When She Said It?

From Damien Thompson:

At last – a proper row at the Lambeth Conference, something to rival the Nigerian prelate who tried to exorcise a gay clergyman at Lambeth '98. The Rt Rev Catherine Roskam, Suffragan Bishop of New York, reckons that some of the bishops present probably beat their wives. Evangelicals are furious, liberals embarrassed. (Full Story)

Introducing the Official Sponsor of the Lambeth Conference.

Waugh on the Sun and on Proles

Well, in response to the news that the Royal Opera House was going to try and bring opera to the masses by giving Sun 'readers' the opportunity to buy cut price tickets (see here for more), Paul Burgin warned,

... cue the patronising comments about Sun readers, plus comments about where some people can stuff their Opera as well!

In association with the late, great Auberon Waugh, I am happy to oblige him. Here is what Waugh once said about an attack on the ROH by the sleazy, stuffaway Sun,

The Sun's motives in whipping up hatred against an imaginary 'elite' of educated cultivated people are clear enough: 'Up your Arias!' it shouted on Saturday in its diatribe against funding which put 'rich bums on opera-house seats.' If ever the Sun's readers lift their snouts from their newspaper's hideous, half-naked women to glimpse the sublme through music, opera, the pictorial and plastic arts or literature, then they will never look at the Sun again. It is the Sun's function to keep its readers ignorant and smug in their own unpleasant, hypocritical, proletarian culture.

These wise words come courtesy of Fathers and Sons, Alexander Waugh's biography of his family, which I have just started reading.

St. James, Spanish Place

To St. James church at Spanish Place this morning for the 9:30 Old Rite Mass. Not only did I remember my old missal but I was more or less successful in following the Latin - except that, Latin, being such a lovely language, I followed it instead of the English translation, which rather defeated the object of the exercise. The only mitigating factor here is that over time and with repeated use you get familiar with key words so you know what is being said, anyway.

The priest who said Mass had a loud voice, so was not wholly what I expected for this form of the Mass. He preached an excellent sermon - on how we should preach the gospel in all we do and say - and ended it by saying 'who is going to do it if not you wonderful people?' with a splendid twinkle in his eye.

Diocese of Westminster First Podcast

I have been listening to the Diocese of Westminster's first podcast. If you follow the link, you'll find three features, one on being an airport chaplain, another on the Year of St Paul and a third given by my very own parish curate, Fr Schofield of the Roman Miscellany, on the 1908 Eucharistic Congress which was held in London.

The music is wonderfully dull and the presenter earnest and well meaning, even if he insists upon referring to the Roman Catholic Church at the beginning of the podcast. His other big moment is to refer to the "rich and sometimes difficult history of Catholicism in Britian."!!

Fr. Nicholas is, of course, very interesting. He may not think so, but he has a great radio voice. As for the 1908 Eucharistic Conference - the Catholic Church has, thankfully, come a long way since then. In 1908, the Prime Minister wanted to ban the Eucharistic procession from the streets of the capital and there were fears that a visiting cardinal might be arrested as soon as he stepped onto English soil. Oh, and there is an amusing story about how, when the foundations of Westminster Cathedral were being dug, some people thought that that is where the dungeons would be!

The pocast is about twenty minutes long: far too short. All the subjects could have been given more time. By the way, the above photograph comes from Idle Speculations, which also contains a very useful account of what happened that year. Read it here.

CXVIIL

Hadrian, Emperor of Rome

John Virgo, snooker player

Moonraker - Ian Fleming

Moonraker is the third and best yet of Ian Fleming's James Bond books that it has been my pleasure to read. Understanding why, however, is not so easy as it has none of the glamour of the film version. For example, the story takes place entirely in 50s South East England in a Gentleman's Club in London, along a few country A roads and at a rocket factory. There is some flashy violence but no easy sex. It works though because in actual fact when you have a writer who can make card games exciting, you really don't need glamorous locations and easy sex.

I mentioned in my review of Wall E that I almost missed the film because Moonraker was so engrossing. The chapters that I was reading were "Cards With A Stranger" and "The Quickness of the Hand" in which Bond plays bridge with the novel's villain, Hugo Drax. We know what is going to happen because Fleming describes how Bond finds out the methods that Drax employs to cheat at the game and shows him setting up a method of cheating for himself. We then see him execute the manoeuvre perfectly. The tension comes from the freely available alcohol (Bond manages to drink two bottles of champagne during the game!), the realisation in other characters that Drax is doomed but mainly the nail biting possibility that Bond's cheat could be foiled. James Bond is not Superman - he does not always get his plans right, sometimes to disastrous results.

Moonraker begins in the gentleman's club where Bond beats Drax at bridge. The chairman of the club is a friend of M's and has told the head of MI6 (the Service, as it is usually called) of his fear that Drax is cheating. You might not think that this is a major issue, but in the book, it certainly is. If Drax is caught cheating, he will be kicked out of the club. This will cause a scandal within the club but, more pertinently, in the press. Drax's reputation could be ruined. And if it is ruined, then so will the development of Moonraker - an atomic rocket - which is at the forefront of Britain's Cold War defences. That can't be allowed to happen. Thus, M asks Bond - the Service's best card player - to teach Drax a lesson at the card table by cheating to warn him off cheating in the future.

Once this has been done, Bond should be able to resume the peaceful (or boring) existence that his missions punctuate. But a policeman who is engaged to work at Drax's rocket factory is murdered and Bond is sent to investigate. At the factory, he meets scientists with dodgy moustaches and his Girl - Gala Brand.

As for Hugo Drax, well, publicly, he is a hero - the development of the Moonraker is being paid for by him on behalf of the state. But a man who cheats at cards really cannot be trusted and, you will not be surprised to hear, Drax turns out to be a bad egg. In fact, he is a Nazi bent on the destruction of London.

As ever with James Bond books, the action is fast paced and characterisation subservient to the plot. With that said, unlike the films, the book does delve a little into Bond's background. For example, at the start of the novel, we see Bond engaged in a shooting competition with one of the other members of staff at the office. In the other books we occasionally see Bond at home and even his housemaid - May. I cannot recommend Moonraker highly enough. It is as good as Casino Royale and, thanks to the aforementioned chapters, is now better.

• While looking for a picture of the Moonraker book on the internet, I came across a blog called Stainless Steel Droppings, written by a self confessed sci-fi g/fantasy/video game geek. Anyway, like me, the author is - or was - on a mission to read all the Bond books. Unfortunately, he took umbrage at Fleming's 'racism' in Live and Let Die (e.g. in his use of the word 'nigger'). The anonymous blogger's review of the book and his thoughts about the racism issue are well worth a read. You can find both here.

He's Counting I, II, III...

Hmm indeed.

Fr. Z.

The Count

But for a real bit of creepiness, read this interview with the SSPX/FSPX/They Who Love The Pope Even Though They Do Not Obey Him/Schismatic Lefbevrist Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais at Fr. Zuhlsdorf's blog.

The BBC On World Youth Day

Fr Finigan rails against the BBC's biassed reporting of World Youth Day. The Church is alive, the Church is young? No,

Viewers relying on the BBC to find out what is happening in the world would gain the impression that the World Youth Day was an act of a defensive and beleagured religious leader rather than a joyful celebration of youthful faith and Christian hope.

I listened to the Radio 5 Live Breakfast programme this morning and heard a report from Sydney. The reporter started off by highlighting the fact that the Pope pronounced desert as dessert. "But it would be churlish of me to comment further as the Pope's English is better than my German." Well, I thought to myself, that's very big of you to say so, but if you really meant it, why did you comment on the Pope's pronunciation in the first place?

The report continued. Reference was made to the size of the gathering and the impact it was having on Sydney which, alas, had made it difficult for the reporter - locally based - to walk his dog in the park. The poor dear. But hey, Sydney could cope, we were told, just like she did during the Olympics in 2000. Hurrah!

As if that wasn't enough, the report that came straight after World Youth Day made me smile wryly. Sue Jones-Davis played Judith Iscariot in The Life of Brian. She has just become mayoress of Aberystwyth in Wales and has discovered that a ban imposed on The Life of Brian when it was released in 1979 remains in force. Not surprisingly, she wants it removed.

I have no objection to the Breakfast programme's report on the ban. The Life of Brian should not have been banned in 1979 let alone be subject to one now. It is right for the matter to be highlighted. What I do query is the wisdom of this report directly after a supposedly serious religious report. It is almost, almost, as if the producer of the Breakfast programme wanted to undermine the seriousness of the World Youth Day report - a process already begun, one might say, with the Australian journalist's report.

Worth reading is BBC On-Line's report on the final Mass. I have one or two quibbles with it (World Youth Day did not attract the 500,000 pilgrims that the 'organisers' hoped for but we are not told how many were there), but it gives good space to the Pope's message, the reaction of one pilgrim and a positive interpretation of the event by another BBC journalist. Read it here.

Cheese!

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com
Biretta Tip to Catholic Fire

The pictures are not wholly accurate: Algeezer has a bit more hair (a bit!), I am pretending that the ball is a rugby ball, though I fear it is an American Football ball instead. Berry should, of course, be sleeping or eating. Ezair is only holding a golf club in order to evoke Bertie's name!

Animalia

What is this leopard holding? What has he just killed? Visit the Daily Telegraph website to find out. When you do, you will find that on a scale of One to Hard, this leopard exceeds the scale. I was scared just looking at the photos.

Wall E

On Friday after work I took myself to the cinema to see Wall E. As I mentioned previously, the robot hero at the centre of this film has been compared to Chaplin's Tramp, so I wanted to see for myself how well the resemblance stood up. The decision to go was very last minute. In fact, it was only made on Friday lunchtime when, as I read a review of the film at the Daily Telegraph's website which compared one scene in the picture to another in The English Patient. Well. loving that film as much as I do, I had to see Wall E now.

However, I almost never made it; due to the start time of the film, I had time to pop into the pub for a quick pint. Being on my own, I opened up my copy of Moonraker - the third book in Ian Fleming's series of James Bond novels - which I had just started and proceeded to read... and read... and read. The book was so engrossing that I stayed for another pint and an extra hour in the pub.

Fifteen minutes into Wall E, I began wishing I had stayed even longer and stuck with Moonraker. The opening of the film was not at all satisfying. Typical cutesy, American animation, made even worse because of the limitations of portraying a variety of emotions with a robot. However, the film did get better and by the end, I can say that I came out thinking positively of it.

Wall E is about a robot waste disposal unit (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class, of course) which is programmed to clean up the almighty mess that Mankind has made on earth. It is 700 years since Man went into space to find another planet to pollute and such is the mess that Wall E looks like he has just started his work. Earth (or, at least, east coast America) is literally covered in rubbish. A key plot point is the discovery of a plant, but Wall E's best friend at the start of the picture is a cockroach, so presumably there must have been organic matter somewhere for it to feed on?

In my opinion, the comparison of Wall E to both The English Patient and the Tramp is slight. Yes, Wall E is lonely and in need of love - just like the Tramp - but that is where the comparison ends. He has none of the the Tramp's poignancy or really his dignity. At least Wall E has a job, which is more than the Tramp ever had. And, after about ten minutes, he acquires a girlfriend as well. Well, kind of. EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), sent to Earth by Mankind to see if the planet has become habitable again) does not immediately fall in love with him. That takes the course of the film to happen. When it does, nothing will part them - a deviation from what always happened to the Tramp. As for the English Patient connection, well, I suppose the way in which Wall E lead EVE back to his home did evoke Kip's light trail for Hanna, but only in a rather clumsy manner.

The strength's of Wall E were in the quality of its animation which, to my eyes, was faultless. I shall always like hand drawn animation more, but, if I am to watch computer generated images on a big screen, I hope it is of Wall E quality. The delicacy of the story is also to be commended. I said above that the film was typical American cutesyness. But, to give it its due, Wall E did not make any attempt to drown you in syrup. Perhaps the reason for this is the attention that the story paid to the role of the human beings.

We find Mankind on a ship (interestingly named the Axiom). After so many years, he has grown so obese that he now sits on hovering chairs, which look rather like rocking chairs. Certainly, Man is now reduced to a baby like status insofar as the ship's computers take care of all his needs for him.

When Wall E and EVE arrive on the ship with the plant, great excitement ensues as the captain realises that they may now be able to return to earth. Of course, it is not quite that easy. At this point, the film becomes more like an chase / adventure flick and it is this that prevents the film from becoming a treacly romantic tale.

Two things I really liked about the film were the idea of the obesity of Men and the way in which not only are they transported about on chairs, but are done so according to paths laid out on the floor of the spaceship. Technology really has pulled a blinder on Mankind in this film. The nods to other films was also appreciated. There was an obvious nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey but perhaps also to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (the mad robots - underused).

Well, I have written so many words but I really don't think I have done Wall E complete justice. However, I shall conclude by saying that it was good entertainment. On the whole, I enjoyed it, and, judging by the noise from around me during the film, so did the younger members of the audience. If you like animation and do not break out in a rash at the idea of seeing Disney films, you probably will too. A particular well done to the animators and writers of this picture.

Berrydict Gets Ready for World Moggie Day

These were busy times in the life of Berrydict the Papal Cat. His favourite theologian, John Henry Newcat was about to be exhumed ahead of his beatification and the Vatican was abuzz with talk of the Anglicats who were having a very serious fight over the issue of female vicats. And then there was the matter of the World Moggie Day in Sydney, Australia. Thousands and thousands of cats were travelling to the other side of the world to caterwaul, sleep and maybe even pray together in that mysterious cat-like way that looks suspiciously like sleeping to humans, but isn't.

At first, Berrydict doubted the existence of anywhere on the other side of the world. All those chances to look at the maps in the Vatican library - but he preferred to join the Felix Food Run in the Largo di Torre Argentina. So, Monsignor Catswein took Berrydict aside and showed him where Australia was on an old Renaissance period globe. "Australia is a very interesting country," the monsignor said, "they play cricket there."
"They use animals for games? That is very uncivilised."
"No, no," Monsignor Catswein said, "it is not like that. One man throws a ball at another - the batsman. He - the batsman, that is - bats the ball away to stop it from hitting his stumps. If he is unlucky, someone will catch it. If he has hit it well, it will go across the boundary of the pitch for six runs. If it does, the umpire will raise his paws like this." Monsignor Catswein raised his front legs together in what appeared to Berrydict to be a very comical gesture.
"Hm! That sounds like baseball," Berrydict replied, vaguely remembering seeing the game during his trip to America last October.
"Ah, but games of cricket last five days. You could have a complete nap and it would still not be finished! Imagine!" Berrydict did. It made him tired. He fell asleep thinking Australia was a most civilised country, after all.

Berrydict's flight to Sydney was many hours long. Of course, he slept through it, only waking up when he joined his owner at the Opus Dei study centre in a place called Kenthurst.
"Look, Berrydict," his owner said, upon his arrival, "they have a library, here!" Berrydict went up to the nearest book and rubbed the spine of it along his mouth. It was an old book with a thick spine. Just as Berrydict liked them. Perhaps it even belonged to St. Jose Maria Escatva, once. He was not a cat to waste time on paperbacks. Another feline not to waste time was Catinal Pell. He unnerved Berrydict a little. Once, they had spent the evening at the old Vatican observatory at Castel Gandolfo. "Do you think there are any cats living on other planets?" Berrydict asked.
"I have no idea!" boomed Catinal Pell, "But if there are, we must find them and preach the gospel to them!"
"But what if they are not fallen?" Catinal Pell fixed Berrydict with that fierce stare of his that must have cowed a million heracats. Berrydict still wondered though, as he stared up into the starry sky and he miaowed involuntarily.

Index of Berrydict stories

Who is Berrydict?

The Robot and the Tramp

Ever since I saw Richard Attenborough's film Chaplin I have loved the comedies of the man himself. Earlier today, while reading a blog (the name of which I have, unfortunately, forgotten), I read a review of the newly released film Wall E. Films about cute robots - wasn't that done in the eighties? Anyway, I had heard of the picture already and thought no more of it; not my thing. However, the blog I was reading suggested that Wall E bears some resemblance to the Tramp. Here is the latter being clever.

Can anyone tell me how he never falls over the edge?!
And here he is being just plain funny.

A Cool Night Out

Last Saturday, the FamilieHomme, Arathorn, Ezair, Bertie and me decamped to Kenwood House, at the top of Hampstead Heath for a night of stirring classical music. We heard Gershwin's Rhaposdy in Blue, the overture to The Magic Flute, and the 1812 symphony. Fortunately, the weather held, so there was no need for the Water Song. Here is a montage of photos, stolen from Ezair's blog. Ezair is, by the way, SisterHevs. She has now morphed into Ezair as in a few weeks she is going to live in (the French island of) Guadalupe for a year and that is how they will pronounce her name.

The photo in the top right corner may require some explaing. That was me doing my impression of a hoodie. Perhaps I should have left it without explanation. The photograph in the bottom left corner is an example of our picnic. Mmmmm! Thank you to Ezair for making the meal! As for the middle row of photos, one can only apologise for the cheesy faces therein! Especially the dude wearing the multi coloured top!

Here are some more photos - from Arathorn's blog. Cheesy faces and arty views of the sky.
More pics are available to see on Arathorn and Ezair's blogs!

Italy Undiminished

Checking my Facebook account this evening, I found that a Facebook Friend has joined a group called "Italy 1943 ... 2008: Fascist Past, Fascist Present". It's raison d'etre is as follows:

Italy has a short memory. 65 years after Romani were marked for extermination, Berlusconi and his friends in the Northern League are once again marking Romani out for 'special treatment'. These are not the actions of a civilised nation.

Hit Berlusconi where it hurts. Expel Italy from the EU and demand reimbursement of EU largesse.

No more violence. No more fire-bombings. We're with the 'immigranti' ... or as they are more properly known *human beings*.

"You start like this then you move on to the exclusion from schools, separated classes and widespread discrimination" - Amos Luzzatto, Union of Jewish Communities in Italy

As an Italiophile I find this group offensive and absurd. Anyone who knows anything about the country knows that it is not fascist. Its politics and people are much too diverse for that*. The idea of a group to oppose the reprehensible ideas of Berlusconi's Government (See BBC On-Line here) is a good one, but it really is not good enough to tar the whole country with the same brush and propose such ridiculous measures against the country in consequence.

* Speaking of which, L. and I were discussing the other day how Italian fascism was not the same as German fascism, anyway, e.g. Mussolini's early toleration of the Jews. (According to Wikipedia, anti-Jewish laws did not come into effect until 1938

Robinson's Crusade

BBC On-Line quotes from Bishop Gene Robinson's sermon at St. Mary's Church of England church in Putney, South London, this afternoon, The bishop said,

"This discussion of homosexuality we are having in the Church is not so significant because of what it says about homosexuality, but of what it says about God. When someone stands up and says homosexuality is an abomination, does that make you want to get to know God?"

Bishop Robinson emphasised that the congregation should reject fear. He said: "I think God wants us to be bold, I think God wants us to take risks, I don't think God wants us to be afraid."

"You know, whatever you think makes you unworthy, I don't think God wants to hear it any more... All you have to do is turn up and open up your heart."

Labour party minister minister Ben Bradshaw, who was in the church, is said to have described the sermon as 'excellent' and 'inspirational'. Was he speaking as a gay rights campaigner or as a Christian? It could only have been as the former, for what Robinson said bore no relation to 2,000 years of Christian belief.

If BBC On-Line has quoted Robinson accurately, he may be said to have removed the concept - and, therefore, the reality - of sin. Don't criticise, he says, be adventurous with yourself; when you go to church, tell God about it. No need to say sorry if you think you did anything wrong though, He isn't interested in that.

It should self evident from the above that whatever Gene Robinson preached today, it was not the gospel. Remember this passage?

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
(1 John)

I'm afraid I do not have much to add to the debate about the Anglican Communion's acceptance of homosexual clergy (or priestesses and bishops for that matter), but I do find myself incredulous that a man of the rank of bishop, for all his faults, can believe such untruths as Robinson does, let alone feel comfortable to preach them to the world. Shame on him and on the congregation which applauded him. Well done to the man who heckled Bishop Robinson. He was closer to the gospel today.

***

Another disagreeable aspect of Gene Robinson's sermon was his suggestion that Anglicans were wrong to be talking so much about homosexuality because there were worse problems in the world to be dealing with. Well, he could have helped matters by refusing ordination as a bishop, of course, but that is by-the-by; what I object to is the idea that the content of a discussion should be defined according to external influences. Especially when that discussion relates to matters of the soul. Robinson's view that it should be is utilitarian but more than that, authoritarian. How very liberal.

A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh

I have just finished reading A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. The story is a simple one - Tony Last is married to Brenda with whom he has a son, John Andrew. They live in a stately house and, despite not having as much money as they would like, he is a happy and contented man.

Unfortunately, Brenda starts an affair with a nobody called John Beaver. Then, John Andrew is killed in a freak riding accident. Finally, Brenda informs Tony that she wants to divorce him; as is common these days, she also wants to relieve him of a large amount of his money. Refusing to let her do so, Tony takes off himself - to the Amazon jungle where he (presumably - we aren't told) is forced to end his days reading the works of Dickens to a madman.

Of Waugh's bitter comedies, I have now read Decline and Fall, Scoop, Black Mischief and Vile Bodies. What seems to separate this one from them is that the comedy in Dust is very much subservient to the bitterness. There is nothing to laugh about Brenda's callousness (upon being told of the death of her son, she wails - but her tears are of relief because she thought she was about to be told that John Beaver had died) and precious little about Tony's fate. He might have well been buried alive. There is light relief to be found in the novel, but it comes and goes as quickly and ephemerally as a light breeze.

Good Value All Round

On Thursday, Fr. Nicholas and I visited the Huong Viet restaurant in Dalston. This was the first time I had eaten Vietnamese food and I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. Alas, the great big photograph of Tony Blair and the restaurant's owners that hung on the wall turned my stomach slightly, but not enough to put me off my food-!

Earlier in the evening, Fr. Nicholas told me about the link between his family and the Chesterbelloc - a most envious tale! - and St Lucius, a third century English king hitherto regarded as being a King Arthur-esque figure but who one author believes may well have been real and who received baptism into the Catholic Church two or three centuries before the arrival of Augustine and his colleagues. Looking at Fr. Nicholas' blog, I see he has posted on both his family and Lucius so encourage you to visit him and learn the full story there.

Back to Thursday, Fr. Nicholas mentioned that Kingsland High Road was (or may have been?) a Roman Road. Unfortunately, I can't remember the great names of old who could have passed along it, but perhaps Hadrian did so on his way to the wall. Speaking of Hadrianus, the British Museum has an exhibition on him opening soon. Everyone should go to it, of course, but in case you can't, don't worry - I expect to mention it again!

One last thing - if you live in London, Fr. Nicholas told me that there is a bookshop opposite it that sells every book (hardbacks and all) for £2!! Guess where I will be today.

Book Corner

Last weekend, I mentioned that I had bought a copy of Joseph Pearce's The Quest for Shakespeare and Poetry of Roy Campbell, which he (Pearce, that is) edited.

I read The Quest over the weekend. If you are interested in the possibility (or, as it seems to me, probability) that William Shakespeare was a Catholic, then this is an excellent book to read. It is not the first to make the claim, so few of the arguments that Pearce uses were totally unfamiliar to me; however, I still recommend it as it was very well written both in terms of presentation and analysis.

Be warned, however, Pearce likes his Chestertonian turns of phrase! I never ended up reading the book back to front while standing on my head, but they did make me blink once or twice. The strength of the book is its honesty. Writing as a Catholic, one would expect Pearce to spin the Shakespeare Was A Catholic line for all he could, but he doesn't. Where there is not enough information, he says so.

The Quest very much concentrates on Shakespeare the man. As a result of this, there are relatively few quotations from his plays. In fact, you have to wait until the appendices before Pearce looks at the Catholic background to one of them (King Lear). In the introduction, Pearce indicates that a second volume will focus on the Catholicism of Shakespeare's plays. Such a volume is wholly necessary so I look forward to it.

***
I have dipped in and out of the Poems of Roy Campbell. I don't read poetry very often, but when I do, I like to read it out loud if possible - better to get the full flavour of the poem. My initial impression of Campbell's is that they are quite masculine and aggressive. The words are hard, (some of) the lines, long. You can't dance over the words, they have to be marched through. I am enjoying the poems very much.

***
The Venetian Betrayal is a new Da Vinci Code type thriller by American author Steve Berry. I am not going to order you to buy it but when I say that the tomb of Alexander the Great features in it, you will understand why I rushed into the bookshop yesterday to do so! The day started so ordinarily - me on the way to work listening to the Radio 5 Book Review. They got going on The Venetian Betrayal (which the first reviewer absolutely slated) but when those three magic words were mentioned I diverted into Borders. Luckily, it is just down the road from my office so not much time was lost.

Regarding the bad review, the reviewer's main objection appeared to be that The Venetian Betrayal was a Da Vinci Code clone. Fair enough, but it features Megas Alexandros, which must count for something. We'll see.

• Here is Steve Berry's website.

Oremus at Westminster Cathedral

In his perennial quest to bad mouth the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, Damian Thompson has overlooked the fact that the July/August edition of Oremus - the Westminster Cathedral magazine - has not only mentioned the Gregorian Mass celebrated there by Cardinal Hoyos a few weeks ago, but given it a two page photo spread. Just like Hello! Or maybe that should be Ave!

One complaint about it though - ten photographs are printed in the spread and all but one of them bears the name of the copyright holder. Of course the photographer should be credited, but is it really necessary to print their name in every picture?

Failproof

My brother put me onto Failblog.org, which is a website dedicated to amusing photographs bearing the legend "Fail!". Here is an example

The website is great to dip into. Be warned though, some of the photos and humour can be a little fruity (think Fark).

Food For Thought

Gordon Brown demands that we stop wasting food. Of course, food should not be wasted, but as Gilraen pointed out to me today, not so long ago weren't politicians worrying about Britons becoming obese?

For Brown's sake, I hope he follows through his advice. Just as the press started digging into the private lives of Conservative MPs following John Major's 'Back to Basics' campaign in the early nineties, what's the betting that Labour MPs will soon be pulled up on their food usage before too long? In fact, it has already started, with Nick Robinson in the lunch time news report commenting that at the G8 conference in Japan (held against a backdrop of rising international food prices) the Prime Minister will shortly be attending a, er, banquet.

Seconds and thirds all round!

The Left, Right & A Muddle In the Middle

On Breakfast TV this morning, an author was talking about her new book which is set in post-Franco Spain. During the conversation, she made the comment that 'the wrong side won' the Spanish civil war. Now, allowing for the fact that Franco was a fascist, I am not sure that calling the Republicans (i.e. communists) the right side was a good idea. How did this mistake happen?

I don't know, but it is a funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) thing how despite all the knowledge we have about the evil nature of communism and communist regimes in the east, it is still socially acceptable to wear t-shirts bearing the legend CCCP or to vote communist. How has this happened? I suppose the influence of the Left in the arts, media and politics has had a lot to do with it.

I suspect that that same influence has lead to the, as far as I can make out, quite untrue claim - for example, at union demonstrations - that the British National Party is fascist. Fascism as I understand is exemplified by the policies of the Nazi party. The BNP may be racist (and I think that it is), but I see no evidence - for example, in the mission statement on its website - of fascism. Perhaps my definition of what is fascism is behind the times, but I don't think so.

Why is the BNP so inaccurately described and communism acceptable? As for the BNP, the beliefs of some of its members, its reprehensible attitude towards immigration and evolution from the even more right wing National Front gives its opponents the licence they need to make inaccurate as well as accurate claims against it. And communism - I can only imagine that it is because we have not had to suffer it in power in Britain that gives people the excuse to believe that it could work.

***

The Spectator blog reports that if Gordon Brown loses the Glasgow East election, the Labour Party will 'move to get rid of him'. If it does, a general election will surely have to follow: to replace the prime minister once during a parliament is just about acceptable, to do so twice without going to the electorate would seem to hold democracy in contempt. But this puts Labour in a terrible bind, because if they do go to polls now, the opinion polls are showing that they will be trashed.

Of course, to the Labour supporter, the bind may not seem so tight as the next election doesn't legally have to be held until 2010. To remove Brown and not have an election would therefore seem to them like possibly bad form, but not actually wrong. And if they wait till 2010, that will bring them to the point where (as I heard the other day) the economy should begin to recover.

However, as I recall, the economy in 1997 was doing quite alright. The Conservatives were defeated at the election because the electorate had simply had enough of them. Whether or not Labour keep Brown, maybe this is what will happen to it.

***

Schadenfreude is not really the kind of thing that a Christian should indulge in, but I am tempted to make an exception in the case of Hazel Blears. Commenting on the resignation of London Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis (who, I should add, has been treated very badly by Boris Johnson's decision not to hold an inquiry into the allegations made against him) the Communities Secretary said that the Conservative administration in London was in 'complete disarray'. She would know, for according to the Telegraph yesterday, in Glasgow East-

... the [Labour] constituency party was forced to resort to its fifth choice candidate after four senior party members refused the Prime Minister's personal pleas to stand.

Margaret Curran, a local MSP, has been parachuted in but has indicated that she has no plans to resign her Scottish Parliament seat and will be a part-time MP.

Hoots!

Charles Wheeler (1923 - 2008)

A few days ago, the BBC's longest running reporter Charles Wheeler died. I remember him from Presidential elections in the 80s. He had a grave face and a wonderful accent. Nowadays, it would be called 'posh' but it is a shame that it is so marginalised. Instead, the BBC inflicts the ears of her viewers with ghastly estuary English accents. Thank heavens for small mercies though - at least the fellow with the awful Geordie accent who does the voice over for Big Brother hasn't been given a job.

Anyway, the Daily Telegraph's Brassneck blog has a nice 'enconium' on Wheeler (here) and links to a super little video montage of his greatest moments, which you can see on BBC On-Line here. Charles Wheeler - Requiescat in Pace.

The G8 in Japan

I have just discoverd the Catholic Fire blog. Yesterday, C.F. quoted Dorothy Day who, in her book The Long Loneliness said,

“I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.”

This morning, as I watched Andrew Marr's politics programme, I got to see an example of Dorothy Day's words. One of the guests being interviewed was the actor Bill Nighy (well known for his roles as the washed up rock star in Love, Actually and cynical Government minister in The Constant Gardener) who is in Japan to raise awareness of the commitments made by the G8 to increase aid to Africa at their 2005 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.

You may have thought that there would be no need for Nighy or anyone else to be harping on about those promises, after all, surely a country that makes a promise to do something would actually do it. Welllll, no. Not quite. Or, as in this case, not at all. Hence, Nighy's Japanese excursion. He has a tough time ahead of him though for it appears that the G8 - the eight richest countries in the world - will cite the current economic downturn as their excuse not to see their promise through. All rather sad and pathetic.

Joseph Pearce Owes Me Money

Today is Gilraen's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM! So off I went to buy a birthday card to go with the present. My journey took me to Westminster Cathedral via this year's Gay Exhibitionism Parade. It is known to those who take part as 'Pride'. Well, it certainly wasn't humble. Anyway, it was C. S. Lewis who said that a man who wished to remain a sound atheist had to be careful of his reading. To which I should add, a dúnadan who wishes not to spend money should be careful which shops he enters.

Upon reaching the Cathedral plaza, I entered the CTS Bookshop. As it turned out, it had no birthday cards, but I did find a edition of Selected Poems by Roy Campbell edited by Joseph Pearce. Pearce's name ought to be known to all Catholic readers for his biographies of Belloc, Chesterton, famous Catholic converts as well as St. Austin's Review. Almost two years ago, I wrote a post about Campbell. Ever since then, I have wanted to read some of his poetry, so, out of the shelf and into my hand the boook went. However, I then saw a copy of Helena by Evelyn Waugh... but I resisted. I still have A Handful of Dust to read. Helena can wait. I should have left there and then, but unwisely, I took a look at the new books. Lo and behold, one of them was The Quest for Shakespeare by - Joseph Pearce. Dang! As the characters in Larson's Far Side used to say. Not only is the book by an author I know and trust but it is about that most beguiling of topics. So, I took it. Mr Pearce now owes me £20 (I have rounded the figure down for him).

I look forward to reading The Quest. In fact, once I have uploaded this post, it is what I will be doing with a glass of Gallo Shiraz in hand. Actually, I started reading it on the bus home. I have to say that I find it very sad to see an Englishman using American spellings. I don't care if his publisher is American, they must in their hearts feel and know it to be wrong. Anyway, I'm sure I will get over it.

In the meantime, I purchased my card for Gilraen in St. Paul's bookshop next to the Cathedral. Most unusually, the card I picked was the first I looked at. It was handmade with a picture of a star on the front and a Biblical verse underneath. The company which made it is called Yours Truly and if I knew its website, I would post it here. It was beautiful.

As for Joseph Pearce. My head hopes he will stop writing books for a while while my heart can't wait for the next opus!

Evelyn Waugh A Biography - Selena Hastings

I have finished reading my biography of Evelyn Waugh. Well, I say 'my' biography, but I mean that in the loosest sense as I neither wrote it (Selena Hastings did) or own it (The Venerable Bede does).

Thank you to Bede for the loan! Waugh's story is a rather bittersweet one. He never really got over the love of drink and foul temperedness that dogged his life. I think part of him probably didn't want to.

This does not mean that we should avoid him, however; quite the opposite. Having read this book, I am beginning to think that we fool ourselves when we read lives of the Saints. We see these stories of good people leading good lives and we think to ourselves 'that's how it is with Christians'. But as Evelyn Waugh shows, it isn't (at least, not always). The 'demons' do not go away and even after a lifetime we can still be saddled with them. But the value of Evelyn Waugh's example is that despite this, despite this, we still have access to the life of grace.

Waugh suffered greatly in his life, especially at the end when the reforms of Vatican II took hold, but the fact that he died on Easter Day seems very appropriate and in a way a reward for the man who remained loyal through very thick and thin to his Lord.

Prince Caspian

A couple of nights ago, I went to see Prince Caspian. I hadn't enjoyed The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe enough to look forward to the second film but eventually the name of C. S. Lewis pulled me into the cinema.

In light of the above, the first thing to see is that, on the whole, I did enjoy Prince Caspian. Despite being 2 hours 20 minutes long, the film was so well paced it never got bogged down or went by too fast. The use of CGI was not overwhelming and by and large the acting performances were good.

It has been too long since I read the book to remember how close the film kept to it, but given that Douglas Gresham, Lewis' stepson, was the executive producer, one may hope that although inevitably parts were added, the film as a whole remained true to Lewis' vision.

Where to start? Let's go with the actors. As I said, they were good. I was particularly impressed by Ben Barnes who played Caspian. In The Lion and the Witch, Georgie Henley (Lucy Pevensie) held the film together wonderfully. She had less to do this time, as had Skander Keynes (Edmund). But he had a few good one liners and references to his role in The Lion and the Witch that gave his character extra depth, unfortunately, Miss Henley was allowed to do little more than say her lines. Anna Popplewell played Susan Pevensie once more. Apparently she will be doing so again in the third film, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. When she does, the film makers really must do more to take account of the fact that she is clearly not the sixteen year old schoolgirl that she portrays. The one actor who was a distinct disappointment was William Moseley. I don't know if it is that he cannot act or if he is being directed badly, but his portrayal of Peter Pevensie felt very wooden. If I watched this film again, it would be for his sake. Is he really so unable to show a wide range of emotion? I would rather not believe it.

As with most Hollywood pictures, Prince Caspian suffers from representing its characters in too shallow a manner. The film is very good at doing scenes, but I believe children do think, sometimes even before they act. Yet, you would not know it from this film.

In terms of mood, Prince Caspian is a 'darker' film than The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The fight against evil (represented excellently by Sergio Castellitto as King Miraz) is now something approaching a real fight, not the glossy 'playfight' of LWW. This is highlighted very well in what is possibly Moseley's best scene - his bitter stand off with Caspian following a failed attack on Miraz' castle which costs many Narnian soldiers their lives. I should also add that the mood of the film is complimented in terms of its colours. The characters wear darker clothes, there are night scenes and doubt spreads among the Narnians like a disease.

What really made the film enjoyable to watch though were (a) Castellitto (b) Peter Dinklage as the dwarf Trumpkin. He had some excellent lines and a wonderfully gruff appearance (c) the scene where a mortally injured Reepicheep is brought before Aslan. His healing is welcome, but whoever had the idea that Reepicheep should be accompanied by a mediaeval minstrel (?) band. I don't know if the dying were treated in this way in the Middle Ages, but it was a really delightful moment - humorous and solemn in one moment.

Finally, Aslan. He appears only briefly in Prince Caspian. Having featured so prominently in The Lion and the Witch, I can understand why this would be the case, but I continue to object to the fact that such little effort has been put into his voicing. Liam Neeson (who has a great voice) sounds just like Liam Neeson. Very disappointing.

One more thing - the music was also very good. Very atmospheric. Oh yes, and the decision to portray the Telmarines as Moors was also quite interesting. In line with the mediaeval / renaissance aspect of the story, I suppose. I can't remember if the Calormenes appear in Dawn Treader, but if they do, I wonder if the film makers will keep them as the Ali Baba arabs of the books.

A Rather Surprising Moment

Walking into the house today, my eye fell upon a copy of Gilraen's Primary Teacher magazine. To my surprise, the upside down headline read, Here Comes The Scum. Hullo, I thought to myself, that is a rather negative title for a magazine dedicated to primary school teaching.

Half a millisecond later I realised that 'Scum' actually read 'Sun'. Notwithstanding the well known fact that today's youth (from roughly the age of 8 to 18) spend their days injecting crack cocaine into their eyeballs or machine gunning each other to death in the playground, the revised headline seemed to fit the magazine's purpose a little more adequately.

Hoisted...

Fr Dwight Longenecker has written a post entitled The Conservative Evangelical Problem which is going to be a contender for my (admittedly, as yet uncreated) Theological Blog Post of the Year Award. The post begins,

In the present fuss over homosexualism and women bishops the conservative Evangelicals are upset because the liberal Protestants are overturning Scripture and traditional Christian morality. I'm on their side of course, but the conservative Evangelicals have a more fundamental philosophical problem:

They were initially founded by a group of people who, in their day, were just as radical in their revisionism as the present day liberals. The revolutionary aims of the Protestant reformation were just as radical (for their time and place) as the present day radicals.

Read on here. As I read the post, I began thinking to myself, you know what, he's right; and furthermore, I already knew that he was.