CAMPING OUT IN THE CHURCH
"The Duchy of Cornwall, a private £700m property empire that last year provided him with an £18m income"
The "him" in question is Prince Charles and the quote is from a Guardian article this weekend.
Should we do something about THE GUARDIAN or about THE PRINCE OF WALES ?
Or should I as a non-British citizen, mind my manners and shut up?
The "him" in question is Prince Charles and the quote is from a Guardian article this weekend.
Should we do something about THE GUARDIAN or about THE PRINCE OF WALES ?
Or should I as a non-British citizen, mind my manners and shut up?
posted by Val Farrell | 23:26
8 Comments:
I agree with the lady vicar on Breakfast TV today when she said what an opportunity the Church missed when it closed its doors. As a Church maybe we have to make ourselves more open to talking with and joining the protesters, they may have something to teach us. If we made ourselves more vulnerable and sat with those who don't share our beleifs we could learn a lot from each other.
If Prince Charles is honest enough to say he wants to help the poor then maybe he also should be camped out with them.
CAROL said (by way of VF)
what I wanted to say re Prince Charles was that I don’t have a problem with his millions given the position he has to maintain and his public responsibilities; not to mention his charity work to which he devotes time as well as cash. What sticks in my craw are the millions trousered by bankers who seem to have done nothing for them and do not benefit the community in any way. As for the protesters, I “sat in” in 1968 against world capitalism etc etc and it is right that young people care enough to protest. I’m not sure, though, that they have a right to get in the way of people wanting to get to their work or worship. I think the powers that be closed St Pauls because they were afraid the protesters would get inside and stage a sit-in.
Apparently - under some long lasting convention - ministers (of government, not religion) have to consult with HRH on legislation which might affect him. That probably means anything that touches on Cornwall......as he seems to own most of it.
As a resident non-British citizen you should be free to comment as you see fit, Father. I, on the other hand (as a republican), probably should shut up......after advising Prince Charles to avoid any nearby eyes of needles.
It is unfortunate that the news media trotted out unchallenged the concept that the protesters "forced" the Cathedral to shut its doors. The Chapter of the Cathedral chose to do so; perhaps in honour of St Health & St Safety.
I'm delighted Prince Charles has done so much for the Duchy - bringing Cornish-made products to the world and being conscious of the environment, implementing conservation techniques in the Duchy and on his other properties, plus the monies he earns are done properly. He is not on the Civil List and takes no public money, so as a businessman, I applaud him.
As to the closing at St. Paul's during the protest, this is when the church should be open...not closed. A church should be welcoming to all who wish to enter. It's there for the purpose of peace, prayer and contemplation. Who knows how many could find spiritual relief from just being in a place where to some, God is visible as a sacramental. A church is a sacramental - an outward and visible sign of God's presence. How many souls could it save by being open? How many answers could God have given those who asked? Yes indeed, St. Paul's made a huge mistake by not being open, especially to those who are in need.
I would like to comment on Carrol's words, "they were afraid the protesters would get inside and stage a sit-in". Were they also afraid that the tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners would also enter?
GEORGE SAID (by way of email to VF)
Like yourself Val I saw the notice held up at St Paul's 'What would Jesus do' and it disturbed me. I don't know the answer 'Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars?' but it got me thinking and bothered......? I can't reply on your blog as it requires a Google identity which I don't want.
The thing is George, I think that banner was wrong. Jesus is alive NOW, so it is silly to ask what would he do if he were here. He IS here.
That is what I was trying to day in the next piece, when I said:
"Oh yes, it pricked my conscience about this whole financial crisis thing, but it also seems to me to be making a huge mistake.
Jesus is ALIVE. He cannot simply be a PAST experience, he must be a present one.
If our prayer and our worship are genuine, they must help us to see the Gospel message breaking through even in these awkward financial questions. Jesus will not simply supply us with an answer from the clouds, but if he is really in our hearts and not just in our self concern, then we will discover the Gospel for ourselves, just as he did in his time.
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