I'm team Cardinal Manning, Cardinal Newman's big rival and fellow Victorian Oxford Movement convert from Anglicanism. Unlike Newman, Manning was a staunch VI ultramontanist who wasn't especially interested in the universal call to holiness.

For any Anglicans now switching to Catholicism over the new AofC. Don't become Catholic out of necessity or despair. Maybe come quitely with humility and discretion, with respect for your former denomination. Not announcing your departure on social media. Its not the 2.15 train from Paddington

RCs rubbing their hands at the prospect of hundreds of conservative Anglicans rushing to fill the pews now that the CofE have a women AofC, should remember that embittered Anglicans feeling forced out, rarely make good Catholics. Gavin Ashenden for example

Fantastic #thoughtfortoday on BBC Radio 4 from @briandraper.bsky.social this morning - "Think not of them, thou hast thy music too" John Keats To Autumn

Occasionally, news like this make me wish Holyrood had a FPTP system rather than PR - In 2021 the Greens only managed 2.1% of the constituency vote, winning zero seats. Yet a West of Scotland regional list MSPs with zero involvement in our community is campaigning to introduce consumption rooms here

Tim Walz: "I'll tell you what doesn't make people feel safe -- a tank next to Chipotle. It's stupid and it's for the cameras ... where are the 'don't tread on me' people?"

New blog - Happy Birthday Sir Donald Currie #UpTheHammers #COYI bremenbod.blogspot.com/2025/09/a-gr...

A win for the Greens and those who tried to get her sacked but #KateForbes leaving politics creates a question for people who strongly disagreed with her and wanted her removed from the public square - What now happens to Christians and other religious politicians with socially conservative views?

I've written a very short piece for ICN about our Glasgow Catholic Worker Nagasaki cross www.indcatholicnews.com/news/52958ht...

A few years back, I wrote about why we mark Nagasaki and why Nagasaki scandalises Christians, for Independent Catholic News, you can read it here - Nagasaki: The bomb that destroyed a cathedral during Mass | ICN share.google/VMO5XMsK2G4c...

Down at Faslane with Glasgow Catholic Worker for the Hiroshima Nagasaki commemoration this morning. We've got Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church

I think the Scottish Episcopal Church may have, in some contexts, acknowledged the suffering caused by the impact of the 'Killing Time' and the pain caused by trying to force conformity on a Scottish Presbyterian population with its 1637 prayer book but I'm not sure they've ever apologised?

This is great test match cricket to have on the radio at work today - 147-9, India now need 46 runs to win with 1 wicket left. Good stuff!

#Oasis passed me by tbh..."In the 90s I was possibly the only teenager in Scotland listening to Redskins and Billy Bragg, rather than Oasis..." bremenbod.blogspot.com/2024/02/i-wa...

Nice to hear the Mass being offered at Canterbury and the Salve Regina being sung to honour St Thomas Beckett www.facebook.com/share/v/16rw...

If you are prepared to undergo brain surgery just so that you can operate your mobile phone, you are a Class One Idiot

See for all Russian and Greek Orthodox talk about just how important catechesis is, and how converts must let go of their western thinking etc. Well social media would suggest that they are absolutely crap at catechesis, on account of most converts on X & FB being completely captured by Americanism

Its no good slagging off Reform, we need to look inwards and quickly organise. The labour movement was established to build a broad coalition and a common good between Catholic, Protestant, Black, White, Secular and Religious etc not highlight lines of division and social identity

A new Leo! Nice! Rerum Novarum II...incoming

Let's Go! #HabemusPapam

As a local charity, The Trust are proud to stand with our community in reflecting on the legacy of those who came before us—and we remain committed to building a better future rooted in compassion, unity, and hope. #veday80thanniversary #Community #Inverclyde #vedaycelebrations (2/2)

Today, Inverclyde Community Development Trust pauses to remember Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945. We honour the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those from Inverclyde who served and those who gave their lives for peace and freedom. (1/2)

Our top boy died #otd 1940. 'Where on God’s earth is there a land of hedgerows & lanes which every springtime resound with a chorus of song from innumerable birds, and bursts into a perfect profligacy of flowers & shrubs which gladden the sight of all who see them.” George Lansbury, May 1934

I love this image of George Lansbury, Dick Sheppard, Donald Soper and Evelyn Underhill @thehourmag.bsky.social @adalehunt.bsky.social @finokoye.bsky.social

Beautiful Spring day today! "Where on God’s earth is there a land of hedgerows & lanes which every springtime resound with a chorus of song from innumerable birds, and bursts into a perfect profligacy of flowers & shrubs which gladden the sight of all who see them.” George Lansbury, 1934.

Happy May Day! Workers of the world, unite!

Danny Dyer on The Assembly - exceptionally good telly for once 👍

This made me laugh but it's always surprising and confusing to me why non-Catholics are so invested in a faith in which they have no stake.

Today is Easter Sunday 2025 and this is the final 1 of the 14 haiku poems I started writing last Easter 2024 while out walking, in memory of my friend Graeme Rose who loved folklore, Japan, poetry, art and music. I’ve now upload them all onto the blog with art and photographs guireag5.wordpress.com

O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden

I believe that during the Harrowing of Hell Jesus breaks down the doors of Hades on a rescue mission pulling everyone out, even Judas. We all have moments of complete despair, betrayal, weakness, guilt and shame but there's always way out and way back from the Fall. He has come that we may have life

Not a fan of Spy Wednesday in Holy Week. I'd rather we keep the Wednesday between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday for the Chrism Mass. I don't believe Judas is damned by his betrayal and despair. IMO nobody is beyond God's mercy, not even Judas, God's compassion is boundless and his love is infinite

This prison holds some people, including migrants, who have not been convicted of a crime, had no due process, and are imprisoned unjustly. During Holy Week, Rep. Moore will hear about another person unjustly imprisoned. The Christian response to suffering is never a "thumbs up."

Beautiful blue hour ride home ♥Have a peaceful evening x 'The day is drawing to it close, and the lamps are lighted. At Vespers, therefore, we beg God to let the light of his grace shine upon us to dispel the darkness of ignorance and sin' #Vespers #Evensong #LiminalSpaces #TheBlueHour #dusk #sunset

That's all my sins washed away ☺ 'Glory to God for all things'. Warmed up a wee bit now.

Tickets for #Morrissey @ O2 Academy Glasgow in June - sorted 👍

Assisted dying safeguards being watered down already www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Same energy #FlashGordon #DuncanDares #Arboria #PrinceBarin #TreeMen

On the late train home from a good evening at Glasgow Catholic Worker. Some of our brothers and sisters were out this afternoon, carrying out the corporal works of mercy, we then had food, coffee and roundtable in the evening to discuss our founder's writings on good jobs and decent work

New bike morning commute! Wishing everyone a calm day and the strength to resolve all the troubles, worries and struggles you carry in your heart, home, workplace and family right now x 'I praise God this day, I give myself to God this day, I ask God to help me this day.'

Continuing my love affair with fixed gear/single speed commuter bikes. Picked up this as a back-up to my Ridgeback. Need to change the saddle & breaks but good value, frame isn't too heavy, rides well! Nothing says Gen X Da' like riding a Mongoose in 2025. Not had one since 86

Where I felt British Christian Socialism departs from #BlueLabour sourcenews.scot/ross-ahlfeld...

2016

How can some in the Gov talk about Blue Labour, Thatcherism and deregulation all in the same breath? It's ridiculous, BL is against the free movement of labour AND capital, BL is a reaction to the collapse of regional banking and the story of Northern Rock. It was deregulation that caused Grenfell.

Yet, it is interesting to see BL back in the news again, but embracing BL wont work for Starmer if he thinks BL is just about #stoptheboats BL is about family, heritage and the best traditions of the labour & trade union movement, love of community, shared common good, a sense of place and belonging

I'm not involved in BL anymore, I felt around the time of Brexit, the tendency was beinng hijacked by reactionary voices on the right. For me, it became indecent and inappropriate for Christian Socialists trying to take the Gospels and love of neighbour seriously but I still deeply admire Glasman

IMO, this idea that Blue Labour is only about #StopTheBoats or is a kinda Reform-lite to get working class voters back, is a crass mischaracterization of my old tendency, which consists of many aspects, including cooperatives, credit unions, community organising, Catholic social teaching etc