And The Award For Pious Merit Goes To....

Abbot Cuthbert Brogan!

Cross pro piis meritis

Piis Myself Laughing!!

 

Abbot Cuthbert's behaviour when the adoring fans have gone home is impious and the scandal this imparts upon his junior monks destroys piety!

 

For example:

 

To me, with regard to The Sacred Heart, he exclaimed, 

"Jesus! Have You Seen My Operation!"

 

To another,

"I'm Going To Ham It Up At The Altar!"

 

And to another poor horrified junior he proceeded to do a comedy turn with The Holy Relic Of St Alban's Thigh Bone!

 

 

Pious Merits!

More Like Spicuous Delicts!!

 

And he shouldn't be receiving an award, he should be receiving a SENTENCE!

Deacon Brodie

 

So we've had Abbot Cuthbert Brogan as The Vicar Of Bray

Now he appears to me as Deacon Brodie!

 

Like many whose life (and death!) have become mythologised, the real Deacon Brodie's life was surely more nuanced as presented in the work of deaconbrodie.com  however in the myth Brodie designs the very Gallows from which he is eventually hung! 

Perhaps our Extraordinary Abbot should be more mindful....

 

"Those Who Live By The Sword....."

 

The Cistercians

 

There was a time when The Cistercians took the best of The Benedictines and made it better!

Now it would appear that they take the worst of The Benedictines and make it worse!

 

 

"I’ve been kicked out. Dumped. Given the boot. Ditched. Stabbed in the back. Whatever. By Dom Michael, Abbot of Bolton Abbey, Co Kildare.

Not, I hasten to add, because of something I did or did not do. But because … the Abbot of Mount Melleray, Co Waterford was - How shall I say? - XXXXXXX the XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXX of a XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX in the XXXX XXXXXXX of the XXXXXXXXXX of his XXX XXXXXXXXX

How logical is that? Let alone, fair or even – Dare I say it? – Christian."

 Read Peter's Story And Contribute Your Own To The Website

If you are unfamiliar with circumstances surrounding the resignation of the most recent Abbot Of Mount Melleray and are wondering to what all the XXX's might refer, then some of these  Bishop Pat Buckley blogposts might inform.....because they certainly wont enlighten!!!!!

You might be thinking "What has all this to do with Abbot Brogan & F'bro Abbey?"

Well....probably nothing. But I consider we are all in this together. After all, the hierarchical "response" seems empirical!

Richard Purcell did study theology at Oxford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vicar Of Bray

 

Archbishop Arthur Roche pictured with Abbot Cuthbert.   

 

Album

  

Those who have been following the career of David Cuthbert Brogan can attest, as can the blog author, that he appeared very much a progressive when he joined Farnborough Abbey. The author can likwise attest that they have heard the view expressed that Brogan was never a Traditionalist!

 It may be one thing to keep your head down and wait for the tide to change but this outright courting of those instrumental in implementing TC will have the TLM devout perhaps willing to question Abbot Cuthbert's integrity in ways they wouldn't have before. Our "Vicar Of Bray" may find himself, counter perhaps to his scheming, actually more exposed than he thinks.

 It remains to be seen if Cuthbert....

"This vicar, being taxed [attacked] by one for being a turncoat and an inconstant changeling, said, "Not so, for I always kept my principle, which is this – to live and die the Vicar of Bray."

 

 

Call Me Ahab (This is how it feels!)

 

O Lord, It's Hard To Be Humble!

 Cuthbert is like a Palm Sunday donkey who hearing the cheering crowd has thrown is Holy Passenger and thinks the crowd are cheering for him!

 

 

Celebrating his Silver Jubilee of Priesthood last year (above) and this year celebrating 25 years as Farnborough Superior. (below)

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine the countless times he will have heard The Rule chapter 2!

 

" Chapter 2 describes the necessary qualifications of an abbot, forbids the abbot to make distinctions between persons in the monastery except for particular merit, and warns him he will be answerable for the salvation of the souls in his care."

 

 

And now for a song!

This seems appropriate and with regard to allowable preference for particular merit I paraphrase thus:

"They call me egotistical!

Hell, I don't even know what that means!

But I'll grant every young novice wish if they'll just ask in skinny tight joggers or jeans!

The Wages Of Sin (Year Five)

 

The wages of sin are..... Well, in the RCC it would appear to be promotion and advancement!

Welcome to year five of the campaign. 

Well the more we look we see there are Cuthbert Brogans and indeed those far worse than He endemic. That said, we have to focus on that which has crossed our path.

This last year has confirmed us in our purpose, reassuring us that the "Charade Behind The Facade" continues to function and definitely does not do "What it says on the tin" to the detriment of Souls believing they are joining a brotherhood in the care of a holy abbot.....

But nevermind....perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel?

 In December last year the Apostolic Nuncio joined Abbot Cuthbert and members of The Syro Malabar Eparchy Of Great Britain  at Farnborough for a Solemn Holy Qurbana to mark the conclusion of The Year Of St Joseph. Couple this with Cuthbert's role as administrator of Prinknash and the likelihood that the next Abbot President will be from Europe, Cuthberts's departing F'bro to become either Abbot President or a Diocesan Bishop or maybe even both in succession cannot be ruled out.

You can't be serious, surely? I hear you say!

 

 

With Cuthbert absent for long periods we can but hope for a return to a more authentic Benedictine life.....but then again maybe the best thing for the sake of Souls would be it's suppression and the hope that a not unsympathetic repurposing of the monastery will be found. The monks might swell the ranks of Prinknash. As for the church? It's current beautiful restoration must ensure an entirely fitting custodian. Is it possible that Custodian could be hiding in plain sight?