Fr Ray Blake visiting one of his usual haunts whilst vilifying the poor.
Fr Ray Blake's up front post on The Trouble with the Poor has been taken up by a local journalist in Brighton and now by the national press. If you read the post, you can see it is honest and challenging - the everyday fare of Fr Blake's blog.
The Trouble With The Press is that they rarely get their facts right and there is ALWAYS a slant, a spin or a sensationalism. A few months ago I had the BBC's Religious Affairs correspondent on the phone wanting to come and film in the parish. I gave him a very definite, "No thanks" because I simply didn't trust that whatever I said would not be chopped up and spliced with commentary that would distort anything I wanted to say. Lo and behold, the item that appeared on TV did just that to some other parishes.
Fr Blake has responded with a post on his blog Bill Gardner: An unscrupulous journalist. Father, Father, you are (a little) older than me and certainly wiser. When did you ever meet this rare breed "The Scrupulous Journalist"? Especially when it comes to reporting the Faith and especially when reporting on what is billed as "Traditional" does such a creature exist? Has it ever? Is it now extinct? Would it require the suspension of the laws of nature and therefore qualify as a miracle. Surely, asking for such implies putting the Lord your God to the test. A Scrupulous journalist reporting the Catholic Church? Come, come Father, you ask for too much. You'll be wanting balanced reporting on the Church by the BBC next!
I am always at the Ritz, but they only let me in the staff entrance, I don't own a tie!
ReplyDeleteI think that photograph was taken by Fr Z.
Contrary to your advice I have just done an interview with BBC South for tonight - say a prayer.
I think it is important to try and defend the Church's honour, I think this will be a little more honest than our local rag.
My point is that poor are the Church's treasure, even if the cost us our comfort.
Fr. Ray Blake is carrying The Flag, at present, and has hundreds of Catholic Bloggers racing to the Colours.
ReplyDeletePrayers and support for Fr. Blake are assured.
May I suggest, in the wake of your excellent Post, Fr, that "the unscrupulous journalist" be invited to donate a Scruple Spoon to Fr. Ray Blake's Church ?