I've just spent a few days away at Thornycroft Hall in Cheshire, an elegant late 18th century house, now a retreat centre run by Opus Dei.
One of the speakers was George Cardinal Pell, Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy of the Vatican. An excellent few days with good priests and good company. Thank you to the Fathers of Opus Dei for organising this yearly conference. They also have monthly retreat days for clergy and run retreats for laity as well - men, women and for schools and young adults.
The Chapel at Thornycroft.
Some time ago the Cardinal had a TV encounter with celebrity atheist Richard Dawkins some time ago. Mr Dawkins seems to get rather riled at some points - a sure sign of the frustrated looser. You can see a clip below, focussing where Mr Dawkins seems to be making little sense, and below that the full programme.
A robust defence of the Faith - particularly in the form of Christian Apologetics is often lacking these days, so its good to see it here. In days gone by gentlemen could disagree robustly but with honour - take the example G K Chesteron and all the intellectuals of the day that he publicly engaged, such as George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and Bertrand Russell.
A robust defence of the Faith - particularly in the form of Christian Apologetics is often lacking these days, so its good to see it here. In days gone by gentlemen could disagree robustly but with honour - take the example G K Chesteron and all the intellectuals of the day that he publicly engaged, such as George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and Bertrand Russell.
I understand that the Maryvale Institute does a very good MA in Apologetics.
I believe that Richard Hawkins has been spotted at the Oxford Oratory in recent times!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I was meant to say Richard Dawkins!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I thought Cardinal Pell's performance in the TV programme was weak. Rather than giving a robust defence of the faith, he seemed unsure and unwilling or unable to present it clearly. The whole was rather disappointing.
ReplyDelete