Chris McDonnell, UK
chris@mcdonnell83.freeserve.co.uk

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February 8, 2017

Not in my name

He said he’d do it and he has. I make no apologies for returning to the issues raised by the recent election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States .  

I would suggest that by signing the Executive Order restricting entry to the US , he has significantly raised the stakes for world-wide peace. He has also managed since his Inauguration to motivate large numbers of citizens to take part in street protests, first against his misogynistic comments during the campaign and then again, in city after city, to remind him that the US is a country built by immigrants.  

With such a loose cannon in the White House, we are in a difficult and dangerous position. His unpredictability makes for an uncomfortable ride for everyone. So what do we do?  

Doing nothing is not an option. In conscience we have to make clear our position as Christians, for those now being rejected are, in spite of different labels, our sisters and brothers. Our voices, clergy and laity alike must ring out in opposition to an action that is both hazardous and plainly wrong. Opposition to the planned State visit has grown day by day.  

Yet buried within all the angst and hurt, echo the words of the great English mystic, Julian of Norwich; ‘…but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.'  The hope of Christian faith lies at the centre of our belief. Without hope, the journey is indeed bleak.  

But don’t let us be deceived, our contribution to changing circumstances is vital. It is not sufficient to sit back and hope for better weather, for that would be an act of negligence.  

The inspiration of Francis has given hope to the Church in so many ways. His voice has been heard for he has been courageous enough to speak on issues that others have ignored, and he has been heard beyond the boundaries of the Catholic Church.  

Recently it has been reported on the ‘ America ’ website that Pope Francis has given his blessing to a commission to study ‘Liturgiam Authenticam’, the Instruction that finally put paid to the acceptance of the 1997 text for the Roman Missal.  

Since 2011 we have a language that is, to say the least, clunky, using phrases, sentence structure and tone do not reflect the experience of our people. Before it was finally published, Fr Michael Ryan, of the Cathedral parish of St James in Seattle , set up a blog entitled ‘Why don’t we just wait? It received world-wide support, asking as it did for time to test out the acceptance of the language and then move on. But no. Voices of reason were over-ruled by the insistence that Rome knew best and now, over five years later, we are still having to cope with a language that doesn’t sit comfortably within our culture. Read Michael Ryan’s current article in America , it is worth the time.

http://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/01/26/pope-francis-has-ordered-review-new-mass-translation

The action of Francis in calling for the Review is another mark of the courage of the man.

A few days ago, January 30th, marked the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi , in 1948. His life example of non-violent protest was the main spring of the struggles in South Africa led by Mandela and of the Civil Rights campaign led by Martin Luther King in the States.  

Gandhi is reported to have said that ‘I like your Christ but not your Christians’. What a responsibility is placed on our shoulders when we take that name. It may have the weight of the cross but we are accountable to the Lord for its acceptance in what we do.  

Returning to the opening paragraphs, the words that follow were written the weekend the Executive Order was signed. With Julian of Norwich, let’s hope that ‘all will be well’ and in the meantime be willing to be a voice for justice for those being treated unjustly.  

Signature

 “No, you can’t come in,

 I’ve signed a piece of paper.

 

 Go back home

 and wait your turn

 and my decision.”

 

No matter what you find

when you return,

whether your bed and chair remain,

 

wait in front of breakfast plates

for armed enquiry of your presence,

sent for your removal

to another place of safety,

chosen by those whose actions

you protested by your arrival

at our border.

 

The Order has been signed

and a history of promised

words of welcome

lost in the dust and noise

of rhetoric.

 

Failing to recognise your sightless fears,

blurring eyes through your falling tears,

I say again,

“No, you can’t come in.”

 

END

 

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