Vatican rejects Williamson's apology

The Vatican has rejected Richard Williamson's apology for questioning the truth of the Holocaust.

Williamson – a 'bishop' within the Society of St Pius X – apologised on Thursday for remarks in which he denied the scale of the Nazis' genocidal campaign against the Jews. He said his views had been "formed 20 years ago on the basis of evidence then available, and rarely expressed in public since."

He added: "To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said, before God I apologise."

However, according to a report by The Guardian's John Hooper, Vatican spokesman, Fr Federico Lombardi, said that Williamson's statement "does not seem to respect the conditions" for his readmission to the church.

Earlier this month, the Vatican said Williamson would only be allowed to serve as a clergyman if he recanted his views "in an absolutely unequivocal and public way".

Ermine accessories?

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O-Connor could be the first Catholic bishop since the Reformation to take a seat in the House of Lords, according to the delicious Ruth Gledill of The Times.

It appears His Eminence could be offered a Life Peerage – unlike his Anglican brethren who sit in the upper chamber as Lords Spiritual because of their place in the established church.

Cormac said last year that public life should not be "God free zone" and called on Christians to prevent the country from becoming a "world devoid of religious faith".

He also blamed Christians for the growth if atheism.

He said: "We need to examine what we might have done to give people a misleading idea of God. Faith in Britain might be improved by a deeper grasp of the mystery of God on the part of our believers."

WIlliamson and the Holocaust

I'm worried. I agree with the Dame's latest rant. But few vaguely normal people wouldn't.

Today's post is a diatribe against the Holocaust-denying Richard Williamson (right) and his return to Britain following expulsion from Argentina.

What is amazing is what follows from some of the Dame's acolytes – or "Holy Smokers", as he calls them.

These are some of the milder comments:

The so-called holocaust really is a con job

If you're collecting names of people in the "fan club" of this saintly bishop, please add mine to your list.

I deplore the fact that many so-called democratic states have laws that criminalize an examination and understanding of the Holocaust.

Damian Thompson should have more respect for a Bishop of the Catholic Church (NOT Excommunicated = MEMBER of!) and successor of the Apostles!

The nasty holocaust industry is a bubble which needs to be pricked and we should be grateful for the bishop's special attention. If nothing else time will relieve the world of another Jewish con game.

And, interestingly:

Do you really think those twin towers collapsed so neatly just by being hit by aeroplanes?

Anybody who still thinks 9/11 was carried out by a bunch of mickey mouse muslims should be interned.

A rose by another other Dame...

The Dame has now launched an appeal to buy new rose vestments for Fr Tim Finigan following The Tablet's recent "defamatory" comments about the Blackfen priest.

Apparently, poor Fr F hasn't a maniple to bless himself with and so the Dame has launched an appeal – bank account number and sort code given – on the Telegraph website to buy him a new outfit.

Rose vestments – modelled (right) for St Bede's Studio – are worn on two Sundays a year: the third of Advent and the fourth of Lent.

I must admit, if I was the Telegraph's proprietor I'd be worried about such a plug: still, I'm sure they'll get the cash back through appeals to help the many bishops rubbished by the Catholic Herald.

Respect for Bible offends the Dame

Librarians have shown a rare sensitivity to believers by placing sacred texts on top shelves as a sign of reverence.

The move came following a request from the Muslim community that the Koran should be placed above mundane earthly things. And the goverment-funded Museums, Libraries and Archives Council agreed but added that, in the intersts of equality, all holy books should be placed on the top shelf.

It's rather wonderful that librarians – who deal with so many thousands of books – should show respect for that which we hold dear.

Guess who doesn't? Yes, Dame Thompson's gone off on one: "The jobsworth mentality that we associated with library fines is now being applied to everything multi-culti, with gruesome results.

"I think I'll pay a special visit to my local (super-PC) library this afternoon and have a look at the 'holy books'. And then maybe do a little rearranging of my own."

I'm intrigued to know when showing respect for the Holy Bible became PC.

LMS put foot in it

The Latin Mass Society has played a blinder, according to Dame Thompson, for inviting Archbishop Raymond Burke (right), an American archbishop to celebrate the Gregorian rite at Westminster without asking permission of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

According to the Dame this is all about the Cardinal sabotaging the traditional liturgy. Of course, it's really to do with etiquette. If I was Cormac (or any other bishop) I'd be livid if any organisation within the Church invited a prelate from another territory to celebrate Mass in the mother church of the diocese without clearing it first.

Thompson reports that the LMS has had to "go through the humiliating business of contacting Archbishop Burke in Rome" to withdraw the invitation. Very much a case of mea maxima culpa.

It's nothing to do with which rite one prefers: This is simply a case of bad manners.

Who will be the new Cardinal?

Forget Westminster. The eyes of the world are currently on a more internationally-recognised ecclesiastical appointment.

Colleen McCullough's 1977 novel, The Thorn Birds, is being adapted into a stage musical.

Producers have already cast Helen Anker in the role of Meggie Cleary but are still looking for her love interest, Fr (later Cardinal) Ralph de Bricassart.

Bricassart was played by Richard Chamberlain (above) in the 1980s American mini-series.

So, we need someone who can sing and who is as comfortable in episcopal robes as he would be in clerical black. And I can't help feeling we have one or two bishops who would fit the bill.