Last week I had another email from someone looking for a hermitage. I do not have an overwhelming number of such letters, but since I published A Book of Silence in 2008, and especially since I have been writing this column, I have received a small but steady trickle.
Some of these letters are from formally consecrated hermits, regulated since 1983 under canon 603 of the Code of Canon Law, which lays down that “a hermit is recognised in the law as one dedicated to God in a consecrated life if he or she publicly professes the three evangelical counsels, confirmed by a vow or other sacred bond, in the hands of the diocesan bishop and observes his or her own plan of life under his direction”. Most of these have had a hermitage in the past and for one reason
or another are being
12 October 2013, The Tablet
‘One man told me that Our Lady had told him to come and live in a tent in my garden’
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User Comments (1)
Archbishop Anthony Fisher is incorrect in this statement. Hell had already touched us in Australia in the form of pedophile abuse of children and famiies by clergy and religious.
At the time of the visit to Australia by Pope Benedict XVI it was Fisher who decided to denigrate the Fosters who had experienced the abuse of both their daughters by Clergy.
He is reported to have told them in so many words to stop winging and go home.
He didn't realise or want to accept the fact that "Hell" had already arrived for families and it was brought to them by the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders.
There is no joy ever in this life for families who have had a member abused by Clergy and/or Religious.
Until Fisher actually does something to show his understanding of the "Hell" the abuse has inflicted on families as well as the breaking of trust there will be no peace.
It seems that he is very big on issues that he cannot control but "abuse of children by his Church"?
Too hard basket.