Continuing Studies

    In mid-November, the week before Thanksgiving, the clergy of the See of Caer-glow spent an active week at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Saint Petersburg.  Based on a resolution made at last year's Convocation of the Council of the Old Roman Catholic Church, we gathered for a few days of continuing education.  This year the subject was apologetics, and we based our lessons largely on The Belief of Catholics by Monsignor Ronald A. Knox.  Monsignor Knox, a convert to the Catholic Faith, a cradle Protestant and son of an Anglican bishop, wrote in the early part of the twentieth century, well before the events of Vatican II.  It was very valuable to see how he contrasted the liberal theologies of the reformed religions with the unchanging truths of the Catholic Faith--a contrast that has become far more meaningful when applied to pre- and post-conciliar Catholicism:  "That modernism among the clergy and scepticism among the laity are to some extent parallel effects of the same causes, hardly needs demonstration. The confident assertions of the philosopher, the scientist, the historian--that truth is relative, not absolute; that we can no longer believe in Genesis...."  Knox does a skilful job of making it clear why belief in God and the acceptance of His Church is rational.  After giving strong motives of credibility for the divine origin of the Church, Knox devotes a number of chapters to explaining the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Faithful.  Our study guide, which includes some supplemental materials, is available [HERE]. 

    Our week included the A.D. 2010 Convocation of the Council.  It was decided that next year's continuing education topic would be moral theology--perhaps spread over more than one year.  Bishop Euler and Father Brusca were delegated to find a suitable text and design a study guide.

    Perhaps the most significant event of the week came on Saturday during the 9:00 AM Mass at Our Lady of Good Hope, when Archbishop Humphreys tonsured our newest seminarian, Mr. Andrew King, and raised Father Dirk Peter Dandy to the sacred priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ.