Shorten your time in purgatory

There is now. The evidence is in front of you.

I was going to use stoney and tabbletty but decided on concretey for both.

Tabletty as in those ones Moses had.

Not the sugary kind.

Elegran, if the only source you refer to to inform yourself about what the pope said, is Sky News, then it may well be that your source is less than reliable.

Can I draw an analogy with using the Daily Mail as your source for a reasoned explanation of the policies of, for example, the Green Party.

Depending who wrote it, mice, it could be. I have read one or two very good and well reasoned articles in the DM. And I've read some nonsense (quite a lot actually) in the Guardian.

Bags, you are right. Nobody mocks the RCC like a faithful Catholic.

But - that is from the context of informed prayerfulness.

And I know you think that's a construct!

Um... hang on while I look up construct...

True about both. The G on this is rubbish. And the DM, sometimes, is sensible. It was excellent about the whole sorry Stephen Lawrence affair.

But I wouldn't trust it on its own. And not about its analysis of party policies. Of whatever colour.

With you on construct. Yes, my dad was good at those. He was a philosopher, so he would be.

What is the theological basis for purgatory? I can't find any mention of it in the early church!
(Or male only or celibate clergy. Come to think of it, no ritual or vestments only. Just a simple meal by 2-3 gathered in His name, in memory of Him)
Or am I missing something in my studies?

I agree. I trust very little on its own. It's always good to hear the opposite view. But a really well-written essay is convincing more often than not, which just shows how important skilled communication is.

Erratum Vestments either!

Sorry, galen. Didn't mean to interrupt (or imbertrupt, as DD used to say).

My pleasure, my dear

Well, Galen, I'm about to cook dinner, so this will be my last post.

You are right. All those matters are part of the tradition of the church.

You speak, I think, as a good nonconformist. I certainly don't have the time to address each one of those matters individually, but many people find tradition and ritual helpful in stilling the mind and getting closer to God. Some don't. There is a church tradition to suit everyone. Some like a simple meal, some the beauty of the Anglican service, some noisy clapping and songs. Each to their own.

Good evening to you all and God bless to those who wish for a blessing.

Cheers to those who don't.

My glass of Sancerre awaits me.

Are you a vicar MiceElf?

High Anglican, if anything actually.

My comment that it must be a joke was not mockery - I was entirely serious. I assume that it must be intended to be humourous.

If it's a joke the pope has a brilliant sense of humour

That was me, not MiceElf

I was interested in what it said at the end of that article. That the Catholic Church believed that you could only commune with God through a priest but the Protestant Church believed that you could commune directly. I like that; I like the way we can all commune with whoever we wantto in whatever way we want according to our beliefs and spiritual leanings.

Can I just say that my post to soop at 17.12.46 was intended absolutely as a joke. I am SO sorry I didn't put a wink.

I'm sure soop took it as one, jingl - I certainly did!