The grave(l) matter of Retrenchment

BBC News had an interesting piece in their run-up to Papal-palooza 2010 (linked here). It appears that there is at least one catholic church in England that is performing 'gay masses'. Looking at the vid, the liturgy seems to be the Tridentine form with latin and the altar turned about and the folks in the pews could be from any parish.

The official name is an 'all comers' mass, but it is well known as a mass for homosexuals. Now, I have more than a bit of a twitch with the idea of 'leper masses' (cause you wouldn't want the good catholics catching teh gay, of course) whether de jure or de facto. Still, that's not what really got me. It was the comments, both in the vid from the parishioners as well as the quote from the arch-bishop.

"The simple fact is that catholics across the world do not believe and do not follow church teaching, well not church teaching, Vatican teaching on any number of sexual teachings."

and, more tellingly,

"is it important to you (if the Pope approves of the mass)?"
"No, because my faith is more important to me than what the Pope might think."

and finally,
"Anybody who is trying to cast a judgement on the people who come forward for communion really ought to hold their tongue.” - Archbishop Nichols

An acknowledgment of wide-spread de facto open disobedience to Vatican doctrine? Splitting the hair of 'church doctrine' vs. 'Vatican doctrine'? Faith being more important than hierarchical approval? An open table and specifically saying that one should not judge worthiness to accept God's Grace through the sacrament?!

Those are the seeds of dissent which bore the fruit of the church which I belong to today, one which is catholic, but not Roman.

It sounds like the same torrent which started at the 21st Ecumenical Council in Rome and inundated the US (and is going on in Australia as we speak) is being starting to be felt in the UK.

As a certain ambassador once said, "The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote."

Someone should tell the lumps in the Magisterium.