Another article on immigrants transforming the RC Church in England, this one from the Guardian.

I’d define this one as a "must-read." The writer takes on a rapid, detail-filled journey to Brazilians at Mass, South Asians at a St. Anthony Novena, Poles in Cardiff, strugging with all sorts of problems, with the Church as their strongest ally, Nigerians, an intensely multi-cultural parish in London. He then moves on to some of the same issues we talk about over here related to immigration, as well as questions of exploitation and just wages. The writer is afflicted with the "Isn’t it weird that the DOCTRINALLY CONSERVATIVE institution is concerned with issues of justice? Especially during the papacy of You-Know-Who."

And with Benedict XVI as Pontiff – regarded by the secular world as an ultra-conservative – it could seem all the stranger that this innate radicalism of Catholicism should be reignited here.

Despite a bit of a gap of understanding of Catholic social teaching and its "fit" into doctrinal orthodoxy, it’s a quite interesting article. We also can’t miss a couple of other points – the editor of The Tablet saying that even though, oh no, she’s not suggesting it, the exploding multi-culturalism of the Church in Britain is – hah – hah, and argument for Latin. Which then echoes, as we read of the writer’s experience at Mass:

I take my place between an electrician from Cote D’Ivoire and a nurse from Manila. ‘Thank you for coming to this country,’ says Fr Michael from the altar, ‘where you are bringing our faith to life.’ Then come these entrancing moments during Mass when the congregation – some struggling with the English language they are supposed to have in common – recites another second tongue they learned way back: ‘Agnus Dei, Qui Tollis Peccata Mundi, Dona Nobis Pacem …’