This is me, Eccles

This is me, Eccles
This is me, Eccles

Saturday 3 May 2014

Basil Loftus - physical or only spiritual?

It is still Eastertide, a time at which we consider those great events of the 1970s when Basil Loftus arose and was seen by many witnesses. However, there is now a fierce debate in Catholic circles about the question whether he is with us in a physical sense, or if his existence is merely spiritual.

Fawlty in hospital

The risen Basil Loftus.

There is a detailed discussion of this point on the blog of Dr Joseph Shaw. One can easily find evidence of the works of Loftus in this world: for example, the Catholic Times has a "humour" column featuring wacky parodies of Catholic doctrine, which is attributed to the great man. Others point to the Mildew Miracle, where Fr Clifton claimed to hear threatening voices over his telephone. Similar inexplicable phenomena were recorded by Fr Blake in Brighton.

kiss of peace

A demonstration of the "kiss of peace".

However, many Catholic commentators believe that Basil has no physical reality. Although he is incardinated in the Diocese of Leeds, where there is no bishop to advise him to put a sock in it, Basil's address is recorded as being in a remote part of Scotland given over to wildlife, where there are said to be no other humans within 50 miles. So on balance we must conclude that Basil's existence is simply spiritual, and not physical.

moose

Nonsense! I see Mgr Loftus regularly!

5 comments:

  1. I live in Inverness and have attended Mass celebrated by Mgr Basil Loftus on a number of occasions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Inverness is a considerable distance from Leeds. Could this be an instance of bilocation?

      Delete
  2. Darling eccles, I have ordered a new naughty step for Bosco - he is rood and norty at the moment :) xx Jess

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unfortunately, Bosco seems to have entered another florid episode, but there is a sign of hope. He is convinced everyone on the Internet is the Rabit. Since the Catholic hierarchy are now making it their business to drive everyone else off the Internet, Bosco may soon be proved right. Unless of course the Bishop of Lancaster unplugs the Internet entirely.

    PS Apologies to Ben Trovato who gets upset by mentions of "his" bishop.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unfortunately, I can attest to a physical Mgr Basil. We were both in the same year at what was St. Bede's Grammar School for Boys in Bradford. He actually became Head Prefect but I had nothing to do with that! The ones who appointed him, regretted it later, so I was told. Another alumnus was told, much later, that Basil wanted to break with those of his past so I suppose that if I ever met him again I would get a similar treatment.
    I'm not so sure of his spiritual state but I can attest to his physical state.

    ReplyDelete