Same old tricks as New Wine’s David McClay invites Papists back again

Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

In late spring and early summer, we highlighted the ungodly nature of the ‘New Wine Conference’, held each year in Sligo on the west coast of Ireland.

As we said at the time, it boasts a veritable who’s who of ecumenists, easy-believists and charismatics among its list of speakers.

Among those who took part in it earlier this year are Canon Mark Harvey, the minister at Shankill Parish Church in Lurgan, County Armagh, the man who proudly brought a priest into his church to lead part of a service back in October, along with Biblical creation denier and supporter of the lighting up of a town hall for sodomite ‘Pride’ and pastor at the charismatic King’s Church in Bangor, Glen Mitchell.

Alain ‘Ecumenical’ Emerson’s buddies at the Craigavon based Emmanuel Church, fellow lead pastors Philip Emerson and Dave Wylie were also on the august guest list for the Conference along with Fermanagh-based Church of Ireland cleric, Canon Henry Blair, another ardent fan of religious compromise with Rome.

Organising the ecumenical conference was Church of Ireland minister Rev David McClay of Willowfield Parish Church in east Belfast.

And he had no less than three emissaries of Papal deceit taking part in the conference, including a Roman Catholic bishop and a representative of what is called the Evangelical Catholic Initiative, Paddy Monaghan.

This character, Paddy Monaghan, is already listed as one of the speakers for the New Wine 2019 Conference, some of whom have already been confirmed.

Rev David McClay and members of his church were well aware of the articles we wrote earlier this year to highlight the ungodly, ecumenical nature of the conference, yet he is persisting in his fellowshipping with those who teach the blasphemous lies and deceits of the Roman Catholic Church.

The shameful situation is well summed up in the famous words of Amos 3:3, which asks: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

It is a rhetorical question and certainly the answer is obvious and one must question why Rev David McClay determinedly is sharing fellowship with someone who is a self-professed member of the Legion of Mary.

In an article entitled “Adventures in Reconciliation” (a true ecumenical watchword) on the ‘Catholic Ireland’ website, Paddy Monaghan shares some of his life story.

Speaking of his university days, he says: “I joined a Catholic lay organisation called the Legion of Mary, whose members engaged in various forms of charitable work.”

So what is the Legion of Mary, you may ask? Here’s what Wikipedia says: “Membership is open to those who belong to the Catholic Church and believe in its teaching. Its stated mission is for active members to serve God under the banner of Mary by the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy, as mentioned in Chapter 33 of the Legion of Mary Handbook. The main apostolate of the Legion is activities directed towards Catholics and non-Catholics encouraging them in their faith or inviting them to become Catholic. This is usually done by encouraging them in prayer, attending Mass and learning more about the Catholic faith.”

So Paddy Monaghan believes in the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, whose teaching is totally contradictory to the teaching of Protestantism.

Rome teaches the elevation of Mary and the offering of prayer to her, which is clearly something Paddy Monaghan believes in as he is a member of the Legion of Mary.

The Bible knows of no such blasphemy. Absolutely nowhere in the Bible is there found the approval of the offering of prayer to anyone other than God.

John 14:6 says: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

1 Timothy 2:5 says: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.

When Jesus taught the Apostles how to pray, he told them their prayer should begin with the words, “Our father” (Matthew 6:9). The prayer is addressed to God, not to Mary. Jesus made no allowance nor did he insert any caveats for prayer being offered to anyone else.

This Romish practice is a blasphemy, pure and simple, but Rev David McClay is happy to allow such a character to propagate his views.

Other Roman Catholic doctrines which Paddy Monaghan will believe includes the adoration of relics and idols, again something expressly forbidden in the Bible. The Second Commandment, outlined in Exodus 20:4-6, says: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

Of course, Rome has carefully removed the Second Commandment from their version of the Bible, so as not to have it contradict their pagan practices.

Notice that the Second Commandment concludes with the promise that he will show mercy unto those who keep his commandments. Rome can’t keep them as they chucked one of them into the bin, but here we have Rev David McClay, a supposedly Protestant minister, repeatedly inviting along a man who believes such blasphemies.

There are various other false teachings of Rome, such as prayers for the dead, the blasphemous titles ascribed to the Pope, the fictitious creation of purgatory and the worst of all, the denial of salvation by faith alone.

This is what the official Roman Catholic teaching on justification says, from Canon 30 of the Council of Trent: “If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.”

“Let him be anathema” is the belief of the Roman Catholic Church regarding any who say that Jesus’ shed blood is enough to atone for sin.

But Rev David McClay is happy to endorse and encourage the likes of Paddy Monaghan, a member of the Legion of Mary who upholds the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, as a suitable speaker and influence on attendees at the New Wine Conference.

That is a disgraceful situation.

There can be no fellowshipping with error and no true blessing can come from it.

We are forthrightly instructed in God’s Word to have nothing to do with such unrighteousness as the Roman Catholic Church.

Ephesians 5:11 says: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

We had a rhetorical question in Amos earlier in the article, and here is a series more of them from 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, which says: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”

Romanism is darkness, it is unrighteousness, its proponents are as sons of Belial and it is rebellion against God.

Why would any true Christian want to have fellowship with it?

Let’s hear some more of Paddy Monaghan’s testimony.

“As an Evangelical Catholic, I am concerned to see a Christ centred, Biblically based renewal in the Catholic Church, to foster reconciliation among Christians and to build up Jewish-Christian relations.

“We see reconciliation between the Christian Churches and renewal within the Christian Churches as being two sides of the same coin.”

Exemplary ecumenical talk, isn’t it?

And that ecumenical enthusiasm is what is being fostered and encouraged at the New Wine Conference.

Dear reader, please do not be deceived and sucked in by the lies of the ecumenical and charismatic movements which are joining forces in an act of rebellion against God.

2 Timothy 3:13: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

Canon Mark Harvey brings Romanist priest into Lurgan Church of Ireland

There was much consternation last month after it was revealed that a Romanist priest had been brought into a service marking the addition of more than 200 people who lost their lives during the two world wars to the war memorial in Lurgan, County Armagh.

The pro-abortion and ardent fan of liaising with Popery, Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie, brought the matter to light in his rage against any who would seek to defend Biblical Christianity.

It would appear a service was held at the war memorial before a further service then took place in Shankill Parish Church in the town. At this service, a leading Papist, Canon Liam Stevenson, was then asked to take the pulpit and lead part of the service in the supposedly Protestant church, where the minister is Canon Mark Harvey.

Taking to Twitter in what appeared to be a risible, politically motivated rant, Doug Beattie lambasted DUP politicians who did not stay for the church service, although of course any who didn’t stay for it were entirely correct to do so.

Equally, any who did stay for it should hang their head in shame.

Ranting on his Twitter page, Doug Beattie said: “Disappointed that some DUP councillors couldn’t attend the church service after the War Memorial dedication because it was cross community. It was cross community in the trenches… maybe they need to remember that.”

Now of course Doug Beattie is correct to say people of all religious persuasions fought in the trenches, but that is to miss the point.

The issue at stake here is religious purity, and to invite an emissary of the false religion of Rome to take part in a church service is to endorse that system and to present it as an acceptable form of religion and as an appropriate church with which to share worship.

It is manifestly untrue for anyone to say Rome is anything other than a false religion, giving false hope to its hundreds of millions of adherents.

And any of the dear Roman Catholics who were killed in the war who were clinging to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church were doomed to hell by the priest who taught them the lies they were placing their faith in.

And it is just the same today, any dear Roman Catholic placing their faith in what the Roman Catholic Church is teaching them is facing the same lost eternity.

To share a podium or attend a meeting where such a deceiver is given the floor is to endorse his deceit and join in the bloodguiltiness of that Papist preacher.

2 John 1:9-11 says: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Canon Mark Harvey, rector of Shankill Parish Church, gleefully made himself partaker of the evil deeds of Rome, and not only that, all who sat through that Papist taking the platform were also made partakers of the evil deeds of Rome.

It is no surprise to see Canon Mark Harvey inviting such a character into the pulpit he usually occupies, as we have previously written about his brazen, God-defying ecumenical conduct.

Last summer, he was among the speakers at the ungodly New Wine Conference in Sligo, at which no less than three emissaries of Papal deceit were invited speakers.

And we also revealed that Canon Mark Harvey is an ecumenical canon in Down Cathedral, being installed in 2015 together with a Romanist Benedictine monk. The picture at the top of this article shows Canon Mark Harvey in the middle, with the Papist monk pictured to the left.

Not only that, earlier this year, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Canon Mark Harvey had the former UK Ambassador to the Pope himself, Catholic layman Francis Campbell, in Shankill Parish Church to speak.

Disgracefully, this event was organised by the Royal British Legion, demonstrating the shameful neglecting of the defence of Protestantism being carried out by so many organisations entrusted with that very responsibility.

Shame on the Royal British Legion in that area for arranging for an emissary of Papal deceit to take part in that event.

However, while Canon Mark Harvey, Doug Beattie and others were busy doing obeisance to Romanism, there was a band which refused to enter into the church when they realised a Papist was taking part.

In the comments following his initial Twitter rage, Doug Beattie felt the need to lambast the band for refusing to enter the church, however, this was the living embodiment of that Scriptural stance outlined in Hebrews 13:13, which says: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”

The band in question is Moneyslane Flute Band, based in County Down, and they are to be commended for taking their stand and refusing to have any fellowship with the works of darkness.

One must assume there is a Christian influence within that band and we wholeheartedly praise them for refusing to consort with or wink at Popery.

However, Doug Beattie is like those in Romans 1:18 who “hold the truth in unrighteousness”.

When anyone takes a stand for the truth of Christ, they can expect opposition and criticism to come.

Regardless of the opposition, let us follow the advice of Paul to the Galatians, when he wrote, under the inspiration of God, in Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Sadly, so many are letting go and esteeming not the glorious privileges they have inherited from their forefathers.

Once again we can see Ulster being entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

The reversal of the Reformation, which is the aim of the Papacy and of a shameful number of allegedly Protestant clerics and their followers, is picking up pace.

The freedom which came through the glorious Protestant Reformation and through various other revivals throughout the centuries since is slowly being frittered away.

It is up to those of us who are saved, as God’s children to stand in the gap and ensure no more ground is ceded to the enemies of Christ, and even strive, under God, to reclaim lost territory to the workers of apostasy and ecumenism.

Let us even follow the example set out by Eleazar, one of the mightiest of David’s mighty men.

So determined was he to defend the land God had given him and his people, he refused to concede even a small patch of ground where barley grew.

It may not have been considered overly important to others, but this was the land God had promised the children of Israel, and he was not willing to let it fall into the hands of the enemies of Christ.

1 Chronicles 11:12-14 says: “And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.”

We need a great deliverance in our day and generation, and that can only be obtained if the people of God take their stand for Christ.

It will not be obtained by compromise with the enemies of Christ.

Church of Ireland Canons Mark Harvey and Henry Blair cosy up with Rome at ‘New Wine’ Conference

There really is what might be called, in footballing terms, a “star-studded line-up” of ecumenists and easy-believist preachers due to descend on Sligo next month for the ‘New Wine’ Conference.

Numerous characters well grounded in compromise with Rome are prominent on the guest list.

Earlier this month we focused on two of the Lead Pastors in the Emmanuel Church in the Craigavon area who are listed as speakers at the event, Philip Emerson and Dave Wylie. They are following in the well-trodden ecumenical footsteps of Alain Emerson, the other Lead Pastor in that church.

Of course, at least three Romanists are on the speaker list, including a Roman Catholic bishop and a representative of Clonard Monastery in west Belfast.

And among the other figures taking part in this shameful ecumenical compromise are two Canons in the Church of Ireland.

One of these is Canon Henry Blair of Magheraculmoney Parish Church in County Fermanagh.

Canon Henry Blair took part in an ecumenical Easter service this year, and he was recently promoted by his Diocese of Clogher to the Chapter of Clogher Cathedral, where a woman (1 Timothy 2:12), ‘Reverend’ Olivia Downey, was last month installed as Rector (or should that be Wrecker?!).

The other is Canon Mark Harvey, Rector of Shankill Parish Church in Lurgan.

Canon Mark Harvey is also no stranger to ecumenical compromise, having invited the former British Ambassador to the Pope himself, Roman Catholic layman Francis Campbell to speak at a meeting to celebrate the God-defying Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

And now they will further entwine themselves with Rome at this ‘New Wine’ Conference, which will run from 8-13 July.

These men are brazenly defying God’s Word, and doing so repeatedly, as we have already demonstrated.

Ephesians 5:11 commands us: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

Rather than speaking alongside Rome at this ‘New Wine’ Conference, Canon Henry Blair and Canon Mark Harvey should be speaking out against Rome.

What a dreadful betrayal of their Protestant heritage!

Indeed, Canon Mark Harvey’s betrayal of Biblical Protestantism, which is true Christianity, goes much deeper.

He is a Canon at Down Cathedral and was installed at the same time as two ecumenical canons, one of them a Methodist minister, a Rev John Alderdice (that name seems to be a byword for God-defiance – see here) and the other, most disgracefully, a Romanist Benedictine monk called ‘Brother’ Eric Loisel, based at Holy Cross Monastery in Rostrevor, County Down.

Our photograph at the top of this article shows a smiling Canon Mark Harvey pictured between ‘Brother’ Loisel and Rev John Alderdice at their installation as canons.

This service took place on 23 April, 2015 and, according to the Down Cathedral’s website report, saw ‘Holy Communion’ take place, though it was a service clearly much polluted, even just by the presence of a Romanist who can not eat justly of the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:27,29 says: “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”

These men, so highly lifted up within their church, yet so much at odds with God’s precepts, are as those senior figures within the children of Israel who approached Ezekiel, claiming they wished to hear God’s Word.

Ezekiel 14:1-6: “Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”

God will not be “enquired of” by them because they have put the stumblingblock of their iniquitous collusion with Rome before themselves.

However, there is hope for all those who reject God through their ecumenical compromise.

When God pronounces His judgements, He very often shews forth His mercy too, and this passage in Ezekiel is no different.

Verse 11 of the chapter sees God showing why He will act against the polluters of true worship in the land – it is so He can bring the children of Israel closer to Himself.

It says: “That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God.”

If you are involved with a church involved in ecumenical compromise or perhaps take part in it yourself, we would urge you to follow the Scriptural command to withdraw yourself from among it and “touch not the unclean thing” (1 Corinthians 6:17).

And if you are as yet unsaved, it is our hope and prayer that you will turn in faith to Christ, and call upon Him for forgiveness of your sins.

God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9).

He says in Ezekiel 18:23: “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

Therefore, won’t you listen to His urging and take His promise to the penitent?

Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

A prayer for Christians to unite around: ‘No peace with Rome’

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity took up a significant part of ecclesiastical efforts in the mainstream churches of Northern Ireland in the latter stages of January.

Worshippers of various different hues shared in services with the stated aim of promoting unity between those carrying the banner of ‘Christian’.

One might respond to that: ‘Sure, isn’t that great? Would you not want everyone to be united?’ However, these ecumenical meetings are contrary to God’s Word and are rendered as such, in fact, to be anti-Christian.

Services were held in Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and other churches throughout Ulster.

The theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was “That all may be free”, however, the ecumenists leading these meetings are preaching “another gospel”, and not seeking the Word of God, with the effect of trapping worshippers in the bondage of idolatry. Jesus said in John 8:31-32: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

There is no truth in the “another gospel” of ecumenism.

Given it was a week of prayer, it is surely a valid question to ask to whom were these people praying. The Bible states in 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” However, the Roman Catholic Church teaches of prayer to Mary and to saints. So a Roman Catholic beside a Protestant in the meeting could be praying to different beings. What confusion!

We will briefly give a rundown of some of the meetings and their principal speakers held across this province during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity:

Armagh Church of Ireland Cathedral – Roman Catholic ‘Father’ Kieran McDermott, administrator of St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, Dublin was the speaker.

Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan (Church of Ireland) – Roman Catholic Church layman and former British Ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Campbell.

St Patrick’s RC Chapel, Donaghmore – ‘Rev’ Lesley Carroll, ‘minister’ of Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church.

Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Monea (County Fermanagh) – Hosted by ‘Father’ Jimmy McPhillips, guest speaker was Canon David Skuce, Inishmacsaint Parish Church (CoI) and the Bible reading was by Rev Sampson Ajuka, Devenish and Boho Parish Church (CoI).

We know of several others held in various other places throughout the country, including Limavady, Moneyreagh and others, but trust this gives a flavour of what we’re talking about, while also demonstrating how widespread this is.

So-called Protestant churches are selling themselves to Rome, rushing into her arms. One has to wonder why this is?

Part of the reason in ‘peace process’ Northern Ireland is surely a desire to be considered cross-community friendly (ie Protestants and Catholics getting on with each other). Surely the kindest thing we can do with our Roman Catholic neighbours is show them the errors of their church and outline the glory of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

It must also be feared a crucial reason is these people don’t know their Bible.

As is always important, the question must be asked: “What saith the scripture?” (Romans 4:3).

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:11: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

We are further instructed in the book of Jude verse 3 that we “should earnestly contend for the faith”.

Does cosying up with the church of Rome, with its tyrannical gospel of works, exaltation of the Pope, worship of Mary, blasphemy of the Mass, fictitious creation of Purgatory and its deceits and superstitions of relics and idols, count as “earnestly contending for the faith” or is it rather having “fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness”?

We trust it is clear as to which it is.

As for the individual so-called Protestant clergy and churches involved in the services above, it is clear they have disregarded their ordination oaths and the principles to which they signed up when they begin their vocation.

Perhaps of particular interest is the ‘Rev’ Dr Lesley Carroll, a Presbyterian clergy woman (a contradiction in terms, of course). She is holding a position to which she is not entitled for starters (1 Timothy 2:12) but is also an advocate of liberalising abortion law. Abortion is a euphemism for the massacre of the unborn, but this clergy woman wants an “emphasis on choice” for expectant mothers.

Presbyterian ministers, when ordained, are required to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith. In paragraph 25, chapter 6. It states: “There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the church, against Christ and all that is called God.”

Similarly, the ’39 Articles’ are the governing precepts of the Anglican movement (which includes the Church of Ireland). The 31st of these makes clear its view of the Roman Catholic Church and makes it all the more inexplicable why such close links are forged between the two.

Article 31 states: “The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone.

“Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.”

It is our desire that anyone reading this associated with those churches challenge those in leadership and force them to articulate their view clearly and definitively, and ultimately to follow the advice of 2 Corinthians 6:17 to “come out from among them and be ye separate… and touch not the unclean thing”.

Also, if you are associated with any other denomination and hear no voice of condemnation, then lift up your own voice and make sure it is heard loud and clear:

“There can be no peace with Rome until Rome makes peace with God.”