ANTHONY "TONY" FRASER, REQUIESCAT IN PACE

This morning, the 28th of August, the Church lost one of its greatest champions, Anthony Fraser, son of the late, great Hamish Fraser and one who followed well in his father's footsteps.  When God takes away from us these noble souls one by one the devastation felt by Catholics is often too much to bear.  We ask ourselves how we can go on anymore when someone of such faith and intelligence and good will is no longer around to guide us, to counsel us, to keep our heads level and our love for the Church at fever pitch.

Tony's father, as many know, was a former Communist who converted to Catholicism and became one of the most ardent and erudite defenders of Holy Church against the onslaught of its numerous enemies within and without.  He founded the invaluable periodical Approaches and in those pages catalogued  the growing dangers faced by Catholics while at the same time giving us hope with that wonderful Scottish fighting spirit and immense good humor.  Those distinctive traits of Hamish were found also in his son, and Tony would continue his father's work after his death with his own invaluable publication Apropos which was in print from 1986 until only last year when economics determined that he must continue his work only on the internet, which he did with that same intelligence and good humor and love for Christ's Church.  Those who want to sample Tony's work can find some of it at the Apropos website or write for any available back issues of his fine print publication while supplies last.

A heart attack claimed Tony this morning.  That he had to be careful with his heart he well knew. But he was keeping things under control quite well with weight and exercise and things were looking a bit rosier.

A month or so ago we were chatting on the phone, sharing a few moments of laughter among the more dire news of current events in Church and state.  In a characteristically amusing fashion he mentioned that someone had referred to him as a VIP because of his well-known defenses of the Faith.  He said to me,"Yes, I'm a VIP.  Eventually I'll be an RIP".

It was my great honor to call Tony a close personal friend for many years.  I loved him greatly and loved his dear wife and family.  We shared our families' ups and downs and we prayed for each other's intentions and travails.  On our visits to Scotland my wife and I were guests of theirs and never were there more pleasant hours spent than those spent with the Fraser clan.  When we weren't learning something important about events in the Church we were laughing our heads off at his jokes.  And his wife was no slouch in the humor department, either.  What a God-blessed family they are.

In the midst of a terrible time in the Church God took away Hamish Fraser.  It was a blow that I for one never recovered from.  Now, with the Church on the very edge of the abyss God has taken away Tony.  We must grieve for him now, and we must grieve for the Church.  I ask Almighty God to keep this great man's Purgatory short, if indeed it is necessary for him to spend time there.  The Beatific Vision is something he has earned and I hope Our Lord will take him to that Vision soon.

May I ask that you please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Tony Fraser, one of the few and true Defenders of the Faith.