This is to replace an earlier posting which unintentionally caused offence and bad feelings among people I greatly esteem. The title is the German expression Pope Pius XI used to say “with burning concern” as he faced the situation in Europe in his time. It is appropriate to my own feelings, whilst I am at the same time a priest with a duty to avoid getting involved in politics to the extent I have allowed myself to do so. I have also pulled a couple of earlier posts. If anyone wants to find articles on Brexit, there are better sources than I on the Internet.
I have been caught between the informed pro-Brexit opinions of those who are close to me, my concern for my country and for the rest of Europe. When the darkest days of World War II arrived, priests helped the victims to safety and did what they could without adding to the conflict and killing. We are not at war, but the future is utterly unpredictable, even day by day.
According to my latest information, I don’t believe that no-deal Brexit can happen because there are laws preventing it. Maybe it will be May’s deal or the whole thing will be called off. Who knows? It is not up to me.
I am not concerned about my personal situation, because I am a legal immigrant in France and my various approaches to the Administration have gone smoothly and according to the rules. My prayers and hopes go out to the millions of souls who have been disenfranchised in this national crisis, and who have manifested their desires without any violence or vandalism. I empathise with their anxiety and concerns.
As I mentioned in the deleted posting, I have not made up my mind whether to bring this blog to a close or simply suspend it until the situation in the UK is brought to a close in one way or another. I am not the one to get involved in such matters because my autistic condition causes me to lack discernment and I “melt down”.
I ask your prayers. If others with facilities for posting wish to contribute something, they are welcome. Comments are still welcome and I will read (and maybe respond to) them. It is essential for me to wind down and change course.
The Blue Flower 
I missed what this replaces, but this sounds judicious all round – in a good Lenten way (if I may so put it).
I would hope all the resources and archives here remain somehow accessible (I don’t know enough about the Wayback Machine at the Internet Archive to know if that might suffice) – and that The Blue Flower as periodical (of the Internet or simply via it) will continue after whatever hiatus. So, “simply suspend” would be my personal preference – but I (quite properly) cannot see ‘behind the scenes’ nor do I bear the burden of responsibility as blogger and host.
With prayers and good wishes!
I’m leaving everything as it is. I merely deleted a few postings in which I was intemperate about Brexit and felt that I was being swept into an unhealthy emotional movement. I have also had some unpleasant comments from “conservatives”. I lost my self esteem and needed to take time to get perspective.
I can tell you that things are simply in hiatus until I can come to terms with things in the political world, not being able to do anything other than sign petitions and keep informed. It is unhealthy for me, and destructive of my ability to work on other things. I have returned to work on a book that has been in limbo for a while. I now have a firm plan and an using some blog articles and adapting them as well as putting in new material for the intended purpose.
Now let’s see, no-deal by 12th April, May getting in her MV 3 and 4 as her modern equivalent of the Chinese water torture, or something in the great beyond. I still need to disengage and see this whole thing as a turn of history and a period of change.
Usually, after something happens, nothing is like it was before!