Be Prepared!

As every good scout knows this 'Be Prepared' is the motto from General Baden Powell to his scouts, a profoundly Christian movement at it's conception. One that many of us will recall from our youth with gratitude and a smile! It certainly taught us how to get on with all sorts of different people and the outdoors as a preparation for responsible living and for respect and service of others. The uniform far from being just military was like a school uniform in this country (France wishes it had them to avoid materialism gone mad with fashion trainers, tee shirts etc.). I know that this is a time of reception, prayer and discernment regarding Anglicanorum coetibus but as there will be those accepting the Catechism of the Catholic Church without much hesitation, ought we not to be looking to set up, funds, seeking endowments, grants and trusts whose articles of trust might be favourable to the new Ordinariate. Members of SSC, Credo Cymru and Forward in Faith might be able to advise on the wording for legacies now. After all there will surely be a need to support those families and others who will be left off the payroll of their former churches. A couple of good legacies could leave £1 million or so to get things started, there will be other catholic Anglican trusts where the wording needs to be looked at for potential help. Even with the constructive dismissal cases that will surely begin (as they should if no proper provision is offered), these funds won't be enough to meet the immediate needs on their own. Any suggestions for a central fund that could be set up now with legacy invitations might be a good way to 'Be Prepared!' Buildings are another issue for another day.

Summer Fun and Pilgrimage

As it's nearly mid winter a post to warm us up! Have you been to Glastonbury Pilgrimage recently? When was your last time? Get the New Year diary out and make a note of the date NOW! It's June 19th. 2010. We've been going for the last fourteen years or so and it's always worth it. You are in the company of all the PEV's and the Welsh PAB, although the Welsh bench of Bishops have now decided not to appoint one despite the public promises made at the time of the vote on women priests. That's what they call giving us an honoured place and ensuring their pastoral care for us! How you can say you're giving  pastoral care and stabbing in the back at the same time seems what shall we say...strange?! I'm now not on the GPA (Glastonbury Pilgrimage Association) Council any more but I wonder whether the future of it might lie with the joining together of the Roman and Anglican pilgrimages together instead of separately as now. It ought to be possible even for those Anglo Catholics who won't yet have written out their RSVP's to the charming and timely invitation of the Holy Father and Bishop of Rome to join him in the RC church but as Anglicans (amazing isn't it!). I can never resist a polite invitation to a party and what an eternal one it could turn out to be!! We hope to be taking our picnic and the 16 members of the Sunday School this year..see you there!!

Advent 3

A big apology to my few but faithful readers of this post that it's been so long since the last! I suppose everyone can say they are extra busy at this time of the year. I have however found some really quiet moments (and I mean moments) through not blogging,  but through secular working ( I am non-stipendiary i.e. self- supporting), ministering as deacon, preparing the Sunday school or with the family, to be able to try and meditate on the coming events of the Holy Incarnation of God made man. Music has been the saving grace and medium. We as the clergy here at St. Arvans were able to kick-start our observances on Advent Sunday in November with a quiet hour of prayer with music before the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord exposed in the monstrance on the altar.This has been a reservoir of belief and grace on which to build for the season.  Our church is soaked with the prayers of the faithful since the ninth century which is very helpful too. The Advent hymns, organ chorales of Bach and various chants have helped me to steady the mad rush and to hold on to the real mystery and enormous importance of what will occur in a few days time. No I have not been particularly well organised. I'm behind with rehearsals for the Carol service, the fewer Christmas cards are still in their packets (we are donating to charity in the parish this year, not giving cards to those we see regularly), the Crib is not out of it's wrappers from last year, presents will be last. Then I have been writing the texts for the liturgy before the offertory at Mass next week when the younger one's will be celebrating the Stations of the Incarnation around the church with readings, lighting of candles, prayers, meditations and procession with an early blessing of the crib. All accompanied by Angels and Shepherds. I think the choice of Mary and Joseph has been done without too many tears!!  Then there was the Sunday Worship from our parish to prepare for last week. We have been on Radio Wales a few times but this was national BBC Radio 4!! When I was told it was going out to 1.8 MILLION listeners live, anxiety or vanity more like rather kicked in. Oh Dear. However, the Cardiff Polyphonic Choir ( music director Neil Ferris) , organist David Thomas, Fr. Michael Gollop parish priest, readers and Kate Price cellist and everyone else did magnificently. A small parish like ours of 880 souls was ministering the Gospel to the World through the Word, liturgy and music of God. Well done to Sian Baker the producer and her colleagues in the BBC. Long may this Christian witness through national media continue. The Advent Hymns and music speak to us profoundly through all the turmoil.  Through these wonderful words and this music the tradition of the Church makes Jesus expected and real and about to be born....but not yet. We wait alongside Mary Mother of God with pregnant expectation for the saving glory of the birth of Christ to be proclaimed...but not yet."Pour down O heavens  from above and let the skies rain down righteousness!" This was the broadcast...http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnds 

Advent Calendars

A new church year, a time of preparation approaches. Hopefully we can find non-secular disney style advent calendars with a CHRISTIAN content in time to distribute them among the 15 or so Sunday School. For those of you in the UK any suggestions where I get them before Sunday?!!

Totally Collapsed

 Whilst on the theme of the Armenians. We may think that injustice within our own church is a problem. Have a look at how the Armenian Orthodox are having to cope. We always new that many of the ancient Armenian churches have been desecrated by the neglect of the Turks(I will address the Genocide of Armenians by the Turks on another occasion) but have a look at this report on relations with their neighbouring Orthodox of Georgia. Christ is always suffering when Christians disagree. May he have mercy on us all when the time of reckoning arrives, as it will surely do for us all and especially those responsible for their inactions as well as their actions.

On Friday, November 20, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided during a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Discussed during the meeting was the collapse of the St. Gevork of Mughni Armenian Church in the Diocese of Georgia. At the end of the meeting, the following statement was released:

The Supreme Spiritual Council regrets to confirm that the St. Gevork of Mughni Armenian Church (built in 1356) in Tbilisi, Georgia, has collapsed.

The Supreme Spiritual Council regretfully states that years of effort on the part of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the authorities of the Republic of Armenia, to regulate the legal standing of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia and secure the return of Armenian churches, through dialogue with the authorities of the Republic of Georgia and the Georgian Orthodox Church, were unsuccessful. The collapse of the St. Gevork of Mughni Armenian Church is only one of the consequences of the unwarranted delays exhibited by the Georgian side in the handling of the aforementioned issues. The authorities of the Republic of Georgia and the Georgian Orthodox Church are wholly responsible for the collapse of the church.

The indifference exhibited by the Georgian state toward the preservation of Armenian holy sites does not correspond in any way with: 1) the establishment of good neighborly relations, 2) fidelity to universal human values, 3) respect for the rights of ethnic minorities, 4) the constant statements made by the Georgian state regarding the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of their ethnic minorities, and 5) the Georgian state’s accepted obligations before the international community.

The Supreme Spiritual Council calls on the authorities of the Republic of Georgia and the Georgian Orthodox Church to immediately implement steps to grant legal status to the Armenian Diocese of Georgia and to return the Armenian churches in Georgia to the Armenian Diocese of Georgia for the normal functioning of national-ecclesiastical life for the Georgian-Armenian community and the safe preservation of Armenian holy sites.

Mitres

As I suggested in a previous post I would return to the subject of the Latin shaped mitre in the Armenian Apostolic Church as depicted in the statue of St. Gregory the Illuminator AD 301 recently erected on the side of St Peter's basilica, Rome. He was a successor of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholemew the founders of the Armenian church. Although there is a small community of Armenian rite Catholics throughout the world who take their origins from Lebanon in the 18th. cent. the vast majority of Armenians are Orthodox and the mother see is based at the holy city of Etchmiadzin in Armenia within sight of Mount Ararat ( now supposedly Turkey) where Noah's Ark rested after the great flood. I attach some photos I took on pilgrimage in 2003 (post soviet occupation) showing the latin shaped mitre. They are on the whole all  of the 'precious mitre' type and the only difference is in that they are joined at the top instead of open. I have not yet found out why they follow(or perhaps they lead) the latin form. The orthodox mitre which is crown shaped is retained by the priests and also unusually the deacons as well on some occasions especially at ordinations. The Catholicos of all Armenians (His Holiness Karekin II) with whom I and others shared an audience is dynamic and friendly. These photos are during the Divine Liturgy of the Mass ( the ancient rite is a mix of St John Chrysostom and St. Basil). He is in the photos at his throne not mitred and not celebrating on this occasion but gave the blessing. The audience is in the palace of His Holiness. More details another time.

Cornered in a Storm?

Note to Liberal Well Wishers.... "Is it me or do I detect that things are getting rough on the ocean of unity? Tempers are getting hot and unpleasant, realities are beginning to bite. Who knew what when? This could be a tragic play indeed were it not for the fact that it's not fiction, it's about truth which should have a happy ending. You may not like the open welcome to Anglicans from Rome but if you don't what are you bothered about? You aren't the ones who are going to move anywhere so stop rocking the boat and upsetting the move that many will want to take in their own good time if they can and if they feel God is calling them. Let's have some decorum, we are not playing a football match we are engaged in the soul searching of men and women for their spiritual home and their longing for the truth of the church founded by their Lord and entrusted to the Apostles and their successors. Leave your fellow Christians and treat them ecumenically with love and best wishes for their future before God. I don't think I can stand any more posturing or criticism of why and how the fatherly offer of help that has been launched in Anglicanorum coetibus came about. The message to Rome from Anglican synods was clear we don't want to listen to your words of caution that the raft of ARCIC is sinking on the tide of unagreed innovations to church order, ministry and ethics. For many Anglicans now realise the Bishop of Rome knows best and if you don't agree ....no worries just carry on as you are! Which you will do anyway. Please please stop PRETENDING you don't understand traditionalists and their longing for Christ's imperative 'let them be one' any more!" We wish you well and let's all get on with bringing Christ to those who don't yet know him in our own way. Don't be fearful, don't feel cornered, stay cool, stay faithful!" After death comes resurrection and new life.

Eastern Orthodoxy

After the Anglicans have been offered a return to the family home of SS Peter and Paul at Rome what about the Holy Orthodox being encouraged to share in this new found unity for Christians around the Pope as 'first among EQUALS'? It strikes me that this will be high on H.H. Pope Benedict's dynamic agenda. The Orientals and smaller and more disparate churches may be first. The picture is a photo I took on the outside wall of St. Peter's in a courtyard where the Vatican Museum exits. It is of St Gregory the Illuminator, the patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church AD 301. The first country to officially adopt Christianity under it's King Tiridates. Armenian Orthodox Bishops are unique in having adopted the Latin shaped mitre, of which more in subsequent posts.

Anglicanorum Coetibus

These are some words from 'The Significance of the Apostolic Constitution'
(now promulgated under the name of "Anglicanorum Coetibus") by Fr. Ghirlanda of the Vatican. We have this official interpretation, which has struck me with enormous force and significance. They are ....

               " the Anglican liturgical, spiritual and pastoral tradition IS a particular reality within the Latin Church."

Note that it does not say , may be ,could be or will become.... but IS. This gives enormous encouragement to those who have sacrificed everything to justify this reality within the Anglican church over centuries, often against vehenomous opposition within it. It also gives Anglicans who wish to move towards visible unity with the Bishop of Rome at a slower speed and those who may be forced to be left behind  a validity that the faith which they are expressing in the church of their upbringing, nationality and culture is valid, is part of the One Holy catholic and Apostolic church...already, if on an impaired and so far imperfect basis. All life is imperfect in varying degrees. Some will want to rubbish the Constitution for their own grubby church-political reasons. The more open minded and truly liberal and ecumenical, as opposed to current establishment quasi-liberal, will welcome all the words of this generous and fatherly offer of care and concern from Rome. You must read the full text, I believe you will be amazed, humbled and joyous whatever your personal views. Here is a link http://www.ebbsfleet.org.uk/acghrl09.htm

At the going down of the Sun....and in the morning....

We will remember them...Remembrance 2. A day of charged emotion here in the UK on this Remembrance Sunday. Our Parish Church is small and Celtic from the 9th. century. Most of the original stones are below ground and in the circular wall of the churchyard. We worship on sacred ground and these stones have seen many wars and burials in their time. They have also witnessed the centuries-old worship and prayers of the people that continue to soak up our catholic and post-reformation liturgies and sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving even today....a thousand years later. The Requiem Mass this morning in our small rural parish of 900 or so souls mustered  a congregation of 50 communicants and others and 10 Sunday School members who led our intercessions. The tone was solemn, Gospel-centred and based on Jesus' promise of eternal life. The Communion concluded at 10.52 am and in the presence of the blessed Sacrament of the Lord remaining on the altar we processed to the war memorial plaque behind the font, the Celebrant carrying the wreath of Flanders poppies from before the altar in the sanctuary, through the body of the church with solemn music playing from the Victorian pipe-organ. As the wreath was laid the Deacon lit the pascal candle and at exactly 11am the two minute memorial silence began in time with the Sovereign's church parade at London's cenotaph and throughout the land. After two verses of the National Anthem we returned to the sanctuary for the post-communion and blessing.

It was at the South door and in the school room afterwards that we shared common experiences of the tragedy of war that affects many of us even in the rural parishes at the moment. Many, many people in our communities and in our nation are now again having to share in the losses and the injuries of the present war in what we used to call the North West Frontier, always a most unhappy burial-ground for the British. Our loyalty to the troops on the ground and to their families is never in question. We look to the Generals and to the politicians for strong, explicit and morally justifiable war-leadership at this time . Our question as to the truth and efficacy of this will be left for another day. For this day we shared, even in this small community, with those in tears for the bomb disposal friend blown-up, the 18yr. old brother of a niece's school friend shot down  in his youth, the garrison-town stories two miles away where too many young men have died in the heat of Afghan battles. On the way out two of the congregation quietly reflected on their war-time service. One in Palastine one in Borneo where,captured by the Japanese, 1000(one thousand) men in his Japanese  transport ship died even before they got to the prisoner of war camp due to the cruelty of man to man... no water... no light.. ..no air.... A foretaste of the three years of continuing cruelty to come to him and his fellow compatriots and their allies. A  day of charged emotion but one of unity, common suffering and determination to overcome and to share in new life. "At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will ( always) remember them.....WE WILL REMEMBER THEM."

Remembrance Sunday

This is the season of Remembrance and we with many other families will have special things to recall. Every year at this time I get out the letters sent home by my late father from the front in World War II. He was a Major serving in the Royal Artillery having been called up from his City of London territorial regiment The City of London Yeomanry ( The Rough Riders). I gave his medals and the service sword of my maternal Grandfather (Capt. Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, note the two royals) to my brother Tim who was in the RADC but I have kept the letters. I will reproduce an extract at the end.....One letter (subject to the censor of course) recounts how he was caught up in the" forgotten war" of 1944. Having fought in North Africa and in the desert(where he says "it was jolly hot"!)he found himself in the civil war in Greece between the communists(the KKE) the left(EAM ,their fighters were ELAS) and the royalists (EDES). Remembering also that he would have been 27yrs old then having begun the war at 24. He was one of five bothers( all became Doctors), four were fighting and the youngest at school. The family home, where my eye surgeon Grandfather had died prematurely in his fifties, was called Winchester House in Southampton and took a direct hit and was bombed flat. " Luckily we were out at the time "  famously quoted my widowed Grandmother!  At this season there is much to remember, much to regret and much to thank God for. Never should we glory in war but never should we forget the debts we owe. The tragedy is that our modern young troops continue to sacrifice "their today for our tomorrow" WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Greece 1944 "There was some straffing from the air... a sniper had just shot one of our spotters, tanks were smashing a road block, fighters were destroying a defended house. The padre is magnificent. He walks about in his cassock puffing his pipe indifferent to the snipers,tanks and barricades. He always turns up for meals but in between there is no hot-spot he does not visit. He seems to have complete faith in the immunity provided by his dog-collar...or perhaps it's his complete faith" Jan 5th. On the end of hostilities that finally occurred that day.. " I walked back to my HQ in the late afternoon hardly able to believe it. It was this silence that was so odd. It made it seem like some awful nightmare from which you are just waking up. The sun was shining on the hills . The birds were singing. But there on the pavement was the body of a dead girl and there were the crators of those two mortar bombs which just missed the Colonel and I, and there in the garden a soldier's grave."   Maj.Phillip Arthur Zorab MD FRCP

 At our Parish Requiem Mass with Act of Remembrance next Sunday the prayers will be led by the young members of our Sunday School  where we with thousands upon thousand will pray for those who died and were injured, those who fought and those who suffer. We will pray for peace and hope for ... peace, knowing that through His death on the cross Jesus overcomes all death, for all time.

St Charles Boromeo and St Ambrose

Further to the previous post last night here is a photo of this Church dedicated to these co-patrons which I took in Sept..Click the photo again to enlarge and get the full detail. It is situated in the via del Corso, Rome. Do see their website by clicking the link on my previous post or here again http://www.sancarlo.pcn.net/argomenti_inglese/pagina0.html   Ciao!!

Roman Fever

I have been lucky enough to visit Rome three times in my life. The last was with my wife when we managed to have our first holiday without the children for eight years. It was only a few weeks ago that we returned on 30th. Sept.. If you haven't been GO!! It's a must see, especially if you are a Christian of any tradition. Our pilgrimage was a holiday too in the true sense of the word. Three visits to St. Peter's (San Pietro) in the four night stay because our Bed and Breakfast, which was more like an apartment really, was round the corner from the Vatican. We walked everywhere, the weather was 28C and we visited all the seven Basilicas, five in one day!! We had been determined to travel the quite far distance, comparatively, to pray at St. Paul's outside the Walls where the tomb of the Apostle to the Gentiles has been verified as 1st. century. Wow!! was it worth the noisy metro journey. When you walk out onto the street from the station you arrive in a poor run-down area with cranes leaning over building sites that have lost their workers years ago in stagnation. Empty of people and very few pilgrims one can't help feeling that Paul is being left out and in the shadow of his chief brother Apostle, Peter. Inside the Basilica is calm, quiet, prayerful, majestic and beautiful.Quite appropriate and impressive for the memory and housing of Paul. Personally I am a big fan of Peter too ( and curiously his most modern successor! ). However we could remember that Paul is to the Word of God, what Peter is to Tradition. Add in the redaction of reason and Anglicans have a natural home to turn to. In fact the same home we were forced to leave at the time of the Reformation by an accident of history through no fault of our own; simple as that! Here at the tomb of Paul we joined in the office of Vespers with the Abbot and a college of 20 priests with 15 of us in the congregation. This is where traditionally the Sovereign of Great Britain was an honourary Canon. Little did we know that our fervent prayers to God through St. Paul for Christian unity between Rome and Anglicans had already been answered!! The Dominicans prayers for this same intention months ago had got in before these particular prayers( but no doubt had joined  all of our earlier and constant intercessions for the same cause). Could Paul be a special Apostle to the Anglicans who seek unity with his brother Peter and the Universal church? Who knows perhaps very soon a British Monarch may again be installed as an honourary canon of St. Paul's Basilica outside the walls at Rome.? That would really be another ecumenical miracle to follow the Apostolic Constitution of Benedict the sixteenth! Real Roman Fever indeed! Another treasure we found was San Carlo whose feast is tomorrow. The church has a wonderful website and ministry under the direction of Mgr. Martinelli you can visit it here http://www.sancarlo.pcn.net/argomenti_inglese/pagina0.html and be sure to visit the Your questions bar on the left. I commend  it to you. Buona Sera!!

Wisdom

If I one day have to lose the recitation of the Divine Office (which is RC but used by many Anglicans) for my daily prayers I think I'm going to experience quite a bereavement. It has seen me through thick and thin in sickness and in health over the years both as layman and after Ordination. It feeds me, nourishes me, guides me and helps me. Most importantly it opens the door and enables me to live in the same household with the living God on a daily basis. It also joins me with the rest of the 'family', both of catholic Anglicans and Roman Catholics where we seek to live together and serve the Father in prayer. Although we may not meet in the same houses of prayer at the same moment to say the Offices, we are joined together by the knowledge that we are all following the same pages all over the world and uniting as Christians of the same family praying to the same God roughly at the same time. If we are ill we know that if we miss these prayers and readings they are still being prayed and read for us by our brothers and sisters in Christ on our behalf. I hope that this rich treasury of daily prayers each different for the Calendar and seasons of the church year will not be lost because of a direction to use an Anglican  book of common prayer as part of  a  more general 'Patrimony' that we may be taking with us. Where would be the wisdom in that I wonder? Many of us left the BCP in private offices as a result of Vatican Two years ago. Also would this be wisdom at the very time that the fruits of united prayer for unity in the daily Office are bearing such fruit at this time? We could still continue to use the BCP in sung and public services. Of Wisdom... " Her, then I would take to myself, to share my home; to be my counsellor  in prosperity, my solace in anxiety and grief."( Book of Wisdom ch. 8) 

Bad Manors

When I read that the Bishop of St Asaph  ( a bishop elected to office here in Wales for a matter of months)  accuses the Bishop of Rome of ecumenical bad manners ( by offering a  refuge to catholic Anglicans who have petitioned him for help) I have to say I cringe. Not only a small cringe but a toe curling one and one that leaves a very, very bad taste in the mouth. This open criticism of Pope Benedict is so un-Anglican and impolite behaviour of itself;  irrespective of your views on the matter. Where is the sense of Christian charity that accepts that people with whom Cameron disagrees may need the real pastoral care that he will never be able to give them( except perhaps by agreeing a replacement for the Provincial Assistant Bishop which he and the the Welsh Bench of six bishops refuse)? When Cameron goes on to say "this is not the way WE do things" in the same breath, I despair . On what authority does he think he is able to pronounce against the Holy Father?  Who does he think "we" means? A loud liberal committee perhaps?  We always thought that the ecumenical overtures of post ARCIC General Synod to Rome through the liberal ascendancy was a sham . We hoped to be proved wrong. Now we can judge for ourselves. An apology  is the only honourable restitution for such offensive behaviour by  the diocesan of St. Asaph. After all Rome is not interested in his own un-catholic  Manor but only perhaps his ecumenical Manners ( "which maketh man" and could give salvation) and which appear so woefully lacking. Manners lacking not from Rome but from North Wales. You can hear the full BBC Wales broadcast on this which includes reference to my colleague Fr. Michael's blog Let Nothing you Dismay here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales/sites/podcasts/ and click Roy Jenkins'...... All Things Considered.

All Saints

All Saints Eve and all is quiet, expectant, prayerful and calm. Yesterday in secular work some lovely late summer/ early Autumn weather at 19C. Not bad for nearly November. A long day doing what I was asked and called and needed for. Giving one and a half hour free professional advice three times individually to those who want to know if they can move house. This they need to know for all the reasons of human condition. Larger family, getting older, bereavement, financial difficulty, moving job, losing employment, gaining employment, moving church, separation, greed, desire, humility, sinfulness, saintliness ( to look after others etc.) and all the rest. In other words it's not only about bricks and mortar (just like the Church) it's mainly about people....God's people. Yes, even being a country Estate Agent is a vocation of service and yes also, I'm by no means the only one of my profession that sees it this way, even though we are seen as 'leeches' by many. What made it great for me today was the joy I have in working in one of the most lovely and untouched parts of the Welsh borders ( rural Monmouthshire ). Also to stop yesterday and watch the majestic circling of a Red Kite on one of the properties at one end of the County and then seeing the  blue flash of a Kingfisher on one at the other end.....Magnificent.....like prayer in motion!! The one like slow meditation "high soaring above" ..........the other arrow-like, direct, fast and going direct! May God be praised through All His Saints as we pepare to meet Him in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass tomorrow. Through their blessed intercessions and those of whom will soon be joining the ranks of the elect ( especially John Henry Newman). May all that is Holy in the dear Anglican tradition " Praise ye The Lord !!" May we be made ready to move home for Him, if, as, when and to whence He may call us...... in His own god time. Amen.

Sad News of The Church in Wales

I am so sad to hear of the massive decline in the number of worshippers of The Church in Wales ( The Anglican Province here). This is a sign of how much we as Christians need to do to reclaim this land of The Saints for Jesus Christ. Despite some growth and stability in some areas the overall picture does not make good reading. There are many good people doing what they can and persevering in keeping and spreading the faith. However,the question has to be asked how this is happening and why now? We will all have our own ideas and answers; these need to be put into the context of what is tearing us and Our Lord apart in our beloved homeland. Is the hierarchy in Cathedral Road, Cardiff and all the different Diocesan Offices with their staffing levels under review to reflect this decline? We've been asking this same question for years and six Dioceses all with their own administration plus the extra tier at Cardiff for a Province smaller than Oxford Diocese seems uneconomic and adding unnecessarily to the Quota ( Parish Share) payable by the worshippers. I see an expensive brochure produced in Welsh and English ( i.e. at double the cost for a miniscule Welsh speaking minority for political reasons)not about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and the truths of the faith to the unchurched but about climate change and green issues. These types of misplaced resources and the lack of rationalisation of the administration of the church here demonstrates that change is surely long overdue. You can read a further illustration at David Virtue's site here: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=11310

Let me see again.

Homily for Last Sunday after Pentecost Year B. 25 Oct. 09 Parish Mass St. Arvans.

Blind Bartimaeus. Mark.10.v 46-52

For some of us even when we think we can see well, that we know what things look like, that everything is unchanging………in fact for many of us we can be blind, seeing dimly and inaccurately how our lives are actually being lived. We can be blind to how weak our faith in God has become. How far astray our vision of life can be from what God wills for us both personally and corporately in the Church. A large part of our search for truth, enlightenment and understanding can be distorted by an unthinking, unspiritual and often uncaring sort of blindness that can creep up on us if we are not careful. This is normal because we are not perfect beings, we do get blinded to what are the most important things in life. This should therefore make me more attentive to this possibility and to refine my spiritual, sacramental and prayer life regularly, to keep the eyes of my faith more open. Perhaps we can share together for a short time how we might…..
- See Jesus more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly.
- See Him more clearly in our own lives and together each week as we share in the one perfect and sufficient sacrifice that Jesus made once for all time and which we re-present at this altar every time we celebrate Mass.
- See and share in our Saviour’s love for us at the Eucharist sacramentally and in living and hearing His Word and by following His teaching in the Gospels which we study together each week.
Consider for a moment that each of our lives of faith is like a great original painting. I don’t know what your favourites are but mine at the moment include those by Caravaggio and Fillippo Lippi. Now no original painting is exactly the same , just as each of us is utterly unique. Our lives of faith may start as a completely blank canvas, then move on as an inspirational spark of an idea formulates. We begin to sketch; there are trial runs; some discarding and editing takes place. Then comes the first strokes of the brush….. an outline of faith appears through the grace of God. The subject and content begin to be indelibly put down, then the instruments and laws of perspective, form, light and colour are adhered to. Just as the unalterables of Creeds, great Councils of the Church, commandments of The Lord and teachings of His Word should remain the unalterables of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic faith. These are the tools and brushes and paints of Holy Church. These laws are defining principles of the painting but always interpreted through the creative love, personality and faith of the artist. Guided through prayer and sacrament the canvas comes to life, it breathes the soul of the artist. Faith blossoms and flourishes like this canvas if it is constantly fed with the palate of prayers and witness of the saints, and those of the church father’s teaching us to be the artists of our own lives under His direction.We have the chance during this short period of painting the picture, living our lives, to either create something worthwhile, something that will endure, something of beauty, of lasting witness to those around us as well as within us and to the glory of God...or not. Sometimes it will only be a small part of the canvas of life that will be beautiful and creative. Sometimes the painting may fail. Many times they remain unfinished…let it not be so with us.
Our challenge, our joy is to take up this palate, create that painting of faith subject to these laws. Develop it and live it out loud, in an exhibition which can sometimes be all too short.
Leaving that analogy on one side for a moment, let us consider the questions raised in Mark’s gospel…….
HOW do I keep the eyes of my faith open?
HOW can I see Jesus?
Regard the blind beggar for a moment. A person that Jesus hears and loves, just as he hears and loves everyone, whatever their condition.
IF I CALL OUT ‘’Jesus Son of David have mercy on me’’….. will He hear me?....will he hear you?...
IF I OPEN my ears to hear, will I hear those around me and the words in front of me say to me personally “ Take heart get up He is calling you”
Will I, will you, will we together hear Jesus’ words to us personally. “ Go your faith has made you well”…?
It will depend on many things won’t it? I will have all the imperfections that every sinning member of the human race has , for none are perfect. I may get bogged down with the minutiae of life. I may suffer in the blindness that distorts my life and hinders me in God’s plan for me. But if I, if you, if we together ask Jesus like Bartimaeus…. “Let me see again” our canvas of faith may yet become a truly living faith; a picture of great beauty and meaning.
Those words of our Lord “Go your faith has made you well could echo in our ears, not just as we kneel to receive Him in the real presence of His body at the altar today. These words could become like our favourite painting. Visible, tangible, real, comforting and joyful. Leading us across the landscape, the seascape the subject matter through the canvas and beyond to where there is a Divine homecoming…joy…clear sight.... and peace…
May we like St. Paul and Bartimaeus experience new sight as the scales of doubt fall from our eyes so that we can glimpse The Lord’s glory here, now, today and into eternity……… Amen

I will send you a sign...

Rome and Anglican Re-Union.
Announcement before the Homily, Parish Mass - Last Sunday after Pentecost 25 Oct. 09

'' Before I begin, you may well have heard that on 20 October 2009, last week, Pope Benedict has responded to the requests of traditional Anglicans who have asked him to consider a re-union scheme. Firstly so that Christ’s words ‘ that they may be one’ be fulfilled and secondly so as to minister to those who have and will be left without bishops, sacramental and proper pastoral provision by their own Anglican Provinces following liberal innovations to ministry, faith and morals which have been made and continue apace without proper consultation and guidance from the whole Universal Church of God ( which of course includes our own province of the Church in Wales). Whatever happens next we should appreciate that this has been an unprecedented step and is the first sign of Anglicans being welcomed back to the mother Church corporately rather than individually since the Reformation . The official title of this decree of welcome is an Apostolic Constitution. We do not yet know the full details, there will be much speculation and comment in the press. Whatever happens next, things will not be the same. We should think of and pray for all Anglicans everywhere including ourselves. That we may leave God to guide the outcome for each and every one of us in His own time.One thing I suggest we do not do is speculate about others. We simply do not know what others will do or will be able to do and nor will most of us yet be sure about our own reactions. Remember when we talk we are talking about other people’s lives and other people’s faith, something we should leave to them and their own conscience before God. We should however rejoice that a home is now available for many who have been made homeless and unwelcome in their own Church. Whatever happens next our prayer should always be ‘Thy Kingdom come…’ ’’.
Fr. Mark

Bartimaeus, New Sight, New Dawn

Tomorrow's gospel reading Mk.10v46-52 recounts the story of the blind beggar Bartimaeus. My sermon is finally written but not yet fully prayed over as this normally continues during the night in my sleeping hours. When dawn breaks the clocks will have gone back one hour GMT. Dawn will break as the first day following the FiF Assembly. Many words, much emotion, at least three different outcomes will result for all of us Catholic Anglicans in response to the still brilliant and blinding light of Rome's offer in the Apostolic Constitution. We are not all travelling at the same speed but pray God that we will eventually all end at the same destination. Salvation, not ecclesial politics is surely at stake. Life and death issues no less. As St. Mark's account tells us ''Take heart get up he is calling you'' Will we be able to throw off our blindness and let ourselves be healed by The Lord? To respond to this call for unity for which WE have petitioned? Then we may hear together more clearly Christ's words to us. '' Go your faith has made you well ''......

FiF Conference London

After initial euphoria perhaps not enough space and time for prayer has been possible since Rome opened it's gates of welcome to Anglicans in the recent pronouncements through His Eminence Cardinal Lavada. Every excuse is being rehearsed by some key note speakers before they have even had the grace to wait upon the Magisterium to reveal more detail and to pronounce further as they have promised. No, surely we do not want to be seen to be negotiating and jockeying for positions, certainly not with Rome. This is not Synodical government and absolutely not dealing with the revision committee as though it were on a par with Rome. Oh dear , come on where is our sense of humble submission and obedience to the Apostolic successor of PETER . Wait upon the Lord but also upon the Holy See of Peter as the Vicar of Christ here on earth……please. This is my initial re-action to a much too lengthy and constructed debate at the FiF conference in my view. This of course excludes the measured , humble, accurate and prayerful submissions of Ebbsfleet and Richborough to whom many will be very grateful, even if we do not eventually follow their caravans which I’m sure many of us would want to do if only we could be allowed to. At present we do not know so I pray God for patience, silence and discernment.

Why All Gas & Gaiters?

'What is this name for your blog?' my children asked me. It takes it's name from an innocent TV farce about the dear old Church of England. There were 33 episodes between 1966 and 1971, only 11 of these survive to be seen. In the days when harmlessly poking fun lightly was a joy to behold. Also in days when clergy looked like clergy and dressed properly and Bishops were only addressed 'my lord'. Gaiters( a type of leggings buttoned down the side) were the norm for Bishops and Archdeacons. Mind you I know that these gaiters still exist in the cupboards of at least two present day Bishops. Will they make an appearance again? Probably... but only in the looking glasses of their bedrooms! Why not in the Cathedral close any more? I hear you say. The answer is simple... none of them have the legs for it!!

Winter Festival??

I have just had news from our local Chamber of Trade. Will we support the forthcoming 'Winter Festival' ? No we won't! Explaining as politely as possible that re-naming Christmas will not do, even if it is more PC. Actually I think and hope that the commercial extravaganza will be more subdued in the current economic climate and all the better for that. Perhaps the Icons of the Holy family in the office window to go up at the end of Advent may make the point better than any words I can say?

The Rain and the leaves are falling.

Autumn in the borders of Wales and the season is changing the clock's will go back. Time becomes more steadied somehow. We turn our attentions to the fallen Remembrance-tide and All Souls. The fourteen children in Sunday school were a delight to teach last Sunday especially as we welcomed two new youngsters aged 10 and 7 recently adopted by a lovely family from our congregation. An occasion of great joy, these two never having been in church in their lives before. Imagine the 10 yr old ' I've always wanted to be a Christian'.....Amazing and an emotional day for us all. Thanks be to God....

Te Deum Laudamus

Oh what a great day and now we have some real oecumenical good news from Rome no less! Our own church refuses us the only pastoral care we need, that is a replacement PAB(flying bishop) and Rome gives us the possibility of the full sacramental care of an orthodox bishop we so desperately need and asked for but re-united with the See of St Peter! Moving towards that unity to which we all aspire. A life raft has been sent out! A bridge has been specially constructed for Catholic Anglicans leading across the river Tevere! What a disgrace that we could not have the same oecumenical magnanimity in our own church. Injustice will be righted, we will be able to 'consider our position' after all! Praise God and many prayers to come that we may fulfill God's plan for each and every one of us, whatever that may be and wherever that may lead us. At last we can turn our sleeping and waking hours to the urgent task of spreading His good news to those who do not yet know Him without getting stuck in the cloying mess and mud of church politics. Today is a truly liberal and liberating event of monumental importance to these islands of Britain. Hooray!