Lent 2

We are already well into the second week of Lent and it has taken me a little while to adjust to the new spiritual 'regime' which word in French, as I said in last Sunday's sermon, means 'diet'. Indeed the new spiritual diet excluding the wordly items given up has thankfully included extras in the way of studying in the Lent group Basil Hume's 'Seven Last Words' booklet but I have just finished Dom Luke Bell's ''Deep and Subtle Joy'' from Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, UK. This can be read on a number of different levels but exudes peace and clarity, vision and hope. An EXCELLENT read for Lent and for ongoing study and for insights into the doorway to salvation and eternal life. The publisher is Hidden Spring and the forward by Tony Hendra. Here is an extract from page 133 on the Readings.....

.''Faith comes by hearing. We could just scan our eyes over the texts silently instead of hearing them read, but it would not be the same. The readings make a more vital impact on the heart if they are heard. The human voice is a more intimate instrument than the written word''

And page122, on God as 'Home'....

''But to have God making his home with us is not just communion with all of creation, it is also communion with him. It means sharing his joy his bliss'' . 

How beautiful is that for Lent! An excellent read for laypeople and clergy alike. Get the book!

Family Law, a useful analogy?

What are the options for those considering the Ordinariate with regards to buildings, pensions,stipends and welfare? I know these should not be the main issue as to whether one considers the Ordinariate or not but they will inevitably be a factor. Damage limitation to both sides of this current divide is paramount. The pastoral care of everyone should really be of the first priority. Would it be a good analogy I wonder to treat this whole realignment on the same basis as a marriage breakdown leading to annulment or divorce? In that case when mediation and reconciliation fails within the context of either unfaithfulness, unreasonable behaviour, non-consummation, lack of intention to keep within the marriage vows at the outset or irretrievable breakdown, a recognition and resolution of the failed relationship necessarily takes place with ongoing responsibilities. We can all recall broken promises that have been made in the ecclesial mess in which many find themselves. All Christians of goodwill should feel sadness when things don't work out both in marriages and within the family of churches. Let us not ignore the fact that there are Ordinands living through this very difficult ecclesial situation now right at the beginning of their calling. Who will be their Bishop, where is episcopal oversight? Where is their honoured place? Who can ordain them? Where is the sacramental collegiality and care? Leaving this and the other causes of breakdown on one side let us be charitable and agree to say that the terms of this divorce are (whatever the rights or wrongs) 'due to irretrievable breakdown' there are grave issues to be decided on BOTH sides which ought to be addressed and responsibilities to be faced up to. One of the priorities under British Family Law is that the interests of the children (parishoners and faithful) is paramount and both spouses(departing clergy with their families on one side and previous Ordinary/ Bishop on the other) should make adequate provision both for each other and them. The weaker spouse should be supported by the stronger one for a period of time certainly until the children and the financially weaker spouse are able to become self supporting or supported by others. One of the things one could hope for of the new alignment is that within the previous family and through mediation and joint structures between Ordinariate and previous Ordinary there could be proper provision made to aid transition and ensure pastoral care and welfare of all clergy, their families and congregations. This would be in a spirit of recognition of shared relationships, friendships and in the ecumenical imperative of retaining as much unity as possible. There could be a new ecumenical pastoral provision which could be made to allow an orderly, charitable and Christian response to the fast changing events sharing care, resources and even buildings. It could operate two ways and act also for those Roman priests moving away from Rome. After pain and suffering on both sides could we not all look beyond this passiontide of breakdown and divorce to the new joy of an Easter resurrection, new life and growth for all with no fault finding and blame? A generous and working relationship for the future to bring Christ to an unbelieving world. Is this too much to hope for?

Day of Prayer

We will be joined through prayer with many who are open to discerning the future for traditional Anglicans on the feast of the See of Peter tomorrow. The Apostolic Constitution and the offer of re-union with Rome by Pope Benedict should surely be prayed and thought about even by those who may not  be able or want or see how to immediately join it. As we know, the fruits of prayer often take time to become apparent taking many years sometimes. For many what better activity could we be doing on this feast day than to spend it in prayer with and before the blessed Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament of His Body. Let us pray for those with whom we do not agree and for those who are separated from us, for our future and that of His church. Let Thy will be done......

Ash Wednesday

I was heartened that after a bit of teaching at the family Mass last Sunday we had a good number of people to the two Masses on Ash Wednesday. There were 10 children from our Sunday seekers for the evening 7.30pm Mass with ashing which they had helped me to burn in Sunday School (Health and Safety be away with you!). However as many of the congregation don't come to this week day start of Lent I was thinking it might be a good idea to offer to 'Ash' them as an introit or introduction before the silent entrance procession to the First Sunday of Lent rather than miss out altogether. I must remember to mention it to Fr. Michael. Does this get done anywhere I wonder?

The Holy Name of Jesus causes a stir.

Here are some wonderfully fertile thoughts for Lent from Melanie McDonagh covering sin, repentance and forgiveness in the world of conflict and pain in Northern Ireland but which we could equally apply to all of our lives which inevitably reflect conflict harm and the need for reconciliation. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/7240591/Gerry-Adams-and-Jesus-cause-a-stir.html

Anything but Ordinary

The Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus is in it's infancy. Already as we have seen it is having a dose of very cold water poured upon it in quarters you would expect but also in places with solid Anglo-Catholic credentials who perhaps ought to know better. It is in this second area that I think we will see a big change in attitude and reaction within a matter of a few short years. Those who think they can arrest the anti Catholic feelings in the General Synod of the C of E and reverse the inevitable moves to rescind the Act of Synod will surely rue the day they invested so much hope and trust in the untrustworthy. The liberal express train hurtling through the unknown fog of secularism and church politics of super change is the false holy grail that will not be reversed by conservatives. Let's be practical, the majority of the Anglican decision makers ( if not the majority in the pews) are going to outvote and impose their ways on those who disagree with them. Here in Wales they should look to see what will be their future. All the promises to traditionalists have been broken with a cynical disregard for the history of the Anglican church and it's place in even reformed catholic Christendom. The 'make it up as you go along' church which calls itself anglican will eventually not be recognisable as such. Those who are still hoping for scraps from the high table of the ruling liberals will do well to retain some dignity and face the truth that things are never going to be the same, let alone be reversed. Even Welsh Bishops are saying Oh don't worry we MAY be able to give you what you want one day! Dream on if you will, when will that be.. when so and so retires..you must be joking! Now may not be the exact time for all to join the extraordinary Ordinariate. But I believe it is time to go to the discernment stage of meeting together, discussing and supporting each other in what I believe is God's plan for catholic Anglicans in these Isles. A very faithful Anglo-Catholic in a neighbouring parish thought the Apostolic Constitution was only on offer to the Church of England and I was able to give him the good news that NO it includes all Anglicans! Perhaps especially those of us in WALES and Scotland who have been dispossessed of full communion in the Holy Order of the episcopate. When the first Welsh parish is erected within the Ordinariate within the next 12 months or so, not all will be flocking there straight away but it WILL be there as the authentic reflection of both the Anglican AND Roman Catholic church of which it will be a full part. It will be possible to live and to die and to hope to rise again in the church of God according to the tradition to which we were baptised, confirmed and perhaps ordained as ANGLICANS and Roman Catholics. EXRA-ORDINARY!!

A Long and Winding Path

Where we go on our pilgrimage of life and of faith may seem sometimes to be arbitrary and unplanned. Our journey can be held up by diversions, distractions, dead ends and loss of way. We may seem to have lost the ability to map-read our way out of what seems to be a difficult route. We may get lost on the tortuous snow bound or desert road. We may be afflicted by all sorts of doubts and fears, of wondering how we have got to where we are or to where we are going. We may be worried about how injustice has made us over-judged and become over sensitive to how others think we should react, behave and respond. If though, we can try and put into perspective what God may want for us, remembering that he knows the imperfections, the dilemmas, the questions and challenges that life throws at us and if we can retain the character and individual courage that is God given within us, perhaps we can fulfil his purposes for us in the weeks and months and years ahead. If before the blessed Sacrament and if like The Mother of God we can pray 'Lord be it unto me according to Thy word', all things may become clear, our lives be unburdened, our vocations be cristalised and our unity with the undivided Church be sanctified through the prayers of those who pray for us, who care for us, who look out for us and offer us shelter. There are true Fathers in God who need our prayers and who will not see us consumed by all the vagaries, politics and ever so well meant errors of the present age. The self perpetuating and ever shifting modernisms dreamt up and validated by career seekers and well meaning and weak heirarchs will ultimately give way and indeed fade away before the only true Church to which we always believed we had and will continue to belong to, sooner we hope in greater measure than before. May the prayers and discusions and discernments that are coming to fruition guide, guard and empower us in our deliberations brought about through the present successor to St. Peter and God's vicar here on earth. May those who we believe are misguided and have so far rejected their duties of teaching and of upholding the faith once received, become aware of the importance or their office and return to the faith delivered once for all by the saints before God to whom they will bow and be held responsible as we all shall be one day.

The Queen of England's Epiphany Gifts

At the feast of the Epiphany on 6th. January the custom is for the monarch to gift gold, incense and myrrh. Here is the detailed history from the Yeoman of the Guard who are the sovereign's personal bodyguard. I wonder when the last gifts in person were made in recent times?

The service, which takes place on 6 January each year on the Feast of the Epiphany in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, has its origin in royal ceremonies which date back to the Norman Conquest. After his inaugural coronation, William I wore his crown three times a year as a re-enactment of the coronation, usually at Easter in Winchester, at Whitsuntide in Westminster, and at Christmas in Gloucester. The ‘crown-wearing’ ceremonies were not always observed by his successors but Henry III increased the number of these to fifteen times a year. In Edward II’s reign, an ordinance of 1323 named four principal feasts – those of Easter Day, Whitsunday, All Saint’s Day and Christmas Day – for the ‘crown-wearing’. Epiphany and the two feast days of St. Edward the Confessor were added in the fifteenth century. On these occasions the Laudes Regiae – ‘Christus Vincit (Christ conquers, Christ rules, Christ commands)’, from the medieval coronation service – were sung by the clerks of the Household Chapel, although apparently the custom had ceased after the reign of Richard II.

The Dean of the Chapel in 1449 describes the ‘crown-wearing’, which may have taken place in any of the King’s chapels of that time. Before the procession, the King enters the chapel crowned and waits in the principal stall, surrounded by his lords in their distinctive apparels: then all follow the procession out of the choir, a Baron carrying the King’s sword before him, a Duke or Earl carrying his cap, and the King’s Chamberlain follows to hold the hem of the Royal mantle. By 1449 The Queen also wore her crown in procession on the anniversary of her Coronation. On every day of the year the King offered at the altar a talent of gold or five nobles weight, engraved with a figure of the Holy Trinity and the inscription (in Latin) ‘And in honour of Blessed Mary and all thy Saints.’ This talent was daily redeemed by the King for seven pence and The Queen’s talent was redeemed for four pence, which sums the Dean of the chapel received from the clerk of the King’s jewels and purse. On high feasts a noble of gold was offered by the King and Queen with a scale of smaller amounts from the courtiers present. On the six days of Good Friday, Easter, Whitsun, Trinity Sunday (a special festival in the King’s chapel), All Saint’s and Christmas, the King and Queen with the nobles made an offering at the step before the high altar in the chapel: all the household officials attended Mass in another place and there offered their oblations.

The Old Cheque Book of the Chapel Royal describes Elizabeth I at Holy Communion on Easter Day 1593 in the chapel at St. James’s.

The heralds and nobles before her, Her Majesty, ‘came princely before the Table, and there humbly knielinge did offer the golden obeysant, the Bushop the hon. Father of Worcester holdinge the golden bason, the Subdean and the Epistler in riche coaps assistante to the sayd Bushop…’

By the time of Charles II, and perhaps much earlier, the offering days had increased to twelve, ie New Year’s Day, the Epiphany, Candlemas, the Annunication, Easter, the Ascension, Whitsun, Trinity Sunday, St. John the Baptist, Michaelmas, All Saint’s and Christmas. These were (and still are in the court calendars) called ‘collar-days’, on which the collars of various orders were worn. At the Communion Service, the King offered a piece of gold bore a portrait of the King kneeling before an altar with four crowns before him, and the inscription (in Latin, from Psalm 116) was ‘What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all he has done unto me?’, the reverse showed a lamb lying by a lion, with the words (in Latin from Psalm 51) 'A lowly and a contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise'  It appears that none of these gold pieces has survived but the British Museum has an impression from an obverse die in thin silver.

At the Feast of the Epiphany, gold frankincense and myrrh were offered, in commemoration of the gifts given by the Magi to the infant Jesus. According to tradition, the Wise Men were three kings, so it was fitting that an earthly king should make an offering at Epiphany, just as his predecessors had washed the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday. While the Liber Regie Capelle shows that before the Reformation High Mass was sung at about ten o’clock, by the mid eighteenth century, the New Cheque Book of the Chapel Royal decreed ‘that Prayers begin at the usual time and be continued to the End of the First Service. That the Yeoman be sent to enquire what time His majesty will be a Chapel (which is not usually till after one o’clock). It went on – ‘After the Nicene Creed His Majesty walks down from the Closet into the Chapel: during which time a Voluntary is ply’d till He has Offer’d and is return’d to the Closet. That immediately after His Majesty’s Return to the Closet, the Anthem begins. After which follows the prayer for Christ’s Church Militant etc.’ A few years later, William Lovegrove gave more details.  ‘The Dean (or some other Bishop, at his request) goeth up to the Altar properly attended, as on Sundays; Then beginneth the Service, and goeth on to the end of the Nicene creed. That being nearly ended, the Yeoman of the Vestry clear the body of the Chapel. Then the removing Wardrobe lays down a Carpit, and upon it a Cloth of Tissue, and placeth a Stool for the King to kneel on. The Serjeant laieth a Velvet Carpit upon the Front of the Altar Rails. Whilst the King is coming up to the Altar, The Dean taketh the Bason, and stands ready to receive the King’s Offering of Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh. This done, the King returneth up to his Closet, in Order as he came down.'

Until this time of George III, the Sovereign always attended the ceremony in person, the sword of state carried before him and preceded by Heralds, Pursuivants and Knights of the Garter, Thistle and Bath. In 1758 the funeral of Princess Caroline took place on the eve of the Epiphany and the King deputed his Lord Chamberlain to make the usual offerings, with the Yeomen of the Guard in attendance instead of the Heralds. Lovegrove notes that
‘When the Sovereign is not well, or not disposed to make his Offering in Person, He Commissions the Lord Chamberlain, or the Vice Chamberlain to make the Offering.’ All this would have taken place at St. James’s for Queen Anne moved the Chapel Royal establishment there from Whitehall Palace in 1702.

This set a precedent for the future and today the offerings are made by two Gentlemen Ushers to The Queen, wearing service dress, who are escorted to the Royal Closet of the Chapel Royal. A detachment of The Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard enters the chapel, followed by a procession of the Children and Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal, a Priest in Ordinary, the Sub-Dean and the Dean. The National Anthem is sung and the Dean of the Chapels Royal (the Bishop of London) or in his absence the Sub-Dean, says the Service of Holy Communion at the altar, which is adorned with a frontal of white and gold, with three silver-gilt alms dishes upon it. After the Creed is sung, the choir sings an anthem while a procession forms in the vestibule, and the Serjeant of the Vestry, verge hand, leads in the Gentlemen Ushers, one carrying a silver-gilt salver with twenty-five sovereigns and the other a salver bearing frankincense and myrrh. Two Yeomen and their Sergeant-Major follow and all halt twice in the chapel to bow.  At the sanctuary step the Sub-Dean receives the salvers on a silver-gilt alms dish which the Dean presents at the altar. The procession retires from the chapel, turning and bowing as on entry, and the Gentlemen Ushers return to the Royal Closet. The Yeomen of the Guard retire after the Offertory hymn and the Communion Service continues until, after the Dean has given the Blessing, the choir and clergy leave in procession.

The frankincense and myrrh for the offerings are provided by the Apothecary to the The Queen. After the service, the incense is sent to a church which uses it, while the myrrh is sent to Nashdom Abbey, an Anglican Benedictine community, to be mixed with incense which they prepare. Until 1859, these spices were presented in silk bags, placed in a silk-covered box: a third bag contained a small roll of gold leaf. At the Prince Consort’s suggestion the beaten gold was replaced by twenty-five new sovereigns.  For some years, the sovereigns have been loaned for each ceremony by the Bank of England, while £25 is later donated to a charity fund administered by the Chapel Royal.  It is strange to read that at the end of the last century few people attended the Epiphany Service; it is now an occasion of the year when tickets of admission are necessary and there is always a large number of applicants for them.    http://yeomenoftheguard.com/epiphany.htm

Epiphany

Incense seems to be less and less of a problem to Anglicans if it is taught openly as scriptural as well as traditional. The RC's especially in France seem to use it very little these days. We had quite a few debates in PCC some years ago. We have maintained it's use at high festivals for 25 years but use it more often now, especially with the introduction of static burners (as opposed to the swinging thurible which we also use) but on the whole when the biblical references, especially in the psalms are taught, the embracing of it has become quite natural. More holidays to Greece and burning of incense sticks and scented candles generally has probably taken away some of the stigma. The supreme place for static burners of incense par excellence has to go I think to St. Martin's Roath, Cardiff to which I award a five (gold) star accolade!  I remember a magnificent occasion when the two huge basins of the Holy Smoke at the sanctuary steps were burning so vigorously that not only was visibility down to a mystical 5 yards or so but our robes were all covered in smuts, magnificent! Pile it on! Sadly I don't have a photo of that occasion but this is a photo(courtesy of their Sacristan) of the Chrism Mass there with thurible at the entrance procession. This was in the days when we had a Provincial Bishop. The pastoral care of the Diocesans in Wales is now so overwhelming they have arbitrarily banned a successor to Bishop David Thomas, the first and so far last one. Now is the best time to introduce incense if you haven't before when the Gospel affirms it so clearly "Then opening their treasure chests they offered Him gold frank-incense and myrrh". The other photo is of a static burner in the votive candle stand at our parish. So go on spoil yourselves and get the matches out this Sunday and come home to a real fire! Bonne fete!!

Mother of God

Anglican Churches dedicated to the Mother of God are so numerous that St. Mary's....(wherever) is the most common dedication of parish churches in the land. Lady chapels and statues and stained glass happily may be found everywhere. There are stories however of parishes that desire to restore a missing statue desecrated and broken up at the reformation or when that beast Oliver Cromwell ( yes the one who made the celebration of Christmas illegal) was in power; have found the Diocesan Advisory Committee less than helpful. One day I hope some committee in the public works department might get on and remove that incestuous statue of the tyrant Cromwell from in front of Parliament which is an affront to British democracy let alone to Ecclesia Anglicana. We had a tiff with the DAC when we installed a statue of the Mother of God here in the Lady Chapel at St. Arvans over 20 years ago. However, a lovely and persistent former parish priest persevered and the benefactor who gave it under a commission to the talented artist Siegfried Pietz refused to accept defeat as well!  This is a photo of it. The only enforced concession was that the crown was refused point blank. If anyone knows where we can get one we may return to the original design by the artist and arrange a coronation! Perhaps in the New year in May! A very Happy New Year to one and all.

Feast of the Holy Family

If many find it hard to get all the family together on Christmas Day itself, there are still many days of the season of Christmas to arrange to meet. The liturgies of today, the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord are all good ways to re-unite and to bury differences and broken-ness. May the Holy Family at Bethlehem be our example and our inspiration to love and live together in harmony and peace.

Boxing Day

One of the fine traditions which endures in this country is the Boxing Day meet of foxhounds. Many church wardens, parishoners and not a few clergy continue to support this least cruel of all methods of controlling the vermin fox who has no natural predator and therefore support the repeal of the ban which prevents it. I recall only last spring when seven lambs were killed by the fox in the field in front of our house. He waited for the ewe to lamb the second of twins so that she being preoccupied with the second birth was unable to protect the first born who was dragged away and eaten alive during the second birth. This continued for a number of days. I have also seen the preferred culling method of the labour government who to it's shame supports the shooting and by extension therefore the maiming of foxes, rather than hunting them dead. This as every true countryman knows is a foul way of trying to control them. With foxhunting before the ban the fox was either caught and died instantly (no he is not alive when destroyed by hounds, the leading hound kills it first with a swift bite to the neck) or gets clean away which was the norm. The number of foxes that are wounded by taking shot and then who crawl away to die a cruel death of gangrene over days and weeks is a disgrace also, not to mention the thosands that are trapped, poisoned and hit on the roads by motorists.  The animal 'rights' groups who have forced the unworkable ban which is currently in place are perhaps mainly of good intent but many driven by a lack of understanding of man's relationship to animals and some by an idea that the are 'toff bashing'. They should see the huge social array of followers who include many labour supporters; doctors, nurses, policemen, vets, teachers, mechanics, builders, farm workers, children, grandmothers to name but a few . Most anti hunters are quite happy to eat meat as long as it comes in cellophane wrappers without a thought to the hundreds of thousands of animals killed for the table who were walking and breathing happily one minute and slaughtered with blood and guts everywhere the next. The above photo is of a churchwarden in one of our parishes with the Bishop of Monmouth. This was NOT a meeting of the hunt but a celebration in the summer out of season by parishoners of the centenery of the death of the local squire and benefactor of the church whose name was given to the local Curre Hunt. But it makes a nice seasonal photo all the same don't you think!

Deacon Murdered

St Stephen as the first martyr was stoned to death, and watched by Paul (Saul) before his conversion, he is my patron as a fellow Deacon. He and Lawrence give me much encouragement in the church and vocation of service one tries to follow however badly. We need more vocational and permanent deacons! We began to recover their importance but with all the turmoil within the church things seem to have slowed down again. The liturgical role is the only thing that makes sense to me of the ordination of deacons. How those of a less traditonalist background cope with being treated as second class priests or servers in their parishes without this essential role beats me! Luckily my colleague and parish priest shares the same perspective and that of the Universal church. It is a specific and valuable ministry in it's own right. It is surely right in my mind that as with priests and bishops this ordained ministry is for men alone in the tradition of the church. of paramount importance is that we proclaim with confidence at every Mass the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. The ministry  encompasses celebrating at baptisms, funerals, marriages, preparation for confirmation, preaching the word, benediction, Eucharistic rites of holy communion(always from the reserved sacrament), helping to run the parish, sick visiting and anointing, leading prayer and assisting with the distribution of the Holy Communion, Sunday school and catechist work and sharing in the cure of souls with the priest and as a servant of the Bishop in whose full sacramental and pastoral care one hopes to be part of, sharing in his college of priests and deacons made visible at the Chrism Mas in Holy Week. That is if you are allowed to have one, which we have been denied so unjustly here in Wales. Stephen was stoned to death and persecuted for his faith praying to God to be merciful to his murderers whilst being stoned. Today it is in joy that we share St. Stephens day with all the Christians of the West and East (their feast is actually the day after), may the continued prayers of the protomartyr and Deacon St. Stephen help us to serve Christ's church through the ministry of all deacons, supporting us in the heavy responsibility to which we have been called to share in with the Apostles and their successors. Amen

Christmas Day

After the midnight Mass I managed to get home by 1.30am and asleep by two. Up at 6am and up the hill to St. James' by 8.30 for the 9am Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament consecrated at midnight. The car door was frozen and took some getting into. A late start as people made their way to the church. All my words during the liturgy and sermon came out in clouds of condensation breath, it was so cold. I remember one Easter here when the flower vases were frozen for weeks inside the church! Good to be with them and a quick getaway and down to St. Arvans for the family service with Holy Communion from the tabernacle. About 50 present for the service and a lovely rendering of Away in a Manger with 12 children out front for the solo first verse and after the sermon they came to kneel at the crib for the prayers before the new born Christ and enthusiastic Hail Mary's. A wonderful and joyful day and festivities with the family and friends at home to follow.

God is made Man !

How can this be ? God is made man through the Holy Incarnation of His son Jesus Christ, son of God and son of Mary. Heaven and earth are joined together in a holy mystery, the heart of our Christian faith. A truth that makes sense of life itself and which triumphs over earthly and mortal death in an instant, in a flash. As the cries of the new born babe are muffled in a humble stable they in fact echo throughout the world and bless it with those cries and sounds of new life new birth. We rejoice and laugh and cry and welcome and pray and worship and adore. Allelluia! Christ is born of Mary a virgin most pure. All innocence is guaranteed, all sins are forgiven, all hope is the gift which is more precious than gold!!. Happy Christmas to all !!. Here are some photos of the four services in our small parishes in the last 24 hrs. See how my colleague Fr. Michael braved his broken arm sustained at 6pm last night and after three hours in the A&E managed in plaster cast to celebrate the great Holy Mass of the dawn......

Christmas Eve Mass in the Morning

This is the quiet before the joy of new birth and before Fr. Michael our parish priest unfortunately fell on the ice and has just returned home from hospital with fractured arm in a plaster. Tonight's midnight Mass may have to be a Communion from the reserved sacrament but I hope not. I must say it was difficult to get to our outlying daughter church of St. Mary's Penterry(of Cistercian foundation from Tintern Abbey just down the hill). There is no electricity to the church and mo metalled road to it either which adds to the charm (in summer!)The ice has been far worse than expected freezing and re-freezing the snow. However, I managed to take the Carol service as planned having a lift from Bob in his four wheel drive. Penny our lay reader stepped in to take the Carol service at Devauden for Michael (we are four parishes with five churches). So off to the midnight at St. Arvans now home by 1am and up to de-ice the car and hope it gets me away by 8.30 in the morning for the 9am at Devauden and then back down to take the 10am family communion from the reserved sacrament as planned but Michael's 10.30 at St. Deiniols won't be on. Not as a Communion anyway and they won't be happy but I can't be in two places at the same time. When the diocese reduces the stipendiary clergy as it plans to the rural parishes although faithful are going to be ditched good and proper. Anyway back to joyful mode and to welcome God made man and pray that He will provide.

Incarnation Awaited

And so our Lord is coming to us, we wait patiently... the time of his coming is now nearly upon us. How will we receive him? In penitence and humbly but alive to the utter joy of this great mystery, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Setting aside now all our failings, unworthiness and faults we join with Christians everywhere to welcome, worship and adore. Not only a welcome with our words but in our actions, liturgies and in our very hearts and souls. We welcome the smiling Christ child, marvelling at his tiny human form as with little fingers raised in blessing he acknowledges our uncertainty and wonder and confirming that, yes, this mystery of his incarnation is true and the centre of our faith. This challenge will change us and hearten, strengthen and affirm us and the very meaning of life itself...if we let him (unlike at the Inn) into our hearts now and find room there . May we never say there is no room in our hearts for Him or his blessed mother Mary, mother of Jesus, mother of God, mother of the church, mother to all Christians.

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