In the light of the preceding post, many thanks to Huw for linking me to this. The timing was impeccable.
I see here what it is to which I am drawn.
Grant this, O Lord!
Monday, July 25, 2005
People, look east - the time is near!
I can't do it anymore. I can't kneel there week by week, at odds theologically with my church, not knowing whether what is coming towards me is, in fact, the Body and Blood of Christ, or just a bit of bread and the fermented juice of the grape, good and wholesome. I can't kneel there, not wanting to adore it in case it is just bread, but I cannot ignore it, in case it is my Lord and my God.
I do not see that I have to make a smooth transition from one church to another, and consequently, whatever happens in regard to a timescale for being received as a catechumen, I cannot continue regularly worshipping in an Anglican setting - I cannot.
I spoke with a few people at church yesterday and I hope to do the same again next Sunday. I shall perhaps make the 14th of August my final Sunday.
On the day, and for the weeks following, I shall perhaps feel a great sadness, but for now, I feel a great relief, and with time, I am sure that the sorrow shall give way to happiness and joy in what I have found.
I do not see that I have to make a smooth transition from one church to another, and consequently, whatever happens in regard to a timescale for being received as a catechumen, I cannot continue regularly worshipping in an Anglican setting - I cannot.
I spoke with a few people at church yesterday and I hope to do the same again next Sunday. I shall perhaps make the 14th of August my final Sunday.
On the day, and for the weeks following, I shall perhaps feel a great sadness, but for now, I feel a great relief, and with time, I am sure that the sorrow shall give way to happiness and joy in what I have found.
Places of pilgrimage
Fr Michael over at the Ely Forum kindly mentioned some holy places in Britain, associated with the lives of the Saints. Does anybody know of any such places in the North-west of England, which are associated with Saints of the pre-schism era, and to which a small pilgrimage of a few people may be made? It would be very good to know, as, at some point, I would like to arrange a trip to such a place, even if there is no permanent shrine.
Many thanks.
Many thanks.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Fruits
By their fruits ye shall know them - beware!
And some bishops, I grieve to declare,
have permitted to preach
four pineapples, a peach,
three bananas, two grapes and a pear! - Leetle M
I have been hesitant to post about this for various reasons.
Firstly, I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Until fairly recently, I had long been a supporter of the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate. I have read around and studied this - it was even my topic of choice for one of my modules in 'A'-level Christian Theology. (Mine was the last year to be able to do Christian Theology before it was abolished and the national curriculum went down the "Religious Studies" route). In all of my study, I found little objection to the ordination of women.
In recent months, however, my own personal study has begun to lead me down a different path, but that isn't totally relevant. The reason that I say this is that I acknowledge an authority greater than my own mind. I refuse to be unthinking about such matters, but at the same time, I refuse to have the arrogance to believe that my tiny little mind can somehow overthrow the Truth that God has revealed to his Church and that the Saints have believed and practised for 2000 years before I came to be. The Church, in accordance with Holy Tradition, teaches that this cannot happen, and I accept this, for to accept the Truth of God, and to live in that Truth, is what it is to be Christian. I can do no other.
The second reason that I have not posted about this sooner is that, as somebody drawing nearer and nearer to leaving Anglicanism behind, I am not sure that this is my fight anymore. Part of me is sad that the church that has nourished my faith for 22 years is taking this path, but then another part of me wonders whether this is of any consequence in light of the same church's laxity about other aspects of the Faith. In my first post on this blog, I expressed my inability to accept the sort of approach to Christianity that embraces and affirms mutually exclusive "truths", and this is what I see in the Church of England - the Real Presence, the Apostolic Succession, the Resurrection - these are all aspects of the Faith which I believe ought to be taken as given, but there are open dissenters in the CofE whose positions are affirmed as equally valid to the understanding of them handed down to us through Tradition. How can this be? In light of Christ's promise to send the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all Truth, how can the CofE support this heresy? (For that is what it is!)
An all-embracing, false "liberalism" is masquerading as the Christian Faith! That the word Catholic means universal is batted about, with clearly no understanding of the actual meaning of the word. Yes, it means universal, but that is not an indiscriminate universality, in the sense of embracing as truth every whim that somebody has, in the belief that it is Spirit-led. No. Catholicism means just the opposite of that - it means universal as opposed to individualistic. Therefore is the ordination of women really that big a deal in light of everything else? Was the Church of England way beyond redemption before November of 1992?
As somebody who has most of his network somehow based in the Church of England, who has known nothing but Anglicanism as his own, it is extremely painful for me to answer yes to my question above, but in honesty, it is all that I can do.
It is only through reading Richard's recent post that I was moved to say something here, for I was very moved by what is clearly a very difficult time for him and others in a similar position. I can but pray, and I ask you to do the same.
And some bishops, I grieve to declare,
have permitted to preach
four pineapples, a peach,
three bananas, two grapes and a pear! - Leetle M
I have been hesitant to post about this for various reasons.
Firstly, I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Until fairly recently, I had long been a supporter of the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate. I have read around and studied this - it was even my topic of choice for one of my modules in 'A'-level Christian Theology. (Mine was the last year to be able to do Christian Theology before it was abolished and the national curriculum went down the "Religious Studies" route). In all of my study, I found little objection to the ordination of women.
In recent months, however, my own personal study has begun to lead me down a different path, but that isn't totally relevant. The reason that I say this is that I acknowledge an authority greater than my own mind. I refuse to be unthinking about such matters, but at the same time, I refuse to have the arrogance to believe that my tiny little mind can somehow overthrow the Truth that God has revealed to his Church and that the Saints have believed and practised for 2000 years before I came to be. The Church, in accordance with Holy Tradition, teaches that this cannot happen, and I accept this, for to accept the Truth of God, and to live in that Truth, is what it is to be Christian. I can do no other.
The second reason that I have not posted about this sooner is that, as somebody drawing nearer and nearer to leaving Anglicanism behind, I am not sure that this is my fight anymore. Part of me is sad that the church that has nourished my faith for 22 years is taking this path, but then another part of me wonders whether this is of any consequence in light of the same church's laxity about other aspects of the Faith. In my first post on this blog, I expressed my inability to accept the sort of approach to Christianity that embraces and affirms mutually exclusive "truths", and this is what I see in the Church of England - the Real Presence, the Apostolic Succession, the Resurrection - these are all aspects of the Faith which I believe ought to be taken as given, but there are open dissenters in the CofE whose positions are affirmed as equally valid to the understanding of them handed down to us through Tradition. How can this be? In light of Christ's promise to send the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all Truth, how can the CofE support this heresy? (For that is what it is!)
An all-embracing, false "liberalism" is masquerading as the Christian Faith! That the word Catholic means universal is batted about, with clearly no understanding of the actual meaning of the word. Yes, it means universal, but that is not an indiscriminate universality, in the sense of embracing as truth every whim that somebody has, in the belief that it is Spirit-led. No. Catholicism means just the opposite of that - it means universal as opposed to individualistic. Therefore is the ordination of women really that big a deal in light of everything else? Was the Church of England way beyond redemption before November of 1992?
As somebody who has most of his network somehow based in the Church of England, who has known nothing but Anglicanism as his own, it is extremely painful for me to answer yes to my question above, but in honesty, it is all that I can do.
It is only through reading Richard's recent post that I was moved to say something here, for I was very moved by what is clearly a very difficult time for him and others in a similar position. I can but pray, and I ask you to do the same.
Friday, July 08, 2005
The Ely Forum
We have seen the true light, we have received the Heavenly Spirit, we have found the True Faith, and we worship the Undivided Trinity; for the Trinity has saved us.
Fr Michael, of the St Petroc Monastery, linked me to this site this morning. in the light of the collapse of the York Forum, this has been set up, but with a slightly different slant - specifically Orthodox.
All discussion there has been well mannered and in good cheer thus far. It would be good to see the membership grow.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
London terrorist attacks
Lord, have mercy!
My feelings are a mix of anger, fear, upset, and I don't know what else.
What's wrong with these people? May God have mercy on them because I'm having a lot of difficulty right now.
May those who have been hurt find healing and comfort and may the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God + rest in peace.
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies, that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
My feelings are a mix of anger, fear, upset, and I don't know what else.
What's wrong with these people? May God have mercy on them because I'm having a lot of difficulty right now.
May those who have been hurt find healing and comfort and may the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God + rest in peace.
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies, that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
29th June
Thou art a priest for ever of the order of Melchisedech
Here is a photograph from last Wednesday. It was the feast of Ss Peter and Paul in the CofE Kalendar, and was celebrated with a High Mass. It also happened to be the 25th anniversary of Ordination of a good friend of mine to the Sacred Priesthood.
I was the liturgical subdeacon, and am pictured to the Celebrant's left. (The beard was experimental and has since been removed). The chap in the cope is my parish priest, and the chap on the far right in the photograph was the clerk, and is a friend of mine who was visiting from S. Mary-the-Virgin, Primrose Hill, Percy Dearmer's establishment.
It was a wonderful and joyous Mass, with a devotion to Our Ladye as well, incorporating one of the hymns that I posted here some weeks back.
The fruit of the vine flowed freely afterwards as well, and a good time was had by all.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
More "Michael" time
I love my church. I went through a really difficult time last year and, after three months of not going anywhere after leaving my last church, and on some Sundays even subjecting myself to that great bastion of liturgical excellence that is Manchester Cathedral (HA!), I settled at my current church. They have been warm, loving, welcoming and open to having me and my oddities there.
The church is the higher side of middle, but only just, but they are open to smoke on Principal Feasts, prayers to the Saints and for the departed, pricket stands and the use of icons. These have been recently introduced through the efforts of the new rector, one of the assitant priests and me, and it works well.
However, I find my journey towards Orthodoxy hindered by my responsibilities there, in that the most recent trips to my Orthodox church have had to be cancelled because of things going on at my Anglican church. My Orthodox priest has, perhaps wisely, informed me not to go burning any bridges yet, but it's so frustrating. I don't want to fall into the trap of being too academic about this journey by doing nothing but reading and discussing theology - I want to worship and engage in conversation and shared food and drink with other Orthodox Christians, and see the Faith lived. I feel deprived of that.
I have now decided that, so as to get my regular dose of Orthodoxy and not to grow to resent my Anglican church, I shall allow myself at least one Sunday a month where I will have no responsibilities at my Anglican church, and be free to travel.
This seems like the best way forward for now, although I know that my regular absence will raise questions, as I am the sacristan, only regular server and a chorister, as well as being on the PCC.
Does this sound sensible or am I moving too fast?
The church is the higher side of middle, but only just, but they are open to smoke on Principal Feasts, prayers to the Saints and for the departed, pricket stands and the use of icons. These have been recently introduced through the efforts of the new rector, one of the assitant priests and me, and it works well.
However, I find my journey towards Orthodoxy hindered by my responsibilities there, in that the most recent trips to my Orthodox church have had to be cancelled because of things going on at my Anglican church. My Orthodox priest has, perhaps wisely, informed me not to go burning any bridges yet, but it's so frustrating. I don't want to fall into the trap of being too academic about this journey by doing nothing but reading and discussing theology - I want to worship and engage in conversation and shared food and drink with other Orthodox Christians, and see the Faith lived. I feel deprived of that.
I have now decided that, so as to get my regular dose of Orthodoxy and not to grow to resent my Anglican church, I shall allow myself at least one Sunday a month where I will have no responsibilities at my Anglican church, and be free to travel.
This seems like the best way forward for now, although I know that my regular absence will raise questions, as I am the sacristan, only regular server and a chorister, as well as being on the PCC.
Does this sound sensible or am I moving too fast?
NUS and abortion
The National Union of Students has decided to launch a "Pro-Choice and Proud of it" campaign.
The NUS, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is an advocacy group of which most of the college and university students in Great Britain are members. It campaigns for better policies and benefits for students, and members receive discounts on all manner of services and leisure activities. I imagine that many of the members join mainly for the discount in stores and on cinema tickets and the like.
Now, this organisation has alienated many of its members by launching a campaign that promotes, among others, abortion as a valid and acceptable option to young women who find themselves in a situation where they are unready for a pregnancy.
I know of at least one member who has resigned his position on the local body and handed in his membership card in protest.
What on earth does a group like the NUS have to do with such an issue?
I find this approach to be underhanded, deceitful and unethical.
The NUS has its purposes and people have joined because they would like to benefit from them, but now the group has come to represent something that its members did not subscribe to at the time of joining. I hope that, unlike my friend, many of those opposed will stay and make it known that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable.
The NUS, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is an advocacy group of which most of the college and university students in Great Britain are members. It campaigns for better policies and benefits for students, and members receive discounts on all manner of services and leisure activities. I imagine that many of the members join mainly for the discount in stores and on cinema tickets and the like.
Now, this organisation has alienated many of its members by launching a campaign that promotes, among others, abortion as a valid and acceptable option to young women who find themselves in a situation where they are unready for a pregnancy.
I know of at least one member who has resigned his position on the local body and handed in his membership card in protest.
What on earth does a group like the NUS have to do with such an issue?
I find this approach to be underhanded, deceitful and unethical.
The NUS has its purposes and people have joined because they would like to benefit from them, but now the group has come to represent something that its members did not subscribe to at the time of joining. I hope that, unlike my friend, many of those opposed will stay and make it known that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable.
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