THE
P RTAL
February 2012
Page 4
South Coast religion
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane
visit the Bournemouth Ordinariate Group
The Seaside
in winter is rather like Marmite: you either love it or you loath
it. Perhaps it is because he spent part of his childhood living by the sea, Ronald
loves the Seaside in winter. Jackie, on the other hand grew up quite some distance
from the sea. It was, then, with a sense of real excitement that we drove south to
Bournemouth where the Sea Front is modern and vibrant – even in winter! The rollers were impressive and
a few brave souls were actually splashing about in the surf.
The Bournemouth Ordinariate
Group worships at Our Lady, Queen of
Peace in Southbourne. This Catholic
Church building looks remarkably
like a modern Anglican one! It suits
the Ordinariate Group perfectly, yet it
is in the kind of residential area where
it is rare to see lots of people walking.
Benediction with an Anglican Choir
and Church of England friends. They
also meet with Groups from the Isle of
Wight and Salisbury.
Fr Edwin and Jane Barnes
Fr Edwin Barnes
The Group is led by Fr
Edwin Barnes, who although
retired, has lost none of his
skill, fire or enthusiasm. He,
like everyone else we met
here, has no regrets about
John Bishop
joining the Ordinariate. This
Group is made up of people from
various local Anglican Churches
and it has had its problems.
However, the Group is now stable
and looking to the future.
Margareta Bower
Fr Barnes, and his Group, look
forward to an Ordinariate National
day event. He sees the Bournemouth
Group in ten years times
providing
Pastors
for
neighbouring
Catholic
Churches who are desperate
for one now, and he hopes
there are others who will take
the same journey as has he
and the lovely people around
Teresa Smith
him.
The Group has no elected Martin and Mary Taylor with Brian Harrison
Pastoral Council, instead the
whole Group meets to take
decisions, and with a maximum
number of twenty-five, this
works well. Of course they do
have a Treasurer.
We met with a number of the
members of this group: John
Bishop who sells holidays in
India; Margareta Bower; Brian
Harrison; Jane Barnes; Sue Vine;
Barbel Copus-Lange and Mark
Furness.
John Bishop
Although John has no regrets
about joining the Ordinariate,
he does miss the beauty of Saint
Stephen’s Church building in
Bournemouth and the music.
Fr Barnes finds the local
Catholic Clergy amenable, and Sue Vine, Brian Copus and Bärbel Copus-Lange With one or two rather minor
because he is retired, he costs his Group nothing, reservations, they all found Our Lady Queen of Peace
enabling them to contribute to Ordinariate central a convenient place to worship.
funds. He is quite clear about the purpose of this
On occasion some of them join the non-Ordinariate
Group, “To be good Catholics, and this is how we do it.”
He thinks there are a number of Anglicans still to join congregation at Our Lady, Queen of Peace, and John
the Ordinariate, and looks forward to the future with served the Midnight Mass.
optimism. Growth will come, he thinks, because the
members of this Group are welcoming and hospitable. Margareta Bower and Brian Harrison
They have periodic celebrations of Evensong and
Margaret and Brian thought the Group would grow,