ragon
THE
P RTAL
January 2012
Page 8
Raise a glass
Raise a
glass to the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and Blessed John Henry
Newman. one year old this month, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Quite a year, but there is much
to celebrate. Thanks to Pope Benedict for his vision and generosity; to our catholic friends
for their welcome, and stimulating clergy formation programme; to Keith, our Ordinary and
his assistants; to the faithful pioneers in the pews. As one clergy wife keeps saying, “Twelve
months ago, who’d have thought it?”
But not
to the demon drink
The English rugby team has received
much stick for its acts of ill-discipline.
Before you pass judgment ask the
question “Is this a particular failing of
rugby, or is it now endemic in modern day Britain?” I
only ask because my wife and I have just had lunch in
a city centre pub, where what I thought were 20 or so
professional sportsmen assembled in their kit, turned
out to be a bunch of fellas with stag party T-shirts.
Emblazoned on them was the text “Drink until we
drown.”
Although only Friday lunch-time, the pints were
sinking quicker than the spirits (non-alcoholic) of
the rest of us, enduring the noise and banter of
male bonding. Apparently they were then to
spend the afternoon on a plane (pity the crew )
before honing in on one of our major cities for
the two days of revelry. Questions. “Is this really
the best preparation for a wedding?” “What was
it doing to their livers?” “ Is this austerity England
beating the recession?” Answers on a post card.
Meanwhile, as I thought of all this, I have to admit
that the nearest couple to us in the bar were two
elderly very respectable ladies, who were not only
unperturbed, but were enjoying their lunch with one
of the largest bottles of white wine I have ever seen...
Pouring cold water
Pouring cold water on catholic Anglicans .... the
results in from the dioceses show only two (London
and Chichester) voting against the admittance
of women to the episcopate. This out of 44. more
worrying for the traditionalists (as they are called)
is that a following motion that would have given the
objectors some leeway has also been turned down by
three out of four dioceses.
It will as a consequence be very hard work to
secure any crumbs of comfort in the February and
July sessions. Where will that leave the constituency?
A double whammy then came from the Bishop of
London whose pastoral letter to his priests forbids the
use of the new Roman rite in Anglican churches in his
diocese.
Logically and canonically he says that those not in
the Ordinariate are not to use it. So welcome, priests
and people, to the Ordinariate!
P.S.
Will the bishop have a canonical go at the evangelicals
as well? How many London evangelical churches have
evening prayer according to the Anglican norms, and
how many lead such worship in the canonically
required vestments?? But no worry.
Evangelicals are welcome into the
Ordinariate too.
Epiphany quiz
How many kings are referred
to in the account of the Nativity in
Saint Matthew’s Gospel?
Nil, one, two, or three?
Answer:
Two. King Herod and Jesus, the King of
the Jews. The wise men are not called
kings, nor are they numbered as three.