THE
P RTAL
July 2012
Page 5
“I would certainly support an Ordinariate day event of it was. When it was first announced, in my mind,
at Walsingham , or a family day. Absolutely I would.” it was an answer to prayer. Everything slotted into
place. Shortly afterwards I went to clergy meetings
the Holy Spirit working
and heard other priests questioning it. I
things out
thought ‘Have I missed something here?’ I
was in a dilemma. ‘What is the problem?’
“I so feel that the Ordinariate is the
I thought. This produced anxiety and
Holy Spirit working things out in the
confusion, but I kept my “powder dry”.
Twenty-First century. It is genuinely a
really good thing and very positive.”
Time went on and I realised that the
Bernadette Josiah-John
‘reasons’ people had for not joining were
really ‘excuses’. Then the dead-line came, it
Bernadette (48) works in Local
was crunch time. I went home and spent
Government and is married to Michael.
Bernadette
Josiah-John
the best part of a day in front of the Blessed
They have two children, Kristian (22)
Sacrament. ‘What do I do?’ But an excuse
and Jasmin (17) who is part of the
cannot be a reason for not doing the right
Ordinariate Group. Like almost all those
thing. I do not see it as bravery. I do not
we have interviewed Bernadette replied
see it as courageous. The number one for
“Absolutely none” when asked if she had
me has always been being in Communion
regrets about joining the Ordinariate.
with Peter.
hang on a bit
The welcome at Precious Blood had
been “Fantastic! The Ordinariate is the
most fantastic thing that could have
happened. At our reception I was just so
excited I could have floated to the Altar! I
pray for unity and not growing apart. My
daughter decided to join the Ordinariate
too.”
welcome was phenomenal
Aidan Williams
encourage growth
“I think there is room for improvement
in our finances. I hope people do not
just wander off and become Diocesan
Catholics. There is room for growth
here. London Bridge is an important
area, there is regeneration and people
are moving in. We now have a Thursday
evening Evensong and Mass to encourage
growth. Mission and Evangelisa tion are
an important part of the Ordinariate. We
are called to Mission and Evangelisation.
We have to reach out to others in the
community. It is easy to come on Sunday
and forget the rest. Now we need to be
better. The Catholic Church has so much
literature and many events. We need
events to come together. The Portal is
a good way of finding out about other
Groups. The clergy keep in touch, but the
laity can be isolated.”
Kathie Kempton
Ronald wanted to know how they had
been welcomed. Fr Christopher said, “The
welcome was phenomenal. There was a
sense of excitement tinged with confusion
and wanting to understand. Many find
the Ordinariate difficult to understand.
Relations with some in the C of E has
been strained. But I do want to mention
the Archdeacon of Southwark (as he
then was) Michael Ipgrave (now Bishop
of Woolwich). He was extraordinarily
generous and kind.”
“The Group can keep itself and me too.
This includes Gift Aid. We have a group
of elected Elders that form a Governing
Council.”
God planted seeds
Fr Christopher Pearson
Jackie put the question about growth. Fr
Christopher said, “Yes, but not from those
I expected. The future for the Church is
that God planted seeds where we did not
expect.”
“Where will the Group be in ten years’
time? Well I like to think it will still be
here. At heart I am an Inner-City Parish
Priest. I hope the Group will have grown
significantly and be living and proclaiming
Fr Christopher Pearson
the Gospel because we love the Lord. I find
Wilma Lambert
it hard that the C of E cannot say to us, ‘Be
Jackie asked Fr Christopher if it was a
difficult decision to join the Ordinariate. He replied, good Catholics’ I have C of E friends who will not
“The decision was not difficult, but the implementation speak to me now. So sad.”