THE
P RTAL
June 2012
Joanna Bogle writes...
If you attended the beautiful Chrism Mass for the Ordinariate
at St James’ Church, Spanish Place you would have seen two ladies
standing by the door handing out little cards. And if you were not
a clergyman, you would have been told politely “Er...sorry... not
for you”. Who were we, and what were those cards?
Association of Catholic Women
winning
schools are
contacted.
Catholic Women
Page 6
na
wri tes
We were – and are – Patti Fordyce and Joanna Bogle,
active with the Association of Catholic Women. The
ACW has been running for some twenty years. It was
This year’s essay topic was Christ’s miracles: we’ve
founded to give a voice to Catholic women, expressing
our glad assent to the teachings of the Church been reading through great stacks of essays about the
Ten Lepers, about Jairus’ little daughter, and about the
specifically on issues relating to women.
Centurion’s servant...
When we began, it was around the time that the
Church of England was debating women’s ordination, “Thank you to our priests”
Every year, we also attend the Chrism Mass at
and we wanted to make it clear that as Catholic women
we upheld the unchanging and unchangeable teaching Westminster Cathedral and at St George’s Cathedral,
Southwark, with a big placards saying “Thank you
on this subject.
to our priests” and we hand out small holy-cards,
Religious Education Project
specially printed with a prayer and a thank-you
But of course the Association involves more – message. So naturally when the Ordinariate Chrism
much more – than merely affirming the teaching on Mass was announced we wanted to say a big thank-
priesthood. Over recent years our work has expanded you to the Ordinariate clergy too.
hugely so that we are now involved with a wide range
of projects.
We had some special cards printed and gave one
to each priest on arrival at St James’ church. It was a
We helped to launch the annual “Towards Advent” privilege to attend the Chrism Mass: such a glorious
Festival of Catholic Culture at Westminster Cathedral liturgy and magnificent music. We are very conscious
Hall and are on its organising team (this year’s Festival of the great and good things that the Ordinariate of
is Saturday November 24 th – do put the date in your Our Lady of Walsingham is bringing to the wider
diary!) We have retreats and day-conferences, and Church, and so grateful.
occasional pilgrimages to shrines and places of interest
(most recently to the Benedictine sisters at the Saxon Ordinariate ladies
The Association is glad to be connected with the
abbey at Minster in Kent).
Ordinariate, and as part of this we are having a get-
We run a nationwide annual Religious Education together with Ordinariate ladies this month. We chose
Project for Catholic primary schools – it involves May 18th, Blessed John Paul’s birthday, as a special
children writing essays and we receive literally hundreds date, and are having a social gathering at the home of
of entries from schools across Britain. It is sponsored our Chairman, Josephine Robinson.
by the Catholic Truth Society which provides prizes,
We hope this will be part of a long and fruitful
and all the organising, judging, presentation of prizes
etc. is done by us – May is the busy month when our relationship as the Ordinariate flourishes and prospers,
team of judges meets to make final decisions and the and we as we hope ACW flourishes too...