THE
P RTAL
October 2012
Page 4
Devon, Glorious Devon!
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane
visit the Ordinariate who meet at Buckfast Abbey
Old England’s counties by the sea
From east to west are seven;
But the gem of that fair galaxy
Is Devon, is Devon, glorious Devon
Well, that
is according to Sir Harold
Boulton (1859-1926), in his words made famous
when Sir Edward German set them
to music in 1905. Certainly our
visit to Devon was to a glorious
place. Buckfast Abbey is truly
glorious and well worth a visit for
its own sake.
waiting to see
what happens
But we went to visit the Ordinariate
Group that meets there at 3pm on a
Sunday afternoon. Their priest, Fr
Ian Hellyer, told us “We are a Group
which is waiting to see what happens.
Some are my former parishioners,
some are not. They come from east
and west. At some point we might
divide to Exeter and Plymouth with
Buckfast for high days. But for the
moment we are OK here.”
He feels the Group are making
progress, “I wondered over the
first year how long we would stay
together with a weekly Mass. Once
a month would have been easy, but
we kept the weekly Mass and have
received more members into Full
Communion with the Catholic
Church, so our regular numbers
have enlarged. We are open to what
God wants.”
accept the
Abbot’s invitation
Gathering after Mass
Alan Jeffs
Fr Ian and Margaret Hellyer
The Abbot is enthusiastic about the
Ordinariate and the Group enjoys
good relations with the Abbot who
is a Trustee of the Friends of the
Ordinariate. Fr Ian said, “The Abbey
have been very generous”.
Although there has been no
outright falling out with the CofE,
there has been a deal of silence. Fr
Ian has remained in contact with
some clergy although others have
kept out of his way. On the other
hand, there have been a few gentle
enquiries.
The Group is a long way from
paying for itself. Fr Ian and his
family exist on a small stipend from
his University work and the Diocese
provides a house.
He sees different ways in which
the Group might develop. “We shall
respond to what happens around
us.” He continued, “We are not
thinking about these things on our
own. Clergy meet and talk about the
future all the time.”
Anglican Patrimony
With
regard
to
Anglican
Patrimony, Fr Ian mentioned
liturgy, hymnody and the care with
which Mass is celebrated. There
is, however, no Group council or
committee, but the three clergy
attached to the Group do meet
regularly.
This Group is twenty-nine strong,
and worshipping at the Abbey does
work. With people coming from all
over the county, they were pleased Michael Vian Clark
to accept the Abbot’s invitation to
meet at Buckfast. Indeed, he provided Catechetics for structural things
the Group.
Fr Ian is aware that the Group has a desire for