THE P RTAL
December 2013
and a crisp, fresh
Autumn day in London. The church bell is ringing. Golden
leaves flutter down. People are gathering at the War Memorial in
the Borough High Street. The Procession arrives from the Church
of the Precious Blood (Ordinariate), cross-bearer flanked by altar
servers with candles, priest in cope, churchwardens with staves.
The crowd is larger now, and when we sing “O God
our help in ages past” the good parish contingent from
Precious Blood ensures that there is a robust sound.
Then, on cue as a local church clock chimes and the
sound of the guns is relayed from Whitehall on a radio/
TV-link, we fall silent. Traffic stops. Passers-by stop.
Eleven o’clock, and
the Two Minutes’
silence.
poppies on
dark overcoats
Sudden
sweep
of
memories of doing this,
November after November from
childhood onwards: of parental
example and exhortation, of straight
backs and bowed heads and poppies on
dark overcoats. And as the silence ends
with the Last Post, and “They shall grow not
old…”, the familiar pattern of the Remembrance Day
service continues with familiar hymns and prayers,
the laying of wreaths, and the National Anthem.
God save the Queen
Nothing unusual about this, and that’s just as it
should be. But a tiny bit of history is here because
this is in fact the first time that a local Remembrance
Sunday service has been led by an Ordinariate priest –
with other local clergy, as is entirely appropriate, also
taking part.
Just another small sign of the Ordinariate taking its
natural place in the life of the local community. And as
the service ends and we disperse, the parishioners of
Precious Blood follow their Cross-bearer back to the
church and are ready for Mass. Purple vestments – this
is Remembrance Sunday and the Mass is offered for
the war dead and again we sing the traditional hymns
and conclude with “God save the Queen”.
Auntie Jo a n
More
opportunities
to serve
Remembrance Sunday,
Page 6
na
Simple Prayer Book
wri tes
In the afternoon I’m busy with a small Confirmation
class. We’re in the comfortable parish room, and
everyone has a Simple Prayer Book (CTS, current
edition, latest Mass translation, same grey cover that
it’s had all my lifetime, and still the most useful handy
collection of prayers and basic information
yet produced), and a Gospel of Luke. I’ve
also got the Catechism of the Catholic
Church (excellent, user-friendly,
the essential tool for any catechist)
and a Bible.
We’ve been tackling the
basics, starting with “What is
Confirmation, anyway?” and
today we’re looking at the Mass,
with Scripture references, looking
at the Passover, and the Wedding at
Cana, and the Last Supper, and more…
more opportunities to serve
“How is the Ordinariate doing?” “Is the Ordinariate
working?” Catholic friends who are not involved with
the Ordinariate, but mildly curious, have occasionally
asked me about it.
With a flourishing Ordinariate parish, it’s easy to
answer with confidence. But – and this is a big BUT
– we need more churches, more opportunities to
serve, more chances to show just what the Anglican
Patrimony can offer the wider Catholic Church, more
places where the vision given by the creation of the
Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham can be put
into practice.
We must pray that we are given those chances.
Joanna Bogle DSG