THE
P RTAL
February 2016
Page 11
What is going Anglican
on in the CofE? News
The Revd Paul Benfield keeps us up to date
In last
month’s edition there was an extract from the sermon preached in Westminster Abbey at the
Service of Holy Communion in November at the Inauguration of the new General Synod. This service
was attended by her Majesty the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. Afterwards the members of
Synod processed in a colourful, if somewhat chaotic,
crocodile across Dean’s Yard to Church House.
Meanwhile the royal party was entertained by the
Dean. When all were assembled in the chamber the
Queen and Duke entered with the Archbishops for
the formal inauguration ceremony.
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave an amusing
speech about the history of monarchs and the Church of
England, especially with reference to the appointment
of bishops. It was all so much simpler when the Prime
Minister advised the sovereign who to appoint to a
vacant see, which advice the sovereign often rejected,
preferring her own candidate. It was certainly quicker
than waiting for the Crown Nominations Committee
to meet and then fail to agree on a candidate as
happened for Oxford last year, causing that diocese to
go to the back of the queue.
to work Catholics must be involved at every level of
church government and we have made a good start
in this Synod.
Fr Simon Killwick did not seek re-election to Synod
and so resigned as chairman of the Catholic Group. I
have been appointed Acting Chairman of the Group
until the Autumn, when there will be an election of a
chairman for a five year term.
The November Synod was short, consisting of an
induction day on the Monday for new and returning
members, the Inauguration on the Tuesday morning
The Group meets at least once in every group of
and only a day and a half of sessions, finishing at teatime on Wednesday, except for the laity who stayed sessions to discuss the Synod agenda, and at York we
meet nightly to say compline together. We usually hold
behind to hold hustings for elections.
a dinner in London in February and this year our guest
The Catholic Group in General Synod is larger and will be Fr Simon Killwick when we shall thank him
considerably younger than in the old Synod and it is for all he did in leading us so carefully for nine years,
of a very high calibre. It is also, of course, good fun especially through the difficult times during the women
and has the best parties! In the first round of elections bishops’ debates.
we have secured representation on various important
So far there has not been much of great interest on
bodies.
the agenda with people complaining about far too
Liz Paver is Vice-Chair of the House of Laity (and many presentations, during which we are talked at
therefore on the Archbishops’ Council), Fr Graeme rather than debating topics. There was a good debate
Buttery is on the business committee, Fr Geoffrey on the migrant crisis, but one has to ask what notice
Harbord is an elected member of the Dioceses the government or anyone else takes of a Synod
Commission, Stephen Hogg is on the Audit and Risk motion. Synod is principally a legislative body and
Committee and Peter Bruinvels and I were elected to because we finished all outstanding legislation by
July 2015 there is not much going through at the
the Legislative Committee.
moment. But this will change when the necessary
Elections to the Archbishops’ Council are taking Reform and Renewal and Simplification agendas
place now and further elections and appointments start working their ways through the legislative
will take place before Easter. If mutual flourishing is process in February.
contents page