THE
P RTAL
March 2018
Page 13
Britain’s Second City
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane visit the Birmingham Group
W hen an
Ordinariate Group has to move its place of worship, it is always a problem. The group seems
to lose between a third and a half of its membership with every move. That is except the Darlington
group, which seems to gain members with every move! Quite why there is this difference, we are not sure.
The group in Birmingham is now in its fourth place We were at Holy Cross, Walmley, then, and the people
of worship since 2011. With each move people stay, from Holy Cross were our sponsors. We then moved
even though the group moves. It is not that they to the Convent with the Ordinariate Sisters, then on
to St Chad’s Cathedral, and finally to St
cease to be members of the Ordinariate,
Margaret Mary when Fr Simon arrived.”
just that they stay in the church where
the Ordinariate once worshipped. So
Laura took up the story, “We are glad
with numbers depleted, this group is
to have somewhere permanent. We
now at the church of Saint Margaret
have been moving about. Having an
Mary Alacoque, Perry Common Road,
Ordinariate priest has been a big change.
Erdington, Birmingham, B23 7AB.
It has helped the group in as much as we
have been incorporated into parish life. Fr
Far from being downhearted, the
Simon is always telling the congregation
group seems to have found its feet. With
that he – and we – are Ordina