THE P RTAL
September 2013
Page 18
Letters to the Editor
From David Austen We live in a world where personal interaction is becoming very restricted, largely because modern technology allows us to make contact very quickly with people around the planet, but with no necessity of response. The World Wide Web means that In theory it is possible to venture no further than the proverbial garden gate and not be deprived of anything necessary for survival. But what about our spiritual needs and survival? For thousands of years we have appointed both secular and religious leaders but today the notion of spirituality and vocation have been increasingly laid aside by society. In the Acts of the Apostles we have the first record of the bestowal of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, a gift also given to us at our Confirmation. But did we all rush out upon the spirit coming to us and speak in tongues? No, I know I didn’t. Yet as society has become increasingly reliant on the various impersonal contact media there is the still the power of the spoken word. Former Anglican Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, drew attention to the need for the Church to become more aware of its missionary potential, pointing out that beliefs, values and virtues have been formed by the Christian Faith. Never was there a time in our history when those beliefs, virtues and values so much need to be restated and every one of us has the power to help by bearing simple witness to that gift of the spirit. Before joining the Ordinariate, I was HY[X?\?? H\?\???ZX?Y[8?&\? ?[[??[ ???Y?[?Y H ?]?[Y?H? ???[??\?H ?? [?Y\? ?]H[??[?Y??K?] ?\??\??Y[??HH [X[? [?[[??[Y?X??YH??????\? X[H??? H????Y[? ?\??Y H????] ?H?\ [?Z[? ]H?[? ??[?H?[?X\?XY ??X] [????Y??H?? \?H ?\?HH?]??X?\?[? H???Y?][??] ?\?HZ\??[?\?H[?Y[?[?H XX?[??? ? [?] K?][\?[?? H ?[\H ?? ?? [X[?[?\?X?[?]\?[X^?[????]?[? H[??\?[?YZ[??X??Y\? ?[?\?X?HY?\?H?\? XH[? ]\??[?X[ ?X?H??Z?HH?H\?H[Z\??[?\?Y\??] ?]Y??\?[??Y? ????[?? ?]? H[?\?? \??\?H [?]Y???K ?H?[? ?[Z[? [?H?? ?\?X[??[YY?? ?[ Y\?[? ?\? Y\?\?\?H?[Y]?K H ?^H ? \?X?\]H[? H? H?]\??&\??[ ?]?[??[\?H H ?? ????H\??H??[ H] ?\?[?\?\?[?? ] ?YH? H\?X?\?[? \?[?8?&\?
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