The Portal September 2017 | Page 21

THE P RTAL September 2017 Page 21 Anglican Papists and Reunion Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane meet Sheila and George Campbell “R eunion Revisited” by Mark Vickers, is a book recently published by Gracewing. It is a fascinating study and account of various attempts at discussions aimed towards reunion of the Catholic Church with the CofE, or the Anglican Communion. Some of the figures involved will be familiar to ex-Anglicans, others will not. We are planning a review of the book in a subsequent edition of The Portal. But, by a wonderful chance, our dear friend Mgr Robert Mercer pointed us in the direction of Sheila and George Campbell. Sheila is a member of a remarkable family deeply involved with these discussions that, it was hoped, would lead to reunion. We travelled to Worcester to meet them. They live in what was once the Vicarage occupied by Sheila’s grandfather, the Vicar, and his family. To live, in advanced age, in the house that was one’s home when young, must be wonderful. The house is certainly wonderful in itself, overlooking the river Severn, and the Racecourse. “I know exactly what he had in mind”, she told us. “He was definitely doing his best to get unity with Rome. But I think what he wanted was for the orders, Anglican orders. to be recognised by Rome. That was the big thing. So my father was also curate to him. “My father was Douglas Cooper. He was curate here for a while with my grandfather. He got married to my mother and he became Vicar at St Mary and St Chad, Longton, an Anglo-Catholic church. Afterwards he went to St Mary’s Kettering. He was there for about ten years. My brother Michael was born. He went to Durham, did his BA there Their drawing room is comfortably furnished and then went to the Community of the Resurrection at we settled down for our chat with tea, coffee, cake and Mirfield. He too was ordained. biscuits. “So there is granddad, his two brothers, my father, Sheila’s grandfather was The Revd William Monahan. my brother and a cousin who were all priests. Another He has his own section in Vickers’ book. “There were one was a Methodist minister and went out to India. three brothers, and he converted two of them. They “My brother Michael went to St John’s Tuebrook in came from Methodist stock. My grandfather always referred to Monahan as the governor. The two boys Liverpool. That was lovely – he loved it. came over from Ireland and they were ordained. One “After there the Bishop of Liverpool called him in served as curate here at St Martin’s Worcester. and said, ‘I’m going to send you as priest in charge “He found it very slow going when he first came to of St Paul, Croxteth.’ It was a concrete jungle. He was Worcester. Bishop Gore advised him to take another there 11 years. I thought It an awful place, absolutely degree. He had rented a property, a cottage that was awful, but Michael really gave his whole life to this vacant. He went there and took with him a student parish.  Michael’s problem was he was very catholic. who was studying theology. They had a tent in the He wouldn’t compromise in any way and he was very orchard and they stayed there for I don’t know how outspoken. long and he got his BD.’ “He had a nervous breakdown - at least that’s what Sheila lived in Worcester with William Monahan for we think. The bishop sent him to a parish just outside about three years. She went home for school holidays, Croxteth to assist the Archdeacon. From there he went to  St George in Nottingham. He had a massive heart but attended school in Worcester.