Busy weekend

So after the Day of Recollection it was not home to the slippers, but rather a 6pm Vigil Mass in Lymington, filling in for our Parish Priest who is having a short breather. Then this morning off bright and early to Bournemouth for the Ordinariate Sunday Mass. In the course of it, the Confirmation of Teresa (who added the Christian Name Mary). For the first time we had all four parts in our singing group, so had the treat of the Communion Motet Hide not thou Thy face from me. It was particularly good to have friends of Teresa present - and also another new family seeking a spiritual home.

After Mass a short instruction on "The Doorway of Faith", and then a dash across town to the Anglican Church of St Francis, where the Priest in Charge laid to rest the ashes of Teresa Mary's father, Ray. Ray had been Head Server at St Francis' and Lord-high-everything-else for many years. His widow's ashes were already there, so it was fitting as his final resting place. Fr Wastie and many old friends from the parish greeted us warmly, which made up for the bitter cold of the morning.

 

The Priory Chapel

Somehow I had not expected retirement to be quite so busy; but it is very enjoyable. Oh, and at the end of today's Mass we had our three Rome pilgrims line up for a blessing. They set off  tomorrow morning together with dozens of other members of Ordinariate Groups on a journey which will take them to Pope Benedict's last General Audience in St Peter's Square (watch it on Zenit) and to Assisi.

I think you will see from these photos that yesterday was a pretty laid-back
occasion - not too much heavy theology, rather a consideration of where we are at present, where we have come from, and how we fit in the grand scheme of things. Best of all, it was enjoyable, and we all got to know others in our Group rather better. Our intention is to be welcoming, so that anyone coming to Mass with us, or to coffee after Mass, will soon feel at home. This seems to be our special calling in this Year of Faith, taking part in the New Evangelization.

My system was unable to cope with the pictures of St Dominic's yesterday. Today our Computer Wizard brought a memory stick with them on, so I am posting a few here for your interest.

Some but not all of the participants

 

 

Day of Recollection

St Dominic's Priory, just up the road from Lymington, gave hospitality to twenty of our Ordinariate Group today (most of them above, in the Chapel). Our ages ran from the early teens to the late seventies, and everyone contributed. Thomas, our youngest member, helped out with difficult questions - such as, 'how many Popes have there been?' We began in the morning looking at some Geography; two of those present discovered they both came from within a few miles of one another, in Cheshire. Others had connexions in East Anglia, in the South West, and even in Dallas. It was all leading us to consider Paul (a citizen of Tarsus, no mean City) who told us that our homeland is in heaven, that here we have no abiding city, that we are strangers and pilgrims. We started looking at places on our Pilgrimage, and unsurprisingly Walsingham featured very large.

We joined the Sisters at their mid-day Office, and at Mass, and thought briefly about persecution; whatever we have to put up with is nothing compared with our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, or Northern Nigeria - or even compared with Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna commemorated in today's Mass, burned to death in the Arena around 155AD..

Despite the biting cold some had a little walk in the Forest after our picnic lunch, then we settled down to considering our History. Many of us had 'done' the Tudors and Stuarts (some three times in their school career) yet knew little about the coming of Christianity to these Islands. We were reminded of the Saints of the North, Cuthbert and Bede and Hilda, and considered Alfred's part in re-establishing monasticism after the depradations of the Vikings. We wondered why we heard nothing about the Recusants, and how whenever Catholics appeared it was always in the role of baddies; the wives of Stuart kings leading them into the ways of Popery, with the nation eventually saved by loveable William of Orange. Hurrah! Except that he was such a disastrous human being, redeemed only by employing Christopher Wren to modernise Hampton Court.

In all, we learned a bit of geography, a little history, but much more (and more interestingly) things about ourselves and one another.  Tomorrow we shall be confirming one of our number; another will be joining us in a fortnight's time. This is proving a happy and exciting Lent for our little Bournemouth Ordinariate Group..

Memory

 



Perhaps it was the first death in our Ordinariate Group which sparked us - or I should say one of our members - into action. Brian Harrison began collecting names and dates of deceased relatives and friends of the Group a couple of weeks ago, and today he presented the results of his labours. At the Offertory be brought to the altar this book of remembrance; and because the entire thing is on computer, it will be kept up to date. So we shall be able to remember those dear to us week by week at Mass.

 

Today was important for other reasons, though. We heard that the impediment to the marriage of one of our members had been removed, so she will be able to be confirmed and receive Communion very soon. Then too we were introduced to Darryl Jordan, his wife  Lisa and Catherine their teenage daughter. They came to England from Dallas where they had belonged to the Episcopal Church. Here Darryl served in the diocese of Winchester as an assistant in the parish of Christchurch. Lately they achieved British Citizenship. Now they are all preparing to be received into the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate - and we very much hope that Darryl might be accepted for Ordination later this year. So little by little the Group grows. A little over a year ago we began with just a couple of dozen of us worshipping together. Today, joined by a few established Catholic friends, we were thirty-nine at Mass. Not spectacular, but steady growth which encourages us for the future. On Ash Wednesday our parish priest entrusted the evening Parish Mass to us, so our servers and singers and clergy helped lead the worship. On future Wednesdays through Lent we shall have Stations before the 10.30 Mass. At the end of this week we have a Day of Recollection for Lent at the Dominican Sisters' House in Sway. Some of our members will participate in the Ordinariate's Pilgrimage which will be in Rome during the Holy Father's last week in Office. Small steps, but gradually it seems we are being led towards a fuller life together, with many of the marks of a parish.

 

This is not said by way of boasting - we are still a pretty fragile plant - but simply in the hope that it might encourage others who until now have hesitated about stepping into the Barque of Peter. 



 



Dimanche Gras aka Shrove Sunday

 

 

 

Today we welcomed our Bournemouth Ordinariate Group to lunch; quite a squeeze to get us all in - all but about half a dozen managed to join us - and a very merry pre-Lent it turned out. Jane had excelled herself; not just three main hot dishes, and three different home-made ice-creams, but even one vegan meal and one non-dairy. She has been preparing this for a week, the freezer was bursting, there were dishes everywhere. But everyone seemed to enjoy it.

 

 

We spilled out into the conservatory and despite the wintry weather kept warm - two heaters had been on since first light. If the Group grows much bigger we shall only be able to host summer events in the garden but by pressing every chair into service and having a few camping seats brought along we managed.

 

 

Somehow word had got out about a birthday, so there was a certain amount of noisy singing - we shall have to pacify the neighbours this week. In fact they never complain, and seem to enjoy the comings and goings of a pseudo-prebytery. When all but a handful had left, seven of us watched the end of the six nations Rugby, and had the satisfaction of watching England beat Ireland- though now that we are Catholics maybe we should feel divided loyalties on such an occasion?

 

After today we shall batten down the hatches, and enter Lent. We are hoping to have a quiet Day at the Dominican Sister's house in Sway on Saturday 23rd, and there will be Stations at 9.45 on Wednesdays beginning on 20th, before our mid-week Mass. This year our Parish Priest has asked the Group to look after the evening Mass on Ash Wednesday, and our musicians are getting to grips with the Lent Prose. After today's meal I feel a little like Elijah, who went in the strength of that food for forty days.

 

 





 

The Beauty of Holiness

“The Sacred Liturgy is at the centre of the new evangelization,” said the Bishop of Frejus-Toulon in announcing an international conference on the Sacred Liturgy next summer. So as this year of faith begins our little Ordinariate Group in Bournemouth is trying to do something about bringing with us into the Catholic Church an Anglican emphasis on the beauty of holiness. Almost the first thing we did on arrival at Our Lady Queen of Peace was to acquire (through good Church of England friends in Southampton) copies of English Hymnal.

That book has come as a revelation to some of the long-time Catholics who join us at Mass now and again. "But there are hymns by St Thomas Aquinas! And Blessed John Henry Newman! And G.K. Chesterton ... how wonderful!".

We also have the advantage of a first-class organist, and some parts of his Mass setting (the Dorset Mass) were sung at the Ordination of our two latest Ordinariate priests in Portsmouth diocese. We have cantors, and full-throated congregational singing. What we lack, though, is a worthy instrument for our organist to play; the parish's keyboard has been fine when all it had to do was accompany "Deep within my heart I know Jesus loves me" or "Colours of Day" but strangely those do not appear in English Hymnal.

So this Sunday we are having a newcomer in our midst; a three-manual electronic organ (picture above) on loan. This is the instrument which our little music committe has looked at and decided it would be the best answer to our needs, without being hugely extravagant. So far we have raised a couple of thousand pounds towards it - and this without undermining our giving to the Ordinariate. The Parish is very interested in finding ways of helping, and together we shall attempt to raise the money to enable us to have such an instrument installed in the gallery of Our Lady Queen of Peace, to be used by Parish and Ordinariate.

We believe firmly that music can be a part of our major task of evangelization. So if you, dear reader, know someone who has a few thousand pounds (or even a few pounds) burning a hole in his or her wallet, do put them in touch....

Stirring Times

For the past few weeks our Bournemouth Group has been meeting after Mass for half an hour of study and instruction. We are together preparing a family (parents and three sons) for reception; then today another Anglican, who has been worshipping with us, decided he too must seek admission. So little by little we are growing, and it is good that we have a few more long-standing Catholics joining us week by week. Some of them too are taking part in our course of instruction, as a refresher. Our study today amounted to looking over a scheme of prayer, by which each member of the Group will pray through a rota, ensuring that every member is prayed for by someone each day. To that basic list we have added the leaders and members of neighbouring Groups, our Ordinary, his assistants and so on. All this is within a scheme for saying the Rosary through the course of a month. It has meant a good deal of work on the computer, and some explaining to the sisters and brothers. Now we are all trying it through the course of this week, and will return next Sunday to resolve any difficulties.

We are also getting ready for the Ordination to the priesthood of Dn Brian Copus. In the picture he is with members of the Group after today's discussion, still in animated conversation.

Rejoice with those who rejoice...

"Just like the early Church" is the constant refrain of one of the members of our Ordinariate Group - and increasingly I believe she is right. Whereas in large congregations, the names of the sick go past making little impression, with us we seem to recognise each person; "yes, that's John's dad - he's having a hard time just now... Ah yes, Ray - such a dear man - was Head Server, now he is confined to his nursing home, but he receives the Blessed Sacrament each week". And so it goes on. Today though was a day of happiness; for one of our members had been to the Royal Marsden for a consultation about his cancer, and there the Professor was far more positive and helpful than anyone had been before. So we rejoice with those who rejoice.

There is a marvellous commitment among the members of our Group. When we heard about the lecture at Buckfast (over 100 miles West of us here) our organising genius, Madeleine, set about finding details. Eventually some went by car, others by minibus, and we were the farthest-flung group to hear Professor Tracey Rowland on the New Evangelisation. It was good to hear how much the Holy Father has taken from the teaching of Blessed John Henry Newman. Some of it was pretty hard going, but we were glad to know that before long we shall be able to read what Professor Rowland said, and ponder it at greater leisure. There are pictures from the day on Flickr, posted by Fr Bradley on the Ordinariate site. [Above, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel where we celebrated Mass, and before leaving sang Evensong.] Most of us were home again soon after 8pm (many having set off around 6am) and everyone managed to get to the 9.30 Mass today. We are beginning to get a few enquirers joining us, so there are more to add to our prayers.

Now the Group is gearing itself for the big day in September; on 22nd at Noon in Sacred Heart church, Bournemouth [picture above], Deacon Brian Copus is to be ordained a Catholic Priest, together with Deacon John Maunder from the Ordinariate Group at St Agatha's, Portsmouth. We have been given responsibility for organising the day, so Fr Bruce Barnes, the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, comes over soon for a meal to begin planning. At the same time we are making contact with the Portsmouth Group to ensure that we are not going off at a tangent. Please pray for these two candidates for the Priesthood; and pray too for the Church of England, preparing for an important Synod in a week's time. Romans 12.15 seems especially appropriate just now.

Recognition for the Tradition

Fr Michael Gollop, writing in his "Let nothing you dismay" blog, commented on the Holy Father's decision to create three more former Anglican Bishops "capellani" - that is, they are nominated to be among his Chaplains; and that has the result of according them (us) the title of Monsignor. Here is part of what Fr Gollop had to say: "These latest honours seem intended as a recognition not only of former individual Anglican ministries, but of an entire tradition".

Fr Brian proposes a toast

I am sure he is right; and our Group in Bournemouth on Sunday toasted the Holy Father, and thanked him for all he is doing to enable us and so many former Anglicans to find a home in the Roman Communion. As the next crucial Synod comes ever closer for the Church of England, I hope those of us who have joined the Ordinariate will pray for them. Perhaps the worst possible outcome would be yet another delay - but that is their business, not ours. All we can do is offer our prayers that all we knew which was good in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion may somehow continue and flourish - and only the Good Lord knows if that is possible, and if so where and how it might occur.

[I am indebted to Brian Harrison for the picture he took in the Hall after our Ordinariate Mass.]

The Intemperate Zone

A packed three days in London, just as the temperatures passed 80 Fahrenheit. It was a little unkind of Allen Hall to give Fr John Saward the graveyard slot on Thursday - two hours after a very filling lunch. By the end of his lecture even he was clutching a bottle of water.



So far as I can tell it was a masterly account of St Thomas Aquinas on the Incarnation and the Sacraments - fortunately his talk was recorded and will be available on line from Allen Hall, so we shall be able to fill in the bits when Morpheus overtook us.



Perhaps though I was the only one whose eyes became a little heavy at times - certainly in the shot above we are all very alert and bushy tailed.
So that was Thursday in Chelsea.

Jane had come up to town with me, and we went to Croydon for two nights staying with a cousin of mine. We returned on Friday to do our cultural bit - the Zoffany exhibition at the Royal Academy.



A revelation - I had thought of him as a court painter to George III, which he was, but he also travelled widely, even as far as India, and produced some wonderful images there. Then too he was enchanted by the theatre, and gave us images of Garrick and all the great thespians of his time. If you are able to get there soon, do: and the catalogue is greatly reduced and a wondefful bargain. We also went to the Queen's Gallery to see the Leonardo anatomical drawings - which produced in me a degree of visual overload.



Today it was London for the third day running, this time Westminster where seventeen former Anglican clergy were admitted to the Diaconate of the Catholic Church. Bishop Alan Hopes ordained, our Ordinary, Mgr Keith Newton, was a benign presence throughout, and Mgr Andrew Burnham preached splendidly on the Diaconate. Above is a picture from the moments before the Mass began. Frs Page and Elliott-Smith were no doubt glad that today, unlike Thursday, the tube did not let them down. They had struggled to get to Allen Hall and missed much of the morning session.

Many of those being ordained are old friends of mine, and it was particularly good to have Brian Copus from our Bournemouth Ordinariate Group once more properly dressed in clericals. Good too to have two other residents of Portsmouth Diocese among the candidates - John Maunder from St Agatha's Portsea and John Hunwicke (for he lives in Oxford on the Portsmouth side of the Thames). After Mass, members of the Bournemouth Ordinariate repaired to the Victoria Pub, to drink the new deacons' health.



Here on the right of the picture are Fr Brian and his wife Bärbel. On this occasion the new deacons' wives were welcomed to the sanctuary and given a special blessing just before Mass ended. What a great day! Now we eagerly await news of when Fr Brian is to be ordained priest - some of those deaconed today will be priested in their home parishes or local cathedrals as early as next week.

Party Time

Today we had Open House for members of the Bournemouth Ordinariate Group. Some are away, some down with a dreadful cold, two had car trouble on the way, others again had no transport. Fortunately no one had an ox to try out, nor had anyone married a wife, so in the end more than a dozen managed to find us and squeezed into our little house in Lymington. Accordingly, full justice was done to Jane's cooking.


It was especially good that Fr Danny McAvoy, our local parish priest, joined us.

We furthered our plans for the great visit to London on Jan 15th - Evensong and Benediction at St James' Spanish Place (hope to see you there - 5pm Mgr Keith presiding) and before that a more local event also involving our Ordinary.


On Saturday next at 12.15pm Mgr Keith will be celebrating Mass, and receiving into the Catholic Church Bishop Robert Mercer, CR. This is at St Agatha's Portsea, one-time church of Fr Dolling. If you wish to attend it might be helpful to let Fr Jonathan know (j.redvers_harris@virgin.net)

Washing Up Volunteers

Let's enjoy these small domestic events. When numbers grow, as surely they will during this year, we shall be using Church Halls rather than private houses. We should make the most of these more intimate occasions while we can.
Posing by the puddings