I am perplexed at those in the UK trying to find positives within the Archbishops' last minute proposals for the way forward on women bishops. Firstly because there is nothing new here at all. The proposal is still a code of practice — the one Anglo-Catholics claimed would never do — and it affords no legal assurance to those opposed to the ordination of women. What is placed before synod is ultimately a conjuror's trick designed to give the illusion to Anglo-Catholics that they have Catholic-minded bishops when nothing could be further from the truth. It amounts to smoke and mirror tactics which vest real power in diocesans who are asked to play along with Anglo-Catholics wanting to act as if nothing has changed. The problem is it has.

Secondly I am utterly perplexed as to why people even care what this says when the Ordinariate is a more viable, thrilling, hopeful and realistic way forward for those claiming to be Catholic. Why place hope on a synod that has consistently failed you when an offer from Rome guarantees a long term Catholic future? Why stay in an institution that is manifestly becoming more liberal, confused and protestant when you can enter communion with 1.4 billion like-minded people? It is lunacy on a scale I can barely comprehend!!

I am also perplexed that anyone could find anything positive even if hoping on synod! What on earth does it mean to have two bishops who are out of communion with each another claiming to have full jurisdiction over a parish even though only one ever functions within it?? Honestly what sort of garbled ecclesiology is this? Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters and the scheme as it stands is palpable nonsense, begging the question of how two bishops could possibly exist within the same college with equal authority but contradictory views on the faith?

I am further perplexed as to how anyone claiming to be Catholic could ever consider writing to a female diocesan requesting her spiritual oversight as they request a male visitor? It is as sexist as it is ludicrous! Either she is the bishop in which case she should visit herself or else she is not and it is not to her you should be writing! Any letter would compromise integrity by granting her the very authority that you claim she does not have.

Even ignoring all of the above can you really trust a liberal bishop to act fairly in any case? Do not forget that we were assured of fair and equal treatment when women were first ordained. Perhaps it would help you to add up the number of Forward in Faith diocesans and deans before you accept this poisoned chalice! How long will the letters be answered politely? One year, ten years? And then what?

I do not want to drive a wedge between my Anglo-Catholic brothers and sisters who are presently unable to feel excited by the offer of an Ordinariate. I simply want to urge people to reflect prayerfully and not look a gift horse in the mouth. The Catholic experiment is over and the future of the Church of England will either be evangelical or liberal — that much is abundantly clear. (I shall pray for evangelical strength in the future).

Do not forget the old story concerning the drowning man who prayed to God for help. He first dismissed a lifeboat telling the crew that God would save him. He then dismissed the helicopter in similar fashion. Then he drowned. At the pearly gates he quizzed S. Peter asking how God could have let him down so dramatically. S. Peter looked surprised and said, ‘we sent a lifeboat and helicopter and concluded you wanted to die!’

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