Tag Archives: Bishop Robert Mercer

More Monsignori

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This notice from the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham:

Thursday 21st June 2012

Pope Benedict XVI has elevated three priests of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham to the rank of Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor). Monsignor Edwin Barnes, Monsignor Robert Mercer, and Monsignor David Silk, have all received the honour from the Holy Father, recognising their former ministry as Anglican bishops. Mgr Barnes and Mgr Silk were received and ordained via the Personal Ordinariate in 2011, whilst Mgr Mercer was received and ordained in 2012.

The Ordinary, Mgr Keith Newton, said “By establishing Personal Ordinariates, Pope Benedict is seeking to be generous in making provision for those Anglicans who wish to come into the full communion of the Catholic Church. In every possible way he has sought to recognise the fruitful Anglican ministry which we undertook before entering the Catholic Church; this honour for these three distinguished men is a further sign of our Holy Father’s love and warmth toward this project”.

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Another Anglican Bishop Answers Pope Benedict's Call to Unity

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From James Bradley:

photo 1024x767 Another Anglican Bishop Answers Pope Benedicts Call to Unity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE

Another Anglican bishop answers Pope Benedict's call to unity

Former Anglican monk and bishop, Robert Mercer, has been received into the full communion of the Catholic Church by Monsignor Keith Newton through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

On Saturday 7 January, Mgr Newton celebrated Mass according to the Book of Divine Worship at the historic church of St Agatha’s, Portsmouth, by kind permission of the Reverend John Maunder, who cares for the Traditional Anglican Communion faithful in that area.

Mgr Newton said, 'It is a great privilege to receive Robert into the fullness of Catholic life. He is a man of unimpeachable moral stature who, through his ministry in Africa and with the Community of the Resurrection, brings many valuable treasures of Anglican life into the Catholic Church'.

Robert Mercer was born in Zimbabwe and has been a member of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield, for 49 years. From 1977-89 he was the Anglican bishop of Matabeleland and from 1989-2005 he served as a bishop of the Traditional Anglican Catholic Church of Canada. He retired in 2005 and became the Episcopal Visitor to the Traditional Anglican Communion in the UK.

Six former Anglican bishops have now been reconciled to the Holy See through the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

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Matabeleland, Canada and the Ordinariate

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Portsea 004 1024x737 Matabeleland, Canada and the Ordinariate

Robert Mercer CR with his sponsor, and Msgr Keith & Concelebrants

A historic day in the Catholic Church — today Robert Mercer CR, one-time Bishop of Matabeleland and more recently Metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, was received into the Roman Catholic Communion.  Msgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham celebrated and preached.  Assisting were Fr Jonathan Redvers-Harris who leads the Group in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, together with Fr Anthony Glaishyer the parish Priest of St Mary's Ryde (in the Biretta above),  and with them Fr Graham Smith from Poole (rt) and Fr Edwin Barnes (left) of the Bournemouth Group.

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Msgr Keith & Fr Maunder

All this took place in the Church of St Agatha, Portsea, through the kindness of Fr Maunder of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) who is a Trustee of St Agatha's and cares for the TAC congregation which worships there.  Before his sermon Msgr Keith read out a letter of greeting from Bishop David Moyer who oversees the TAC groups in England. Bishop Moyer saw this day as a foretaste of what is to come, when many in the wider Anglican family are able to enter into Communion with the Catholic Church.

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Apres Mass

It was good that Bishop Mercer was supported by so many old friends, Catholic, Anglican and "Continuing".  It was an immensely happy occasion, and the regulars of St Agatha's put on a great spread for the reception after Mass.  The Rite used was that approved by the Catholic Church for Anglican Use parishes in the USA, the Book of Divine Worship (and permitted for use in the English Ordinariate), and the celebration was Eastward facing ('ad orientem').

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Msgr Keith in the midst

A small choir led us in singing the Missa de Angelis and a good selection of Epiphany hymns, while the Propers were of the day, Saturday in Christmas time.

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The Anglican Catholic Church in Canada (ACCC) is part of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) and traces its origin to the Congress of St Louis.

If any of the information in this posting is inaccurate I would welcome corrections in the comments section. Thanks. EB

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Bishop Mercer on the Ordinariate and His Own Future

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BishopM 238x300 Bishop Mercer on the Ordinariate and His Own FutureAt Ordinariate Portal, which is doing a marvelous job tracking the news in the UK, I ran across this ENI story with extensive quotes from Bishop Robert Mercer, whose career has spanned almost as many continents as decades.  Readers of The Anglo-Catholic have frequently asked after Bishop Mercer.  In this interview, he gives some answers about his own plans for the future.

However, Robert Mercer, the former Bishop of Matabeleland (Zimbabwe) and former bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church in Canada, said he sees the pope's move as a step toward reconciliation.

"I’m a great enthusiast for what is going to happen on Saturday … Off and on over 400 years, the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches have talked in a pretty desultory way about reconciliation. Now it is happening. I will cross to Rome as soon as I hear from the Vatican. No one can say how many Anglicans will do likewise but this is the start," Mercer told ENInews in an interview.

Read the entire article.>>>

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An Invitation from Bishop Robert Mercer

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I received a letter from Bishop Robert Mercer in the mail today.  In it he enclosed an invitation and asked if I would put it on the blogs. So here it is.

You are cordially invited to

Solemn High Mass

in honour of St Agatha, VM

St Agatha’s Church,

Market Way, Portsmouth

11 am, Saturday 5th February

Music:

Little Credo Mass, Mozart

Preacher: Fr Christopher Colven

Parish Priest of St James’ [Roman Catholic] Church,

Spanish Place, London

Formerly well known as Administrator of the Anglican Shrine of Walsingham

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A Glimpse of Archbishop Hepworth, Bishop Reid and Bishop Mercer

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In 2006, Salt and Light TV, Canada's Catholic network, produced a 15 minute video on the Traditional Anglican Communion's quest for unity with the Bishop of Rome.

In it you'll see TAC Primate John Hepworth,  Bishop Carl Reid from Ottawa, and our beloved retired Canadian Bishop Robert Mercer, who are people who get frequently mentioned, at least by me.

The ordinations in Jan. 2006–of Bishop Carl Reid and Bishop Craig Botterill as suffragans—took place in St. Basil's Roman Catholic Church in Ottawa.  The Ottawa Archbishop Marcel Gervais allowed us to use this venue since our cathedral is too small.

St. Basil's is a rather modern set up, built in the round, with no altar rail so that's why you'll see people receiving the Blessed Sacrament standing.  Ordinarily for us, we would be kneeling.

I think it was about the time these interviews were done for S&L TV,  that I first met Archbishop Hepworth.  Also around then, I remember talking with our Metropolitan Bishop Peter Wilkinson about the Catholic faith, and he said something to the effect of "it's our deposit of faith, too. We have no other."

Then he told me about how his private correspondence with Cardinal Ratzinger had begun. He wrote him a fan letter, telling him how much he appreciated his theological insights, and how he had sent one of his books to a priest in Kenya.  Since mail often gets stolen before reaching its destination, Bishop Peter wrapped the book in blue paper (need I say why?) and doused it in holy water, and sent it on its way.  It arrived safely, Bishop Peter recounted. Cardinal Ratzinger wrote him back, sending him another book to replace the one he had sent to Kenya. That started a regular correspondence kept up until they had a date in April 2005 to meet on the Cardinal's birthday.

Well, the Cardinal suddenly had another commitment in the Sistine Chapel that day and had to break the appointment, but being the thoughtful and kind person that he is, he arranged for Msgr. Charles Brown to meet him for pranzo instead.

I still find it inspiring to go back and listen to Archbishop Hepworth and see how he was shepherding us four years ago (and before that I am sure)  to think with the Church and to ask what the Church says rather than what we as individuals think.

Back then,  as a member of the Traditional Anglican Communion working for Roman Catholic newspapers, I felt an amazing sense of welcome and generosity towards me and my communion not only from the many lay Catholics I met in the course of my work, but also from many bishops, not only from Canada but elsewhere around the world.

Anyway, I thought it might be instructive to take a look back and for those who have never met some of the cast of characters in this unfolding drama to see them in action.

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Bishop Moyer's Report on Newman Beatification

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Bishop Moyer, the Episcopal Visitor to the TAC Province in Great Britain, has sent The Anglo-Catholic this wonderful report from the recent Beatification Mass of John Henry Cardinal Newman.  He and fellow TAC bishop Robert Mercer were VIP guests along with a number of Church of England bishops and clergy.

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We all have had events and experiences in life that have been etched into our souls – both good and bad experiences.  Our gracious and loving God can bring healing and redemption to the bad, and more light and life to the good.

Rita and I know that our experience at the Papal Mass for the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Cofton Park (outside of Birmingham, England) has been etched for good into our souls.

After an overnight flight to London’s Heathrow Airport, we took the London Underground from Paddington Station to King’s Cross where we caught a train to Birmingham.  On Sunday morning, we and Bishop Robert Mercer received hotel wake-up calls at 4:30 AM; taking a taxi at 5:20 AM for the ride to the coach (bus) park where security checks were made for the pilgrims to the Beatification.  There we met up with Bishop John and Judy Broadhurst, and other Church of England clergy and their wives with whom we have been friends for several years.

It was a cold and rainy morning.  Upon arriving at Cofton Park, we were led to VIP seats front and center before the huge stage and Altar where the words from Cardinal Newman’s Coat of Arms, “Heart Speaks to Heart,” had been stenciled on the walls on either side of the Altar.  We stood around for four hours waiting for the arrival of the Pope and the Mass at 10:00AM. At 9:30AM, security helicopters swirled above, and barriers were put in place for his motorcade.  When the Pope, Benedict XVI arrived, the sun came out and the rain stopped!

The Mass was beautifully done with rich organ and orchestral music, along with two massive volunteer choirs on either side of the Altar.  The many thousand pilgrims sang two hymns whose words had been written by Newman, “Praise to the Holiest in the height,” and “Firmly I believe,” and also John Keble’s “The Lord who left the heavens.” The Mass concluded with “For all the saints.”  When the Papal motorcade left Cofton Park, the sun went back in! I’m serious.

On Monday morning, Rita and I took a train from Birmingham to Cambridge where we did some sight-seeing, and met with Fr. Aidan Nichols, OP at the Black Friars Priory on Tuesday morning.  We then took the train from Cambridge to London where we were warmly hosted with supper and the guest room in the lovely home of Bishop John and Judy Broadhurst.  We left Heathrow on Wednesday at 12:30PM and arrived in Philadelphia at 3:30PM.

Thank you for your prayers for our safe travel and health.

+DLM

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DSCN0023 1024x768 Bishop Moyers Report on Newman Beatification

L to R: Bishop Broadhurst, Rita Moyer, Bishop Moyer, Bishop Mercer

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Newman Beatification Altar

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The Holy Father arrives!

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Tu es Petrus!

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Good News from Birmingham

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Something nudged me to awake early this morning and I thought, hmmmm, I could go watch the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

So, here I am, in the pre-dawn hours in Ottawa, watching the Holy Father in Birmingham, thanks to television.

It's nice to know that our dear Bishop Robert Mercer, the retired Bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, and Bishop David Moyer of the Anglican Church in America, are present as guests of the Holy See in Birmingham, a sign of the unity to come.  I know Bishop Robert is aware of the impending vote in Ottawa and that his prayers will be with us.

Anyone else up early (or late as the case may be) watching this historic mass?

As I was waiting for everything to start, I came across this article on First Things that touches upon us traditional Anglicans:

A committed Anglican who disagrees might well retort that the Catholic Church is hardly free of scandal, division, and internal strife—all true; and one could even take it a step further and say (at least from the perspective of “mere Christianity”) that there are Anglican communities in far healthier shape than certain Catholic parishes. Still, Catholics believe they at least have the Magisterium and Benedict as the final, authoritative word to preserve authentic Christian teaching, and this is the Church’s saving grace.

Many Catholics applaud and support traditional Anglicans in their effort to uphold basic Christian truths. But if current trends continue, and “Indaba” replaces the purity and uncompromising demands of the Gospel, no one should be surprised if more Anglicans come to see Pope Benedict XVI, not as a threatening “poacher,” but as a spiritual lifeguard and friend.

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ACCC Synod: Miscellaneous Pictures

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Here are a number of miscellaneous pictures taken by Deborah Gyapong at the recent General Synod of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada held in Vancouver, BC.

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Lighting candles on the Altar

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Sister Carole Barker and Mother Wendy James of the Servants of the Sacred Cross

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The Conversion of St. Paul: Fulfilled, Not Destroyed

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St Paul The Conversion of St. Paul: Fulfilled, Not Destroyed

St. Paul on the facade of the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, Philadelphia

Bishop Mercer’s moving address at the ACCC Synod brought to mind the section I had just read in Fr. Basil Maturin’s The Price of Unity, in which he recounts the Conversion of St. Paul.

In this section from the first chapter, Fr. Maturin speaks of how the experience on the road to Damascus left Paul the same man but completed him.  It has several parallels with Bishop Mercer's analogy of the Ordinatiate offering the opportunity to be Anglican but to be something more than one was before.  It is a fairly long section, so I won't block quote it.

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At the moment of his conversion, St. Paul, as quickly as possible, escaped from the crowd, and in the solitude of, as some think, Mount Sinai, thought out seriously and deeply, for three years, the relations between the old religion which he had left, and the new into which he had entered.

… The change was overwhelming.  In a way, it affected his whole character, yet, in a way, it did not.  It transformed him, it endowed him with new gifts enriched, broadened, expanded his whole nature, it turned the narrow Pharisee, the typical Jew, who looked with religious contempt upon the Gentile world, and gloried in the Law, into the great Catholic Apostle.  But the man himself was always fundamentally the same, the new was grafted upon the old.  All that was good in him remained, all that was true in his old faith he clung to, to the end.  There was the same enthusiasm, the same whole-hearted devotion to what he believed, perhaps a little of the same intolerance.  May it not be said of him as he passed from his narrow creed to the larger faith of the Catholic Church, that he is a typical instance of the truth of our Lord s words, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."  His character, his faith, were not destroyed by Christ, but fulfilled.

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