Tag Archives: Mgr Keith Newton

It Does Not Yet Appear What We Shall Be…

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In another post we read of disquiet in the American part of the Ordinariate. Rather than commenting on that situation, it might help to say something about how things are in the United Kingdom — I almost said "England", but in fact we now have Scots members of the Ordinariate, and many Welsh sympathisers.

Well, no, things are not ideal.  Some ordinations seem to be taking a very long time — three former Anglican Preists in Southwark Diocese do not yet know when they will be ordained deacons, while most of their contemporaries are already lining up for the priesthood.  In our little Group in Southern England, we have still three people waiting for their marital situations to be resolved, and the waiting seems interminable.  That is hard for all of us, for if one member suffers so do we all.

Then again, we share a Catholic Parish Church, and sometimes there have been misunderstandings when we or they have assumed something would happen and it has not.  It is difficult for that Catholic Parish to make room for another (very small) Group from the Ordinariate — especially when they were quite unprepared for this and did not know what the Ordinariate was supposed to be about.

But little by little we are learning, both those who have been Catholics for many years and we who are Johnny-come-latelies.  As we participate in parish events — little things like coffee mornings, fund-raising events, more important occasions such as shared liturgical celebrations — we gradually get to know each other and appreciate one another.  Of course things are not perfect; but then, despite the exceptionally high opinion I have of myself, even I have to admit that I am not perfect.

So just a year into this experiment, it seems as though we must relearn the old adage about the answer to prayer — it might be Yes, it might be No, it might be "Not yet".  We are particularly poor at accepting "Not Yet"".  We want to see how the Ordinairiate will develop over the years, where we might be in ten years or a hundred.  But that is not for us to know.  St John taught us that "it does not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is".

A brief glance at Church History will tell us that what the Holy Father is doing for us through "Anglicanorum Coetibus" he is doing at breakneck speed.  What other former Anglican clergy have been ordained in the Catholic Church within one or two years?  Where else in all history have groups of non-Catholics been received into communion together, and allowed to keep their identity?

We are part of a work in progress, discerning the fulness of Anglican Patrimony, and finding ways of preserving it and handing it on.  Of course it would be wonderful if we had a great mediaeval church, with a three-manual organ and a choir the equal of Westminster Abbey; of course it would be lovely if our Ordinary combined the wisdom of John Henry Newman with the simplicity of the Little Flower and the energy of Robert Bellarmine and the piety of the Cure D'Ars; but he is who he is, and possibly one day people might look back and say "if only our BIshop had the skills of Mgr Keith Newton — or perhaps of Mgr Jeffrey Steenson".

The Lord seems prepared to use the materials he has at hand – the impetuosity of a Peter, the obstinacy of a Thomas.  He is even ready to use us, despite our desire to have everything perfect, and at once.  Perhaps the prayer for all of us should be, to amend Augustine, "Lord, make me perfect — but not yet".  Not only Rome — even Canterbury was not built in a day.

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Another Former Anglican Bishop

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So now we have a sixth ex-Anglican bishop in the Ordinariate — and a very distinguished one indeed — Robert Mercer C.R. no less.  It was so good to be present with a number of Ordinariate priests at his Ordination to the Catholic Priesthood in Portsmouth Cathedral yesterday, the Feast of the Annunciation, transferred to Monday.

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Fr Mercer flanked by Mgr Newton and Bishop Alan Hopes

There will, I am sure, be many more 'official' photographs of the occasion.  I have some taken at odd moments which might give a sense of the very happy day when I can get them downloaded!

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Vesting for the Ordination: Frs Robinson & Smith of the Ordinariate, & Fr Glaysher, parish priest from the Isle of Wight

There was some Anglican Patrimony in the hymnody — "Sing of Mary, pure and lowly" written by a Cowley Father, Roland Palmer, (and sung lustily to Beethoven's 'Hymn of Joy'), and, at the end, Percy Dearmer's "Jesus, good above all other" sung to Quem Pastores.  The Cantor throughout the Mass was Catherine Christmas, who fulfilled the same duty at my ordination a year ago.  Where has that time gone?

Also traditional was the Cathedral Bunfight — good to be celebrating on a Solemnity so that we could all enjoy a glass of wine with a clear conscience.  Especially good, too, that there were many present from the TAC congregation which worships at St Agatha's Portsea — several of them will very soon, I hear, be following Fr Mercer into the Ordinariate.  So let's keep our prayers going for them, and all who are soon to be following this path.

Among those enjoying the hospitality were the Parish Priest of St James' Spanish Place and the Chaplain to the University of Canterbury — trail-blazers both, one the former Master of SSC, the other the one-time Secretary General of the Church Union.  Ah, those were the days!  I have pictures of them; but for some reason I cannot download them, so I shall cut this post short and try to insert pictures into my own Ancient Richborough site.  Sorry!

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Ordinariate Reception

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KNandWL Ordinariate Reception

Photo: Fr. Tim Finigan

Last night the great and the good (and I) were in the throne room at Archbishop's House, Westminster for a special reception, sponsored by the Catholic Herald. The guest of honour was Cardinal Levada, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees the Ordinariate. He, Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Mgr Keith Newton all made short speeches; I had hoped that one of them might use the occasion to release some exciting news (for instance about when an American Ordinariate might be set up), but I was disappointed; His Eminence deliberately side-stepped that one. Mgr Newton appealed eloquently for funds, and a quick glance around the room showed many who might be prepared to dip into their pockets to help.

And now, at the risk of this sounding like a Hello magazine article:

Several bishops were present besides the Archbishop; there were also the retired Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark (is London unique in having two metropolitan sees in one city; in fact the two cathedrals less than five miles apart?), Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood (another London see, sort of) Bishop Alan Hopes, auxiliary in Westminster, and another I didn't know; three abbots, of Douai, Buckfast and one other I didn't recognize.

The Ordinariate prelates were there, of course; Monsignori Broadhurst and Burnham, Frs Silk and our own Barnes, and several of the clergy including the now-famous Deacon James Bradley.

There were several historians, besides the Abbot of Douai, Dom Geoffrey Scott, there were the magisterial Jack Scarisbrick, the first 'revisionist' historian who revealed the real character of Henry VIII for the first time, and now the tireless campaigner for Life; Professor Eamon Duffy and John Martin Robinson.

There were many titled people there also, Lords and ladies; one I was pleased to see has no title, but he doesn't need one; Jack Eyston of Mapledurham, the descendent of St Thomas More, and his wife were there.

Someone pointed out to me Julian Fellowes, the man behind Downton Abbey, and Rocco Forte, the entrepreneur. No doubt there were many others that I should have recognized, but didn't.

Peter Sheppard, Luke Coppen and the staff of the Catholic Herald sponsored this event, and dispensed wonderful hospitality.

And finally, there were bloggers! Fr Tim Finigan and Fr Ray Blake have already written comments on their respective blogs. Fr Barnes is of course known to you already.

The point, of course, is a serious one. The Ordinariate cannot live on fresh air, and though Ordinariate parishes are likely to cost less than Anglican ones to run (without the crippling levies to be paid to Church House, for instance), as Mgr Newton pointed out, there are salaries and pensions to be found, and the expense of training new recruits. Those already ordained will continue to be trained by Fr Stephen Wang and his team for a further two years, he added, and then there are seminarians. One is already at St John's Seminary at Wonersh, where we pray he will be happy. All these things are expensive, and so if anybody reading this blog happens to have some money lying around that they don't know what to do with… please click here.

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Welcome in Walsingham

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The Progamme

The planning was meticulous and the programme for the day just wonderful — then it rained.  My, how it rained.  No doubt in answer to the prayers of the famers of Norfolk, who have been suffering a long Spring drought.  Some said it was Our Lady's tears of joy at the return of so many former Anglicans to the Faith of our Fathers.  Whatever the reason, it rained and rained.  So we got a little wet.  And the day became a little re-organised.  Instead of the Noon Mass having the doors of the great Catholic Pilgrim Chapel open, we were all herded into the one building.  It seats, I would guess, four hundred; by becoming very close friends with our neighbours, and with every space at the sides and back filled with people standing, we managed (again at a guess) five hundred.  Certainly there were more than thirty priests of the Ordinariate, together with a handful of local Catholic priests, who concelebrated with our Ordinary, Msgr Keith Newton.  It was great to hear him pray in the Canon, once more, for Pope Benedict "and me your unworthy servant" … That is a recent decision by Rome, to allow us to name our Ordinary where diocesan priests mention their Bishop.
Lunch, which might have been a time for catching up on old friends, was difficult; we picnicked wherever we could find shelter, on coaches, in cars, and under the few covered walkways around the Shrine.
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Eating in the rain

 The Mass was a great triumph; here our Ordinary consults with the locals on just how the rest of the day was to be rejigged.
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Consultation

When the time came for the procession to the Village — the Catholic Shrine has developed around the Slipper Chapel, a mile from the centre of Little Walsingham – the rain had let up, and so we set off, Sisters of the Ordinariate bearing an image of Our Lady of Mercy, servers from Southbourne staggering under the weight of the Image, and Fr Pearson carrying a box containing the names of many of the thousands who have died for their faith, Catholics, Protestants and Anglicans, as we were told.

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The Procession followed the route of the former railway line between Fakenham and Walsingham.  Apart from some very deep puddles, and the occasional shower, we managed the mile without incident.  At the end of the line is the old Railway Station, now converted into an Orthodox Chapel.  This is the place to come if you want to see a Station with an onion dome above it.

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Orthodox Station

The one major change to the day was that we did not go into the grounds of the ruined Priory.  Instead we made straight for the Anglican Shrine where the pressure of numbers was even greater than before.  There, as in all the other churches, there were masses of flowers.  Methodists, Anglicans and Catholics have all agreed on holding their Flower Festivals over the same weekend.  That act of ecumenical floristry seemed to echo the welcome which we received on all sides.

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Bishop Lindsay prepares to welcome us

In particular, Bishop Lindsay Urwin, Administrator of the Anglican Shrine, spoke to us from the heart — and with great difficulty, for he and we were very emotional at this moment. Many of us are old friends, and this was a real home-coming.  Perhaps, too, it was significant that all three bishops of Richborough were in Walsingham over the same weekend.  The newest, Norman Banks, is still looking after Walsingham Parish, so  it was perhaps understandable that he did not appear during our Pilgrimage.  He was busy with the flower festival, which was celebrating fifty years since the fire almost destroyed the parish church — the flames of Gladioli and dyed Pampas Grass were amazingly effective.

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His immediate predecessor as Bishop of Richborough is, of course, Msgr Keith Newton, our Ordinary.  Before both of them I had that title for six years; now I assist the Ordinariate Group which worships in Southbourne; here are some of us gathered outside the Anglican Shrine with, in the centre, our Pastor, Fr Graham Smith.

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Southbourne Pilgrims

Some of us managed to get to the Methodist Chapel in the Village, where they too were sharing in the festival of flowers.  The display that greeted you on arrival commemorated the Vision to the Lady Richeldis 950 years ago.

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Walsingham Methodist Chapel

They also, of course, made mention of the visit of John Wesley to Walsingham and the building of their Chapel (only three years after John Wesley's death).  Very movingly, though, they too had a commemoration of the fire in 1961, with a display of flowers around a fireman's helmet worn by a firefighter, himself a Methodist, on that dreadful occasion.  The welcome we were given by two on duty in their chapel could not have been more friendly.

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Embussing Again

So back onto a coach once more, for a long return home — it took us longer to get to Bournemouth (six hours) than another party had taken coming down from Scotland.  But then, we did have to cicumnavigate London by way of the M25.  A little tired, therefore, for mass this morning.  But some wonderful memories of seeing so many of the Ordinariate together, at the very place where our Protectress is honoured, Mary, Mother of Our Lord, Our Lady of Walsingham.  Pray  for us, Holy Mary, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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