Tuesday, October 20, 2009

BIG NEWS....

...from Rome. Anglicans offered a safe home, with preservation of Anglican liturgical traditions and more...for a useful analysis and comment see here...

Over the past few days I've been reading the new Shawcross biography of the Queen Mother and it made me realise, with an aching heart, how important are certain aspects of a certain English spiritual heritage, and how these are slipping away...so today's news is hugely important, as the only safe home is the one built on a Rock.

And it is a home: there is warmth and a welcome, it's a bit messy and we bicker a lot, we've got some rather odd members of the family and some of the music is not always to everyone's taste, but...the foundations are sound and the food is always nourishing. Some parts of the old house are gloriously beautiful, but everyone is aware that some are shabby, and there are always parts that need cleaning.

And there are no strangers here, and in a sense no newcomers: those seeking a home find, once arriving in the hall and shedding their coats and wellies, that they feel as if they have been there all along...

5 comments:

UKViewer said...

Thank you for welcoming those members of the Anglican Communion who wish to move to Rome.

As someone who went the other way, I will remain where I am, and will be comfortable with the welcome and community that I 'belong in'.

It will be interesting to see how things go over the next few years, once the reality of their new situation hits them.

Malcolm McLean said...

It looks like it's going to be the Celtic Church all over again.

Ultimately that didn't work out, and the rite had to be abolished. But for a long time the Church in Britain did things in its own way, formally in communion with Rome, but with its own traditions and structure.

Wayne Kerr said...

How wonderful, Our Dear Pope really has his eyes on all things, and how right and thoughtful he is.
He has clearly seen the problems Fanatic Muslins cause and wishes to strengthen and unite Christian faiths.
People sometimes feel, The Catholic Church lives in some dark age. Our Pope shows this not to be true. Keep up your really good work. Thank for all you do Auntie Joanna.

H. Ledger said...

What a great initiative and good planning for the long term. The Anglo-Catholic movement, Forward in Faith, Society of Mary and Guild of All Souls show how catholic parts of the Anglican Church are and for them to be given this warm welcome into The Catholic Church will start to heal some of the divisions since the Reformation. Henry VIII destroyed many Saxon religious manuscripts even though they were Early English such was his eventual tyranny.

This initiative could also further enhance our English Catholicism and its hertitage where we are part of a global movement, only expressing it in our English way, as the Italians, French and Spanish express Catholicism in their ways.

From a Catholic clergy (celebate) standpoint they would not need to feel somewhat sidelined, but would be able to talk on issues as being English rather than seen as "from Rome".

None of it will be easy and difficulties will appear, but with understanding and prayer we can unite and grow in Christian faith under the Holy Father.

Anonymous said...

Joanna -

I loved your description of our
dear, Roman Catholic Church. She is "home" despite who or what
may turn in, out, or around her.

A hearty welcome to any Anglicans!
Wish I could be in England to go
to Mass with any and all of you.

:)

Maryella