THE
P RTAL
April 2012
and continued to go until I was twenty-one. I tried the
Baptists, the Methodists and the URC. Then I stopped!
I left the Baptists because
I could not go along with
the re-Baptism of those
Baptised in Infancy. As
to the others, they were
just not right. It wa s not
important enough. I tried
‘happy-clappy’ and one of
my sons said, ‘I bet they
would slap Christ on the
back when he came here!’”
“Eventually I met the
wife of an Anglican
priest. She mentioned
her church and I had
near it for twenty years
and never been inside. I
went to the Christingle
Service at Christmas.
When I walked in, I felt
I had come home. It was
definitely Anglo-Catholic with a capital “K”! I loved
it and became involved. After a time I was asked to
take on the Sunday School, which I did. It must show,
this love of children! Eventually I was Confirmed by
Bishop Andrew of Ebbsfleet.”
“Being elected to the PCC was
an honour. It was a very lively
Church and we often went on
Pilgrimages and trips to various
places. Not only did I go, but I
took the children along as well.
Spending a week on Lindisfarne
with two children and leaving
Alan to cope with the others was
fun. Of course the Brean Children
and Young People’s Festival was always a highlight.”
Page 11
boundaries. You ought not to move those boundaries
to suit people. Once you step outside the boundaries
you have chaos. The
Ordinariate
was
an
answer to prayer. I joined
with many others from
my Anglican Catholic
Church. Our way of life and
our faith are inseparable,
but one cannot alter the
boundaries.”
“I remember being on
a CofE Deanery Sunday
School day when one of
the other Vicars tried to
‘poach’ me for his Church.
He told me not to bother
with all that ‘high-church
stuff ’. Become a modern
Christian he told me.
Boundaries again, and
boundaries broken: I am
so glad I was not tempted.”
“Being the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of
Walsingham was a special blessing. Walsingham has
been such an important aspect of our life, not just
for me, but for the children as well. We always held
a children’s pilgrimage every year
and the children love Our Lady of
Walsingham as much as I do.”
“In prayer I am a so conscious of
my failures. My biggest sadness is I
cannot receive Holy Communion
because of the irregularity of our
marriage. Someone said, ‘Who
would know?’ But I would know! “
“I could have stayed in the CofE and been self-
satisfied. It would have been for my own satisfaction.
“Two of my boys learned to serve at the Altar, and But it is about putting things right with God. I am
another one took charge of the sound system. We resigned to the fact that I shall not receive Holy
developed the reputation for providing good food and Communion until my death-bed.”
drink. We even had alcohol at the PCC! I was asked to
“Do I get tired? Shattered! I was up until three this
be one of the caterers and we produced masses of food
for every conceivable occasion including festivals and morning. I had one in hospital for two days this week.
Would I change it? Never!”
many other celebrations.”
“Walsingham was an important element in Parish
Life. We had an annual Pilgrimage and often went on
other occasions too.”
“Then along came the Ordinariate. The CofE is in
chaos. Like the children in my house one has to have
“As to patience, I am only human. I have a Gin and
Tonic if all else fails!”
Jackie was talking to
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane