THE P RTAL
August 2011 Page 5
Eventually our time had gone . We said our “ Goodbyes ” to a lovely group of people . There were generous with their time , their views and their support for The Portal . It was a privilege to meet with them .
We took Fr John back into England , and to supper at our hotel . Once we had downed a pint of Plymouth ’ s best he was ready to share his thoughts .
We went together
He had been thinking of becoming a Roman Catholic for some time . “ Since July 2008 and that awful Synod ”, he said . When the Ordinariate was announced a number of the members of the congregation at Saint Paul ’ s Charlestown approached him , “ And we went together ” he proclaimed with understandable pride .
The Group numbers twenty four all told . So with twenty one present when we visited it show that they turn out a high proportion every Sunday .
Financial strain
Fr John is aware of a problem with him living an hour ’ s drive away . It is the financial strain on the Ordinariate Group . At 45p per mile , he is going to clock up some miles in a year . He goes for Mass on Sundays obviously , but he spends Wednesdays in Saint Austell and returns home after the 5:30pm Mass . Making the journey twice a week is going to cost money . He told us , “ Fund raising will be important .” There is , however , one positive element in him being in Tavistock : He is nearer the other Ordinariate Clergy in Devon . Consequently , they form a close group and support one another very well .
Peter and Margaret Eustice and Jeanette Roberts
We asked him , “ What is the purpose of the Group ?” He responded at once , “ We are a Missionary Group . Our job is to encourage others . We must not sit upon our laurels . Our people have to fulfil their own Faith . My job is to encourage them to continue their pilgrimage in the Catholic Faith , and theirs is to attract others to do the same .”
The Group is well structured
He was keen to stress that the Group is well structured with a Secretary / Administrator to do the Rotas and the like , as well as a Treasurer . “ They are both volunteers .” he continued , “ We also have a Finance Committee and
a Pastoral Group is being set up . We have , of course , Servers and Eucharistic Ministers .”
As to growth , Fr John was aware that survival was the main concern for the immediate future . “ It is number one !” he said . He too felt that the Group would grow as more people became unhappy with the C of E , he carried on to say “ I hope people from traditional Parishes will come and join us ”.
Fr John is no “ Mass Priest ”
Fr John is no “ Mass Priest ”. He had strong links with the local schools . Each week he goes to one or other of them for an Assembly or a Class . “ These links are good , and they are
Pat Poole and the Organ important ”, he stressed . “ Year 9 ( 14 year olds ) came to Church to celebrate Ascension Day , and enjoyed it very much .”
Like his people , Fr John was at pains to emphasise the good relations with the local Catholic community , both clergy and laity . The Bishop of Plymouth , The Right Revd Christopher Budd , had been especially warm in his welcome to Fr John as to the Ordinariate congregation . The significance of this was not lost on Fr John , or on his people . They all realised they were involved in a ground-breaking movement . The local Catholic clergy had been very welcoming and supportive .
On holiday ?
So : if you are on holiday in the South West Devon , South
Shona and Chris
East Cornwall area and can get to Saint Austell for 5:30pm one Sunday evening , call in for Mass . You cannot miss the beautiful modern church building amongst the trees and bushes , and right opposite Asda !