ragon
THE
P RTAL
August 2011
Page 8
What makes you angry?
Children dying in Africa for want of affordable drugs? Or want of nets to prevent
malaria? I have recently received an e-mail from a priest in Malawi whose children have again
contracted the disease. Fortunately they are now over it (again). Christian Aid is meanwhile
running a campaign to provide sufficient nets. Quite a task, as one child is dying every forty
five seconds for want of them. NETS NOW is a twelve month project to send the chemically
treated nets to the areas of need. Visit NetsNow.org
Missed the point
What else makes you cross? I have
received many letters and cards prior
to my ordination as a catholic priest
in the Ordinariate, and they were all
a great joy to have. So what could
be cross-making about many of the comments they
contain? Quite simply, so many have MISSED THE
POINT. No, it is not just my personal decision. No, I
did not wrestle long and hard with my conscience. No,
it is not my last despairing gesture to the liberals in the
C of E. No I am not reneging on my Anglican roots. I
wish I could make my friends write out ten times that
the Pope’s offer is a corporate one.
groups
It is an offer to a Body of Christ’s people from the
Catholic Church. So we have been encouraged to come
over in groups. To resolve, not a personal predicament
for one or two Anglicans here and there, but to resolve
a CHURCH predicament for all Anglicans who
struggle to uphold the Catholic faith. In other words
it is a church solution to a church problem, and if you
cannot see that the Ordinariate is not for you.
So the clergy have been trained in groups. The laity
have been instructed in their catechism in groups.
The Ordinariate is now set up as a group within the
Catholic Church, under the Ordinary. Members
are worshipping in groups in Catholic churches,
sometimes with other Catholics, but always with each
other. It is vital that the groups retain their identity so
that they can act as a bridge for others yet to join.
Some pertinent questions
1. What if the group is tiny? No worry - groups vary
from a few to a hundred or so.
2. What do Catholics think of having a group within
the Catholic Church? All the messages from the local
churches are most positive. We have been more than
welcomed . We feel treasured.
3. Will the groups just fizzle out and become
swallowed up in the whole? No one knows where the
Holy Spirit will lead us, and what the future will bring.
We may well be in for more surprises.
4. Will the groups promote unity or further division?
In the history of Anglican-Catholic relations the
Ordinariate must be seen as a great leap forward.
ARCIC did a lot of the spade work, but this corporate
offer from Pope Benedict has opened up new ground
for the ecumenical plant to grow and flourish. “Ut
unum sint”.
What a positive agenda this is proving to be!
Alleluia !!