THE
P RTAL
December 2012
Page 3
Portal News
November was Quite a Month!
Will Burton takes an overview
the new Archbishop of Canterbury
After much secrecy, delay and embargo-breaking, it
was finally announced that the Bishop of Durham is
to be the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Justin Welby
became Durham’s Bishop in November 2011. Now he
is to be translated to Canterbury. We wish him well.
He may be assured of our prayers, and we encourage
all our readers to pray for him. His task is daunting.
Justin Portal Welby
One point we would mention, is his name. The new
Archbishop’s full name is Justin P ortal Welby. We
Westminster Cathedral Hall was packed with stalls
trust this is more than co-incidence! Therefore we are
confident that our name-sake will be able to secure the and people and various Catholic Groups sought to
Bridge that ought to exist between the CofE and the increase awareness of their charism or apostolate.
Ordinariate.
General Synod
Quite what the future holds following the CofE’s
decision not to proceed with women Bishops is
unclear. The signs from certain politicians - initially
for the CofE, but also for the Catholic Church - are
not good. It is to be hoped that the Church will be left
to get on with her business without such interference.
Conference on Evangelisation
Eighty or so people made their ways to Saint Patrick’s,
Soho Square, in early November for a day conference
on Evangelisation organised by the Ordinariate.
Fathers Starkie and Leviseur were the inspiration
for the conference and Fr James Bradley held things
together. It was well organised with two excellent
speakers. In the morning we heard Fr Aidan Nichols
OP. He took as his title, “the Ordinariate and the New
Evangelisation”. His thought provoking talk is on the
Official Ordinariate web site at www.ordinariate.org.
uk/news.
Sister Catherine -
a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal
During the course of the day we were treated to
two presentations. The first was by Sister Catherine,
a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal - born Kristen
Holum - the former American speed-skater at the 1998
Olympics. She is a lively and vivacious young woman
and full of fun; an excellent example of Gospel living, a
good role-model for Catholic women and a wonderful
ambassador for the Catholic Faith.
the Caldecott sisters
The second was by the two young and vibrant
Caldecott sisters. This excellent presentation began
with Blessed John Henry Newman’s “Second Spring”
homily. The encouragement for us all was the
evangelisation of our culture. Just as a couple are
fruitful and produce children, so the Church must
be fruitful and produce children. This fecundity is
the natural task of the Church in every generation,
especially so in ours.
After a good lunch, Fr Paul Richardson gave us many
Yes, the Hall is too small: yes, there is little space
statistics concerning Church attendance and its down- to sit and drink a cup of tea: nevertheless, it was a
turn. He pointed out that it is only by knowing the wonderful day. The presence of Archbishop Vincent
facts that we are enabled to respond to them positively. Nichols added to the occasion as he visited every
stall and spoke to almost everyone in the Hall, even
Towards Advent Festival
blessing the walking stick and legs of Terry Brown, the
Later in November, the Ordinariate, and indeed intrepid Ordinariate walker for charity!
T he P ortal , was represented at the excellent “Towards
Advent Festival of Catholic Culture”.
All in all, quite a month.