THE
P RTAL
January 2013
I suppose
this seems a bit impertinent, coming from a
cradle-Catholic, but here it is: a letter to my Anglican friends, who
have not yet joined the Ordinariate.
working with Evangelicals
back in the 1970s
It has been wonderful working together
over these years: all my adult life I have
been so conscious of being part of a
Christian team that spanned across
what would at one time have been huge
divisions. One of the most formative experiences
of my life was working with Evangelicals back
in the 1970s, on a united campaign to promote
marriage and family life,
opposing pornography and
horrible forms of publicly-
funded ‘sex education’ that
denigrated faithful lifelong
human love and trashed
human dignity.
true Christian ecumenism
My own family background taught me
about true Christian ecumenism: my
mother a Catholic, my father not, and the
latter was a wonderful Christian man who
was very much the leader of our family as
well as quite the most splendid father than
anyone could ever have.
social and moral collapse
But this is no longer the Britain of the 1960s
and 70s. The social and moral collapse of Britain’s
community life is horribly evident for us all to see.
Where are the voices speaking up for human dignity,
for lifelong marriage between a man and a woman as
the foundation for family life? From where does the
leadership come?
Christ is our hope, our life, our shining light. His
faithful here must place all their trust in him. In
Britain there are some fine Evangelicals doing good
work. But what has become clear is that there is really
just one backbone here on earth supporting the faithful
Christians who seek to uphold what is true and good,
a backbone that gives strength.
the specific successor of St Peter
Christ himself arranged for this: he gave St Peter the
A bit
impertinent
Page 6
na
wri tes
charge of “strengthening the brethren”.
Anglican understand bishops to be the
successors of the Apostles. And who is the
specific successor of St Peter?
read the
Catechism
Of course I am aware
of the theological issues
which, from the 16th
century onwards, have
divided Catholics and Protestants.
But this Open Letter is to ask you to
look again at the great events of the
second half of the 20th century, and in
particular at the ecumenical outreach
in the pontificates of Blessed John
Paul and the present Holy Father, the
longing for unity.
Read what they have written about the
Church and about the Eucharist. Check out
the Biblical references. Take a look – slowly,
carefully – at the documents of the Second
Vatican Council. Pray a lot. And, perhaps most
important of all, read the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. No, please, go on and read it.
Take time, and go through it: this is the most
important document for ordinary Christians to be
produced by any Christian group in 500 years. It is
the definitive teaching of the Catholic Church, and
written for every person who seeks to know what that
teaching is...and, especially, for all Christians.
There are not too many options for us Christians
in Britain now. Tough times are coming. Let’s join
together.
Joanna Bogle