THE
P RTAL
July 2011
Page 4
It Is Different In The North!
Jackie Ottaway and Ronald Crane
visit the Ordinariate Group in Sheffield
How many times
have we been
told, “It is different in the north”? Well, this
time, it really is different in the north. There
may be only two Ordinariate Groups in the
north, but this one, at least, is special.
Fr Richard Gomersall is the priest of this
Group, and he is joined by his wife Christine,
a cradle Catholic, and David Oatley, like
Father Richard a convert from the C of E, and
his wife Gillian. Is this too small to be a viable
Group? Maybe, but do not judge until you
have read the results of our visit.
Fr Gomersall, a retired accountant, was
non-stipendiary in the C of E. He is now based
at Blessed Trinity RC Church in Wickersley
in Sheffield. Jackie asked him why he decided to join
the Ordinariate. He replied that he was involved wi