The Portal - Australia edition April 2014 | Page 7

THE P RTAL April 2014 Page 7 A Weekend with the Ordinariate in Scotland Catherine Utley travels north “Unlike the famous Dr Johnson who could not bear to look at them, I like mountains.” So began Monsignor Keith Newton’s homily on Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration, delivered to a gathering of the Ordinariate in Scotland at a residential weekend last month at the Schoenstatt Retreat Centre at the foot of the Campsie Fells about fifteen miles north of Glasgow. “If you ever try to climb a great mountain you feel small and insignificant”, Mgr Newton went on. “In comparison, one of the rewards of walking up a mountain is the commanding view it gives you as you look down on the world below…the higher you go the greater the vision before you.” In his homily, Mgr Newton spoke of Jesus taking Peter, James and John up a high mountain so that they could share a wider vision, so that they would be given a new understanding of the mission of Jesus. Having climbed a mountain (well, a hill, more honestly) with Mgr Newton the day before, I knew what he was talking about. a strong sense of its mission The homily also chimed with my impressions, formed over that weekend, of the Ordinariate in Scotland. It is small and far-flung, but it has a remarkably strong sense of its mission, of the part that it has to play in fulfilling Pope Benedict’s great vision of unity. It made me think of the mustard seed and of great movements in the Church starting from very small beginnings. For Stations of the Cross we were joined by Tess, the Scoenstatt Centre’s border collie regularly travel some 50 miles to worship with their Ordinariate group. Given how spread out the Ordinariate in Scotland is, what accounts for its sense of cohesiveness and why do its members feel so blessed to be a part of this project? Some common themes emerged in conversation with those on the weekend. They had all grown to love the centuries’ old words of the Ordinariate Use of the Roman rite, which is the only liturgy the Ordinariate in Scotland uses and which, they say, gives them a strong sense of shared identity. They love the reverent way the Ordinariate Masses and services are celebrated, the strong preaching, the music and the socialising, all of which they see as part of the treasure which they have brought with them from the Scottish Episcopal Church. But they also love being part of the full communion of the one, true Catholic Church which knows what it believes and speaks up for it. They feel touched and grateful for the strong support and unqualified welcome they have received from the Catholic bishops in Scotland. strong, vibrant and growing The Ordinariate in Scotland may be small, but it is strong, vibrant and growing. Its current plans include moving into more central locations and starting a new group for Glasgow. This will increase Fr Black’s monthly travel to 800 miles. “Don’t you ever feel daunted by what you have taken on?” I ask him. He distance no objest dismisses the notion politely, but out of hand. “If ever The largest group worships near Inverness and one I feel as though it’s a big climb, I just talk to some of the Sunday every month Fr Black travels to Edinburgh lay people who have joined us and their enthusiasm and then on to Stirling, celebrating an Ordinariate and joy gives me such a lift that it seems like nothing.” Mass in both places. The round trip is 367 miles. Spending the weekend with them makes me know what he means. Like Mgr Newton, the Scots are a When Fr Bennie, based in Stornoway on the Isle of people who like mountains. Lewis, attends an event with the Ordinariate group in Inverness, it involves a three-and-a-half hour ferry trip, This month’s Portal cover shows the Ordinariate followed by an hour on the bus. Some of the lay members Scotland Group outside the little Schoenstatt chapel Led by Fr Len Black (without whom it would not have ever existed) assisted by Fr Stanley Bennie, the Ordinariate in Scotland consists of about 30 lay members centred in sub-groups in the Highlands, Stirling, Edinburgh and Stornoway.