THE P RTAL
July 2017 Page 23
Letters to the Editor
From David Banister
Today , as I write , is Thursday 25th May 2017 and I was more than pleased to celebrate the memorial of the Venerable Bede , that great saint of the North East , historian and Doctor of the Church . Pleased , because modern Catholic thought and spirituality so often forgets our pre-Reformation roots .
Throughout the day , though , I have felt something missing , indeed something awry , because today IS the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord , observed in Rome by His Holiness and throughout much of the Catholic world far and wide . Indeed , in Scotland , today is Ascension Day .
The decision some years ago , by the Bishops of England and Wales , to move the observance of the Ascension to the following Sunday is not uncanonical , as this is allowed if there is a perceived pastoral need . If there is such a pastoral need , then why are we so different to Scotland , France or Germany , for example ? In countries where it is a public holiday , this may be a factor which is taken into consideration .
It does , however , upset the mathematical links with Maundy Thursday , Good Friday , Easter Sunday and Pentecost . As we are so often told , our Christian religion is an incarnational religion anchored in time and space , through the death and resurrection of Our Lord . So time has a place to play in the plan of salvation . Some of our feasts and festivals , even those of long standing , are arbitrary dates , e . g . Christmas , All Saints and the Assumption .
The Ascension is not such a feast . It follows forty days after the Resurrection , which in turn links to the lunar cycle of the Jewish Passover and our Triduum observances . Luke , writing in the Acts of the Apostles 1:3 , refers to these forty days .
As the hymn says , Though the cloud from sight received him When the forty days were o ’ er … ( Chatterton Dix )
So , in changing our observance to the Sunday , we lose that connection . Not only that , we lose the nine days leading to Pentecost , the original novena .
What is the feeling among fellow Catholics ? In particular , what do members of the Ordinariate think ? Is such a change of date purely the gripe of liturgical pedants ? I hope not , because for those of us who see and appreciate a cosmic rhythm in our faith , it is not a change for the better .
I would dearly wish to be in line with the rest of
Catholic Christendom ( and many non-Catholic brothers and sisters ) and sing Hail the day that sees Him rise , today 25th May 2017 .
David Banister The Ascension of the Lord . 2017 ( by e-mail )
From John Crabbe
It was nice to meet you on your visit to St Osmund ’ s . My wife and I are both cradle Catholics and moved to Barnard Castle from Scotland three years ago . We went to St Osmund ’ s when our Parish Priest was in hospital and unable to celebrate Mass .
We were immediately struck by the spirituality and devotion of Fr Grieves and the awe with which he celebrates Mass . This he does as though he was celebrating his first Mass .
He is a great pastor and since coming to St Osmund ’ s he has welcomed many new converts into the Faith , over and above the congregation who came with him . We have got to know him very well and I consider him not only my spiritual director but also a friend .
The Ordinariate parishioners at St Osmund ’ s have been overwhelming in their welcome , friendship and hospitality and we feel very much part of their community , although St Mary ’ s in Barnard Castle is our parish .
The enthusiasm for the Catholic Faith evidenced both in Fr Grieves and his parishioners is inspiring . The liturgy is always celebrated with dignity and solemnity , supported by the choir ’ s cathedral standard of music . It is no exaggeration to say that the Ordinariate at St Osmund ’ s are the ‘ Jewel in the Crown ’ in this part of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
We are doubly privileged that their influence has recently been supplemented with the appointment of Fr Grieves as parish priest of St Mary ’ s , Barnard Castle as well as St Osmund ’ s , Gainford .
Their love of the Faith has its own magnetism , something our Church needs today .
Keep up the good work . John Crabbe ( by email )
The views expressed in these letters are not necessarily those of the Editors Letters for publication should be sent to :
The Editors , The Portal , 56 Woodlands Farm Road , Birmingham B24 0PG editors @ portalmag . co . uk