Well Done, "Flying Bishop" Burnham

Earlier this week I attended a talk which was given to the North Gloucestershire Newman Circle by Bishop Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet. He is one of the Anglican Provincial Episcopal Visitors known colloquially as flying bishops, originally appointed to minister to the spiritual needs of those Anglicans who do not accept the priestly ordination of women in the Church of England. As we know, events have developed a good deal beyond that issue alone.

His theme was, as one might expect, the implications of Anglicanorum Coetibus. This is not a full account of the talk: followers of the Catholic blogosphere are no doubt already well informed on the subject. But I thought I would record here a few snippets.

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It was interesting to hear about the pilgrimage he made to Rome in 2008 with his colleague, the Bishop of Richborough. They made a tentative enquiry as to whether they might be able to call in for a brief visit at the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. The idea was welcomed. They were then referred on for a visit to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was the appropriate office in regard to individuals and groups as distinct from entire ecclesial bodies. On their return to England they informed the Archbishop of Canterbury of their meetings and of the matters discussed. Quite independently, the Traditional Anglican Communion had made its own approach to Rome. No one, either in the C of E or among the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, seems to have known until a short time before the issue of Anglicanorum Coetibus, that its provisions would be of such generous extent that they could be applied to Anglicans within the Church of England. I had read somewhere that our bishops seemed to have been kept out of the loop, but it was fascinating to hear it from such a prominent person involved in the matter.

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Touching briefly on the subject of the Church’s teaching on sexual matters, he asserted very clearly that we are all called to the virtue of continence, and that this applies to married people as well as to the unmarried. I am of course aware of this teaching, and fully accept it; but my agreement comes from my own study of the subject, and personal reflection on the teaching. I think I read it, some years ago, in Pope John Paul II’s book Love and Responsibility. I can’t think when I ever heard it said anywhere else, and certainly not from a Catholic pulpit. I was very pleased to hear Bishop Burnham say it.

The following is my own reflection: There is an unappreciated richness about the application of this virtue to the married state. It seems to be implicit in St Paul’s exhortation to husbands in Ephesians 5:25. From his even-handed teaching to married couples, the call to wives to obey their husbands tends to be emphasised – usually by critics– to the neglect of the other half of the text:

"Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church, and sacrificed Himself for Her, to make Her holy.”

I’m a great supporter of the idea of wifely obedience, not as a slavish thing, but as one of the great keys to unity in marriage. In addition, sacrifice is an inevitable part of the life of a wife and mother. But I think we should also honour the sacrificial elements of the life of a good husband, who will incorporate many virtues into his married life, including that great manly virtue, continence.

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Lastly, I will give a brief mention to a most interesting observation which Bishop Burnham made on another aspect of this great adventure we are all engaged in with our Anglo-Catholic brethren. He had found that Catholic clergy seemed to be very much impressed with how well-taught the Anglo-Catholics were in the truths of the Catholic Faith.

Step by step, we are on a most inspiring journey.

Anglicanorum Coetibus: A Day of Prayer and Discernment

22nd February: The Feast of St Peter’s Chair. Anglicans who are trying to see their way forward in the beautiful light of Anglicanorum Coetibus – and who naturally have some trepidation – are holding this day as a day of prayer and discernment. I am sure many of us will wish to join our prayers with theirs.

I know this is a world-wide invitation and movement, but I thought I would post our lovely English prayer which is dear to so many:

Prayer for England

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy Dowry, and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee.
By thee it was that Jesus, our Saviour and our hope, was given unto the world; and He has given thee to us, that we might hope still more.
Plead for us, thy children, whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, O sorrowful Mother.
Intercede for our separated brethren, that with us in the one true fold they may be united to the chief Shepherd, the Vicar of thy Son.
Pray for us all, dear Mother, that by faith fruitful in good works we may all deserve to see and praise God, together with thee in our heavenly home. Amen.

A church of the Traditional Anglican Communion

Much to my surprise, I received an invitation, quite late last Friday evening, to attend the patronal festival of St Agatha’s church, in Portsmouth. It was to take place on the following day. So I set the alarm clock for 6 a.m., and off we went soon after 8 for the long journey from Gloucestershire to the South Coast.

I thought you might be interested to read about the visit, because St Agatha’s is one of those Anglo-Catholic parishes which have received with joy the Holy Father’s Apostolic Constitution, Anglicanorum Coetibus.

It was originally a Church of England parish, but is now a parish of the Traditional Anglican Church, which is a member of the Traditional Anglican Communion. Here are the details of the warm welcome the TAC has given to the Apostolic Constitution. And here is the fascinating history of St Agatha’s.

The church was built toward the end of the 19th century, to serve the crowded slums that originally surrounded it. But its parish was destroyed when the great seaport was bombed in World War II. For some years its beauty was hidden while it served the Royal Navy as a storage depot. Now, after all its adventures, and after having had two-thirds of its Lady Chapel altar sliced away, it finds itself alone but very prominent, on an island in the midst of a modern road system near the city’s Cascades shopping centre; and it appears to have gained a new lease of life.

It is a large and rather extraordinary church, built in the style of an early Christian basilica. While many of its treasures were dispersed – and some were destroyed - during its wilderness years, much of its splendour remained; and since it has been brought back into use as a church many beautiful and interesting objects have been brought in to adorn it.

The celebration we attended took the form of a fine and dignified Anglo-Catholic Solemn High Mass and procession. There was also the censing of the statue of St Agatha, and of the many side-altars. For music we had an organ, an orchestra, and much hearty singing of hymns.

A delicious buffet lunch followed, which was much appreciated after our early start, and re-charged us for the journey home. We were extremely tired at the end of the day, but I am very glad indeed to have experienced the occasion.

I hope and pray that if all progresses well – please God - it will not be long before this fine parish, with all its faith and goodness and devotion, will be fully united with us in the one flock, in the fullness of the Church.