Sorting things out.

OK, from now on this blog will be essentially about matters photographic and topics related to just that.  All the churchy, ecclesiastical bits will be here.  I think that makes much more sense than doing a bit of both and making something quite unsatisfactory.

The Society

Saturday, 1st October, I drove down to Brighton to attend the launch of the Society of St Wilfred and St Hilda, aka SSWSH, aka (a little cruelly) Hinge and Bracket.  The idea is that The Society will provide some means by which Catholic Anglicans may be assured that they have other catholic clergy (and most importantly, bishops) to whom they may relate.

Goodness knows if it will work. On the other hand it is all we catholic traditionalists have if we are to remain faithful to our parishes.  Yes, our evangelical friends are working up there own networks, but evangelical Christianity has a very different flavour to Anglo-Catholic, so we will have to make the very best of The Society, at least for the time being.

Long-term, who knows.  To be frank I see the CofE embracing more and more the feminist and the gay agenda.  Evangelicals will probably do their own thing, after all, as I have heard some admit, the CoE is as good as a 'flag of convenience'.  This is not evangelicals being disloyal,  more being true to their ecclesiology.  High Anglicans, on the other hand, have always been intensely loyal and that loyalty has carried over into Anglo-Catholicism, and I think that this might be a part of the reason why the Ordinariate is now quite a quiet thing. Two possibilities seem to offer them selves.  The liberal mainstream of Anglicanism might ignore us, which will leave us at peace where we can become increasingly isolated, bitter and eccentric.  Or we will suffer what amounts to constructive dismissal.  In the mean time we carry on witnessing to the fullness of the catholic faith within the Church of England.

11 February 2011

Long time no blog.  Time to make more of an effort I suppose.

First of all something of a gripe.  Why is it that a supposedly quality film is advertised with a box speed of iso 400 when it is actually something like iso 180.  I have wasted four rolls of film simply because of a ridiculously over optimistic speed rating.  This makes me cross.

On the other hand lunch with friends makes me happy indeed.  So it was good to meet up with my old chum Fr. Terry today.  Much was discussed in particular Anglican/Catholic matters.  In particular since the setting up of the Ordinariate just how narrow is the separation between the two communions.  I have said this before and I expect that I'll say it again, the prayer for all Christians must be that they be one.  The time is at hand for the damage done by the reformation to be undone.

9 December 2010

So cold today.
So cold these last few weeks!
Want to get in my darkroom and do stuff.
But it's too cold.
Brrrrrrrr

Art Exhibition Robertsbridge 23rd October 2010

Was asked if I would show at this event and, well, I said yes.
First job was to make a stand which I did with some ply and battening and blackboard paint.  Looked quite smart too.
Sold a couple of prints which was quite gratifying, but a little disappointed that some rather nice framed salt prints did not shift.

Can't win em all!

More thoughts on ordinariates

The more I think about this issue, the bigger it ought to be. Essentially what is on offer, as I see it, is the reunification of orthodox/catholic anglicanism with Rome. Now this, surely, must rate as one of the most important developments since the reformation. What I don't quite get is the negativity that seems to be coming often from those who I would have thought would be the most enthusiastic. For example the like of the Bish of Chichester, Bish of Horsham and so on.

Now the tempting conclusion to draw is that they are very reluctant indeed to give-up their status as bishops and all that goes with that. Unfortunately that is the only conclusion that I can draw at the moment. I am quite convinced that Chichester could have made a bold move and would have taken most of the catholic clergy and parishes with him. Perhaps he might yet, but I doubt it.

As for me - carry on waiting to see what will happen. I really don't think my parish would go for the ordinariate - they are just a bit too CoE with an unease of doing anything too new and bold. Also the building. This is why we need some big diocesan bishops to take a lead.

Saturday, 20th March

Was at the Conquest Hospital last night with a devout family who had just lost a loved one. A strange mixture of sadness, peace, release and hope. No histrionics, in all quite uplifting, a sad time, yes, but also good.

While at the hospital I met the duty chaplain who is also one of the priests at Bexhill, so we had a good natter on the way back to the car park. Seems that we know quite a few people in common - small world the CoE!

Hospitals are very different places at night. It is almost as if the building goes to sleep. During the day there is just so much noise and busyness, people rushing about and so on. At night though it just ticks over. The whole building relaxes. And so do the staff.