A Momentous Occasion . . . !

I couldn't let the day pass without a brief note on the historic events of this past week.

On Thursday three former Bishops of the Church of England were ordained Deacon at Allen Hall Seminary by Bishop Alan Hopes. This followed their reception into Full Communion with the Catholic Church on New Year's Day at Westminster Cathedral.

The three newly ordained priests, ordained by Archbishop Vincent Nichols at Westminster Cathedral today, are the first members of the newly created Ordinariate for former Anglican priests. The new Ordinariate, established by papal decree, is to be known as the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, under the protection of Blessed John Henry Newman.

Fr Newton has been appointed Ordinary of the new Ordinariate.

You can read all about it (as they say!) here and here.

Let us pray for them all at this momentous time, not just the new priests and their families, but also for the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and beyond.

O Mary,

recall the solemn moment when Jesus,

your divine Son,

dying on the cross confided us to your maternal care.

You are our Mother;

we desire ever to remain your devout children.

Let us therefore feel the effects

of your powerful intercession with Jesus Christ.

Make your name again glorious in this place,

once renowned throughout our land by your visits,

favours and many miracles.

Pray, O Holy Mother of God,

for the conversion of England,

restoration of the sick, consolation for the afflicted,

repentance of sinners, peace to the departed.

O Blessed Mary, Mother of God,

Our Lady of Walsingham intercede for us. Amen.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.

ACN Annual Mass - ' Hope Without Fear' Westminster

I have been asked by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to promote their Annual Mass and 'Hope Without Fear' event at Westminster which I am very happy to do.

The day begins with the Annual Mass (Sung Latin Mass) at Westminster Cathedral at 10.30am on 16th October.

Mass will be followed by an afternoon of talks from a variety of speakers in the cathedral hall including amongst others;

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kassala of Tombura-Yambio, south Sudan.
Bishop Eduardo is leading his people in south Sudan through a time of great uncertainty. In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need in April, he warned of the likelihood of an outbreak of violence in the wake of political elections.

Father Michael Shields from Magadan, Siberia
Father Michael is a long-time friend of Aid to the Church in Need. An American from Alaska, he chose to serve in a former communist gulag camp in Magadan, Siberia. Millions died here.

John Pontifex, Aid to the Church in Need.
Aid to the Church in Need’s UK Head of Press and Information will speak about suffering, faith and hope in Pakistan.

Neville Kyrke-Smith, Aid to the Church in Need.
As UK Director of Aid to the Church in Need, Neville Kyrke-Smith has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe. At this year’s Westminster Event, he will give an update on the help you are giving to Christians in Ukraine, where he recently visited.

£5.00 Book online

Further details may be found ACN's website here.