Damian Thompson, the Catholic bishops and a revolting building

Catholic tastes?

Damian Thompson is the blogs editor of the Daily Telegraph. I read his religious affairs blog. Very good it is. Mr.Thompson has a down on the Catholic bishops. In fact, it could be said he's near to revolt on occasions. They apparently are near to revolt over the Ordinariate, yet profess blind obedience to the Pope and his initiative. There are revolts going on all over. Some of the comments on his pages are quite revolting, from those Roman Catholics who seem to despise Anglicans in the Catholic Church. Then there are revolting comments from those within the Church of England who are sniffers-out of all things papal. Damian says he has no time for the the "Hinge and Bracket" Anglo-Catholics. Neither have the liberal-minded members of Affirming Catholicism, who affirm almost everything the Pope does not. The Anglican Bishop of Truro has no clue as to what Anglican Patrimony is. The Pope apparently does. But the Catholic bishops don't. Damian Thompson does and seems to find it better than the Roman Patrimony, if I may put it that way.

Now there is on offer a church that does indeed have an ugly look about it. This is being touted as a suitable place for converting Anglicans to worship. I detect more revolts. Even the building might turn on itself. If the inside is anything like the outside, then an Anglican High Mass would seem very muted in there. Is that the idea? It would appear that the Church of England is huffy about the Ordinariate as much as the Catholic bishops. We've heard all manner of threats about leaving, not using buildings and such.

Christian charity is short on the ground right now between many. Feelings are running high. But surely we should all take a back step, a deep breath and ask ourselves "Are we being nice to each other? Is this what Christ expects of us?"

Anglican Catholics sitting on a wall?

Currently it's all a bit of a heady atmosphere for Anglican Catholics and it's not just a fine incense smell they're in. Some may accuse us of sitting on a wall like Humpty Dumpty making words mean what we want them to mean. Others may think the wall is really a fence. Even more may think it really is time to jump down on one side or the other.

I'd rather like to think we can all get along with those three pillars - Faith, Hope and Charity. I read Damian Thompson's blog and I also read some of the comments. Many are from people who have lost sight of all three pillars it seems. Damian is plumping for the Ordinariate because he wants us in the Roman fold to show errant priests "how it's really done!". A good old Anglican Mass with all the trimmings and one that RCs can go to. WOW! But he should be more charitable to those who are still thinking or want something slightly different. All Anglican Catholics want to profess the catholic faith. The trouble is that our present divisions can lead to acrimony and hurtful words. Charity is one pillar we should all being reflecting on.

Currently, if one wants to be an Anglican Catholic, there are a few ways to be one.

A. Be in the Anglican Use Rite - Not many and only in America - In communion with Rome.
B. Be in the Anglican Catholic Church - More of them; currently reject the Ordinariate - Not in communion with Rome or Canterbury.
C. Be in the Traditional Anglican Communion - Most now wanting the Ordinariate but not all - Currently not in communion with Rome or Canterbury.
D. Be in an Ordinariate - Some will when they are set up - In communion with Rome.
E. Remain in the Church of England within a structure such as The Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda, accepting impaired communion and may or may not join one of the other options in future.
F. Accept doctrinal changes within Anglicanism and be in a grouping like Affirming Catholicism.

The last one is probably not acceptable to the vast majority of Anglican Catholics. The one thing the present pope has done is to accept and honour the concept of Anglican Catholic patrimony. Sadly we are disunited but our fears and foibles should be measured with a degree of charity. The Archbishop of York said of the last synod meeting that it lack Christian charity. Very sad, but there are those that want to promote the battering ram technique of persuasion over anything else.

I think the formation of The Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda is more of a help than a hindrance. People should not feel they are being bounced into the Ordinariate or being bounced anywhere. Discernment is what it is all about - and prayerful thought, too!