In the Shadow of the Cross - the Episcopal Church in the Philippines

A video from the Episcopal Church in the Philippines about its missions in the Philippines

Holy Week news, Episcopal Church in the Philippines in Synod, papal interview

Some Holy Week updates. First from the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England. The first former Anglican congregations will be received into the Catholic Church beginning this week. Some pictures from the reception of the first congregation from London (South) are here. Monsignor Keith Newton, the Ordinary received the congregation. While the reception is very low key media-wise, it is of major importance in the history of the Church.

Our brothers and sisters from the Episcopal Church in the Philippines will meet in Provincial Synod at historic St Mary the Virgin in Sagada from May 3-6. This link has articles on the accomplishments of the ECP since its last Synod as well as proposed amendments to the constitutions and canons of the church. Filipino Episcopalians ask the prayers of all, especially from our readers here, so that their synod will be successful.

As a Holy Week reading, we suggest "Benedict XVI, Light of the World: A Conversation with Peter Seewald" Ignatius Press, Distributed in the Philippines by National Bookstore at PhP 395.00. His Holiness celebrated his 84th birthday last April 16 and marks 6 years of his pontificate on April 19.

It is very rare for a Pope to give interviews with journalists, It is even rarer to read about his views on many issues in one tome. Pope John Paul II gave interviews and much of his were on theological, philosophical, ecumenical, political and social issues that came out in the best selling "Crossing the Threshold of Hope"(1994) But the interviewer did not ask the Pope questions of a personal nature. In "Light of the World" Mr Seewald asks a variety of questions on challenges facing the Church some of which are personal.

Benedict XVI surprises all by being very candid and true to form, razor sharp. Reading the book, one can imagine a conversation with a literate professor, which Benedict XVI really is.

Some excerpts:
On knowledge:
 B16: "Knowledge is power. That means if I know, then I can also control. Knowledge brought power, but in such a way that with our own we can also now destroy the world that we think we have figured out intellectually. ....an essential perspective is lacking, namely the aspect of the good. What is good?"

On the Anglican Ordinariates: 
B16:"The initiative did not come from us, but from Anglican bishops who entered into dialogue with the CDF.... But it is at any rate a sign, you might say, of the flexibility of the Catholic Church. We don't want to create new uniate churches, but we do want to offer ways for local church traditions that have evolved outside the Roman Church to be brought into communion with the Pope."

On personally meeting victims of priest sex abusers:
B16: "Actually I couldn't say anything special at all to them. I was able to tell them that it affects me very deeply. That I suffer with them. And that was not just an expression, but it really touches my heart. And I was able to tell them that the Church will do everything possible so that this does not happen again."

About using an exercise bike as prescribed by his doctor:
B16: No, I don't get to it at all... thank God!

The Pope gives his thoughts more on the engagement of Catholicism with Islam, the Orthodox, secularism, ecumenism, papal infallibility, clerical celibacy, a Third Vatican Council and the SSPX schism.

The interviews allow us to get a closer look at Benedict's papal program and the future direction of the Roman Church.

What does Anglicanism really have to offer in restoring the Roman Church?

The following essays (the Ordinariates, the Pope and Liturgy parts 1 and 2) by Father Aidan Nichols OP read at the Ordinariate conference in Canada recently tells in a magnificent way the historical background of the Ordinariates and what their being Anglican can offer in the restoration of the Roman Church. The essays also tell us that the other passengers for the "ark" have their own gift to give in restoring the Catholic Church.

Some of Fr Nichols' highlights and my questions

What really has the Anglican Communion preserved which the post Vatican II Roman Catholic Church casually threw out?

"Unlike Roman Catholicism, Anglo-Catholicism in the twentieth century has been largely impervious to the seductions of architectural Modernism, and its iconographical and musicological equivalents, owing to the apologetic concern to demonstrate continuity with the Christian past by using neo-mediaeval forms or perhaps neo-Baroque ones.  One could think here of the patronage given by twentieth century Catholic Anglicans to such influential church designers as John Ninian Comper (whose work synthesises mediaeval, palaeo-Christian and Renaissance features) and (for the Neo-Baroque) Martin Travers."


On Benedict XVI and the Liturgy

" the Pope is aghast, in a manner Anglo-Catholics generally would appreciate, at the present state of much liturgical practice in the West.  The Liturgy has been invaded by politicization, as in milieux affected by Liberation Theology; it has suffered banalisation in populist environments where the mantra has it that modern popular culture just has to be followed; and in less ideologically freighted parish practice its manner of expression has been simplified in a well-meaning but misguided attempt to ensure instant intelligibility such that much of its richness has been lost.'

And perhaps this is what Anglicanism can help repair in the Roman Catholic Church so she can get on the way to a new evangelization

"Unlike the Latin clergy who are principally interested in their own flocks, and where apostolic outreach is concerned, the lapsed members of those flocks, there is something much more potentially universal in the pastoral outreach of the Anglican ministry.  The notion that evangelization should be directed to entire neighbourhoods, and be expressed in general visiting, as well as recognition of the need for involvement in civic life, in voluntary associations, and all the expressions of life together in a given locale, is typical of a Church that conceives itself as responsible for the soul of a society.  It is a Christendom outlook which has, thankfully, survived the disintegration of the mediaeval organism."

And that is why I am not surprised  and very gladdened that the Holy Mass celebrated ad orientem is more often celebrated at the Episcopal Cathedral of St Mary and St John at Cathedral Heights, Quezon City than in the Roman Catholic Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Manila! Also the community orientated pastoral concern of the Episcopal Church towards Filipino society.

A collect for Blessed Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II and Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Robert Runcie bless the congregation at Canterbury Cathedral in 1982

From Father Zulhsdorf's blog the Latin collect for John Paul II

Deus, dives in misericordia,
qui beatum Ioannem Paulum, papam,
universae Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti,
praesta, quaesumus, ut, eius institutis edocti,
corda nostra salutiferae gratiae Christi,
unius redemptoris hominis, fidenter aperiamus.

Which he translated into English as

O God, who are rich in mercy
and who willed that the Blessed John Paul II
should preside as Pope over your universal Church,
grant, we pray, that instructed by his teaching,
we may open our hearts to the saving grace of Christ,
the sole Redeemer of mankind.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.....


Which we could "Cranmerize" as

O God, thou art rich in mercy
and who hast willed that the Blessed  Pope John Paul II
should preside as Pope over thy universal Church.
grant and we beseech thee, that edified by his teaching
we may open our hearts to the saving grace of Christ,
the only Redeemer of men
Who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and fore ever more, Amen.

Talks on the Anglican Use and the Ordinariate

The Anglican Use in the Philippines is currently hosted by the University of the Philippines Parish of the Holy Sacrifice through the kindness and generosity of the curate Fr Raymond Arre, the assisting clergy and the parish council. As such we have the obligation to contribute to the parish and student ministry's spiritual activities and formation.

We are considering holding talks on Anglicanism, the Anglican Use, Anglicanorum coetibus and the Ordinariate. The talks will give students a wider appreciation of the diversity in liturgical expressions in the Catholic Church, why there is a need for an Ordinariate and the current ecumenical environment and pastoral approaches of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI.

The talks will be in the first semester of next academic year, most likely in July. Please keep posted for details on this blog.

Pictures please!

Pictures from the recent activities of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham can be seen on this Flickr page.


Happy viewing

No greater love hath a Filipino....

Photo courtesy of the Manila Times

The recent executions of three Filipino overseas workers convicted of drug trafficking charges in China has made the nation reflect on its future as a people. Filipinos are found everywhere on this planet. They often are serving others as skilled, semi skilled or unskilled workers. Not a few are professionals managing enterprises. A lot are health workers and some are teachers.

They have a common bond to each other and that is they are working to provide a better future for their families. In many cases this laudable goal is unrealized and they have to do illegal and criminal activities such as being drug mules.

The conduct of the three according to what we read in the press is remarkable. Faced with death, they asked for forgiveness and they always emphasized that they did this for their family.

Of course, what they did is considered a crime under the law, but by accepting their guilt may they be rewarded by Christ, who pardoned the Good Thief.

Christ bore the crimes of the guilty as well as the sins of the innocent. No greater love hath a man... a Filipino...

On the eve of the Annunciation

Let us recall an important pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on the Blessed Virgin Mary. This letter read to churches in 1975 remains even more relevant today, where we live in a rapidly secularizing age. While secularism is not bad, it should be anchored on humanistic values and Mary represents what these values are.

The letter is also notable for explicitly mentioning the Episcopal Church of the Philippines (ECP) and its devotion to the Holy Virgin. Truly the Anglican Communion continues to occupy a special place in the heart of the Catholic Church.

The 950th year anniversary of the Visions of Lady Richeldis at Walsingham

Father-Ordinary Keith Newton of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has made the announcement that this year will be the 950th anniversary of the visions of Lady Richeldis. It is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared to the Lady Richeldis in 1061, at Walsingham, England. In her visions, the Lady Richeldis received a message from the Holy Virgin under the title of the Annunciation. She was instructed to build a Holy House for the Virgin and was given the grace of a vision of Mary's home in Nazareth. You can read more about Our Lady of Walsingham in an earlier blog post here.

Celebrations for the 950th anniversary start on March 26, when the Archbishop of Westminster will celebrate an opening Mass in his London cathedral. The celebrations will reach its climax on September 24, when a Mass will be celebrated at the Walsingham Catholic Shrine. In the opening Mass, the image of Our Lady from the Slipper Chapel will be brought to Westminster Cathedral by three former Anglican nuns now with the Ordinariate together with the Anglican Guardians at the Walsingham Anglican Shrine. Our Lady of Walsingham may be considered as the Mother of Christian Unity. Prayers for her intercession always have an ecumenical dimension. She is venerated under this title in the Anglican and Catholic churches.

We plan to celebrate the event in our own little way in the Philippines. Please keep note on this blog for more announcements!

News from the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham

Anglicans planning to join the Ordinariate are welcomed at Southwark Cathedral London, from the Ordinariate Portal

Here are some news. The three former Anglican bishops who were among the first to be received in the Catholic Church, Reverend Father-Ordinary Keith Newton,  Reverend Father Andrew Burnham and Reverend Father John Broadhurst have been given the honour of being called Monsignor by the Holy Father, Benedict XVI. Also the first 'class' of catechumens from the Church of England just had their Rite of Election last March 12.  Several hundred Anglicans are expected to be received and prepared under a catechetical program that will end by Easter, when they will be fully received in the Catholic Church.