Fr D Morgan (Bishop's Secretary) provides a copy of the letter from Bishop Grant to Fr Baker, to be hand delivered by Fr Hammond. The Bishop had hoped that time would heal (the Code does not provide for a time limit to Fr Baker to reply). However, anxious by the activities of Fr Peter Morgan and the pastoral situation seemed to offer a way out without a rumpus.
Bishop's OfficeLaying out the issues which the Bishop had to consider along with the historic background and identifying the parts of relevant Canon Law, the Bishop invites Fr Baker to resign as Parish Priest in Downham Market
Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)Covering letter for Decree; Fr Baker has the right to appeal to Rome.
Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)Fr Baker's ministry is harmful being direct and open disobedience of the Holy See. A review of the documents sent by Fr Baker were considered by the Synodal Examiner and the Pro-Synodal Examiner as not a sufficient answer and his ministry was harmful. Fr Baker had refused to resign and hence the Bishop is removing him from his office as Parish Priest at Downham Market. He has to hand over to Father Sketch.
Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)Detailing the immediate consequences of the Decree sent on 20 November:
- not entitled to live in the Parish house - must be vacated without delay - contact the Bishop for support arrangements
- not entitled to use the Church - will not evict Fr Baker but will not tolerate him remaining
- not entitled to administer parochial funds - make arrangements to settle up
- not entitled to officiate at marriages - any married by you will be in an invalid marriage
- if celebrating mass in disobedience must make this clear to those attending and handle monies appropriately
Quoting from an article in the Daily Telegraph which the Bishop indicates could mislead a reader with some untruths about Fr Sketch. Writing because "this and similar one-sided reports cause distress..." "... you will instruct your staff to present both sides of the picture, and not accept uncritically the propaganda of an interested party in the controversy."
Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)Compliments slip: Bishop Secretary: "Tony Sketch will arrange to deliver the enclosed - less the carbon - to all Downham Market parishioners when he distributes his invitations to the real Mass."
Page 1: letter to the congregation at Downham Market - explaining, now that the legal procedure is over, the sorrow he feels in acting against Fr Baker. Obedience to the Holy Father means accepting the changes away from the Tridentine Mass. Expects support for Fr Sketch. Notes of explanation included.
Page 2-3: Notes headed: "1. Your present position"; "2. The Missal of Pope Paul VI"; "3. The Bishop's dealings with Fr Baker"
page1: Christmas, Nativity scene and text
page 2: Editorial
page 3: Image of Fr Oswald Baker ("DT Picture") - advertisement for recording of All saints Day Mass at Downham Market
page 4/5: "No 'Sack' for this 'Rebel priest'" - 3 images of a Catholic priest concelibrating mass with an Episcopal priest (Sister)
Page 6-8: "Reply to Bishop Grant" - " I have received a copy of your letters dated 26 November and 6 December, concerning Downham Market..." signed L Hurst
An article by Fr Bryan Houghton
"This article is not written to prolong the needless controversy but to bring out the real issue which lies behind the differences between Father Baker and his Bishop...."
"As reported in the 30th October issue of The Catholic Universe, 29 Grade I and Grade II* listed churches and cathedrals in England are to receive £3m funding for repairs and restoration projects from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund. The grant programme is part of the Government's Heritage Stimulus Fund, administered by Historic England and is aimed at supporting major repair projects which either stalled earlier this year because of Covid-19, or where loss of income due to many months of closure put urgently needed projects on hold." Story continues.
Images: "St Peter's Gorleston", "St. Mary's Great Yarmouth. Below, the mural at St Mary's has been suffering water damage due to a failed valley gutter." , Preston's Cathedral of St Alphonsa - formerly the Jesuit church of St lgnatius where the priest and poet Gerard Manley Hopkins once served, and now the Cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy - is another to benefit from the grants."
395 Notanda: Pastoral & Collection, Mid-night Mass, Duplication, Peter's Pence, Report and Statistics, Remittance of Moneys, appointed Treasurers.
396-405: Advent Pastoral letter
406-408: - Leo XIII letter - 13 centuries since Ethelbert, King of Kent accepted the Christian Religion.
Requesting priests to read out the letter from Cardinals Simeoni and Barnabo on the question of Catholic Youths attending non-Catholic Universities
Riddell, Arthur George Rev (1836-1907)413 Notanda: Collection, Extraordinary Confessors, Easter Communion, Quarant Ore, Holy Oils, Peter's Pence, Ecclesiastical Fund and Poor School's Fund
414-426: Lent Pastoral letter
427: Notanda continued: Poor School Committee, Collection for the Holy Places, appointed Treasurers, Catholic Teachers' Superannuation Fund
428: Lent dispensations
429-433: Confraternity of St Peter's Pence / Ecclesiastical Education Fund / Diocesan Poor Schools - receipts for year 1892
434: Form of Papal Blessing [in Latin]
435 Notanda: Pastoral and Collection, Mid-Night Mass, Duplication, Peter's Pence, Report and Statistics, Remittance of Moneys
436-451: Advent Pastoral letter
manuscript annotation on front cover "Pope Leo on Scripture"
454: Notanda: Collection, Extraordinary Confessors, Easter Communion, Quarant Ore, Holy Oils, Peter's Pence
455-464: Lent Pastoral letter
465: Lent dispensations
466: Notanda continued: Poor School Committee, Collection for the Holy Places, appointed Treasurers, Teachers' Superannuation Fund
467-471: Confraternity of S. Peter's Pence / Ecclesiastical Education Fund / Diocesan Poor Schools - receipts for Year 1893
490 Notanda: Collection, Extraordinary Confessors, Easter Communion, Quarant Ore, Holy Oils, Peter's Pence, Ecclesiastical Fund and Poor School's Fund, Poor School Committee
491-503: Lent Pastoral letter - Statement on schools in the Diocese - student numbers are 2584 with accomodation for 5161 elementary scholars; comments on the impact of the 1870 Act and the Department for Education; comments on the plans for education by the Bishops
504: Dispensations for Lent 1895
505: Notanda continued: Collection for the Holy Places, appointed Treasurers, Catholic Teachers' Superannuation Fund
506-512: Confraternity of St Peter's Pence / Ecclesiastical Education Fund / Diocesan Poor Schools - receipts for year 1894
514 Notanda: Pastoral and Collection, Midnight Mass, Duplication, Peter's Pence, Report and Statistics, Remittance of Moneys
515-527: Advent Pastoral letter - theme of S. Joseph and the Holy Family
530 Notanda: Collection, Extraordinary Confessors, Easter Communion, Quarant Ore, Holy Oils, Peter's Pence, Ecclesiastical Fund and Poor School's Fund, Poor School Committee
531-533: Lent Pastoral letter - outline of his 4 yearly visit to Rome to meet the Pope
534: Dispensations for Lent 1896
535: Notanda continued: Collection for the Holy Places, appointed Treasurers
536-542: Confraternity of St Peter's Pence / Ecclesiastical Education Fund / Diocesan Poor Schools - receipts for year 1895
Letter: signed by Bishop Cuthbert (chairman of the Universities Board); maintenance of Chaplains or Lecturers of service to Catholic students at Oxford and Cambridge. Appeal for funds to meet £700-800 expense of the two chaplaincies.
Instructions: "Instructions to the Parents, Superiors & Directors of Catholic Laymen who desire to study in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge" signed by Cardinal Vaughan and all the Bishops of the Archdiocese of Westminster.
Covering letter for the Pastoral from the Catholci Bishops of England and Wales (re Catholics at Oxford/Cambridge University)
The Holy See would rather that a Catholic University is established and in the meantime tolerates Catholic laymen attending Protestant Universities. He outlines the rules and conditions laid down by the Holy See.