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GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-09-03-01-3-17 · Part · 15 October 1859
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

embossed "Bishop's House, Northampton". John Morris opens with the news that the new priest, Rev Robert Hubbersty, has arrived. He is 45 looking 50-55, and resembles three persons (Bishop Wilson, Dr Morgan and another).
He now understands about poor Neil Talbot and prays to hear of "his separation and repentance".
In reply for a clarification of the nature and extent of the faculties granted to VG [Vicar General] by the bishop. Part of the letter dealing in detail with the nature of faculty is written in Latin. VG will need to make the clergy use the form provided by the Bishop and that the written record of faculty and its execution must be sent to the Bishop for retention in the Archives.
Seen the [Husenbeth's] festivities in the Tablet. Hopes that Lady Stafford is quite recovered and all will pass off well.

Correspondent
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-9 · Part · 6 January 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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...."

Unknown
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-09-03-01-3-18 · Part · 19 October 1859
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

John Morris writes that the Bishop had no sooner returned from London than he received a note from the Cardinal and has immediately gone back to London.
Bishop will give no account of himself, only saying he is better, but he is not allowed ot say Mass or his Office, or to attend to any business whatever. Bishop is silent on the future.
Dr Grant's petition is, in brief, a rehearsal of Bp's sanatoria obtained in 9 June 1859 re VG's faculties with respect to the availability of the Bishop, in this large diocese, to respond to certain situations. Leave had been granted on 1 September 1859 [words as in previous letter]
Does not understand where Hubbersty comes from, thinks he was chaplain to Mr Sparrow in Lancashire, and, is given to the Bishop by Dr Turner.

Correspondent
Letter from Bishop Keating
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-09-03-01-5-18 · Part · 8 September 1918
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Bishop's absence in Baltimore for the Golden Jubilee of Cardinal Gibbons; Mass Intentions - to be managed by Canon Tonks; ORDO for 1919; The New Code - explanations in due course, no changes otherwise

Keating, William Frederick Rev (1859-1928)
Synod Address
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-09-03-01-5-21-2 · Part · 1 July 1920
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Address to the Synod by the Bishop of Northampton.

Private and Confidential. 
SYNODAL ADDRESS 
BY 
FREDERICK WILLIAM, BISHOP OF NORTHAMPTON. 

JULY 1ST, 1920. 

NORTHAMPTON: 
PRINTED BY STANTON AND SON, ABINGTON STREET. 

Erecta fuit Diocesis die 29 Sept., 1850, a SSmo. 
Dno. Pio P.P. IX. 

Gulielmus Wareing, primus Epus. consecratus fuit die 21 Sept., 1840, Vic. Apost. Districtus. Orientalis, translatus Dioec. Northantoniensi die 29 Sept., 1850, et pie obdormivit in Dno. die 26 Dec., 1865. 

Franciscus Kerril Amherst, secundus Epus. consecratus fuit die 4 Julii, 1858, et pie in Dno. obdormivit die 21 Aug., 1883. 

Arthurus Riddell, tertius Epus. consecratus fuit die 9 Junii, 1880, et pie in Dno. obdormivit die 15 Sept., 1907. 

Fridericus Gulielmus Keating, quartus Epus. consecrotus fuit die 25 Feb., 1908. 

Capitulum erectum fuit die 24 Junii, 1852. 

A. M. D. G. 

Very Reverend Canons, Reverend Brethren in Christ.

It is nearly ten years since the last Synod, and, according to the most recent legislation, another ten years may elapse before the next is called. 

None of us can ever forget the anxieties and the horrors of the past decennium. I shall never forget your fidelity and constancy under that ordeal. None of you dreamed of deserting your posts, though many you were exposed for months on end to imminent danger; you all met the difficulty of ever-rising prices without a murmur; you sacrificed your time and labour, and frequently cut into your narrow means to carry the consolations of religion to Belgian refugees, to our own wounded and convalescent men, and to the prisoners of War; you earned general appreciation by your readiness and efficiency in assisting the various War organizations in your locality. In you, our holy religion has distinctly gained credit among our Protestant fellow country- men. May God reward you! 

During the same period we have had to deplore the loss of six members of our Venerable Chapter :- Provost Blackman, Canon Moser, and Canon Pate, immediately after the last Synod, and later on, Canon Dwane, Canon FitzGerald and Canon Rogers; four members of the Secular Clergy, Fr. Waldie, Fr. Alexander Scott, Fr. Clemente and Doctor Madden; and also Fr. Perrin of the Society of Jesus. May their souls rest in peace. 

Looking forward to the ensuing ten years, who can forecast what they will bring forth? But profound changes, social and political, which developing under our eyes, show us the imperative need of religious truth for the guidance of mens' minds, and of religious restrictions to control their unstable wills. We all hoped that Our War experiences would have raised the population to higher ideals; but we have been disappointed. A number of choicer souls have been spiritualised; but the mass has been rather brutalised. Unbelief is as arrogant as ever; moral obligations and public decency are more callously ignored, and, in a world beggared by five years  of unproductive employments, paper wealth is scrambled for by every class, only to be squandered on vicious and useless objects. A general and genuine religious revival is the only remedy. It is for us to provide it to the utmost of our opportunities, for we have been called to be "the salt of the earth." 

These preliminary reflections serve to define the aim and object of a Synod. Our parochial work is carried on in isolation for the most part, exposing even the best of us to that narrowness of view expressed in the by-word "parochialism." Periodically, however, we are brought together from all parts of the Diocese, at considerable inconvenience, not only to appoint bodies of officials, or to hear a number of decrees read out, but to unite together in a great corporate act of worship, and realise thereby that we are not mere units, each one a law to himself, but members of a distinct organization, subject to uniform regulations, and co-operating in the elaboration of one policy, and in the achievement of one end. One of the officials is a Proctor, or disciplinarian; one of the first decrees is "de modo vivendi tempore Synodi"; each day's proceedings opens with Solemn Mass, at which the Clergy communicate, with the Litany of the Saints and the "Veni Creator," interspersed with numerous prayers and exhortations; provision is made for a daily sermon in addition to the Bishop's address, and points of mental prayer are assigned to occupy the free time. Since Clergy Retreats have been made obligatory, not only by local but by universal law, this particular function of the Synodal exercises has been overshadowed by the still more effective exercises of the Retreat. But the Synod remains the one occasion when the Bishop and his Clergy, as one body, unite in a solemn act of Faith, con- fessing their shortcomings, begging forgiveness for the past, and invoking the Divine Blessing on their efforts at reform. 

The characteristic feature of a Synod, however, as distinct from the Retreat, is the emphasis laid on our external duties, the special obligations of the clerical state. Personal piety will always be the touchstone to discriminate between the genuine and the sham; yet personal piety is sometimes disfigured by self-sufficiency and a certain contempt for what we are pleased to call "petty regulations." We are apt to grow so confident in our own methods as to imagine that we have nothing to learn from anyone, and that the circumstances of our little parish are so peculiar that no one but ourselves is competent to form a judgement on them. The evil results of such self-satisfaction are evident to all eyes but our own. Abuses of one kind or another [mis-scanning some lost words]. In one place it is the material fabric that suffers, in another the spiritual. A man of this sort who makes a fetish of the rubrics may be grossly negligent about attendance on the sick-or one who takes a pride in the cleanliness of beauty of his Church may bore his people to death by the unpreparedness of his sermons. The corrective to these and angularities is humble and attentive reading of the canons laid down for our guidance, with the full determination to carry them out exactly, however much they may go against the grain; and, when observance of them seems impossible less desirable, to submit our difficulty to the proper authority and abide by the decision. Initiative is a valuable quality but when initiative displaces obedience a priest becomes a nuisance to his Superiors. 

Hence, the typical Synodal discourse, ready prepared for the Bishop in the Pontificale, is a resumé of the whole duty of a parish priest as prescribed by law. The Clergy are admonished to lead a blameless life, above all suspicion, especially in their relations with women; they are reminded of their duty in the devout celebration of Mass, in the recitation of their Office, in the administration of parochial Sacraments, in the due instruction of [mis-scanning some lost words] for each others' rights in the stewardship of the temporalities of their benefice, in the right disposition of whatever wealth they may have acquired after Ordination, "quoniam facultates Ecclesiae sunt" and should not be alienated. From these major interests the Bishop is directed to come down to minutiae, the cleanliness of the churches, of the Altar linen, of the sacred vessels, and of the vestments; the custody of the Holy Oils, and still more of the Blessed Sacrament; the proper care of the Baptismal Font, the provision of a supply of Holy Water, and a multitude of other similar directions. 

The Codex Juris Canonici, promulgated by the Holy See at Pentecost, 1917, and in force everywhere since Pentecost, 1918, is a revision of the whole ecclesiastical legislation in its most important and practical features. Being on sale in one small volume at a low price, it should be in the hands of every priest. It is to us what the Army regulations are to an officer. Its language is plain; its arrangement is simple; and its authority is absolute. The purpose of this Synod is to give it effect in this Diocese as fully as possible. 

The first step is to introduce the parochial system, so long demanded by the Clergy. Can. 216. 1. requires the division of the Diocese into territorial districts, each provided with its own church and its own responsible Pastor. That is nothing new for us. We have always had our Mission boundaries fairly well defined; but to make our compliance still more exact, each Rural Deanery has been commissioned to provide itself with an official map showing the agreed limits of each territorial division. The right to alter these agreed boundaries belongs to the Bishop alone “ex justa et canonica causa.”

According to the 3rd section of the same Canon (216), the normal status of such territorial division is that of a Parish; but a difficulty at once confronts us. Each Parish is a Benefice, to which should be attached a "stabilis et congrua dos as the salary of the priest who serves it. In the case of a parochial benefice, although the endowment need not be, nor is intended to be, equal in all parishes, yet in every parish it should be a “living" for the priest; fixed, not precarious; and distinct from all other funds for the erection or maintenance of buildings, or for any other parochial object. In Catholic countries the parish priest's benefice is secured in land, or in invested funds, or by an allowance from the secular Government, or by a perpetual charge on some estate or religious body. But Can. 1410 recognizes the need elsewhere of admitting other sources of income for a parochial benefice, including “certae et voluntariae fidelium oblationes quae ad beneficii Rectorem spectant, sive jura, ut dicitur, stolae intra fines taxationis dioecesanae, vel legitimae consuetudinis.” This contemplates the state of things which obtains in the United States, where the Sunday offertories and Seat-rents are so large that a definite sum can be allocated as the stipend of the Clergy, and a parochial benefice thus constituted. Can. 1415 sec. 3 goes still further, and allows the Bishop to erect a parish even where the “stabilis et congrua dos” is not forthcoming, if he is convinced, using his prudent judgement, that the necessaries of life will not be lacking. 

You will recognize at once, Rev. Brethren, our perplexity in settling the status of territorial districts in a Diocese like ours, where everything is still in the making. Some districts are attached to a Convent or a Lay Chaplaincy, and are manifestly incapable of becoming parishes. Others, again, are so weak, both in numbers and resources, that, by no stretch of terminology can they be regarded as "benefices"; and to erect them straightway into parishes would be a bad policy, giving the impression that they are self-supporting. Finally, although a small endowment is happily attached to many of our Missions, yet in hardly any case does it constitute a living apart from the general offerings of the Faithful. 

Having discussed the situation with the Chapter, I decided, with their advice, to make three categories of territorial districts :- 
(a) Parishes properly so-called. 
(b) Missionary Districts immediately dependent on the Bishop, which are parishes "in 
fieri." 
(c) Chaplaincies to which the "cura animarum” is attached, with all the parochial rights that the "cura animarum" necessarily involves, but which cannot become parishes in the full sense. 

This scheme was submitted to the Holy See, and received its approval. You will hear presently the complete list giving the status of each territorial division. 

Canon 454 provides that the priest placed in charge of a parish should be called the “Parochus," and should, except in the case of Religious, enjoy a large measure of "stability" in his cure. The exact measure of his “stability" is determined by the status of his parish. Apart from a criminal  conviction, if he is in charge of an "irremoveable” parish, he cannot be changed against his will except by the command of the Holy See; and cannot be called upon to resign except for the reasons and subject to the formalities detailed in Can. 2147 & seqq. If he is in charge of a "moveable” parish, he may be compelled to accept a change, even against his will, provided the new cure offered to him is not "ordinis nimio inferioris"; and he can be forced to resign for grave canonical reasons with fewer formalities than in the former case. But in each case the parochus is strictly entitled to a canonical process, and to plead his cause before the "Examinatores Synodales or the “Parochi Consultores." Hence your approval is asked of the names submitted to you for those offices. With the advice of the Chapter, I have decided to name as "Parochiae inamovibiles" the old "Missionary Rectories"; all other parishes will be, for the present, "amovibiles." 

Parish priests, of either class, are bound to say the “Missae pro populo” on the appointed days; but no other priests. Knowing how largely you depend upon Mass Intentions to supplement your incomes, I have obtained a further reduction of these obligatory Masses. For the next ten years,  you are bound to the "Missae pro populo " only on the days mentioned in Can. 306 (Xmas Day, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Immaculate Conception, Assumption, St. Joseph, SS. Peter and Paul, All Saints') and on one other day in the year at your choice, e.g. your titular Feast; twelve Masses in all. 

Among other Synodal appointments, you will observe one called “the Official," and a body of “Judices Synodales." These constitute the ordinary Diocesan Court for all criminal and contentious cases. The “Officialis " is the Judge, appointed by the Bishop to act in his name; the others are his assessors, and act by turna. Your consent is required for the "Judices Synodales." 

The Rural Deaneries remain as before, and the Rural Deans will find their duties and privileges fully set out in Can. 445. A further duty, however, will divolve upon them when a new Rector is placed. in charge of a territorial district, parish or otherwise, in their Deanery. I hereby depute them to receive the new Rector's Profession of Faith and Abjuration, and, in my name, to give him possession of his cure. Until that formality has been completed, the incumbent has no canonical title to his revenues. 

I must now say a few words about the modifications required in the pagella of faculties which will be issued to you. You are doubtless aware that, with a view to making the ordinary faculties of Bishops uniform throughout the world, all our special faculties have been withdrawn, including the very ample faculties we formerly enjoyed, and shared with you, of absolving from all censures except those reserved "specialissimo modo" to the Holy See. Now, not only is your jurisdiction limited. to "casus occulti" which are "simpliciter reservati,” but you incur excommunication yourselves if you attempt to absolve from any of the rather numerous censures reserved "Speciali vel specialissimo modo," and which have to be ferreted out of Bk. V. of the Codex. On the other hand, some of the powers you formerly exercised by virtue of special faculties are now given to you, even in ampler form, by the Codex itself. 

Among other of your faculties which are now withdrawn is No. VI., "Excipiendi haereticorum abjurationes, eosque absolvendi ab excommunicatione, etiam in foro externo." In future it will be necessary for you, in accordance with Can. 2314, to obtain delegation in each case from the Bishop to receive Converts into the Church. A Form of application is being prepared which will simplify the process as far as possible.

The most formidable difficulty, in practice, arises from the loss of our extraordinary faculties in Marriage cases. We have been hoping against hope that some of these, at least, would be restored to us; and while our representations have been under consideration by the Holy See, I have not hesitated to avail myself of the special War faculties to the full. Now, however, it appears certain that no alleviation is to be granted in the immediate future. We must, therefore, submit loyally, and adapt ourselves to changed circumstances. By Canon 1043-1046 both the Bishop and the parochus or confessor are empowered to deal with ecclesiastical impediments in two extreme circumstances, i.e. "Urgente mortis periculo," and when the impediment comes to light only "cum jam omnia sunt parata ad nuptias," and the marriage cannot be postponed without grave danger. But outside those extreme circumstances, all matrimonial dispensations henceforth will have to be applied for at Rome. This will usually entail a month's delay, while the application is being dealt with; and the payment of a considerable fee, unless the parties expressly ask remission of the fee on the ground of poverty. In making these applications, besides forwarding the signed promises of the parties in the case of mixed Marriages, the canonical grounds on which the dispensation is sought must be given with much greater care and much more fully than most of the Clergy have considered necessary hitherto. The foot-note on the form of the application itself clearly explains what is required, and a paragraph of my last Synodal address was devoted to the subject, yet the baldest phrases continue to appear on these forms :- “Necessitas” without stating what the writer means by “necessitas," which is probably very wide of its canonical meaning; “Bonum futurum," which may mean anything or nothing. It is often best to express yourselves in the vernacular. Our Roman Agent will fit on the right canonical terminology. If the parties are unable to afford the usual fee, you should state their condition in life, and what offering, if any, they are willing to make. 

Having touched upon these various topics which seemed specially to call for attention, let me, in conclusion, express my deep satisfaction at the general condition of the Diocese. Necessarily, much of your work has been retarded by War conditions, and many new undertakings will have to be shelved until things are more settled. But I am satisfied that no real opportunity of progress has been lost, and that every one of you has his heart in his Mission, whether large or small. If new Missions have been beyond us, at least several new "Stations have been opened, which may be expected to develop into Missions, or even Parishes, in the not too distant 
future. 

The Finances, too, of the Diocese, are in a sound. condition and are well administered by the Board of Finance. 

Our general funds have benefited considerably by legacies since the last Synod:- the Ecclesiastical Education Fund by Mr. E. Granville Ward; and a new Fund for helping the establishing of new Missions, called the "Extension Fund," by the residue of Miss Berner's estate; to which will be 
added the residue of Miss Lacon's estate when it falls in at some future date. 

Our particular funds, i.e. the monies belonging to various missions committed to our administration, have always been separately invested, not "lumped together" and treated as and treated as one fund for financial operations. The expediency as well as the correctness of this method of administration is now seen; for each priest, being able to quote the source of his invested income, is in a position to claim rebate of the very heavy Income Tax, which is so seriously depleting many incomes. I hope none of you neglect to send in your claim. I may add, in this connection, that it is my intention, perhaps in the Advent Pastoral, to remind the Laity of what you suffer from the depreciation of money, which is likely to be permanent. While the purchasing power of a sovereign remains at less than ten shillings, it is plain that pre-War offerings must be doubled or trebled if the Clergy are not starved, or swamped by debt. 

I hope you all realise, Rev. Brethren, that I take the deepest personal interest in you and your work; that I am always far more disposed to praise than to criticise or condemn; that I hold myself in readiness to answer your call whenever my presence is likely to be an advantage to your projects; and that I can be trusted to stand by you in your troubles as a faithful friend as well as a Superior. In that spirit, I invoke the Divine Blessing upon you, and commend you to the care of our glorious Patrons, the Immaculate Mother of God, and our Blissful Martyr, St. Thomas of Canterbury. 

L. D. S. 

Keating, William Frederick Rev (1859-1928)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-133 · Item · 26 November 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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"

Grant, Charles Alexander Rev LCL BA (1906-1989)