2 part pastoral letter:
1st to be read on 19 April 1970 - pg1-3
2nd to be read on 26 April 1970 - pg4-6
Pastoral Letter from Bishop Grant on Holy Communion and, whilst only the priest can consecrate the host, delivery by others to those unable to attend the Mass. Pope Paul has just removed the requirement for only a priest to deliver the host. Lay people commissioned by the Bishop can now do this.
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)Pg1: Prayer for Priests; a short prayer
Pg3: Fund at £9,815 12s 6d; Bp Clark & Bp Grant ordained 5 priests for the diocese; 24 seminary students; 17 accepted for diocese;
Pg4-18: Priests' Education and Diocesan Development Fund (Table by parish showing individual named donations)
Pg19: Notice
Pg20: handwrittwen notes [by priest for after reading the Bishop's letter?]
Pg1: Prayer for Priests; a short prayer
Pg3-4: Fund at £9,000; most parishes do noot need diocesan money; £150,000 available for projects; appeals for money are about investing for the future; new commission for vocations established
Pg4: Income/Expediture for Fund
Pg5-23: Ecclesiastical Education Fund 1968 (Table by parish showing individual named donations)
Pg23: Notices
Pg 1: A Prayer for Priests; A Short Prayer
Pg 3-4: shortage of candidates; no shortage of money; fund title is now "Priests' Education and Diocesan Development Fund";
Pg 5-28: Ecclesiastical Fund, 1967 - table listing named donations within each parish
Pg 28: Notices
Pg1: Prayer for Priests; a short prayer
Pg3: Fund slight fall on last year; 4 new priests - just covers losses through retirement and other causes
Pg5-18: Ecclesiastical Education Fund 1970 (Table by parish showing individual named donations)
Pg19: Notices
Pg 2: a new parish in one of the New Towns may have 4,000 catholics - need to provide school places, church and priest - cost about £100,000
Pg 3-4: Church Collections 1970 (Table with Parishes listed, heading: Diocesan Poor Missions (1966 [sic])); Poor Mission Donations 1969
Pg 2: urging provision for the "many tens of thousands of Catholics who will shortly arrive in the Diocese"
Pg 3-4: Church Collections 1968 (Table with Parishes listed, heading: Diocesan Poor Missions (1968)); Individual donations
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)Laying 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)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
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"