Worth Leaving?; Human Fatigue!; "Together"; Shortage of Clergy?; Permanent Deacons; CAFOD; The Pro-Nuncio's visit; Financial Administrator - Matthew Duffin & Rev Richard Wilson; Ordinations - Nicholas Kearney, Peter Rollings; The Brethren - Fr Brendon Peters, Fr Arthur Tomlinson, Fr Jim Smith
Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)"Catholic Anglicans" - increasing number of requests from anglicans, an answer to the prayers for church unity, anglican ministry in rural parishes ; Anglican Gifts - deeper and richer gifts of sprirtuality; Collaborative MInistry - leadership of the priest is more necessary than eve, await Paul Hypher's thesis at LSU on "collaborative ministry"!; The Church's Preoccupations - real and prayerful place in the church, understandings become deeper with the reducing rarity of female priests in the Church of England; Celibacy [3 sides discussion]- intimitacy not just genital but close companionship - [extensive quotes from The Catholic Times article by Rev Chris Brooks, priest and psychotherapist]; Diocesan News - Franciscans leaving Ipswich, new priests soon, retirements, appointments, purchase of the Convent of Notre Dame, Sisters departing, Latin America service, his own 25th episcopal anniversary
Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)The Great Triduum; Walsingham and Easter TV Mass, parish participation in Diocesan Pilgrimage; The Permanent Deacon - guidance of Mgr J Drury and Mgr Tony Philpot, 3 year training programme being established; The Place of Women in the Church - promotion of women in the life of the Diocese and parishes, woman priests a last straw for our anglican brothers; Anglican Reconciliation - not easy for either side; New Financial Responsibilities; We, the Priests - brutal attack on Fr Michael Clothier in Beccles, Paul Hypher ordination in 1994, Mgr Michael Cassidu as Emeritus Chancellor; The Diocesan 'Team' - next Bishop will be reassured by the 'service to the Diocese'; More? - Bill Mason to be ordained as our second former anglican priest
Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)The Lenten Letter - from the Holy Father, fear that events may impose a yet mopre rigorous call to fidelity; This Lent 1994 - not so an"awful" Lent as some think, concious of distress and pain of living true to our vocation; 14th May 1994 - 50th anniversary for the Diocese, 50 years of priesthood; Our Priests - Harry Wace, Peter Cansdale, ordinations at OLEM Cambridge, currently no candidates for the priesthood; Maundy Thursday Letter - Eucharist is the heart of the priestly life
Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)EA 1994 - the disciplining of our own, a need for wisdom, ingenuity and vision; You? - ; "Hurting" - would not say "he is hurting with Christ", need to re-order the geography of our parishes, response from the laity is overwhelming; Me - I have had to drive you hard, you have been kind to me; Death; Present Difficulties - new priests come next year, refer matters of serious child abuse to Philip Shryane; Postlude, St Nicholas Day - death of Fr Charles Howarth SM in a road accident, pray for Fr Tony Seely who slipped and tore a ligament
Inserted page: "Strictly Confidential to the Priests of East Anglia" - provision to cover legal fees for good lawyers and Accountants
Xmas Cards; Hugs - megahug; The Synod - significant in 1994, the religious life; Ordination - woman's ordination does disturb and unsettle, quote from Fr John McDade SJ in the December issue of the Month; The New Situation - best way ahead for anglican clergy; taking Moro (the dog) for a walk, robins, wrens, canadian geese
Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)"Representatives of all the parishes in the Diocese of East Anglia twinned with parishes in the Battambang Prefecture in Cambodia met face-to-face for the first time since lockdown at St Mary and St Wulstan." Story continues
1 image: group of parishioners
Latin document. [not translated] [topic is absolution]
Amherst, Francis Kerril Rev (1819-1883)The good Shepherd knows his sheep. The Bishop declares that from 2nd Sunday after Easter ("Bonus Pastor Sunday") he will start a Visitation which will remain open until he declares it closed. "The Bishop will therefore diligently visit the Church, the Presbytery, the Schools, the Cemetery and everything therein contained, and will examine the sacred vessels and furniture, the Altars, tabernacles, and whatever belongs to the worship of God or the administration of the sacraments." Visitation will be announced and confirmations should be arranged for then.
To the clergy: have ready two sheets of foolscap containing - a return for 1958 of Marriages, Baptisms, Conversions, Easter Communions, Deaths; list of details of mass obligations; List of all documents relating to the Mission; Statement of Mission . School property; Account of all debts and liabilities; Mission 1958 income/expenditure balance sheet; same for Schools; exact inventory of Church, Sacristy, House and Schools.
The Sacred Congregation of Rites will consider the beatification of Ven. Margaret Mary Alacoque on 1st March. Permission is given for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in all Convent Chapels on 1st March
Amherst, Francis Kerril Rev (1819-1883)Pope Pius IX has extended Easter Communion to include Ash Wednesday and Low Sunday.
Two paragraphs on those who may be relieved of fasting/abstinence requirements.
"This year's diocese of East Anglia Marriage and Family Life Mass was back in-person at St John's Cathedral in Norwich on Saturday, 18th June." Story continues.
image caption: "Pictured below are all the couples marking significant anniversaries with Bishop Alan at the Marriage
Mass"
Suggest Canons Burditt and Frost and Frs Philpot and Wace for Commission on the division of the [Northampton] Diocese.
Downham Market is an issue on which we must stand - "whatever the personal holiness of Ossie (and God alone is the Judge here), he is corrupting a holy thing - and this is the hidden evil." Unwavering leadership is required. Confront Ossie with the obedience he owes, and, that the Pope has formally specified the circumstances in which the rite may be celebrated.
Tony Sketch should be given Downham market as his charge and say a publicised Mass there.
PPs (Aldeburgh, Wymondham, Felixstowe and Ipswich) make change-over on October 7th.
Dr William Wareing, first Bishop of Northampton, has received the last Sacraments - prayers for him.
Banns are to be published in the case of mixed marriages with no reference to the difference of religion
Consider the distress of the poor which occurs in Winter.
If asked to bless cattle, request a form of blessing recommended by Bendict XIV.
Bishop Grant providing his visitation schedule for 1862. Asks for prayers for Canon Tierney who has just received Extreme Unction. B. Michael De Santis is to be canonised around Whitsun.
Grant, Thomas (1816-1870)"Seven Catechumens and four Candidates entered full communion with the Catholic Church at an atospheric candlelit Easter Vigal at St John's Cathedral, Norwich. Cathedral staff had woven together an extensive and beautiful liturgy which began with the lighting of the the fire outside the West Door." Story continues
Image 1: Bishop Peter Collins baptising a candidiate
Image 2: Candidates in a line before the Altar
Image 3: Bishop lighting the Easter candle
"Canon Peter Collins was ordained as the fifth Bishop of East Anglia at St John's Cathedral in Norwich on 14th December, before a congregation of up to 1,100 people including Cardinal Vincent Nichols, over 20 bishops, and civic and ecumenical guests." Story continues
image 1: Bishop Alan Hopes hold us the Bible
image 2: Bible is suspended over Bishop Peter's head
"East Anglia Bishop Peter Bishop Peter Collins' inaugural visit to Our Lady and St Walstan's church in Costessey marked the memorable Confirmation Mass of seven young congregation members, accentuating the spirit of unity and faith within the parish". Story continues.
image: Bishop Peter with seven young congregation members
Bishop Thomas Joseph Brown issued this instruction on mixed marriages as increasing numbers of Catholic-Protestant marriages were taking place in England and Wales. These caused concern to the Catholic clergy, as the Catholic partners may be influenced by their Protestant spouses and eventually abandon their faith.
This instruction provided guidance on how to handle mixed marriages. It emphasised the importance of preserving the Catholic faith in these marriages and urged Catholic partners to do all they could to ensure that their children were raised as Catholics.
The instruction also provided guidance on the proper way to celebrate mixed marriages, emphasizing the importance of obtaining a dispensation from the bishop and requiring the non-Catholic partner to sign a written agreement promising to respect the Catholic faith and to allow the Catholic partner to practice their religion.
Bishop's OfficeNew Ritual is authorised and adopted throughout the diocese. Forms as prescribed by the New Ritual are to be used for registering baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths. Mixed marriages - handling them and ensuring the promises are obtained with regard to children.
p.s Monthly meeting of the Diocesan Chapter will be followed by a general meeting of the clergy. Dinner at 3.