Anglican Catholics & the Future

Fr Peter in his recent Diary asks that

If recent press reports have caused you concern about the future of our parish, or of Anglican Catholics in the C. of E. generally – or if you are just uncertain about timescales (what happens next, & when) ...

please Contact him.  He has announced that he will be holding a series of meetings beginning at the end of February to discuss the issues.

* He also suggests that Fr. John Pitchford’s article in the new edition of ‘Forward Plus’ will be of help.  Copies of this magazine can be picked up at the back of the church, and the article is to be found on page 3.  Fr Peter also urges us to read the front page article, entitled 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place'.

Those unable to pick up a copy from St Peter's can read it on the Forward in Faith website.  A PDF copy of the magazine can be downloaded by clicking the image on the left.

[Historical note for Devizes and St Peter's.  Page 11 of the magazine has a biography of E. B. Pusey - 'Saintly Scholar and Pioneer of Christian Unity' in the series 'They Were Giants In The Land'.  The Liberal MP and owner of Broadleas, William Ewart, was a lifelong friend of Pusey, having been at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford at the same time.  William Ewart has a window in our Sanctuary dedicated to him. On our History page there are some notes on Ewart, including an extract from a letter that Pusey wrote to him in 1862 (when he was leader of the Oxford Movement) in which he expresses the concern that he shared for the poor. The article in this magazine shows how Pusey practised this concern in deeds as well as words, fasting to provide schools and colleges for them, including the Salisbury Theological College.]

*A further document which Fr. Peter thinks will be of help, and one which has impressed those in the congregation who have already studied it, is the leaflet 'Two New Ways' written by Rev Dr Richard Harper, Vicar of St Paul's, Weymouth.  In this leaflet Fr Richard gives a clear and succinct presentation of the two paths open to Anglo-Catholics - what we know about them so far and how they might develop - these paths being:

    1.  The provisions offered by the C of E General Synod Revision Committee
    2. The Apostolic Constitution  offered by the Vatican

Copies of the leaflet are available at the back of the church.  For those unable to visit St Peter's to obtain a copy, a PDF version of the text may be downloaded by clicking the image on the left.

* Please note - Father Peter asks that before March 5th 12th [see Dates for your Diary below] we make sure that we "have read Fr. Richard Harper’s leaflet ‘Two New Ways’ & Fr. John Pitchfords’s article (on page 3 of Forward Plus) entitled ‘Our Voice has been Heard’ as well as the two press releases on page 1".

 In his December 2009 Pastoral Letter Bishop Andrew begins by talking about the expressions of ecumenism that have occurred over the past year - the planned papal visit in 2010, Cardinal Newman's beatification and the visit of the relics of St Thérèse to England.  Then there was on 20th October the publication of an Apostolic Constitution.

Now he says is "not the time for big decisions" on the Constitution, rather there should now be "time of quiet prayer and discernment".  There will be a number of practical issues to resolve.  Father Peter has displayed Bishop Andrew's Letter in the church porch.  For those unable to read it there, it can be found on Bishop Andrews website, together with more for further study, including the whole Constitution document and the thoughts of John Henry Newman on joining "the one true fold of the Redeemer".   The Letter may also be downloaded by clicking the image on the left.

Note that Bishop Andrew suggests 22nd February, the day of the meeting of Council of Priests, "as a very appropriate day for priests and people to make an initial decision as to whether they wish to respond positively to the Apostolic Constitution".