Ebbsfleet to Fulham in Sixteen Months!!

It has been announced this morning from 10 Downing Street that the Chairman of Forward in Faith, Bishop Jonathan Baker, is to be the next suffragan Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London. He will be translated from the suffragan See of Ebbsfleet, which he has held since his episcopal ordination in June 2011.

Bishop Jonathan said, ‘I am delighted to be taking up this new post, though of course very sorry to be leaving the priests and people of the Ebbsfleet parishes after such a relatively short time as their bishop. I am looking forward enormously to leading the Fulham parishes and to playing my part in the mission of the church in London across the Diocese.

I am assured that the process of appointing a new Bishop of Ebbsfleet is already underway, and so in due course I am confident that my move will lead to a strengthening of the team of catholic bishops in the Church of England at this critical time.

After having spent the whole of my ministry thus far in the Diocese of Oxford, it will be very good to be living and working in the heart of London for, having grown up in the capital, it will represent something of a homecoming for me.

I will, of course, continue to serve as Chairman of Forward in Faith.’

FiF Secretary Fr Ross Northing, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Ebbsfleet Council of Priests, added:  ‘Whilst we are naturally sad to be losing Bishop Jonathan from the Ebbsfleet area so soon, we nevertheless rejoice that he has been given this wonderful opportunity to minister to our brothers and sisters in the Fulham area.  He will leave Oxford with our prayers and very best wishes.’

Bishop Mark Davies - Pastoral letter to mark the opening of the Year of Faith

My dear brothers and sisters,
Anniversaries serve as milestones along the path of life, dates which remind us of the great gifts of God. On Thursday the Catholic Church celebrates the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Catechism of the Catholic Church as one of the greatest fruits (cf Porta Fidei n. 11) of the Council.  We will be marking these anniversaries with a mid-day Mass at Shrewsbury Cathedral to which all are welcome. Pope Benedict, however, invites us to keep these two anniversaries not for a single day, but for an entire year. The Holy Father has called us to celebrate, a “Year of Faith” beginning on 11^th October this year and ending on the Solemnity of Christ the King next year. This is not meant to be an exercise in nostalgia but an opportunity, in Pope Benedict’s words “to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith” (Porta Fidei n. 4).
I am conscious that whenever I mention the Second Vatican Council, a significant part of every congregation is too young to remember this event of the early 1960s. It is, of course, difficult to encompass in a few words so vast an undertaking which gathered all the bishops of the world with the Pope in continuous prayer and meetings across the course of more than three years. And it is important that we do not confuse such a Council with the politics of a “church parliament” or with the short-lived optimism of a past decade. Pope John, now Blessed John XXIII, made clear that he had a lasting purpose in calling this Council: he desired above all that the assembled bishops would find ways of both guarding the truths of our faith, and teaching them more effectively amid the rapidly changing circumstances of our time.
Blessed John urged the bishops not to listen to “prophets of doom” who saw little hope for the Church’s mission in the contemporary world. He expressed the hope that the Council would be a new Pentecost, and confirm us all in faith and encourage us in our mission in the world. At the beginning of Advent, I will circulate a prayer card of Blessed John XXIII’s own prayer for the Council which beautifully expressed this hope: “O Holy Spirit, renew in our days your miracles as of a second Pentecost, “ Pope John prayed, “and grant that Holy Church, reunited in one prayer, more fervent than before, around Mary the Mother of Jesus, and under the leadership of Peter, may extend the kingdom of the Divine Saviour, a kingdom of truth, justice, love and peace. Amen” (Prayer of Pope John XXIII for the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council).
We can understand why Pope Benedict invites us to celebrate this anniversary of the Council’s opening by “rediscovering the joy of believing and enthusiasm in communicating the faith” (Porta Fidei 7). This is certainly what Blessed John XXIII and the bishops gathered in council desired. I hope this year will be an opportunity to open anew the Catechism of the Catholic Church; in it we find the riches of the Council’s teaching and of the Catholic teaching of all time. We must know our Catholic faith if we are to be able to enter into dialogue with our contemporaries on an increasing range of questions. To take one example: the Scriptures speak this Sunday of marriage in the Creator’s plan “from the beginning,” and we are reminded how even the identity of marriage has become a contentious issue in our society today. The Catechism of the Catholic Church together with its Compendium and the recently published Youth Catechism (YouCat) will surely help us address the many issues of our time and to give a clear, confident witness to the beauty of the truth. So this year we will look at new ways of opening up the Catechism. On the diocesan website a programme will be offered for each Sunday of the Year of Faith which can also form the basis for homilies or parish reflection.
I have also asked parishes to look at new ways of giving public witness to our faith during the course of this Year.  The experience of Pope Benedict’s visit to our country continues to encourage us to give such public witness at a moment when faith is often being relegated from the public domain. I am very conscious, however, that the most important witness is already being given in your daily lives. May this year – marking the anniversaries of both Council and Catechism – help us in Pope Benedict’s words: “to profess the faith in fullness and with a renewed conviction” (Porta Fidei n.9).
With the assurance of my prayer for you,
+ Mark
Bishop of Shrewsbury

Blessed John Henry Newman - Patron of the Ordinariate of OLW

"From the time that I became a Catholic, of course I have no further history of my religious opinions to narrate. In saying this, I do not mean to say that my mind has been idle, or that I have given up thinking on theological subjects; but that I have had no variations to record, and have had no anxiety of heart whatever. I have been in perfect peace and contentment; I never have had one doubt. Iwas not conscious to myself, on my conversion, of any change, intellectual or moral, wrought in my mind. I was not conscious of firmer faith in the fundamental truths of Revelation, or of more self-command; I had not more fervour; but it was like coming into port after a rough sea; and my happiness on that score remains to this day without interruption". Bl. John Henry Newman. (Photo: Marcin Mazur)

Bishop Egan on the dangers of multiculturalism and secularism

Bishop Philip Egan, the new Bishop of Portsmouth, has given a frank, outspoken interview to Vatican Radio in which he discusses the threat multiculturalism and secularism pose to our freedom of religion:
‘Our Christian Faith is essentially public and it does seek to influence and build a culture based on the revelation of Christ and natural law that is written into the human heart. And the role of religion in culture, and I thinks its one of its key roles really is to support natural law, things that are naturally true and good for the human person.
Of course living in a very pluralist and multi-ethnic culture there is a danger in our Western societies and the secularist agendas there to drive religion out of the public domain, to take it out of all public discourse and in the process of that they obliterate the Christian traditions on which our British cultures are actually based. These deprive us of our ability to express our religion in the public domain.
My concern is that the people who are making very important decisions about they way we live are doing that without the support of the faith traditions which can give us a clear view on what is true and good and loving for human beings to flourish, as a result they restrict our freedoms and begin to control us, ultimately leading to this relativistic – or what some term ‘politically-correct’ – world, which is actually destructive of human freedom in the long run, rather than liberating people. This is going to be for all Catholics and all Christians in Western societies an ongoing issue over the next decades”.
Bishop Egan also discussed the importance of the Year of Faith:
‘“I think the Year of Faith is a brilliant initiative from the Holy Father and it coincides of course for me with the beginning of my Episcopal ministry. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us all to deepen our faith because faith is really the most precious gift. Faith is very much today’s issue, particularly in Western countries. The question of faith, the meaning of life, the existence of God, the relationship between science and religion. I would really like to gently, in my first pastoral, ask people to do a number things: I’d like them to think about the Creed over the next twelve months and especially I want to encourage people to witness”.
Witness, according to Bishop Egan begins with the small things: “I’ve made a few suggestions, for example; why not wear a crucifix or a religious symbol? Or perhaps when you are out for a meal, make the sign of the Cross before you begin; or even simple things like saying, ‘Thank God’, when someone tells you good news. These can be very gentle forms of publically witnessing to our Christian faith”.
“I think the Year of Faith is a brilliant initiative from the Holy Father and it coincides of course for me with the beginning of my Episcopal ministry. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us all to deepen our faith because faith is really the most precious gift. Faith is very much today’s issue, particularly in Western countries. The question of faith, the meaning of life, the existence of God, the relationship between science and religion. I would really like to gently, in my first pastoral, ask people to do a number things: I’d like them to think about the Creed over the next twelve months and especially I want to encourage people to witness”.
Witness, according to Bishop Egan begins with the small things: “I’ve made a few suggestions, for example; why not wear a crucifix or a religious symbol? Or perhaps when you are out for a meal, make the sign of the Cross before you begin; or even simple things like saying, ‘Thank God’, when someone tells you good news. These can be very gentle forms of publically witnessing to our Christian faith”.
Protect the Pope comment: Protect the Pope can’t remember the last time an English bishop had the courage to challenge the tyranny of PC multiculturalism.  (Note, this is not a criticism of true multiculturalism, but criticism of the liberal ideology that has latched into it).  For decades the Bishops Conference has been an uncritical exponent of PC multiculturalism, and its inherent tendency to syncretism, especially its development agency, CAFOD.
Bishop Egan is already living up to the hopes so many faithful Catholics have placed in him, and its only a week since his consecration. On this feast of the Guardian Angels let us pray for the angelic support of Bishop Egan, Bishop Davies, Bishop Campbell and all the English bishops in true communion with Pope Benedict XVI.
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2012/10/01/from_mary’s_dowry_a_gentle_new_evangelization/en1-625949

Year of Faith 2012-2013

There is a battle going on, and the battle is not against mere flesh and blood!

The battle is for the soul of the Western world which is becoming increasingly indifferent or even hostile to Christ and his Church.

The educational establishment and the media have been the most effective means used by the other side to draw people away from the Lord.

Therefore Vatican II and all Popes since have commanded us to make use of Education and Mass Media in the New Evangelization, the re-evangelization of the West.

In Shrewsbury Diocese Bishop Mark Davies will open the Year of Faith with a Mass in Shrewsbury Cathedral at 12.00 noon on Thursday 11th October 2012.  Do come!