The Manchester Report, a Personal Reflection.

'Our help is in the name of the Lord'

'Who has made heaven and earth'

As most of you know, I am training to be a Priest in the Church of England. When I originally talked to the Director of Ordinands and the Bishop, I said that I wanted to train non-residentially, an option which is suggested for those over 3o years of age. This was for a number of reasons, including my educational background but after discussion with the then Principal of my course, a two year individual pathway was decided upon and ratified by the University of Leeds and, more importantly, the Archbishop's Council. Now, the other reason that I wanted to do the course which I am on is that it is traditionally dominated by students who waver to the evangelical end of the Church and, indeed, by female ordinands. In this, it reflects that Church of England generally, if we are honest. I have been Catholic with a large C for all of my life and I am firmly convinced of the truth of the Faith which has been held by the Church for two thousand years. My PEV Bishop, quite understandably, was I felt slightly apprehensive about my choosing of this course, the Northern Ordination Course, as it has, as you will have gathered, almost no track record of turning out faithful Anglo Catholic Priests. This is understandable but I felt and still feel, that someone so immersed in the Catholic tradition as I am should be immersed for some time in other traditions of the Church, with people equally as fervent and convinced of their positions as I am.

I have encountered some fascinating and dynamic opinions as well as some which I am convinced are harmful as well but this is not the point. To turn the tables, how am I, a male Anglo Catholic ordinand with my convictions, held in the sights -and the friendship- of my classmates in Manchester, of whom there are nine, all of whom are female? The answer is, unless I am perpetually deluded, with the same respect as everyone else. There were and still are to an extent, a hundred questions a day 'what's purgatory' 'what is heaven like in your opinion' 'what is a maniple for' (I don't know!), but the wonder of it all is that we get along and work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect for I am aware that it is I who is the odd one out and sometimes I wonder what would happen if the tables were turned. But even this is misguided, I am not the 'odd one out', we are all, irrespective of gender or political or ecclesiological views (even the Fresh Expressions people who confuse me) ordinands in the same Church. Grasping this is often hard, for all of us I imagine.

Fine, you may be saying, but we know that you can argue your corner. But I hope not to do so, I hope that I show forth, as we used to say, with my life the truth which I hold so dear. Firmly held and well loved devotion will usually show and it does in all of us. It is difficult sometimes because it is suddenly uncomfortable saying 'women Bishops' this or 'women Priests' that, when such issues come up and I sometimes feel as though it is as socially unacceptable as saying, for example, 'the black Bishops issue', which is regrettable for in truth there is nothing but devotion in my views and my opinions on the ordination of women jar, utterly, with my socialist, liberal political views and my inclusive preaching of the Gospel. As I continually have to explain, I am but obedient to Christ's teachings and I would be glad if they were otherwise, but they are not and this is the way it is. That my fellow students still speak to me is, sometimes, surprising, that they hold me in a clearly valued place in the community is evidence of their faith and is a hope for the future of the Church, for none of us will employ double standards, but all of us are capable of friendship. It is a sadness to me that we will not all be ordained together. It is, as I have always said, my hope that we will work together fruitfully, for the glory of God and the furtherance of His Holy Name, in the future. As many of you are aware, I am not much of a one for concelebration anyway, and I do believe that the future lies in more co operation in Deanery and Diocesan level. The days of saying 'we cannot go there, theres a woman priest' or, members of Watch, 'we cannot speak to them , they are Forward in faith' are, I would hope, drawing to a close.

But the fly in the ointment for all of us, the barrier to this increased unity, is the impending consecration of women (there I go again) to the Episcopate. If we Anglo's are to survive, we need the Sacraments for they are our life and we need them in the way in which Christ administered them. If Saint Augustine teaches us anything, it is that we must be obedient and this, i believe, is all that we are. Obedient to the teachings of Christ as they have been given to us, without deviation or novelty. I hope that the general synod can echo my classmates and decide that this is something to be welcomed, whether it makes any impact or not, because it is held with love for Our Lord and faith in the Church.

I have great hopes and great faith in the Church of England, unlike many of my friends. I would not have begun training now, in this time, unless I did. Quite how we will be nurtured I do not know, but a third province will need an awful lot of money which we are not famous for having and I wonder how many Churches would survive a percentage of their congregation leaving over re-affiliation. The concern will have to be faced as to which group within those who will join us in the new cathedrals will rise to dominance. We may exchange our hard won freedom for an uneasy sacramental alliance with people who, again, do not share our views. Reform anyone?We must also share the same platform as our friends in all of the Church and make our voices heard, and ultimately, we must expand or die and I do not know how a third province would allow for that expansion, for that living tradition to show forth. We are alive, we are not a caricature of gin and old lace, although we have learnt to self-parody in an attempt to have our views heard.

For myself, I look for greater collegiality and I look for a wider outlook for all of us. I hope for an end to bitterness and the stylistic bickering which sometimes threatens to eat away at our wing of the Church. In the end, though, I will be obedient to He who called me here, obedient to his calling and obedient to His word. I am grateful that the Bishop of Manchester and his group echo the microcosm of my course, in understanding and commitment to each other, I only hope the synod will follow suit. I also hope that we Anglo Catholics will rediscover our Socialist roots and begin taking the Gospel to the poor, the dispossesed, the subjugated and violated once more, as we did in the beginning. There is talk of a third province, but there is the reality of a fourth world opening up in our own country, almost invisible, of salad packers, cockle pickers, night cleaners and a whole tribe of people allowing us to live our day to day lives and debate in comfort while they exist alongside us, invisible and downtrodden. The Church needs to encounter these people where they are and offer them our firmly held convictions of love, equality and the redemptive power of Christ. This is to follow Him and this is why I am doing what I am doing, I hope that there are others like me. You may not!

The Church of the Resurrection, Mirfield.

The Sacristy. each priest in the community had their vestments laid out for the morning 'private' Masses here.

The Church from behind the Altar.

Here you can see the Blessed Sacrament chapel with it's hanging Pyx.

From the stalls.

The church and Community House from accross the lawn.

For most Anglo-Catholics, the name 'Mirfield' means just one thing and that is the College of the Resurrection. It is, in fact, for those of ur readership unfamiliar with this Country, a small town in an unattractive part of Yorkshire, near Leeds. There is a road in and a road out and a supermarket. Enough of Mirfield. On top of the hill is the Church of the Resurrection, a monolithic structure, attached to which is the Community of the Resurrection, a monastic order for men as well as a retreat house which is heavily used. The Community also have a retreat house at Hemingford Grey in the south of England. Generations of Anglo Catholics who attended a London University will mourn the passing of their gracious and hospitable house in Covent Garden. The Community also host a Seminary, which is part of the life of the whole campus as well as a resource centre, libraries and other related academic activities. Anyhow, I was staying at the retreat house this weekend for a conference on the relation between modern advances in physics and the Church and I thought I might take some pictures of the inside of the Church for you. On saturday night we joined the Community for the Vigil of the Resurrection which was sung to the background of muffled voices coming from the Lower Church, in the basement of this great building where the Orthodox Parish who use the building were celebrating Easter.

There are also some fine grounds here, but the near incessant rain kept them all but off limits, but I am a fairly frequent visitor so there will be opportunities for such pictures another time.

Quantum Physics.

This weekend I attended a conference on quantum physics and it's relation to the Divine as part of my course. Here is a picture of me and fellow ordinand David looking confused but taking solace in cups of tea and, in my case, yogurt. Goat's Yogurt! I also buttered my toast with goat's butter . Pictures of the Church of the Resurrection follow tomorrow.

St Beuno's; Part Ten. Spring is here.

Daffodils in urn at the bottom of the steps into the formal gardens.



I love this spot, a bench opposite Our Lady in the woods, the floor is covered with the smell of spring, symbolic of re-birth and re-growth.

As the month of May, that of Our Blessed Lady draws ever closer, I leave you with Gerard Manley Hopkins 'Spring'.

NOTHING is so beautiful as spring—
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.—Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

Signed Christopher McGuinness.

St Beuno's; Part Nine; St Agnes Chapel.

St Agnes Chapel.
Curtains pulled back.
Close up of St Agnes with her lamb.
First class relic of the fore-arm of St Winefried.

St Beuno's is an extensive house, with several Chapels, beautiful grounds and facilities. Right from the start of my time there, I was drawn to a darkened room, the smallest of all Chapels, the St Agnes Chapel. Every time, day or night, I visited the Chapel to spend some time there, it was busy and very dark. I think my natural nosyness got the better of me, well I an a nosey Social Worker by trade. I kept on and finally one morning, very early, it was free. I turned the lights up a little so I could see what was in the Chapel. The tabernacle was on a low covered box on the floor along with an icon of the Deisis and a lamp. The backdrop was a pair of red velvet curtains. Now, as I have already eluded, I am naturally nosey and inquisitive so I pulled back the curtains, curious as to why the Chapel was dedicated to St Agnes and I found the most beautiful white marble altar with a painting of St Agnes and a large reliquary of the fore-arm of St Winefried where the tabernacle should have been. I was somewhat saddened by this, and questioned why cover up such a major first-class relic and beautiful altar and put the tabernacle on the floor. Should Our Lord not take the best place of all, on the altar of God. Well, I pulled back the curtain and sat there for some time, gazing at the altar and relic, it is a very spiritual and special place and I started to imagine all the wonderful (Eastward facing) Masses there over the years and it rather saddened me that she is now covered up. I was so moved, I venerated the relic and covered her over again. I returned to the Chapel on the last morning of my retreat, after Spiritual Direction to say my prayers and to thank God for bringing me to such a wonderful place, for his bountiful grace, love and abundant forgiveness and to thank God for the example of St Ignatius of Loyola and for his army of men, the Jesuits. May we too imitate his zeal for the Gospels and love of Our Lord.

To see more about St Winefried, look at the following link http://www.saintwinefrideswell.com/

Let us gain courage for our own battle by honoring the martyrdom of the glorious virgin Agnes. St. Agnes, vessel of honor, flower of unfading fragrance, beloved of the choirs of Angels, you are an example to the worth of virtue and chastity.

O you who wear a Martyr's palm and a virgin's wreath, pray for us that, though unworthy of a special crown, we may have our names written in the list of Saints.

O glorious St. Agnes, you served God in humility and confidence on earth and are now in the enjoyment of His beatific Vision in heaven because you persevered till death and gained the crown of eternal life.

Remember now the dangers that surround us in the vale of tears, and intercede for us in our needs and troubles.
Amen.

Signed: Christopher McGuinness.

The Dominican Church and St Anny's, Krakow.

Saint Anny's.

This monument at St Anny's was the architectural highlight of my journey.

St Anny's pulpit.

The Nave of the Dominican Church.

The High Altar.

A Dominican, who looks suspiciously like Fr Martin SSF from London, sends your scribe packing.

The Dominican's cloister.

A side Chapel, for goodness' sakes!

This is the last post in the Krakow series because you will be sick of pictures of Baroque Churches and I am sick of putting them up! It only remains for me to say that it was a wonderful break but reminded me how much I like dirty, overcrowded, rude England. I am away on a conference this weekend and will post about it when I get back. Pray for Simon who has returned from his selection conference and for Anglican Wanderings reader Craig who was at selection at the same time as Simon, albeit at Shallowford House as opposed to Ely. Pray as well for another Anglican Wanderings reader, Royston, who tells me that his meeting with his Vocations Adviser went well and he will now progress to the next stage of the journey. You may also have noticed that Father Lee is now back on the happy Anglican Wanderings ship which is sailing, of course, in an Easterly direction, as Faith and Culture have since the beginning to the present day. Counter cultural? That depends how well you know your own heritage!

S. Mark and Varia

Procession in S. Mark's Square

tempera on canvas, by Gentile Bellini, 1496

in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Forgive the wanderings here. . .

Today is the Feast of Saint Mark, Apostle and Evangelist and in a couple of hours I will have the privilege of keeping the feast with a Mass in his honour on my favourite weekday for celebrating Mass - Friday. It's the only day when we have a midday Mass and I find it very agreeable. In a recent entry in his excellent blog Liturgical Notes, Father Hunwicke wrote about the value in celebrating Mass at the beginning of the day, preferably before breakfast, and how he hopes this might become the norm for Christians in the future, and I agree with him. But not at present. Since the birth of my second child in 2006 my attendance at 7.30 a.m. Mattins has been, well, fairly non-attendant, and although I have no difficulty in making a physical presence at Mass at 10.00 a.m. on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and 8.00 a.m. on a Sunday, I confess to having great difficulties being 'all there' in another, perhaps more important, sense, even if I'm the celebrant of the Mass. I'm not really a morning person and despite having to be present for Mattins at the College of the Resurrection at 7.00 a.m. each day for three years, no change has occurred. And yet, I live in hope and for the days when the children are older, though I don't think anybody can expect me to celebrate Rorate Masses before dawn in Advent, as is the beautiful custom in parts of southern Germany and elsewhere.

Not for those who like their beauty sleep!

A Rorate Mass in honour of Our Lady

Assumption Grotto, Detroit, Michigan

But I digress. I have S. Mark to celebrate at midday and it's good because as I make my way to church, in cassock, down the busy A666 I meet people in all their busyness and activity and they see me taking time in the middle of the day to go to church. The 12.15 p.m. Friday Mass is also very quiet and provides me with a much-needed opportunity to stop the morning activity and begin, refreshed, the afternoon's. It's a bit like a spiritual siesta, if you like. Well, that's my experience. And on this feast of S. Mark my thoughts turn to S. Mark's, Burnley, now in interregnum, since their Parish Priest, Fr. John Haigh, lost his battle with cancer early last year. It was with great joy that I deaconed for Father Haigh on this day two years ago, on this their Patronal Festival, and recall, with thanksgiving, his support and encouragement for me in the early days of my ministry. Of your charity, please pray for him, his family and for the people and parish of S. Mark's, Burnley.

On a lighter note, I want to catch up on some bookkeeping. At the Bishop of Burnley's Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Blackburn last month, Fr. Edmund Straszak, the Vicar of All Saints, Chorley, asked if I would place a link on AW to his website. Since I no longer have administrator power, perhaps Andrew, in his benevolence, might oblige? Either way, it's worth a mention here. Father Straszak is known to many through his excellent Tufton Tracts, What we do in Church and Why!, a series of six small expositions of basic Catholic practice and belief in matters ritualistic. I have found these invaluable in communicating these truths in Confirmation classes, study groups and the like and are equally as useful for the dyed-in-the-wool Anglo-Catholics as they are for the uninitiated, the ignorant and the downright awkward. Anyway, I digress again. His website is wonderful. There's a video message from Father Straszak (so you can hear and see him move!), and the site also boasts an "interactive prayer area" and a "Paypal button on every page", so that one can support the mission of the parish. There are links to the Church Union, the Shrine of OLW and Forward in Faith, so it's all very sound and very good. Do take a moment.

All Saints, Chorley (consecrated 1957)

Have a happy feast today. I shall return from Mass to enjoy a nice bacon butty, with grateful thanks to S. Mark for relieving me of the Friday abstinence, though I think I'd rather be celebrating in S. Mark's, Venice with some Venetian delicacies!

Fr. Lee Kenyon

Saint Georges Day.

Gothic revival fireplace in my local pub.

The Lady Chapel before Mass.

St Georges day Mass. The chasuble contains, by tradition, the baptismal cloth of Richard, Duke of Aragon, later heavily embroidered by his mother and her chambermaids. It was presented to me by a group of parishoners some time ago, for which I am eternally grateful. It comes out of it's careful storage a couple of times a year.

The terrace at the pub where I had lunch.

The Chapel at Whitewell.

The view from the top of Jeffrey Hill.

Sheep on Jeffrey Hill. There was some wild mint growing so I suppose that they are self-flavouring in a way.

School. Generations of irritating children, myself included, have painted these railings pink the night before leaving the final year, hence their rather battered appearance.

Your scribe reading the Daily Telegraph. The Guardian, my paper of choice, is curiously unavailable in Blackburn Diocese!

The Ribble.

Being my birthday, yesterday was a day off from the usual pattern and the sun shone brightly so I went to the Ribble Valley, where I went to school and, like most boarding school boys, where I like to go back to. That I have found myself living within an hours drive of my old school, when they exist for people who live overseas, generally, is peculiar in itself. After a wander around Clitheroe it was the Inn at Whitewell for lunch and then a walk up Jeffrey hill before heading home for Mass and the pub. Back to usual today happily, the round of life and death, essays and presentations!

It has come to my attention that some find my liturgical views outdated or peculiar and I apologise if they 'wind up' anyone, but be assured that they are born of love, that I am no liturgical stormtrooper and that I am ever flexible. Sometimes it is nice to write about a world where everything is as one would like it, not as it is. I am no liturgy snob, as anyone who knows me will attest.

St Beuno's; Part eight; St Ignatius of Loyola Chapel.

Altar to St Ignatius of Loyola.
Altar to St Ignatius of Loyola. Note the blue pot candle holders on either side of the painting, they are locally made at Anvil Pottery and St Beuno's seem to have many other beautiful items created by the same pottery, see the following web link http://www.anvilpottery.co.uk/

Following my retreat at St Beuno's, I went on a four day break to Krakow. I saw this beautiful statue of St Ignatius outside the Jesuit Church of St Peter and Paul and thought I would include it here. Ignatius is holding the Spiritual Exercises in one hand and what i think is the Holy Spirit in his other hand. Does anyone know otherwise?

During the European Renaissance, at the very beginning of the modern age, Christians were restless to find new kinds of holiness. They wanted saints who, though unworldly in their desires, remained fully in the world and wise in the ways of the world, searching for a spirituality that would combine the ancient Christian mysticism with dedicated and purposeful action on behalf of others in that expanding new world. They were seeking a spirituality with the confidence of this new age, that embraced the beauty and goodness of the world, and trusted the power of thoughtful human enterprise to make good things happen in this world, shaping and reshaping it as best they could under the influence of God’s redemptive love.

For more than 450 years, the spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola, based on his own mystical insights and realisations, and worked out at a deep schematic level in his Spiritual Exercises, has drawn women and men into a deeper intimacy with God and a renewed energy in their service of others. Ignatian spirituality has at its centre the life, the teachings, the death and resurrection of Jesus, acknowledged as the Christ, and invites people to come to know, love, and follow Jesus more wholeheartedly, as Ignatius did. This spirituality teaches us that while we live in a world of much darkness and brokenness, God is passionately involved with all creation, working to bring healing and reconciliation, justice and hope, forgiveness and love to everyone.

Ignatius taught that God could be found at work in every situation, relationship, and experience of human life, in the daily stuff of working, raising children, caring for neighbours, seeking justice in civic life, protecting the earth, and building the human community, as well as in experiences of friendship, of solidarity in a common cause, in times of rejoicing and great happiness, times of sorrow and grieving, and times of loneliness and fear. Ignatius developed, out of his own experience, an original contribution to the practice of spiritual “discernment" in the Catholic tradition, a practice that enables people to understand more clearly God's movement in their hearts and God's purposes for their lives.

St Beuno's, adopts Ignatian spirituality. Through the Exercises and Daily Examen, retreatants find themselves more and more being "contemplative in action," finding God in whatever they do, if they do it with their whole being; finding God in whomever they serve, if they are fully honest and attentive in their service. So too, in the Ignatian heritage, we should seek to find God in friends and colleagues, with affection and gratitude; and in prayer, in song, in solitary thought, in periods of contemplation; and in working together with others for the transformation of the world and the liberation of all women and men from every kind of oppression.

Signed: Christopher McGuinness.

S. George, Martyr & Patron of England

S. George doing what he did best!

This is a bit of a cheeky way to communicate to Andrew, whose birthday is today, many happy returns of the day! If he is at home on Saturday - the only day I have available this week - I shall pop by with his card and birthday present, and then swiftly take off to Heaton Park with the family to ride on the little train, eat ice cream and relax as the children run around the open parkland. Perhaps he will forgive me for not being in Prestwich today?

Tonight, I'm off to deacon a Solemn High Mass in honour of S. George at Fr. Anthony Howe's church, Christ Church, Staincliffe, near Batley in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Do take time to look at their excellent website. I'll have great fun trying to fit five parishioners into my Vauxhall Zafira without any of them getting cramp going across the Pennines. We've all been instructed to bring red roses in order that they may be blessed! I hope to have some photographs from this evening's Mass. This is one from last year, to give you an idea of what sort of a treat is in store for us:

S. George's Day 2007, Christ Church, Staincliffe

Fr. Lee Kenyon

Arley Hall Gardens.

Topiary, as you will gather, is a strong point!

Kitchen gardens.

The Herbarium.

Lunch. Easter Lamb.

Amazing how the hedges grow like this!

The bottom gardens, in times gone by the ladies would run around the pathways giggling, persued by the men.

This is interesting, it looks as though there is a clear run to the parkland and grazing animals but there is a 'ha-ha' about six feet deep at the end of the gardens to give this perspective.

More amazing topiary.

Drive to the Hall.

I love this Victorian wild/tamed juxtaposition, the gates opening onto parkland giving a Pastoral outlook which one is also completely shielded from.

The Hall.

The topiary is a particular feature of the gardens.

This is a ladies tea-hut, in the Edwardian days the Lady of the House would entertain her friends to tea and cakes in this lovely little chalet.

Last Saturday, when I should have been in Burnley, I was being shown some unusual trees by Lord Ashbrook. Honestly, I was. He has beautiful gardens and as I wandered down the grove from the Chapel to the woods, there he was, secateurs in hand so I was able to ask at first hand about the planting of this extraordinary garden and the amazing topiary. I thought you might enjoy looking at the pictures almost as much as I enjoyed seeing the real thing. PS, today being my birthday I am off to the pub later. I had a fine meal last night with my parents at the Millbank in Sowerby Bridge and I will take a couple of pictures of tonight's St Georges Day Mass for you.