Tuesday, March 28, 2017

So what is the Provisional Mission of St Anselm and St Odile?


I am grateful to Bishop Damien Mead for putting a link to my potential new Mission in Sheffield on the Anglican Catholic Church website. It is very much in the planning stage as I am not yet even properly settled in the area. Yet, I do have plans, ideas, and thoughts for the Mission that are worth considering and airing, and, for once, I wouldn't mind this post being shared so that people who are interested in building the Anglican Catholic Church in Sheffield may know that there is something in the pipeline.

First thoughts:

  1. Following the patronage of St Anselm and St Odile, I would like the Mission Statement to be

    Oculos nostros ad Jesum firmando, intellectum quaeramus.


    which (I hope) means

    "By fixing our eyes upon Jesus, let us seek understanding".

    I hope that this will set the character of the Mission, but also clarify my own vocation of seeking the Truth and helping others in their search for it. The Truth is Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the full, Catholic revelation of this Truth can be found in Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Primitive Church.

  2. The picture above shows my ideal for an oratory for the Mission. It's a working ideal and liable to change as reality hits. If we can find a building for this purpose, it will need fixtures and fittings. It will take a while for this to happen, but it is worth having a goal to work towards. It would also be wonderful if, for once, I could walk to my own Church!

  3. The Liturgy will be The English Missal with any Offices from the Monastic Diurnal.

    If we can get music, then the hymn book will be the (old) English Hymnal. When we have the facilities, Benediction will occur monthly. Also, during the month we will have focussed prayer for healing, prayer for the Church, and prayer for the Nation.

  4. It would be an important goal to set up a weekly study session for studying the Bible and the Fathers and other aspects of the Catholic Faith.

  5. If we have a weekly collection, the proceeds of one Sunday collection in the month will be given to an appropriate charity. The remainder will go to the upkeep of the Mission.

  6. We resolutely intend to foster cordial and truly charitable relations with all Christians in the community and look to promote generosity and cheerful dialogue, but following firmly the Anglican Catholic Statement of Unity. We cannot compromise our Catholic Faith, nor can we be dismissive of the Christian intentions of others who do not share it. We hope to walk together as far as we can, but we cannot deny that our differences will mean that this walk will only go so far.

Of course, all this is conjecture, idea, and insubstantial. It is all pie in the sky! My own situation is rather restricted and I have my own family commitments which I am delightfully called to honour. Yet it is for the growth and intention of this Mission that I humbly and earnestly pray God will bring into fruition. God's will first, so I cheerfully expect that I will have to alter my thinking. It may be that all this comes to absolutely nothing. If so, let it be - come, Lord Jesus. I petition the prayers of St Anselm and St Odile that this Mission will happen for the sole purposes of God's glory and the distribution of His grace. I beg your prayers too, and comments. If it is worthy, any help promoting this venture would be welcome.

2 comments:

Fr Anthony said...

My advice to you for your chapel: keep it uncluttered. The drawing looks nice and I applaud you for having inward-facing stalls like a collegiate chapel. I am taking an altar to Bishop Damien's house, made of plywood and surplus to my needs. You could ask him for it or ask to borrow it. When / if you find a building or a room, I'll help you design something so that someone who is a handyman can fit in the furnishings.

Warwickensis said...

Thank you, Father, for this. I agree that things need to be uncluttered. I hope to keep it simple as is befitting. Believe me, I have no intention of becoming another Brian Brindley!

It's going to take a long time, I think, unless He has other ideas.