Okay, so I'm a new Catholic, what's the big deal, what's the difference?
Well, rather than banging on about doctrines and stuff from books which you will either agree with or disagree with I'll mention feelings and impressions that I have sensed.
The biggest has been that sense of unity with the greater church. Too be one in an incredibly tangible way with, yes the pope and the world wide Catholic church is wonderful, but there is more than that for there are also those saints who have gone before us. Now not wishing to sound too 'touchy feely' (which if you know me, then you know that that is one thing that I am not), but during my first catholic communion I had a massive sense of S Thomas More being right there with me.
A Catholic friend of mine mentioned that once I was a part of the Catholic Church that everything would seem so much bigger. He was right.
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Hello...
So hello to my blog.
First, what is this all about?
Well these things often take on something like a life of their own, but my idea is that it will be something of a spiritual journal as I grow into the Catholic faith.
Back in 1990 I was ordained into the Church of England and for twenty four years I have served in four different parishes with a modest degree of success. As an Anglican I was a fairly down to earth relaxed Anglo-Catholic, and so the more extreme sort of Anglo-Catholic churches did not really appeal. Thus most of my ministry has been in rural 'broad church' parishes.
However, as a 'catholic' anglican there is always a tension. And that is how to be both a genuine anglican while being in theology and worship a catholic. Added to this there was always (at least for this chap) the sense that one could only really and truly be a catholic if one was really in the Catholic Church and thus in full communion with the successor of S. Peter, that is, the Pope.
The turning point was when Pope Benedict XVI enabled the Ordinariates to be set up. This was something that all Anglo-Catholics had hoped for. Here was the opportunity to undo the reformation. I was tempted to convert there and then, but with wife and four children it seemed wise to be a bit circumspect. So I watched, and then in August 2014 we decided as a family to convert. Now, at the beginning of December we have all been received and things are beginning to take on a really different perspective.
First, what is this all about?
Well these things often take on something like a life of their own, but my idea is that it will be something of a spiritual journal as I grow into the Catholic faith.
Back in 1990 I was ordained into the Church of England and for twenty four years I have served in four different parishes with a modest degree of success. As an Anglican I was a fairly down to earth relaxed Anglo-Catholic, and so the more extreme sort of Anglo-Catholic churches did not really appeal. Thus most of my ministry has been in rural 'broad church' parishes.
However, as a 'catholic' anglican there is always a tension. And that is how to be both a genuine anglican while being in theology and worship a catholic. Added to this there was always (at least for this chap) the sense that one could only really and truly be a catholic if one was really in the Catholic Church and thus in full communion with the successor of S. Peter, that is, the Pope.
The turning point was when Pope Benedict XVI enabled the Ordinariates to be set up. This was something that all Anglo-Catholics had hoped for. Here was the opportunity to undo the reformation. I was tempted to convert there and then, but with wife and four children it seemed wise to be a bit circumspect. So I watched, and then in August 2014 we decided as a family to convert. Now, at the beginning of December we have all been received and things are beginning to take on a really different perspective.
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