From The Priest in Charge

The Christian faith flowed out of 1 st century Judaism and quickly grew into a group of believers gathering every day, normally early in the morning before work, and especially on Sundays, the day of Resurrection. Contrary to society then, they pooled their resources of homes, food, clothing and wealth to share with anyone who came in need. Following the example of their Lord and master, Jesus of Nazareth, they prayed in homes and public, praising God in preparation for meeting him face to face through death.

Eamon Duffey writes (The Voices Of Morebath) of village life during the English Reformation period, four hundred years ago and says that amongst other things the period changed people from being focussed on the religious life of their parish church to a preoccupation with the secular demands of the Elizabethan state, the equipping of armies and payment of taxes.

With almost two thousand years of history the Church struggles to call people back to the first understanding of a life under God, lived lovingly amongst others. In an age when “dumbing down” seems the norm, the Church has at times thrown the baby out with the bath water; so that many people can't see the point of belonging even if they profess to believe. The Church Of England in particular stands accused of this, which is not always fair since the people who created it simply saw that, in compromise between warring parties Catholic and Protestant, peace could be brought.

In doing so and trying to faithfully live to this ideal, the Church will in the past have got some things wrong, as well as some right. Maybe she has lowered her expectations of people in a fervent desire to reach out to everyone. Figures show (and I appreciate that statistics can be engineered to suit at times) whilst 70% say they count themselves as Christians, less that 8% of our population worship God in a Church on a Sunday and 2% will be in a Church Of England,

In October ( and then on Christmas and Easter Day) the Church Of England will conduct her annual census of worshippers; which suggest that actually she does expect those who call themselves Christians to be in Church sometime on a Sunday, why else do it? Decisions are made on these figures- particularly about the deployment of priests.

The earliest Christians had shopping to get, work to do, people to see and rest to find, so they met together on a Sunday morning to acknowledge God first in their day, week, lives, and then got on with the living and loving. So not much has changed really, except we've forgotten or never been told this first calling, first expectation; to love God (worship Him), love neighbour (reach out to others) and love self (as one who is loved by God and others).

Be counted, and so be able to bless, and count your blessings.

Fr Spicer

‘That they all might be one'

I have been thinking a lot about Christian unity recently. Often at Mass during the intercessions we pray for the unity of all Christians, that all Christians might come together in one communion. So we pray for our own bishops as well as the Holy Father Pope Benedict and the leader of the Orthodox churches the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew. But why should this be of concern to us? Shouldn't we just leave it to General Synod and the ecumenical groups such as ARCIC?

The unity of the all Christians is something that by it's very nature the Church must be committed to. S Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians that ‘There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were all called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.' Since the 1960s the Anglican and Roman catholic Churches have entered into deeper ecumenical dialogue (dialogue has also been entered into with the orthodox churches). On the 22 nd march 1966 Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey committed both churches to ‘a serious dialogue, which founded on the Gospels and on the ancient common traditions may lead to unity in truth for which Christ prayed.' This work has been taken up by several Anglican societies not least the Catholic League and the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (do please let me know if you would like further details about the work of these societies).

Two things, involving this parish, have happened recently that have caused me to rededicate myself to this aim. Firstly in Durham during the Mass on the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of S Cuthbert , the Bishop of Burnley reminded us that S Cuthbert cared deeply about Christian unity. When it came to the question of whether the English church in Northumbria should accept the practice of the church of the West (the Roman Catholic Church) or that of the Celtic church of England he worked to follow the practice of the Roman Catholic Church. He sought to do this as an example of greater Christian unity, that all Christians should follow the example of the See of Peter. Bishop John called on us to follow S Cuthbert 's example and to pray and to work for unity. Secondly in Lourdes , the 500 Anglican's present represented the ecumenical nature of Lourdes . We were welcomed by the Roman catholic clergy and peoples and brother and sister Christians. We were reminded that Mary is the Mother of the Church, the Mother of all Christians

The patron of the Catholic League and the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Mary, Mother of the Church. In 1964 when Pope Paul VI adjourned the Second Vatican Council he proclaimed Mary, Mother of the Church a doctrine which has its roots in the New Testament. This title is very much an ecumenical one as it commemorates the fact that Our Lord from the cross gave into Mary's care the Beloved Disciple (S John) and thus all Christians. Pope Paul's declaration states that:

‘The Catholic Church, endowed with centuries of experience, recognises in devotion to the Blessed Virgin a powerful aid for man as he strives for fulfilment. Mary, the New Woman, stands at the side of Christ, the New man, within whose mystery, the mystery of man alone finds true light; she is given to us as a pledge and guarantee that God's Plan in Christ for the salvation of the whole man has already achieved realization in a creature: in her. Contemplated in the episodes of the Gospels and in the reality, which she already possesses in the City of God , the Blessed Virgin Mary offers a calm vision and a reassuring word to modern man. She shows forth the victory of hope over anguish, of fellowship over solitude, of peace over anxiety, of joy and beauty over boredom and disgust, of eternal vision over earthly ones, of life over death.'

As a Church under the patronage of Our Lady and an ecumenist like S Cuthbert we must work together in all that we do to bring together all Christians. As Pope Paul wrote by taking Our Lady as our example we can come to deepen our Christian life and vocation. That Our Lord's hope that all his followers might one can be realised. In doing this we must pray for it. You might like to light a candle before the statue of the S Cuthbert for the unity of all Christians or perhaps this prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church. Pray for the Holy Father, the Ecumenical Patriarch, our Bishop Martyn and all Christians that they knowing the love our Lord may come together in unity singing as they go ‘ One Church , One Faith, One Lord!'

Prayer to Our Lady, Mother of the Church

Father of mercies your only Son, hanging on the Cross, gave us His Virgin Mother Mary to be our mother also. Under her loving care may her children grow daily in holiness so that all mankind may see in your church the mother of all nations. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. AMEN

Fr Corbett