Dear Members and friends,
Just a short Pastoral Letter today, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, as I will also be posting a talk I gave this morning to a group of Lutheran clergy here in Norway, on Celtic Christianity.
I am a little bemused sometimes when I see Old Catholic and Independent Catholic churches use the definition of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as one of the reasons why they identify as “Old Catholics”. What might have been an issue back in 1854 surely isn’t still an issue today, when people generally hold doctrines with less certainty that hitherto? ... For me, anyway, it is a non-issue. I love the Miraculous Medal and Our Lady of Lourdes and if Our Lady said “I am the Immaculate Conception” and gave the medal prayer “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” that’s good enough for me. St Catherine Labouré and St Bernadette were great mystics whose personal mystical experiences were affirmed and interpreted by the church in the manner with which we are so familiar, however, it is up to each of us to apprehend the doctrine according to our own lights, and personally whilst I use the traditional language my intuition is that the Immaculate Conception is a Universal truth. Our Spirits always remain pristine, even if our souls arrive in this life with some residual dross. Baptism wipes the karmic slate as clean as that of Our Lady herself, and by her gracious assistance we can hope for some progress towards attaining that pure heart which is so necessary for our eventual reintegration with the Divine Heart.
Since my last Pastoral Letter in June we have celebrated the ordinations to the diaconate of Revd Br Columba OSBA and Revd Br Joseph Lawrence HFC by our dear friend and Associate Member, Bishop Morgan, in Florida. Also in Colombia, we rejoice in the ordinations of Revd Br Juan Carlos OSBA to the diaconate and Revd Fr Agustin PHS to the priesthood as well as the incardinations of Fr Mario Alexander in Columbia and of Fr Beni in California. Also here in Europe we have good news to report, as in October, in Switzerland, I was delighted to elevate the Very Revd Fr Giovanni Pede to the rank of Archpriest and received the Brigidine vows of Sr Hallyson Abigail BHS. It is wonderful to see the Congregation of St Romuald grow with new communities, inspired by diverse monastic charisms; particularly the Patricians of the Holy Spirit in Colombia and the Society of Mariavite Oblates in Mexico. I am so proud of you all and pray the Good Shepherd to guide you in faithfulness to your various vocations. The “New Monastic” model of discipleship has always been very important to our particular jurisdiction and I am glad to see fresh expressions of that general idea continuing to evolve. Happily, our Templar Order and associated groups also continue to attract new members.
In August of this year we launched the Guild of Our Lady of Llanthony, a association of church members and friends who are committed to the ministry of intercessory prayer, and I wish to emphasise that intercessory prayer is a ministry in itself. Those who may not have the opportunity for a more active ministry can still make time to pray and offer Masses for the intentions of the Guild and who knows how much good may be the result. So do join the Guild group if you are interested in joining us in this prayer ministry.
There are a few words about Christmas in the forthcoming article, “The Essence of Celtic Christianity”, so I shall close now, by wishing you all every blessing for the remainder of Advent and a very Merry Christmas!
+Alistair OSBA (csr)
Titular Abbot-Bishop of Glendalough & Primus
Just a short Pastoral Letter today, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, as I will also be posting a talk I gave this morning to a group of Lutheran clergy here in Norway, on Celtic Christianity.
I am a little bemused sometimes when I see Old Catholic and Independent Catholic churches use the definition of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as one of the reasons why they identify as “Old Catholics”. What might have been an issue back in 1854 surely isn’t still an issue today, when people generally hold doctrines with less certainty that hitherto? ... For me, anyway, it is a non-issue. I love the Miraculous Medal and Our Lady of Lourdes and if Our Lady said “I am the Immaculate Conception” and gave the medal prayer “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” that’s good enough for me. St Catherine Labouré and St Bernadette were great mystics whose personal mystical experiences were affirmed and interpreted by the church in the manner with which we are so familiar, however, it is up to each of us to apprehend the doctrine according to our own lights, and personally whilst I use the traditional language my intuition is that the Immaculate Conception is a Universal truth. Our Spirits always remain pristine, even if our souls arrive in this life with some residual dross. Baptism wipes the karmic slate as clean as that of Our Lady herself, and by her gracious assistance we can hope for some progress towards attaining that pure heart which is so necessary for our eventual reintegration with the Divine Heart.
Since my last Pastoral Letter in June we have celebrated the ordinations to the diaconate of Revd Br Columba OSBA and Revd Br Joseph Lawrence HFC by our dear friend and Associate Member, Bishop Morgan, in Florida. Also in Colombia, we rejoice in the ordinations of Revd Br Juan Carlos OSBA to the diaconate and Revd Fr Agustin PHS to the priesthood as well as the incardinations of Fr Mario Alexander in Columbia and of Fr Beni in California. Also here in Europe we have good news to report, as in October, in Switzerland, I was delighted to elevate the Very Revd Fr Giovanni Pede to the rank of Archpriest and received the Brigidine vows of Sr Hallyson Abigail BHS. It is wonderful to see the Congregation of St Romuald grow with new communities, inspired by diverse monastic charisms; particularly the Patricians of the Holy Spirit in Colombia and the Society of Mariavite Oblates in Mexico. I am so proud of you all and pray the Good Shepherd to guide you in faithfulness to your various vocations. The “New Monastic” model of discipleship has always been very important to our particular jurisdiction and I am glad to see fresh expressions of that general idea continuing to evolve. Happily, our Templar Order and associated groups also continue to attract new members.
In August of this year we launched the Guild of Our Lady of Llanthony, a association of church members and friends who are committed to the ministry of intercessory prayer, and I wish to emphasise that intercessory prayer is a ministry in itself. Those who may not have the opportunity for a more active ministry can still make time to pray and offer Masses for the intentions of the Guild and who knows how much good may be the result. So do join the Guild group if you are interested in joining us in this prayer ministry.
There are a few words about Christmas in the forthcoming article, “The Essence of Celtic Christianity”, so I shall close now, by wishing you all every blessing for the remainder of Advent and a very Merry Christmas!
+Alistair OSBA (csr)
Titular Abbot-Bishop of Glendalough & Primus
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