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Advent 2016 - Pastoral Letter

12/4/2016

Dear brethren, sisters and friends

It is that time of year again when I like to send you a few words of encouragement for Christmas and New Year. What a year it has been!

We have seen several wars and terrorist atrocities, the decimation of our fellow Christians in the Middle East and parts of Africa, as well as a great political shift, with more to follow next year no doubt, but in the church thankfully things remain much the same. As the Carthusians say, “Stat Crux, Dum Volvitur Orbis”, the Cross stands still whilst the world revolves. Thank the Lord for that still space at the centre of our lives where we daily meet the crucified and risen Lord in the Sacrament of His Love.

As we are in Advent, and as I write this, naturally our heads are full of the Advent theme of "Emmanuel", “God-with-us”, which set me to thinking about the various ways in which God is with us.

First of all, He with us in the poor and marginalised of the world. As a Benedictine hermit in rural Switzerland I do not have much occasion to serve the poor directly, but I am full of admiration for our brothers and sisters who do serve the poor and marginalised. Particularly I am thankful for our Hermits of St Francis and St Clare (csr), an order founded in our church just last Spring, members of which are engaged in service to the most needy, particularly in Brazil and in the Phillippines. We are so proud of you!

Secondly, Emmanuel is with us in our relationships, in the sacramental bond between partners and spouses and in our life together as a community and as a church.

Thirdly, Emmanuel is with us in and through His Creation. He is Lord of the Elements and his presence infuses the whole universe for those who have eyes to see. This is the macrocosmic dimension of God’s presence and for us, as for the Celtic saints of old, God’s presence in creation is a constant source of wonder and praise.

And finally, God is with us, most fully and miraculously in the Holy Eucharist. In this Sacrament, both His Divinity and His Humanity may be hidden yet pure Love may still be discerned in every consecrated Host. As dear St Alphonsus reminds us, “What heavy expense, what dangerous hazards some people willingly face to travel to the Holy Land! They want to visit the places where Christ was born, where he suffered, where he died. We need not travel so far nor face such hazards to be near him. The same Saviour lives in the tabernacle of our nearby church. These pilgrims consider it a great privilege to carry away a little dust from the cave where he was born or from the tomb where he was buried. But think of our privilege: not just a remembrance of his life but the reality of his presence!”

In the Holy Celtic Church, as we generally worship in our cells and oratories rather than church buildings we have an even greater privilege in being able to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in our homes. Jesus is our familiar friend, ever at hand to comfort, strengthen and inspire us. May we never take this extraordinary miracle and privilege for granted, but rather take every opportunity to become true Apostles of the Eucharist either as contemplatives who hold the needs of the church and world in our hearts or as active workers who serve with our hands, or perhaps a bit of both, as I am sure that there is a little bit of both Martha and Mary in all of us.

Whatever our calling, the grace to fulfil it is there for the asking, but let us be mindful that just as the supreme grace of the Incarnation came through the Mother of God, so all graces pass through Mary’s hands. She is the Mother of Divine Grace and no grace that is timely and for our good will ever be withheld.

As we approach 2017, I pray for two graces in particular for our church. Firstly, I pray for the grace of stability. Thankfully the church and various orders are growing, but sadly many people pass through our doors and fail to settle. So may we all, and most especially those of us who have made a vow of Stability, pray for the grace of perseverence when the going gets tough. Secondly, I pray for zealous devotion - in particular, I pray that as a church we may be conspicuous for our devotion to Our Lady and the Blessed Sacrament for these are the marks of true Catholicism and the divinely ordained means by which Our Lord intends to save the world.

Wishing you all a blessed Advent, a very Merry Christmas and a bright and joyful New Year.

Ad Jesu per Mariam,

+Alistair OSBA (csr)
Abbot & Primus

When does "Celtic" cease to be Celtic?

12/1/2016

When does "Celtic" cease to be Celtic? ....
Some thoughts on cultural appropriation and interpretation of our tradition.
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

There is no doubt about it, “Celtic” is still "in", not just among neo-pagans but also among liberal Christians, particularly in North America. We rejoice in this, but we also have certain misgivings.

The Celtic Christian tradition is not a monolithic oak but rather, it more resembles a pliant willow. It is flexible and will bend with ease in one direction or another. In the Holy Celtic Church we mainly lean in a Liberal/Old Catholic direction, whilst others bend towards Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism or even Protestant evangelicalism, however, bend the branch too much and it will break. Being ”Celtic” is not whatever you want it to be.

The above meme, appearing recently on a facebook group which claims to present the Celtic Christian tradition is a good example of the kind of bending-to-breaking-point to which I refer. The quote is from Lori Deschene, who is the founder of "Tiny Buddha: Simple Wisdom for Complex Lives" (in California ...wouldn't you know). ... Leaving aside the laudable sentiments expressed in the quote for the moment, one may well ask, "What is "Celtic" about this?" ....Well, I'll tell you .... precisely nothing! Sticking a bit of Book of Kells illumination, knot work or a Celtic Cross on your favourite quote does NOT make it Celtic.

One may argue that the sentiments expressed in some of these random quotes is consistent with Celtic spirituality .... Well, that may or may not be the case. If in doubt, check the source and if it is consistent with the teaching and example of the Celtic saints themselves, rather than by what the Christian equivalent of Llewellyn Publications considers to be Celtic.

One may also ask, "Well, what is a primary source? Surely the Celtic Christian tradition is a living tradition and not a museum piece?" This is a good point and there is no easy answer, however, my personal response would be that whilst ancestry counts for something, particularly if there is a living oral tradition of stories from "the old country" within a family, there is really no substitute for being immersed in the ambiance of a Celtic country, preferably for some length of time, because the spirituality is inextricably linked to the Land and it is those who connect to the Land in some tangible way who are best qualified to interpret the tradition. The great Irish philospher/poet, John O'Donoghue is a good example of someone who used a minimum of primary source material in his works, yet because of his total immersion in Gaelic culture was able to articulate Celtic spirituality in an entirely original way, yet completely true to the tradition at the same time. This is a rare gift.

The Celtic monks of old were definitely not ethno-centric. They were zealous missionaries who evangelised much of northern and central Europe. They were also good Catholics. Following their example, we ought to be outward looking, ever ready to share the riches of Celtic spirituality, but at the same time we ought to be careful of cultural misappropriation and bending the tradition to fit our personal agenda.

The Future of Christian Europe

12/1/2016

Some post Brexit thoughts on the future of Christian Europe
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA,
July 2016

As we approach the Feast of St Benedict, Patron of Europe, (11th July) it appears to many of us that Europe itself is fast approaching a crossroads of such magnitude that the choices her people make over the next few decades will determine whether she survives in a form recognizable to our founding fathers. It is my firm belief that Christianity in some form is essential to Europe’s survival, whether it be a nominal but firm Christian identity or a revival of Christian spirituality and church, or both, albeit in new forms. My hope is that the continent may rediscover its Christian roots and this in turn may lead to a return to spiritual practice. But is it a vain hope, one may well ask?

Undoubtedly, had Christianity continued as a persecuted house church movement in the fourth century, rather than ascend to greatness as the official state religion of the Roman Empire, it would have gone the way of many other pious fraternities in the ancient world, but thanks to Divine Providence, St Constantine was inspired to adopt it, and the rest as they say, is history. So, unlike many modern commentators I do feel that Christianity today requires the support of the secular arm in order to maintain a society based on liberal Christian values. On the other hand, state-sponsored churches on their own ultimately fail - the Church of England and even more so the state churches of Scandinavia, are classic examples - because they lack the spiritual power houses provided by those individuals completely dedicated to the spiritual quest. Those power houses - the monasteries - when the Roman Empire started to crumble, kept the flame of civilisation alight until the great flowering of Christian Europe in the Middle Ages. So today, we need both a clear Christian identity and a flowering of traditional mystical devotion to revive our vision of Christendom and save us from the twin evils of secular materialism and multiculturalism, which are merely clearing a path for islamisation and all its accompanying barbarities. We have no problem with those who follow the pre-Christian indigenous religions, or with those whose heritage is Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh, as by and large their views are compatible with liberal democracy, but unfortunately, the plain truth is actually that “multiculturalism in Europe is the mosque standing on the ruins of the church.”(Gatestone Institute)

Church now a Mosque in Margate, England

The political elites know this, but because they’ve been bought off by rich Arabs, or because of some misguided sense of guilt for “colonialism” or just because they’ve no knowledge of history they are ready and willing to sacrifice what's left of our European Christian identity, often not realising that they are sacrificing our liberal values and freedoms along with it. Even the imposter presently occupying the chair of St Peter has sold out, saying, “When I hear talk of the Christian roots of Europe, I sometimes dread the tone, which can seem triumphalist or even vengeful. It then takes on colonialist overtones.” He would prefer to wash the feet of cultural jihadis and do nothing to prevent Christian genocide in the Middle East. ... Thankfully, however, other voices are beginning to be heard. Andrea Leadsom, a committed Christian, has put her name forward in the UK to be the Prime Minister who will preside over Brexit, though unfortunately she is also a homophobic Christian fundamentalist, which is certainly not ideal. Marine Le Pen in France, Norbert Hofer in Austria, Oskar Freysinger in Switzerland and of couse Geert Wilders in Holland are all politicians who are gradually gaining popular support and who also have the potential to help maintain and revive the identity of Christian Europe. In North America and Australia too, both facing some similar problems, a new anti-globalist political vision is beginning to take root. One thing is clear though, if we believe in a Christian Europe at all we must seek political allies because there is no point looking to any of the mainstream churches for support, as on the whole they have completely abandoned the idea of Christendom and are either ignorant, in denial or oblivious of their own impending extinction.

Ten years ago, the Pope bearing the name of St Benedict, who passionately believed in the re-evangelisation of Europe, gave us a warning in his famous Regensburg address when he quoted Emperor Manuel Palaiologos II of Constantinople: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” And of course he was vilified by the political and religious establishment for his honesty, but he was right, and many are now waking up to the fact that time is now short. We indigenous Europeans need to stop Muslim immigration, start having babies and start going back to church, otherwise the jihad which our ancestors so vigorously resisted will have been welcomed in through the back door and our liberal Christian faith and values will be lost forever. Actually, it isn't even necessary that everybody "go back to church", because the Christian Europe I envisage is simply one which acknowledges that its liberal values and freedoms have grown in Christian soil. It is the ignorance of "progressive" church leaders and post-Christian politicians who assume that all religions are as benign as our own that is incredibly dangerous for the survival of our culture.

Protestantism unwittingly paved the way for the “Enlightenment” which in turn has led us down a garden path of blissful multiculturalist ignorance and today even the Roman hierarchy has little understanding of the need for extreme caution when dealing with Islam, so it will be left to those ordinary people who instinctively understand history and sense the danger, as well as an occasional ecclesiastical voice, such as our own, to raise the alarm and take the cross once more in defence of Christendom. Awareness raising is a thankless task, but if we do not do it who will? It is some comfort to know that we may be assured of the prayers of our ancestors and the saints: St Benedict, Patron of Europe; his spiritual son St Bernard, the Holy Templars and other Knights, and many more who worked and fought to keep Europe Christian through the centuries.

So, with the Rosary and the Medal of St Benedict as our weapons let us go forth and win hearts and minds, one by one. Our Lady of Victories and St Benedict pray for us!

Mission of the Holy Celtic Church - Feb. 2016

12/1/2016

Some thoughts on the Mission of the
Holy Celtic Church ....... Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

Traditionally the churches takes their impetus to mission from the Gospel verse “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” and it is fair to assume that this applies to all churches. Perhaps indeed members of mainstream denominations might look at some of us in the Independent movement and accuse us of a lack of interest in this apparently essential aspect of Christianity. However, it may be useful to unpack and explore that basic assumption.

The world has seen two millenia of Christian expansion from its homeland in the Middle East, to Europe, the New World and now throughout the globe, making it the biggest and most successful religion by a long way. Perhaps more importantly, Christian ethics spear-headed and informed the development of humanism and our western liberal humanistic values, laws and lifestyle which are so precious to us all. Perhaps too, this is a fact that many secular humanists forget, which is hardly suprising as the majority of mainstream churches; Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Evangelical now appear to be a retrograde force fighting against human rights rather than for them. I will resist at this point cataloguing their short-comings, but some of the inhuman, unwise and counter-cultural policies of these churches should be apparent to any liberal reader of this article.

Europe, the heartland of Christendom, is now largely faithless, and the rest of the developed world is not far behind. In fact it may not be an exageration to say that Christianity, in the "west" or "global north", appears to be a spent force. Among the few Catholic priests left it becomes more and more common to see faces from the developing world, which is the churches’ new heartland, but these priests mainly minister to the elderly and it is almost certain that there will be little call for their services within a couple of decades at most. Attempting to teach the younger generations of educated Europeans from within institutional Christianity is an utter waste of time, if what one is doing is merely affirming the necessity for intellectual assent to an unlikely set of propositions. The German liberal theologians of the 19th and 20th centuries recognised the need for a rational interpretation of Christianity and the late twentieth century has also seen the popularity of honest-to-God theologians like John Robinson, John Spong, Marcus Borg, Lloyd Geering and Richard Holloway. Marvellous. They did a great job of dismantling the superstition from the essential, however, what is left is often a valley of dry bones, with little more appeal to the spiritually dormant than the dogmatic certitudes the theologians so elegantly dismantled. Their kind of liberal theology is rather like nouvelle cuisine. It looks quite appetising and tastes quite nice but it leaves you unsatisfied and hungry for something more!

The “New Age", likewise, a sign of hope for some kind of spirituality, gathered momentum from the 70s but these days it doesn’t really appear to be going anywhere very fast. Neo-paganism, on the other hand, though a comparitively small new religious movement is perhaps a little more healthy, partly due no doubt to the pressing need for a spirituality that is ecologically responsible and motivated.

A Celtic missionary monk preaching

We in the Holy Celtic Church and kindred churches fill a unique niche in endeavouring to combine rational interpretation of the tradition with a strong orientation towards personal mysticism, however, our occupation of this niche does not necessarily mean that we will have any role to play in any possible resurgence of Christianity, in fact I can’t help feeling that the opposite is more likely. Undoubtedly we shall be considered as passé and irrelevant as all the other churches, despite the treasures we would wish to share with the masses. Never was the proverb more true, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” All we can do is be faithful to our own calling and hope that God will bring to harvest whatever seeds we manage to plant.

During the second half of the 20th century the response of Rome and Canterbury to a changing world and the incoming tide of secularisation was to try and modernise, which meant in fact that the the liturgy was butchered, teaching reduced to a few mild moral exhortations and all sense of mystery erased. Certainly great improvements have also been made in recent decades in that the churches are more hospitable and less dysfunctional on a human level, but whether they can serve spiritual food above the level of microwave dinners is very debatable. Many of the religious/monastic communities can and do, but the majority of people do not feel able to access this tradition for one reason or another, hence the comparitive success of “New Monasticism”, an attempt to participate in monastic spirituality without theunnecessarily hard labour.

So, given the state of Christianity in the developed world, what of our specific mission as the Holy Celtic Church?
Here are a few points for your consideration.
Our mission is:

To preserve, maintain and pass on intact the Liberal Catholic liturgical tradition, the liturgy itself being the vehicle by which a great wealth of good theology and spirituality may be communicated.
To present a Celtic Church community which is at once true to the basic sacramental structure of the original Celtic churches but more theologically open and insightful, as well as, better adapted to the amenities of modernity.
To interpret the Catholic faith along esoteric/mystical lines - the methodology modelled by our founding Fathers (+Wedgwood, +Leadbeater, +Tugdual) to be adapted to our own Celtic spirituality and the changed circumstances of our times.
To enable individuals to pursue an initiatic path of spiritual development, through reception of the mysteries of Baptism and Confirmation and the other sacraments as may be appropriate. Among us the call to the sacrament of Holy Orders is not necessarily linked to formal pastoral ministry but rather its primary purpose is the spiritual development of the individual. Any active ministry flowing from this is desirable and a blessing, but by no means absolutely necessary.
To encourage vocations to the Holy Cross Benedictines of Adoration and the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple, both initiatic paths designed to lead individuals into deeper contempation of the mysteries and ultimately into the experience of Divine Union.
To create spaces for contemplation and spiritual development, through Eucharistic Adoration, the celebration of the Sacraments and Divine Office as well as extra-liturgical ceremonies and to make these spaces available to those people led within our orbit.

In short, let us aim for quality rather than quantity. Our own faith must be profound and rooted in daily spiritual practice. Then hopefully having fanned the spark of Divine potential into at least a little flame we can pass it on to other awakened souls who may be looking for that something more.

It should be clear that as universalists we feel no compulsion to convert and we are clear that our religion is not about giving people pie-in-the-sky when they die, but is rather about the enrichment and re-enchantment of individual lives here and now. Hopefully what we have to offer may have wider appeal than we can now anticipate. To God be the glory!

Celtic monks setting out on Mission

Pastoral Letter - Christmas 2015

12/1/2016

Dear Brethren, Sisters and friends,

Once again we approach the commemoration of the Birth of Our Lord, the closing of another year and the beginning of the next and so it behoves me to offer a few words for reflection.

2015 was a good year for the Holy Celtic Church, a year in which we have seen considerable numerical growth with several ordinations and consecrations and although we do not keep count of the number of people attending services and events we are quite sure that each ordination or consecration results not only in the spiritual advancement of the one who has dedicated his life to God but also in great blessings to his family and friends and all those to whom he ministers. We now have almost forty clergy ministering in 14 different countries on four continents: Europe, North and South America and Australia. Additionally, the Holy Cross Benedictines of Adoration and the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple also continue to attract members. We have a strong online presence and skype prayers each Sunday also help to strengthen the bonds of fellowship between us. Happily Mons Bruno and I have been able to welcome several Church and Order members here at St Gall’s Retreat this year and we also caught up with old friends and new on our annual pilgrimage this autumn.

Here at St Gall’s we are now approaching one of the busiest times of year, but one nevertheless when the silence of this valley is amplified by the stillness of ice and snow, so winter naturally recalls us to enter into the heart of God, rekindling the sacred flame of love within. A couple of weeks ago I posted this wonderful quote from Louis Claude de Saint Martin "The only initiation we need is to enter into the heart of God so that the heart of God will enter into us” and it met with great approval from our online community, which is not so surprising really because it really does hit the nail on the head, just as does a similarly well known quote from St Clement of Alexandria, “The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.” In other words, bringing both quotes together, God became man, entering the heart of our human experience, so that we might have the opportunity to enter into the heart of God, through the human heart of Jesus. In the baby Jesus we see the humble, vulnerable, unconditionally loving heart of God who draws us into that same experience of humility, vulnerability and love, if we let him.

However, ... just as this year has been one of blessing and innumerable graces for our little church, for the world and particularly for our Christian brethren in the Middle East, this has truly been an “annus horribilis”, as Her Majesty the Queen once said. The shock of seeing people beheaded, and burnt alive in cages on our TV screens leaves us sad, disgusted and angry, but perhaps not as shocked anymore, for now that we have seen these atrocities with our own eyes we can't "unsee" them. To hate the perpetrators would be natural and in some respects just, yet as Christians we are also constantly called to grapple with the hard saying of Jesus to “love our enemies”. What can this possibily mean in our present deplorable situation?

St Bernard with Knights

First of all, Jesus does not say “pretend you have no enemies”. He takes it for granted that having enemies is part of life. So, despite what our prevailing culture tells us, it is ok to have enemies … which is just as well as it happens.

Secondly, Jesus does not intend that we condone or excuse the enemy’s actions or the belief system which inspires it. I believe that He calls us to acknowledge and respect the humanity of our enemy; to ever remember that the enemy hurts, just as we hurt, and he is made in the image of God, just as we are. This truth should not only prevent us from killing him unnecessarily, it should also free us from carrying round the baggage of hate, which is an exceedingly heavy burden for anyone to bear.

Thirdly, we may profitably look to the often ignored example of Jesus himself who, if the Gospel record be reliable, did not hestitate to violently chase the money changers from the temple and also recommended that “he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one” (Luke 22: 36) It took a couple of centuries for the early Church Fathers to thrash out just war theology but they got there in the end and thank heaven for that, because had they not, Christendom would not have survived very long. If our more “liberal” co-religionists continue to insist on living in their “Coexist” cloud-cukoo-land then let them, but let us be clear that there is nothing Christian about their philosophy. It is actually a betrayal of everything their ancestors fought for and more importantly a betrayal of their descendents who will have to live with the consequences of their foolishness.

So, this Christmas, when we say "Peace and Goodwill to All", we can say it with our hand on our heart and with no fingers crossed. We do indeed wish peace to all, but we also recognise that sometimes we have to fight for it. Fasten your seat belts for 2016 and may God grant us victory and peace, in equal measure. Blessings on all Christendom.

Peace in the Cross of the Lord,

+Alistair OSBA (csr)
Presiding Bishop & Abbot

Pastoral Letter - Holy Week - 2015

12/1/2016

Dear brethren and sisters

As Presiding Bishop it behoves me as we approach Easter to send you a few words of encouragement. I have to confess that I hardly feel equal to the task, not because I have nothing to say but rather because there is so much to say, most of which I find impossible to articulate. I am reminded of the words of St Paul to the Romans, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

However, practically speaking, the Holy Celtic Church, the Holy Cross Benedictines and our various orders and confraternities are in a good space. Even since Christmas we have been blessed with several new vocations and we are especially blessed in the union of the Scottish and English branches of CSR. Abbot Tom, who this year celebrates his tenth year of Episcopal Consecration, has already made himself indispensable! Congratulations to Fr Daniel and his lay pastoral assistant Renee on the acquistion of a new church rental for our little congregation in Illinois, and congratulations also to the folk in Caracas, Venezuela, who will receive the sacrament of confirmation at the hands of our Father Prior, Dom Barry, this Easter!

I feel that our identity as a jurisdiction oriented towards a contemplative ministry is stabilising and bearing fruit. Unemcumbered as we are by buildings and bank accounts we can afford to focus on prayer and sharing the fruit of that prayer with others who may come within our orbit. Our Confraternity of the Life of Mary grows steadily, though I would ask you all to pray that more people, both clerical and lay, will feel the call to consecration of their all to Jesus through Mary as members of the Confraternity. There is immense pastoral need and potential for more lay apostles to carry forward Our Lady’s work in the world.

The transformation of the old Congregation of St Romuald (founded in 1993) into a Confederation of idiorrhythmic Benedictines is also a new project which we hope will help to deepen our own spiritual lives, as well as fulfill a need in the OC/IC movement as a whole. I would urge you all to read the quotes in the various “cells” of the virtual CSR cloister and spread the word amongst your friends.

It is difficult to measure one’s own spiritual progress - another good reason to have an Anam Cara - as so often it seems that we take two steps forward and one step back - but we must all take heart and have faith that despite appearances progress IS being made. If we are faithful to our discipline of Divine Office, Contemplative Prayer, Mass and Adoration we cannot help to absorb that same Spirit which animated those saints whom we would wish to emulate. Even a simple practice such as the recitation of Lauds and Vespers can yield the daily bread of the Word of Life for our hungry souls. For example, just this morning, the following antiphon on a psalm and the collect for the day gave me much edification:

“Jesus leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: he endured the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it, and has taken his seat at God’s right hand.”

“Almighty God, grant that we who are constantly betrayed by our own weakness may draw the breath of new life from the passion and death of your Only-Begotten Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.”

In fact the collect of the day alone can often provide a worthy text for Lectio Divina with nourishment enough to sustain us throughout the day, assisting us to take a little step further along our spiritual journey.

Dame Gertrude More OSB, a direct descendent of St Thomas More, wrote this of the Divine Office:
"The Divine Office is such a heavenly thing that in it we find whatsoever we can desire: for sometimes in it we address ourselves to Thee for help and pardon for our sins; and sometimes Thou speakest to us, so that it pierceth and woundeth with desire of Thee the very bottom of our souls; and sometimes Thou teachest a soul to understand more in it of the knowledge of Thee and of herself than ever could have been by all the teaching in the world showed to a soul in five hundred years; for Thy words are works."

So, do not under-estimate the power of this great tool, remembering too that it is the quality rather than the quantity of your prayer that counts. I am sure that Our Lord is better pleased by one psalm said with love and devotion than ten said without recollection.

A beloved prayer from my youth also came to mind the other day as I was thinking about writing to you all. It is ascribed to St Richard of Chichester, is very well known and if learned well is a perfectly simple recipe for a devout life.

"Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly. Amen."

Wishing you all a blessed Holy Week and a very joyful Easter!

+Alistair OSBA (csr),
Presiding Bishop and Abbot

Memories of a Carthusian

12/1/2016

“to frequently look with love on the friend within” - my memories of a Carthusian
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (2015)

I was only about six years old when I first became aware of the Carthusians, due to a strange misunderstanding. Our family pew in Kilternan Parish Church was beneath a stained glass window commemorating “a Carthusian”, one Mr Justice Murphy of Murphystown House. The window included a depiction of the old London Charterhouse and of course I understand now that Justice Murphy attended Charterhouse school, he was not actually a Carthusian monk, which would have been rather strange for an Anglican! Nevertheless, this little misunderstanding became my introduction to Carthusian monasticism.

In my teens I discovered Anglican religious communities and joined one of them when I was nineteen. Here the works of Thomas Merton and Peter Anson became my staple spiritual food and a romantic image of the Charterhouse continued to enchant me. The memories of Fr Colin Stephenson in his autobiography “Merrily on High” also made a huge impression as he recalled childhood excursions into St Hugh’s Charterhouse where he was permitted to listen to the Night Office.

I treasured my name in religion too, Br Hugh, which I assumed to be in honour of St Hugh of Lincoln, the Carthusian, when in fact I think my superior had St Hugh of Cluny in mind. I remain profoundly grateful to the community who took me in and gave me a chance to experience the monastic life at such a young age, but sadly after two years of noviciate I could no longer deal with the loneliness, despite the fact that I yearned to be alone! It is not unusual of course for a young man to be spiritually conflicted and for some of us, regrettably, that conflict lasts a lifetime!

Dom Alistair at La Grande Chartreuse, 2014

So, on leaving my community and converting to Roman Catholicism (which in the long run turned out to be a big mistake) I lost no time in applying to the Charterhouse, only to be turned down on the grounds that they do not consider recent converts. In retrospect I can now see that this was very wise, however, that was not the end of the story as for most of the next decade I kept up a correspondence with the Prior, who became a genuine friend and confidant.

I shall call him Dom "Columba", as this was the alias given to him in the book “An Infinity of Little Hours” and it is to that book I would direct any reader whose curiosity may be aroused. He was one of two or three people to whom I have been close, whom I would consider to be saints. A well-educated and cultured Dubliner, former medical doctor and Irish Cistercian monk, we shared a similar cultural background as well as similar devotional and liturgical tastes. He radiated warmth and fraternal affection and was a man so totally conformed to the Gospel that for me he became a living icon of Christ. Of course, I am viewing him retrospectively now, and at the time I could hardly have articulated my feelings. I just knew that I liked and trusted him.

He was a man of his generation and a product of old fashioned Irish Catholicism, which to be honest is not known for its kindness or tolerance, but in those days I was prepared to tow the party line of the church on sexuality and if you tow the party line it doesn’t matter how often you fall as long as you admit your failure to live up to the ideals. So, in a sense I was one of Dom Columba’s “penitents”. He genuinely believed in my vocation and said that he would have loved to receive me at Parkminster as a postulant. Had that happened I doubt whether I might have lasted more than a month or two, however, I did have the rare privilege of spending a few days in the guesthouse on one occasion.

St Hugh's, the Monastery Church

A Carthusian guesthouse is different from that of other monastic orders in that only family and friends of monks and aspirants to the community are permitted to stay there. Even though technically outside the monastic enclosure, one can, nevertheless, get a strong feel for the reality of Carthusian life from a few days in the guesthouse. Meals are delivered in a box and served in gamelles, the traditional Carthusian covered metal pots and dishes. I will never forget trying my best to eat a piece of fish, a food I have loathed since childhood. Happily after one attempt I was served an omelette on succeeding days. Then there was the extreme cold suffered from standing, for a couple of hours, in a freezing church in the middle of the night. After two nights of this my health gave way as the cold brought on a fever. The Prior blessed me with a relic of St Therese; administered a sugar lump soaked in “the elixer” (the concentrated tincture from which Chartreuse is made) and suggested I go out and chop some wood. I was as right as rain shortly afterwards. Another high light of my time at St Hugh’s was the privilege of serving Mass in the Prior’s chapel. If you are ever in the company of a saint offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass it is indeed a memorable event, outwardly quite ordinary perhaps, but inwardly electrifying.

After this visit, Dom Columba and I continued to write periodically and he always had some good advice, such as the following in 1989: … “All of us, in the history of our vocation have had some sacrifice to make in following God’s call. I remember feeling it painful to give up the possibility of intimate human love. Looking back I see how fortunate I was to be called by God. How happy a life devoted to him really is. You notice this especially in old age. Looking back you see how God has led you by a safe path, protecting you all the time. The important thing Alistair is to be faithful to prayer, even if it is difficult and may seem useless. God will always hear your prayer. He will have His own way of answering - He knows what is best for each of us. .. And never be discouraged. If you fall get up again and call out to Jesus to heal you.”

St Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster

We spoke frankly about many things, including the apparent inability of gay men to persevere in the Carthusian way of life, though of course Dom Columba had probably never even heard of “gay men” and always referred to “your temperament” or “your problem”, yet never did I feel anything from him but love and acceptance, as can be seen in this letter from 1993, “His (the new Prior’s) judgement is that those with your temperament are not able to persevere in the monastic life. I have to admit that my own experience agrees with this. I have three very dear friends who are homosexual. All three tried their vocation here, but had to leave in the end (one lasted five years!) ... I feel sad at having to write in this way but your peace and happiness are in question.”

I have indeed found peace and happiness in the long run through a form of monastic inspired living which works for me and others like me, and it is still an inspiration to read these old letters which are so full of fraternal warmth, monastic fervour and good advice; ...

My old friend, Dom "Columba"

“….. My dear Alistair, what I’ve written above is mostly concerned with the “practicality” of the case. But God’s grace knows no barriers. I was so pleased to see you mention St Therese. She has been a guiding star of my life ever since I was a child. Her book was my bedside reading. Do you know her letters have been published in two large volumes. I read them a lot. Here is a quote that is a comfort to me in my old age. …. “What pleases Jesus in my soul is that He sees me loving my littleness and my poverty, the blind hope I have in His mercy.” (the underlining is by Therese herself). That is really living in the truth about ourselves. It is humility. “ ….. …. I believe God will work wonders in those who have “blind trust” in Him. I see it in my own poor life - in spite of all my faults He has never let me down. The important thing is to keep praying, to keep at it, to frequently look with love on the friend within" ……

"I am sure that God who loves the whole human race (for whom Christ died), draws individuals together so that they may have the joy of helping one another to salvation and Beatitude with Him for all eternity. This world is an exile. Heaven is our true home. I pray for you and hope you pray for me, that we may be together there, with all we love, for all eternity, embraced in the infinite love of God.

The Holy Spirit is our loving friend all through our life. May he guide you to all truths. The important thing is to keep faithful to prayer. Cassian says that there is one thing that we can always do, and that is to keep at it. We may believe that our prayer is poor and lacking in power. But we can always keep at it. And God has promised to answer important prayer. ..." (Letters, 1994)
Rest in peace dear friend and pray for us!

Christmas Pastoral Letter - 2014

12/1/2016

Dear brethren, sisters and friends

It behoves me at Christmas to give a few words of greeting and encouragement in the faith.

The incarnation, which we celebrate each Christmas, is as vital a doctrine to real Christianity as the equally vital Pascal Mysteries. Why? St Athanasius gives a succinct answer to this question, “For He was made man that we might be made God”, in other words that we might all acheive our full divine potential; that we might become holy. Most of us see that long term goal only in the far distance and hope we’ll live long enough to make a bit more progress on the road, but to help us on our way let us consider the average Christmas card. Even in our post-Christian societies, most of them still feature an illustration of Our Lady and the Baby Jesus. For Catholics - such as ourselves, in the Holy Celtic Church - Jesus and Mary go together like “Love and Marriage” or a “Horse and Carriage” - “You can’t have one without the other”, as the old song reminds us.

Just as Mary’s co-operation with Divine grace was necessary for God to become Incarnate, so every other grace that we receive from Christ passes through the loving hands of our Mother. She is truly the “Mother of Divine Grace” as the Litany of Loreto states. Furthermore, just as graces flow to us through her, so all our faith and works, sacrifices and gifts, are presented by Mary to the Holy Trinity. In fact if we would wish for the simplest possible Rule of Life, we might heed the motto of Abbot James Fox of Gethesemane, who recommended this simple formula to his monks, “All for Jesus, through Mary, with a smile”.

Therefore this Christmas, let us renew the consecration of our whole selves to Jesus through Mary; each waking thought (easier said than done I know!); each work we do for the church or the world; each sacrifice we might offer; but above all let us offer Him our love, for in the end that is truly all God wants from us.

Although in this church we are committed to the regular celebration of traditional Liturgy and the Divine Office, we offer this “Work of God” on behalf of, and in the name of, the universal Church, the Body of Christ, whilst as far as our personal spirituality goes I find that keeping it simple is often the best policy. As Our Holy Father St Benedict said “let the prayer" (after the Office) “always be short” and one of the best short prayers I know, and use many times each day, is the prayer revealed to the Servant of God, Sr Maria Consolata Betrone OSC, “Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls”. Short as it is, this prayer is nevertheless very deep, theologically. Again we see here that Jesus and Mary are inseparable and we offer both of them our love, but not just for ourselves - no one goes to heaven alone - but on behalf of all mankind, for we are all brothers and sisters and children of the one Heavenly Father. This little prayer compels us to remain open-hearted to God which of course is nothing to fear, for as Jesus revealed to Sr Consolata, "Do not think of me as a harsh God, because I am foremost the God of love!”

So in 2015 let us live, Sr Consolata’s “Littlest Way of Love” as we offer “All for Jesus, through Mary, with a smile”.

Wishing you all a trule blessed and joyful Christmas,

+Alistair OSBA
Presiding Bishop and Abbot

Lourdes Journey - 2014

12/1/2016

My Lourdes Journey by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

I was twenty three years old in the summer of 1987 when I spent a month in Lourdes working with the Little Way Association. It was an amazing experience, all the more so because of the kindness and companionship of others who were working for the Little Way at that time, however, much of the deeper spirituality and pathos of the place passed me by, simply because at that age they were outside my frame of reference.

So, why one may ask did it take 27 years to return to Lourdes. Firstly, my spiritual journey took several circuitous turns away from the Catholic tradition for quite a few years and secondly when I did return to (Old) Catholicism over a decade ago both Walsingham and Rue du Bac, for various reasons, became my first ports of call. It took a move to the continent to live with Mons Bruno, a keen driver, for Lourdes once again to become more accessible. Little could I have imagined 27 years ago that my second visit to Lourdes would be as a happily partnered, “new monastic” Benedictine and Old Catholic bishop!

Naturally, the vast majority of pilgrims to Lourdes are Roman Catholic, but by no means all, as the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) and diverse groups of Anglo-Catholics have both led large formal pilgrimages to Lourdes in recent years. Many Old Catholic and Independent Catholic individuals and small groups also visit Lourdes quite regularly. I expect that many of these non-RC pilgrims, like myself will share a certain ambivalence with regard to the Roman Church. Whilst deeply appreciating the profound mystical theology and rich devotional tradition of Catholicism I have to disregard both the oppressive moral conservatism and the populist style of the post-Vatican II church. It may help to remember that St Bernadette and all the characters in the Lourdes story were at the time of the apparitions “old Catholics” in the sense that the doctrine of Papal Infallibility had not yet been defined, an act which many Catholics now regret. In fact one of the receptionists at the Sanctuary Information Centre to whom I was explaining our position as Old Catholics herself agreed that the definition of papal infallibility was most unfortunate, a sentiment shared by many lay Catholics and not a few clergy and religious.

I find that one of the lovely things about France is the ecumenical atmosphere that now perfades amongst Christians, no doubt due to the pioneering ecumenical work of men like Abbé Paul Couturier and Frerè Roger of Taizé. It really meant alot to Monsignor Bruno and I to be given permission as Old Catholics to celebrate Mass in the Basilica and to those who questioned us we were certainly open about who and what we are. On the other hand it was also very good just to relax as pilgrims amongst other pilgrims and bless sacramentals for the faithful when requested, just like any other priests.
Although we in the Independent Sacramental Movement, network quite well in several languages, our main contacts tend to be those with whom we share a common language and unfortunately as a result we can sometimes miss out on the rich cultural ethos of global Catholicism. Just as with Rome and Jerusalem, Lourdes is a melting pot where one has the opportunity to meet and worship with people of many races and nations. Here, the title of “World Mother” often used by Liberal Catholics when referring to Our Lady makes much sense, as gathered at the Grotto we are all simply her children. I was particularly touched on this pilgrimage to share friendly smiles and greetings with many diverse people, a reminder to me of the words of St Bernadette about the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. She said it was very nice, but her Lady was younger and was always smiling. In Lourdes a spirit of childlike innocence, friendliness and openness to all appears to be given.

Nowhere is the equality of Our Lady’s children more apparent than at the baths, where with candidates stripped to the bare essentials what one might call a "lay priesthood" preside at the ceremony of immersion in the healing waters. The piscine experience defies description but suffice to say it was the highlight of my pilgrimage and the words “cleansing", “purifying”, “invigorating”, and even “re-vivifying” all spring to mind. Whatever the intention of ones pilgrimage, for oneself or others, Mary is indeed full of grace for those with hearts open to receive.

The childlike simplicity, trust and self-surrender of St Bernadette is an example for all pilgrims to Lourdes. Those who approach with cynicism towards the “commercialism” or skepticism towards the apparitions will receive little, but those who are hungry for God will surely be filled with good things, as the Magnificat foretells, “He has filled the hungry with good things but the rich he has sent away empty.”

The primary grace of Lourdes is the strengthening of the faith of each pilgrim. Some are cured of physical and mental ailments, but everyone receives healing, as Our Lady shares in the healing ministry of her Son and echoes his words, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Mark 10:52)

Thanks to my beloved Mons Bruno for making this pilgrimage possible!

Ad Jesu Per Mariam

The Holy Grail - Back to basics! - 2014

12/1/2016

The Holy Grail - Back to Basics!
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, MA.Div

In these days of neo-Gnostic revisioning and fantastical conspiracy theories, it's definitely time to get backs to theological basics with the Holy Grail!

First of all we need to acknowledge that whilst some pre-Christian Celtic folklore is inevitably associated with the Grail myths, the Grail is nevertheless primarily a Christian symbol. The stories emerged in the high middle ages, a time when the Catholic worldview was completely unchallenged in western Europe and many of the layers of theological meaning which we shall explore in this article would have been perfectly obvious to those who first heard and shared the stories. In contrast, these days, the fundamental mystical meaning of the myths is in danger of being lost as secularised enquirers get side-tracked by irrelevant fancies such as those popularised by the “esoteric history” genre.

At its most fundamental the Holy Grail is our highest aspiration and ultimate reward and naturally enough as we do not all share the same highest aspirations, the Grail will be envisaged in different forms by different people, who also reach a diverse range of interpretations. However, on one point Grail seekers normally agree - that the Grail is the fulfilment of our heart's desire, a source of abundance and blessing. That which the medieval writers understood and which nowadays only true Christian initiates understand is that our ultimate goal and reward is none other than union with the God who poured Himself out so completely in the mysteries of creation and redemption. As our ultimate reward, the Grail is therefore an eschatological symbol, but this is a realised eschatology, the journey and the goal are inseparable and to an extent the same, for the symbol of the Grail itself shows the Way.

It is well known that in the developed Grail tradition the Grail is identified with the chalice used by Our Lord at the Last Supper, which of course links it inextricably with the eucharistic blood of the Mass. Less well known perhaps is the story that the Grail was also the vessel used by St Joseph of Arimathea to gather the blood and water which flowed from Our Lord's pierced side on the Cross.

This water which flowed from the side of Christ is often overlooked, but it is a symbol replete with mystical significance. First of all of course, it ought to remind us of the waters of baptism by which we were made “a member of Christ, a child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven” as the prayerbook says. In that first rite of Christian initiation the majesty of our destiny, the mystery of the Grail, is made available to us. We are invited to become a “member of Christ” - that is a part of the Body of God. What higher destiny or richer fulfilment could we ever envisage?

It is no accident that the Avalonian legend tells us that after St Joseph of Arimathea brought the Grail to Glastonbury it was placed in the Blood Well, later renamed Chalice Well, a place where the iron rich red tinted water no doubt reminded the initiates of the water and blood which flowed from the side of Christ, as well as the two major sacraments of baptism and eucharist. Perhaps too they were reminded of the mingling of the water and wine at the ancient offertory prayer which brings to mind our ultimate hope and destiny, “ By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”

The Mass is first and foremost a re-membering of the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord and those actions ordained from before the beginning of time by which God would pour himself out in the act of creation and even more so in the acts of redemption, by which the world is nourished and sustained. This was understood and elucidated very clearly by the great Russian theologian, Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov, who in his essay on the Holy Grail wrote, ““All of nature thirsts for the body and blood of Christ and receives them in communion in the blood and water that flowed out of his side when he was on the cross”. “For Bulgakov the world itself is the Grail into which is poured the life-giving water and blood of the crucified and resurrected Christ. The Christian initiate then, is one who has mystically realised that in receiving the blood of Christ in Holy Communion he receives not only the transformed Body and Blood of Christ, but also His Soul and Divinity. In other words, as we consume God, in the consecrated elements, he consumes us in mystical union. Just as the life of God is poured into the Grail of the World so through the working of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments, the life of God is generously poured into those individuals who are open to grace.

Each of us is called not only to seek and find the Grail, but also more importantly to BE the Grail, and our perfect exemplar in this work is the original "Grail Maiden", Mary, often called in the Liberal Catholic tradition “the World Mother”. Mary's “Yes”, her purity of heart and readiness to receive the Holy Spirit made her a unique and chosen vessel. As God-bearer, she is the Grail par excellence in whom God close to dwell when he took manhood upon himself and it is from this Grail that all the graces in this world are dispensed.

So, for the Christian, the Grail is a multi-layered symbol which encapsulates the highest mysticism of our tradition. It teaches us that divinisation is accessible. God pours his life and divinity into the universe, the world, the World Mother and even each of those little ones who are open to receive him. All that is needed is humility, faith, purity of heart and singleness of intention.

"Blessed are in the pure in heart for they shall see God."

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When does "Celtic" cease to be Celtic? ....Some thoughts on cultural appropriation and interpretation of our tradition. Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

Some post Brexit thoughts on the future of Christian Europe Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA,July 2016

Some thoughts on the Mission of the Holy Celtic Church ....... Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

“to frequently look with love on the friend within” - my memories of a Carthusianby Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (2015)

My Lourdes Journey by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

Ad Jesu Per Mariam

The Holy Grail - Back to Basics! by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, MA.Div

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When does "Celtic" cease to be Celtic? ....
Some thoughts on cultural appropriation and interpretation of our tradition.
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

Some post Brexit thoughts on the future of Christian Europe
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA,
July 2016

Some thoughts on the Mission of the
Holy Celtic Church ....... Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

“to frequently look with love on the friend within” - my memories of a Carthusian
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (2015)

The Holy Grail - Back to Basics!
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, MA.Div