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Rule of St Benedict - Commentary on Chapter 1

12/1/2016

The Rule of St Benedict - Chapter 1: The Kinds of Monks

1 There are clearly four kinds of monks. 2 First, there are the cenobites,that is to say, those who belong to a monastery, where they serve under a rule and an abbot.

3 Second, there are the anchorites or hermits, who have come through the test of living in a monastery for a long time, and have passed beyond the first fervor of monastic life. 4 Thanks to the help and guidance of many, they are now trained to fight against the devil. 5 They have built up their strength and go from the battle line in the ranks of their brothers to the single combat of the desert. Self-reliant now, without the support of another, they are ready with God's help to grapple single-handed with the vices of body and mind.

6 Third, there are the sarabaites, the most detestable kind of monks, who with no experience to guide them, no rule to try them as gold is tried in a furnace (Prov 27:21), have a character as soft as lead. 7 Still loyal to the world by their actions, they clearly lie to God by their tonsure. 8 Two or three together, or even alone, without a shepherd, they pen themselves up in their own sheepfolds, not the Lord's. Their law is what they like to do, whatever strikes their fancy. 9 Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy; anything they dislike, they consider forbidden.

10 Fourth and finally, there are the monks called gyrovagues, who spend their entire lives drifting from region to region, staying as guests for three or four days in different monasteries. 11 Always on the move, they never settle down, and are slaves to their own wills and gross appetites. In every way they are worse than the sarabaites.

12 It is better to keep silent than to speak of all these and their disgraceful way of life. 13 Let us pass them by, then, and with the help of the Lord, proceed to draw up a plan for the strong kind, the cenobites.

We need to remember that St Benedict was writing within a particular historical context, so there may indeed have “clearly been four kinds of monks” in his day, but this is not necessarily true of every other time, including our own.

Even in the pre-schism church the Augustinian tradition of canonical life grew alongside Benedictine monasticism whilst in the Celtic churches a healthy form of secular monasticism was evident, and then in the middle ages, the unique vocation of the military monk evolved. The Templars in particular lived by a strict monastic rule.

Those whom St Benedict labelled sarabaites could be represented by some Celtic monks and medieval hermits - who did not always live alone - as well as the very popular tradition of idiorhythmic monasticism as lived in sketes in the eastern church. The gyrovagues of course enjoyed a huge resurgence in the middle ages with the growth of the mendicant orders.

In the early modern period we see the evolution of the clerical and “apostolic” orders of vowed religious engaged in pastoral and social work of various kinds, something quite alien to monastic spirituality as St Benedict would have understood it. However, what may have been unacceptable in St Benedict's day may be deemed acceptable at other times according to our evolving understanding of human psychology and the needs of the church as it adapts to changes in society.

Therefore, although much of this first chapter of the rule is now questionable, naturally much of it still applies. Human nature has not changed much in one and half thousand years. Here are a few of St Benedict's assumptions which still hold true:

The essence of the monastic vocation is the seeking of God in silence and solitude. This may be facilitated either by a community life ordered towards this orientation or living as a solitary under a personal rule of life. As to how much solitude and silence is required in order to be “a monk” is open to discussion.

Community life is indeed a testing ground and it does take a strong person to succeed and stick with it. If a person is unable to keep to an horarium in community he or she might not have the self-discipline to keep a personal horarium when no one is there to impose the rule. However, in these days of virtual community, where daily contact between members of a geographically dispersed community is possible ,actually some peer pressure can be applied and people can also find genuine fellowship and mutual edification, ironically sometimes even more than may be possible in some busy monasteries.

Those who wear the habit/identity of a monk or nun without any experience of the tradition gained through reading as well as personal experience – for however short a time - do indeed “lie to God by their tonsure”. “Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy; anything they dislike, they consider forbidden.” This sounds pretty much like the New Age movement but actually many of these types of person can be found in the Independent Sacramental Movement too. Those people who choose the “spiritual but not religious” label also often fall into this category. They go with “what they feel intuitively” and although they often love to meditate, their prayer life is rarely fed and informed by the teachings of those great spiritual masters who have gone on before. We must never forget that study, is one of the three vital pillars of Benedictinism.

Stability is essential if the monk or nun wants to make progress. In St Benedict's day gyrovagues flitted from community to community. In these days, when much of our lives are spent in cyber space, it is just as necessary to stick with our community of choice through thick and thin, though we acknowledge and make allowances for the fact that people will often need to try a few groups before the right one emerges.

The Monasticism of the Future

A great change is happening to the monastic scene throughout the civilised world. Just as traditional monastic communities are becoming fewer, more and more people are attracted to the essence of the monastic life; a simple balance of prayer, work and study; the desire to find a contemplative centre in the midst of a frenetic world. What we might call idiorrhythmic monasticism in the ISM context or “New Monasticism” in its more recent Protestant form are radically redefining what it means to be monastic, whilst the popularity of monastic Oblature in the RC context is a less radical, but nevertheless significant, response to the same spiritual impulse.

This is a radical transformation of monasticism because it invites us to rethink the basic asceticism of celibacy and community life, assumed to be intrinsic to monasticism since its beginnings in early Christian Egypt. However, an open and objective reading of the beginnings of the monastic movement clearly shows the strong influence of a body-denying, life-negating dualistic gnosticism (principally Manichaeism) which most people would now see as alien to the the life-giving gospel of Jesus. The Judaism of Jesus was non-dual and though he put himself through a “vision quest” experience in the desert, testing himself to the limit, he also knew how to enjoy the good things of life. Nowhere do the gospel writers draw attention to his apparently unmarried status, but they do draw attention to his close and possibly intimate relationships with St John and St Mary Magdalene and his sending out of the apostles two by two, without possessions, actually conforms more to the lifestyle of the gyrovague than the cenobite. I think it is fair, therefore, to assume that the simplicity of the early Christian lifestyle is merely designed to facilitate the efficiency and well being of the community rather than to be a means by which the body is brought into subjection and that celibacy is rooted more in St Paul's personal sexual inadequacies than the teaching of Our Lord.

From my perspective, as someone with some first hand experience of celibate community life, I see no particular benefit to the asceticism of “poverty” and “chastity” as they are normally understood, which so often leave people lonely, unloved and institutionalised. Rather we would recommend “living simply that others may simply live” and relationships (intimate or not) based on integrity and compassion; values which can be just as easily lived “in the world” as “in the cloister”. As vocations to celibate community life dwindle - rapidly in many countries - it is likely that the “new monastics” increasingly become the new representatives of this ever evolving spiritual tradition.

I can only speak from my own experience as someone who is deeply thankful for the training I received as a Benedictine novice but have now found my Benedictine vocation flowering in a most unexpected way, as an iddiorhythmic monk in a committed relationship here at our Alpine retreat. Anyone who is married or in a partnership knows how necessary mutual obedience is in a relationship. Stability too and ongoing conversion to a more Christ life way of life are just as applicable to the married as to the single. God does not require broken people to serve him and surely that is what may have become of me had I “persevered” in conventional religious life. No, as St Irenaeus says, “the glory of God is a man, fully alive”. We can have our cake and eat it!

Would the historical Benedict approve? Probably not, but does the cosmic Benedict approve? Yes, I see no reason why not. Any adaptation of the tradition which promotes a greater wholeness (holiness) of the individual in his seeking of God is surely a good thing.

Summer work at St Gall's Retreat

Thoughts on Christian Unity - 2015

12/1/2016

Some thoughts on Christian Unity
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

During this annual week of prayer for Christian unity (18th January to the 25th January) it is appropriate to say a few words on this subject. When I was a boy, forty years ago or thereabouts, the ecumenical movement was a breath of fresh air all over the world, but perhaps especially in the English speaking world. In my native Ireland some relief on the part of Roman Catholics who were for the first time permitted to enter Protestant churches without censure was evident, and many Protestants in turn became more open and understanding of the Catholic tradition. Of course the vernacular Mass helped enormously too, as Irish Anglicans realised for the first time how close were the liturgies of the two churches.

However, over the last twenty years or so the ecumenical movement appears to be running out of steam. We may well ask why? Is it perhaps because non-fundamentalist Christians now take the ecumenical spirit for granted? Exceptional progress was made in the sixties into the eighties, so much so that taking communion in other churches is now assumed by most Christians to be the norm. Even in Ireland a general permission is assumed for everyone to receive communion in RC churches at “mixed" marriage ceremonies and of course in the Holy Celtic Church, as with the vast majority of independent Catholic churches the only qualification we would ever ask a would-be-communicant is that they be baptised and intend to approach the sacrament with reverence. Of course, the Orthodox churches still maintain antiquated and exclusionary rules as do some of the more extreme Protestant sects, but happily this attitude is a rarity in Western Europe.

So, much of the work for which the pioneers of the ecumenical movement worked and prayed has now been achieved. If we survey global Christianity most of us could now quite literally applythe words of St Paul, who wrote to the Corinthians, “There are a variety of gifts, but it is always the same Spirit. There are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord, working in all sorts of different ways in different people. It is the same God working in all of them” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Whilst to his community at Ephesus, he wrote “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God who is Father of all, over all, through all, and within all; and each of us has been given our own share of grace” (Ephesians 4:5-7). Happily this too is now something on which the majority of Christians agree.

Certainly in the Independent Sacramental Movement and perhaps also to a great extent amongst the mainstream churches differences between denominations is now seen as positive pluralism rather than divisive separatism. Whilst our forefathers prayed for institutional unity, in these days of the near disintegration of many institutional churches we are perhaps rediscovering the idea of the Church as the mystical body of Christ as a wholly spiritual reality and a spiritual unity beneath our apparent divisions.

We, in the Holy Celtic Church, are by no means a “true church” movement (ie. we do not think that “we're right and everyone else is wrong”), nevertheless we do maintain some clear boundaries when it comes to both doctrine and practice. We believe that the fullness of the Catholic faith is enshrined in our “Statement of Faith and Sacramental Principles” and in the many other similar Statements, Canons and Catechisms of sister jurisdictions. In the Guild of the Holy Apostles we enjoy particularly close bonds with similar jurisdictions, nevertheless our network of friends extends well into the camp of those whose religious views are widely divergent to our own. Therefore, during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we celebrate diversity and give thanks for the spiritual friendship and mutual respect we enjoy with many individuals and groups across the spectrum

We are also working on a few initiatives to create a more tangible unity. For example, our ecumenical Benedictine order, the Holy Cross Benedictines of Adoration, is itself a model of unity in diversity, including as it does, members of three quite different Independent jurisdictions and next month one of our Swiss clergy has planned a cross-jurisdictional gathering in Milan, gathering together some Independent Catholics and Orthodox from Lombardy and Switzerland for shared prayer and fellowship. May these initiatives bear the fruit of unity to the greater glory of God. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

Where do Anglo-Catholics go from here? - 2014

12/1/2016

Where do Anglo-Catholics go from here? An invitation.
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, M.A.Div.
- Presiding Bishop of the Holy Celtic Church

Yesterday I was happy to spend a few very enjoyable hours online, listening to the excellent debates in the Church of England General Synod on the consecration of women as bishops. After the often bitter and frustrating debates of previous years it was good to see the spirit of reconciliation at work, all sides having reached an agreement which in theory will provide for those who believe in the historic Apostolic succession as the Church of England has received it, not only from the pre-Reformation church, but it may be added, also from the Old Catholic Church and the Order of Corporate Reunion.

I say in theory because everything really depends on the goodwill of the bishops. According to most sources there is only one traditionalist bishop left among the College of Bishops, the Bishop of Chichester, so it will be up to the rest of the bishops, most of whom have been pushing hard for the consecration of women, to be as good as their word and consecrate more traditionalists to minister to the needs of the sadly reduced Catholic section of the church.

Since Pope Benedict XVI's Personal Ordinariate was established in 2009 in accordance with the apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, several bishops, priests and parishes have been received into the Roman church whilst others have been received into the Orthodox Church or joined or formed small "Continuing Anglican" groups. The individuals and parishes, who have left for other churches have tended to be conservative as well as theologically orthodox/traditional; generally people who are just as much against gay clergy, for example, as they are against the ordination of women. But among those who have chosen to stay and fight their corner in the C of E are a huge number who hold liberal views on most "social teaching" issues yet are traditional when it comes to sacramental theology. In other words they hold much the same views as we do in the Holy Celtic Church.

For these folk we offer our prayers and our hope that your future will indeed be secure in the Church of England, but we would also like to offer you the fellowship of our community should you decide to jump ship. The independent movement is far from perfect (see previous article in this journal!) and an enculturation period would be essential, but there may be a few people out there for whom our little church is just right. You may be assured of a warm welcome and a simple religious life based on the essentials of prayer and service, unemcumbered by the material concerns of the mainstream churches. God bless and guide you!

Some Anglican and Episcopalian women "bishops"

Affirming the Gifts of the Spirit

12/1/2016

"Affirming the Gifts of the Spirit"
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, MA.Div.

Notice Board of the Ancient Catholic Church in Clapton, London (sadly now closed)

To most educated Christians in the 21st century the biblical phrase “Gifts of the Spirit” brings to mind the naive fundamentalist excesses of Pentecostalism and the "charismatic renewal", which have become so mainstream over the last few decades. That is not what this article is about!

Rather I intend to treat the “Gifts of the Spirit” from a Liberal Catholic and esoteric perspective drawing on my own experience of these gifts. I hope that this mainly autobiographical little piece might encourage others to explore their own spiritual potential in exercising some of the rarer gifts of the Spirit.

First of all let me say that in my early teens I did the Pentecostal thing quite thoroughly, enjoyed singing “in tongues” and “getting slayed in the Spirit”,with the best of them”, but thankfully by the age of sixteen I had enough common sense to see that this was no environment for a gay boy who had no intention of being crucified for his sexuality. My discovery of Anglo-Catholicism and with it the deep mystical tradition of the sacramental churches was truly a God-send and happily I found that the same religious ecstasies also occurred in the sacramental context. Of course ecstasies or “consolations” as they are often called in Catholic circles, should never be an end in themselves, but they certainly make walking the path easier for those of us who are spiritually feeble.

Two years in an Anglican Benedictine monastery laid an invaluable foundation in Christian mysticism and the devotional path to the Divine for which I will be ever grateful, but I felt that something was still missing. After a most unfortunate foray into the Roman Catholic Church and reception back into the Church of England I found that additional and special something in Spiritualism, whilst continuing to practice Anglo-Catholicism. My father had been an active Spiritualist and we had mediums in the family, so for me discovering Spiritualism in London in the late 1980's was something of a home coming. With my father's encouragement I attended a couple of “Development Circles” for a few years and I developed some degree of proficiency as a a clairvoyant. However, it takes more than simply the development of natural psychic gifts to make a medium; wisdom and maturity are also essential and at that time I didn't have much of either. One medium told me from the platform, “Spirit will do great things through you but not as as a 'platform medium' ” and another told me on one occasion that I would be a monk (again). Over the years I have received tremendous evidence of survival and wonderfully helpful and loving guidance from the world of Spirit, but to be honest it is the proof that I have unknowingly given others which has amazed me more than anything. When you know for sure that you didn't know something and yet that information comes through clairvoyantly, and is accepted as evidence, that is the best proof of all.

Today I work more as a Psychic Counsellor and healer but mediumship still comes through in this context, as well as in the context of spiritual direction and the Liberal Catholic Healing Service. My training as a medium also enabled me to open up to the extraordinary sacramental powers given at ordination and now as a bishop I am very conscious of two things in the course of my sacramental work; firstly, the importance of being spiritually and psychically open as a channel for Divine Power, and secondly; to be conscious of the presence of the angels and saints who work with us. Dear Bishop Wedgwood, for example, never misses an ordination and always lays on spiritual hands and I know other bishops in our lineage who have had similar psychic experiences with both +Wedgwood and +Leadbeater.

There may be some who read this article who think I'm quite deluded, which is understandable. Not everyone has had the opportunities I've had to prove these things for themselves and “test the Spirits to see if they be of God”. (1 John 4:1) I have no mission to convert, as we are all going to the same place and the sceptics will know the truth soon enough. Rather, I am more concerned to speak to those mainstream Christians who do not necessarily disbelieve this phenomena, but who for some reason think that exercising these spiritual gifts is contrary to orthodoxy. Of course spiritual gifts – like sexuality, for example – can be abused and misused, but in my experience the vast majority of mediums, readers and healers (at least in civilised countries) are honourable people with good intentions who are in fact used as channels of divine love and healing power. If only the same could be said of Christian clergy, some of whom clearly do more harm than good. By their fruits shall ye know them.

The Anglican establishment itself recognised the great contribution which Spiritualism could make to the life of the church when in 1937 the Archbishops commissioned a report on Spiritualism, which was at that time a strong and vibrant movement in England. The Commission was headed by the Bishop of Bath and Wells and several other high ranking churchmen. However, the commission did not return to the Archbishops with the condemnation of the Spiritualist movement which they had anticipated and, as a result, sadly the report was suppressed. This has been the almost invariable attitude of institutional churches down through the centuries. I am no feminist, but even I have to acknowledge, that the “Patriarchal” churches have hated anything spiritual which they could not fully control, whether that be Gnosticism, Catharism, Freemasonry or in this case Spiritualism. Given the unexpected findings of the commission the Anglican bishops were faced with a dilemma; integrating mediumship into the ministry of the church as the report recommended would require a rejection of almost two thousand years of anti-esoteric prejudice, not to mention having to find a means of regulating mediums - most of whom were women – which was a particular problem in those days before female ordination. In the event, war broke out and it was easier just to shelve the document and try to forget about it.

Thankfully, however, in the 1960's the report came into the possession of A W Austen the editor of Psychic News newspaper, who published it. After publication he commented, “My printing of the report gave to the rank and file of the Church of England the guidance that had been denied them by the House of Bishops. To Christians all over the world it broke the news that a Committee of influential Churchmen, examining Spiritualism on behalf of the Church and at the request of the Archbishops had found that it was true and could be a valuable addition to the Christian ministry.”

By this time of course Spiritualism was not the only alternative religion in Britain which stressed the importance of the Gifts of the Spirit. Liberal Catholicism and similar jurisdictions had made a significant impression on the esoteric scene by the mid twentieth century, and to them I now turn.

Even today the great strength of Spiritualism is the demonstration of spiritual gifts and the provision of evidence of survival to those who mourn. It is a very practical religion and offers real hope and comfort to many, but of theology, mysticism and theurgy it knows very little and cares even less, so those of us who have an interest in personal mystical development must look elsewhere. The esoteric churches provide a space where generally the spiritual gifts as practiced in Spiritualism are affirmed, whilst at the same time the emphasis is on the highest calling; union with the Divine through the sacraments, which we might call a theurgical system.

"The Science of the Sacraments" by the Rt Revd Charles Leadbeater is a basic textbook for Liberal Catholics and many other esoteric Christians, not because everything written therein is 'gospel truth', but rather because it established a new hermaneutic; a method for understanding the sacraments that relies heavily on clairvoyance, intuition, the imagination and personal experience. It has therefore a great deal in common with Spiritualism, though on the surface the two might seem as different as chalk and cheese. One man, in particular, brought these pieces of chalk and cheese together and held them together during his life-time, a bishop in my succession named Harold Percival Nicholson, who was the founder and Patriarch of the Ancient Catholic Church. Archbishop Harold was called by God to do exactly what the Church of England should have done in 1939. He created a space at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Clapton, where the sacraments were celebrated with all due beauty and decorum, as one might expect, but at the same time he created a space for the exercise of mediumship and regular spiritual healing both of people and their pets, as the above photo of the Cathedral Notice Board well illustrates. The church had wide appeal and at one time had several clergy, chapels and reasonably large congregations. ++Harold was a truly charismatic man and sadly, as is so often the case, his work did not really retain its momentum or his vision after his passing, but I am confident that he leads and guides his spiritual kindred from the world of Spirit, which is in part why I have written this article. His spiritual influence is strong on those of us equipped to be aware of it.

A recent Mass in London with one of our priests and several of his occultist friends has made it very clear to me that our traditional Liberal Catholicism, far from being the the museum piece of a few appreciative souls might have a wider appeal than we sometimes think. The ultimate magic of attaining a sense of Divine Union (Theosis), offered by the sacramental approach still has a greater appeal to discerning souls than the thrill of psychic phenomena, useful and essential though this may be. To my mind these two should have a symbiotic relationship one to the other just as the "Gifts of the Spirit" and the "Fruit of the Spirit" are but different sides of the same coin. The gifts of the Spirit need to be exercised in the service of the humanity and for the glory of God and our religious tradition is ideally placed to provide a spiritually healthy context in which they may be expressed.

May Bishops Harold, James and Charles and all the saints bless our endeavours and enable us to take their vision forward into the new millenium.

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." (I Corinthians 12: 4-11)

The Seven Principles of Spiritualism

The Fatherhood of God.
The Brotherhood of Man.
The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels.
The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul.
Personal Responsibility.
Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for all the Good and Evil Deeds done on Earth.
Eternal Progress Open to every Human Soul.

Bishops Still At Large - 2014

12/1/2016

"Bishops Still at Large" - Some thoughts on the state of the Independent Sacramental Movement today ...
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A. Div.

For many months now I have had a desire to write something on the state of the Old Catholic and Independent Catholic Movement, a desire which has been coupled with a growing sense of despondancy. Others have very ably blogged about similar issues and in general my moans are the same moans that have been going on for the last hundred years at least, so nothing new! All the same it is perhaps no bad thing to clarify where we stand in relation to some individuals and jurisdictions.

In his marvellous essay, “Wandering Bishops: Not all roads lead to Rome”, Bishop Stephan Hoeller wrote, “The unworthiness of the many should not blind one to the potential residing in the few. The mass of wandering bishops is very much like a kind of alchemical prima materia from whence a true stone of the philosophers might yet emerge.” I wished I shared Bishop Hoeller's optimism, for the fact is that at some times more than others it does seem that “the movement” is particularly full of charlatans and incompetents.

Firstly, the charlatans - just within the last year, for example, we have had personal experience of theft of money and vestments by a priest, as well as, a bishop – a self-styled “Patriarch” no less – incardinating a "bishop" who had not been properly ordained or consecrated according to the standards universally held. I have written evidence on file for both of these cases and regrettably occurences such as these are not at all uncommon. It was also disclosed just a few months ago in the United States that the Primate of a somewhat larger Independent Catholic jurisdiction was found to be a complete charaltan and not ordained at all! How very sad for those who believed that they validly received the sacrament of Holy Orders at his hands.

Secondly, the incompetents – a much larger group than the charlatans – which of course vary with regard to the degree of incompetence. Few things shout "incompetent" more to well trained and educated Catholic clergy of any jurisdiction than a bishop or priest who wears a cope over his chasuble. To the modernists or the religiously indifferent this may seem trivial, but to the genuine guardians of tradition it is an unpardonable offence because it reflects badly on the whole movement, making us all look like amateurs in the eyes of the mainstream liturgical churches. Even worse, I have seen a bishop wear a eastern rite epitrachelion (stole) and a western rite stole at the same time. As the stole is the most vital of priestly vestments one would expect a bishop to know not to wear two at once! This particular bishop also looked like he was barely out of short pants. Worst of all, recently a photo of a clown, landed in my inbox, a "bishop" who had cut arm holes in his traditional gothic chasuble and was wearing it like a ladies' cape over his cassock. Saints preserve us!

I have myself been criticised, by a particularly picky queen, for wearing a simple mitre with ornate vestments, but there is a big difference between making do with what vestments you have and wearing them incorrectly. There are correct ways of doing these things and bishops, as guardians of Catholic or Orthodox tradition, need to be informed and abide by the rules.

So what can we do? We have no central authority to enforce discipline or educational standards. All we can do is shun the offending parties and form associations with those who keep within the standard norms. With rare exceptions (normally Liberal Catholics) nearly everyone in this movement has moved from the ecclesiastical mainstream, so it is not suprising that the level of religious education of people coming into the movement reflects the deplorable lack of the same, particularly among the younger generation, coming from Rome and Canterbury. Protestants and the un-churched are even more difficult to educate. I have found through bitter experience that when training priests you can never assume that the foundations of catechetical and liturgcal knowledge have been securely established and it is useless starting people off on theological works unless they have this basic enculturation first.

A few months ago, Fr Matthew FCM, in his insightful blog post "Reform must start with the Bishops" wrote to Independent bishops collectively, "If I could advise the bishops to do one thing it would be this: stop. Stop consecrating anyone with a pulse. ....". It is true that the movement is, and always has been, top-heavy with clergy, particularly bishops, and the temptation to consecrate others is a strong one, but fellow bishops, we simply must resist this temptation and start being much more circumspect. We must not squander the priceless gift that has been entrusted to us. These days in our global village, even if one's jurisdiction is spread over the whole world, if your seminarians really want ordination they will find a way to travel to you, or you can arrange with a bishop of another similar jurisdiction to ordain on your behalf. There is no need to have a bishop everywhere you have clergy.

Also within the last year, I heard of a not-very-well-known, far-left-of-centre bishop consecrating three bishops at once. Why, I don't know, but I do know it was not because they each had plenty of clergy (let alone laity) waiting for episcopal services or because the individuals concerned were particularly well qualified for the office. The least we bishops can do is ensure that anyone we consecrate has some active form of ministry and that they are well educated theologically, preferably with a theological degree from a reputable university, though, to be fair, some of the most admirable Indie bishops I know are largely self-educated and a theological degree is no guarantee of liturgical proficiency or aptitude for the office. Either way, we need to ensure that anyone we consecrate knows his stuff and is likely to be a conscientious guardian of the Catholic Apostolic tradition, because that is primarily what we are - guardians of a tremendous heritage and means of spiritual power.

On the matter of education it is encouraging to see that a growing number of Independent jurisdictions recognise the pressing need for clergy education and training. Many of us have good programs in place, but what the movement, can really really do without is bogus degrees! This has been a problem throughout our history. … Bishops are not automatically entitled to the post-nominal letters D.D. ... Don't do it!! ..... Not to mention the other crazy titles, from the excessively silly Lady Abbesses of Bongo-bongo-land to the title of “Patriarch” to which, if we are honest, NONE of us are entitled.

Faced with all of these problems, what can we do? Surely, all we can do is be the very best Old or Independent Catholics we ourselves can be and trust that God will sort out those whom we are powerless to change except by peer pressure and good example. We must be zealous for tradition and the preservation of the Catholic or Orthodox heritage, conspicuously prayerful, fighters for social justice and when it is possible without abandoning our principles, to err on the side of kindness. That's about all we can do. The developed world is fast being lost to secularism and we must be honest with ourselves in that our mission is likely only to have a limited local effect. In due course we will go to our ancestors and God will raise up others to inspire the coming generations, perhaps even in ways contrary to the faith we have received. Nevertheless, let us hope that our conscientious guardianship of the Mysteries will bear fruit in God's way and His perfect time.

To end on a positive note: What are our strengths? Well, we are good at campaigning for social justice. As under-dogs ourselves we understand how that feels and tend to champion the rejected. We are also good net-workers and perhaps because of the size of our community globally we tend to go out of our way to build community, even with those with whom we have significant theological differences. This inclusivity could be prophetic for the mainstream. On the whole, we are also people of prayer. Generally, we don't have committee meetings to attend and church accounts to keep, so we study, pray, and work, which is exactly what good clergy ought to do. So let's all give ourselves a pat on the back where it's due. Blessings to all.

Archbishop Mathew, from whom most of us derive lines of Apostolic Succession, amongst others

Benedictine & Celtic - 2013

12/1/2016

The Benedictine and Celtic Traditions
- Common Ground?
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

Glendalough, Co Wicklow, Ireland

Brought up in Ireland, surrounded by Celtic antiquities from the pre-Christian and early Christian eras I have always had a strong interest and attraction to things Celtic and consequently our community has had a foot in both the Celtic and Latin monastic traditions from its inception. In this article I wish therefore to consider the relationship between Celtic and Benedictine monasticism.

These days if the average church-goer in the British Isles ever gives a thought to the Celtic church he will most likely think first of the great Celtic monastic foundations which dot the countryside, especially in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Glendalough, Clonmacnoise and Kildare; Iona and Lindisfarne might come to mind, but whatever thoughts are prompted, they will almost invariably involve monastic ruins and perhaps some regret and nostalgia for the demise of a once great tradition.

Similarly Benedictine monasticism may bring to mind the many ruined abbeys all over the British Isles, sad casualties of the Reformation, perhaps first and foremost among them, Glastonbury, the mother church of our Isles. Our average churchman might even be fortunate enough to be aware of the living monastic tradition, for unlike Celtic monasticism the Benedictine tradition is alive and relatively well, and one might say has even
received a new lease of life in the New Monastic movement. Of course in the 20th century there has been a bit of a
revival of Celtic spirituality too and this naturally includes some new communities, both traditional and experimental. The Celtic Orthodox community at St Dolay in Brittany is a good example of the former whilst the Iona Community is perhaps the best known example of the latter.

Iona Abbey - a Celtic foundation, later Benedictine, now the home of an international ecumenical lay community

Those who know a little bit about the Celtic and Latin monastic traditions may be tempted to contrast them unnecessarily, for when we consider Celtic monasticism we are thinking of a tradition that reached its prime between the 8th and 12th centuries whereas we tend to think of the apex of Benedictinism as the high middle ages. It is, therefore, very easy to forget that for St Benedict himself grand Romanesque and Gothic abbey churches, cathedrals and cloisters would have been quite alien. The monasteries with which Our Holy Father was familiar were small in comparison; usually consisting of just an oratory, refectory, dormitory, scriptorium, guest accommodation and out-buildings, a group of often quite separate rooms more reminiscent of a decent sized Roman villa than a large medieval abbey. In fact one could say that even the primitive conditions of a 6th or 7th century Irish monastic settlement might not have been so very different to the early Benedictine norm, save that for the Celts the buildings would generally have been of wood, wattle and thatch rather than stone and the monastics generally worked and slept in individual cells rather than in common workshops and dormitories.

St Benedict was just 31 years younger than his contemporary, St Brigid of Kildare, one of the great Celtic foundresses. They drank at the same literary well; sharing similar monastic influences such as the traditions of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and the writings of St John Cassian, though it is true to say that the Celts had a stronger connection to the semi-eremitical tradition of Egypt via Lérins and Tours than the Latins who were more influenced by the cenobitism of St Pachomius and St Basil, whom St Benedict refers to as “Our Holy Father”.

Nevertheless, even making allowances for the Celtic love of solitude and the wilderness, the two traditions had much more in common than not, as can be witnessed in this beautiful and well known poem attributed to the seventh century monk, St Manchán of Lemanaghan, Co Offaly:

"I wish, O Son of the living God, O ancient, eternal King,
For a hidden little hut in the wilderness that it may be my dwelling.
An all-grey lithe little lark to be by its side, 
A clear pool to wash away sins through the grace of the Holy Spirit,
Quite near, a beautiful wood around it on every side, 
To nurse many-voiced birds, hiding it with its shelter.
A southern aspect for warmth, a little brook across its floor,
 A choice land with many gracious gifts such as be good for every plant.
A few men of sense we will tell their number  
Humble and obedient. to pray to the King :
Four times three, three times four, fit for every need,  
Twice six in the church, both north and south: Six pairs besides myself 
Praying for ever the King who makes the sun shine.
A pleasant church and with the linen altar-cloth, a dwelling for God from Heaven; 
Then, shining candles above the pure white Scriptures.
One house for all to go to for the care of the body,  
Without ribaldry, without boasting, without thought of evil.
This is the husbandry I would take, I would choose, and will not hide it: 
Fragrant leek, hens, salmon, trout, bees.
Raiment and food enough for me from the King of fair fame, 
And I to be sitting for a while praying God in every place."

St Manchán's Well, Lemanaghan, Co Offaly

Whilst the love of the natural world, so resonant with today's eco-spirituality, is indeed distinctively Celtic, the emphasis on humility, obedience and simplicity is thoroughly consistent with the Rule of St Benedict and continental monasticism of the same period.

The Benedictine life strives for a balance of prayer, work and study and these three are also found in St Manchán's poem. First of all, the Divine Office, which St Benedict refers to as the “Work of God”, is alluded to by Manchán's wish for a choir of twelve monks to sing the Divine Office antiphonally. A monastery of about a dozen monks would also have been normal on the continent during this period. Work is represented by Manchán's wish to cultivate a garden, keep some bees and do a bit of fishing, whilst that third pillar of Benedictine spirituality is a little harder to spot, but it is also there, as Manchán finishes his poem wishing to be able to sit “for a while praying to God in every place”. This perhaps alludes to the same kind of Lectio Divina – prayerful reading – which St Benedict taught.

Thus, far from there being a great gulf between the practice of Celtic monks and their Benedictine brothers the essence of the life was the same - space to be alone with God, single-mindedly focussed on the Divine Presence. The Benedictines found a particularly suitable home amongst the English and of course their influence has been very formative for the Anglican tradition, whereas in the Celtic countries the indigenous monasticism was gradually replaced, occasionally by "black" Benedictines, though more often by reformed branches of the order such as the Cistercians and Valliscaulians, whose charism of austerity and simplicity was not only true to the letter of the Rule but also more in tune with the Celtic temperament and the Celtic love of the natural world as the dwelling place of the Most High. As an Irish Cistercian Abbot remarked to myself on one occasion, “What you need to understand Alistair is that the differance between Benedictines and Cistercians is the differance between agriculture and culture”! Human culture, art and music are indeed wonderful gifts to be used in the service of God but for the true contemplative there is no substitute for the simple desert experience. I believe that both St Benedict and St Manchán would agree.

Shrine of the Relics of St Manchán, Boher, Co Limerick

The Way of the Labyrinth

12/1/2016

"Walking Worship" - the Way of the Labyrinth
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

Whilst corresponding recently with one of our Knights (of St Joseph of Arimathea) the subject of “walking worship” and labyrinths came up, which has inspired me to write a few words about this subject, one is close to my heart.

Before moving to Switzerland eighteen months ago I lived in Edinburgh and it was there, around the turn of the millenium that I was introduced to my first labyrinth walk at St Columba's-by-the-Castle. Over the years since then I regularly walked several different indoor (portable) labyrinths in Edinburgh and often walked the magnificent Chartres labyrinth in George Square Gardens.

Edinburgh Labyrinth

The beautiful trees and plants and the changing of the seasons, as well as the labyrinth itself, served to inspire and refresh as I slowed down to a meditative pace, so necessary for one with a busy urban ministry. I always found
the exercise to be very rewarding and sometimes quite enlightening and am tremendously grateful to the Revd Di Williams, then the University Chaplain, for introducing the indoor labyrinth and raising the money and managing the project to build the outdoor labyrinth.

Labyrinths, whether square, rectangular or circular, grace the pavements of several medieval cathedrals in Britain and northern Europe and yes, they were built to be walked on meditatively, not merely for decoration. The journey to the centre was envisaged as a journey to the heavenly Jerusalem, then thought of as the cosmic centre of the world and originally pilgrims walking a labyrinth gained an indulgence which others, more able bodied or less occupied, might gain by joining the crusades in defence of the earthly Jerusalem. Due to this connection with Jerusalem the Labyrinth and Templar mysteries have become somewhat intertwined.

Although labyrinth patterns are known from even the old stone age, labyrinth lovers often give the first place of honour to the intricate pattern of the labyrinth at Chartres cathedral, itself famous for its "sacred geometry". Some of the most popular modern labyrinths are built in this style. I am a Chartres fan through and through but I have to say that walking the square labyrinth at Ely Cathedral was also a wonderful experience, especially as other tourists seeing me walking the labyrinth, gave it a go themselves. Labyrinths do seem to have the power to awaken the spiritual craving in people and satisfy it in accessible and unique ways.

Ely Cathedral Labyrinth

To me the journey to the heart of the labyrinth is a journey to the Heart; to the rose at the centre of the cross; to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to that Eucharistic Host which is a microcosm of the macrocosm, a veritable concentration of God's presence in the world. For me, it is a devotional exercise during which I often say the Rosary or the Jesus Prayer. But the marvellous thing about labyrinths is their versatility and ability to be "all things to all men". People of many religions and none can meditatively walk a labyrinth and each may be graced with a personal mystical experience, according to his or her own light.

Now, living at St Gall's Retreat, high in the Swiss Alps, I do not have the opportunity to walk a labyrinth regularly, but what I learnt from labyrinth walking in Edinburgh has not been lost ,for the labyrinth taught me how to walk meditatively and prayerfully. Just as we sometimes occupy our hands and the surface of our minds with the rosary or chotki in order to find a deeper peace within, so occupying the feet, walking slowly and consciously as we pray, can really help us to slow down and notice the beauty around us.

A simple classical circuit labyrinth at St Columba's Bay, Iona

A Navajo Chant

Now I walk in beauty
Beauty is before me
Beauty is behind me
Above me and below me
Around me and within me.

Amen.

The Order of Doorkeeper

12/1/2016

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination 2
- The Order of Doorkeeper
by Fr Paul Kitchenham Ob. OSBA, Ph.D.

Having considered some aspects of the Tonsure ceremony in my first article, I now turn to the first of the traditional Four Minor Orders, that of Porter or Doorkeeper. Although the old Roman Catholic books tell us that one of the duties of the Doorkeeper is to “open the book for the preacher” during the liturgy, most of the duties which members of this Holy Order had to fulfil in ancient times were concerned with the church building away from the focus of worship. In the ordination ceremony for this order these responsibilities were symbolised by the presentation of the Church Keys to the new Doorkeeper with the admonition to “open the House of God to believers, but keep it ever closed to unbelievers”. The new Doorkeeper, as well as locking and unlocking the church door during the ordination, is
expected to ring the church bell as a sign that he is “to mark the set hours for calling upon the Name of the Lord”. Both symbolic ceremonies may be familiar to those from an Anglican background too, as they have been included in the service for the induction of new incumbents in that jurisdiction.

For all of us, ordained and lay, there is a profusion of spiritual insights which can be gained from these ceremonies. Firstly, and most directly, we may reflect that the apparently humble job of caretaker is here treated as a part of the Ordained Ministry – the
care of the physical things which facilitate worship (our bodies as well as our churches and chapels) is not to be disregarded. Just as the Doorkeeper is the first Minor Order on which the others are then built, so it is true that if we have a well cared for bodily environment to worship in then we are set free to concentrate on the higher things of our Faith. A similar lesson is taught by the
mention of “the set hours for calling on” God – it is good for us to have a framework or routine on which to build our prayer life, whether we are “full-time religious” or work full-time. The habit of turning our thoughts to God first thing in the morning, as we travel to work, as we prepare our main meal, or whenever fits in with our lifestyle, is the mental equivalent of a well-maintained place of worship, providing the environment for us to grow spiritually.

A second reflection on this Order springs from the duty of guarding the church doors –they say first impressions are the ones which really count, and we must recognise that each of us, as we move through our lives, constantly meets new people and is in a position to give them a good“first impression” of the Faith. We can easily put people off with a thoughtless comment or selfish action: we can put them off too by being too “churchy” and we should bear in mind that in this regard actions certainly do speak louder than words. Am I suggesting then that we should be in a constant state of watchfulness over our words and actions, consciously thinking about how to give those good impressions? Not entirely, for the key to this aspect of “opening the House of God” to those of good will, is to nurture an attitude of love in our hearts, so that loving words and actions will naturally spring forth
from within. Let our prayer be always that God will help us to grow in love therefore. The Liberal Catholic rite for ordaining Doorkeepers rightly observes that “Your task as doorkeeper is not to ask love, but to give love”.

Finally, a third thought that arises from the Porter ordination is contained in this admonition: “to close the unseen dwelling of God, to wit, the hearts of believers, by word and example, against the devil, and to open them to God”. The physical church building,
responsibility for which is given to Doorkeepers, is symbolic of each of us as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and it is our responsibility to do all that we can to nurture and grow the divine presence in our hearts. This calls for discernment, about not putting ourselves in situations of temptation or “occasions of sin” but instead placing ourselves in the best environment in which to nurture the power of God’s Spirit within us. Think of the people you spend time with, the places you go, the books you read, the websites you visit, and apply to each and every one of these the thought that your heart is the “unseen dwelling of God”. This thought calls also for reverence for the body, avoiding its abuse and neglect, thanking God for our physicality, and recollection that Christian Faith teaches belief in a bodily resurrection.

Whether or not ordained to the Order of Doorkeeper ourselves, we could all do well (in the Liberal Catholic words) to “guard the keys to your heart, to open it for all expression of that which is noble and good, and to keep it closed to unworthy suggestion”.

December 01st, 2016

12/1/2016

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination
1 - The Tonsure
by Fr Paul Kitchenham OB. OSBA, Ph.D.

In many strands of the Christian tradition, the gateway of a person’s path into ordained ministry is the ceremony of the Tonsure. In this the first of what I hope to be a series of articles meditating on the mysteries unfolded through the Minor & Major Ordinations, I want to explore what each one of us, ordained or lay, may learn from this simple little ceremony. We may be familiar with the wrangling over the exact form of the tonsure to be worn in the early medieval Church – the Synod of Whitby deciding between the Celtic and Roman style of tonsure. We may also be aware of the different forms of tonsure current today in Eastern & Western Monasticism: all of these to a greater or lesser degree involve the shaving of the head. But in the rite of“making a Cleric” in the traditional Catholic Pontifical, which is the focus for this article, the cutting of the candidate’s hair is purely symbolic, snipping a few hairs from the front and back of the head, from over each ear and finally from the crown of the head.

I would like to suggest three aspects of the Tonsure for consideration. Firstly, the fact that it is about the Body. That a person entering upon the clerical life should submit to a bodily change is a potent reminder that we are part of a bodily, incarnational Faith. We affirm our belief, not merely in the survival of the spiritual element of our being, but in the Resurrection of the Body. In the Old Testament, we find God prescribing circumcision as a bodily sign to His people, and under the new dispensation, we read of St Paul shaving his head in fulfilment of a vow. It is to such precedents that the rite of Tonsuring a Cleric looks back. To us, then, it is a reminder that we should serve God, not only with our minds, but with our bodies, for they are His. This lesson is underlined and broadened by the use of Psalm 24 directly after the tonsuring in the Latin Rite – The earth is the Lord’s, and all that therein is. Our bodies belong to Him –and so does everything that we see around ourselves on this wonderful Earth. We are being challenged to ask ourselves how we can better serve God in our bodily existence, and how we can recognise in practical ways that all of the Earth, all living things, are called to serve and belong to God in a similar way.

Secondly, the Tonsure is about Renunciation. A person submitting to this ceremony is giving up something of themselves, renouncing an aspect of their individuality. This aspect of symbolism is shared with other great religious traditions across the world, particularly Buddhism, an incidental reminder of the commonality of many concepts between religions. When a person is tonsured, they repeat the words of the Psalmist: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance; and of my cup: ‘tis Thou that restorest mine inheritance to me”. This signifies that as they give away aspects of their individuality and independence to God, He can give us all far greater gifts, those of our true inheritance. Sometimes the things that we cling onto, that are precious to us, are those things which may impede our spiritual growth, and by giving them up to Him, we are opening ourselves to receive far more valuable gifts.

Finally, the rite of Tonsuring is about Service. It is a commissioning or setting aside a person in a special way in the Lord’s service, but each of us may profit from considering exactly what the ceremony is saying about the nature of that service. After the actual snipping of hair has been concluded, the new Cleric is usually clothed with a Surplice –referred to in a prayer as “the vesture of Thy sacred service” –the white of this garment signifying the purity of intention needed to serve God. The words the Bishop says to the candidate as he puts on the Surplice underline this: quoting from St Paul’s words to the Ephesians, he speaks of “putting on the new man, created after God’s likeness in the justice and holiness of truth”. We are called to live in the image of God, to be like His Son in all our doings. Some words from the final prayer of the traditional rite of tonsure may deepen
our appreciation of quite what it means to live in His image – the Bishop is said to have made the candidate “to bear on his head the likeness of Thy Crown”. To serve God is to share in the sufferings of Our Lord’s Passion, exemplified in the Crown of Thorns and the tonsure is a sign of this, too. We should not be afraid, because the Crown of Thorns points ahead to the radiant crowns of the Saints in Glory, the fullness of the inheritance which will be for all who truly seek to serve Him. How might each one of us be called to share in that Crown of Thorns in His service?

I have focussed on the words and concepts in the traditional Latin rite of tonsuring a cleric, but will close with an insight from the Orthodox tradition, which underlines that the mysteries of the Body, Renunciation and Service which we have touched on are for all, not just for clergy. In many strands of Orthodoxy, there is a Baptismal Tonsure, as well as a Clerical & Monastic one – signifying that to all the baptised there is a call to serve God in our bodies, to give up those things that hold us back, and to share in the vocation of the Suffering Servant, so that with Him we may receive the Crown of everlasting life.

(F Paul is an Oblate of the Holy Cross)

A Redemptorist Brother receives the tonsure

All Saints & Alll Souls - 2012

12/1/2016

A reflection on the festivals of All Saints and All Souls
by Revd Br Patrick Scheiner OSBA

As Catholics and Orthodox we commemorate the saints on the 1st day of November. Saints in our tradition are people, who by their example of following Christ, give us an example of how to lead a Christian life. 'I´m not a saint and never will be' some might think, and contemplating my own life, I have to admit, I am far from it! In my life it is often difficult to follow Christ and no matter how hard I try, I always see myself failing. What did the saints have, which I have not? Probably, they had more patience and trust in God...

In our Catholic tradition and more especially in the Orthodox tradition saints are very important. Entering an Orthodox church, one will find many icons and people praying in front of them. For rather Protestant souls, this seems to be idolatry and they accuse people of adoring 'pictures'. 'Christ is enough and we do not need saints' is often the argument against such 'idolatry'.

The Saints gave us a living example of trust and faith, faith in the God we can´t see, but of whom we can get a slight notion by following him even in the darkest time of our lives. Was it fun for Mary to see her son dying on the cross? Certainly not, but her trust in God helped her to overcome this deep mourning. She was the closest to God and must have felt
strongly what it meant 'to be in this world but not to be from this world'. She is the Saint of Saints!

And the other Saints? They all had their special vocation in life – a vocation to follow Christ in diverse ways. Not because they
were perfect but rather, in their imperfection they were made whole! For this reason, venerating icons does not equal idolatry. The icons are a mirror of God and the Saints help us to remember that even being human, Christ wants us to be unique and to be part of the divine mystery. The Saints interceed for us and help us on this earth to be connected with God in a special way.

When we celebrate All Souls on the 2ndof November, we think and pray for our families and friends who have gone to their rest. We remember them and are grateful for theilives which they shared with us and we are sure they are surrounded by God´s
great love, a love which is greater than our understanding, in another world of no struggle and pain, but in joyful happiness.

All these thoughts will make the grey and cold time of the year brighter, a brightness which is not from this earth and of which we get a glimpse by celebrating the sacred misteries of the altar. So let us be saints not by being perfect, but by being aware that we have to follow Christ. In him alone we find real happiness and peace in our hearts.

O Lord our God, in thy Saints, thou hast given us a living example of how our life could be. Help us in our imperfections to overcome the struggles of daily life and make us by each Eucharist more complete. Feed us with thy Heavenly Bread always and through it strenghten us to fulfil thy holy will and to take up the cross and follow our vocation. Let all our faithful departed which we especially remember in these days be gathered into your heavenly kingdom to be partakers of thine infinite Love. We ask this to Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

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Some thoughts on Christian Unity by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

Where do Anglo-Catholics go from here? An invitation. by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, M.A.Div.- Presiding Bishop of the Holy Celtic Church

"Affirming the Gifts of the Spirit" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, MA.Div.

"Bishops Still at Large" - Some thoughts on the state of the Independent Sacramental Movement today ...by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A. Div.

The Benedictine and Celtic Traditions- Common Ground?by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

"Walking Worship" - the Way of the Labyrinth by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

A Navajo Chant

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination 2- The Order of Doorkeeperby Fr Paul Kitchenham Ob. OSBA, Ph.D.

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination 1 - The Tonsureby Fr Paul Kitchenham OB. OSBA, Ph.D.

A reflection on the festivals of All Saints and All Souls by Revd Br Patrick Scheiner OSBA

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Some thoughts on Christian Unity
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

Where do Anglo-Catholics go from here? An invitation.
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, M.A.Div.
- Presiding Bishop of the Holy Celtic Church

"Affirming the Gifts of the Spirit"
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate, OSBA, MA.Div.

"Bishops Still at Large" - Some thoughts on the state of the Independent Sacramental Movement today ...
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A. Div.

The Benedictine and Celtic Traditions
- Common Ground?
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div

"Walking Worship" - the Way of the Labyrinth
by Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination 2
- The Order of Doorkeeper
by Fr Paul Kitchenham Ob. OSBA, Ph.D.

Thoughts on the Mysteries of Ordination
1 - The Tonsure
by Fr Paul Kitchenham OB. OSBA, Ph.D.

A reflection on the festivals of All Saints and All Souls
by Revd Br Patrick Scheiner OSBA