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Pastoral Letter - Eastertide 2020

4/17/2020

St Gall’s Retreat, Switzerland
Easter Saturday 2020

Dear brethren, sisters and friends,
Eastertide greetings to you all. Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

I expect many of you, like myself, are thinking, well that was probably the strangest Easter ever! It certainly does seem like we’ve had more of the Cross and less of the Resurrection this year. My heart goes out to those of you who have lost beloved friends and relatives in this pandemic, and yes, some of our clergy and seminarians have been directly affected. Our love and prayers are with you

For Mons Bruno and I, things have not been so different. We have had many cancellations and have certainly taken a hit financially, but we did have a few guests over Easter, for whom I was cooking, so we were kept busy and of course we celebrated the usual Easter Triduum services. At a time like this, we clergy in the HCCI, are so fortunate to have private oratories and not to have to worry about “getting to church”, but I know that some of our seminarians, particularly in Italy, have been feeling very isolated!

Just the other day one of our clergy in America, posted this picture, which for me sums up perfectly my feelings about the Cross.

Being of the Liberal Catholic tradition we tend not to dwell too much on sin and even less on vicarious atonement, yet the idea of a God who suffers alongside us remains one of the most beautiful aspects of Christianity, at its best. As we have seen with this pandemic, we don’t need to go looking for crosses for they will surely find us, but when they do we have the companionship of the God who suffered willingly for our sake to show us how to suffer with dignity and hope.

Our liturgy reminds us that Jesus is “the eternal High Priest, (who) forever offers Himself as the eternal Sacrifice” and that he is the “Lamb slain from the beginning of the world”. What this tells us is that from the dawn of time God has been pouring his life blood out into the universe in one eternal act of total self-giving Love, and for us Christians, that out-pouring of Love has a pivotal point in time, in 1st century Israel, in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Our Lord. The self-sacrifice of our God would indeed be a tragedy were it not for the miracle of the resurrection which gives us faith in our final victory and enables us to perceive His continuing and eternal Presence with us in the Holy Eucharist.

Tomorrow, being Low Sunday, the collect we will say articulates more beautifully and succinctly the sentiments I have been trying to convey:

O Lord Christ, by whose eternal sacrifice we exist, and in whose victory we triumph, grant that, in joy or in sorrow, we may never lose our grateful memory of thine encouraging love, who livest and reignest God throughout all ages. Amen.

May recollection of the Mercy, Empathy and Compassion of our God remain ever in our hearts and minds as we continue this Eastertide journey together.

Ad Jesum per Mariam,
+Alistair of the Child Jesus OSBA

A Review of "The Science of the Sacraments" by Br Ethan Ritter Ob.H.C.

2/23/2020

for St. Gall’s Seminary
a review of ‘The Science of the Sacraments’ by Charles W. Leadbeater

17 January, 2020
Feast of St. Mildred of Thanet, Ab.

It is difficult to know what to say about Science of the Sacraments. Previously I had been familiar with Leadbeater’s magnum opus only abstractly, or from gleanings from other texts like Yoga of the Sacraments; reading the text itself and being able to have a full, original understanding of Liberal Catholic sacramental theology was extremely rewarding. My assertion, when reading Yoga of the Sacraments, that Burke’s interpretation could be read as a key to that of Leadbeater, seems to have been on-the-nose and I look forward to revisiting his work in light of that.

The main thrust of Science of the Sacraments, and the lynchpin around which the author arranges Liberal sacramental theology, can be singled out easily: astral architecture. Outlined in the book is an an energy-centric interpretation of the sacraments’ ultimate purpose and function; positing that there exists a ‘great reservoir of spiritual force’ set aside by God, and that ‘[t]he plan adopted by the Christ with regard to this religion is that a special compartment of [that reservoir] is set apart for its use, and that a certain order of officials is empowered, by the use of appointed ceremonies, words and signs of power, to draw upon it for the benefit of mankind.’ The most striking and laboriously-elucidated example of this channeling of divine power is the Holy Mass.

Leadbeater’s (and subsequently Liberal Catholicism’s) interpretation of the Mass is one of the LCC’s most seminal and original contributions to Christian philosophical discourse. Framed in the context of divine energies Leadbeater presents to us a liturgy and Eucharist which is at once familiar, yet alien. In the traditional (which is to say Latin) interpretation of the Eucharistic drama the Mass is a holy and eternal sacrifice; an Atonement offered again and again at every altar of the Lord. Venerable Fulton Sheen, famed television evangelist and later Archbishop of Rochester, once spoke of the Mass as the firm planting of the Cross on Golgotha; holding before us the true reality of Christ crucified. This view of the Mass is in many ways beautiful and profound, but is also utterly and completely at odds with the Liberal understanding of the Eucharist.

Whereas the Latin rite of the Mass is avowedly sacrificial, and maybe even penitential, Leadbeater interprets it in a new and joyous fashion; one that is profoundly influenced by the time in which he lived while at the same time revealing to us the true and eternal purposes for which Christ first instituted the Blessed Sacrament. It is here where astral architecture comes into play. As mentioned before the essential purpose of the sacraments is the utilisation of the ‘great reservoir of spiritual force’ which has been fashioned by the Lord. With this in mind we can better understand the methods by which the Mass accomplishes this. Says the Bishop:

Each of the great services of the Church (and more especially the celebration of the Holy Eucharist) was originally designed to build up a mighty ordered form, expressing and surrounding a central idea — a form which would facilitate and direct the radiation of the influence upon the entire village which was grouped round the church. The idea of the service may be said to be a double one: to receive and distribute the great outpouring of spiritual force, and to gather up the devotion of the people and offer it before the throne of God.

The creation of that ‘mighty ordered form’ and the subsequent functioning of that form is, in essence, the true purpose of the Mass (and to a variously lesser extent, the other sacraments as well) in Liberal Catholic theology. It is for this reason that Leadbeater often harshly dismisses the Latin Rite as inadequate for its true purpose; too weighed down with a fixation on sin to best receive and distribute the great outpouring of God’s energeia upon the world. Utilising his natural clairvoyant gifts the Bishop had an unsparing vision of the astral results of that fixation; describing a flat-roofed building that ‘is often a dead level of nervousness and anxiety, full of ugly hollows and pits of depression caused by the exaggerated confessions of vileness and abject appeals for mercy’ which pervaded the Roman canon. Seeing this, he was struck with the nature of the astral building as it should be:

Every such hollow should be replaced by a pinnacle of fervid devotion, updrawn by utter confidence in the love of God, so that the thought-form should show a forest of gleaming spires, like Milan Cathedral, instead of the flat or sagging roof which it often bears at present, in order that by sympathetic influence its soaring lines might guide men’s thoughts upward, and wean them away from servile fear to trust, adoration and love.

Our Holy Fathers in Christ were inspired to address this deficiency in purpose by substituting joy for sorrow in their selection of verses and psalms, and taking a more measured attitude toward the ‘cringing’ verses which they abhorred: ‘it was especially impressed upon us that no words should be put into the mouth of the priest or the congregation which they could not really mean.’ As Leadbeater noted in that passage, this was quite successful in relation to the type of thoughtform the Liberal Mass produces. Likewise I am again moved to agree with Fr. Sten von Krusenstierna that ‘we realize now that the new Liturgy was a masterpiece, and undoubtedly the two Bishops were deeply inspired when compiling and writing it.’

Having said that, however, I am once more reminded of the criticism I levelled at Esther de Waal’s lack of emphasis on the suffering and crucified Christ. Here I am distressed by what I feel is an unfair and possibly harmful negativity toward suffering expressed by both Leadbeater and, to a lesser extent, Bl. James I. Wedgwood. There is no doubt that their removal of such passages has resulted in something holy, but I wonder if something is not worse off for the total exclusion. Frequently in the examples of Roman liturgy in Science the Psalmist is of a sorrowful mind, crying out in danger or anguish for the strong arm of the Lord. These passages are uniformly jettisoned. Instead their Liberal counterparts speak of beauty, holiness, and joy. While this is of course wonderful and uplifting to the heart, I know I can often find solace in the entreaties alone of the Psalms. We often, perhaps most often, turn to Christ in times of hardship and I’m not sure that’s something which should be wholly excised from corporate worship.

There are so many things I found edifying from this book. Leadbeater’s remarks on angels and nature-spirits deserve ample commentary, and I haven’t even scratched the surface of what could be said only of the Eucharist. One thing, though, deserves specific consideration: the objective necessity of beauty. I am struck by the degree to which beauty is seen as imperative; and this is nowhere more clearly seen than in Leadbeater’s extensive discussion of thought-forms — necessary in the scheme of the Creator for the proper functioning and flow of divine energy. Thought-forms best suited to the purpose for which Christ instituted the sacraments have an objective look, and that look is… beautiful. Gothic spires and soaring elegance contrasted against the ugly Le Corbusier edifices which are the objective result of deficiencies.

I believe this stakes out a uniquely Liberal Catholic position on beauty. Although many branches of Christ’s Etz Chaim make some acknowledgement of the ontological reality of beauty we alone claim that beauty is necessary to the economy of Salvation. To us, high-churchmanship is not an aesthetic preference to be bulldozed by aesthetic architectural fashions — without beauty the divine energies of Christ struggle to be brought down and dispensed throughout the world. Leadbeater tells us that the objective astral shape of dismal, ineffective worship bears a striking resemblance to Brutalism or Minimalism. Surely those are not suitable garments for Houses of the Lord, nor their furnishings, nor for vestments and vessels of the Work of God; and surely we can do better by imitating the graceful beauty of those edifices which channel best the energeia of Life Himself.

In The Science of the Sacraments I found the definitive proof that this branch of Faith, this holy understanding we call Liberal Catholicism, is a thing of joy and majesty given up to the Lord. I feel incredibly blessed to have ended up here, approaching ordination in this lineage of the Risen Master, as opposed to the many places I could have ended up at this point in my journey — that I have found rest with this Christ.

The Rt Revd C. W. Leadbeater

Advent Pastoral Letter 2019

12/4/2019

Advent Pastoral Letter 2019 -
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

2019 has a roller coaster of a year for me personally and for quite a few people in the Holy Celtic Church International, for a whole variety of reasons. Some of our dear members have wrestled with serious illness and some have even passed before us beyond the veil. There have been the almost inevitable betrayals and the breaking of vows of canonical obedience, sadly so common in the Independent Sacramental Movement, which often attracts unscrupulous characters. For my own part I have had to learn again and again the importance of prudence when accepting seminarians and ordaining clergy as well as the importance of making the boundaries very clear from the start.

Despite the setbacks, however, the church has increased in number, maintained the purity and orthodoxy of the sacraments and increased substantially the level of education of our clergy throughout the world, through the provision of sound Liberal Catholic and Celtic teachings. I am especially heartened by the growth of our church in Brazil where several new clergy have worked hard on translating liturgies and teachings into Portuguese. I am also heartened by the increase in the number of young people who are choosing a vocation in the HCCI. We now have several clergy and seminarians in their twenties and thirties in the UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Poland and Serbia and we look forward to further ordinations and a consecration here in Switzerland next year. Clearly our more traditionalist Celtic Liberal Catholicism is attractive to some, which is really affirming for those of us who are now getting on a bit!

Many people find great comfort and hope from meditation on the mysteries of Holy Week and Easter, which is right and just, for indeed they are central to the Christian story, regardless of how one chooses to interpret them. Personally, however, my favourite festival of the Christian year will forever be Christmas, celebrating as it does, the birth of a religion of charity and mercy, God as Love, in the person of a vulnerable Divine Child. Though the Incarnation, as I understand it, is an idea which has always been around - for St. Augustine tells us “that which is called the Christian religion existed among the ancients, and never did not exist from the beginning of the human race until Christ came in the flesh” - the early church did present a special, new and original idea in contrast to those pre-existing religions, which we may sum up in one word, “Mercy”. It is this one small divergence from previous spiritualities which has made Christianity their worthy successor, although of course the churches - including our own - fail badly at really putting Mercy into practice. Christmas should be a time to renew our commitment to the merciful gospel as we share our gifts, both spiritual and temporal, with those who are less fortunate.

It is my hope that in the coming year, the Holy Celtic Church International may become a more merciful church; that without compromising our principles, we might reach out a merciful hand to the marginalised and spiritually or temporally poor, showing them the famed hospitality of Our Holy Mother St Brigid.

Bright blessings to you all for a very Merry Christmas,

+Alistair OSBA

An assignment for St Gall's Seminary by Ethan Ritter

11/29/2019

A review of the lecture "Introduction to Celtic Spirituality" given by Esther de Waal, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Ethan Ritter (HCCI Seminarian)

Ss Brendan, Brigid, Patrick and Columba

23rd November, 2019
Feast of St. Columbanus, Ab.

I’m pleased to note that today is the Feast of Saint Columbanus, that old stalwart of the Hibernian missions who, in fact, was mentioned more than once in Mrs. de Waal’s lecture. I feel that perhaps it was meant that I chose Mrs. de Waal’s talk for the subject of my next assignment, as maudlin as that might sound. In any case I did not intend to listen to her talk to begin with — I own her book on Celtic spirituality in paperback and was going to use that — but figured that listening might, in the end, be more amenable. Given how much I enjoyed listening to this lecture I imagine I’ll be reading the book regardless.

Mrs. de Waal’s accent provided a bit of a stumbling block but I was able to persevere... albeit having to go back so many times to catch her words that a 40-minute lecture took over an hour to listen to. The lecture itself was delightful, and provided me with much food for thought. I appreciated her early comments on the distinctions between Benedictine and Celtic spirituality in the monasteries (touching upon the specifically-Roman influences picked up by St. Benedict) and how Celtic spirituality was marked by ‘connectedness’ and a sense of interpersonality. De Waal’s discussion of connectedness in Celtic praxis made me think of Martin Buber’s distinction between “I-and-it” and “I-and-Thou” relationships which posited God as the Eternal Thou, with whom a fulfilling relationship was the ultimate goal of relationships at all. I don’t think it would be inaccurate to say that the Celtic Fathers honed in on this concept long before Buber.

One part that I had mixed feelings about was a lengthy metaphorical exposition of the Celtic Cross. I noticed something in a particular statement of Mrs. de Waal’s which I have seen particularly in ISM/Celtic/Liberal circles; namely a certain distance from the Suffering Christ. She comments that ‘at the heart of the Celtic Cross is Christ crucified — not the suffering Christ of medieval piety, the body in agony and suffering, but the Christ who speaks to early people: Christus Victor.’ I don’t wish to sound contrary but neither was I comfortable with what felt like a breezy dismissal of ‘the body in agony and suffering’. Liberal Catholicism’s distinctive rejection of crucifixes on the altar — which, if I recall correctly, stems from a desire to instead emphasise the Risen Christ — seems akin to this. Perhaps that’s a good thing given the HCCI’s dual Celtic and Liberal Catholic charisms but I confess it makes me uncomfortable sometimes. It seems to me that many people reject the crucifix and the general image of Christ suffering as counterproductive, or maybe just lesser significance, than the victory over Death which resulted from His suffering. Personally however I find deep significance in the suffering Son of God nailed to a cross for our (my!) sins. The knowledge of Christ’s suffering for me is a balm when I, too, so often feel bowed down by pain and anguish. To forget, disdain, or gloss over the Passion (none of which I’m accusing Mrs. de Waal of, it’s just her comment which prompted my reflection) in favour of the Resurrection is almost always meant without malice or impiety but nevertheless it is a trend which exists, and I am wary of it.

Muiredach's Cross, Monasterboice, Ireland

The rest of the talk was delightful and without blemish. To my happiness Mrs. de Waal mentioned the Saint John’s Bible of St. Vincent Archabbey here in the US, and the truly stunning artistry and beauty which has gone into it. I could not help but agree with her subsequent assertion that Christianity has been made ‘pallid’ and that we should recover the energy and beauty found in the Celtic tradition — which, given my unfailingly high-church proclivities, is hardly surprising. De Waal also spoke passionately and at-length against the othering of the Celtic church as at odds with Rome, and against the abuses and misunderstandings to which it is so frequently subjected; an issue which is no stranger to any communicant of the Holy Celtic Church and one we are vigilant against. I feel that it would be appropriate to quote from her remarks in a verbatim, if slightly abridged, manner:

"All sorts of expectations, particularly in America, are being put on the Celtic church by feminists, by people who are looking for ecological statements and so on, how shocking that would have been to St Columbanus ... the Celtic church loved Rome, the Celtic Church was part of the whole entiredom of Christianity in its day ... in its belief it was one with the orthodoxy of the whole of Christendom at that time."

This of course is a sentiment which could have been plucked directly from our webpage. So often these days people will pick and choose from their liking from the rich traditions of Christianity and justify gross innovations from their incomplete understandings. To stand against that trend is a worthy thing, because the fullness of the Christian tradition can only be completely found in concert with that faith once delivered to us — never in contrast with it.

Finally, Mrs. de Waal devoted a great deal of the talk’s end to discussing unity and diversity. She spoke of the various artistic and cultural influences evidenced in the Book of Kells and referred to the Book’s scribes as ‘consciously stating a unified position beyond divergent elements’ and, in closing, called upon us to recover the unity in diversity which could be found in the Celtic church of old. Personally I feel that the Holy Celtic Church International has been taking up that banner for some time now; planting a diverse set of charisms, liturgies, and spiritual approaches within a rich Celtic and monastic soil. So far my studies in St. Gall’s Seminary have only served to reinforce a deep affection and gratitude for our little jurisdiction and the riches it contains; I have no doubt that will continue to be the case.

Aterword: Here at St Gall's Seminary we often receive an assignment from a seminarian which is so well written, interesting and relevant that it really deserves a wider audience. Such is the case with this assignment by Ethan Ritter.

Reflections from Trappist Kentucky

6/27/2019

"Reflections from Trappist, Kentucky"
by the Rt Revd Dom Sean Jackson OSBA

I made my first retreat to the Abbey of Gethsemani in July of 2005, having been introduced to the writings of their most famous monk, Thomas Merton (Fr. M. Louis in the Abbey) a few months prior, while on my first-ever retreat at St. Leo Abbey just outside of Tampa, Florida. The book I coincidentally picked up at St. Leo’s, which would ultimately impact and alter my spirituality in ways I never imagined, wasn’t one of his more famous works like Seven Story Mountain or New Seeds of Contemplation, but rather a far-lesser known work called Prayer and Spiritual Direction. It was written in the manner I’d come to recognize as Merton’s unique approach: straight-forward, to the point, full of enormous power and wisdom, and no shortage of humor. However, it was the bookmark I found within the book itself that made me an instant devotee of this spiritual giant. It was an excerpt from Thoughts in Solitude that is sometimes referred to as the Merton Prayer:
“ My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

Thomas Merton - Fr M. Louis OCSO

When I returned home from the retreat, I was having dinner with a friend, an older, retired Roman Catholic priest, and I asked him if he ever heard of this Thomas Merton. He informed me that he had of course, and in fact during his days in seminary, Merton was the most-read Catholic author in the world. He immediately recommended Seven Story Mountain and some of the more popular books that I would subsequently read and re-read many times over.

Seven Story Mountain proved to be something like a spiritual Atom Bomb dropped without warning in the center of my Being. At the time, I was the owner of a fairly-busy real estate firm in South Florida and working 6-7 days per week in what has become known as “the real estate bubble” of the early 2000’s. I immediately set about making plans to visit this monastery that I couldn’t stop reading and thinking about. I’ll never forget my first contact with the guest master at the time, Br. Stephen (now deceased) and feeling like I had made contact with an alien population in another galaxy somewhere in the universe. I later learned that Br. Stephen was very quiet and introverted- even by Trappist standards!

The drive to the Abbey from the airport in Louisville is just over an hour and very beautiful and scenic. When I arrived at the Abbey, it felt as if I was approaching Mount Sinai. I felt chills go down my spine when I encountered the words over the Abbey gate that Merton wrote about in his first visit to the monastery so many years ago: God Alone. There are signs everywhere in and around the monastery that read: Silence is Spoken Here. However, I was greeted by a friendly monk with a huge smile, who offered to show me to my room. He let me know that all of the guest rooms were full and hoped I didn’t mind staying within the Abbey itself, on one of the wings no-longer occupied by the monks. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon and he let me know that Vespers started promptly at 5:30, followed by supper. I’ll never forget the first time chanting the Office with the monks and the feeling that I had somehow found myself surrounded by a choir of angels. The chant was simple yet beautiful; and the organ, old but powerful. Supper was a simple but tasty vegetarian meal (the Trappists, at least at Gethsemani, do not eat meat). On my way back to my room after supper and before Compline, I was greeted by an elderly black monk (Br. James) who didn’t seem to mind breaking the silence to ask me how my retreat was going. He also wanted to know my name. When I told him “Sean,” he replied with a big smile, “That’s a good name… When I came here in 1960, Brother Sean was my Guardian Angel.” I later learned that was the term given for the monk who helps the new postulant with the nuances and customs of “the life.” A short while later I found myself in the darkened Abbey Church, lit only by a candle under the beautiful Icon of Our Lady, chanting Compline, before receiving the final blessing from the Abbot and returning to my “cell.” I spent the next days praying with the monks, walking the beautiful grounds in silence, prayer, and reflection, journaling, and of course paying my respects to the monk who drew me to the place. Merton’s grave looks exactly like the other hundreds of graves in the Abbey cemetery: a simple, fading- white cross with the name, “Fr. M Louis Merton: 1915-1968.” I spent some time in prayer with my new spiritual hero and thanked him for drawing me to this holy place with his powerful writing.

I spent only 3 days there on that trip, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the place on my return to “the world.” One of the first things I noticed was that upon arriving at the monastery, the strict silence seemed overwhelming and maybe even intimidating; but in a short amount of time, it became not-only-comfortable, but even desirable. The other effects were immediate, I began creating periods of silence in my life at home, particularly in the early mornings and again in the evenings, in addition to increasing my recitation of the Office to include Vigils and sometimes the “Little Hours,” as well as attendance at Daily Mass. Perhaps most significantly, I couldn’t stop thinking- dare-I-say- fantasizing about the place. Every day at some point I would find myself daydreaming about what the monks were doing and wishing I was there. This began a series of subsequent visits-at least a dozen or so- over the next two years. On one such trip, I asked one of the monks, “If I wanted to come here and do this, is there someone I should speak to?” He replied with a smile and full belly laugh, “Yes, a psychiatrist!” before letting me know who the vocation director was and where he could be found. What occurred to me at some point was significant: I initially came to this monastery because of Thomas Merton, but I kept returning back because of the place itself and the monks who lived there presently. I never would have anticipated the deep and abiding joy (let alone the capacity for such humor) I found with nearly every interaction with the men of this notoriously austere Order.

Gethsemani Abbey, KY

On Saturday’s at the Abbey, Reconciliation and Spiritual Direction is offered to retreatants. I signed up for spiritual direction on the time sheet and showed up at the appointed time to find Fr. Matthew Kelty sitting in his wheel chair and waiting for me. I had been reading Fr. Matthew’s memoirs and poetry for the past year or so and knew he was now in the infirmary (he was 91 or 92 at the time and one of Merton’s Novices from his time as Novice Master) and could not have imagined he would be the monk with whom I was to meet. Needless to say, it was quite a memorable period of spiritual direction! On another occasion, I had a similarly surreal experience. This time, I was staying at the Abbey for 10 days, having spoken at length with the vocation director, and was there to spend those 10 days in the Novitiate, in choir with the monks, and receiving a job every day like the postulants. The idea was to give me a better idea of the reality of the life. I was scheduled to interview with the Novice Master, Prior, and Abbot.

It was an amazing experience. My first time in choir (as opposed to the retreatant section of the Abbey Church) made me feel like I was playing “short stop” for the New York Yankees! I worked every day like the other monks from after Terce until Sext, and then had my afternoons free. I generally used the time to walk around the many acres of woods surrounding the Abbey. One day, an elderly monk in a jeep (Br. Conrad) asked if I wanted to take a ride with him. I accepted, not knowing that he was driving me up to Merton’s Hermitage, which is strictly off-limits to visitors without special invitation or permission. Br. Conrad told me about his experience of Fr. Louis as his Novice Master and couldn’t stress enough that-except for his role/ office as Novice Master-he was not seen as different from any of the other monks. He laughed recalling how dangerous Merton was with an axe or any other tool for that matter, which never stopped him from wanting to do the physical work like the rest of the Community. He laughed even harder telling me how they once got him a jeep to make his trips back and forth from the Hermitage to the Abbey a little easier, but that Merton nearly killed himself learning how to drive and the idea was quickly scrapped. Mostly he recalled his warmth, humility, and ability to teach and explain complicated spiritual matters with amazing accessibility. He allowed me to spend 20 or so minutes alone in the Hermitage while he ran his errand before picking me up on his way back to the monastery, for which I am most grateful. Being in that place- so special and important to Merton and his life of prayer was as powerful for me as any shrine I’ve visited before or since.

On the last day of my stay, Br. Simeon, the monk driving me back to the airport, asked if I minded if we “take Fr. Matthew along,” as he had a scheduled doctor’s appointment later that morning. It had been about a year since my last meeting with Fr. Matthew and was more-than-thrilled at the opportunity to spend over an hour in the car with him. He did not disappoint! I had told him that I’d met with the Novice Master, Prior, and Abbot on the visit and that I received the blessing of all three to enter as a postulant. However, the Abbot had thrown me a curve ball: While giving his consent and approval, he suggested I complete the degree program for which I was more than half-way through, for my own sense of accomplishment as well as because 2 out of 3 postulants don’t end up staying. He asked me to pray about this when I returned home before making a decision, before laughingly stating, “After all, you certainly won’t need a degree to chant the psalms, make cheese, and sweep the floors!”

After relaying this to Fr. Matthew, he assured me of his prayers and began telling me of his experience coming to the Abbey. “Fr. Tom Merton was Master of Novices when I got here” was how he began, spoken in perhaps the strongest of New England accents I’ve heard. For over an hour, he spoke and I listened. He talked about the beauty of the life, but mostly about the man who he believed changed the life-not just for the Abbey of Gethsemani- but for the entire Order, and for the good. “Merton would say things like, “Just because a bunch of 17th century monks slept on straw mattresses, why do we have to do that? Is that going to make us holier? Just because 17th century monks didn’t have heating, why should we all get pneumonia every winter because the Chapter Room is heated and the rest of the monastery is freezing?” He also made the argument that the insistence on silence and the use of sign language was less valuable to the interior life of the monk than more solitude and time for prayer. In short, Fr. Matthew felt that Merton argued persuasively that following a bunch of customs from the 17th century that had no real bearing on the spiritual welfare of monastics was less useful than creating an optimal environment for prayer and contemplation- the true vocation of the monk. Because so many of Merton’s former students went on to become leaders in the order and abbots of various daughter houses, Merton’s teachings took root and manifested themselves in the way “the life” was being lived throughout the Order, in contrast to how it was when many of those monks initially arrived at Gethsemani in the 1950’s and ‘60s. For instance, silence is still kept as a general rule, but speaking is permitted when necessary and sign language is no-longer required. More importantly, monasteries are heated, monks sleep on mattresses and have private rooms (cells) as opposed to dormitory style sleeping quarters, allowing far more time for solitude, prayer, and true interior silence.

Incidentally, I did take the Abbot’s suggestion to heart, and after speaking with friends for whom I respected, including my Augustinian spiritual director, I prayerfully discerned that finishing my degree would be most prudent and that the Abbey would still be there when I did. However, I met and married my wife during that period, and initially thought that meant an end to my monastic and priestly vocation. That, of course, was until I met Dom Alistair Bate, my religious superior and personal friend and mentor, and discovered a vocation to the Holy Celtic Church International and the Holy Cross Benedictines of Adoration.

Thomas Merton continues to have an enormous influence on my life and particularly my spirituality. I continue to read his books and listen to his talks to his Novices, which are gratefully available now on cd and Amazon Audible. And, I am grateful for the vocation God has given me to live my life as faithfully to the ideals of the Rule as my state in life allows, and to have the support and fellowship of the friends and mentors within the community I’ve met along the way!

Dom Sean OSBA

Easter Pastoral Letter 2019

4/14/2019

Easter Pastoral Letter 2019, from the Primus,
the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

My dear brethren, sisters and friends,

A joyful Easter to you all!
Have you ever wondered why we normally wish each other a Happy Christmas or a Merry Christmas, but more usually, at least in religious circles, a Joyful or Joyous Easter? A birth is a cause for celebration, possibly even an occasion of merriment, even more so the birth of a Saviour, and the Saviour’s birth was also of course, deliberately placed just after the Winter Solstice, a traditional time of merriment and relaxation. At Easter, in contrast, the Divine Child has been put through the profound and mysterious agony of the cross in order to prove to us that we too, if we follow in his footsteps, can rise above the trials of this life, sustained by our own relationship with the Father, as He was.

Those of us who are struggling with ill health, extreme stress or misfortune, are excused the spiritual obligation to be joyful, but let’s be honest, most of us have no excuse not to be joyful, not least because we are living the kind of life that the majority of the world’s population can only dream about. So we have an obligation to count our blessings with thankfulness and to take every opportunity to share our abundance with the less fortunate. Those of us who are able are certainly called to spread a little joy whenever and wherever we may.

The gift of joy, however, rarely comes naturally, except to innocent children and animals. We have to work at it and however far we look, we will never find it outside ourselves, regardless of the material blessings we may have received. No, true joy bubbles up from the wellspring of gratutude within. Similarly, the source of joy for Jesus was his intimate loving relationship with the Father. For the necessary replenishment of the source of his joy the Gospels tell us that Jesus frequently withdrew, on his own or with a chosen few, to the wilderness, a mountaintop or the lakeside, where in solitude he could experience that true Source of joy and peace that empowered his ministry.

It would be a great mistake to think that this empowering and joyful intimacy with the Father was unique to Jesus. In fact, the essence of the mysteries of the Incarnation, Cross and Resurrection is to demonstrate for us the Way to the Father and teach us to experience this intimacy for ourselves. It is the most natural thing in the world for every human being to experience ecstatic union with the Father and all can do so simply by learning some simple contemplative prayer/meditation methods and practising them faithfully. This involves activation of a universal God-given ability and does not depend on one’s “state of grace”, for as the parable of the Prodigal Son tells us “… while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” If we make the effort to give God the time he will certainly make the effort to meet us more than half way. Once the openness and motivation are there, the grace of God is there also.

The particular method of meditation or prayer isn’t vitality important, as one’s own patron saints, angels and guides assist and inspire, but generally I find that a simple mantra mediation works best for making connection with that well-spring of joy within. Examples of Christian meditation mantras are “Maranatha” (Come O Lord), “Maran” on the inhalation and “atha" on exhalation, or “Jesus” on inhalation and “Mary” on exhalation. I have used both profitably. The latter has the advantage of reminding us that Mary is a perfect reflection of the indwelling Holy Spirit, just as Jesus is a perfect reflection of the Father. The Gospel of St John (20: 22) tells us that Jesus “breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”. As we inhale we receive that breath of the Spirit from Jesus and as we exhale, being filled with the Holy Sprit, we are assumed with Mary into the heavens. It is a circular motion that propels us onwards and upwards as surely as the fiery wheels of Ezekial’s chariot.

Fundamentally, then, my dear companions on the Way, the Resurrection Life is with us now, so let us be Rejoice, for that Spirit which vivified and empowered Jesus is equally available to us if we will but make space in our lives for a relationship with the Father, as He did.

Bright blessings of New Life to you all!
+Alistair OSBA,
Primus

Afterword

I wrote this Letter on Palm Sunday, two days before the terrible burning of Notre Dame de Paris. Given the change of mood from joyful anticipation to grief and anger, I considered scrapping it and writing another message, however, after some introspection I decided to send the above Pastoral Letter as it stands for the simple reason that if Christianity in the Western World is going to survive at all in our post-Christian and steadily islamised societies it will be because of our personal spirituality. As Karl Rahner famously said, ”The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all”.

The burning of Notre Dame will signal a turning point for many, a rude awakening to the dangerous reality facing our civilisation. Politically we are at least approaching a turning point and despite the increasing violent repression, threats, censorship and silencing of patriots, the populist cause is slowly but surely gaining ground all over Europe and North America. Mainstream Christian churches, however, with a few notable exceptions, are sinking deeper into apostasy as each year passes. Let no one be in any doubt that the Holy Celtic Church International will defend to the death our patrimony as well our faith.

Liberal Catholicism - Ancient & Modern

1/2/2019

"Liberal Catholicism - Ancient & Modern"
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

The Liberal Catholic Liturgy, the primary and official rite of the Holy Celtic Celtic Church International, is now just over 100 years old. The profound spirituality of those who compiled it, Bishops Wedgwood and Leadbeater, shines forth from its pages and for those who use it habitually and allow it to take roots in their hearts it is a transformative time-capsule, communicating to us the same strand of spirituality.

The label “Liberal”, must of course be understood in the spirit it was intended by the founders and, as far as possible, bearing in mind the mentality of well bred gentlemen of 100 years ago. This “liberal” is about as far away as it is possible to be from most of those who proudly wear the label “liberal” in our midst today, for whom other appellations might be more appropriate, such as; radical, feminist, cultural relativist, globalist, borderless, individualist etc. The “Liberal” understanding of the Liberal Catholic founders, on the contrary, is one of moderation, intellectual sophistication, balance, consideration and free enquiry. It is the via media between dogmatic conservatism on the one hand and iconoclastic modernism on the other.

Our Liberal Catholic fathers-in-faith did not, to the best of my knowledge, ever utilise the diagram known as the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” as a means of explaining the inspiration of their Liberal Catholic vision, but the cultural milieu in which they worked was profoundly influenced by this sort of theology. This diagram, ascribed to Methodist founder John Wesley, shows us four ways in which God makes himself known. Whilst the Methodists undoubtedly prioritised Scripture, the Liberal Catholics prioritised Experience, yet there is a commonality between them, and for us today in the Holy Celtic Church International, all four sources of revelation are important.

Scripture (canonical and otherwise) gives us a foundation, some primary sources which can be mined for the gold of wisdom, being mindful that not everything excavated from this source will be valuable.

Just as it is easy for some to make an idol out of Scripture, it is an equal, if not greater, temptation to make an idol out of Tradition, especially as the validity of our whole sacramental system depends on faithful transmission of this current. In the HCCI we aim to be faithful stewards of the beautiful and powerful system bequeathed to us and we will continue to denounce those in our movement who misuse and deface the system until it is devoid of all sacramental power, yet we must always remember that the sacraments are a means to an end - knowing God and union with him - and never an end in themselves.

Over the last half century, the use of “Reason" is where most Liberal Protestants have come unstuck. This is for two reasons I believe. Firstly, they began to “do theology” using the insights gained from other, non-theological, disciplines such as psychology and sociology. This is natural and fine, to an extent, provided that in the process of theological revision genuine sources of sacramental power are not lost, as has unfortunately been the case. Secondly, as a source of revelation, “Reason" is limited to the extent of human scientific knowledge at the time of enquiry, for example, it is pretty obvious that there is no empirical basis for belief in the miracles of the New Testament, therefore most liberal Protestants have discarded them completely because they fall outside their limited experience. These people are then left with what might be called “religious humanism”, and easily fall pray to the shallow social gospel of the trendy left. The Liberal Catholic, on the other hand, having a wider frame of reference, knows that the miracles described in the gospels, even the resurrection, are not impossible and are actually not unique to Jesus, but have been practiced by other high adepts and siddhis throughout history.

Reason and Experience are different sides of the same coin. Whilst Reason engages the critical faculties Experience encourages personal experimentation, and whilst Reasoning had led many into unbelief, to put too much emphasis on Experience can lead many into delusion. The unfortunate direction taken by the Liberal Catholic Church in the 1920’s when many were led to believe that Krishnamurti, protege of Bishop Leadbeater, was some kind of 2nd coming of Christ, is a good example of collective delusion precipitated by one man’s personal locutions. Reason must always be applied to visions, prophecies and other personal revelations, for as St Paul says, “Test the spirits whether they be of God”, in other words, what may be a subjective truth for one individual may not necessarily be true for all.

+James Ingall Wedgwood

With each source of revelation, whether it be Scripture, Tradition, Reason or Experience, there are certain pitfalls and none of these sources, without the others, can ever lead anyone to truth, but taken together I do believe something beautiful and true can emerge, something like for example, Bishop Wedgwood’s second Act of Faith, which seems to me an excellent summary of the essence of Liberal Catholicism. It was written in three paragraphs and designed to resemble the three refuges of Buddhism.

I . "We place our trust in God, the holy and all-glorious Trinity, who dwelleth in the Spirit of man."
The first thing to notice is the creedal “We believe” is replaced by “We place our trust”. This avoids the problem of defining belief. If one understands “belief” according to the root of the word in English, to be and to live, then fair enough, but most people think that “belief” entails giving intellectual assent to an unlikely set of propositions, rather than making certain mysteries part of our life story. To “place our trust” in God is altogether less taxing on the brain, as well as more practical.

The second thing to notice is that the All Glorious Trinity is said to reside in the Spirit of man, which to an average Christian may seem a little shocking! We are all used to the lip service paid to the “indwelling Spirit”, but to suggest that the Father and Son also live within the Spirit of man would seem strange to many. We would do well to consider that the persons of the Trinity are an inseparable Unity and it is impossible for one person of the Trinity to be present and the others absent, so yes the All Glorious Trinity does dwell within each of us, through the sacraments, but also through his image, created in every man. We might also consider that the Father indwells our transcendent Spirit which is always one with him; the Son indwells, through the Incarnation, our human condition, whilst the Holy Spirit, working away within us, enables us to “Self-Realise", eventually, our essential Unity with him.

II. "We place our trust in Christ, the Lord of love and wisdom, first among many brethren, who leadeth us to the glory of the Father, and is Himself the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Much could be said of this second sentence, but the essence I believe is this: Our purpose in eternal life is to become a Christ, to realise our Christhood. This is quite clear in St Paul’s writings and I believe it was quite clear to most of the early Christians, but somewhere along the way it seems to have been mislaid by many.

Undoubtedly, it is good to practice a religion about Christ, which is what Christianity is to most of its members, but it is even better to practice the religion OF Christ, whose only purpose was to show us the Way to the Father, to Unity with Himself.

III. "We place our trust in the Law of Good which rules the world; we strive towards the ancient narrow Path that leads to life eternal; we know that we serve our Master best when best we serve our fellow man. So shall His power rest upon us and ✠ peace for evermore. Amen."

The first thing that strikes many of us in this third point, is what appears to be a blatant untruth, that the “Law of Good rules the world”. Obviously it does not. The world is full of evil and injustice, ……. unless of course one believes in an alterable natural law of cause and effect. Jesus teaches us that “what a man sows, that he shall also reap”, so we hope that no good is wasted and we have faith that God turns all suffering to our eventual benefit. For many people, unfortunately, good is not returned for good in this life, but in the next, or at a further stage of our progression. One may object that this involves blind faith, but to the Liberal Catholic whose faith is often informed by the proofs presented by Spiritualism or the teachings of the East, it is a faith based on some personal evidence.

The first Liberal Catholic Act of Faith concludes with the words “so shall his blessing rest on us and peace forever more”, but in this second Act of Faith there is one significant word change. A blessing is beautiful, worthwhile and good, but our second Act of Faith concludes with the words “so shall His POWER rest on us and peace for ever more.”, which, I suspect, for 21st century people, sounds a lot more practical! Personal empowerment IS a blessing. Used for the glory of God and the good of souls it can mean co-creation with God, a natural expression of our life of union with Him. This is why we do what we do.

Consecration of Bishop Arundale, Naarden, 1925

“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are
children of the most High.” Psalm 82: 6

Pastoral Letter - Advent 2018

12/1/2018

Pastoral Letter - Advent 2018

Dear Brethren, sisters and friends

It is with true joy and thankfulness that I write to you this Advent.

Looking back over the last year we have faced many challenges, and one in particular caused me to remember an old Shaker song I learned many years ago when I lived with the Shaker community in the USA.

Oh my home, my sweet home in Zion,
My call, my holy call, how precious to me,
All the wealth this earth affords,
All the pleasures this vain world can give,
Never can purchase this treasure which I hold.
Although through deep waters and perils I pass,
Although with false brethren my lot may be cast.
Faith in God is my anchor and truth is my shield.
On these I rely when all else doth fail.
(Elder Otis Sawyer, 1855)

There are never any shortage of “deep waters”, “perils" and “false brethren” in the Independent Sacramental Movement, and this year was a little more challenging than most in that respect, but thanks be to God we got through with a minimum of disruption. Our Lady, Mother of the Church, is a constant protectress and guide.

Positively, we also had the great joy of welcoming many people into the church, our “Gospel Home”, as the Shakers would say, with several lay affiliations and no less than nine incardinations. Our bishops in the USA and Brazil, as well as Mons Bruno and I, ordained five priests and two deacons and admitted two ladies to the office of Deaconess. Most recently we had the great joy of blessing Dom Gregorio as Titualar Abbot of Galgano and Exarch of our Eastern Rite Exarchate, and consecrating Dom Giovanni as Titular Bishop of Bobbio and our Vicar Apostolic of Italy. Fraternal love, harmony and gradually increasing stability have been the answered prayers for this year, and what more could one ask!

Left to right: +Gregorio, +Bruno, +Giovanni, +Alistair, Nov. 2018

Part of our appeal I think, as a little church, is the fact that within the framework of the "Statement of Faith and Sacramental Policies" we are increasingly a rather “broad church”, with a variety of liturgical styles and spiritualities - to say nothing of the “breadth" of many of the clergy! There is something for everyone within the HCCI, whether your preference is purely Celtic, or Anglo-Catholic, Liberal Catholic, Orthodox or Traditional Roman Catholic. Diverse liturgical styles and slight theological variation is no obstacle to unity in a community bound together by the seeking of God in prayer and sacrament.

Compared with many jurisdictions it has to be admitted that our focus is generally on the spiritual devlopment of the individual, however, ministry is not neglected, as members engage in diverse pastoral activity; from teaching martial arts and offering sacramental ministry in that context; to traditional parochial ministry in Brazil; to celebrancy for weddings and funerals; to our ministry of hospitality here at St Gall’s Retreat. We may be sure that over the course of the past year we will have positively touched the lives of many who would never consider attending a mainstream church. These, hundreds of them, are our laity!

As we begin this holy season of Advent and the start of a new liturgical year, let us take advantage of the long nights (at least in the northern hemisphere) and make time for extra meditation. It is vital in the spiritual life not only to speak to God, but to make adequate space for listening to him as well, and the place he chooses to speak to us is in the deep recesses of our heart, where the in-dwelling Christ takes up his abode. We meet him there in contemplative prayer and it is only when we are centred in Christ that our souls “may be lifted into the immensity of (his) love and breathe forth the fragrance of a holy life” (Liberal Catholic Liturgy). Let that loving union with the Lord in contemplative prayer and Holy Communion be the fountainhead from which we may draw the living water for thirsty souls.

I wish you all a blessed Advent.
All for Jesus through Mary,

+Alistair OSBA,
Primus

Our Lady of Ireland pray for us!

Pastoral Letter - Assumptiontide 2018

8/15/2018

Dear brethren, sisters and friends,

Oft times when we set out on the tried and tested mystical way of “Purification, Illumination and Union” we hope to make steady progress through each stage, and fortunately some saints do set us this wonderful example of heroic virtue and steady perseverance, but for many of us it can often seem as is we are stuck at the stage of Purification and indeed hardly making any progress even in that first stage of spiritual development. However, by the grace of God and the prayers of Our Lady and the Saints even whilst still "beginners" there are moments of Illumination and even Union through meditation and other spiritual exercises. We must never forget that we struggle in the world of time, but in the eye of eternity our salvation has already been accomplished by the sacrifice of Christ and the “Fiat” of Mary, whose “Yes” to God, made our salvation possible.

That is why in the Collect at Lauds this morning we prayed (from the Monastic Diurnal):
Forgive, we beseech thee O Lord, the offences of thy servants: and grant that we who by our own deeds are unable to please thee, may be saved through the intercession of her who brought forth thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Who with thee liveth and reigneth, one God world without end. Amen.

Not only did Our Lady’s co-operation with the Holy Spirit provide the channel for our redemption, the church also teaches us that she is still the channel by which all God’s graces come to us. How fortunate we are to have such a loving mother, who does not scold her little children or withdraw her love when they fall in the mud of life, but rather, patiently washes and restores them to pristine condition every time.

Mary, the Mother of Mercy and Refuge of Sinners, just like the Divine Mercy himself, “knoweth whereof we are made and remembereth than we are but dust” and she is ever ready to lift us from the ground, dust us down and give us her own Immaculate Heart to supply for our own imperfect heart. Our total consecration and absolute trust in her Immaculate Heart is never misplaced and what is more, our confidence in Mary delights her Divine Son, for as dear St Maximilian Kolbe said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”.

As a church, we have had some rough times this year, especially having to suffer the calumnies of some jealous and disgruntled former clergy, but thanks be to God, these assaults of the Adversary only leave us stronger and more at peace, not because of any worthiness on our part, but because of our boundless trust in the help of Mary.

If our church can be conspicuous for just two things I would hope that we might be known for our devotion to Our Lord’s abiding presence with us in the Blessed Sacrament, the fount of all graces, and in the Help of Mary, Mediatrix of all those graces.

Fraternally in Jesus and Mary,

+Alistair OSBA,
Abbot-Primus

We are not exempt from Mission! - by The Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, Primus

8/5/2018

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28: 19

The Holy Celtic Church International views the sacrament of Holy Orders primarily as a path of personal initiation and spiritual development for the individual, not necessarily connected to any kind of public ministry, precedence for which approach can be seen in those monastic orders which have a high number of priests, whilist living the contemplative life. However, even the Carthusians have a public chapel, and so it is with us. For the spiritual life of clergy to be fruitful there must at least be a willingness to share the faith and to take any opportunity to serve the needs of laity who may come within our orbit.

Here at St Gall’s Retreat (otherwise "Bed & Breakfast Casa San Gallo") we do not push religion on our unsuspecting guests, a majority of whom are normally secularised Europeans, but each room has at least an icon or a crucifix, or both, and guests who see us on the way to or from the chapel and who ask questions may be invited to view the chapel or even attend the Mass or Divine Office. In this way we can at least provide an oppoprtunity for the the unchurched to reconsider their position. Who knows where that mustard seed might germinate and grow into a vibrant Christian life.

I think for all of our clergy, visibility is hugely important. Wearing a collar in public, or even more so a cassock or habit, provides an opening for laity to approach, ask questions, perhaps revise their negative assumptions of religious people, and perhaps this visibility may also provide us with an opportunity to see Christ in them and serve them in some way. As I well know, a collar is also a magnet for the insane and the intoxicated and can even attract verbal and physical abuse, thus affording us an opportunity to identify more closely with our Lord and Saviour who suffered much worse at the hands of poor ignorant unbelievers.

It is true that we do not have the material resources of the mainstream churches but that does not exempt us from the great commission, to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28: 19

One of the most numerically successful small churches is the sect, founded in Ireland in 1899, known by a variety of names (Two by Twos, Cooneyites, Dippers) but calling themselves only “friends” or “professing Christians”. Like ourselves this group is basically a “house church" movement, having regular Sunday meetings in the homes of members, but unlike ourselves they have local annual conventions which as many members as possible attend, as well as occasional missions held in hired premises - for the express purposes of making converts. It strikes me that we could do worse than follow their example.

We need make no apology for only having a home altar to offer, and an intimate gathering of family members and friends. That could be exactly the kind of environment some people need in order to grow in faith, but we must get the word out that we are there! Clergy visibility, business cards, social media and websites all play a part and if we can organise a speaking event or a public Mass occasionally in hired premises and advertise it locally that would be even better. Happily several of our clergy already do this, which is wonderful, whilst others express their ministry in various ways as public celebrants of rites of passage, particuarly weddings and funerals, normally reaching out to those who are completely without any other church connection.

I think many of our clergy lack confidence as evangelists, perhaps forgetting that the first apostles and evengelists had no fancy degrees, only personal experience of God’s presence in their lives and hearts full of love for God and their neighbour. So, whilst we ever seek to improve our ongoing educational opportunities for clergy and seminarians we must never forget that, like the prophet Elijah, to be “filled with zeal for the Lord God of Hosts” is really the only indispensable qualification needed to preach the gospel.

Another reason I believe our clergy may be reluctant evangelists is because we do not see clearly enough the value of our own distinctive contribution to the Christian tradition. Certainly the intimacy of our gatherings brings to mind both the pre-Constantinian house churches and the monastic /eremitical ecclesial experience of our Celtic forefathers, but we also offer an expression of faith grounded in the beauty of traditional liturgy, monastic contemplative practice adapted for lay people, and most importantly a path to further spiritual development and commitment through the minor orders as an initiatic path for the many, and even the diaconate and priesthood for those specifically called to them. These are treasures not easily accessible in most churches and we are fortunate to be able to offer them freely.

So let us confidently “lay out our stall” and, like our ancient Celtic forefathers, let us go forward boldly proclaiming the gospel of peace and goodwill to all mankind in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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Advent Pastoral Letter 2019 - ​Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

A review of the lecture "Introduction to Celtic Spirituality" given by Esther de Waal, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. Ethan Ritter (HCCI Seminarian)

"Reflections from Trappist, Kentucky" by the Rt Revd Dom Sean Jackson OSBA

Easter Pastoral Letter 2019, from the Primus, ​the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

Afterword

"Liberal Catholicism - Ancient & Modern" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are ​children of the most High.” Psalm 82: 6

Pastoral Letter - Advent 2018

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28: 19

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Advent Pastoral Letter 2019 -
Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

A review of the lecture "Introduction to Celtic Spirituality" given by Esther de Waal, at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Ethan Ritter (HCCI Seminarian)

"Reflections from Trappist, Kentucky"
by the Rt Revd Dom Sean Jackson OSBA

Easter Pastoral Letter 2019, from the Primus,
the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA, M.A.Div.

"Liberal Catholicism - Ancient & Modern"
by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA

“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are
children of the most High.” Psalm 82: 6