More lowlights from "Highlights":
Assisted dying [killing]. "Following the group discussions, Bishop John Davies (Swansea and Brecon) asked GB to ‘take note of the debate and commend the issues to further prayer, study and consideration by members of the Church in Wales.’ “There are no easy, straightforward or slick answers, whether they be legal or theological. It is appropriate therefore to get this conversation out into a broader congregation.”"
From Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern hospice movement: "You matter because you are you. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die."
"Bishop Wyn Evans (St Davids), in proposing the motion to move forward the process initiated in The Gathering, thought that the three elements of the motion were positive and full of hope." - That is, hope only for the 'bishops' of the Church in Wales, see here.
"The Revd Canon Dr Peter Sedgwick, Chair of the Doctrinal Commission, called on the GB in considering same-sex relationships to respect each other’s space, recognising the depths of feeling that are there, and to treat each other with courtesy". [My emphasis - Ed.]
The Venerable Peggy Jackson (Llandaff) said that all the bishops should be willing as necessary and as needed to assist one another in meeting pastoral or sacramental needs in each others’ dioceses. “This means that the concept of a Provincial Assistant Bishop should be resisted, as this role would set up a two-tier episcope.”
So it is perfectly acceptable in the Church in Wales to respect each other's space and treat each other with courtesy always provided that they are not faithful Anglicans with traditionalist views. Hence Fr Hunwicke's Mutual Enrichment blog entry here.
Oh! St Michael's College, Llandaff ? - "Supporting, Sharing, Forming" - see here.
We should all know by now that the GB is just a front for Barry Morgan's controlling, media-manipulating agenda. Public talk of inclusiveness is not matched by behind-the-scenes actions, whether we are talking about gays, traditionalists or women for that matter. The respected Cambridge historian, Dr Gillian Evans, was the only person brave enough to expose Morgan's tactics, when he was Bishop of Bangor, during that notorious spat with the media over the Clifford Williams case. How he has been allowed to get away with it, beats me. Is there a dearth of fearless journalists in Wales these days? Or, more likely, has the Church in Wales become such an national irrelevance on Morgan's watch that the Medici-like antics of its archbishop are no longer considered to be a matter of public interest? Nonetheless, I sincerely hope your blog is a matter of public record if (and when) Morgan attempts to fulfil his ultimate ambition to become presiding officer of the Assembly...
ReplyDeleteHis Darkness as Presiding Officer of the Senedd? Why not? It would be like a ‘Ministry of All the Talents’. Think of the track record of those involved – botched NHS Wales; gamma minus, delta minus minus education system; extinction of the University of Wales; and the managed decline and accelerated decay of the Church in Wales. With his reputation for practising the Dark Arts, His Darkness will probably kill off the Senedd in a couple of years. Point of Order, Your Darkness!
DeleteSo that's where the demise of St, Michael's college Llandaff fits into the dictator's grand scheme.
DeleteCardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, said today at a lecture in Rome, ‘What we hear over and over again, is that people want and expect utter honesty from the Church. Our people want to hear about it first from us and not from the media.’ Now that is a very powerful message that His Darkness would do well to heed. Let’s emphasis part of that again, ‘PEOPLE WANT AND EXPECT UTTER HONESTY FROM THE CHURCH.’ Enough of the smoke and mirrors, playing the media power game and trying to engineer doctrine to promote your own agenda. If you can’t and will not teach the Christian faith then do us all a favour and RESIGN NOW!!
ReplyDeleteI came across this saying earlier today and it seemed appropriate.
Delete"It's funny how everybody considers honesty a virtue yet no-one wants to hear the truth."
I was unable to attend the Llandaff Easter Vestry meeting on Tuesday but have heared some interesting reports.
1. Out-going peoples Church Warden Linda Quinn and ex Church Warden David Collins were voted off the PCC.
2. No questions were raised over the £nil Easter 'gift' to Janet Henderson.
3. No-one questioned the published date of Janet Henderson's resignation, 25/4/2013.
4. The published date of Janet Henderson's resignation was not queried or last year's report/minutes amended.
5. No-one questioned that Darth ++Insidious appears to have made false statements at last years EVM.
Can anyone verify the above?
Does anyone have anything else to add?
Report it to Private Eye and let them investigate. The Editor's E-mail address is strobes@private-eye.co.uk
DeleteAssisted dying : "get this conversation out into a broader congregation" says +John Davies. The use of the word 'congregation' gives us a clue to the Church in Wales' problem and is an echo of ++ Barry's statement "Church doctrine evolves to meet the demands of culture" says the Archbishop. What the congregation and the wider community needs is 'teaching' and leadership first and foremost!
ReplyDeleteIn the Archbishop's presidential address there is clearly an option and choice of belief. Why do not the Bishops give clear moral guidance,or put it another way,why does it seem so hard to teach a moral faith.
As far as euthanasia is concerned ,is +John Davies suggesting that it is acceptable for a Christian to hold an amoral approach and view?
Perhaps Professor The Baroness Llora Finlay of Llandaff would spare some precious minutes to teach the Bishops and the GB members what is a Christian approach to this dreadful concept of euthanasia which has now been sanitised to be called 'assisted dying'.( I do understand that the difference between the two concept is wrapped up into whether the patient does it themselves or the physician does the killing).
To steal and adopt the phrase "assisted dying" is a cheat for this is exactly the work of doctors and nurses; for we are all dying ,but some more quickly than others, and the diagnosis,treatment and nursing care we are given, assists (helps and supports ) us to 'get through' and eventually loose our lives. However euthanasia per se ,is not and should never be the work of the medical and nursing professions.
Some good points there ‘Simple soul’. Perhaps if the Bench actually taught the Christian faith, rather than trying to alter and manipulate it for their own ends, they might see some new life and growth in their church. But that is probably too much to expect. Changing tack and embracing the culture of death and destruction fits in with the way they driven their church to near oblivion. And the Archdeacon of Llandaff suggesting that traditionalists joining the church after last September should not expect any pastoral care shows that she intends to pour gallons of her toxic weed killer on any possible shoots of new growth.
DeleteAt least the poor people of St. Fagans will have their burden of toxic Peggy the chartered accountant pilot lessened a little. She 's already informed her new Parishioners that's she too busy with her other duties to spend more than 1/3 of her time in St. Fagans.
DeleteTheir sighs of relief were audible from the Cathedral Green.
I agree with these points. Perhaps the Bench should leave it to the medical professionals to decide what is appropriate. Baroness Finlay is a most eloquent and balanced speaker on the topic. Why wasn't she invited to come and give a professional view.? How lucky the parishioners of St Fagans are to have her there for only ⅓ time. But what else can she be doing? Pouring much weed killer on certain parishes in her Archdeaconry maybe? How little respect she has for the 'traditional' and faithful anglicans.
DeleteDoes that mean she will only be drawing a one third salary for her parish "work"?
DeletePrecisely Galen - Professor Finlay had a 'balanced' view in her field of palliative care - her approach is not one of an activist ,she practises her calling in a profoundly merciful, compassionate ,reasoned and above all profoundly Christian way.
DeleteThe problem from the C in W angle is that Archbishop Barry passionately believes in his own omnisciency , to the limit that the Bench of Bishops have no real power, and for what it is worth neither do the Governing Body . Although both aforementioned groups do believe they have, both the Bench and the GB are absolutely controlled by the leader.
As in the repeated call from these pages it would be better for the Church in Wales that ++ Barry should resign of retire. There then will arise two new problems a) the Archbishop's mind has been 'cloned' into his prospective replacement, and b) autocratic leaders tend not to ever go away.
Good evening Nony Mouse:
DeleteWe are in the midst of this desperate situation,where we see our church being destroyed before our very eyes. For me and for many the destructive route which is being pursued by the hierarchy in the Church in Wales is profoundly personal, in that by denying the Apostolic succession,and by proposing to remove proper oversight for traditional church members,it is a deliberate attempt to mar our personal relationship with the Holy Trinity.
Thus I might say that the attack on Anglo-Catholics has been markedly personal, and that attack has been vehement on the part of Archdeacon Jackson and Co.
So I might excuse 'Count the Calories' for a light hearted remark, because as I have previously said " if you don't laugh,you cry!"
NOTE for readers. On reflection I deleted the comment that was thought to cause offence rather than convey a specific irony because it included a reference to a third party.
DeleteGood egg!
DeleteAncientBriton, surely you could have removed just the 'reference to a third party' whatever it was, but left the remainder of the comment please? Now I can't make head nor tails of the thread.
DeleteFor the sake of the sanity of 'lux et veritas', may I please say that the discussion to which 'nony mouse' took exception, was broadly a reference which might have been construed as personal,and mentioning someone other than the Venerable Peggy.
DeletePerhaps you can follow from here that I believe that the attack on traditional Anglo- Catholics has in fact struck me as directly personal ,in that the attitude and motivation of the Bench grossly affects my personal practice of Christianity.
Indeed you may Simple Soul. In response to Lux et veritas I am not aware of any facility which permits Blog owners to edit comments. It would be useful in some circumstances such as obliterating names but dangerous in other circumstances.
DeleteI originally published the comment because of the double standards employed in speaking up for some minorities while grinding fellow Anglicans into the mud for acting according to conscience.
Did pilot Peggy receive an Easter gift at St. Fagans ? Then she could put it towards a 'Hot Air Balloon'!
ReplyDeleteDo you doubt it Simple Soul? Even though she'd only been there twelve days by Easter Sunday.
Deletehttp://llandaff.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2014/04/one-of-wales-most-senior-female-clerics-moves-parishes/
Self-serving propaganda fit only for compost.
What about Dr Sedgwick's "acting" successor? Fr Clavier, seems a rather unlikely candidate for principal, I would have thought giving his background in the continuing Anglican tradition in the US. Not only that his father being the leader of it.
ReplyDeleteI imagine he only "acting" Principal so that he won't have a larger claim for redundancy in 2 years time. I'm surprised he's not been offered a 'zero hours' contract like the ex members of the Cathedral Choir.
Delete