Contra Mundum Volume V, Issue 3 October 2002 So far so good! But having said all NOTES that, Fr. Edwards contradicts himself. The problem, he says, “can only be FROM THE solved by a return to the Anglican Way.....” The plain fact of the matter is that CHAPLAIN Anglicanism was defective from the OR those with an eye for the outset. The English Reformation was F summer’s religion news apart an act of state, and the compromise from the Catholic Church and her character of the subsequent Elizabe- scandals, there was a keen sense of than settlement meant that it did not Episcopal Church deja-vu in the re- (and ultimately could not) produce a movals of Fathers Samuel Edwards coherent and thought-out system. in May and David Moyer in early What can be said for the Church of September. Having also gone up England is that it was the response against a liberal Episcopal Church of Christians to acts of state, and in bishop in defence of my flock, I can this respect as a church it drew upon sympathize with both of these friends catholic and protestant thought in order to justify its own position. and their families. But of course there THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS is this sad difference: to date it seems Thursday, November 1, 2002 Fr. Edwards went on to specify his Fr. Moyer is determined to remain 7:00pm idea of the return to the Anglican in the communion of the Episcopal Procession, Solemn Mass and Way: “a church which has no faith Church (by way of a liberal bishop Sermon of its own—only the catholic Scrip- in Pittsburgh who has taken him in) Saint Theresa Convent Chapel tures, the catholic Creeds, the catho- and Fr. Edwards has declared for the Holy Day of Obligation lic Sacraments, and the catholic min- “continuing” Anglican Church istry.” But catholic according to movement. whom? And when did the Anglican In an address to the twenty-fifth Way ever agree on these things? After the Episcopal Church, in anniversary gathering of the “Con- 1976, voted to ordain women priests, gress of Saint Louis” (The 1977 Call it what they will, the “con- I made it clear to my current and sub- meeting was attended by both David tinuing” Anglicans attempt to build sequent parishes that not only did I Burt and me) Fr. Edwards did indeed a coherent theological position upon continue to be opposed, but that I come right to the point of what has a foundation that never did carry any- would not have sought ordination in happened. He said, “We have begun thing so consistent. This is why the the Episcopal Church after 1976. I to recognize that Anglicanism in the Anglican Use of the Roman Rite is think I even said this on the floor of end, is an ideology—a substitute the way forward. It alone brings back one diocesan convention. Both Fr. faith—which like all ‘isms,’ ends by to its source in the Catholic Church Moyer and Fr. Edwards were or- destroying what it most pretends to all of the admirable Anglican contri- dained after the General Convention revere. The problem with the con- butions in literature and music, lit- decision that year, And therein lies tinuation of Anglicanism, then, is that urgy, devotion, scholarship, social the tale. it is a continuation of the problem.” work, and charity. Page 12 Contra Mundum I want to quote from a tract we gram during the coming year. Please 0385029039), and John Henry Car- give to prospective members and be generous. dinal Newman: Apologia pro Vita visitors to the Anglican Use. Al- Saint Luke’s Day is Friday, Octo- Sua. (W.W. Norton & Company; though adapted for our own use, the ber 18th. A noon Mass will be cel- ISBN: 0393097668) The plan is to tract was originally developed for the ebrated in the Convent Chapel. read one historical book, one doctri- Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Ar- nal book, one spiritual classic, and a The Anglican Use pastors plan to lington, Texas. book on vocation and evangelism. meet in Houston in late October. The fourth book has not yet been “We have come to believe that the Father Bradford expects to attend the chosen. present disarray of Anglicanism is, meeting. in itself, clear evidence of the need The annual parish retreat will be for a defined focus of authority in the February 14-16, 2003 at St. Benedict life of the Church on earth, and that Abbey in Still River. Retreat con- ON PRAYER such a magisterium is, by Divine ductor is Fr. Carleton Jones, OP. N the great intercessory prayer of Providence, to be found in the per- Christ found in John's Gospel, af- son of Peter and his successors in the Fr. Peter Stravinskas has written I ter he has recommended his disciples Holy See....We give great thanks to a book of daily meditations for the to His Father's care, our Lord Jesus God for all that we have received for Advent Season. Soft cover 75pp. then prays these petitions, these par- good in the loveliness of the Angli- $7.95. Advent Meditations. Helps to ticular askings he puts up for His dis- can liturgical and pastoral tradition, ‘Wait in Joyful Hope’ may be ob- ciples, and we eavesdrop as it were; and we long to bring all that is best tained from Newman House Press, we get to listen in on the prayer. in it to the life of the Universal 21 Fairview Avenue., Mt. Pocono, PA Church. But, as Anglicanism itself 18344. Fr. Stravinskas was our par- The example of Christ is always decays around us, we have come to ish retreat conductor in 2001. crucial, in everything, and nowhere feel that it can best and most safely We welcomed Fr. Francis A. Nave more so than the example of His be preserved within the household of to our Sunday Mass on September prayers. We want our prayers to be the Roman Catholic Church.” 15th. He is director of vocations for answered by Almighty God. Who would pray otherwise? So we learn For its 450 years the Anglican the Diocese of Allentown and a to ask for what Christ asks. What Church has never had a single theo- friend of parishioner Joe Blake. Fr. Christ asks pleases the Father. Ask logical orthodoxy. Its patrimony re- Nave is interested in the Anglican what He asks and our Heavenly Fa- quires the confirmation and the cor- Use. ther will give it. rection that comes in accepting the Adult Christian Education is framework of the Catholic Church. again starting up. We will be read- So here is our instruction: Christ asks for spiritual blessings; He does FATHER BRADFORD ing four books during the year. The first book is The Panther and the not pray that we might make a bundle Hind by Aidan Nichols, O.P. (T&T of money or get a better paying job. SHORT NOTES Clark Ltd; ISBN: 0567292320) This He does pray for three things here: Thanks to Fr. Joseph F. Wilson for is a study of Anglicanism from a 1. That we might be kept from coming to Boston to celebrate the Catholic perspective. Aidan Nichols sin. Sunday Mass on September 1st. Fr. is an English Dominican who is very 2. That we be furnished with what Wilson will be the keynote speaker favorable toward the Anglican Use, we need to do our job. and is a good friend of our occasional at the annual conference sponsored 3. That we be brought safely to visitor from Britain, Richard Lawes. by The Wanderer at the beginning of heaven. November. We will be discussing two chapters every other week. Other books we It is the prosperity of the soul that The parish will conduct an Every intend to read this year are St. is Christ's focus, for that is why He Member Canvass during October for Therese of Lisieux: The Story of a came and died for us. And in his the support of the Anglican Use pro- Soul, (Image Books; ISBN: prayer here He teaches us that same Contra Mundum Page 13 focus and concern, both for ourselves That is the promise of the Gospel of monished the people to “avoid mor- and for others in our prayers: the Jesus Christ. tal sin by frequenting the sacra- health of the soul. This sermon was preached by Father ments.” Reprinted from MAGNIFICAT, AUGUST, 2000 Volume 4, issue No. 6, Page Prayer is an essential part of Bradford on Sunday, May 13, 1994. 366 With permission of MAGNIFICAT® USA, LLC, Dunwoodie - 201 Semi- nary Avenue, Yonkers, New York 10704 or Web site: www.magnificat.net. Christian living. If a Christian All rights reserved. doesn't pray, he becomes spiritually THE BRITISH If all the good things in this world moribund. Prayer is the breath of a were offered me to renounce, all Christian, and if I don't breathe I die. MARTYRS should not move me one hair’s It is because we don't make an effort VER the years 200 men and breadth from my Roman Catholic to get even a very short time away women have been beatified faith. from the ratrace in order to be alone O for their heroic witness to the Catho- SAINT DAVID LEWIS with God that we find the things lic Faith in the British Isles during which we have to do, the things we and after the Protestant Reformation. SAINT RICHARD GWIN (WHITE) have to bear, and the temptations we Here we continue brief mention of Layman and Martyr (1537-1584) have to meet, seem five times as dif- some of these individual martyrs.