30days@forwardinfaith.com 30days@forwardinfaith.com
Heritage ymous informant seems to have got his org/about/gensynod/agendas/feb2008.
We are indebted to Reuters of India or her wires well and truly crossed, for, html>.
for news that the Church of England has in the accompanying email, he or she A look at the House of Bishops
shelled out no less than £72,485 for Mary, claims that the piccies record a recent reveals that, in the eleven divisions,
Queen of Scots’ death warrant. Now, commemoration of St Radegund, who, as only five bishops managed to vote in
before George Austin starts getting hot we all know, ‘led an austere and devout every one. Golden electronic voting
under the collar, it’s only fair to say that existence’. pads, then, to the two Archbish-
it was through the generosity of ‘heritage But given the amount of beer to be ops and to the Bishops of Hereford,
organizations’ and ‘wealthy benefactors’ seen in the photos, it looks more like a Ripon & Leeds and Burnley. Coming
that the Lambeth Palace Library was able party – and, indeed, one particular photo up strongly behind, taking part in ten
to save this gem for the nation. of a fetching, not to say pouting, young divisions, were the Bishops of Guild-
Apparently, though, the warrant is a lady, wearing a cassock, a (homemade) ford, St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, Bas-
duplicate copy, complete with the anno- seminarian collar, a glittery tiara and a ingstoke and Beverley.
tations of the then principal clerk to the sash bearing the legend ‘Westcott Tat’ But, at the other end of the scale, there
Privy Council. All of which got 30Days does little to convey either austerity or were those who perhaps found the new
thinking: we know just where to lay our devotion. And presiding over the celebra- gizmos troublesome: the Bishops of Bris-
hands on a duplicate copy of the For- tion is none other than ‘Mother’ Angela tol and Ely seem to have taken part in
ward in Faith Statement on Communion Tilby, former Vice Principal of Westcott only one division each. But they fared
and Code of Practice, complete with the and Vicar of St Benet’s, Cambridge. Still, better than the Bishop of Southwark,
annotations of the then Secretary of For- as she is a Consultant to the Liturgical who seems not have voted at all in any of
ward in Faith. Commission, no doubt it was all to be the eleven divisions.
We confidently look forward to the found in Common Worship. The 30Days General Synod Cor-
inevitable phone call from Lambeth respondent is sure our Tom was there
Palace, as they set about saving Fr Kirk’s throughout, and abstention on anything
doodles for the nation. We must warn has never seemed to be his forte, so what
them, though: it might not be worth a was he up to? Answers on a postcard,
whopping £72,485 but we won’t accept a Come on you priests! please.
penny under £7.24! Mind you, if the Daily Record is to be
believed, things aren’t that much better
in the panting heart. Following three
red cards shown to players at the Vati-
can’s annual football tournament – the Signs of the Times
Vaut une volte face? Clericus Cup, apparently – officials have Meanwhile, over at <www.women-
Excitement abounded up in t’North had to come down hard on crowds of priests.org>, the campaign to persuade
West, when the news hit the streets that supporters, particularly from a number the Holy Father to take leave of his senses
the new Suffragan Bishop of Middleton of Seminaries, because they have been and permit the ordination of women to
was to be the Archdeacon of Rochdale, making too much noise. the priesthood in the Catholic Church is
the Venerable Mark Davies. A former Matches kick off at 9.00am on a Sunday really taking off.
incumbent of an ABC parish in the dio- and local residents, trying to enjoy a nice There is now an online petition for
cese of Wakefield, Davies is also a former lie-in, have been put off their stroke by folk to sign and, since it started in early
Deputy Master of SSC. ‘drums, rattles, trumpets and mega- June last year, no less than – wait for it
The appointment of a traditionalist phones’. Organizer Felice Alborghetti – 1,344 people have put their names to
bishop at the tender age of just 44 seemed said: ‘We have told fans not to bring any a facile letter demanding action from the
to many to be just too good to be true. musical instruments to games and have Supreme Pontiff. Given that the latest fig-
Which, indeed, it turned out to be, once asked the players to keep the game as ures available put the total membership
news emerged that the Archdeacon had clean as possible.’ of the Catholic Church at 1.131 billion, it
changed his mind on the big and boring really is inexplicable that this cogent plea
issue and would, in the fullness of time, seems to be falling on deaf ears. 1,344?
be ordaining women to the priesthood. Why, that’s 0.0001188329% of the
membership of the Catholic Church – or
Every vote counts 0.0000001188% if you prefer the alterna-
The introduction of electronic voting tive definition of a billion! Either way, it
gizmos at the General Synod’s February sure is a lot of people…
Jolly japes sessions has produced some interest-
Grateful thanks to the 30Days reader ing data on the voting behaviour of our
who jammed up our inbox recently with synodical rulers. Perhaps of even more
Copy for 30 Days
no less than seven photographs from that interest than how someone voted is
should reach FiF office
by the 10th day of the month:
haven of all that is right-on, Westcott whether they voted at all, and all the facts
House. Unfortunately, though, our anon- are there for you at <www.cofe.anglican.
30days@forwardinfaith.com
14
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newdirections
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April 2008
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