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Dear Reader
I would just like to remind people reading my blog, that what I post here on my blog are only my thoughts and do not necessarily reflect the official views of groups or organisations that I belong to.
As it says at the top of the page 'odd ramblings from and odd rambler'
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Thanks for reading and I hope you all keep safe and well.

Ordinariate in Limbo

Its been a while since my last blog regarding the Ordinariate and that has been for several reasons. The main one being that it is the holiday season.

A few people have noticed that I have not been at church lately and have asked me why, so I thought a short explanation would be helpful.

When the idea of joining the Ordinariate was first put to me it was suggested that we would be joining the Catholic Church but taking some of our Anglican patrimony with us and that we may be able to stay at our present church. In either case we would have our own service. There were other reasons as well like becoming one with Rome and beginning to make one church.

It soon became apparent that we would not be able to stay at our present church and we were eventually told of our new location, which was the main Catholic Church in Sevenoaks.

I was told at the time by people staying and not joining the Ordinariate that St. Thomas’ although a Catholic Church was not a high Church like St. Johns. I thought well that’s ok as we will be having our own services with our own servers etc.

Unfortunately, since we became Catholic I think we have only had 4 or 5 Ordinariate services, we don’t have our own service, we are attending the usual 11:15 mass and the services are taken by the priests on a rota basis. We have been informed about changes that may or may not happen but we have been asked not to say anything until things are sorted!!!

I still feel that the Sevenoaks Ordinariate is and most probably will be absorbed into the local Catholic Church. This is not a bad thing but it is not what I thought the Ordinariate was supposed to do.

 I feel that several people have used the Ordinariate to become Catholic the easy way rather than going through the usual channels, which if that’s what they want fair play to them but I still want to as they say  have all the ‘Bells and Smells’. As I said before I cannot say too much because we have been asked not to say anything until things have been sorted, but I do feel as if I have joined the Ordinariate on a cloud of euphoria and have been left on that same cloud just floating around.

It’s for this reason that I have not been attending church. I have decided to wait until things are sorted and to see if I get a sign in answer to my prayers. I know that nothing can be done on a local level at the moment because of holidays but hopefully things will start to sort themselves out during September.

Maybe the Sevenoaks Ordinariate will have to move to another location to be able to have their own service.

One other note, I am noticing more and more that Mgr Keith Newton and the Ordinariate are appealing for donations to help support the clergy and other requirements of the Ordinariate.

I know that the Ordinariate should be self financing but surely if the Pope wanted this to happen couldn’t he have made more provision then was originally made? And don’t start me on the CBS affair!!!

some Pictures of Palma holiday

More pictures of my Palma holiday can be found here; 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hedgehogspotter/
If this link doesn't work it can be accesed through facebook

Aircraft Spotters Delight

The main reasons we chose C’an Pastilla for our holiday were we had been there approx 14 years ago and back then it was a nice quiet resort, it had a nice long sandy beach, you could go out into the water a long way and the waves would only come up to your chest, we also wanted to be able to get into Palma by bus to revisit the Cathedral and we wanted to be near to the airport because when the wind is in the right direction the planes approach over the coast and are nice and low.

We had a nice afternoon flight; however once we had boarded the Monarch aircraft we were flying on we had an hour delay before take off, but once we were moving the flight went really well.

When we landed we had to find a particular travel desk in the terminal because as usual I had arranged the holiday myself so we didn’t have a tour guide to help us. We found the desk no trouble at all and the nice lady gave us our ticket and directed us to our coach for the onward journey. 30 minutes later we were in our hotel room.

Our room was on the 3^rd floor with a balcony, we had views of the sea to our left and to our right was a view of the airport, I could not have planed it any better.

We had booked a 10 day half board holiday, the hotel food was good and over the 10 days not one menu was repeated. There was always a fish dish, two meat dishes, a choice of pasta and a good salad bar along with a good choice of desserts including fresh fruits and ice cream. Breakfast did become a bit monotonous but again there was a good selection of cheese and meats and as much coffee, tea chocolate and juice as you wanted.

Our first full day was spent on the beach and in the sea, we had a great time trying to catch the fish as they swam between us. The only down side to being on the beach is the amount of people trying to sell you things, you’re always being asked if you would like a massage, fresh fruit or sunglasses but once you said no they went on their way it was just unfortunate that 10 mins later another person would come along and then another and then another.

2^nd day we set off to walk the coastal path to Palma with the intention of walking to the cathedral and as the aircraft were approaching over the sea we thought we would get some numbers as well. We couldn’t believe our luck not only were the aircraft approaching the airport from the sea, the footpath we were on went right to the edge of the runway, you could read the registration numbers without binoculars. We decided to explore and we found away from the path a nice secluded bay where we could swim, sunbathe and note down all the aircraft we were in heaven.

An hour and a half later we decided to continue our walk to Palma, when we were about ½ mile from Palma Cathedral and as it was now the hottest part of the day we decided to turn back and have a beer and a pizza at a beach hut restaurant that we had walked past and afterwards trudge slowly back to our secluded bay.

Over the course of our holiday we collected nearly 600 aircraft registrations 

We also saw some air force aircraft but amonst our favourite aircraft were the Yellow Tui, we even saw an orange Easy Jet which was painted in special colours to celebrate the fact that it was Easy Jets 200th Airbus.

Health and Safety Warning

I've been home from Mallorca 6 days now.

I had a brilliant time but unfortunately I managed to severely sunburn both feet.

My left foot was worse, swelling up to nearly 3 times normal size and a water blister over the complete foot.

The swelling has all gone but I still have blisters on my feet and I have just started to walk properly.
That’s what comes of going on holiday to Wales for 10 years; you forget that the sun can burn through the water!!!

So a reminder to everyone out there, don’t forget to apply lots of sun cream even if you are going into the water.

Off to Mallorca

The Hedgehogspotter is off to Palma Mallorca.
I will try to visit Palma Cathedral for Mass and view the wonderfull rose window again.
See you soon.

Pilgrimage to Wasingham - new picture

Just time for a nice soggy sandwich between Mass and Benediction !!

                              Janice always manages to avoid the camera.
photo by Fr Edwin Barnes

Ordinariate Pilgrimage of Reconciliation to Walsingham - 1

The morning started early as 3 of the Sevenoaks Ordinariate set off from Sevenoaks to Walsingham for the Ordinariate Pilgrimage of Reconciliation.

Good time was made on the M25 and through the Dartford Tunnel and in no time at all we seemed to be nearing our refreshment / comfort stop at Barden Mill.

While we were there eating our bacon burgers more pilgrims from Sevenoaks arrived and also we noted and spoke to other groups of pilgrims all refuelling their bodies.

We left and continued on our way to Walsingham passing the air base but unfortunately as it was the weekend there weren’t any aircraft movements. We had made very good time so decided to head straight to our b&b in Walsingham, where we could leave our car and walk the Holy Mile to the Slipper Chapel.

This appeared to be our first mistake of the day, we had not journeyed far down the path when the heavens opened, we continued walking getting wetter and wetter but we remained in good spirits. When we arrived at the Roman Catholic Shrine I made for the toilets to get some hot air from the blow dryers on my trousers which caused amusement with some of the other people using the toilets at that time watching me trying to dry my trousers, enough said about this I think.

The service of Reconciliation was led by Mgr Keith Newton; the Ordinariate Priests were in attendance including our own Father Ivan who had travelled up with his family and Father James Bradley who was the Deacon. (Father James must be the most travelled and photographed Deacon in the church, he definitely is for the Ordinariate and I hope the Ordinariate in Sevenoaks can keep hold of him although I feel the church will want him to continue his training else where).The Mass was extremely well attended with very wet people standing down the sides and at the back of the church as there was not a single spare seat anywhere.

After a wet and soggy lunch we had Benediction and prayed for the rain to stop.

Now I won’t go as far to say that it was a miracle but everyone’s prayers had been answered because we managed to process down the Holy Mile following the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham reciting the Rosary and singing Ave Maria in dry weather, the sun even came out towards the end of the walk which was warm enough to dry our clothes.

On a personal note and as it’s my blog I’m going to say it, I was really moved by this, to think it had been raining hard all day and then when it was time for the procession to start the rain stopped. Now I know that Mary, God, Jesus or St. Francis of Assisi maybe even all four were looking out for me and welcoming me into the Ordinariate and into the Catholic Church.

We continued our procession through Walsingham High Street and into the Anglican Shrine where Bishop Lindsay Urwin welcomed us. Again as at the Roman Catholic shrine there was no spare space left in the Anglican Shrine at all. This was also a moving experience for me as Catholics, Anglicans and the Ordinariate had all gathered in one place for a single purpose.

The Pilgrims were sprinkled and had Holy water poured into their hands, then we all received a joint blessing from both Mgr Keith Newton and Bishop Lindsay Urwin.

After one final hymn we said our goodbyes to friends old and new and then did as we were instructed to by Bishop Lindsay and visited the Shrine shop which had stayed open late by special arrangement!!!

 

Ordinariate Questions

As a member of the Sevenoaks Ordinariate I have enjoyed being part of the Catholic church but I am still concerned that as a group we haven't decided or been told where we are to establish ourselves as a group.
As time is moving on we seem to be being absorbed in to St. Thomas' church which isn't a bad idea but I don't think it is what the Pope was asking us to do.
Hopefully there may be some direction soon otherwise the Sevenoaks Ordinariate may just become St. Thomas members.
I pray that we all stay together as a group and that we can start to be part of the Ordinariate.
I am also looking forward to the Ordinariate pilgrimage to Walsingham.

Model Railway - 1

Have just finished placing and glueing over 400 very small model people onto large HO layout.  

Feeling slightly light headed because of the fumes from the glue. Still have a few more to put into position but the beer garden, parkland, small circus, childrens play area, market garden, walkers and 5 stations are now complete.