That was a headline I did not expect to be writing. The Archdiocese of Westminster has issued a statement today explaining that the pastoral care of people with same-sex attraction will enter a new phase, encouraging people with same-sex attraction to enter more fully into the life of the Church, particularly by participating at Mass "in the midst of the whole Church." The regular "Soho Masses" are to be discontinued.
Included in the same statement is the news that the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Warwick Street is to dedicated to the life of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The pastoral care of people with same-sex attraction will be hosted at the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street under the continued guidance of Mgr Seamus O'Boyle.
The full statement can be read after an article by Mark Greaves in the Catholic Herald: Archbishop Nichols ends ‘Soho Masses’ after six years. Damien Thompson has also followed up on the story, with a link to a balanced background article by William Oddie from last November.
There will surely be many other comments on the blogosphere so I am glad to have picked up this story early, on a quiet day in the parish. (I was intending to catch up on my email, but ho-hum.) I know of many Catholics (including people struggling with same-sex attraction) who have been scandalised by some of the phenomena associated with the "Soho Masses" over the years. There are also many who have felt that the Ordinariate has not been treated with sufficient generosity. Today's "double whammy" story will be a temptation to triumphalist and perhaps unkind comments. I understand that temptation but would urge that like so many, it should be resisted.
First of all, there are many in the Church today who struggle with same-sex attraction and try to live a good life within the communion of the Church. Now would be a good time to focus our efforts on pastoral and friendly support - that respect, compassion and sensitivity of which the Catechism speaks. (n.2358) The new initiatives recently promoted by Encourage are also a great help in this ministry. I would certainly recommend priests to be involved in supporting their work.
Secondly, the Ordinary, priests, sisters and lay people of the Ordinariate have a difficult path to negotiate. Many of us welcome the wonderful breath of fresh air that they bring to the life of the Church and hope that they will be a powerful influence for the good. Yet there is a touching humility that I have nearly always come across in those who have come into the Church: they are grateful to be part of the full communion of the Catholic Church and do not come with ideas of telling everyone else what to do. It is a matter for rejoicing that the Ordinariate are to have such a beautiful and historic Church in the heart of London's West End. That rejoicing can surely be simple, heartfelt and generous to Archbishop Nichols.
Yesterday I posted my customary silly article for the New Year. Today I am reflecting more seriously on the good that can come to the Church in our country from the way that things are changing for the better. Not perfect, yes yes yes. But a very good start to the year. Let us pray to the Good Lord for more to come. And let us pray earnestly for our Bishops.
28 comments:
Deo Gratias. But may I echo your plea that responses are charitable!
Thank you so much, Father, for your speedy post which, as always, is thoughtful, balanced and charitable.
Abp Nichols has stated "I am, therefore, asking the group which has, in recent years, helped to organise the celebration of Mass on two Sundays of each month at Warwick Street now to focus their effort on the provision of pastoral care." Being as this group has amply demonstrated that it rejects Catholic teaching on homosexuality - why on earth has Abp Nichols given them the go-ahead to offer any form of pastoral care? Surely this goes against the 1986 CDF document on pastoral care for homosexuals?
Never thought I'd say this: Lent can't come quickly enough!
Good news indeed.
It's good the announcement was made early.
By the way, from my understanding, pastoral care for those with same-sex attraction will be also be offered by EnCourage within the Diocese, which was 'encouraged' by the Archbishop's recent visit to one of its meetings. The SMPC will continue to meet, without official Diocesan support, at Farm Street -- so pray that the 'Soho Masses' don't end up becoming the 'Farm Street Masses'.
"so pray that the 'Soho Masses' don't end up becoming the 'Farm Street Masses."
I wouldn't worry about that, Reluctant...at least until after the consistory.
There is no response from the SMPC so far on their website but Terence Weldon on queeringthechurch.com probably gives us a hint of how they will see it:
This statement in no way ends the existing model of pastoral care, but takes it into “a new phase”, with a shift of emphasis from organizing Mass twice a month, to pastoral provision in its fullest sense.
Thank you once again Fr. for posting: this is such good news! Pastoral care for those with SSA - the cherry on the cake.Way to go...
@ Patricia Phillips...please expand on the document you mention. I have never heard of it.
Surely ABP Nichols is in a position to change this as the leader of Catholics in England and Wales?
An invitation to those 'with same-sex attraction to enter more fully into the life of the Church' AND a church for the Ordinariate ... it sounds like an act of generosity & charity multiplied by two to me.
Deo Gratias. Deo Gratias. Deo Gratias.
Deo gratias indeed, for the Ordinariate, but particularly for Catholics of same sex attraction.
The Church was doing them no favours in allowing the belief that somehow homosexual activity could be compatible with Church teaching.
They need particular pastoral care, (don’t we all?) and, Deo Volente, will now get it under the new arrangement.
By the way I hope local Catholics will feel free to hear Mass, from time to time, under the Ordinariate rite, as readilly as under the two co-equal forms of the Roman rite?
The liberal media are already blaming 'bigoted traditionalists'. I suspect there are more gays at the 11 o'clock Mass at Brompton Oratory than ever attended Warwick Street.
Dear Fr Tim,
I am sorry to be cynical about this.
Archbishop Nichols has moved the group to a new weekly Mass venue. Sadly, a typical ploy to placate opponents but at the same time give the LGBT group even more than they had before.
He has then given the church associated with gay culture to the Ordinariate. Another sly way of being kind to the Ordinariate whilst also associating them with a gay culture.
Perhaps I am old and cynical but this makes my stomach churn. It is an awful "double take" that has had good Catholics jumping with glee and others also very happy.
I think it is a mistake for bloggers to be so quick to rejoice.
I am sorry if that is a harsh judgement.
Hugh
Unknown misses the point. Warwick Street is a normal parish tht has a well celebrated sung mass at 10.30 on a Sunday morning. tghe people are faithful and very welcoming and friendly. they are nothing to do with the "Soho masses" and it is unfair to say the church has been associated with them. the nice peole at Warwick Street will welcome the ordinariate, I am sure. I often attend if I am in London for the eekend and the Soho crowd are nowhere to be seen.
I don't think there was ever a worse time than now to do this. The Catholic Church is compaigning agaisnt the government's pro-gay agenda and the media will happily jump on it to make a connection and discredit the Church as homophobic. Sure, nothing new under the sun but it won't help my case.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's a good thing. But it should have been done long time ago (or should never happen in fact) and not now. I thought the Archbishop was more sensible when it came to PR. It makes me think that in fact he was compeled to do this by Vatican. They would be much more likely to miss such a connection.
A consistory is forthcoming? I wonder if Nichols hopes to get a red hat? A natural law of ambition?
Hugh,
If you read the article in the Catholic Herald, the notes at the end specifically state that the move to Farm Street will not be centered around Mass, but pastoral care. The implication in the article is that people with same sex attraction should attend normal Masses and be integrated into the community.
Marguerita
1catholicsalmon.com - the document I refer to can be found here on the Holy See website:- http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html It applies to the Universal Church and cannot be 'changed' by any bishop or anyone else. This group has been openly dissenting from Catholic teaching on homosexuality for years. All that has happened here is a change of name and venue so that the dissent can continue. Firstly, they were using the name Roman Catholic Caucus of the Lesbian & Gay Christian Movement while using St Anne's Anglican church, then they morphed into the Soho Masses Pastoral Council while using Warwick St, Soho, now they will be called (insert name here) while using Farm St, Mayfair. You can rest assured the dissent will continue under Archbishop Nichols.
Catholicsalmon: The document Patricia Phillips referred to can be found at:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
Hugh: I think we need to have hope! As far as I can make out the pastoral provision at Farm Street does not involve having Mass said but rather some opportunity to meet. It is said that the pastoral provision will be in accordance with the teaching of the Church. If the Soho Masses Pastoral Council (SMPC) is to be involved in this then maybe we can expect (and we should pray for) a fairly radical conversion of some of its members to orthodoxy! Let us hope that things go well.
Fr. Tim,
Perhaps you could advise your followers, here. Is it the case that, technically, Farm Street is not classed as a diocesan church and therefore outwith the remit 0f ++Nichols?
If so a clever slight of hand by both the Bishop and the CDF if they had a hand in the matter.
Just asking.
Wonderful news. A very deft solution all round. So long as the Js behave themselves, but no doubt they will.
Hard luck, though, for not including it in your '10 predictions'!
Surely I'm not the only one alert to the irony in the Ordinariate moving to Warwick Street. That church has a particular place in English Catholic history as a former embassy chapel which provided a refuge in penal times. Someone, somewhere will be turning in their grave at the thought that the words of the Prayer Book will be uttered in so Roman a place.
Nicolas: I think we need to have a reality check! Abp Nichols publicly thanked this group for the 'pastoral work' that they have done to date, but this 'pastoral work' has consisted solely of promoting, fomenting and supporting dissent from Catholic teaching on homosexuality, either by inviting notorious dissidents to speak at their events, showing videos made by dissidents, promoting and supporting dissenting individuals/groups/causes - and the Abp is WELL aware of that fact.
They (misleadingly) claim that many have 'returned to the Church' because of their 'pastoral work', but the evidence suggests that many have 'returned' on their own terms - i.e. they receive affirmation at Soho that their homosexual/transvestite behaviour is fine. The treachery of the Soho Masses was pointed out to Abp Nichols first-hand when he visited the faithful group for Catholics with SSA issues, EnCourage, which was widely reported on the internet. Yet even their first-hand testimony apparently failed to move him to stop the work of the Soho Masses Pastoral Council in its tracks. Instead he thanks them for it and supports them in continuing it.
I am also reliably informed that far from bringing people into the Church, one of the Soho committee recently left and joined a protestant sect which accepts homosexuality. Well, at least that person is more honest.
Look at the fawning 'confidential' letter that Abp Nichols sent to the Soho Masses Pastoral Council, and which Terry Weldon clumsily leaked on his 'Queering the Church' blog (it has since been whipped off there - but don't fret, it's been cached!)
It was said by Westminster (on numerous occasions) that the Masses at Warwick Street were being run "in accordance with the teaching of the Church" even as the deluge of evidence poured in that the exact opposite was true. The same will happen at Farm Street, mark my words. And people will be there to witness it . . .
Patricia: (Problem of discussing matters on different blogs). I said we should hope! I said this morning on Father Blake's blog that we should wait and see! I only had to wait 15 minutes to find that ProtectthePope was able to refer us to the statement of the SMPC on their blog. It just repeats Terence Weldon's theme that this is just a move of the Soho Masses to Farm Street and they will still refer to the Masses as the Soho Masses. So is there a conversion of the SMPC to Catholic teaching? Or is it just more of the same with official (previously only de facto) recognition by the Archdiocese?
And is there anything in the idea that Farm Street is without the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese and the Jesuits are not seen as reliable as in the past? Could this be seen as a hand-washing exercise?
There is mention of a meeting between the Archbishop and the SMPC on 6th January. Will it include the necessary auto-da-fe?
The confidential letter from the Archbishop to the attendees of the Soho Masses - referred to by Patricia Phillips - has now appeared on ProtectthePope.
Take a deep breath before you read it and I am thinking hard before commenting on it!
Delighted to hear this. Radio 4 news on Wednesday gave a very straightforward account -with no comments from the usual anti-Church sources- but said that the church was to be handed over to the Church of England! Perhaps the Ordinariate needs a press officer.
Thanks are due I think to the people who have prayed outside the Church every week and have tried to have this cause of scandal ended, undeterred by indifference and downright rudeness from successive Archbishops.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is about Christ's sacrifice on the Cross and our celebration of that. It's NOT about anyone's sexual orientation or anything else, for that matter.
It's about time that Bishops around the world realized that and encouraged everyone to attend mass together instead of splitting us into all kinds of small groups, further separating us.
We had a similar issue in NYC when Archbishop Dolan rededicated St Francis Xavier Church, which has an enormous gay population and is not on very good terms with Courage, an American equivalent to EnCourage. There was a lot of chatter, but no solutions came about.
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