Marylebone Ordinariate Group: Rosary Crusade Photos, and Blessed John Henry Newman

Sunday 9 October 2011

Rosary Crusade Photos, and Blessed John Henry Newman

Yesterday's Rosary Crusade of Reparation, led by Monsignor Keith Newton, was a great success. A wonderful work of public witness and devotion. Those who were there consider that the numbers were truly excellent, even by the usual high standards of this annual event.

There are two photostreams of yesterday on Flickr that we would like to bring to your attention. The first is on Marylebone Ordinariate Group's Flickr page. The second was brought to our attention by Fr Ray Blake, and can found at this link, belonging to Joseph Shaw.

Joseph Shaw's photos show the impressive size of the procession, whereas our photos also show the glorious scenes in the Oratory, as well as one or two "behind the scenes" shots.

Having looked at the photos and noticed the impact that the event probably had on road users, I feel I can hardly complain that my plans to get to St James's this morning, and then as a back up plan to the Oratory, were totally obstructed by the closure of Hyde Park Corner and the resultant traffic chaos. Still, in Central London, we are well served with afternoon and even early evening masses, so I shall find a way to fulfil the Sunday obligation.

On today of all days, it is most appropriate that a member of the Ordinariate should indeed make every effort to hear mass. Although the celebration of Sunday displaces it (and so the day was properly observed yesterday), in our hearts we also note that today would ordinarily be the day when we celebrate Blessed John Henry Newman.

In honour of this great man, here is one of his much loved hymns. Praise to the Holiest in the Height is almost the anthem of the Ordinariate, but instead of doing the predictable thing and linking to that, here is Lead Kindly Light.

There is some information on Blessed John Henry Newman in the blog of the Sevenoaks Ordinariate Group. However, for members of the Ordinariate, Blessed John Henry Newman is not only a source of spiritual inspiration, but also a practical example of someone who left familiar surroundings, following his faith and his convictions, and came into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

Blessed John Henry Newman, pray for us and for the Ordinariate of which you are patron.

1 comment:

AndrewWS9 October 2011 at 19:05
"we are well served with afternoon and even early evening masses ..."

Indeed we are, and I went to St James this afternoon at 1600 hrs, not having managed to get to my usual Ordinariate mass last night. What a wonderful church that is.
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Blessed John Henry Newman on the hope for Reunion

… I gather up and bear in memory those familiar affectionate companions and counsellors, who in Oxford were given to me, one after another, to be my daily solace and relief; and all those others, of great name and high example, who were my thorough friends, and showed me true attachment in times long past….

And I earnestly pray for this whole company, with a hope against hope, that all of us, who once were so united, and so happy in our union, may even now be brought at length, by the Power of the Divine Will, into One Fold and under One Shepherd.

Apologia pro Vita Sua

Blessed John Henry Newman's Prayer for Unity

O Lord Jesus Christ, who when Thou wast about to suffer didst pray for Thy disciples to the end of time that they might all be one, as Thou art in the Father and the Father in Thee, look down in pity on the manifold divisions among those who profess Thy faith and heal the many wounds which the pride of man and the craft of Satan have inflicted on Thy people.

Break down the walls of separation which divide one party and denomination of Christians from another. Look with compassion on the souls who have been born in one or other of these communions, which not Thou, but man, hath made.

Set free the prisoners from these unauthorised forms of worship, and bring them all to the one communion which Thou didst set up at the beginning – the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Teach all men that the See of Peter, the Holy Church of Rome, is the foundation, centre, and instrument of Unity. Open their hearts to the long forgotten truth that the Holy Father, the Pope, is Thy Vicar and representative; and that in obeying him in matters of religion they are obeying Thee, so that as there is but one company in heaven above, so likewise there may be one communion, confessing and glorifying Thy holy Name, here below. Amen

Fr Ignatius Harrison, the former Provost of the London Oratory, on Unity

Another of the Holy Father’s outstanding achievements is his inspiring work for Christian Unity in setting-up the Ordinariates for former Anglicans. What a brilliant way of cutting through the plethora of mealy-mouthed verbiage and foggy thinking that has characterized so much ecumenical activity in recent decades, verbiage and fogginess which may indeed have had the very best of intentions, but which nevertheless achieved so little in real terms.

Let us also pray with all our heart and mind and strength that our vitally important ecumenical journey with our Greek and Russian Orthodox brethren will continue apace, that our charitable and respectful dialogue with them will bear much fruit, so that the universal Church might once again breathe with two whole lungs, and so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd. Domine, ut sit!