Romeward Bound

Remember "Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel? Well, forget it - except for the tune. Malcolm at Simple Massing Priest composed a masterpiece of a theme song for those making the journey from Anglicanland across the Tiber to Rome.

Romeward Bound

It’s an Apostolic Constitution,
the perfect made-in-Rome solution,
mmm
where ritual will not be bland
and women priests would all be canned
and independent thought is banned
by Benny – it’s a one man band

Romeward bound
I wish I was
Romeward bound
Rome, where my thoughts escaping
Rome, where my music’s playing
Rome, where the Pope lies waiting
Silently for me

A personal ordinariate
Tridentine mass, imagine that
mmm
and Cardinal Newman’s Oratory
the incense and the rosary
the pious pomp of liturgy
reminds me that I long to be

Romeward bound
I wish I was
Romeward bound
Rome, where my thoughts escaping
Rome, where my music’s playing
Rome, where the Pope lies waiting
Silently for me

Tonight I’ll sing my songs again
Ill play the game and pretend
mmm
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me

Romeward bound
I wish I was
Romeward bound
Rome, where my thoughts escaping
Rome, where my music’s playing
Rome, where the Pope lies waiting
Silently for me
Silently for me
Silently for me

Great, isn't it?

Posted with apologies to Malcolm for my neglect until now. You must read the rest of Malcolm's post, which includes interesting links to past interference by Rome in Anglican and Episcopal affairs.

Ironic God Or No God But Irony

Adrian at Pluralist Speaks is indefatigable in producing parodies on the current Romish/Anglican drama, which is, in itself, close to parody and thus a fertile field. His latest is titled "New Catholic Anglican Church".

Today the Archbishop of Anglicanism, Rowan Tree, and his Brother-in-Faith, Archbishop to Angles and Saxons, Vince Hill, issued a joint statement of ecstatic welcome to a new papal decree setting up another Anglican Church this time inside Roman Catholicism. However, at a press conference held later, the Archbishop of Anglicanism added, "The way I'm feeling, the way I am treated by those who are, apparently, my lot, I might not be the last in line to sign on and sign in."
....

The Apostolic Constitution sets up lots of buildings called Cottages with male only toilets. The urinals will be personal ordinary ones. In the main halls, men in funny costumes and newly washed clerical collars will be able to gather and say Anglican things while actually having a picture of the Pope up above. They'll even be able to have seminary Cottages for new Roman Anglican devotees.

Do read the rest. I warned Adrian that I may need to turn him in to the inquisitors, if he continues with his wickedness, but he pays me no mind as I see that he's already posted again - twice! - in defiance of my warning.

The exchange below in the comments to the post stays in my mind, so here it is to ponder if you like:

Blogger Gene Shinai said...

Adrian, When I first read about the Catholic overture. I wondered if Priestly Celibacy might not be at risk. Apparently I'm not the only one thinking this way:

Liberalise the Catholics by bringing in the conservative Anglicans. Surely there is no God but Irony. (My emphasis)
-------

Blogger Pluralist (Adrian Worsfold) said...

My view too. There is no God but [there is] irony.
-------

Blogger Grandmère Mimi said...

"Liberalise the Catholics by bringing in the conservative Anglicans. Surely there is no God but Irony."

Irony there, all right, Gene. On the other hand, could it be that irony is one of the attributes of God?

Gene's quote is apt and, at least to me, hilarious. The parties on both sides may want to contemplate bit more the long-term consequences of Rome's offer, before rushing into action.

For what it's worth, I move past both Gene's and Adrian's thoughts to my own faith in God and my own, no doubt, skewed concept of that God. I believe that it's quite possible that irony is an attribute of God. Why not?

Note: I simplified Gene's link above to the piece in the New York Times, which is worth a read.

“Now we’re opening up a whole structure within the Latin rite, within the Western rite, which will allow married priests to function,” said Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and a liberal Catholic commentator.

Father Reese raised a series of intriguing hypothetical questions: Would unmarried Anglican priests who want to become Catholic priests have to take a vow of chastity? (The answer is presumably yes.) Could a Catholic man convert to Anglicanism, be ordained as an Anglican priest, then rejoin the Catholic Church under the new Anglican rite? (The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, dismissed that idea as “a trick.”)

And we all know that trickiness has never been an attribute of the powers nor of the hoi polloi in Christianity.

Image by Adrian. He titles it "benny+mitre".

UPDATE: In the comments, Ann notes that Adrian has a great piece at the Episcopal Café, titled "The Failed Ecclesiology of Rowan Williams". I've already visited and left a comment.

Talking Clock

A drunk was proudly showing off his new apartment to a couple of his friends late one night. He led the way to his bedroom where there was a big brass gong and a mallet.



'What's with that big brass gong?' one of the guests asked.

'It's not a gong. It's a talking clock,' the drunk replied.

'A talking clock? Seriously?' asked his astonished friend.

'Yup,' replied the drunk.

'How's it work?' the friend asked, squinting at it.

'Watch,' the drunk replied. He picked up the mallet, gave the gong an ear-shattering pound, and stepped back.

The three stood looking at one another for a moment.......

Suddenly, someone on the other side of the wall screamed, 'You asshole! It's three-fifteen in the morning!

Don't blame me. Blame Doug. And forgive my language. This one was too funny not to share.

Thanks, You Old Dog

From the comments:

Blogger clumber said...

...This just in:

"Anglicanism: Offering personal ordinariates for disaffected Roman Catholics since 1549." ---the Rev. Jan Nunley.

"It May Choke Them"

From the comments:

Lapinbizarre said...

Libby Purves, a journalist I greatly admire, has written an excellent piece in The Times on Benny's latest stunt.

"But convert clergy may not find life as good as they had hoped, despite being freed from the terror of meeting woman priests and having to bless civil partners rather than excoriate them, Vatican-style, as “intrinsically disordered”. Despite the modified prayer book they will find their style and even pastoral advice gravely restricted; they may flinch at the uncompromising voice of the Vatican after the gentle bleating of Cantuars.

"Anglicanism was founded on uneasy compromise, and this has, over centuries, made it kindly and even humble: a mixed salad of a faith. Catholicism is older, darker, strong raw meat. It may choke them."

Indeed!

I've been wondering about the timing of the announcement of the invitation to the Anglican clerics, and Purves has an idea:

On the eve of another damning report on clerical abuse and cover-up in Ireland, that seems to be Pope Benedict’s tactic. His sudden invitation to Anglican defectors will certainly take the spotlight off a continuing child abuse scandal fed, for decades, by the masculine and intimidating structures of authority in the Catholic hierarchy.

Hmmm.

Umm, Umm, Good!

No, not Campbell's soup, Grandpère's delicious vegetable soup. The ingredients include a soup mix from the market, leftover vegetables from the freezer, chopped onions, garlic, bell pepper, celery, green onions, parsley, along with venison, soup meat, and spaghetti. I know that I'm leaving ingredients and seasonings out, but you get the drift. It was scrumptious. Each soup that GP creates tastes different, because the ingredients differ, but the result is always tasty.

The cooking:



The eating:



I am so very blessed in my cook.

The Burglar Likes The Decor

From Andrew Plus at TrinEast in his post titled "On recent emanations from Rome":

To note what we share is not to say there isn’t a certain sting when we read the headlines. Benedict XVI has managed all at once to intrude into our own church’s internal struggles for a very narrow strategic purpose; insult the very validity of who we are; and, at the same claim to value what we offer. The move seems designed to divide us. Some may take joy in this, but I do not. It feels something like coming home to find that the burglar has left a note on the coffee table complimenting us on our decor.

The burglar bit is good, isn't it?

What I don't understand is how the Archbishop of Canterbury was gullible and naive enough to think that the pope viewed him in any way as an equal. In any negotiations, the give would be all on the ABC's side. In addition, consultation seems not to be a high priority for B16, as he did not even consult with his own English bishops, much less with Rowan, before he sprang his surprise invitation.

"Death Penalty For Homosexual Acts?"

Tim Chesterton, a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada, who blogs at To See and to Follow posted on the response (or rather lack therof) of far too many churches in the Anglican Communion to the proposed laws in Uganda regarding gay and lesbian persons. I don't agree with everything that Tim says, but, to his credit, although he holds the "traditional view of sex, marriage, and homosexuality", he speaks out against the harsh laws which will very likely pass and the absence of the voices of the churches speaking against the laws.

Why are gay people seen as such a threat in Uganda? The bill states that its purpose is to protect the traditional family. How are gay people a threat to the traditional family? My daughter recently married her same-sex partner. I can assure you that my wife and I do not feel our marriage to be in any way under threat because of hers! Furthermore, I would suggest that if we want to find out what is threatening the traditional family we ought to look a little closer to home: having sex before you are married, living common law before marriage, or being the child of divorced parents are all factors that statistically increase your chances of going through a divorce yourself. Heterosexual people need to take a long hard look in the mirror before they blame gay people for the demise of the traditional family. We were doing that to ourselves long before anyone dared raise the question of gay marriage in public!

I suggest that you read the post in its entirety.

Story Of The Day - Dark Garden

I once had a garden filled with flowers
that grew only on dark thoughts but
they need constant attention & one day I
decided I had better things to do.


From StoryPeople.

Church Of Sweden - Marriage Is Gender Neutral

From the comments:

Göran Koch-Swahne said...

...Marriage was made Gender Neutral in Sweden by General Synod today slightly past 10.30 AM. 176 Ayes, 62 Noes, 11 Abstentions. Though you might like to know ;=)

Good news, indeed, Göran. Thanks for letting us know.