St Edmund's Oslo - an inclusive and richly diverse community


St Edmund's Church in Oslo describes itself as a community of "tremendous diversity, with people from all ages, many races and nations, and social backgrounds....include single people, families, refugees, ex-pats, and long-established citizens of our host country". The Chaplain is the Revd Darren McCallig, who began his ministry here in October last year (having been previously in St Alban's Copenhagen).

A recent parish visit included a celebration of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation, with candidates from English, Sri Lankan/Norwegian and Ugandan backgrounds. Perfect to include a priest who is Irish and a bishop who is Scottish/Burmese!


Following the mass there was a splendid parish barbecue, unfortunately, in the rain! But spirits were far from dampened, and the international nature of the chaplaincy family was celebrated boldly with flags decorating the garden where the gathering was held.

I was able to catch up with a couple recently moved to Oslo from Brasilia, where their former bishop there, Dom Mauricio Andrade, had pointed them towards our Chaplaincy in Oslo. The network of the Anglican Communion is a wonderful thing!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Canon Frances Hiller

Image
Most people in this diocese know Frances Hiller. Deacon Frances has served as my chaplain since 11 November 2002! She is a member of the Diocesan Ministry Team, the Bishop’s Senior Staff, advises at many levels across the diocese, manages my office, my diary, and much of my correspondence, prepares my liturgical celebrations and generally helps to keep me sane. Last Wednesday she was collated as a canon of our Cathedral Chapter, with the stall of Our Lady of Europe. Congratulations to Canon Deacon Frances Hiller! 
Read more

4 New Bishops for the Polish Catholic Church (Union of Utrecht)

Image
  History was made today for the Union of Utrecht, the Old Catholic Communion of Churches, with which the Churches of the Anglican Communion are in full communion. The Polish member of the Union of Utrecht is called the Polish Catholic Church. It consists of three dioceses at present, but with the death of the late Bishop W iktor   Wysoczański earlier this year, there were no bishops remaining. A synod this summer elected 4 to fill the three dioceses and provide an auxiliary for Warsaw as well. So today, the 4 new bishops were consecrated, the first time for such a multiple consecration in an Old Catholic Church. It also marks the beginning an entirely new chapter in the life of the Polish Catholic Church. Bishop Dick Schoon The service, slightly over 3 hours in length, was presided by Bishop Dick Schoon, the Bishop of Haarlem, assisted by Bishop Pavel Stránský of the Czech Old Catholic Church, and Bishop John Okoro, Bishop Emeritus of the Old Catholic Church of Austria. Archbishop Be
Read more