Eurobishop

One of our Diocesan Readers, Simone Yallop (St Mary the Virgin, Twente), has written this report on a recent Readers' workshop. ___________________________________________________________________________ In the weekend of 26 to 28 April 2019 a group of 11 Readers and 4 Readers-in-Training came together at St, Columba’s House in Woking, for a workshop on Discipleship. The facilitators were Dr Clare Amos (Director of Lay Discipleship), The Revd Canon Elaine Labourel (Director of Readers) and the Revd Deacon Frances Hiller (Bishop David’s Chaplain). Clare Amos took us on an enthralling Biblical journey, looking at what the gospels tell us about Peter’s experiences as a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is about following, learning and serving. It is a journey sometimes with two steps forward and one step backwards. We will not get it right the first time. Neither did Peter. It was interesting how Clare pointed out that in John’s gospel, Jesus does not say ‘follow me’ to Peter un...

Angela Mirani and Celia Paterson Two Readers (Licenced Lay Ministers) of our Diocese in Europe will be enjoying a very special Easter this year. Angela Mirani, Reader in St John the Baptist Church, Varese, Italy and Celia Paterson, Reader in St George's Church, Madrid, were honoured by Her Majesty the Queen as recipients of the Royal Maundy money last Thursday, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. In addition to their long service to their own congregations, Angela and Celia play vital roles within their own respective Archdeaconries, and have served the wider Church also at Diocesan and international levels.  Angela said in an email to me: "It was an amazing day: the service was beautiful and the music superb. A very emotional time".  Warm congratulations to you both from across the Diocese, and Happy Easter!

The Altar of Repose in the Pro Cathedral of St Paul, Valletta Maundy Thursday is the day in Holy Week when we commemoration the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion. So within the solemn rites of the sacred three days (Triduum) a central observance of the Holy Thursday liturgy is the commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist. At the conclusion of the mass there is a procession with the Blessed Sacrament to the Chapel of Repose, where the Sacrament is present to remind us of our Lord's ti me in the Garden of Gethsemane where he prayed before his arrest and crucifixion. In the Christian tradition the faithful join in silent prayer, watching and waiting with Christ.  In the Pro Cathedral of St Paul in Valletta, Malta, members of the congregation kept watch, and many others who may have entered the Church out of curiosity or simply out of a sense that Christians were observing...

At the Chrism mass celebrated on Monday in St George's Madrid, the clergy, readers and lay faithful present also rejoiced in the collation of the Revd David Waller as a canon of the diocese. Canon Waller will occupy the stall of Blessed John Henry Newman (in the Pro-Cathedral in Malta). The new canon is the Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Palma de Mallorca, and an Area Dean in the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar. About 20 clergy and readers from Portugal, Spain and the Balearic Islands came together for the solemn ceremony of blessing the oils and renewal of vows of ministry. Many of the clergy and lay ministers met on Sunday evening for a dinner and companionship. It can be a lonely business, ministry, especially in the Diocese in Europe. It is good to take advantage of such times to get together for mutual support and building of colleagiality. Clergy and readers prepare for the liturgy The most solemn moment in the rite of blessing the oils is the consecration of Holy Ch...

The three oils which were later presented for blessing and consecration The Revd Rob Warren has been barely a month in post as Chaplain of All Saints Rome. He was rather dropped in the deep end by having to organise a major diocesan event in his parish - a Chrism Mass - which was celebrated last Tuesday. Clergy and readers, from Norway to Malta, attended the liturgy. A quartet of singers and the organist from All Saints provided a wonderful accompaniment to the service, and volunteers from All Saints laid on a light lunch for the 70 or so in attendance. Fr Rob and his team made us all feel very welcome. Such occasions go a long way in helping to address the isolation we can sometimes feel as clergy, especially in this diocese. The readings for the day provided a chance to reflect on the challenges of ministry in a secularised Europe, and to be encouraged for that ministry. God calls us through his Son to be leaven and salt, gentle agents giving life and flavour around ...

Archbishop Mndolwa and Fr Duncan Dormor (Photo courtesy of USPG) Deacon Frances and I represented the Diocese in Europe at the opening of the new headquarters of USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) in Trinity Street, London on 21 March. USPG is one of the oldest mission agencies of the Anglican communion, founded in 1701. Its predecessor, SPG, helped to found over half of the chaplaincies in this diocese.  USPG supports the churches of the Anglican Communion in their mission to be communities of resistance and hope and in their witness to the healing power of Christ’s love. Thus it supports our work to address environmental degradation, turbulent global politics, gender injustice, and the forced displacement of people at record levels. USPG is a partner in the work of the diocese in its refugee and migrant ministry in Morocco, Greece and France.  The opening of the HQ began with a mass and blessing of the chapel, presided over by Archbishop Maimbo Mndolwa...

The Revd Rob Warren was licensed as Chaplain of All Saints, Rome on 9 March. He follows the Revd Canon Jonathan Boardman who had been Chaplain for close to 19 years, before his move to south London. The licensing service was a significant ecumenical occasion as well as an Anglican celebration. Representatives from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist and other Churches were present, as well as the clergy and many members from our sister (US) Episcopal Church in Rome, other Church of England parishes in Italy, and the Interim Director and Deputy Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome. The diplomatic corps in Rome was well represnted too, both those accredited to the Holy See and to the Italian State. Fr Rob comes to this diocese from being the Rector of Christ Church Clermont-Ferrand, a parish of the (US) Episcopal Church in France. He has also served in the Scottish Episcopal Church (his wife Caireen is Scottish) and in the Anglican Church of Canada, where he se...

Bishop Pierre hands the crozier to Bishop Mark (Photo courtesy of TEC Europe) On Saturday 6 April, a new Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of (US) Episcopal Churches in Europe, Mark Edington, was consecrated in the American Cathedral in Paris. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry presided, with another 35 bishops assisting. The preacher for the service was the Very Revd Dr Andrew McGowan, a well known theologian and liturgical scholar. In a stirring address, Fr McGowan declared that “Christendom is over, and this is not bad news. It’s good news. That’s over but the Jesus Movement isn’t over.” He turned to the bishop elect and said, “Welcome and go away, as God calls us to look out and not within". The ordination litany was sung in English, Spanish, Italian, French and German. The ordinary of the mass was a setting by Canadian composer Healey Willan! Unlike consecrations in the Church of England, the new bishop in the Episcopal Church receives a very impressive document cert...

A particularly special confirmation celebration was held in March in the Anglican Church in Freiburg. Many members of the congregation received the sacrament of confirmation, including one of the children of the priest, the Revd Canon Christopher Parsons. The Anglican Church in Freiburg is clear about its mission: "We are engaged in a lifelong task which is to build a community, made up of a wonderful mixture of ages and races, whose most abiding quality is ‘grace’," is an inviting statement from their website. It is evident that they are doing quite well in building such a community of grace, given the joy that I perceived at the celebration.

The Revd Canon Dr Medhat Sabry, Chaplain of St John the Evangelist, Casablanca and St Augustine of Hippo, Rabat, and Area Dean of Morocco and the Canary Islands was was able to extend greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis last weekend. The Holy Father was on an apostolic visit to the Kingdom of Morocco. The Papal Visit was clearly an encouragement to all Christians in the Kingdom and encouraged them to “to persevere on the path of dialogue with our Muslim brothers and sisters and to cooperate in making visible that universal fraternity which has its source in God.” The Pope also spoke during his visit of the ministry of the Church among migrants and refugees, a particularly pertinent issue for Moroccan Churches, including our own congregations of the Church of England in that country. His Holines made four recommendations for Church action: 1. Welcome: offering broader options for migrants and refugees to enter destination countries safely and legally. 2. Protection: defending...