Myth Busting: the Anglican Churches in Spain

Members of the Sunday School in El Campello

There is still some myth-busting to be done about the Diocese in Europe. For instance, I often find that people assume that congregations in the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar, and particularly in Spain, are rather sleepy places. It may be that this assumption comes from the fact that many of the members of our parishes in Spain are either retired or senior in years. First of all, it is not the case that our congregations consist only of retirees. And secondly, there is a great deal of activity and life in these congregations, even where there is a large sector who are retired.

Our congregations in Spain are outgoing in their mission, building links with other English-speaking institutions and bodies in the pastoral area, such as the British Legion, social clubs, and schools, to make sure that the Anglican Church is known. The local Anglican priest is generally seen by the many English speakers as "their Vicar", even though, like in England, they may not go to Church. But they know the priest is there at times of crisis and need. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic clergy also often relate to our own Church of England priests as "the other priests in the parish". Our congregations raise money and volunteer for local Spanish charities, such as Caritas, the Spanish Red Cross and others. And the church communities are committed to being warm and welcoming spiritual homes for all.

Our communities are also places where faith is explored and deepened. One example, which I noted during my recent visit to Holy Spirit Parish Costa Blanca, was a very pertinent study series which has been well attended on world religions. This series, led by one of the auxilliary priests with permission in the parish, the Revd Chris Cowell, has covered Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and is about to run a session on Sikhism. Fr Chris is responding to the current interest among Christians to understand the followers of the world's great religions. "What do different religions mean by 'God'?" is an important contemporary question. As the Cardinal Archbishop of Valencia said to me during my recent visit, we Christians must show to the world that religions do not need to divide humanity. Building understanding and knowledge is an important step.

And, of course, not all our members are retirees! There are young families too, and Sunday Schools, such as I saw recently in the congregation of El Campello, the most southerly congregation in the Holy Spirit, Costa Blanca Parish.

Parishioners of Costa Blanca at study session on other religions

 

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

Archbishop of Canterbury's Pentecost Letter: A European Consequence

Image
In his Pentecost letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned of certain consequences for provinces of the Anglican Communion which have failed to stand by the three moratoria . (No authorisation of blessings services for same-sex unions; no consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships; and no bishop authorising any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission). One consequence would be that representatives from such provinces w ould not be able to participate in the formal international interchurch dialogues of the Communion. One of those dialogues is the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council ( AOCICC ), the official instrument set up to deepen the relationship of communion established in 1931 between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht . As the member Churches of the Union of Utrecht are all European, the AOCICC is effectively a European body. (I am one of the members, appo...
Read more

Bishop Austin Rios of California

Image
It was a joyful, colourful, multicultural three-hour liturgy. At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, the Revd Austin Rios was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of California. I have known Austin from his time as the Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome, where he was a great friend and collaborator with our own Church of England All Saints Chaplaincy in that city. The liturgy, appropriately, marked the multiculural make-up of the diocese, with prayers, readings, hymns and songs in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Tonga and Mandarin. The final procession was led by a Chinese dragon! I was told that there were about 300 in the procession and 2000 present in the beautiful gothic cathedral on Nob Hill San Francisco. My good friend and ecuenical colleague from Rome Fr Keith Peckers SJ was also in attenance, so the Church of Rome and the Church of England were both represented! Among the bishop friends present were Bishop Mark Edington of the Episcopal Convocation in Europe, a...
Read more