I've just returned from our Cathedral at Arundel where our new bishop Mgr Richard Moth was installed (makes him sound like a bit of plumbing).
I was very impressed, he's bouncy, just like I remember him thirty five years ago at seminary when I last knew him.
There were lots of nice little touches like the Propers sung in Latin, the episcopal dalmatic, our first bishop's ring and crozier, wearing a choir cassock for the Mass and habito piano for the reception, singing most of his parts of the Mass. The homily which he preached, was no nonsense, good stuff, I wanted to cry out, 'axios,' afterwards, it was about the centrality of Christ, it is here, there were no silly stories, or jokes, just a bishop who believes preaching to his Church, something unashamably Catholic..
Just a little bit of gossip, I was talking to a woman who is organising an all-night Vigil before our diocesan Jubilee celebrations in July, he plans to be there for it, he apparently told her that she might have difficulties getting enough people for the small hours, he told her to put him down for those hours, despite te fact he is going to host the whole diocese that day - impressive?
I came away with a sense of hope for the future of our diocese, pray for Richard our Bishop and the other good bishops we have in our country - the number is growing!
16 comments:
Indeed it does sound as if you have a very good Bishop in Bishop Moth. May there be many more like him.
Exceedingly happy for you! Lifts the spirits to read such good news. Praying for Bishop Moth and all good shepherds of our Church.
I am delighted to hear of your new bishop, Father. I take it he will be going to the second session on the Family?
Now I am all for reflection and Mercy, which latter is of course reserved to Christ alone, but also, as befits our God-given intelligence and abilities, some action.
One such action at the Synod would be to make it clear, without any doubt that the Church will not, indeed, cannot, change its teaching on adultery and sodomy. People guilty of those sins, and any other grievous sins of course, cannot be admitted to Holy Communion, without Confession, a firm purpose of amendment and Absolution.
I would recommend Evelyn Waugh's book, “Brideshead Re-visited”, I which he laid this point out very clearly, long before the present mess, (and indeed long before Vat II). Julia, although in love with Charles elected not to marry him, but took up her cross and opted for what might be, what I shall call a sinful life, knowing her weaknesses and trusting in the Mercy of Christ, as opposed to opting for Charles and what I shall call a life of mortal sin, from which there is no escape, because she knew, as Charles was later to understand, that was no other Catholic alternative.
Bishop Moth is a truly holy man, with a fine liturgical and ecclesiological mind. Spending the wee small hours at an All night vigil will not be a problem for him. Arundel and Brighton is surely blessed in its new bishop.
Good news. Bishop Moth certainly seems to be creating a buzz.
Thank God!
All is not lost then? Your news is like a breath of fresh air.
Any pun about a Moth being drawn to the Light of the World must be resisted :0))
Oh, Thank God for a good Bishop for Arundel and Brighton.
May the Diocese continue to grow under his guidance.
in Domino
Good news that Bishop Moth appears to be taking an approach full of soundness, commitment and reassuringly faithful Catholicism.
Ad multos annos.
We'll miss him in the Armed Forces. A&B's gain is our loss. Ad multos annos ...
What a change there has been along the south coast! With Bishops O'Toole, Egan and Moth in place, it's a complete transformation. In fact, looking at the national picture, the balance of the Bishops' Conference has completely turned around in the last few years. All very good news.
Good to hear that Bishop Moth sounds like a Catholic - may his heart and his arm grow strong.
Jacobi, he will not be going to the Synod on the family. E&W has 2 representatives: Cardinal Nichols and Bishop Doyle. Bishop Egan is the reserve if either of the others can't make it. I probably shouldn't wish anybody ill, but if somebody with a heavy cold can shake the Cardinal's hand at the end of September, we may be better served.
Yes, Bishop Egan is a brave and holy man who (unlike so many of his colleagues) will tell the truth without fear of public opinion or the Press. Our diocese is so blessed to have him. Et Expecto is quite right - the change in the three South Coast dioceses over the last few years is astonishing.
He is also a Benedictine Oblate. Not sure which monastery. But this link was on the Prinknash website: http://www.prinknashabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Is-the-Oblate-Way-for-me.pdf
Pluscarden, I believe. Bishop Hugh Gilbert (former abbot) was present. One point - the entire Ordinary was by Paul Inwood. I knew the old dinosaur had moved to A&B from Portsmouth, but hoped he had departed with Kieran.
QWith regard to the Paul Inwood connection. I think that what happened was that when Paul Inwood was sacked from the Portsmouth Diocese, Rt Rev Conry immediately appointed Inwood's wife to be in charge of music in Arundel and Brighton.
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