tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post7871846295283037216..comments2023-08-19T23:23:19.849+10:00Comments on Sentire cum Ecclesia: And speaking of Russian Orthodox: News of Father Tony Bartel...Schützhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026181010471282505noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-55911162780777441092007-09-30T21:36:00.000+10:002007-09-30T21:36:00.000+10:00Dear Susan,I made my (friendly and tongue-in-cheek...Dear Susan,<BR/><BR/>I made my (friendly and tongue-in-cheek) comments about Tony's journey on the basis of his previous record. Some of us can only ever fit one conversion into our lives. Tony, at last count, has made three formal "conversions". I wouldn't wish another upon him, although I would wish that his choice were other time on the third go! <BR/><BR/>Oh well, God put Tony here to do his will, not mine!Schützhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05026181010471282505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-40327088648503305532007-09-30T21:32:00.000+10:002007-09-30T21:32:00.000+10:00Dear Dr William,I gave your message to Fr Serge. H...Dear Dr William,<BR/><BR/>I gave your message to Fr Serge. He returns the greetings! He was, as you would expect, the life of the conference. Unfortunately, he is suffering greatly from arthritis, but it does not seem to affect his cheerful curmudgeonly temperament.Schützhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05026181010471282505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-84455706776140407812007-09-28T08:40:00.000+10:002007-09-28T08:40:00.000+10:00Dear Mr. Tighe...your (un)favorite subject is real...Dear Mr. Tighe...your (un)favorite subject is really not the main point here,is it? It is sort of backward looking as all involved here agree on the issue. <BR/><BR/>Forward looking, there is Herr Schutz's statement that there is, of course, one more change that lies ahead for Tony to take in his journey to ecclesiastical perfection. <BR/><BR/>Tony took this in good part, which is very good of him. I confess to being somewhat irritated at times when Orthodox folks say this to me. I said to one that I had already made a great conversion in my life when I became a Catholic. I was trying to convey something I wasn't quite saying, the degree of turmoil involved in that change, the feeling of being lost and churchless when I postponed it, the way I, even in my silly youth, threw myself on God begging for His truth, before I made the decision, the feeling of commitment involved in the profession of faith I made. (a layperson's version of the Tridentine profession of faith.)<BR/>So the blithe comment that I should keep converting until I got it right didn't really sit well with me. <BR/><BR/>My guess is that Tony most likely is that convinced about Orthodoxy. <BR/><BR/>I am very attracted by Orthodoxy, by the liturgy, and by the fact that they often have small churches which are real communities like Protestant churches. But I can't think myself into a position where I would think that Orthodoxy is The Church and Benedict XVI is outside of it. Can't do it. <BR/><BR/>But, honestly, sometimes I envy people who can. <BR/><BR/>Many years, Tony!<BR/><BR/>Susan Petersoneulogoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06975120700184179765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-46824742277146196122007-09-27T11:48:00.000+10:002007-09-27T11:48:00.000+10:00I see. There is a prominent English FIF priest wh...I see. There is a prominent English FIF priest who once characterized Mrs. Farrer to me as "an orthodox Mrs. Proudie" who helped to keep her husband on the straight-and-narrow. It seems her influence is, alas, waning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-10550976777539791242007-09-27T06:26:00.000+10:002007-09-27T06:26:00.000+10:00Bishop David Farrer of Wangaratta has licensed fem...Bishop David Farrer of Wangaratta has licensed female priests for the last two and a half years. However, these priests have been under the episcopal care of the neighbouring Bishop of Bendigo. <BR/><BR/>The Wangaratta diocesan Synod has recently passed legislation that will allow the diocesan bishop to ordain women. At the same time they repealed legislation that would have allowed for alternative episcopal care for those who in conscience cannot accept the ordination of women. Bishop Farrer has indicated that he will assent to both of these moves. <BR/><BR/>Bishop Farrer has indicated that he will not ordain women himself or concelebrate with them. However, he is willing to live with the anomaly of having women priests within his college of priests. <BR/><BR/>Throughout his epsicopate in Wangaratta, Bishop Farrer has steadfastly refused to say what he believes about the ordination of women. In a discussion last week he indicated to me that he is unable to offer teaching in this area because he is uncertain what that teaching should be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-37992106476928463622007-09-27T02:25:00.000+10:002007-09-27T02:25:00.000+10:00Has Wangaratta started to "ordain" women? I know ...Has Wangaratta started to "ordain" women? I know that Ballarat, The Murray and Wangaratta were once stalwartly resisting the innovation (and I have met the Bishop of The Murray, and am sure that he is still manfully resisting it!), and I have been given to understand that the relatively new bishop of Ballarat (a former Catholic Franciscan friar) is quite "weak" on the issue, but I was unaware of a change in Wangaratta. Has bishop Farrer been replaced by a "trimmer?"<BR/><BR/>Oh, David (if I may), please give my regards to Fr. Serge, whom I have not seen in some years, but whom I know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-18327287326533439342007-09-26T20:22:00.000+10:002007-09-26T20:22:00.000+10:00Actually, I am overjoyed that via converts such as...Actually, I am overjoyed that via converts such as yourself, Tony, and Fr John D'Alton (Antiochian from Church of Christ) I am finally making some personal connections with the Orthodox Churches of the East. <BR/><BR/>I really do pray that God will grant us both those "many years" of which you speak, Tony!Schützhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05026181010471282505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-43286069003034130572007-09-26T12:18:00.000+10:002007-09-26T12:18:00.000+10:00Chronia Polla, Tony and family!<I>Chronia Polla</I>, Tony and family!Dixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08511317203353075644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21487528.post-78956008478008065922007-09-26T11:33:00.000+10:002007-09-26T11:33:00.000+10:00Dear David, Thank you for your kind thoughts. Just...Dear David, <BR/><BR/>Thank you for your kind thoughts. <BR/><BR/>Just to clarify, I am uncertain if I will ever seek ordination in the Orthodox Church. I have not closed off the possibility, but it is not likely to happen in the short to immediate term. <BR/><BR/>I am sure that we will have many years to disagree about ecclesiastical perfection. In the meantime, I like the following description of the Orthodox Church by the French convert, Father Lev Gillet:<BR/><BR/>"O strange Orthodox Church, so poor and weak, with neither the organization nor the culture of the West, staying afloat as if by a miracle in the face of so many trials, tribulations and struggles; a Church of contrasts, both so traditional and so free, so archaic and so alive, so ritualist and so personally involved, a Church where the priceless pearl of the Gospel is assiduously preserved, sometimes under a layer of dust; a Church which in shadows and silence maintains above all the eternal values of purity, poverty, asceticism, humility and forgiveness; a Church which has often not known how to act, but which can sing of the joy of Pascha like no other."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com