From THE BISHOP OF HORSHAM
I Spent much of Saturday at The Living Tradition event in West Worthing. Bishop Geoffrey Rowell gave a full and rounded summery of the Church of England's catholic heritage, pointing out the dangers of that church 'losing its memory'.
After the Mass, celebrated by the Bishop of Chichester and lunch, we heard an account of how it is envisaged new legislation to allow for the consecration of women as bishops will work out in the Church of England.
Bishop Martin made it abundantly clear that if people thought that women would somehow 'not be up to the job' that was where he parted company with them. The issue, he said, was that it was not within our power 'to offer catholic consent' to such ordinations.
Both presentations attracted questions that brought forth useful answers, with Bishop Geoffrey making particular reference to the kinship between Orthodox and Charismatic theology and Bishop Martin speaking about that trust which is necessary for the future.
I was able to say something about the responsibility of the laity in discerning vocations not only to priesthood, but to teaching in Church Schools, both of which will be necessary to the mission of the catholic church into the future.
The event was well attended and filled St John The Divine, West Worthing, where we were generously hosted by Fr John Eldridge.
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