What possible reason could there be for someone who is Anglican/Episcopal and faithful to the theology of historic Christianity, not to be drawn to that greatest of churches within the Western tradition, the Roman Catholic Church? It is remarked by many that over the last few decades there has been a steady movement of Anglicans to Rome whenever the leaders in the Episcopal or Anglican Church advance teachings which do not accord with Scripture. Yet, the migration to Rome is … [Read more...]
Reflection and Choral Evensong commemorating St Gilbert of Sempringham
Introit : Praise ye the Lord, ye children (Ps 113:1-4) -- Christopher Tye (1500-1572) Preces and Responses*: Wlliam Smith of Durham (1603-1645) Psalm 23: Dominus regit me -- Sir John Goss (1800-1880), The Lord is my shepherd; * therefore can I lack nothing. 2 He shall feed me in a green pasture, * and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. Magnificat sexti toni -- Adrian Willaert (1490-1562) Nunc dimittis tertii toni -- Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) Reflection on St … [Read more...]
Fr. Gavin Dunbar reflects on Michelangelo and the Conversion of Saint Paul
The Conversion of St Paul, Michelangelo, The Pauline Chapel, The Vatican (public domain) Scripture narratives are not just narratives. They don’t just tell us about persons and events: they are also reflections on the meaning of those events for faith; and this significance is conveyed by the way the story is told, by the selection of details, and the choice of words to describe them. A good preacher will bring out the significance of these stories for faith; and some of the best preachers … [Read more...]
Choral Evensong with Reflection for the Commemoration of St Thomas Aquinas
Image above taken from the upper tier of a polyptych (multi-panelled altarpiece) painted by Carlo Crivelli in 1476 for the high altar of the church of San Domenico, in Ascoli Piceno in the Italian Marche, now in the National Gallery, London, originally placed with Saint Francis at the opposite end of the altarpiece with both looking up at the Lamentation over the Dead Christ, which was originally in the centre panel of the upper tier (now in New … [Read more...]
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Address and Vigil service
The sisters of the Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland were invited by the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity to produce the liturgical material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year. The link below may be used to access the Audio of a webcast from the 2nd of three Vigils held over the course of the week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in this case held jointly (online) by the congregations of The Grosvenor Chapel Mayfair and the … [Read more...]
New Archbishop of Dublin makes waves – on women Deacons, Priests, same-sex unions and clerical celibacy
Considerable interest has been generated far beyond the shores of Ireland by the recently announced appointment of Dermot Farrell as the new Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, in succession to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin a former Vatican diplomat. The Archbishop elect gave a long interview to the Irish Times that has occasioned alarm among traditional Roman Catholics who understood him to have stated that he is "in favor of women deacons and married priests. He does not find in … [Read more...]
The Revd. Dr. Robert Crouse remembered
The Rt. Revd Anthony Burton, of the Parish of the Incarnation in Dallas, yesterday noted the tenth anniversary of the death of the Revd. Dr Crouse with this tribute on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bishopburton The Rev. Dr. Robert Crouse, one of the most influential Canadian theologians of his generation, died ten years ago tonight in his rural childhood home on Crouse Road, Crousetown, Nova Scotia, where his family had lived for more than 200 years. He was 80. He … [Read more...]
Choral Evensong upon the occasion of the Feast of St Aelred of Rievaulx
Illumination from a manuscript of St Aelred's Life of Edward the Confessor Showing St Aelred in monastic habit kneeling before King Henry II To hear the Audio please click on the link below: https://soundcloud.com/user-140188366/evensong-upon-the-feast-of-st-aelred-of-rievaulx Opening Anthem: Memento mei Paweł Łukaszewski (born 1968), Mark Dwyer, conductor Memento mei, Domine, dum veneris in regnum tuum. Remember me O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. (cf … [Read more...]
Why follow the Anglican Way? A question answered in the writings of Dr Peter Toon
The Revd. Dr. Peter Toon (1939-2009) A long serving President of the Prayer Book Society and Editor of its Magazine WHY FOLLOW THE ANGLICAN WAY? The Anglican Way is both Ancient and Modern In religion what has been believed, taught and confessed for centuries and what has been prayed, tested and performed during two millennia is more likely to be a sound guide in our quests to find God than modern insights which pay no attention to “ancient wisdom.” In the Anglican Way, … [Read more...]
“A Prize Charlie” – A. N. Wilson on the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Crisis in the Episcopate “I do not suppose there is a single person in the country who finds Justin Welby an inspiring figure. Whether we think of his egotistical gesture of celebrating the Easter liturgy from the kitchen of a dismal flat in Lambeth Palace, or his recent suggestion that centuries-old church monuments, many of great beauty, should be gouged out in order tosatisfy his judgmental reading of history, the Archbishop of Canterbury seems like a prize Charlie.” So wrote the … [Read more...]
Of Alcuin and Antiphons…..
Raban Maur (left), supported by Alcuin (middle), dedicates his work to Archbishop Otgar of Mainz (Right) From the 9th Century Fulda - Manuscript: Wien, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, cod.652, fol. 2v A reflection with Advent Choral Music including two settings of the O Antiphon: O Sapientia Organ Voluntary: Prelude on Rhosymedre -- Ralph Vaughan Williams Hymn: On Jordan’s bank (Winchester New) O Sapientia (the first of the “O Antiphons”) as set by Paweł Łukaszewski … [Read more...]
What is Common Prayer – by the Revd. Dr. Peter Toon
What is Common Prayer? The word “common” is used in all kinds of ways, and so what do Anglicans mean by the word “common” when it is associated with public prayer and worship? Since we are referring to the worship of our Creator and Redeemer, Almighty God, we can dismiss quickly the popular meaning of “common” as that which is ordinary, undistinguished or even of inferior quality. The texts of the services and rites used before God to address him are surely intended to be of high not low … [Read more...]
Richard Hooker on The Book of Common Prayer:
An extract from the "judicious" Mr Hooker's Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, Book V, There is here a notably heavy emphasis upon the priority of corporate over individual prayer, of the importance of the holy place where worship occurs and of the vocation and holiness of the minister/priest who conducts the worship. Extempore prayer in comparison with the written Common Prayer is very much deprecated Private and public prayer This holy and religious duty of service towards God … [Read more...]
Reflecting on the life to come…
A Reflection on the Last Things interspersed with choral music (The image above - public domain - is part of The Last Judgment a triptych attributed to the Flemish painter Hans Memling and painted between 1467 and 1471 now in the National Museum in Gdańsk in Poland) To listen click on this link below https://soundcloud.com/user-140188366/a-reflection-on-the-last-things-for-the-grosvenor-chapel-in-the-parish-of-mayfair-london Hymn, Now is the Evening Introit: Almighty and … [Read more...]
Same Sex Unions: Pope Francis and Bishop Love
Same Sex Unions: Pope Francis and Bishop Love Some reflections It has been a curious week in regard to the topic of same sex unions which has so long excited contemporary culture. It opened with Pope Francis in Rome seemingly coming out in support of civil unions, in a documentary about him called “Francesco”, in which he observes “Homosexuals [are] children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out of the family or have a miserable life because of … [Read more...]
In Quires and Places where they sing,…..
The latest e-mail update from the Society has just gone out. It highlights the Choral Evensongs and Reflections that we have been making available through the course of the current Pandemic. And we have just passed the milestone of having our 2000th listener ! These webcasts have usually had a particular focus of which the figures above are illustrative: From Left to Right, on the top row: John Mason Neale, St Benedict, John Keble, then on the bottom row: St James the Apostle, Bishop … [Read more...]
Choral Evensong with Sermon, Commemoration of Bishop Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)
Choral Evensong with Sermon upon the occasion of the Commemoration of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, on 12 August, 2020, for the The Grosvenor Chapel in the Parish of Mayfair. Officiant and Preacher: The Revd. Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff To hear please click on the link below: https://soundcloud.com/user-140188366/evensong-sermon-commemoration-of-bp-jeremy-taylor-12-august-2020 Prelude: the Corrente from Bach’s Cello Suite no. 1 in G major_BWV 1007, transcribed for the Viola, … [Read more...]
What are the duties of Christians, … in a time of such dire calamity? – John Keble
That was the Question posed by John Keble in his famous Assize Sermon that launched the Oxford Movement in July 1833 Commemorated in a Choral Evensong with Sermon upon the Feast of John Keble https://soundcloud.com/user-140188366/choral-evensong-sermon-for-the-feast-of-john-keble-july-2020 With music from the sound archives of The Grosvenor Chapel under the Direction of Richard Hobson and the Church of Advent Boston, under the Direction of Mark Dwyer assisted by Jeremy … [Read more...]
A Reflection for the Feast of St Thomas
St Thomas' Basilica Cathedral Chennai A Reflection by Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff for the Grosvenor Chapel in the Parish of Mayfair, for the Feast of St Thomas the Apostle, remembering also St Elizabeth Queen of Portugal and the distinguished ecclesiastics of the Venn family. The music comprises the Agnus Dei from the Missa “Delectus Meus” by the Portuguese composer Filipe de Magalhães A setting of Psalm 149 O Praise ye the Lord by Thomas … [Read more...]
A Reflection — from the Grosvenor Chapel
Above: The Holy Roman Emperor Frederic II with Al-Kamil the Sultan of Egypt This short reflection: https://soundcloud.com/user-140188366/meditation-for-evening-of-26th-june-grosvenor-chapel by Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff features music performed by the Choir of the Grosvenor Chapel and opens with one to the Chandos Anthems by Handel: "In the voice of Praise and Thanksgiving". The reflection itself touches upon the life of St Edmund of Abingdon (1175-1240), who was … [Read more...]
Soothsayers, Magic & the end of Fanaticism: the case for Bishop Butler
Canon Macdonald-Radcliff reflects upon a week that began with the Feast of St Augustine of Canterbury and considers the relevance of Bishop Butler's thought to the current pandemic and our responses to it. Please use the link below: https://soundcloud.com/mark-dwyer-2/20200529-daily-meditation-webcast Please follow this … [Read more...]
Sermon for the Sunday after Ascension Day
Hans (Suess) von Kulmbach, 1513 (born c. 1480 in Kulmbach, Franconia, died. c. 3 December 1522 in Nuremberg), He was the artist who created the Kraków St John's Altar. Preacher: The Revd. Fr Gavin Dunbar St John's Church Savannah If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.1 … [Read more...]
The Feast of St Dunstan – A reflection
St Dunstan takes the Devil by the nose.... Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff reflects upon the life of this 10th Century Archbishop of Canterbury and the way in which his biography later became hotly contested terrain, used and interpreted in very different ways by polemicists of the Roman Catholic church as well as the High and Low church factions of the Church of … [Read more...]
Good Friday Sermon
Good Friday Sermon by Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff My God, my God, look upon me; why hast thou forsaken me… Psalm 22, 1 In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost…. AMEN Today we come to the darkest point in the church’s liturgical calendar In a bare and somber church intentionally emblematic of the utmost earthly desolation --as is uniquely appropriate to that terrible moment which we have just heard narrated in the Gospel, namely the … [Read more...]
Reformed and Catholic? Bradford Littlejohn on the quest for Identity in a Rootless Church
Reformed and Catholic? Searching for Identity in a Rootless Church By Dr. Bradford Littlejohn Director of the Davenant Institute Introduction: Reformed or Catholic? Ten years ago now, in 2009, the growing hodgepodge of congregations and bishops that protested against the spreading corruptions in the Episcopal Church formally banded together to form the Anglican Church in North America. Since that time, many other churches, like lifeboats from the sinking Episcopal Church, have … [Read more...]
The origins of Anglicanism – about so much more than a divorce…
A short reflection suggesting the need to widen and reframe the historical context and not reduce it merely to a desire for an annulment which Henry had every reason to suppose would in fact be granted The current Pope has stated that “most Catholic marriages are invalid”[1]an observation which, not unreasonably, has attracted a degree of attention. Whatever is to be made of the implications for the current state of the Roman Catholic church, his comment can help us … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 7
- Next Page »