From time to time I see the priest receiving communion last. Some clergy don’t just do this, but strongly advocate it: priests who receive first are apparently not doing it right; I am told that the priest receiving last is the way I should do it. Apparently, this is a sign of humility. And the
Priest Receives Last? Read More »
Did you know you won’t read the readings for Ordinary Sunday 9 in the next 25 years?! And the next time you read the readings for the 10th Ordinary Sunday will be in 2035? At the outset, two things: for a number of reasons, I think the 3 Year Sunday reading cycle (and its twin,
We Dropped Some Sundays Read More »
The Anglican Church of Australia has abandoned the seal of confession and will now allow confessors to break the confidentiality of the confessional in the case of serious crimes such as child abuse. Let me say at the outset that abuse of children is evil. Any church coverups, and knowingly moving around of offenders, and
Australian Anglicans Abandon Confessional Secrecy Read More »
There is a tendency to treat liturgy as mimicking Jesus’ earthly life – acting it out, pretending we don’t know what happens next, making believe that we live in another time and place… This is called mimesis μίμησις, the Greek word connected to our English word “mimic”. But the older and deeper understanding of liturgy
Liturgy as Sacred Soap Opera? Read More »
In the rubrics of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer rite of confirmation it states: The curate [rector, vicar] of every parish once in sixe wekes at the least upon warnyng by him geven, shal upon some Soonday or holy day, half an houre before evensong openly in the churche instructe and examine so many
BCP Confirmation Catechesis Read More »
My e-friend and regular participant in the community around this site, Claudia, recently invited me to, and wrote about, her church’s “Open Day”. I couldn’t make it to the event, but I think it another wonderful idea to add to many good ones that churches have to make connections. On her website Claudia writes How
Let me come clean with you: I kiss my stole, the altar, the Gospel Book; I cross myself; I bow towards the altar; I cross mind, lips, and heart at the Gospel; I pray with hands raised; I bow at the Name of Jesus; I genuflect for the Reserved Sacrament; I stand to pray; I
Why I Kiss My Stole Read More »
