THE P RTAL


May 2012


numbers, I think we are the largest.” “Te Catholics is the area have treated us very well.


Bishop Welby of Durham has been too. He did a placement at Saint James many years ago and never forgot us. He still has a soſt spot for us. He was extremely kind.”


“We are looking forward to the day


at Walsingham in September.” Nicola Reeves is an IT Consultant


for the International Company Hewlett-Packard. As with most of the people who have joined the Ordinariate, she has no regrets. “Te welcome has been very kind. Right from the word ‘go’ we have always had Catholic members at Saint James anyway. Tey have come with us. We have a family environment. It is what we have brought with us. I joined Saint James to sing in Church ten years ago, six months later my Mum joined! Although Saint Anne’s is about ten miles from my home, where else would I go?”


“We are good at raising money,


so I am sure we can afford to keep ourselves and Fr Grieves.”


Nicola gave the subject of growth


for the Group deep thought. “Most of those who have stayed at Saint James, will stay. We shall gather people from other C of E Parishes. But we are all about Mission and Evangelism, that is how we are the size we are now! We are a good community and we draw people in.”


One of those welcoming the


Group to Saint Anne’s Catholic Church is Sister Evelyn C.P.”Te Ordinariate Group is wonderful and so enthusiastic. Tey are also sensitive to the needs of Saint Anne’s. Fr grieves is absolutely a gem. He has always consulted us and we feel very much at home with each other.”


Fr Ian Grieves


Fr Ian Grieves (56) was ordained priest in the C of E in 1985 aſter formation at Chichester Teological College. He had been at Saint James Darlington since 1989. “Te decision to join the Ordinariate was not a


Sr Evelyn Rory Thompson


Page 5


difficult one at all. It was in response to an invitation to a sumptuous party! I had to do it. It is not so much that we leſt the C of E, rather that we have joined the Catholic Church. It is the faithful one’s hopes for unity. Our Group has stayed together and it brings what we have into full communion with the See of Pater.”


“Fiſty-eight people we welcomed


into the Catholic Church, but we have a total of seventy-none altogether from Saint James, worshipping with us here at saint Anne’s. We have been hugely welcomed at Saint Anne’s by Sister Evelyn and the congregation. We


went to Ampleforth last


Sunday and some fo the Anglican congregation came with us.”


“Tere is no Sunday mass here at


Saint Anne’s, we will offer that when I am ordained. So Saturday evening and Monday evening Mass and Stations for now.”


“I have been an Anglican priest


for twenty-eight years and at Saint James for a long time. We welcomed everyone there, Bishop Seamus came to Saint James, so we were well known by the Catholic community already.”


“Te Bishop of Durham, Bishop


Justin Welby came to Saint James as a student, we have been friends ever since; so relations with the C of E are very good indeed.”


“I am sure the Group can keep


itself. We will develop and flourish. We have dynamic and committed people and excellent music and liturgy. Hospitality is our special giſt, we are growing all the time. Once we are establish, we shall develop strategy for mission and evangelism.


Our Course of Instruction was so good that we shall carry on with it. It come from the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and is excellent.”


“Our nearest Ordinariate Group is quite a way away,


and we are large whilst they are quite small. We do not feel isolated at all and we are very much plugged into the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.”


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