A while ago, in the context of talking about the 'Royal Wedding', some idiot calling himself the 'Dean of Westminster' referred to his church as the Parish Church of the Nation. I find it difficult to attach much meaning to that daft and pompous phrase. My suspicion is that the custom of having 'National Services' in the Abbey is - with the exception of Coronations - fairly (comparatively) modern. Royal weddings there are probably the most recent of such innovations. I suspect that the status of the Abbey may have received quite a lift when the Unknown Warrior, whoever he may be, was buried there.
In any case, it ought to be pointed out to the silly chap that in fact a great many National Services happen at S Paul's Cathedral, and always have. This happened even in the Old S Paul's; I believe, for example, that Henry VII's son Arthur was married there to Catharine of Aragon. Since Wren's rebuilding, the practical reasons for choosing S Paul's (ex.gr. for the burial of my Lord Nelson and of the Duke of Wellington and for 'Thanksgiving Services' after our periodic national military adventures) have greatly increased and are usually fairly obvious. And perhaps things go deeper than the merely practical: I have often thought that a good examination question would be:
Why are grandiose National Services so much more conveniently held in a Baroque architectural space that in a Gothic church?
In marking answers, I would mark highly those candidates who carefully analysed the differences between Baroque and Gothic concepts of worship.
By the way - going back to the Abbey - it is well to recall that the College of Heralds has long since, quite rightly and entirely legally, accepted the legitimacy of Ampleforth as the linear successor institution of the medieval Abbey of Westminster by allowing the community to bear and use the medieval arms of the Abbey. I think it is high time for the present irrational set-up at Westminster, Dean and all, daft or not, to be sent packing. In my view, the Abbot of Ampleforth and his familia should do a S-Nicolas-de-Chardonnet take-over at Westminster Abbey, and return it to its original purpose.
If they won't do it, well, it would make a good central London church for the Ordinariate.
Send in the heavies. A Fr Ed Tomlinson could lead the way.
A friend recently explained to me that some of my readers don't realise that there is fantasy and irony in some of the things I write. I find it hard to believe that people can be so dippy, but here is a formal disclaimer:
HEALTH WARNING: I DON'T ALWAYS MEAN EVERYTHING LITERALLY.
In a little while, I hope to say a little more about the status of Westminster Abbey.
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13 comments:
I've long suspected you to have wandered out of Squire Haggard's journal, Father; a non-juring second son, perhaps.
I am tempted to ask, "Where IS Westminster Abbey?" - but that would be really "dippy". I am strangely reminded of the late Bishop Wheeler (of Leeds)who on being first appointed as a bishop was to be sent to Middlesbrough. One of his friends (and I don't know if she was Anglican as he was ex C of E) asked, "But Gordon, where IS Middlesbrough?"
The first Bishop of Richborough was consecrated in St Peter's Westminster. When he learned that the bishop still believed women could not be priests, the Dean became very cross and said there would be no more consecrations in 'his' church. Nor were there during his time, nor for a while after.
Also in S. Paul's is Gordon of Khartoum. If memory serves, the memorial to the Iron Duke is suitably grand, but the simple sarcophagus of Gordon (plus Charlton Heston's rendition in the film) led me to more prayer and thought.
The all-knowing Wikipedia corrects me: it is only the image of Gordon that is in S. Paul's, his remains never having been recovered. Nonetheless...
So have you joined the Ordinariate yet, Father? I do apologise for my "tone", but it's all I've got left.
My dear Ms Lash: I suggest that - as a literary exercise - you construct for yourself a persona, for use on my blog, of a type which I will find cosier. For a clever girl like you, that should not be too difficult.
Is Ms Lash's middle name 'Whip'?
BTW, if memory serves, the former Archdeacon of Leicester and now Catholic priest, David Silk, was also consecrated as Bishop of Ballarat in Westminster Abbey.
Andrew, David Ballarat's consecration preceded Richborough's
@Ms Lash
The answer is obviously no. I suspect Fr Hunwicke falls in the category of "one of the more likely to do but doesn't". Let the matter rest and enjoy the blog.
One wonders whether it is time that our esteemed blog host should consider approaching the previous Principal of Sommerville College to see if she still takes private cases on an Oxon. discount basis.
To M Lash, and Rubricarius,
It seems obvious enough to me that the answer will appear in its own good time. I suppose most regular readers imagine they have a sense of what's probable, and my sense would not support your speculation. At this point it remains a private decision, and can remain as such until private decisions mature to public actions.
Fr Yousuf Rassam
(who obviously doesn't have a horse in the race)
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