9 April 2015

Yesterday ...

... a splendid time strolling round Oxford with a group of very intelligent, well-informed, and engaged young German clergy (they even knew about Sir Ninian Comper!). We soaked ourselves in Anglo-Catholicism (they seemed to think the English Missal was a good thing); Cranmer; Charles I (one of them drew our attention to the significance of an inscription in the Cathedral referring to Charles as beati martyris); Laud; Blessed John Henry Newman; and our great 'Patrimonial' Pusey.

Most enjoyable; and all the more so because it left me with a comfortable feeling that there can't be much, in the longer term, wrong with the German Church if this is what the clerical generation now coming on stream is like.

They were planning, for the climax of their English visit on Friday, to go to Gilbert and Sullivan. Sezitall, doesn'it?

4 comments:

Woody said...

Perhaps they will go to Pinafore?

"For he might have been a Roosian,
A French, or Turk, or Proosian,
Or perhaps Itali-an!
ALL. Or perhaps Itali-an!
BOAT. But in spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations,
He remains an Englishman!"

Fr. Marc said...

Dear Fr. Hunwicke, thank you so much for a most enjoyable time in Oxford! You made us feel very welcome and gave us a wonderful introduction into the rich and fruitful tradition of anglo-catholicism. Thank you very much indeed. Oremus pro invicem!

Jacobi said...

Nothing at all wrong with the German Church, but as Benedict XVI said, it will be a smaller church, for a little while, maybe a hundred years or so, but then what's that?

ps must look up Sir Ninian Comper!

GOR said...

Back in the 60s it was a tradition of the Scots College in Rome to do a production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works at Christmas time. The Scots College ‘Villa at Marino’ – their Summer residence - was located about a mile or so from ours in the Castelli Romani. We walked there over hill and dale (actually through vineyards and olive groves…) each year for the performance.

It was the annual secular highlight of the Christmas season for us, especially to see how they carried off the female parts (think: Little Buttercup…) and they did a masterful job. I don’t know if that tradition still holds, or if the number of students would be sufficient for it any more. Memories!