Author Archives: Scott Anderson

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About Scott Anderson

Formerly an Anglican priest (ordained 1975) received into the Catholic Church in February 2012, and ordained to the Diaconate on 27th July 2013. I took early retirement, and divide my time between London and northern France. I am deeply committed to the Ordinariate as a gift of the Holy Spirit in the search for unity. Like many Ordinariate members I feel a personal gratitude to Pope Emeritus Benedict, together with loyalty to our Holy Father, Pope Francis. My blog tries to make a small contribution to the growth of the Ordinariate by asking questions (and proposing some answers) about the 'Anglican Patrimony'. I have always been fascinated by the whole issue of growth and decline, and therefore concerned for appropriate means of evangelisation in western Europe. I believe that the Holy Spirit is constantly renewing the People of God and that we must be open to him. On Saturday 19th October 2013, I was ordained to the Priesthood at Most Precious Blood, Borough, by the Most Revd Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark, for the service of the Ordinariate of our Lady of Walsingham. I continued to serve the Ordinariate group and Parish at Most Precious Blood until the end of 2014. Subsequently, I helped in the care of the Ordinariate Groups at Hemel Hempstead and Croydon, and in the Archdiocese of Southwark, until the beginning of September 2015. With the agreement of my Ordinary, , the Bishop of Amiens appointed me Administrator of the Parish of Notre Dame des Etangs (Pont Remy) in Picardie, France. After nine years as parish priest, with wonderful and supportive parishioners, I decided that the time had come to retire and return to the UK. A nasty accident four years ago and contracting COVID has left me physically rather feeble! I shall be ever grateful for the years in France, a wonderful ending to the years of parish ministry. So here I am back in the UK, taking a long rest, setting up home, coping with all the new Safeguarding procedures - and wondering what next.

The Community of Reparation in Southwark

 Not far from the Ordinariate Church of the Most Precious Blood in Borough, is Rushworth Street, and there a passer-by with a taste for fine Edwardian architecture might observe Chadwick House. He is unlikely to realise that it was once an … Continue reading

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The Ordinariate: Pope Benedict’s vision of unity

In recent times the Holy Spirit has moved groups of Anglicans to petition repeatedly and insistently to be received into full Catholic communion individually as well as corporately.  The Apostolic See has responded favourably to such petitions.  Indeed, the successor … Continue reading

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Thank you, Holy Father

    The news today that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is to resign at the end of this month, has come as a shock to many. Those of us who have come into the fullness of Communion with … Continue reading

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Your time belongs to God – the legacy of Fr Herbert Kelly SSM

He has showed you, O man, what is good: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?                             Micah 6:8  RSV Catholic edition ______________________________________________________________ For generations of … Continue reading

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Vicars and motorbikes: pastoring the young then and now

During one of the early discussions about the ‘Anglican Patrimony’, it was suggested to me that Anglican clergy thought of themselves as Vicar of everyone in their parish, while Catholic clergy pastored the Catholic families in their area. Is this true? … Continue reading

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English or Roman: a reflection on different Uses

English Use or Roman  Use: it was a live question when I was a server in the 60’s, and we certainly knew the difference! There were two churches in the town, and both would have described themselves as ‘Anglo-Catholic’ but … Continue reading

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Sunday in France

I regard myself as fortunate in that, when I am in France on a Sunday, I can walk to Mass in the next village: every Sunday at 11 am.  I am told that in one parish in this Diocese the … Continue reading

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Reform, renewal and continuity: understanding Vatican 2

Archbishop Gerhard Müller, the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, warns us against extremist views concerning the Second Vatican Council. There are those in both the traditionalist and progressive camps that see the Council as … Continue reading

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The liturgical patrimony of the Ordinariate: some initial reflections

“And as they were eating, (Jesus) took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” (Mark 14:22 RSV)” Read the words in black: do the words in red.” However inadequate … Continue reading

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England braced as Armada sails up Channel

The Catholic hierarchy have been cautious in their response to the moves of the Church of England to ordain women to the episcopate. Their line seems to be that this is a matter for the C of E to decide … Continue reading

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