Church of the Divine Mysteries

Two weeks ago, Archbishop Brennan and myself attended the Schmemann Memorial Lecture at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. The speaker was the very famous British Biblical scholar, Dr. Margaret Barker (pictured left). Her special field is the Old Testament, the Jewish Tanak.

I had come across her viewpoint many years ago in a book, “Jews, Christians and Moslems.” It was a true joy to hear it again from her at this bastion of Orthodox Theology: the current Hebrew Masoretic text is not as ancient as both the Vulgate and the Septuagint! Marvelous. The Jews concocted the Masoretic text some 300 years after the death and resurrection of our Lord in order to omit from the prophetic texts any references that Christian apologists were allegorically using to prove the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth. The dead sea scrolls contaim .MSS of both the book of Enoch and Jubilees. I am now reading her book, “Creation”, which has the endorsement of Bartholomew the Ecumenical Patriarch.

In 1996, I attended a Continuing Anglican conference in Atlantic City, presided over by the late Presiding Bishop, Frank Benning. At the Conference, I expressed my opinion the the reason the Protestant Bible differs from the Catholic and Orthodox one was that Luther erroneously used the Hebrew masoretic text for his High German translation rather than the Vulgate or septuagint. He wrongly thought that it was older, but the Jewish Rabbis in Germany misled him in that belief. Erasmus proved a better scholar when he edited an authoritative Greek NT text by searching out first the oldest MSS. The King James translators just followed Luther in his mistake. Needless to say my commentary didn’t go over well at the Atlanta Conference. But now we have this world famous scriptural scholar voicing the very same idea. Mirabile visu!

+Francis C. Spataro

Dear Clergy and Friends of EADM,

May the light of the Christ-child be with you at this season and into the future!

As I write this letter to you, the final preparations will be being made for Midnight Mass at each of our oratories. This is a time of anticipation and rebirth as Christ is welcomed again into our hearts, and as we join in worship with the heavenly host we recall also our bonds with other members of the Church Militant at this time of common purpose and rejoicing.

This past year has been an eventful one for our small communion. I have been very glad to see the development of our work through several of our missions in the United States as well as, in a quieter way, here in England. Naturally, the ordered work of the clergy in daily worship and the liturgical life of our oratories does not make for “news” as such, yet the private offering of the Holy Sacrifice remains the most important work of our communion and stands at the heart of the mystical and contemplative traditions that we represent. Alongside this, some of the developments we have seen during the past twelve months have included the following events.

Bishop Tony has continued to provide sterling support as he has settled into his new role as a member of the Council of Three, for which the Church is most grateful. His work among prisoners on California’s Death Row has resulted in his receiving several incarcerated men into the Catholic Church this year.

The Marian Orders have been united under a common administration and Fr. Charles Reynolds was consecrated earlier this year as a Mitred Abbot (under the ecclesiastical name Shin Maram) to lead these orders as well as the Mariavite Mission (formerly Order) in Texas. From within his community, Br. Chuck has been chrismated and has begun the journey towards testing his vocation in preparation for Holy Orders.

The movement for social change that has spread around the world this past year has found an advocate and ally in the form of Fr. Dan, our priest in Pennsylvania. He has spoken ably at the Occupy Wall Street gathering in Scranton and continues to be actively involved with the call for a more just society. His work towards drug-free treatment of those experiencing mental distress has again been to the fore.

Mgr. Jason, Vicar-General, completed his Master of Theology degree in June. He and I have continued to work closely on the esoteric aspects of EADM’s mission, with further expansion of this work anticipated during the coming year.

Bishop Andrew has announced that he is to marry his fiancée Geraldine. He and I continue to work together very closely through our shared work in education, where we continue to provide life-changing opportunities for students within sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia.

My biography of Archbishop Joseph-René Vilatte, one of the Old Catholic forefathers of our church, was published earlier in the year and has received appreciative comments from other scholars of our movement. An updated edition will come out next year, as will my next work on Free Catholic history, which is currently in preparation.

Archbishop Brennan of the Order of Corporate Reunion has established a memorial stone to Archbishop Lee of Lambeth in New York. We are still looking into the possibility of commemorating Archbishop Lee at his unmarked grave in Brookwood Cemetery, but have not as yet traced the legal owner of the grave as is necessary before any amendment to the memorial could be made. We continue to encourage donations to the Archbishop Mathew grave restoration fund. If you are interested in helping, please do make contact.

Bishop Tony and Mgr. Jason were this year appointed Frater Coadjutor Knights of the Valiant Order of St. John the Baptist, our church’s ecclesiastical merit order.

We continue to receive enquiries from clergy and scholars interested in the history of our mother church, the Apostolic Episcopal Church, and those churches with which it has enjoyed close relations over the years, as well as from others concerned with the history of the Liberal Catholic Church. Through these enquiries I am pleased to say that friendly contact with members of other churches has often resulted, and their assistance has been greatly valued in furthering scholarship into what is often a complex and difficult area of study. Our archives have continued to grow with the addition of further historic documents and this year has seen much welcome progress in our research.

Further developments during the past year, resulting in the closure of a religious Order and several missions of our church, have provided considerable challenges for us to overcome. Nevertheless, these events have ultimately served to strengthen the mission of our church and to enable it to become a closer and better-defined body. E.A.D.M. has always set itself out very deliberately as a church in the canonical tradition of Catholicism, with direct lineage from Rome and professing the Catholic faith in its true and historic fullness, faithful both to the legacy of the Fathers and the esoteric tradition that runs alongside it. Its structure and traditionalism therefore stands in opposition to those bodies that, while they may use the designation “church”, are essentially loose and undisciplined online collectives of independent clergy in the modernist vein. Furthermore, E.A.D.M. expresses its responsibility to the Christian life and the wider public through a system of open and accountable canonical governance which binds all clergy of this communion and ensures that the focus of our activities is not upon personalities and disputes but, as it should be, upon the Church and the Sacraments. It is entirely right that those who are not willing to commit to this vision and to the responsibilities that it entails should not continue to be a part of the body of clergy of this church.

Let us never forget that the clergy are the obedient servants of the mission of Christ, bound together by one Faith and one Church, of which our body is an autocephalous and validly-constituted rite. The Christian path is one which, however complex, is ultimately governed by Divine Order, and in which every event has its place, however obscure or bewildering it may appear to mortal mankind. The Church seeks to mirror such an order, that we may be “goodly and quietly governed” in spiritual matters, and most importantly so that we may enjoy the freedom that comes from the knowledge that when disruptive currents come our way, the underlying basis – both in faith and in structure – of our communion is such that it may provide a safe harbour. Even though our material position is very different to that of the larger churches, nevertheless it is the necessary goods for spiritual life in the Sacraments that are to be counted as our riches beyond price, and that call forth the best that we can give to our Maker and Redeemer.

Those who have experienced the sacramental life of our church have commented on the extent to which powerful spiritual energies are visibly present and active within this communion. As we look to the year ahead, let us pray that we may continue as a vehicle for those energies to the greater glory of God and the establishment of His kingdom.

In Xto,

++John

Dearly Beloved in Christ!

Indeed the words above, no matter in what language, speak volumes to our hearts.  Throughout this year many things, both good and not so good, have happened to us all.  People have passed from this world and been called home, wars have continued and been ended, and economies in many countries sank to a low point.  However, on the other side of the coin, babies were born, people pulled together to help one another out, and people began to regain a sense of hope and solace.  In our church we have a new seminarian Chuck Dunning and a new Abbot Charles Reynolds. I welcomed two people on San Quentin’s death row into the church after years of their contemplating their misdeeds and a true reconciliation, confession and absolution.  And you all in our clergy have in turn been wonderful and have bravely taken upon yourself God’s work and have done good things for God’s children.

I believe that if we look inside ourselves, will see both growth and development.  But, most of all, we will each see the “child within”.  No matter how young or old you are, that child exists and reminds us of what Christmas is all about.  For, unto us, this day a child was and is born.  Unto you and me may our inner child be born!

If we look at the historical events of the birth of Jesus, we know that Joseph was much older than Mary.  What did Joseph bring to the Christ-event?  As a foster father of age, he brought wisdom and the love only a father can give to his son.  I believe that as Jesus grew from an infant to adult, Joseph taught him many lessons of life.  He taught Jesus a trade, how to love one’s neighbor, how to respect everyone regardless of their status in life, how to act in a gathering and when with people, regardless of their sex or sexual orientation or status, and most importantly, how to pray.  For Joseph, the birth of Jesus must have been mysterious, tremendous and fascinating!   If Joseph had any understanding of who Jesus truly was, it must have also been quite frightening.  Could you imagine what it would be like to be the foster father of God?  Could you imagine the questions Joseph must have had? “Hum! I wonder if I should correct him.”  What do I do if he needs a spanking?”  Or, maybe Joseph didn’t know.  When it was time for correction, it was done, possibly, in a way that showed people the correct way to discipline a child.  Wisdom, this was the spirit of Joseph.

What about Mary?  What did she bring to the relationship? Sure, we understand that she was younger than Joseph and a good mom and the mother of God.  But, what do you suppose, on a human level she brought to the relationship?  I believe she taught Jesus those things only a mother can teach, stability in a relationship, the feminine side of masculinity, the gentleness and caring of a mom when Jesus whacked his finger with a hammer, or cut himself with a sharp tool, or fell down and scraped his knee when he was playing with the other children in the town and so many other things, including all those things she pondered in her heart the way only a mother can.   She must have taught Jesus how to deal with death, especially after Joseph died.  For those of us who have been there, it isn’t easy to lose a Dad.

We mustn’t lose sight of the human side of the Divinity.  It’s what made Jesus the savior of the world.  If Jesus was not a child, adolescent or adult, or, not even born, what would humanity look like today?  If you think we’re lost and sometimes Godless “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”  I don’t even want to think what humanity would look like if that hadn’t happened, if we would even have still existed at all.

What keeps us going is the belief – not hope, but the belief – that God is with us.  For, on the day of Christ’s birth, even if December 25^th is only the day on which we commemorate the Divine Birth, we as people were shown what it is to be truly human and were called to understand that we, like Jesus, must be selfless, constantly learning, forever giving, and being fulfilled until we are called home to Our Father who art in heaven.  Yes, the angels and archangels did indeed rejoice at the birth of Jesus, but they also rejoiced at your birth and mine.  Like Jesus, you and I are called on Christmas day to be born in the Spirit and in the truth that Christ is with us.  He is truly with us. And, we are with Christ and Christ in truly in us.

For unto us this day a child is born in Bethlehem, and in Europe and in North and South America and in the farthest reaches of the universe.  Seek Him. Pray to Him. You need not go far.  Go within.  He is there waiting to be born.

May Jesu find a place in your heart, and may God give you His peace.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Sincerely yours in Christ!

+Tony

The central mystery of the Mass has been at all times the subject of dream and speculation, of theology and devotion. If it is the centre of Christian life, it is also and therefore, the centre of all life – anyhow on this planet, and perhaps everywhere. For the mystery of the Redemption – of which this is the sign and means – lies close to the mystery of Creation. The Sacrifice of the Crucifixion was the unmaking of all life that it should be remade after the great original pattern; a deliberate unmaking instead of an inevitable decay. So far as chaos could come again upon a world in which God was immanent, so far in that darkness it came; wounding and overwhelming the Sacred Body, inclosing and darkening the Sacred Spirit within. It is the nature of Omnipotence always to be able to endure more and to go farther than the utmost that can be brought against him; and perhaps this is the nature of the last Judgement, that He leaves to every man the choice of dealings with Him. If a man will shape his life upon a basis of pride and anger, then he shall find a greater pride and anger in God; if he is covetous and robs others, God shall be covetous and rob him; if he is full of love, then God shall be full of love. The Mass is an invisible communication, not only of redemption but also of creation and judgement: it is an absorption of the communicant in his degree into eternity. It is therefore above all things the relation between his own soul and Love with which the lover is concerned; and though he passes into the mystery by the channels which Love has prepared, Love itself issues therefrom in all his terrible strength along the channels which the lover has prepared.

Charles Williams, Outlines of Romantic Theology (Berkley, California: Apocryphile Press, 2005), p 43.