And it was a lot of work to enable the Forty Hours Devotion. Unexpectedly the Chapel and Chancel roofs were still “off” for restoration – so with plastic sheeting, plum velvet curtains, and by moving the 1860 antique Lady Altar consecrated by the Bishop of London three years ago a place was created to enthrone Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Holy Sacrament.

On Thursday 24th June a High Mass of Exposition was celebrated ending with a Procession of the Most Holy and Enthronement until Watch closure at 10.30pm.

On Friday 25th June Low Mass was celebrated at 8am, 12 noon, and 6pm. Holy Hour with conducted prayers was held for the last hour of the Watch until 10.30pm.

And on Saturday 26th June Low Mass was celebrated at 8am, and High Mass at 12 noon – with a procession of the Most Holy, and Solemn Benediction.

People came and stayed in silent adoration, lit candles came to the weekday Masses, and wonderful offering was made to Our Lord in time and prayer.

We held the 40 Hours Devotion to mark the end of the year of the priest by having a special Intention for ACS, for more priests to teach the catholic and apostolic faith towards the conversion of England.

All those who took part were deeply moved and appreciative of the Devotion.

The suggestion has been made that parishes might form a “Guild” of the Forty Hours to hold the Devotion during their week, and that 52 parishes so combining would provide a wave of Devotion around the Country. Shall we form such a Guild?

We shall hold the Forty Hours Devotion again next year.

The Parish of Saint George, Hanworth
The Revd. Paul S. Williamson B.D, (Hons) A.K.C

Congratulations to ACS Council member!
New Bishop of Whitby Announced

The Reverend Canon Martin Clive Warner MA, Canon Treasurer of St Paul’s Cathedral, has been appointed by the Queen as the Suffragan Bishop of Whitby, in succession to the Rt Revd Robert Ladds. The announcement was made at Middlesbrough College at 11.00am on Monday 2nd November 2009.

Canon Warner said, “I am excited and awed at the prospect of moving to Teesside to be the Bishop of Whitby. I look forward to being part of the Archbishop’s team in the Diocese of York, and to working with men and women of this Archdeaconry.

“It was as a student in Durham 30 years ago that I first discovered this to be one of the most varied and beautiful parts of Britain. It has everything - stunning countryside, a spectacular coastline and the potential and challenge of a stimulating conurbation on Teesside.”

“It is good to be in Middlesbrough College for the announcement of this appointment. I hope it makes a clear statement about the priority I would want the Church to attach to young people. They deserve our respect and attention at a time when planning a future life is fraught with uncertainty.”

“In the end our message is profound but simple: “it’s all about God”. Faith in God is, we believe, the key to human dignity, respect for creation, and the reality of the resurrection.”

The Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu said, “I am delighted that Canon Warner has been appointed the new Bishop of Whitby. He is a man of great faith and integrity who has a real heart for serving the community. I am sure that his passion for helping others will shine through during his time on Teeside. He will be joining a team committed together to make Christ visible.”

The Reverend Canon Warner (aged 50) was Assistant Curate at St Peter’s, Plymouth from 1984 to 1988. From 1988 to 1993 he was Team Vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection, Leicester. Canon Warner was the Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham from 1993 to 2002, and also Priest in Charge of Hempton with Pudding Norton from 1998 to 2000. In 2000 he was made an Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral. From 2000 to 2003 we was Associate Vicar at St Andrew’s, Holborn, and was appointed as a Residential Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral in 2003.

Canon Warner has wide cultural interests, including architecture, medieval, renaissance, and contemporary art, and the cinema. He enjoys travel and had led pilgrimages in Europe and the Holy Land. His Consecration will be held at 11 am on 26 January 2010, the Feast of St Timothy and St Titus, at York Minster.

Fr James Pullen, Vicar of St Ives in Cambridgeshire 40 years a Priest!

To mark the 40th anniversary of Fr James Pullen’s ordination as Priest a special Sung Eucharist was held on 26th September at All Saints St Ives in Cambridgeshire, followed by a lunch in the Parish Hall. This was a moving celebration of Fr James’ ministry in the beautiful setting of ancient St Ives Parish Church, enriched by the splendour of the Mass and the magnificence of the Bishop’s and Priests’ vestments.

The congregation of All Saints welcomed Bishop Edwin Barnes and four con-celebrating Priests, as well as members of Fr James’s family, friends from former parishes where he had worked, pupils and colleagues from his previous work, together with friends from St Ives and from churches in St Ives and parishes of St Ives Deanery.

In his sermon on the theme of “Following God’s Call” Bishop Edwin spoke of Fr James’ calling and service as a parish priest in both the early and now later years of his fruitful ministry.

Fr James read Mathematics at London University and after a period of teaching read Theology at Oxford University where he trained for the Priesthood at St Stephen’s House theological college. He was ordained Priest in Manchester Cathedral and served in the Parishes of Chorlton, Manchester and then in Scawthorpe, Doncaster. From 1973-75 Fr James was Chaplain of St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington. In 1975 he became Chaplain of Haileybury College in Hertfordshire where he also held the posts successively of Head of Mathematics, a Housemaster and then Second Master.

In 2001 Fr James came to St Ives with his wife Norma. His parishioners and all in St Ives who have come to know them hold them in the warmest admiration and affection.

WHAT DO THEY DO?
The Additional Curates Society
By Laurence Dopson

The Additional Curates Society is about more than curates. Since 1837 it has been working to ensure more clergy, full stop. Particularly in poorer parishes. ‘Passionate about priesthood’ is its strap line. A banker who left the city of London but not because of a financial crisis founded it. Ironically 170 years later the current financial downturn has triggered a sharp rise in requests for help from the ACS from parishes in England and Wales.

“There’s a genuine need out there – an indication of the financial state of the church and nation”, says ACS Secretary, Father Darren Smith.

Joshua Watson, founded the ACS, gave up his successful banking career because he wanted to devote himself to service to the church. He is one of the forgotten heroes of the 19th century English church. A leader of the Hackney Phalanx, forerunner of the Oxford Movement for liturgical reform (his brother was vicar of Hackney for 40 years), Joshua took a major part in founding King’s Cqollege in the University of London, to offset the ‘Godless’ University College.

It was a period of population explosion and the industrial revolution, with a ferment in the church, as the church tried to catch up. The objective of the ACS was to provide clergy in ‘poor and populous parishes’ in the rapidly expanding towns in the inner cities. Before new parishes were created, these depended particularly on curates. From one parish as many as 30 new ones might be created. Curates had to provide all the care until new incumbents were appointed.

Then the church in the inner cities was expanding. Now under pressures it is retreating. Next year, to help relieve these pressures, the ACS may go back to paying stipends for whole or half-time posts. At present it makes grants to parishes to support team vicars and priests-in-charge, as well as curates, but not an incumbent holding a living (there still are many of these in this priest-in-charge age). It helps with housing and other expenses.

Coming from where it did, ACS is institutionally high church Anglican and most of its support comes from Anglo-Catholic churches. “But in making grants we are concerned with need, rather than any theological stance”, says Father Smith. “We help many evangelical churches and evangelical churches support us.’

Making grants is not the only thing the ACS does. Each Petertide – the Sunday nearest St Peter’s Day (June 29) – it produces Petertide Packs for parishes, giving sermon outlines, prayer cards, Sunday school material, magazine articles and service outlines.

The ACS has a range of rosary meditation cards and lines in the ACS shop which include new black and mother-of-pearl rosaries and a new crucifix.

And the ACS keeps in personal touch. Since is appointment as its Secretary in March, Fr Smith has travelled over 10,000 miles visiting parishes. “I see myself as something of an itinerant preacher”, he says.

Church of England Newspaper