I probably need little introduction to those who have been on the religious Internet over the past few years. To be perfectly frank, some see me as an unstable adventurer, someone who disturbs certitudes, and others see me as offering a refreshing alternative viewpoint in various questions. In time, I found I didn’t mind what people think!
For the benefit of those who have stumbled onto this page “by accident”, I’ll give you a potted story of my life. I was brought up in England is a fairly “Establishment” kind of way, though with a profoundly liberal kind of attitude on the part of my Anglican parents. Tolerance, altruism, candidness and honesty have always been key values in our family. I was born in the north of England of a Yorkshire father and a Surrey mother who met in Liverpool in the post-war years. My education was fairly “old-fashioned” and classical, including three years at St. Peter’s School in York.
My childish imagination was divided between seafaring and a love of church buildings and Anglican church music. I began piano lessons at the age of 8 because I wanted to learn the organ. It was churches and the organ that won out over the sea, other than a couple of times crewing for our family dentist on his dinghy. It would be more than forty years later that I would have one hand on the tiller and the other on the mainsheet! I was attracted to church through beauty and love of something that would take man out of himself to seek something greater.
Searching ever higher, and under the influence of a friend who was under instruction with the Jesuits to become a Roman Catholic, I went that way. I was 22 and incredibly naive and ignorant of the realities. I became a Roman Catholic in 1981 through the traditionalists, and immediately wanted to become a priest. After some unpleasant experiences, I studied theology at university level at Fribourg in Switzerland and joined the Institute of Christ the King in Italy, in which I remained for five years. I was ordained a deacon in 1993 in the seminary chapel by Cardinal Pietro Palazzini. I was assigned to parish work in France in an extraordinarily difficult situation and left in 1995.
In 1998, I was ordained a priest by an independent bishop who had been consecrated at Palmar de Troya in 1976. For a few years, I discovered the sulphurous world of independent clergy and their peddling spiritual wares to the gullible. I opted to earn my living as a technical translator and live discreetly in a house I bought in the Vendée.
Archbishop John Hepworth accepted me into the Traditional Anglican Communion in 2005. I met my French wife, Sophie, later that year, and in the following year – in May 2006 – we were married by Archbishop Hepworth in the parish church of Chouzy-sur-Cissé near Blois. I took up sailing in 2008, which has helped me keep a reasonable level head through the changes and vicissitudes of the TAC over the past few years. With my background, there is no question of being in an ordinariate (there are none in France) or returning to the Roman Catholic Church under the shadow of canonical irregularities.
Since the resignation of Archbishop John Hepworth as Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, effective as of Easter Sunday 2012, and the abolition of the Patrimony of the Primate, according to a letter received from Archbishop Samuel Prakash, I found myself in a unique situation in my life – unchurched in spite of not having moved anywhere. Since the “recomposition” of the TAC in March 2012, I received notice from Archbishop Prakash in India that I was under the jurisdiction of Bishop Craig Botterill, Episcopal Visitor to The Traditional Anglican Church in England.
In April 2013 I resigned from the TAC on good terms and was received into the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), Diocese of the United Kingdom by Bishop Damien Mead. My situation remains unchanged since then.
The Blue Flower 
Hello Father Anthony. I would like to leave a short note with the hope you may receive it and read it. I am not very “computer-literate”, but it has become a window to the world for me. I live in a small town on the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, just outside the Capital city, I was raised Anglican, and consider myself to be Anglican Catholic, I worship with a tiny group of people, in a small TAC parish, in a “borrowed” chapel.
I just want to tell you how wonderful, and important your web-site is for me. I visit it once or twice a week, and so much enjoy reading about your sailing, your faith, your outlook on what is happening with Anglicanism, and your views on many things. You help me so much because we ‘traditional” Anglicans feel so alone and isolated, as we watch our ship (The Anglican Church) being battered from within, tossed about, leaving us behind, and ready to sink!
Please remember that those of us who read your website, have no contact with each other, and we seldom make contact with any large group of like-minded” people. I often feel like a lost explorer, hoping to meet a “search-party”.
Anyway, God Bless, Thank-you. and please continue your work. We are :out-here; we are listening; we need your support.
Jeff Ayris….
Nfld., Canada….
Hi Jeff,
I see you are in New Foundland. I was stationed at Ernest-Harmon Air Force Base, New Foundland, in 1962-1963. I know the base has been closed for a number of years now but I enjoyed being there for 15 months. I would think the base was turned over to the local government and hope they used the facilities to their benefit.
Regards,
Jim
How can we use the Roman missal and yet remain Anglican? Please enlighten me.
Many Anglicans do. See English Missal and Anglican Missal. Most of the English Anglicans who joined the Ordinariate from the Church of England had been using the Paul VI Roman missal for years. Perhaps if you tell me about yourself, I might be able to answer your question more adequately.
Dear Fr. Chadwick,
IIRC, the now defunct blog The Anglo-Catholic was yours, was it not? Years ago there was an article there on the liturgical abuses at the time of Trent. I had saved the file, but can no longer find it on my hard-drive. Would you be so kind to provide me with a copy of it? I’d greatly appreciate it.
I was only a contributor to the Anglo Catholic. The article in question is a part of my old university work on the St Pius V missal. You can download this file onto your computer and print it out if you want. You can also print selected pages.
Many thanks!
I come from a Melkite family in South Lebanon; but my father was baptised Maronite in the States & myself Latin Rite. Only by Catholic cannon law both my father & I are Melkite. (This is because there are so few Melkite churches outside of Lebanon that the Melkite Church or etc. would disappear if people could only be baptised in the nearest church). Hence I did not grow up w/ the Rosary & belief in purgatory & enumerated sins etc. (Lots of etc. between Latin Rite & Eastern & Oriental!).
I believe in God & the teachings of Christ but I think the Church went off the path. With Constantine & Augustine re. war & the military. Also I believe both the Latin Rite Catholic & Byzantine & finally various Protestant churches have strayed so far from the original Jewish church.
I don’t see adherence to the teachings of Christ in the Church. And I don’t think that when people take the Eucharist they understand they are supposed to be/feel as though one w/ all the others partaking. The Orthodox Church is a bit better at educating children experientially.
And there is a big difference eating a piece of bread baked by a member of the Church soaked in wine as the Eucharist vs. a mass produced wafer & no wine.
I’m almost a Diest now. Or Jewish or Muslim in thought. Did Jesus want us to see him as God or is that just a Hellenic concept. (The Greeks commonly elevated people to Gods). Did he want us to pray to him vs. God. I don’t think so.
I still think Jesus is the Saviour in the sense that he showed the only way to break out of a cycle of anger & retribution. I think that’s what he meant when he asked people to follow him.
I’ve decided to write his pronouns w/ lower case letters here to honor his chosen position of humility.
Thank you for your reflections. You need to study, pray and follow your conscience. As a student, I was intrigued by Nestorianism, Arianism and all the other discussions in the Ecumenical Councils. My dogmatic theology professor was fascinating as he unrolled it all, giving us the meaning of all the Greek words and how those meanings changed over the first centuries. Study and learn as much as you can. But, human reason alone is not enough to penetrate the mysteries of what is beyond us.
Perhaps you could read Dom Odo Casel, The Mystery of Christian Worship, English translation London 1962. He exposes the analogy between the Christian Mystery and the old pagan mystery religions. Paganism is as important to Christianity as Judaism and Monotheism. Read that book with an open mind and decide what is best for you.
Thank you so much for your reply. I will read the book you’ve written of. I do read quite a lot from different perspectives.
“But reason alone is not enough to penetrate the mysteries of what is beyond us.”
This what you’ve written 1000 x !
What if one feels one is in the mysteries whilst not in ‘church’ (small c vs. Eucharistic Body) & *in* ‘church’ not?
For example I went to an Antiochian Orthodox Church (s.1970s name for Syrian Orthodox – as you know – & the other Syrian Orthodox Church now calls itself Syriac Orthodox) & they were praying for the victory of Assad. This was *after* two chemical bombings & countless barrel bombings (& kidnap & torture inc. of children & men murdered in prison etc.). Of course when I brought this up later w/ the priest – who came upon me discussing it w/ two seminarians who serve the DIvine Liturgy with him – that was a problem. (I’ll leave out the gory details – suffice it to say I am not welcome there anymore! Which was heartbreaking because the Maronite & Melkite churches are too far for me to get to from here; so this is the only church near me that has our traditional massive Agape meal after the DL. Homemade or catered by a different parishioner family every week… So sad to be away from the warm women I met there & the brilliant & smart seminarians!).
When I went on the Antiochian Archdiocese website I saw that they had sent a group of priests from various parishes in the States to meet w/ Assad. They described what a “gentleman” he was. Well Hitler served coffee to guests also & apparently was very sweet to visiting children! (My mum came to the States as a displaced person via the Red Cross after the bombing of Berlin & had family murdered by the Nazi state).
Yesterday I rang two local Catholic priests about something & they were just so unbelievably rude. (Lol – I left a comment to you on your post about autism in priests before commenting on this page. I found you here because after speaking to *two* priests in one day who seemingly had not a clue how to have a civil & more importantly understanding conversation – I searched the words ‘autism’ & ‘priest’ online & wound up here!).
I’ll look for this book online & I look forward to reading more of your posts. Thank you. 🌲
PS: I agree w/ what you wrote of the importance of “Paganism” in the Church.
My German grandmother was an animist (though of course she wouldn’t have called it that) from near the Baltic (now in Poland). Baptised Catholic but still in possession of thousands of years of folk belief & practise. Belief in God & even Christ but really the world around her was her Church. She was an herb woman (German: Krauterfrau) who healed us w/ foods & practices such as burying a cross of straw (like a St.Bridget’s cross) in the ground. This is where I get my belief & practise. Aside from the Beatitudes & Gospel. (Eight years of Catholic Gospel study as a child – beginning age five).
I do believe that the one we know as Jesus Christ & the stories passed down to us are a manifestation – both historic & by cosmic design – of the One who we Lebanese call The Green (Al Khadr). The God of Life & Love Adonis (Greek word for Lord) / Baal (Semitic word for Lord). Now Al Khadr is associated w/ St.George – but I think that was an accommodation. (Probably a life saving one!).
I don’t think it is a coincidence that there are all those Greenman carvings on German & English & French etc. churches!
But this is a concept that freaks out a lot of Christians in the States. I’m happy that you see those things.
I believe this emissary ‘Son’ of God showed Himself to various people’s across the world at different times & w/ different faces. For example Indigenous Americans have White Buffalo Calf Woman. My Indigenous American friends feel/think that also.
Otherwise it is just cultural imperialism. So I believe the Christ was there before he was called the Christ. And has always been w/ us for some time. LIFE LOVE TRUTH GOD 🕊
Hello Father Chadwick,
I was really surprised to find you in the internet and read about you by yourself, because you are already famous, but some people call you a bishop, obvisiually you are not, however.
Might be we met once personally in Grigcigliano where I stayed several times as a guest being a roman-catholic vicar this time who wanted to join the so called congregation, which, thanks the Lord, not happened. I am a German, that´s why my English is not perfect, studied theology until the master degree in Germany, was ordained a priest in Austria in the new rite, served for some years as a vicar and pastor, then stopped the pastoral work to teach Spanish and French at highschool, went to the USA which I love very much, was reordained a priest sub conditione by a retired bishop in Salta and consecreted a bishop by the same bishop for pastoral need. So I carry out duties in some countries and continue studying theology to obtain a doctorat of a european university with famous reputation.
It´s a joy to read something by you as an educated and literated person with a honest profession, this kind of person are so rare in a time everyone want´s to come in power and to make money by betraying faithful people.
Nicolaus
Hochwürden Herrn Nicolaus,
Ich habe ein Bischen Deutsch gelernt in der Schweitz mit enige Freude in Universität Fribourg. Aber, ich habe die Theologie in fransösiche Sprache gemacht.
I would have preferred to answer you privately, but you did not give a valid e-mail address.
Now into English because my German is not very good. It is a beautiful language and I love to hear Göthe and Novalis poetry even if I don’t understand everything. The sounds inspire me. I feel very close to Saxony and I am certainly of those ethnic origins. My great grandfather and grandfather were called Frederick William in honour of Keisar Friedrich Wilhelm. I have been to Köln and the Rhineland, Stuttgart and Bavaria (München, Altötting and Salzburg).
If you read my postings on my blog, I am open about having been consecrated a bishop, but I have not exercised it since 2004, having ordained three priests. I now minister as a simple priest. I was at Gricigliano from November 1990 until November 1992 and I was on outside assignments with the Institut of Christ the King until 1995. The only Germans I remember at Gricigliano were Gerhardt Eichhorn and Mgr Rudolf Schmitz. You might have visited later, in which case I wouldn’t have seen you.
I learn that Salta is in Argentina. You do get around! Would you care to give more details about that retired bishop? What is your ministry?
Anyway, thank you for your kind message, and you are welcome to write on my blog articles.
Dear Fr Anthony,
Apart from Fribourg, did you go to University elsewhere at all? And in Switzerland, what degree level did you read at. You became a Roman Catholic in 1981 but joined the Institute of Christ the in 1990 (that’s what I’m guessing because you said you spent 5 years with them and left in 1995) so what did you do in that time? I know that studied Theology after some unpleasant experiences i hope that wasn’t all that happened in 9 years.
Kind Regards
Hugo Walker
My timeline:
Born 9th May 1959 in Kendal (UK)
1964-1967 Castle Street Primary School, Kendal
1967-1971 Kings School in Ambleside
1971-1972 Wennington School, Wetherby, Yorkshire
1972 summer term – Holme Park Prep School, Kendal
1972-1975 St Peter’s School, York
1975-1976 Lakes School, Windermere
1976-1978 Apprentice organ builder and misc. unskilled employment
1978-1981 London College of Furniture, harpsichord making
1982-1985 France and propedeutic year in Paris
1985-1986 Rome, Oblates of Wisdom and philosophy at the Angelicum
1986-1990 Fribourg University, theology to Licentiate level
1990-1995 Instute of Christ the King, seminary and pastoral experience in France, ordained deacon in 1993
1995-1996 Return to England and the Anglican Catholic Church
1996-1997 Return to France and 6 months as working guest with the Benedictine monks at Triors
1997-1998 Parish of Bouloire in France, ordination by an independent bishop in June 1998
1999-2005 Bought a house in France and set up as a translator
2006-present Married and moved to Normandy
2005 Joined the TAC under Archbishop John Hepworth
2013 Returned to the Anglican Catholic Church under its current Bishop.
There you are. That seems to be about everything, well, almost…
It may interest you to know that Kendal is adminstered by this council; sadly it’s areas encroaches well into Cumberland but it’s a start! https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Do you know where I can get old copies of “Altar” magazine? Some of the articles you offer on your site come from this.
Thanks!
I’m sorry but I draw a blank on this one. Could you mention which articles? I could then do a bit more searching…
Hi Anthony. Thank you for your work and sharing and really clarified some missing pieces in the puzzle that I needed right at this time. Much love to you and thank you for your divine work and deep integrity
Happy Christmas, Fr. Chadwick! May the Nativity of our Redeemer bring grace and joy to you now and throughout the new year.
How might one contact you directly?
Dear Anthony,
Could you tell me your story on how you became ordained a Priest by a Breakaway Independent Bishop of the Palmarian Church in 1998?I only recall studying later breakaways of independent Bishops in the later 2000s ( I studied Religious Sects/Cults for my Theology Assignment). Further Rite did the Palmarian Bishop Ordain you in. I only ask this as by 1998 the Palamrian Councils were convoked at this time and the Triditine Rite was abrogated by the Council in favour of their own made “Rite of El Palmar” (Five minuet Masses),
Kind Regards,
Limbu
Dear Limbu,
I appreciate your curiosity. I was ordained by Bishop Raymond Terrasson, consecrated by Clemente Dominguez y Gomez in 1976. They were still using the old Roman Missal and Pontifical, long before formulating other rites. +Terrasson left Palmar in 1977-78 and returned to France to live with his sister at St Yrieix la Perche near Limoges. At the time when I knew him (1998), he identified as a simply traditional Roman Catholic. I refer to this ordination of 24th June 1998 as the date of my yearly anniversary. I was ordained with the old Roman Pontifical. There were two Roman Catholic priests who imposed hands, one acting as Archdeacon.
Was it valid? God alone knows, but as far as my Ordinary, the Metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church, Archbishop Mark Haverland, is concerned, I am a valid priest thanks to certain events in my life since 1998.
I would recommend an interesting book for you Edward Jarvis, Sede Vacante: The Life and Legacy of Archbishop Thục (https://www.amazon.com/Sede-Vacante-Life-Legacy-Archbishop/dp/1949643026).