Forward in Faith and Anglican Catholic Future are delighted to announce a major conference in September 2018 to promote, renew and deepen catholic mission in the world. 

www.catholicmission.co.uk

As a commitment to the mutual flourishing of the different integrities of the catholic tradition within the Church of England, the executive committees of both Forward in Faith and Anglican Catholic Future have jointly planned a major conference in September 2018. The conference will be called ‘God’s Church in the World: The Gift of Catholic Mission’. In working together we are demonstrating that mission and evangelism are priorities for the future growth and wellbeing of the Church. We see the Church primarily as a gift from God to the world in every possible area of life. As priests and pastors of God's people, our duty and our joy is to demonstrate and prove our engagement to our communities. ​

We believe that we have much to learn and share in our common approach to catholic mission in the Church of England and as such we are delighted to bring together a wide range of scholars, practitioners and thinkers to enable us to deepen and renew our part in the growth of God's Church in this country.

Confirmed speakers include Bishop Rowan Williams, the Revd Dr Alison Milbank, the Ven Luke Miller, Bishop Philip North, the Revd Canon Dr Robin Ward, and the Revd Canon Anna Matthews, amongst others.

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We invite all those in the ordained ministry, members of religious communities and ordinands to join us in London for three ground-breaking days in September 2018.

+Tony Wakefield, Chairman, Forward in Faith

Alan Moses, Chair of the Executive of Anglican Catholic Future

The Council of Bishops of The Society has expressed its support for the conference.

On Friday 9 June 2017, in a ceremony at Lambeth Palace, Dr Colin Podmore, Director of Forward in Faith received the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the citation for the award Archbishop Justin Welby first acknowledged the way in which Colin's scholarship and extensive writing have served both the Church of England and the wider Church during the period when Colin worked at Church House, Westminster.  However the Archbishop also went on to recognise:

"As Director of Forward in Faith, scholar and author he continues to make a distinguished contribution to the wellbeing of the whole of the Church of England."

Forward in Faith's Chaiman, the Rt Revd Tony Robinson, speaking on behalf of the Council, said:

"We are delighted that Dr Colin Podmore has been awarded the Lanfranc (Archbishop of Canterbury from 1070 to 1089) Award for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of his service to the Church of England and his scholarship and authorship of many publications and reports."

 

 

(Photo credit Lambeth Palace)

The Funeral Mass of Bishop David Thomas will be held on Monday 5 June, at 11am in St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny. The Principal Celebrant will be the Rt Revd Jonathan Goodall, Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

Bishop David's family wishes that the Mass be celebrated in white and has invited a small number of priests to concelebrate. All other bishops and clergy are warmly invited to robe, should they wish. Vesture for bishops will be convocation dress; for priests and deacons it will be choir dress.

To assist with organization, all clergy who wish to robe are asked to indicate their intention by emailing enquiries@stmarys-priory.org

Responding to the news of the death of Bishop David Thomas, Provincial Assistant Bishop of the Church in Wales, 1996-2008, Bishop Tony Robinson, Chairman of Forward in Faith said:

It is a great sadness to report the news of the death of Bishop David Thomas. He will be remember by many as a kind and pastoral bishop with great wisdom. Our prayers for Rosemary and his family at this time.

Forward in Faith welcomes reference to the Independent Reviewer

Forward in Faith welcomes today’s statement from the Archbishops that they have asked the Independent Reviewer, Sir Philip Mawer, to address the concerns that have arisen in the Church following recent events relating to the See of Sheffield.

We are grateful for their formal statement that, as Archbishops, Primates and Metropolitans, they reaffirm their commitment, and that of the House of Bishops, to its Declaration and to the Five Guiding Principles.

We stand ready to engage with Sir Philip as he reviews the operation of the Declaration in respect of what was done over the last two years to inform and educate clergy and laity about the 2014 settlement, and also in respect of the recent nomination to the See of Sheffield and reactions to it. We trust that his report will correct the misrepresentation of the Declaration and of the Five Guiding Principles that has occurred.

The Archbishops’ call to pray openly for those with whom we disagree, and to demonstrate the mutual love which we are called to share, is something that all should take to heart.

+TONY WAKEFIELD

The Rt Revd Tony Robinson

Chairman

Forward in Faith's information about the House of Bishops' Declaration and the Five Guiding Principles, first published in January 2015, is available here.