Retirement of Fr David Houlding SSC

Posted on the 13th Jan 2023


 

The retirement of Fr David Houlding SSC has been announced with Fr David's last Sunday on duty being 23 July 2023 and a farewell celebration scheduled at All Hallows', Gospel Oak for Saturday 3 June 2023. Bishop Tony Robinson, Chairman of Forward in Faith, has responded to the news: "Fr David has served the Catholic Movement in the Church of England with great distinction. We particularly remember his tireless efforts as Chairman of the Catholic Group on General Synod during challenging times for our Movement. We wish Fr David well in his retirement and we pray that a worthy successor may be identified to succeed him in his role as a parish priest."

 



Appointment of Maggie Swinson as the Independent Reviewer

Posted on the 20th Dec 2022


Bishop Tony Robinson, Chairman of Forward in Faith, has welcomed the appointment of Maggie Swinson as the Church of England's Independent Reviewer, following the untimely death of Sir William Fittall earlier this year. Maggie will follow in the illustrious footsteps of Sir Philip Mawer and Sir William in this role and we wish her well in playing a part in enabling mutual flourishing to remain both a priority and a reality for the Church of England.

 



Bishop-Designate Rob Munro

Posted on the 9th Dec 2022


Bishop Tony Robinson, Chairman of Forward in Faith, has welcomed the appointment of the Revd Dr Rob Munro as the successor to Bishop Rod Thomas in providing an episcopal ministry to conservative evangelical parishes across the Church of England. The appointment demonstrates the Church's continued commitment to mutual flourishing and a diversity of theological views among its bench of bishops.


Footnote: the Revd Dr Rob Munro will be the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, following changes to the Sees utilised to provide episcopal ministry under the House of Bishops' Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests. His predecessor, Rod Thomas, had been the Bishop of Maidstone. It has recently been announced that Fr Paul Thomas will be the Bishop of Oswestry. His predecessor, Jonathan Goodall, had been the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

 



Statement on IICSA’s final report and the Seal of Confession

Posted on the 20th Oct 2022


We welcome the priority the Church of England has accorded in recent years to improving its record on safeguarding. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has produced its final report and it is clear that more needs to be done. We know that all those involved in the life of the Church will strive to meet the challenges arising.

 

There is one particular strand of the report which we must respond to immediately given its serious – and negative – implications for Church life and that is the recommendation that there should be a duty of disclosure for serious safeguarding matters. The duty would be without exception, thus breaching the Seal of Confession.

 

We are unaware of any evidence to suggest that the Seal of Confession has hampered progress on safeguarding in any way. Equally, we are unaware of any evidence to suggest that applying the duty of disclosure to Confession will lead to improvements in safeguarding.

 

Moreover, we feel deeply uneasy at a secular body seeking to impinge on the administration of the Church’s sacraments – of which Confession is one – which are at the core of its mission to the world, and which have been provided by God to His people as channels of His grace. The sacraments are preserved and administered by the Church and do not belong to us; they are therefore not ours to amend.

 

We now need to spend time studying the report in detail and consulting with ecumenical partners before responding further.

 

 

The Trustees of Forward in Faith

20 October 2022

 

Footnote: Paragraph 109 on page 230 of the IICSA final report is of particular concern to us and, no doubt, many others seeking to uphold the Church's received understanding of the nature of the sacrament of Confession.

 

 



Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, RIP

Posted on the 8th Sep 2022



 

The Society's Council of Bishops records its deep sadness at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. Her Majesty steadfastly witnessed to the Christian Faith for just over seventy years as monarch and administered the responsibilities as our nation's head of state dutifully and without complaint in that time. We are all poorer for Her Majesty's death and we offer our heartfelt prayers for the repose of Her Majesty's soul and for all those who mourn across this nation, the nations of the Commonwealth and indeed all the nations of the world. We ask that God will make his presence known to the Royal Family at this time of grieving.

 

 

+ TONY WAKEFIELD

 

The Rt Revd Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield,

Chairman of The Society’s Council of Bishops

+ PHILIP BURNLEY

The Rt Revd Philip North, Bishop of Burnley

+ MARTIN CICESTR

The Rt Revd Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester

+ JONATHAN FULHAM

The Rt Revd Jonathan Baker, Bishop of Fulham

+ WILLIAM LEWES

The Rt Revd Will Hazlewood, Bishop of Lewes 

+ NORMAN RICHBOROUGH 

The Rt Revd Norman Banks, Bishop of Richborough

 



 

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