Confession and Reconciliation for Scots Episcopalians

Day by day I pray personally, usually using an Office to guide me, and ask for God's forgiveness for sins I feel I have committed; often unwittingly. Weekly at the Holy Eucharist we have corporate Confession as well as personal Confession. The Rector and Assistant Priest are also available to hear Confessions. However, since the Reformation it has never been a regular occurrence in the Scottish Episcopal Church. For example, no Scots Episcopal Church that I know of, has a confessional box, which is a common sight in Roman Catholic churches. Even in the RC Church, Confession is not as frequent as it used to be, well, in Scotland, although in other countries, notably Malta GC, it still is. RC personal Confessions are heard before Holy Communion. In our reformed tradition ( we used to be 'protestant' whatever that means today ), now reformed catholic and episcopal; emphasis has always been made on corporate Confession at the beginning of the Holy Eucharist. If we are contrite, we receive absolution via the priest who pronounces it with the sign of the Cross.

The Invitation to Holy Communion has a Responsory: 'Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the Word, and I shall be healed," which we all repeat before receiving Holy Communion. As a psychoanalyst by training I believe an interesting phenomena occurs during the Administration. The Episcopal, as well as the Anglican words intoned by the Celebrant as he profers the Host etc are..'the body of Christ given for you....preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life...' and so on, result in us feeling and experiencing that, with the taking in of bread and wine, we take in the body and blood of Christ. So, by introjection the unconscious experience of Christ within us, becomes us or, to use psychoanalytical jargon, it becomes ego-syntonic. This is no different at all from the RC view. Whatever you believe, by God's Grace, we are changed by the unconscious and inner experience. If you watch folk coming away from the altar rail after receiving HC you see that some are pensive, some serious, some quietly content, all are pre-occupied, some in tears and emotional, some walk away quickly back into external reality. Children are the most interesting. If they are not receiving HC but come for a Blessing from the Celebrant, they all take it seriously and watch, open-eyed, as to what is happening to the grown-ups kneeling at the rail. Even the hyper-active ones are quiet and wait to be Blessed, then skip away down the aisle with their parents or fellow Sunday School children. Indeed, all, children and adults recognise that they - we, have experienced something uniquely different in our everyday lives. All Christians say they miss it if they cannot come to church. Christians going on holiday nowadays always check on the .net to see where they can attend church for the Holy Eucharist - yes, it continues to be important - THE important experience in our lives. Therefore, I see a natural and seamless connection between feeling contrite, Confession, Absolution and the 'Holy Mystery' of receving HC during the Eucharist. I have asked folk if it is important to them or not. All regular Communicants say emphatically that it IS important in their lives, although many can't describe why or what has happened to them. This is because it is an 'Holy Mystery', as the Rubric of the Scottish Prayer Book calls it, so it is difficult to find earthly words to define the experience. This is common in my practice as a psychoanalyst. I have defined it as 'the space between words' and I often allude to the 'Holy Mystery' of an inner experience that can't be described normally. It doesn't mean it is less important. On the contrary, it is MORE important than words can describe. It is highly subjective, experientially, and so personal, which is what it is all about for the Christian. We all continue to seek God's Grace and continue to confess and seek reconciliation over and over. Amen.

Wednesday, 14/11/07 - St John of the Cross

Today is the Feast of St John of the Cross. It always reminds me of the famous Dali painting which hangs in the Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Glasgow, now the most visited venue in the country, even beating Edinburgh Castle and Culzean Castle. John was a Priest and Teacher of the Faith. I often wonder what such people were like. The nearest analogy is someone we all know about, and that is Mother Theresa of Calcutta and her nuns in Glasgow. She used to send her nuns to Third World countries to nurse the sick and dying on the streets. When Thatcher closed down all the Local Authority Hostels for the homeless, the homeless were ousted onto the streets throughout the UK. 'Cardboard cities' sprang up and rough sleepers became the norm, to the shame of the UK. Mother Theresa announced that we also are now of Third World status and so her Communities developed. I was privileged to work with one of her nuns in Glasgow and visited the Community House in Glasgow.

Remembrance Sunday, 11 Nov-07

Normally we don't attend church on this day of the year as, in memory of those who died we watch and take part in the Service at the Cenotaph in London. We do this in memory of my late father, and the fact I was in the British Army myself. It was also the last day for our Rector and his wife before they move to their farm at Sliddery on the Isle of Arran. It was an eomtional time for both of them and their family. We had refreshments, including a beautifully baked cake from Morag MacLaughlin before seh went in hospital for a knee replacement. The cake was iced and decorated with a lovely Celtic cross by Morag Hobbs of East Kilbride. Speeches were made and presentations to the Rector and his wife Sheenah. A sad time, but they feel they need to move on. Sheenah was very upset to say goodbye but I said it was just a marker in time and we all have invitations plus a guide map to visit them when sailing in the islands, which cheered her up no end.

P.S. - Friday, 09 Nov-07

As part of my continuing journeying I have approached a Religious Community down in England with a view of becoming a Companion to the Community. This term denotes someone who remains in their own community and carries on with their own life yet adheres to the Community Rule. This was done after much thought and prayer. The Assistant Priest at my Scottish Episcopal Church is most supportive to my idea, which is a great help. There are plenty of such Communities here in Glasgow, but they are RC and RCs will not allow Christians to receive Holy Communion who are not RC. Although I am a catholic, I am an Episcopal catholic, not a Roman one. Silly distinction in this day and age, but there you are. I had discussed it also with a Roman Catholic priest friend and he was most supportive. The Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield in Yorkshire, north England, is an Anglican monastic Community and Anglican Theological College.

Also spoke to John Woodhouse via Skype as he had been trying to contact me. He had a bad fall in Battersea Park the other day, damaging his upper lip and a tooth. He looks a bit battle worn and it has certainly shaken him up. It was good to talk to him, and Valerie popped over my shoulder to be introduced to him also. It'll be good to keep contact.

Friday, 09 Nov-07

Had an extra-ordinary meeting of the Vestry the other evening, chaired by the Diocesan Dean, the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan, to air people's worries and to peruse the vacancy procedure for the appointment of a new Rector. Bishop Idris and the Dean seem keen to appoint a full-time Rector with us. Gregor intimated that 'we should not assume we need to advertise', which of course, led to all sorts of speculations as to whom they had in mind. Either way I feel we should advertise as we need to be seen to be above board. I shall suggest we just advertise in 'Inspires' the Provincial magazine as we need a priest who is familiar with the Scottish Church's practices.
Advertising in England and Ireland will attract a lot of evangelical priests, who would not really fit in with our needs as we are more catholic. The two evangelical churches in Scotland, namely St Silas, Glasgow, and St Thomas, Corstorphine are evangelical as they were both built to serve English Hanovarian troops sent to Scotland to quell the rebellious Scots who supported Bonnie Prince Charlie ( who was RC ) and to impose English Penal Laws on Scottish Episcopalians who refused to say prayers for the English monarchy! St Silas served the soldiers garrisoned in nearby Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow. St Silas to this day, uses the English Liturgy and refuses to call itself Scottish Episcopal Church. At one time, in the '70's it said it only had allegiance to the Bishop of Carlisle, down south in England! Bishop Derek Rawcliffe, then Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, regulated ther anomaly so that they came under his jurisdiction. However, they are still ambivalent about us Scots, and we of them, I suppose.
Anyway we outlined a rough timetable to produce a church profile and job description but it will not be done this side of the end of February as we have Advent and Christmas coming quickly and the Vestry need to get over the congregational AGM on the 20th November and 'Kirk' the new Vestry so work cannot really start until December this year.

Today I met Alec, our Fabric Convener / People's Warden at the Rectory to begin an inventory. Unfortunately this was not possible as Paul, our Rector seemed unclear about what was staying and what was leaving for store etc, and when he would vacate the premises. We are in no rush either but his tenancy cannot go on indefinitely. He has his barn in the Isle of Arran but it is not completely watertight so the Vestry agreed to allow some belongings to remain. We may have to impose a date of complete removal of affects. Alec then gave me a lift to Busby village where I was to collect Valerie from the hairdresser's but she had lft there so I walked back home on a clear, although cold autumnal day.

Sunday, 04 November 2007: All Saints' Day

Today started with difficulty as I had overlooked a request from a colleague at church to provide new church stationery for him, so I was late and Valerie set off alone for the Family Eucharist at St Aidan's, Scottish Episcopal Church. I arrived a few minutes late by taxi. Quite a few new folk there today, together with some visitors, notably some folk from the Orthodox traditions. This would be the penultimate 10am service that Paul will be Celebrant at, as he leaves to live in the Isle of Arran on 12/11/07 with his family. After the Eucharist we grabbed tea, cake and scones and I gathered Vestry members together in the Choir Vestry for an agreed Extra-Ordinary meeting to approve the Accounts and Report of the Vestry for OSCR ( Office of the Scottish Charities Register ) and the AGM of the congregation on 20/11/07. A last minute hiccup had occurred when, after receiving an OK from our Examiner of Accounts, I then learned she had changed my report and designation without discussing it with me. She had re-typed the report and changed our church name and mis-spelled folks' names! Needless to say she had a pertinent e-mail from me and the Accounts were withdrawn. To her credit she reverted to my original report and agreed that they be re-submitted in time for today's meeting and all went well after we spent a considerable time scrutinising the fine detail of the accounts, line by line. The Vestry approved them, so they can now go forward to the AGM for possible acceptance by the congregation.

Then it was poste-haste to Mitchell's up in the next village to us of Carmunnock for lunch. We were late but luckily Veronica, the co-owner, could give us a table. We were further lucky as, though late, we arrived in advance of a large birthday party of 18. We had a splendid lunch and I saw Gaille, the French waitress so I was able to practise my schoolboy French on her. Jean-Paul, her fellow countryman, is away just now. I learned that he does part-time lecturing at university here whilst he undertakes a PhD in politics at Glasgow. Ah well, 'a bientøt!'. Far from having a lazy afternoon the phone went continuously with folk on church business - for Val and myself. I shall be taking on board the production of the Weekly News Sheets for Colin, our Assistant Priest - quite a task. Then on Wednesday evening next the Vestry will meet the Diocesan Dean ( the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan ) to discuss the profile of our church in relation to our needs of a replacement Rector, and the type of person we seek. He will outline the Diocesan standpoint and the Vacancy procedure. Gregor is to be our Interim Moderator, to use a Scots' Presbyterian phrase. Now for a wee dram as I have earned it!