Thus began decades of events and celebrations in the United Kingdom and the United States of the gathering of Anglo-Catholics who simply wish to worship God, demonstrate solidarity, and tackle issues of a contemporary nature that required the wisdom of the Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I suspect they were some of the first organized Affirming Catholic events - they affirmed Scripture, they affirmed the teaching of the Fathers and they affirmed the Councils of the Church. They affirmed the Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, and they warned us of what would happen if we failed to do the same. They addressed contemporary issues not as pseudo-sociologists, and they anticipated in their words Richard Niebuhr's considerations of Christ and Culture.

What is particularly evident is that they did not succumb to the dilemma of beginning with a
sociologically driven construct, hypothetical or otherwise, and attempt to find or revise Scripture, Tradition or Reason (in its usual sense) to reinforce their culturally inspired desires of either compromise or accommodation. They addressed all wartime realities and threats, for example, not by using ad hominem rhetoric, but rather by submitting all that they could to the central teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

The 1920's and the 1930's were filled with chaos, fear and confusion, and these Congresses, celebrated in various regions, were not mere moments of Triumphalism or functioning as agents of Whipple and C.M. Almy.

As I am certain you have observed as you have read the proceedings of the various Congresses, much was said in the Addresses and in the Statements produced, but much was done at the Altar.

In those days, there may have been some creative conversation as to whether the Knott Missal, the Anglican Missal or the American Missal were used, with a smattering of Fortescue devotees, and those with an eye to Dearmer, but unlike where we find ourselves as Anglo-Catholics today, there were certain commonalities and understandings regarding which Liturgical books would be used, which translation of the Bible would be used, and who would be standing at the Altar or consecrating our bishops.

This is further complicated by jurisdiction. I cannot even imagine that any of the Congress Fathers would fathom that there would be an august body such as this, and that we would not all be in the same jurisdiction. Had Anglicanism taken heed to what was taught at the Congresses, this would not have occurred. If Anglo-Catholics had been heard by those who dismissed all of us as simply "spikes", "High Churchmen," Anglo-Papalists," "Smells and Bells" and seen what we were really saying, we would not be where we are today.

Anglo-Catholics no longer have the luxury of division. Since Anglo-Catholics are so highly principled, we should not be surprised that we are also capable of dividing and subdividing. I mean this with no disrespect, since similarly I find Revisionists constantly uniting, often because their principles are not always as fine tuned. Anglo-Catholics are concerned about means.

Revisionists are concerned primarily with the end result. The new Affirming Catholics affirm the culture and do not affirm universally held doctrine. It has replaced Theocracy with Democracy.

The Vincentian Canon has been and must be what we Catholics Affirm. Sadly uninformed people who suffer from historical and intellectual amnesia have forgotten what the Congresses proclaimed and taught, and we are now painted with the same brush stroke as anyone who wears a chasuble.

Theological Eco System: Reformation vs. Deformation

When a root metaphor is altered it takes three generations before the substitute replaces the original timeless reality. In the Name of the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sanctifier. That can be said wearing a cope and a mitre or a rochet and chimere. But the changes all too often today begin with self. Self actualization is not the same as a redeemed life in Christ.

Power vs. Authority

As the Rev. Frank N. Westcott tells us in evaluating the nature of authority: "Without stopping to discuss whether a notion of spiritual freedom can be held by a Christian, a moment's thought will show that any religion which has God for its author must be based on the principle of authority, the authority of Him who creates it, and makes its acceptance binding on the conscience of men. If Christianity is not based on the authority of God, then certainly are at liberty to accept or reject it as we please; and it is not Divine. Whether or not any man shall be a Christian, will be merely a question of taste and not one of obligation and obedience."

The culture in which we live today has created a Church in its own image, and replaced the Authority of God with the power of the people. This is a total reversal of what the Catholic Congresses called the People of God to understand. The Congresses anticipated this dilemma.

Sadly, many Anglicans do not avail themselves of the Sacrament of Penance. In the Absolution traditionally used the relationship between Power and Authority is clear. "Our Lord Jesus Christ who has left power to His Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and return to Him, have mercy upon, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, and by His authority committed to me, I absolve you of all your sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." ("Catholic Principles" Westcott.) Church she vs. it

There are two extremes. The Father created the Church so Jesus could have a job. A humanly inspired institution which doesn't even fit into esse, plena esse, or bene esse categories, and is disconnected from any Historic See.

This Congress will not rehearse the symptoms of the problems we face today. It will do so only in order to identify the root causes. Great emphasis will be placed on Ecclesiology and Authority related, in particular to the contemporary emphasis on evolutionary wisdom in all matters, and the need for Catholic Christians to know the Faith.

We will look carefully at the usual forms of Ecclesiology: Magisterial, Conciliar, and Confessional, and I believe we will see that as in any family crisis, bringing order out of disorder is no small task, and it is not always consistent in its application. In short, a healthy Ecclesiology, or least an informed understanding of Ecclesiology, will benefit the Church today and in the future, so that we will be prevented from either enshrining small periods in Church history as the essence of Faith or elevating taste and opinion to the level of Truth.

Youth - 1938 by Fr, Scott Chalmers, OHC

"A new start is needed. Youth - unhappy, bewildered, hurt - is on the move, demanding something worthy of his powers of self-sacrifice and some leader worthy of his legions. If the Church cannot provide youth with as plan of action, he will turn to others, just as he has in Germany and Italy. This creates a situation full of danger but also full of opportunity. The Catholic Church and the Catholic Life provide a full answer to the needs of youth. For the Catholic, Christ is the supreme leader. His way of self-sacrifice and discipline appeals to the highest in human nature. His life can point us to a glorious future. p 308 "The Anglican Communion" J.W.C. Wand 1948 "...(The Anglican Communion) exhibits to a degree unique in Christendom variety in unity.

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