2010 Diocesan Clergy Retreat

Fr. David Houlding, the Master General of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) was the retreat leader of our annual diocesan clergy retreat. We spent this past Monday through Thursday at the Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House on Lake Dallas.

Fr. Houlding took as his theme the Lord's Prayer. The two videos below are the final meditation given on Thursday morning. The whole retreat was quite good.

More Good News

In fact, that is the word we got from the Surgeon's office today - "It's all good news." Six lymph nodes, all negative for cancer. It was the best news we could have received. God is good.

Thanks be to God.

I haven't been a very frequent poster of late mainly because of the press of life.

My wife Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. Yesterday she had a mastectomy. The surgeon checked three of her lymph nodes during the surgery. All three nodes showed clear of cancer. That is what we have been praying for. Thanks be to God!!

I ask your prayers for her continued recovery - and that the full pathology report backs up what was seen at the time of surgery.

Glory to God in all things!

Blessed Epiphany

On this day when we celebrate the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, may His life in you be a light to the world around you.

Veni Emmanuel

The Whole Roman Enchilada

Take a look at the Apostolic Constitution here.

A New Friend

It was my pleasure to introduce OCA Archbishop DMITRI (recently retired) to the 27th annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. His Eminence spoke to us of his admiration for one of our local heroes, Fr. Homer Rogers (a.k.a. "Padre"). Fr. Rogers married my parents, mentored my father, and has been a profound influence on my life and that of my family. The Archbishop also attended Padre's classes as a college student in Denton. He expressed deep gratitude for Padre's instructions and their value in his life.

I had a chance to visit with him a bit and am now very proud to call him a new friend. I got him to autograph two books of his that I have just finished - "The Kingdom of Heaven: The Sermon on the Mount" and "The Parables." I am looking forward to reading his commentaries on Hebrews and Romans. He is currently working on a commentary on the Gospel of Saint John.

He celebrated his 86th birthday just a week ago. May God give him strength and many more years! Bless Him!

Thanks to Suzanne Gill for the photo.

Fort Worth's Response

I have read with great interest various reports concerning today's announcement from top officials in the Vatican about some new provisions being made whereby Anglicans may enter into full communion with the Holy See. For some time now I have understood that high-level discussions about this were taking place in Rome and that an announcement along these lines would be made before the end of the year. As today's announcement indicates, a new Apostolic Constitution is soon to be released which will spell out Pope Benedict XVI's response to Anglicans who wish to enter into full visible communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

Many Anglo-Catholics will welcome this development as a very generous and welcoming offer that enhances the Pastoral Provision that has been in place for several years for those seeking reunion with Rome. Other Anglicans who desire full communion with the See of Peter would prefer some sort of recognition of the validity of Anglican orders and the provision for inter-communion between Roman Catholics and Anglicans.

The virtues of the proposal as I understand it have to do with maintaining certain aspects of the Anglican way of worship, spirituality, and ethos while entering into full communion with the Pope. But of course, not all Anglo-Catholics can accept certain teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, nor do they believe that they must first convert to Rome in order to be truly catholic Christians.

This option to choose different paths comes at a difficult time for us as together we face the challenges of the litigation brought against us by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Rather than making hasty decisions or quick resolutions, we will continue to work and pray together for the unity of Christ's holy catholic church throughout the world.


----The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker is Bishop of Fort Worth