Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Tuesday, 22 October 2024

Cardinal Brandmüller on Provincial Councils vs Episcopal Conferences


One of the ideas which appears to have emerged from the Synod on Synodallty is that of giving wider powers to national Episcopal Conferences to determine doctrine within their territories.

This idea looks to be one rich in possibilities of generating new problems, and taking the Church further down the road of the German Synodical Path. Doubtless with that in mind, if for no other reason, and as reported by LifeSiteNews the very distinguished figure Cardinal Walter Brandmüller has written an article contrasting the historic rights of Provincial Councils, presided over by their Metropolitan Archbishop, to legislate for that province of the Church, and those of modern Episcopal Conferences, whise area is that of a modern political unit rather than an historic component of the Church.


I once had the great privilege of meeting the then Monsgr Brandmüller at a seminar in Oxford, when I was still an Anglican. He is a very eminent historian of the Church, and was so long before he became His Eminence. His views are well worth harkening unto.


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