Why a Federation of Catholic Priests?
The 19th-century Catholic Revival in the Church of England awakened many clergy to the true nature of their ordination as Catholic priests. But as they struggled to live out that calling, they met opposition from many quarters, sometimes including their own bishops! The Federation of Catholic Priests (FCP) was established in 1917 as a national organisation in order to present ‘a united front in the propagation and defence of the faith, worship and discipline of the Catholic Church’.
The first chairman of FCP was Dr Darwell Stone of Pusey House, Oxford, and the first Secretary was Francis Underhill (later Bishop of Bath & Wells), whose 1918 book Catholic Faith in Practice commended the use of devotions such as the Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
During the 1920s the Federation took a prominent part in the campaign for public Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. Members met regularly within their own diocesan associations of the Federation, and they upheld and taught the bodily Resurrection of Our Lord, the perpetual virginity of his Mother, and the use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
During the following decades the Federation continued to grow, and FCP campaigned to ensure that a Catholic voice was heard in the Church Assembly and its successor, the General Synod. The Federation worked in cooperation with other Catholic societies with similar objectives, especially the Church Union and the Society of the Holy Cross.
1992 and All That
For many clergy, the General Synod’s claim in 1992 that it had authority to declare that women could and should be ordained priests of the Catholic Church was a devastating blow. Was it still possible to maintain that the Church of England (and, later, the Church in Wales and the Scottish Episcopal Church) held to the belief and practice of the undivided Church? Some priests left, but in 1994 the Federation voted overwhelmingly to continue to promote Catholic faith and order in the new situation. At the same time, it made clear its traditional Catholic understanding of the orders of priests and bishops by affiliating with Forward in Faith.
The Federation Today
For the new century FCP has reorganised itself. It is no longer a federation of semi-autonomous diocesan associations held together by a Federal Council of elected representatives—although in some areas of England local groups continue to meet for mutual support and the fostering of spiritual growth. The Federation of Catholic Priests is now a national organisation with an annual plenary meeting for all members. This National Council meets each autumn within the context of an FCP Priests’ Pilgrimage at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. In addition to the usual pilgrimage devotions and the necessary formal business meeting, members listen to a variety of speakers reflecting on aspects of the priestly calling and the building up of the Body of Christ today.
The Federation of Catholic Priests publishes a summary of its news, and of the papers given at Walsingham, in its annual Acta.
Underpinning all the work of FCP is the Rule of Life of its members, which commits them to a disciplined priestly life of prayer, study and self-examination.
Priests who uphold the Catholic identity of the Church of England and its sister Churches still have their difficulties with some bishops. Nevertheless, the bishops collectively have said that the Catholic voice is still treasured in our Churches and that it must be heard. The Federation of Catholic Priests is working to ensure that that voice can be heard today – and tomorrow.
The FCP’s Objects and Rule of Life
The Federation of Catholic Priests is a society of men ordained priest according to the orthodox practice of the universal Church, and in communion with each other and with the See of Canterbury. Its members agree to live in accordance with the Catholic doctrine and practice of the Church. It exists:
to serve the mission of the Church by strengthening and consolidating the spiritual life of its members according to Catholic belief and practice;
- to propagate and maintain Catholic faith, doctrine and practice and to defend truth against error;
- to unite its members in a special bond of mutual charity arising from their common faith and discipline;
- to encourage participation in the synodical deliberations of the Church so that Catholic tradition is commended and maintained;
- to organise and sponsor meetings, conferences, teaching and study days, retreats, pilgrimages, and publications, on its own or with other organisations, in pursuance of the objects of the Federation.
Members of the Federation accept the Catholic and Apostolic Faith of the Church as Anglicans have received it - a faith expressed in the Scriptures, Creeds, Sacraments and Ministry. They commend that faith to others by teaching and example. They commit themselves to a rule of priestly life that will include:
- the frequent offering of the Eucharist with due preparation and thanksgiving, including the observance of the appointed Eucharistic fast;
- the daily recitation of the Divine Office;
- self-examination and use of the sacrament of reconciliation;
- the practice of mental prayer and the study of the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers;
- prayer for the Federation, particularly at the Eucharist, the Divine Office and when visiting the Blessed Sacrament.