Fr Roger Raven
The Birmingham Oratory was the setting on Saturday 22nd September for the ordination to the priesthood of Roger Raven.
Fr Roger, formerly an Anglican clergyman, was received into the Catholic Church a couple of years ago. Since that time St Pauls has employed him to work in our shop in Birmingham, thereby giving him the financial means to support his family during his training.
At the start of the Mass, Archbishop Bernard Longley, who ordained Fr Roger, very graciously acknowledged the role St Pauls has played in Fr Roger’s path to priesthood; as Fr Roger himself did in the order of service book, where he wrote:
"I... wish to express my gratitude to the Society of St Paul for providing me with the means to put bread on the table for my family, and also for generously accommodating my somewhat eclectic timetable as I have shuttled between the bookshop and Oscott."
Taking an active role in the Ordination Mass, as one of the Altar Servers, was Peter Raven, Roger’s youngest son. Peter is the boy to whom Pushkin relates his life story in the book Pushkin the Pontifical Puss, published last year by St Pauls Publishing.
All at St Pauls wish to assure Fr Roger and his family of our prayers as he continues to minister to the people of God.
Annual Romero Lecture in York
St Ignatius, a Member of Parliament, a family holiday and the Spiritual Exercises
Not an obvious combination, but St Pauls is publishing the book written by Edward Leigh, Member of Parliament for Gainsborough, in which he seeks to answer questions on faith and doubt by following in the footsteps of St Ignatius.
Full of doubts and questions about God, religion and faith, Edward Leigh suddenly discovers the sixteenth-century Spanish saint, Ignatius of Loyola. After numerous attempts to read about the life of this great saint, he takes his family on holiday to Spain to meet him "face-to-face".
The result is this three-in-one story. A personal spiritual journey of one unbeliever prepared to believe. Secondly, the story of a saint’s life and how that saint helped the author face his doubts and questions. Thirdly, the story of how a family holiday visiting places associated with the life of St Ignatius impacted on the author’s wife and young children.
The second part of the book is an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius and how they can help us face the doubts and questions we may have about God, religion and faith. Each chapter of the book concludes with a meditation based upon the format Ignatius uses in the Spiritual Exercises.
"This is a book that speaks to the needs of our time." Fr Nicholas King, SJ
The book, expected from the printer at the end of September, can be ordered here.
