Chair of Peter

Day of Prayer on 22nd February 2010

THE DAY of Prayer on 22nd February, the feast of the Chair of Peter, is an

opportunity to reflect, pray, and discern the way forward for each of us, our

priests and our parishes.

The Day should focus on the Blessed Sacrament exposed. This will happen in

different ways in different places. Some congregations, I hope, will join with

their Roman Catholic brothers and sisters locally, in the Roman Catholic

parish church. Others will not have this opportunity and will keep vigil in

their own church. Some people, inevitably, will be restricted to taking part in

their own homes, though we hope that the Day will be organised so that those

who are at work have an opportunity for half and hour or so, on the way to

work, during a lunch break, or during the evening.

In this anthology of readings and prayers, much is about the Chair of Peter

and the place of the papacy in the life of the Church. Nonetheless not all the

readings and prayers are on these subjects and some Scripture and some

material from the Anglican and Reformed tradition, is included, particularly

on the subject of discipleship.

Despite press reports, this is not a day of decision. The Apostolic Constitution

(Anglicanorum coetibus) is not a crisis point but the opening up, permanently,

of a new way into unity with the See of Peter. Decisions about how and

whether this should happen for each of us will take place in different ways,

and at different times. The time now is a time of prayer and discernment.

May God bless us in and through it and further reveal his saving grace.

Bishop’s House, Dry Sandford, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 6JP

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 390746 www.ebbsfleet.org.uk

"All-powerful Father, you have built your Church on the rock of Saint Peter’s

confession faith. May nothing divide or weaken our unity in faith and love."