Anglican Catholic Liturgy and Theology

St. Mathews Blog

Earth & Altar

Anglican Parishes Association- Book Publishers

Anglo-Catholic History Books

Project Canterbury

Christian Classics Library

The Cradle of Prayer - Recordings for morning and evening prayers and free daily downloads. 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

Common Prayer - A website which organizes and curates Morning and Evening Prayer from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

Daily Office Podcast from St. Matthew’s Newport Beach

The Liturgy of the Hours - A beautiful daily podcast where Paul Rose sings the modern Liturgy of the Hours.

Universalis - A website which organizes and curates the modern Liturgy of the Hours

The word ‘Catechesis’ means ‘instruction’. One of the most significant and problematic aspects of the modern Church is her failure to teach the content of the faith. We have generations of Christians who stopped their religious education at ‘Sunday School’ or ‘Children’s Church’. Christian education is a life-long mission - it never stops. Therefore, our task as Christians in the modern world is to build up the Church through education and formation. The life of the mind (education) and the life of the heart (formation). These two realities work hand in hand. Our philosophy for Christian Education at St. HIlda’s is rooted in growing in understanding. We recognize that not everyone is an academic theologian; however, this doesn’t mean we stop digging! We all need the heart of a theologian - a willingness to be curious, think critically, re-evaluate our assumptions, and dive into our faith's history.

To begin with, our approach to catechesis is continuous and universal. Christian Education will be offered after mass 3 Sundays a month. On the first Sunday of every month, we will gather as a parish community and enjoy a potluck lunch (everyone is welcome!). The following Sundays, adults will meet in the parish hall, and our priest-in-charge, Father Jonah, will lead a general and/or topical curriculum for all adults (18 years old and up). Special topic classes, studies, and retreats will be announced throughout the week and can be found on the Calendar page.

At St. Hilda’s, we have made a ‘radical’ decision to eliminate ‘Children’s Church’ during mass (it isn’t really radical). Children aren’t the future of the Church; they are our present. As such, we want children to worship God as a part of the family of God. Separating children from the Church’s liturgical worship of God has created generations of people who missed the opportunity to learn, pray, worship, and grow alongside their fellow Christians. We see no biblical data which prohibits children from worshipping alongside the rest of the Christian community; rather, we see the opposite. Christ himself said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). Here at St. Hilda’s, we encourage you to keep your children at Mass. The parish hall is always available for those needing a ‘cry room’; resources will be available for children during the mass. An old saying captures our philosophy nicely: ‘If your mass isn’t crying, it’s dying’.

Over the next year, we will set a baseline for parish catechesis. Everyone will join together as we learn and study the Christian faith. If anyone desires to be baptised or confirmed, we ask that you please speak with Father Jonah or Father Bader. We will either provide one-on-one preparation or gather interested parties into classes for instruction.