A self-proclaimed witch (initiated by a Luciferian convicted of graveyard desecration, plus threatening people with black magic) by the name of Catherine Fearnley of Liversedge, West Yorkshire, who publicly hates Christians, made it her business to approach the Church of England shop at Glastonbury Abbey in an attempt to cause trouble for the autocephalous Bishop of Glastonbury (Ecclesia Vetusta Catholica). Rather than support a fellow Christian, or ignore the woman, the staff at Glastonbury Abbey provided this disturbed individual with ammunition that has, of course, been used.
Dear Archbishop Welby,
Re: Catherine Fearnley
Someone who presents herself as a "witch" whom I do not know, have never contacted, and who regularly stalks me, alleges to have been in touch with Glastonbury Abbey, Abbey Gatehouse, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury. She has provided some evidence of a response from Glastonbury Abbey and has published it on Facebook. The Abbey response reads that "I seem to be self-appointed." That statement is untrue, and I certainly feel obliged to challenge it, having won a similar case quite some years back where I had the support of a senior bishop in the Church of England at the hearing where my bona fides were found to be legitimate, canonically valid and beyond dispute.
I contacted the Abbey more than once over this, and was assured each time that a response would be forthcoming. In fact, there has been no response. The person at the end of the telephone said the staff are very busy, but seemingly not too busy to respond to malign enquiries about me from those proclaiming themselves to be anti-Christian. What I am seeking is an assurance that my name and office will not be abused any further by members of the staff at Glastonbury Abbey who many years ago in a very different era sold my book about Glastonbury's history in their store.
I am not C of E, or, indeed, Protestant. I am a Traditional Old Catholic, and, as such, am fully recognised as the Bishop of Glastonbury within that autocephalous jurisdiction, just as the Roman Catholic Church also have a titular Bishop of Glastonbury, as does the Western Orthodox community etc.
Perhaps this misunderstanding might easily be cleared up, but, first, I would need Glastonbury Abbey's staff to withdraw any suggestion made to other individuals that I am "self appointed." This is false and clearly harmful. I am happy to provide the names of my consecrators and lines of apostolic succession.
Yours in Christ,
†Seán Manchester
Bishop of Glastonbury
Ecclesia Vetusta Catholica
If the Roman Catholic Church is your source of truth in these matters, see what the Roman Catholic Church teaches in it’s official document “DOMINUS IESUS,” issued during the reign of Pope John Paul II, June 16, 2000, and signed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope-Emertus Benedict, August 6, 2000, refer to Section IV: Article 17:
"Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the [Roman] Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him. The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches."
Catholic Almanac
"The Roman Church recognises the validity of Old Catholic Orders and other Sacraments."
- Felician A Roy, OFM, 1974; p. 368.
"Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the [Roman] Catholic Church, since they do not accept the [Roman] Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church."
It should be noted that our Bishops and all of our clergy have valid Apostolic Succession and this is what determines valid ordination.
What is “Old Catholicism”?
We know from history that the Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ was united for a thousand years. Today, however, the Catholic Church is comprised of five felow congregations:
· Roman Catholic
· Old Catholic
· Anglican Catholic / Episcopalian
· Eastern Catholic (or Eastern Orthodox)
· Oriental (Coptic, Syrian, Nestorian)
These fellow churches, together relating to each other in love, hold that through baptism, celebrated in our churches according to the faith handed down to us from the Apostles, we are each made members of the one Mystical Body of Christ.
