Poms and Aussies, Anglicans and Catholics.
Well we all know a lot of Anglicans with English accents. That is only proper and fitting after all.
But some years ago it occurred to me that there are Catholic priests out there with Anglican accents. No, not English accents, just Anglican. They sound quite Australian, in fact. But very very Anglican.
Perhaps the most extreme form of this phenomenon is the priest who calls the Third Person of the Trinity "the Hoely Spirit". But even before you go that far, you can her a spiffing sermon on the Holy Feast of the Assumption which correctly and eloquently conveys the true Catholic meaning, all delivered gently and happily in the finely-polished style of elocution we could expect from a gentlemen who would be quite at home in a place referred to as "Cantebury" with all four syllables. It is always crisp and clear, with an ever-so-slight rolling of the r's, and an overal kind of lulling tunefulness about it.
There is only one word I can give it, and that is "Anglican". I first realised this one morning at the Cathedral, but have since seen it in certain Dominicans and other priests. I find it a fascinating thing.
More recently, I found that the inverse can also occur. Watching The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy one night, my wife noticed some Catholic-seeming imagery and references. "What religion was Douglass Adams?" she asked. I could only really give one answer. "English".
But some years ago it occurred to me that there are Catholic priests out there with Anglican accents. No, not English accents, just Anglican. They sound quite Australian, in fact. But very very Anglican.
Perhaps the most extreme form of this phenomenon is the priest who calls the Third Person of the Trinity "the Hoely Spirit". But even before you go that far, you can her a spiffing sermon on the Holy Feast of the Assumption which correctly and eloquently conveys the true Catholic meaning, all delivered gently and happily in the finely-polished style of elocution we could expect from a gentlemen who would be quite at home in a place referred to as "Cantebury" with all four syllables. It is always crisp and clear, with an ever-so-slight rolling of the r's, and an overal kind of lulling tunefulness about it.
There is only one word I can give it, and that is "Anglican". I first realised this one morning at the Cathedral, but have since seen it in certain Dominicans and other priests. I find it a fascinating thing.
More recently, I found that the inverse can also occur. Watching The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy one night, my wife noticed some Catholic-seeming imagery and references. "What religion was Douglass Adams?" she asked. I could only really give one answer. "English".
posted by Australian Catholic at 8:53 am
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