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Letters from 10 April to 16 April 2006

Like all letters to the editor everywhere, these letters are the opinions of the writers and not Anglicans Online. We publish letters that we think will be of interest to our readers, whether we agree with them or not. If you'd like to write a letter of your own, click here.

Happy Easter

I write to say well done to you all in Anglicans Online. You are doing a great job, please keep it up and remain blessed.

Happy Easter to all Anglicans worldwide. May this Easter be a time of prayers and sober reflections on our lives and that of the Anglican communion.

Bara Igoniwari-Brown
St Cyrian's Anglican Church (Diocese of Niger Delta)
Port Harcourt, River State, NIGERIA
barasus2003@yahoo.com
10 April 2006

Liturgical rattlesnake?

Please, what is a 'crotalus' and what is its conntection with Holy Week (editorial, 9 April 2006)? The dictionary tells me it is 'rattlesnake' but the liturgical significance of rattlesnakes escapes me.

Canon Ralph Mallinson
St. George, Unsworth, Bury
Bury, Lancashire, UNITED KINGDOM
Rmallinson@manchester.anglican.org
10 April 2006

(Ed: The Greek word krotalon, a clapper, inspired the Latin word crotalum, a rattle or castanet. During Holy Week, some parishes accustomed to ringing a Sanctus bell would instead use a wooden rattle whose sound is less joyful than a bell. When biologists assigned the North American rattlesnake a place in the taxonomy of living things, they named its genus 'Crotalus' because some thought its eponymous rattle sounded like a liturgical crotalus.)

Liturgical combat

I appreciated your Holy Week message very much. I have been trying your 'less is more' approach all Lent this year -- instead of giving up chocolate or dessert, for Lent 06 I've given up the round of Anglican news and blogs. No Thinking Anglicans, no Titus 1.9, none of the personal blogs I was reading every day. I would read Anglicans Online on Monday morning and check in occasionally with the parish website and the Anglican Church of Canada site.

It has not been easy to do. I was addicted to my "fix" of conflict, recrimination, and name-calling. But I am so glad I have done it. And it has left my mind so much better able to focus on more important things, like our parish's Lent discipline or the expanded Bible Study group I've been leading this Lent.

I'm afraid I'll drift back once Easter is past, but it's been a good experience. Thanks for your great site!

Abigail Ann Young
Church of the Redeemer
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
abigail.young@utoronto.ca
10 April 2006

What is the Process?

I have a question. I really want to become an Episcopal priest, but have no idea how to. if anyone can help me, please email me. Thank you very much.

Jerry Ovalle
St. Mark's Church
New Britain, Connecticut, USA
jerrywwe@yahoo.com
11 April 2006

(Ed: Your Rector, the Revd Patricia Hames, knows the answer to this question, and we're certain she'd be willing to explain it to you. In fact, any Episcopal priest can explain it to you.)

Earlier letters

We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All published letters are in our archives.