On 4 June people from England and all parts of Sweden gathered near Malmö in Southern Sweden for the tenth anniversary of the dedication of the Chapel of the Holy Cross at Christian’s Acre. Ten years ago I was present when the then Bishop of Fulham, Bishop John Broadhurst, dedicated the building as a chapel-of-ease of the parish of All Saints’, Notting Hill, London, and so I was delighted to be invited again. I had visited twice in the intervening years to address traditionalist Swedish clergy. Sister Gerd Swensson shares in the ministry of All Saints’ parish, and when she inherited Christian’s Acre from her family she decided to turn the farm and its outbuildings into a retreat and conference centre.
Amongst those present were sisters from the Community of the Holy Cross at Costock, including Reverend Mother, and a local RC Dominican sister from Sweden. The principal celebrant and preacher was the present Bishop of Fulham, Bishop Jonathan Baker, and the concelebrants were English and Swedish priests of the Society of the Holy Cross.
Among those in the congregation was the former Mayor of Trelleborg, the municipality in which Christian’s Acre is situated. He spoke of what a marvellous resource the place is, and thanked Sister Gerd for her vision. In return he was thanked for re-opening the local village station, which makes travel to the centre much easier. One can fly to Copenhagen, get the train across the bridge to Sweden, and change at Malmö Central. www.tedeum.se/te-deum-christian-s-acre.html
Paul Benfield