Third Diocesan Bull of St. Godwin

[Borin 7645]

 

 

THIRD DIOCESAN BULL OF ST. GODWIN

 

Published on this day, the 13th of Sigismund’s End, 1996

 

Spoiler

 

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS  

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SECTION I - OPENING PRAYER

SECTION II - ON THE CONDITION OF THE DIOCESE

SECTION III - TO THE GOOD FOLK OF THE BARONY OF SALVO

  SECTION IV - ON THE SILASIA ISSUE AND THE WIDER CRUSADE

SECTION V - EXCOMMUNICATIONS

SECTION VI - FUTURE ENDEAVOURS OF THE BISHOP ST. GODWIN

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I

 

Almighty GOD, we beg Thy clemency: be pleased to check these heavy rains and show unto us, in your own time, a cheerful sky. We beseech Thee, O Lord, that all the spiritual wickedness may be driven away from Thy house, and that the fury of the storms that now beset Thine flock may pass away. Amen.

 

 

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II

 

The Kingdom of Aaun, henceforth named ‘St. Godwin Major’, has undergone immense trauma in the past decade, and finds itself under Church regency until young Godwin is of age and ready to be crowned. During this time my predecessor Bishop Petyr St. Godwin died in the fires that engulfed Whitespire, and his predecessor Cardinal-bishop Jean St. Godwin was excommunicated only to pass unto the Lord’s judgement not long after. I look to bring some essence of stability back to my role, and an extended period in which my, admittedly much reduced, flock might reach out to and be served by a familiar face.

 

In my capacity as Bishop St. Godwin, I have responsibility for other Canonist folk in nearby realms beyond the Kingdom of Aaun, henceforth named ‘St. Godwin Minor’. These include those within the lands of Vortice, Lurin, the Shire and Silasia, all lands currently involved in certain strife with the Holy Mother Church. Throughout any conflict I shall always be available and accessible to any Canonists who wish for an audience, or require services, as will other members of the clergy, provided those who wish for such are not under any Church penalties that restrict access to receiving sacraments. However, I must urge those Canonists within these territories to avoid conflict with your fellow faithful and the Holy Mother Church.

 

A Church survey revealed that the clergy within the Bishopric of St. Godwin was spread rather thin, even before the deaths of both my predecessors, and within all the lands within ‘St. Godwin Minor’ also. Whilst clergy from elsewhere, such as the great huddle of clergy upon Lemon Hill, and various wandering priests are able to tend to the flock of St. Godwin, it would be ideal to recruit more clergy for the Bishopric in order to properly tend to my flock and fulfil our Churchly duties. The future of the diocese and my aims in this respect will be further elaborated upon in the final section of this Bull.

 

 

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III

 

Upon taking up the position of Bishop St. Godwin, I received a letter from one Baron of Salvo, Tristan Talraen, who resides with his Canonist community in Lurin near the border with Aaun. The Baron beseeched me to visit, to meet with him, his peoples, survey his lands and welcome them into the Diocese of St. Godwin and thus the Canonist fold. 

 

I obliged, and had both a pleasant meet and greet with some of the citizenry, and a tour of their lands and wholesome chapel. We discussed possible decorations and renovations, as well as how to dedicate the chapel. We have decided to dedicate it to St. Edmond of Lachsin, Saint of, among other things, Hospitality and Baronial Lords, with a ceremony to consecrate the chapel set to occur at a later date. This shall be for both the citizenry of the Barony and other interested Canonists and Church officials to attend. Assignment of a parish priest to serve this flock was also discussed, and a resident acolyte, by the name of Randir, seems to be a fitting candidate once his training is complete.

 

I am pleased to welcome the Barony of Salvo into the Bishopric of St. Godwin, and urge my flock and the wider Canonist community to welcome them with open arms in the same manner as they have embraced me. I look forward to continuing to tend to them and cooperate with them in the future.

 

 

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IV

 

Among other things, concerns raised about nearby conflict during a private meeting with Baron Tristan, as well as a missive published by Robert Tiberius, obliged me to investigate and now address the issues of the welcoming of bandits and brigands into the Duchy of Silasia, a land somewhat under my purview, into the ‘Dreadlands’, and the conflict, nay, crusade, that has followed.

 

I was in attendance when those of the Dreadlands raided Numendil, attempting to enter the city to go home and sit at my desk to write this Diocesan Bull. Some folk immediately, despite obviously being of the Church in my monastic habit and cross upon my breast, demanded I halt and took to waving weapons at me, presumably to rob me, or take me hostage as they did a few others when they entered the city. Thankfully, some members of their war party saw sense and I was left unharmed, and merely a bit miffed. Those taken hostage and later presumably executed in the city who did not manage to take refuge in Numendil’s palace complex with the others were not as fortunate as I.

It was both irresponsible and uncanonist to welcome such folk into Silasia, and to do so without expecting trouble and backlash from other realms can be described as having been nothing but an act of delusion. The removal and condemnation of the spited ‘Mogg’ was welcome, but not enough. A recent missive similarly falls short of expectations. 

 

Firstly, on the matter of a war in which you are allied to those who fight against the Church, you could have approached the Church beforehand and we would alleviate you of any obligations and oaths. By failing to do so, you have taken up arms against the Church, and this is not something that can be simply waved away. 

 

Secondly, it is presumptuous to assign your own penances, admirable as it might be to pursue such. If you felt you were bereft of contact with the clergy you could have sent me a letter, or sent an emissary to the Holy See - it is quite obvious where we tend to reside. Unfortunately our clergy have been somewhat unwilling to tend to your lands, as you were in open armed opposition to us, bound up with a bandit menace who have no qualms with wantonly harming folk of the Church. Despite this, I reiterate that I do regularly read and respond to my mail, and remain open to communication if you do so wish.

 

Thirdly, your diplomats and their performance leaves much to be desired. Whoever has directed your foreign policy should be sacked for incompetence. 

 

Fourthly, as I have previously stated, the removal of the Mogg clan is not enough. Their presence was not the only such grievance, and to presume upon administering justice yourself on this and other matters that are as yet unresolved is a mistake. The Dreadlands must be emptied and all those who were landed there expelled to face CHURCH JUSTICE, or flee to whatever gremlin cave they came from.

 

Fifth and finally, as with the barbarians of the Dreadlands, the matter of the strange schismatic sect in Silasia should and shall be dealt with by the Church itself. Silasia will inevitably have to give up at a minimum some elements of their sovereignty so that the Church has the authority and freedom to do whatever is necessary in Silasia to root out the schismatic menace, and any others who are judged to need to face GOD’s judgement.

 

As these brigands have sowed destruction, it is only natural that they reap what they sow, that is the ongoing conflict, and only natural for those that would foolishly come to their defence to reap the exact same thing. It is for this reason, and to offer my flock official guidance on the matter, that I, in my capacity as Bishop St. Godwin wholeheartedly endorse the Robertine Crusade and forbid any Canonists living within the affected territories of Vortice, Lurin and Silasia to take up arms, for to fight for brigands and schismatics is to fight against our Lord GOD Himself, and this will, as one might expect, bring you naught but your own destruction.

 

 

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V

 

Matrimony, that is the union of man and woman, or simply put marriage, is holy, for it has been instituted by the Lord GOD Himself, commended in the Holy Scrolls to be held in great honour among all men, and therefore not by any to be taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, but reverently; discreetly, and in fear of GOD, duly considering the causes for which it was ordained. For as He says in the Canticle of Temperance found in the Scroll of Virtue, in which is laid out the VERY BASICS of the universal law of Virtue which applies to all: ‘Lo and attend, for I am the Lord GOD, and I am in the foremost part of heaven. Though the spring flower withers and the fruit of the tree falls to the ground, My Word lasts into the eve of the world, and the fruit of virtue cannot rot. I am the Lord God without peer. I grew the first grapes of the vineyard, and gave unto Horen the first wife. And as I have given you the worldly pleasures, so too have I made the pleasures of the spirit, and the love of the husband and wife.’ (Virtue 3:1-5)

This much the Holy Mother Church stresses over and over, and indeed, all that is written above will be found to be an almost exact copy of what is repeated at the start of every wedding by the celebrant of every such ceremony. And so it is a great affront to the Lord GOD to spit in the face of vows taken, and it is for that reason that in my capacity as the Bishop of  St. Godwin, I make known that STEFANO MONTELLIANO and AMELIA ROSE VAN AERT have been henceforth EXCOMMUNICATED by His Holiness for the crime of infidelity, having betrayed their respective spouses, Johanna Stroheim and King John of Aaun, as was made known to the Mother Church by means of a private writ presented to us by Robert Tiberius Alstion in which the existence of the following letter was brought to the Holy Mother Church’s attention alleging Robert Tiberius to be a bastard born of their unholy union:

 

 

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If either of these excommunicants care for their immortal souls which they have with their degenerately sinful behaviour thrown into jeopardy they are encouraged to seek me out in person for confession and penance. For the duration of their excommunication they are barred from partaking in all sacraments of the church, and, should they come to pass from this world into the next are forbidden from being buried with Canonist rites and instead to be laid to rest in an unmarked grave. Should either of them have come to pass from this world into the next before this declaration was made, in which case they died damned and nothing can be done for them, and have recently been buried, they are to be exhumed, relocated, and the cemetery in which they have been buried reconsecrated. 
 

Thankfully, the Holy Mother Church can safely confirm that following investigation, the majority of the issue from King John of Aaun and Amelia van Aert’s union are legitimate (these being Charles, Josephine, John, James, Alexander and Calliope), with only the parentage of Robert Tiberius in doubt. I would like to speak with Robert Tiberius on this matter in person, and urge him to send me a letter as soon as he is able.

 

 

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VI

As promised earlier in Section II, herein I close this Diocesan Bull by addressing the future of the diocese and my aims in my capacity as Bishop St. Godwin. I am looking to bring some essence of stability back to my role by first and foremost setting out on an expedition to tour the lands of St. Godwin Major and St. Godwin Minor and speak to relevant folk on the happenings of the last decade and hear of their wants and concerns and how I as Bishop might be of assistance to them and help them. To make such arrangements go over smoothly, I kindly request that, if you read this, and have an interest in such, you send me a letter so that we might schedule a time for this.

Likewise, in light of the survey mentioned earlier on in this Bull that revealed that the clergy within our Bishopric was spread rather thin, even before the deaths of both my predecessors, I am seeking to recruit more clergy for the Diocese to properly tend to the flock, that is you, entrusted to my care. This to ensure that you may never be without a priest, and, hopefully, the Lord willing, in time ensure that all positions are filled. I ask that, if you read this, and feel a calling to the priesthood, you, too, send me a letter. Likewise, if you require a priest, do send me a letter and I shall answer it promptly, and either tend to you in person or send a trusted brother or sister of the clergy to do so, depending on what you need.

In the spirit of trying to achieve this, it is also that I preemptively appoint Acolyte Randir as parish priest to those living within the Barony of Salvo - an appointment that is to go into effect immediately upon his ordination in the near future. This, the Lord GOD willing, hopefully being the first of many such appointments to the various settlements that remain populated in St. Godwin Major, and the disparate Canonist communities in St. Godwin Minor.

 

I furthermore intend to survey and record the various Canonist sites, such as churches, wayshrines, and other notable locations, and compile them into a single document, to be updated over time. Hopefully, as well as improving knowledge of these sites for the flock, be they merely intrigued or potential pilgrims, this endeavour will allow the condition of these sites to be determined, and steps taken to maintain them. This shall be undertaken in parallel with the planned general visits to the various settlements that dot Saint Godwin Major and Minor.

 

A successive Diocesan Bull shall soon follow when there are matters worthy of putting pen to paper, and when my unfortunately busier schedule in my capacity as Chancellor to His Holiness allows.

 

GOD Bless.

 

 

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IN NOMINE DEI

Franz Bishop St. Godwin

   Chancellor to His Holiness and Prefect for the Laity

 

 

 

[Kursion 463]

"In Salvo we welcome with open arms the appointment of Acolyte Randir as parish priest, it is a great step that will help to keep the community of Salvo safe." Cedric would celebrate in the Salvo salloon

[Publius 4098]

Levi was plenty happy after having the bull read to him, his pride for his home tickled by the warmth shown by the Bishop.

 

He sent to the Bishop something like, 7-8 pounds of beef jerky, it was kind of excessive, but it did come with a thank you note requesting to go drinking with him. 

[drtrollado 267]

"With patience and humility, we shall fulfill His Holy Will" The acolyte signed the lorraine over himself as he finished reading the missive, a big smile would form on his lips.