The Catholic homeless charity Anchor House has won a major battle against HM Revenue and Customs concerning a VAT bill.
The decision means that 25 new flats for homeless people in London can now be opened for use.
Last year HMRC billed the homelessness charity £1 million in VAT for a property it owned in Newham, east London, which the charity intended to use as moving-on flats for homeless people.
HMRC changed the designation of the building, in Newham, to that of a “residential and life skills centre” rather than a “homeless hostel” after the charity updated the description on its website about the services it provided, while insisting the use of the development had not altered fundamentally.
Following the latest decision to reduce the VAT bill, the chief executive of the charity, Keith Fernett, told the Tablet that an alliance of politicians, supporters and celebrities had persuaded HMRC to change its decision.
Among the individuals who lobbied HMRC was Stephen Timms MP, former chief secretary to the treasury who attended meetings with Mr Fernett and representatives from HMRC.
Although the decision means that the property can now be used to support homeless people, the charity has said that the negotiations had incurred costs of £1m. Meanwhile, one donor withdrew £500,000 because they said they wanted the money to go to homeless people and not to HMRC.
Ordinariate pilgrims flock to Newman’s home
Blessed John Henry Newman’s crozier was used by Mgr Keith Newton during a Solemn Mass in the Ordinariate Rite on Saturday October 15.
The Mass was part of a Year of Mercy pilgrimage by the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham to the Oratory of St Philip Neri, Birmingham.
The Ordinariate Rite for Divine Worship uses language from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, which is fully Catholic in expression and content and an authoritative adaptation of the Roman Rite.
The Mass followed Evensong and Benediction at St Chad’s Cathedral on the Friday evening.
During his homily at the Oratory, Mgr Newton, leader of the Ordinariate, spoke about the significance of being able to use this rite in a church founded by Cardinal Newman.
“What a great privilege and a pleasure it is for us as members of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham to celebrate Mass here in the Birmingham Oratory, founded by Blessed John Henry Newman, and using words in the Mass that he would have been familiar with from his days in the Church of England” he said.
“What Newman would have made of the liturgy we’re using this morning we shall never know, but I have no doubt that he smiles down upon us, and intercedes for us as our heavenly patron.
“It is significant that this new ecumenical initiative should have taken place during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, who was himself greatly influenced by Newman’s writings. “After all, Newman did envisage some such structure in the Catholic Church.”
Mgr Newton continued: “I’m using John Henry Newman’s crozier for the Mass today, and the thing that we have in common, but the only thing we have in common – except we were both in the Church of England once – is that he wasn’t a bishop either.”
Newman was given the crozier after being unexpectedly made a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII.
After the Mass those present were invited to come to the Communion rail to venerate a relic of Blessed John Henry Newman.
At the beginning of the Year of Mercy, Mgr Newton said: “Pilgrimage holds a special place in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. For many of us, pilgrimages to the shrine from which we take our name have been central to our spiritual life.
“Our entry into the full communion of the Catholic Church was in itself a pilgrimage – travelling together, often at some personal cost, to answer God’s call and to receive His grace.
“It is natural therefore that pilgrimage should be at the heart of our observance of the Year of Mercy.”
The Ordinariate organised a pilgrimage to Rome and Loreto in May. The pilgrimage to the shrine of Blessed John Newman at the Birmingham Oratory was one of two national events. The other was a summer pilgrimage to Walsingham.
The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham was established by Benedict XVI in 2011 to allow groups of Anglicans to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church while retaining much of their heritage and traditions.
‘Gentle’ bishop dies at 87
The former Bishop of Paisley, John Mone, died last Friday at the age of 87, at a nursing home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor in Greenock.
He was ordained in 1952. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Glasgow in 1984 and Bishop of Paisley in 1988. Bishop John Keenan of Paisley said:“Bishop John was a holy man of God who was a gentle and faithful pastor of his people and who was dearly loved by the faithful, clergy and religious of Paisley diocese.”
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