The first principle of the Ordinariate is then about Christian unity. St. Basil the Great, the Church’s greatest ecumenist, literally expended his life on the work of building bridges between orthodox brethren who shared a common faith, but who had become separated from one another in a Church badly fragmented by heresy and controversy. He taught that the work of Christian unity requires deliberate and ceaseless effort...St. Basil often talked with yearning about the archaia agape, the ancient love of the apostolic community, so rarely seen in the Church of his day. This love, he taught, is a visible sign that the Holy Spirit is indeed present and active, and it is absolutely essential for the health of the Church.

- Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, Homily on the Occasion of his Formal Institution as Ordinary

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Catholic Church Welcomes Anglicans

By Steve Norman
25 October 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has unveiled a new Roman Catholic Church initiative which will let Anglicans, often known as Episcopalians in the United States, practice Catholicism while keeping many of their Anglican-style prayers and rituals.In 1982, Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, opened the door to Anglicans allowing priests and bishops to become Catholics on a case-by-case basis.

Pope Benedict's new pastoral provisions will let whole groups of Anglicans to enter the Roman Catholic Church all at once.Until now, the only case of an entire Anglican diocese becoming Catholic was that of Amritsar, in the Indian region of Punjab. That occured in 1975.

Read the rest on Voice of America.
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