Upon This "Rock," An Ordinariate Is Born

Cardinal DiNardo celebrating Mass
at Our Lady of Walsingham Church during the 2009
Anglican Use Conference in Houston.

Twenty-six months since Anglicanorum coetibus laid the groundwork for groups of Anglicans to cross the Tiber whilst maintaining elements of their liturgical, spiritual, theological and canonical patrimony, the top-shelf papal project has taken a sizable leap this New Year's morning, with as the establishment of the venture's Stateside jurisdiction by the Holy See.

In an unprecedented Sunday announcement -- a significant sign of Rome's degree of seriousness about the effort -- the Vatican's press bulletin gave official word of the erection of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter, encompassing the territory of the United States. The national quasi-diocese for the entering groups is the second of its kind, following England's Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, which was launched a year ago this month...

Read the rest of Rocco Palma's very complete report at Whispers in the Loggia.


Cornerstone of Our Lady of Walsingham Church
in Houston, TX