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, May 13, 2012

Writing at the Anglo-Catholic blog, Fr. Phillips writes:

Ever since the "Becoming One" gathering in November, 2010, there have been friendships formed and information shared about groups getting organized. From time to time on the pages of this blog, we have featured some of these Ordinariate-bound groups, and it would be inspiring to have more of these "local stories" shared with our readers. If you'd like to have the story of your parish, society, or group featured here, please contact me at FrPhillips@atonementonline.com, and I'll be more than happy to share your story on The Anglo-Catholic as part of what I'd like to call our "Bright Lights" series. By the way, this isn't just for American groups. We'd love to hear from those in Canada and Australia, and also from groups in the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Fr. Phillips wrote that rescinding his parish's application for admission to the U.S. Ordinariate would allow the parish to maintain its integrity and unity, until the time was ready for an admission that would permit this. Another benefit is that his pen has been freed to write and give us the benefits of his thoughts and his efforts on behalf of the work of preserving and furthering the Anglican heritage within the Catholic Church, a pen that had largely been chained in public fora like The Anglo-Catholic since January.

Do look at Father's post on the Anglican Use Society in Orange County, California, and if your community has a similar story to tell, get in touch with him.

Hat tip to Fr. Stephen Smuts.

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