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

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Rare father and son priest ordination set for this Saturday


Six former Episcopal priests from the Fort Worth area, including a father and son, will become part of history when they are ordained Catholic priests together on June 30.
The six are part of the first ordination class for the new Catholic Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. Based in Houston, the ordinariate is equivalent to a diocese, but national in scope. It was created earlier this year by Pope Benedict XVI for Anglican groups and clergy in the United States seeking to become Catholic while retaining elements of their Anglican heritage.
Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann will ordain the men as Catholic priests on Saturday, June 30, 9 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2016 Willis Lane, Keller, TX 76248. Msgr. Jeffrey N. Steenson, head of the 0rdinariate, will participate.
And regarding the father and son:
Among those being ordained are Charles Hough, III, and his son, Charles Hough, IV. They will be among a handful of father-son Catholic priests in U.S. history. A special exception has been given for the former Anglican priests who are married to be ordained Catholic priests for the Ordinariate.
Charles Hough, III
Charles Hough, III, 57, of Granbury, was an Episcopal priest for 31 years, including 18 years as Canon to the Ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth before he stepped down in September 2011 to become Catholic. A graduate of the University of Texas and Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin, he was rector of two parishes in the Fort Worth area from 1982 to 1993. He currently leads St. John Vianney Catholic Ordinariate Community, which meets at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Granbury, and is online at stjohnvianneycleburne.org. Married for 39 years, he and his wife, Marilyn, have two children and two grandchildren. Their son, Charles IV, also is being ordained.
Charles Hough, IV
Charles Hough, IV, 30, of Keller, was ordained an Episcopal priest in 2007 and was rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church until entering the Catholic Church in June 2011. He is a graduate of Texas A&M and received a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House Seminary. He served on the adult religious education staff at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Keller, Texas and, starting July 1, will be pastor of Our Lady of Walsingham Ordinariate Parish in Houston, Texas. Married for eight years, he and his wife Lindsay have two young sons.
from Deacon Greg Kandra's blog The Deacon's Bench. 
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