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

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Habemus Papam



The newly elected pope, Jorge Bergoglio, has taken the name Francis. Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Ordinary for Catholics of the Easter Rite in Argentina. Like many Argentines, he is of Italian descent. There is a biography of him on Wikipedia.

4 comments:

  1. He hates the TLM so don't expect the Ordinariate Liturgies to be traditional on his watch.

    BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've read "New Catholic's" latest on Rorate, and despite what he said, I'm not sure that "he hates" is necessarily correct.

    That being said, I doubt the new Pope will be very hands on about the Ordinariate Liturgy; I think that will continue under the current commission and will be published pretty much as it would have otherwise have emerged.

    Bd. John Paul II was not very concerned with the traditional liturgy either, and yet Ecclesia Dei emerged during his pontificate. But as some of the comments over at Rorate indicate, hoping for solutions "from on high" are not the best placed hopes. The traditional liturgies will be restored to their proper place through the people praying and living out the liturgies. Arianism was stopped by the Holy Spirit working through the laos; so will Modernism.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree.... Are there any congregations in the Louisiana area that are in fellowship or communion with the Ordinariate?

      Delete
    2. George, sorry I didn't see your question until just now. I don't know of anyone in Louisiana right now (there are lots in communion with the Ordinariate...all the Catholic parishes are, but I don't think that's what you meant :)

      The closest would be Fr. Venuti's group in Mobile, Alabama (linked to in the "Anglican Use Online" sidebar).

      Delete