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, April 2, 2013

The Ordinariate has finally arrived


Here's a photo, taken by Lorna Muffat for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, that shows Mgr Keith Newton celebrating Easter Sunday Mass in the organisation's magnificent new London home, Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street. And here's Mgr Newton with the priests and servers:


There's plenty of scepticism about the Ordinariate – especially since the careful circulation of a quote attributed to former Cardinal Bergoglio saying he didn't see the need for it. Well, we shall see. Pope Francis – who would never have encountered Anglicans in the Catholic tradition in Latin America – now finds himself head of the Ordinariate in three continents; his spokesman has said that this will be a permanent structure of the Catholic Church.

Will it be? That's up to the Ordinariate. Its leader in this country, Mgr Newton, has the jurisdiction if not the sacramental powers of a bishop – hence the mitre. The Warwick Street congregation is still small – the group didn't move into the church until Palm Sunday (and hasn't yet started using its own liturgy).
But there's an energy and sense of imagination here that promises great things. Essentially, the Ordinariate finds itself in the same position as most of the great orders and religious communities of the Church in their early days...

Read the rest of Mr. Thompson's post at The Telegraph's blogsite

5 comments:

  1. I am more offended by the Brits celebrating 'versus populum' rather than ad orientem! No excuse fore it.

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  2. "...especially since the careful circulation of a quote attributed to former Cardinal Bergoglio saying he didn't see the need for it. Well, we shall see. Pope Francis – who would never have encountered Anglicans in the Catholic tradition in Latin America – now finds himself head of the Ordinariate in three continents; his spokesman has said that this will be a permanent structure of the Catholic Church."

    Ah, it would would have made a great April 1 "headline": Papa Francisco erects an ordinariate for the Falklands, declaring in public to President Cristina Fernández, "Las Malvinas claro que no son en realidad Argentinas!" [April 2 was the date of the invasion! :)] President Fernández de Kirchner strongly opposes the Catholic Church on contraception, abortion, and gay "marriage," but now, however, oddly seeks the Pope's help in Argentina's irredentist claims on the Falklands.

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  3. I believe they only took possession of the church on Palm Sunday, though it seems they are still responsible for the existing parish there. Up until Holy Thursday they celebrated weekday evening Masses ad orientam at the Lady Chapel altar. I'd guess the existing main altar is not conducive to celebrate ad orientam, and that it might be a considerable expense to modify it. Some patience may be in order.

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  4. For more about Holy Week with OLW Ordinariate, read http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/#5256763798889412605

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  5. Regardless of what his views on the Ordinariates are or are not, “His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher,” the papal message stated.

    “He recalls with appreciation the Christian values which underpinned her commitment to public service and to the promotion of freedom among the family of nations. Entrusting her soul to the mercy of God, and assuring her family and the British people of a remembrance in his prayers, the Holy Father invokes upon all whose lives she touched God’s abundant blessings.”
    http://en.mercopress.com/2013/04/09/francis-underlined-baroness-thatcher-s-commitment-to-promoting-freedom-among-the-family-of-nations?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily

    or

    http://tinyurl.com/d4vr8t7

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