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

Monday, November 24, 2014

The Catholicism of Henry VIII

It is doubtful that Henry Tudor thought he was changing the faith of his realm when he wrested control of the English Church from its natural obedience to the Holy See. In his will, he provided for two Masses to be said daily for his repose; only one of that will's provisions that wouldn't be carried out, as the regents of his son Edward began the purge of Catholicism from the English Church before his body was cold!
We have five articles in Anglican Embers dealing with the first centuries of Anglicanism, and the struggle for Catholic faith in England, which, despite the hierarchical separation that was made permanent after Elizabeth I's accession, was never complete as long as there were members of the faithful who clung to their faith.
The first of these was published in volume 1, number 12 (Advent 2006), and bears the same title as this post. Especially for those who haven't spent much time looking at the history, these may prove to be helpful.
Find the article at: http://www.anglicanuse.org/AE_1_12_Cavanaugh-Catholic-HenryVIII.pdf
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