Catholic Church receives former Anglican parish

Omaha, Nebraska
August 16, 2013

Father Robert Scheiblhofer, parochial administrator of St. Barnabas Church in Omaha, said he felt joy as he watched church members being confirmed during a historic July 10 ceremony welcoming the former Episcopalian church into the Catholic faith.

At that time, Father Scheiblhofer had resigned his Anglican orders to become Catholic. He was ordained a priest Aug. 10 by Archbishop George J. Lucas at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha.

Prayer and faith sustained the church of about 50 people during its long journey, which dates back to St. Barnabas' founding in 1869 as part of a movement reestablishing Anglicanism's Catholic roots, said Father Scheiblhofer, 62.

"We've been working and praying for this for many years," he said. "It's literally the answer to that prayer."

Becoming part of the Catholic community was the highlight of the ceremony for Vicki Bohn, 69, a member of St. Barnabas for 12 years with her husband, Mel, 70...

Read the full story about the reception of St. Baranabas on Catholic Voice Online.

Read the related story on St. Baranbas' long history of ecumenism, which begins:

St. Barnabas has long history of ecumenism
By DAVID GOUGER

St. Barnabas Church in Omaha - an Anglican congregation that came into full communion with the Catholic Church during a Rite of Reception ceremony July 10 - has a history of Anglican-Catholic ecumenism dating to its 19th century ties with Father Paul Wattson, whose ministry included Christian unity.

Father Wattson - an Anglican who later converted to Catholicism - assisted at St. Barnabas while part of a group of Episcopalian priests who lived in community in Omaha, said Father Robert Scheiblhofer, parochial administrator for St. Barnabas...

St. Barnabas Church Omaha to be received into Ordinariate on July 10, 2013.

On Wednesday evening, July 10th, at seven o'clock, the Parish of St. Barnabas will enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. 

St. Barnabas Parish began its life in 1869 as an Episcopal parish formed as part of the Oxford Movement. Among the stated goals of the Oxford Movement were the reintroduction of ritual elements into the liturgy, the nurturing of the poor and downtrodden and an eventual reunification with the Holy See. The founding pastor, the Rev. Mr. George Betts, often found himself being called on the carpet by the Episcopal bishop, Robert Clarkson for these views and practices. During the course of its 144 year history the parish continued its often-rocky association with the Episcopal Church, culminating in its disassociation with that body in 2007. With the announcement of "Anglicanorum Coetibus," the parish began in earnest its path to reunification with the Holy See. That path will reach its final destination with the visit of Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson to the Parish to receive congregants as full members of the Roman Catholic Church.

The formation of the Ordinariate (officially known as The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter) was the response of Pope Benedict XVI to the request of Anglican groups seeking a home in the Roman Catholic Church. The goal of the Ordinariate is to allow former Anglicans to retain much of their Anglican Patrimony (liturgy, spirituality, and polity) and to share this patrimony with the wider Catholic Church.

All are cordially welcome to join us on the 10th for this wonderful and long-dreamed-of occasion.

"Ut unum sint" -- "May they all be one."

Omaha's St. Barnabas parish weighs order to surrender its church

By Christopher Burbach

An Omaha congregation that left the Episcopal Church over issues of doctrine and homosexuality now faces a tough decision about its midtown church: Should congregants stay or should they go?

A judge ruled last week that the people of St. Barnabas Church must surrender the 97-year-old church building, with all its artwork and other trappings, plus its rectory and other property to the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska.

The ruling by Douglas County District Court Judge Joseph Troia came more than three years after the diocese sued St. Barnabas' priest and leaders for the church and rectory at 129 N. 40th St. It is one of many such property disputes around the nation between the Episcopal Church and disaffected congregations.

The judge's order gives the St. Barnabas congregation, which is moving toward joining the Roman Catholic Church, until late October to hand over the keys. But the diocese's lawyer, D.C. “Woody” Bradford, said it won't push to enforce that deadline.

People on both sides said they hope for negotiations that could lead to the congregation's staying in its current home, though not as an Episcopal church. St. Barnabas leaders also are considering an appeal.

“What we're hoping is that now that they have won the lawsuit they'll be more willing to sit down with us and talk about what's real,” said the Rev. Robert Scheiblhofer, rector of St. Barnabas...

Read the rest at the Omaha World Herald.

Hat tips to Fr. Smuts and Michael Frost

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Another article with a different slant can be found on the website of Fox42 News. (Note, the article repeatedly refers to the "archdiocese" of Nebraska, which is a mistake, as there are no archbishops in the Episcopal Church in the U.S.; this is probably a conflation with the Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha, which may be more typically part of the news cycle.)

Read the whole story at Fox42 News.

"Property has been taken away from an entity here that was never in court," said John Chatelain.

Last week, a judge ruled that St. Barnabas belongs to the Episcopal Archdiocese of Nebraska. That means, since the church no long associates itself with Episcopalian beliefs and practices, the church keys-and everything inside-belong to the archdiocese.

"Not only has the plaintiff sued the wrong people, but they have failed to sue the person of the entity that owns the property," said Chatelain, the attorney for St. Barnabas.

The Archdiocese filed a lawsuit against seven defendants three years ago. At the time, a little over half were part of the governing body of St. Barnabas. Now, Chatelain said, none of them are church officials.

"Parish corporation has never been named as a defendant-and the property has always been held by the ‘wardens and vestry' of the Church," said Chatelain...

That's one of the many reasons why Chatelain said he plans to appeal the ruling.

Hat tip to Sean Reed and Michael Thannisch on Facebook