Innocence...

I just had to show you this picture of newly-baptised Sophie Vander Sys.  What a precious little girl... and the look on her face!  Enough to melt your heart...

Mass of the Immaculate Conception of Mary...

We've been testing out the webcast in preparation for Saturday's meeting on Anglicanorum coetibus, and decided to try it at this morning's school Mass. You can view it at this link.

Information day will be webcast...

The information day we're sponsoring on December 12th, to have a closer look at Anglicanorum coetibus, will be webcast.  This means that people who aren't able to be here on the day can watch it by logging on to this web address: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/anglicanorum.

We're including the Mass in the webcast, and that will begin at 10:00 a.m. (central time).  There will be a brief break in the webcast while we move to the St. Anthony Hall for the meeting, which should begin at about 11:00 a.m., or just after.  The whole webcast should be available afterwards at the same web address, so if you miss it in "real time," you should be able to watch it at your leisure, and forward it to others.

Of course, if you're in the San Antonio area, you'll want to make every effort to be here.  Webcasting is nice, but it's not the same as being present and taking part. 

If you haven't already, let me know if you plan to attend.  My e-mail address is FrPhillips@atonementonline.com.

The day that shall live in infamy...

December 7, 1941

A Prayer for our Country

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land...

The Atonement Academy has, for many years, supported various Catholic schools in the Holy Land.  The work of education is an important part of the Latin Patriarchate, and it's a privilege to help with that apostolate.  We're presently giving support to St. Joseph's in Jifna.  Their priest, Fr. Firas Aridah, is a dynamic and dedicated man who loves his parish, and especially the children of his school. 

He sent these pictures of their St. Barbara Feast.  It's the tradition for each child to assemble a "St. Barbara Dish" on her feast day, and you can see the excitement in their faces as they bring their offerings to Mass for Father to bless their efforts.

Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who didst send thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

December 12th meeting on Anglicanorum coetibus

AN INFORMATION DAY ON THE

APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION

ANGLICANORUM COETIBUS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH

Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe
at 10:00 a.m. in the Church.

Meeting to follow
at 11:00 a.m. in the St. Anthony Hall.

Join us for an informational meeting to learn more about the Holy Father’s recent Apostolic Constitution regarding the establishment of Personal Ordinariates throughout the world.

Our parish has been involved in reconciling former Anglicans/Episcopalians in this country through the Pastoral Provision for more than a quarter of a century, and now the Holy Father is now expanding this important work of reconciliation in a special way to the whole world. There will be ample time for your questions following the scheduled presentations.

A light lunch, ($6 ea. and payable at the door), will be available.  So we have some idea of how many will want lunch, please notify me (if you haven't already) at FrPhillips@AtonementOnline.com.

The program will be moderated by Mr. Charles Wilson and our guest speakers will be Mr. Michael Dunnigan, Mr. Duane Galles, and Mr. Ralph Johnston.

Charles M. Wilson is the founder of the Saint Joseph Foundation, and serves as its Executive Director. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and his Master's degree in Theological Studies from the Oblate School of Theology. His area of academic concentration was canon law. He is an associate member of the Canon Law Society of America and serves on the Board of Governors of Eternal Word Television Network.


Ralph Johnston serves as the Headmaster of The Atonement Academy, having obtained his Master’s degree from Yale University. A member of the parish, and an avid follower of these momentous events, he was the first person to deliver a formal request to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for the establishment of a Personal Ordinariate in the United States.


Duane Galles lives in Minneapolis.  He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Joseph Foundation and the key canonical consultant there for some twenty years. He is qualified as a civil and canon lawyer, having received his Doctor of Canon Law (JCD) degree from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.


Michael Dunnigan is both a civil and canon lawyer. He received his Licentiate in Canon Law (JCL) degree from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and is now preparing to defend his JCD dissertation.

This will be a great opportunity to learn more about this generous decision by the Holy Father.  Plan to be here if you can.

I guess you had to be there...

Picture it.  A group of Episcopalians gathers to elect their next bishop.  They're all together the night before, ostensibly for the purpose of praying for guidance.  It comes time for a reading from Scripture, and... well, let's go to the incident as it's recounted in an article by David Virtue, which he's posted on his website, VirtueOnline:

A cradle Episcopalian and parishioner at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Portland found herself mocked and ridiculed for reading a portion of Scripture relating to the qualifications for bishop on the eve of electing a new diocesan bishop.

Margaret Enriques was invited by her rector, the Rev. David L. Humphrey, to read 1Timothy 3:1-7 (NRSV), a passage relating to the qualifications for bishop. She promptly agreed. During the Opening Eucharist, she approached the lectern, announced the Lesson and began to read. When the second sentence was read, people began to laugh. Soon the sound of laughter became so great that she stopped and waited until it died down. Then she continued, but soon the laughter returned and grew so loud that she had to stop again and wait until she could be heard. Finally, she finished the reading.

"The laughter began when I started to read 'a bishop should not be a lover of money' and again later during the reading," she told VOL.

A few minutes later, in the introduction to his sermon, the Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb (appointed in 2008 to administer the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin) joked: "I'd like to have a word with whoever it was who picked those readings." The bishop did not make good his threat, Enriques told VOL.

Asked about her ordeal, Enriques said she was shocked and deeply saddened by what had happened, but it was not enough to make her leave The Episcopal Church.

Following is the text of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (NRSV). "The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way- for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil."

What would possess people to act like that?  How could they think that what the Bible has to say about qualities for a bishop would be something to laugh about?  Like I said, I guess you had to be there...

It wasn't long after I began my ministry as a young Episcopal curate that I was involved pretty closely in an election for a new bishop.  I was supporting the candidacy of my rector, and I was given the privilege of putting his name in nomination.  It was a solemn and very formal occasion.  In the eucharistic service before the meeting of Convention we listened carefully to God's Word.  When the nominations were made, the speeches included not only facts about the man's ministry (there were only men being nominated in those days), but most of us made the effort to relate the qualities of our candidate to the scriptural references about bishops.  Granted, that was almost thirty-five years ago.  But have things changed that drastically in that short a time?  Apparently so.

Things like this only point out more strongly the importance of what Pope Benedict is doing with Anglicanorum coetibus.    Although they weren't in evidence at the gathering in St. Matthew's, Portland, there are still good people, Bible-believing people, in the Episcopal Church.  And there are even more in the wider world of Anglicanism.  Right now, these people are "strangers in a strange land."  They need to know there's a place for them to go, and there's a real pastor who cares for them.  I know many of them have some anti-catholic feelings to come to terms with.  This isn't their fault.  They're the product of generations of otherwise good people who have feelings of distrust, of deep suspicion, when it comes to things catholic.  The very thought of "becoming Roman" isn't seen as a pleasant possibility.  I know this.  I was in that position myself.

But God can change hearts, and He very often does.  Benedict has opened the door and put out the welcome mat.  Those of us already in the Catholic Church need to have patience as our Anglican brothers and sisters assess the situation and begin to wrap their minds around the idea of making the journey "to Rome." 

Part of the beauty of Anglicanorum coetibus is that when these Anglicans arrive home, they'll find it furnished with what they already treasure.  They'll be welcomed as brothers and sisters in Christ.  And they can be darned sure they won't be mocked for believing God's Word.

First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen

.

Beginning Advent...

At the beginning of Advent, it is our custom (after blessing the Advent wreath and lighting the first candle) to chant the Litany in procession through the nave of the Church, ending at the Rood.

The Great Litany

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.

Saint Mary, Mother of God our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pray for us.

All holy Angels and Archangels, and all holy Orders of blessed Spirits,
Pray for us.

All holy Patriarchs and Prophets; Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors and Virgins; and the blessed Company of Heaven,
Pray for us.

Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins. Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath; and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly and unprepared,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us.

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church Universal in the right way,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless Benedict our Pope, and Jose our Bishop,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, and all Ministers of thy Church, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to send forth laborers into thy harvest,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee so to rule the hearts of thy servants, the President of the United States and all others in authority, that they may above all things seek thy honor and glory,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to guide all Judges and Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives, all who are in want, and all who are desolate and oppressed,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so that in due time we may enjoy them,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve, and provide for, all women in childbirth, all infirm persons, and young children; and all who are bereft of spouse or parent,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve all who are in peril by reason of their labor or their travel,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to succor, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy Holy Word,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to grant that, by the intercession of all thy Saints, we may finally attain to thy heavenly kingdom,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to grant to all the faithful departed eternal rest and perpetual light,
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
Grant us thy peace.

O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.

Let us pray. Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in thy Son’s Name; We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ear to us who have now made our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things which we have asked faithfully according to thy will, may be obtained effectually, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"...that they all may be one..."

I had a brief exchange of emails with an Anglican clergyman.  His parish is, I think, part of the American group that's in a pastoral relationship with some of the Anglicans in Africa. I don't really understand all the connections, and I don't know who's in communion with whom, but he's a very nice man and a cleric who plainly loves Christ.

He had expressed some interest in attending the information day on Anglicanorum coetibus that we're having here on December 12th, and he mentioned that he'd like to stop in and meet me sometime soon.  I let him know I'd be delighted to see him, and we exchanged some possible dates and times.  One of my suggestions was a time right after a weekday Mass which is attended by the students in our parish school.  "In fact," I said, "maybe you'd like to come to the Mass, and we can meet right afterwards."  That sounded like a great idea to him, and I thought we were set. 

Then I got another email.  "Am I ok for Holy Communion?" 

I knew what he was asking, and I wondered why he would even ask.  "Sadly, no," I wrote back, "I'm a man under orders, as I know you understand." 

His response?  Here's what he wrote: "This is one of the things that stands in the way of real unity—the RCC treats other Christians as though they aren’t really Christians—denying them the Body and the Blood. This is especially problematic in light of the fact that you and I do nearly the same service, and our ordinations share many of the same apostolic roots, along with a common apostolic succession. That’s gotta hurt the cause of Christ in a world that desperately, desperately needs Him."

It's probably my fault because I invited him to attend the Mass.  Maybe that's why he took it as more than just an invitation to be there, although his response makes it obvious that he knew the answer before he asked the question. His blanket statement that Catholics treat others as though they're not really Christians is based solely upon the fact that we don't have a "come one, come all" policy at the Communion rail.  He knows the Church doesn't deny that he's a Christian.  In fact, the Church teaches explicitly that all those who are validly baptised belong to Christ.  And then there's the subtle slap, that I'm hurting the "cause of Christ" because I won't give him Holy Communion.

The problem is, most protestants view Holy Communion as a means of achieving the unity Christ desires; whereas the Catholic understanding is that it's a sign of the unity of faith we're supposed to have already.  How can we best understand the vast difference between those two understandings?  Maybe St. Paul can help.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, he holds up the relationship Christ has with the Church as an image of the marriage relationship.  And that image provides a helpful picture to us, when it comes to Holy Communion.

Probably we've all known young couples who decide that they're going to live together, and have a sexual relationship, because they think it will somehow bring them closer together, and help them find out if they should get married.  In effect, they want to pretend they're married, in the hope that it'll lead to the real thing.  Of course, it doesn't.  It cheapens God's gift of sexuality.  And even if they do eventually marry, you can be sure that the anniversary they keep isn't going to be the anniversary of the first time they slept together.

Having a sexual relationship outside of marriage gives a fake impression of a sacred union.  It's unsatisfying, and eventually one or both of the partners starts to feel used.  At some point there comes a desire either to end it, or else to make it permanent.  It's only when a man and a woman have bound themselves together before God by "pledging their troth each to the other" - by making solemn vows to one another before God - it's only then that their sexual relationship can become what God intends it to be.

Keep that image in mind - the image of a man and woman bound by vows made before God.  Now think about trying to achieve Christian unity by having everybody receive Holy Communion, no matter what they believe.  It's like sex before marriage.  It's only an illusion of unity.

Anglicanorum coetibus in its context...

Anglicanorum coetibus didn't arise out of a void.  At various times over the past years, groups of Anglicans have made approaches to the Holy See.  Those in the news of late are but the most recent.

One of the best accounts of the approach made in the 1970's has been chronicled by Fr. Jack Barker, one-time rector of St. Mary of the Angels in Hollywood, and now the pastor of St. Martha's, Murrieta, in the Diocese of San Bernardino.

Anyone interested in Anglicanorum coetibus really should read this history.  It's linked here.  Fr. Barker was a participant in it all, and he gives us an important and accurate eye-witness account.  At the end of his article there is the text of the Decree which established the Pastoral Provision, and also the petition which was presented to Pope John Paul II on All Saints Day, 1979.

Even a cursory reading makes it obvious that the possibility of what is provided in Anglicanorum coetibus is contained in the original Decree, and the hope of the original petitioners has been fulfilled by Pope Benedict XVI.

By the way, one small thing to look for in the article: mention is made of the participation of a young priest who served as the English-speaking secretary to Cardinal Franjo Seper, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  His name?  Fr. William Levada, now a Cardinal, serving as Prefect of that same Congregation, and who announced Anglicanorum coetibus to the world.

Asking God's blessings...

Almighty and gracious Father, we give thee thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we beseech thee, faithful stewards of thy great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

"I'm not hurrying. I'm just walking fast..."

When the text of Anglicanorum coetibus was made public, I had no hesitation at all in wanting to be part of an Ordinariate.  I happened to be in Rome at the time of the announcement, and I excitedly called my archbishop and said to him that I wanted to send in a request right away.  His response was, "What's your hurry?"

His question didn't make any sense to me.  In fact, I pondered it all the way back from Rome.  But I think I've figured it out. 

He knows me as a pastor, and us as a parish, because we're part of his archdiocese, just like his other priests and parishes.  Sure, we have a different liturgical use.  But heck, when you go around the archdiocese you'd swear that every single parish has its own liturgical use.  He knows that we're loyal to him as our archbishop.  He knows our school as one of the finest in the archdiocese, recognized nationally as an excellent educational institution.  We pay our money on time.  We're supportive of archdiocesan programs, such as pro-life efforts, the apostolate to the homeless and needy, the seminary, and a host of other things.  When he visits the parish we welcome him as our spiritual Father-in-God.  And then he gets a call from me, all excited about the new Apostolic Constitution, and the possibility of becoming part of an Ordinariate.  I didn't stop to think that he hadn't been particularly waiting for this development.  In fact, it hasn't been on his radar screen at all.  So when he hears me, naturally his first reaction is, "What's your hurry?"

The thing is, the immediate desire to be part of an Ordinariate isn't hurrying at all.  We've been working for this and praying for this for some thirty years.  When approaches were made to the Holy See back in the 1970's, we had no idea what the Church might do for us.  When the Pastoral Provision was established by Pope John Paul II, it was a huge step forward, and we entered into the process as quickly as we could.  Why would we have waited around?  We asked; Rome responded; we fulfilled the requirements as soon as possible, and we were welcomed home.  But even then we knew that some sort of separate jurisdiction would be necessary if our parishes were going to grow and increase in numbers.  And we took great comfort in the fact that the document outlining the terms of the Pastoral Provision allowed for this possibility. 

In section II, 1 of the Pastoral Provision document signed by Cardinal Seper on July 22, 1980, Prot. N. 66/77, it states, "The preference expressed by the majority of the Episcopal Conference for the insertion of these reconciled Episcopalians into the diocesan structures under the jurisdiction of the local Ordinaries is recognized. Nevertheless, the possibility of some other type of structure as provided for by canonical dispositions, and as suited to the needs of the group, is not excluded." (emphasis added).

That's precisely what has happened with the promulgation of Anglicanorum coetibus.  A new structure is being provided.  We tried it the way the Episcopal Conference wanted it to be.  Where we were allowed to exist, we were made part of the existing diocesan structures under the jurisdiction of the local Ordinary.  And that's the problem, clearly stated: "where we were allowed to exist."  There were a few bishops who allowed the erection of parishes, but many bishops refused to allow a parish to be established under the terms of the Pastoral Provision.  Some bishops were confused by it all, and would refer it to someone in the Chancery system, where the request would languish.  Many bishops saw this only in terms of "married priests."  Still other bishops couldn't see the purpose of us having our own liturgy, and a number of them told potential converts, "Sign up for RCIA, and just become Catholics in your local parish."

But now, with Anglicanorum coetibus, all that's changed.  Pope Benedict XVI recognized the constraints we've had for these many years, and he's provided a solution.  And not only provided it, but written it into the law of the Church, and extended it throughout the world.

There's nothing here for me to agonize over. The Holy Father has made his decision under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and he's signed the document, making the decision official and final. 

So, with the deepest respect to those who feel they need more time to consider their options, or to explore issues, or to think about what they should do - by all means, take all the time you need. 

And to those who think I'm hurrying, I've had all the time I need to think about it.  I've been thinking about it for nearly thirty years.  I'm happy to express my thanks by saying, "Yes."

Choice...

Despite what you read in the newspapers, Bishop Tobin isn't telling Patrick Kennedy how to vote.  Young Patrick can vote however he wants, on any issue he wants.  He can vote in support of abortion until his eyes cross and the cows come home.  All the bishop has told him is that if he does that, he can't receive Holy Communion.

Is that so tough for Patrick and his friends to understand?  No one's cramping his style.  The bishop's just pointing out that if you make a left-hand turn, you can't make a right-hand turn at the same time.

So, Patrick, don't lay this on the bishop.  You have a choice.  Support abortion and endanger your immortal soul, or support life and grow closer to Christ.  You're pro-choice, right?  So choose.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in thy well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple

St. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, had prayed for a child, and part of their prayer was the promise that they would dedicate their child to the service of God. Little did they know at that time what great service would be given by their infant daughter.

When Mary reached the age of three, her parents fulfilled their vow. Together with their family and friends, they took her to the Temple. The High Priest and other Temple priests greeted the procession, and tradition says that the child was brought before the fifteen high steps which led to the sanctuary. It is said that the child Mary made her way to the stairs and, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, ascended all fifteen steps, coming to the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could enter. Tradition then says that the High Priest, acting outside every rule he knew, led the Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, astonishing everyone present in the Temple. So it was that she, whose own womb would become the Holy of Holies, came into the presence of the God Whom she would bear.

St. Joachim and St. Anne returned to their home, but the Handmaid of the Lord remained in the Temple until her espousal, where she was prepared by God and protected by angels.

O God, who on this day didst vouchsafe that blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the Temple: Grant, we beseech thee; that by her intercession we may be found worthy to be presented unto thee in the temple of thy glory; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Meeting on December 12th...

With the very generous decision made by the Holy Father, which has been published in his Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, we really are in the midst of one of those truly historic moments in the history of the Church. With this Constitution, Pope Benedict XVI has given resounding confirmation of what our parish has been doing for these past twenty-six years. Our Lady of the Atonement Parish will be hosting a meeting on Saturday, December 12th, which will provide an opportunity to learn more about the Holy Father's initiative, and what it means for us. We'll have a few speakers who will give brief presentations; there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions, which will be answered with the information we have. During my recent visit to Rome, I spent some time speaking with some of the staff of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and in particular, with a priest who works closely with William Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the CDF. Much of what he said to me will be helpful to us. 

We'll begin with Mass at 10:00 a.m., and we should be able to begin our meeting in the St. Anthony Hall at about 11:00 a.m. We'll break for lunch, and continue after that for as long as people would like.  Email me at FrPhillips@atonementonline.com if you plan to attend, and let me know if you want lunch ($6.00, pay on the day).

Visiting NAC...

During our recent pilgrimage to Rome, we were able to visit the North American College, where many of our American priests receive their education.  One of our own parish boys is completing his time there, and was recently ordained to the diaconate in Rome.  Deacon Brian Noel showed us around the College, and we had a great time.  As many times as I've been to Rome, I'd never had the chance to visit before.  Here's a picture of Deacon Noel and me, pointing to his picture in the class photo hanging in one of the hallways:

But the real treat for some of our Upper School boys was when they had the chance to kick a soccer ball around the field:

Who knows?  Maybe one day some of them will be more than visitors!

Save the date...

A few days ago I mentioned that we'd have a meeting at the parish to discuss the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus. 

This will take place on Saturday, December 12th.  We'll begin with our regularly scheduled Mass at 10:00 a.m., and then move to the St. Anthony Hall where we'll hear from a few speakers, including some of the staff of the St. Joseph Foundation, who will discuss what an Ordinariate is, and give some of the canonical background for this development, and what it means for those of us who are members of the Anglican Use parishes.

There'll be plenty of time for questions, and I'll get an email out to my regular list.  But I wanted to get the date out there, so those who'd like to take part in this can make plans.

From the National Catholic Register...

While I was on pilgrimage I was contacted by Edward Pentin, the Rome Correspondent for the National Catholic Register.  His whole article can be read here.  Below is the section referring to my conversation with him:

Speaking to the Register Nov. 10, Father Christopher Phillips, pastor of the first Pastoral Provision parish, Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio, said he is waiting to see what might happen when the Church establishes the first ordinariate. “It seems as though the Pastoral Provision has done its job,” he said, adding that it “wouldn’t seem logical for the Pastoral Provision to continue” within these new international structures.

He said everyone in his parish was “very excited” about the papal decree, and that they had been “working for this and waiting for this for an awfully long time.” But he stressed his parish has had a very good relationship with the diocesan bishop and that relationship will go on once his parish becomes part of an ordinariate. “We want to make sure it goes on,” he said. “It’s written into the constitution that there has to be constant cooperation.”

Our Lady of the Atonement has grown rapidly since its humble beginnings in the early 1980s. Starting with just 18 worshippers, it now has 500 families and a thriving school.

Father Phillips sees even more promise with the ordinariates because they won’t be left to the whim of a local bishop, as Anglican-use parishes are currently.

“The reason there are so few [Anglican-use parishes] is because so many bishops didn’t want the Pastoral Provision in their diocese,” he said. “An ordinary has the powers of a bishop to establish personal parishes wherever they’re needed, so I think we’ll see a real flowering of this.”

And although his parish is fortunate to have a good relationship with its bishop, Father Phillips said it still felt somewhat “on its own” because the bishop had other priorities to attend to. The only job of the new ordinary, he said, will be “to think of ways for this to grow.”

He added that he didn’t think there would initially be “a huge wave of converts” because of the new ordinariates, “but if it grows slowly, it’ll grow in a more healthy way.”

Said Father Phillips: “It’ll strengthen the whole movement and bring lots of people home.”

Have Liturgy - Will Travel...

Our Anglican Use liturgy is well-travelled, and it travels well.  During our pilgrimage we celebrated Mass according to the Book of Divine Worship in so many places which are important to our faith - in the Basilica of San Clemente, in St. Peter's Basilica, in the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi, in the Chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle at Orvieto, in the Basilica of Santa Croce at Florence, in the Basilica of St. Francis at Siena in the presence of the Miraculous Hosts, in San Onofrio which is the lovely little church staffed by the Graymoor Friars and is the church of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Basilica of St. Mary Major - and in nearly everyplace we celebrated the Mass there were people who asked the same two questions: when they saw our students in their uniforms they would ask "Where are these beautiful and polite students from," and then they would ask about the impressive liturgy. 

All we'd have to say about the students is that they were from San Antonio, Texas, and the immediate response was, "Ah! Texas!"  When it came to the liturgy we would mention the new Apostolic Constitution, and there would be immediate recognition and big smiles.  It's pretty amazing: people are fascinated by the Holy Father's generous provision for former Anglicans.  People who perhaps haven't given much thought previously to Anglicans are now beginning to see the immense importance of Anglicanorum Coetibus.  And it was the experience of a life-time for our pilgrim students.  To be in Rome at the very time of its announcement, and for them to see the response of others to it all, prompted one of our young people to say to me, "Father, it's like our parish is ground zero!"

Indeed it is.  The past twenty-six years of our parish's existence have helped to lay the groundwork for this great day, and it's really humbling to have even this small part in it all.

We're back...

Our little group of pilgrims arrived in San Antonio this evening.  We had a wonderful time, but I won't try to write something sensible right now - my bed is beckoning...

Conference on Apostolic Constitution

Even while I'm still in Rome, there are so many who want to have the chance to discuss and learn more about the Constitution and what it means for the existing parishes and other interested Anglican clergy and laity.  I've been communicating with experts in canon law as well as others who might be able to provide further insights into the ramifications of our Holy Father's generosity.

As soon as I get back to San Antonio we'll firm up a date for the parish to sponsor an 'informational conference' to discuss Anglicanorum Coetibus.  This will take place soon - within a matter of weeks - and will be open to anyone who's interested, whether clergy or laity, Catholic or not.  Let me know if you'd like to receive further information when I have it.

It's all the talk...

The Apostolic Constitution certainly is widely known!  As we've been celebrating our Anglican Use liturgy in various churches and chapels - in Rome, Assisi, Florence, Siena - and as our students have been making a wonderful impression on those who see them, we're asked where we're from.  When I say, 'Have you heard of the new Apostolic Constitution for former Anglicans...?' the response is always, 'Oh yes!  So you're part of that?'

It's pretty exciting to be here in Rome at the very time it's announced, and to be able to be an example of what it's going to look like.

Today's our last day.  We'll be celebrating Mass in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and the students have been preparing some music... probably the Viadana setting of the Mass.  It'll be a beautiful conclusion to what has been an inspiring pilgrimage.

I might have time to post one more time before we leave tomorrow morning.  And I have to say, it'll be nice to be back in San Antonio.

Response to questions...

Of all the aspects of the Apostolic Constitution, the section which seems to be the cause of most concern and questions is found in the Complementary Norms, Article 5 §1. The lay faithful originally of the Anglican tradition who wish to belong to the Ordinariate, after having made their Profession of Faith and received the Sacraments of Initiation, with due regard for Canon 845, are to be entered in the apposite register of the Ordinariate. Those baptized previously as Catholics outside the Ordinariate are not ordinarily eligible for membership, unless they are members of a family belonging to the Ordinariate.

First of all, this is referring to future situations because at this point there is no Ordinariate.  Therefore, every Catholic baptism, whether in an Anglican Use parish or in a territorial Latin Rite parish, is administered 'outside the Ordinariate.'  Does this mean that the hundreds of people I've baptized at Our Lady of the Atonement over these past twenty-six years will be ineligible for membership in the Ordinariate?  Obviously that would not be the intention expressed in the Constitution. 

What about Catholics who have been baptized as regular Latin Rite Catholics whose children have received one or more of the Sacraments of Initiation at an Anglican Use parish?  Obviously, the child is eligible for membership in the Ordinariate, and it's apparent that the parents would have that same eligibility.

Because there have been Anglican Use parishes in existence for many years, there are many people who have made attachments to these parishes.  They've been married in these parishes; their children have been baptized in these parishes; their loved ones have been buried from these parishes.  Do we think for a moment that the Holy Father, who has been overwhelmingly generous in this Constitution, would intend that these Faithful should not maintain their ties - indeed, their membership - in these parishes? Of course not.

What about an older couple, with no other ties to a parish other than the fact that they've attended for years and have made the parish their own?  Would the Church tell them, 'Sorry, this isn't your parish any more.'  I doubt it.

In fact, I asked these very questions when speaking with a couple of members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.  As I was told by one of them who has been closely involved in developing the Constitution, 'What does membership mean, other than a person attends regularly, receives the sacraments regularly and contributes to the work of the parish?  There will be nothing stopping people from doing that in parishes of an Ordinariate when they are established.'

The only time there will be actual canonical questions is in the case of marriage.  The Sacrament of Matrimony must be witnessed by the proper pastor (or his delegate) of one or both of the parties.  If two persons wish to be married in an Ordinariate parish, neither of whom would be automatically eligible for membership, delegation can be given by one of their proper pastors for the marriage to be witnessed by a priest or deacon of the Ordinariate.  But those cases will probably not be frequent, and there are always ways of dealing with such things in a pastoral way.

I think the bottom line is this: the rule sounds as though it's exclusive.  But even the rule is tempered by the word 'ordinarily.'  Those baptized previously as Catholics outside the Ordinariate are not ordinarily eligible for membership...  There's no such thing as a wasted word in an Apostolic Constitution.  The word 'ordinarily' wouldn't have been included in the text without the probability that there will be exceptions.  Those wonderful words, 'for pastoral reasons,' will be much in evidence, I have no doubt.

These are just my private thoughts.  I'm not writing with any authority or in any official way.  But I know how things have been working for the past twenty-six years in our parish, and have no reason to think things will change with the Apostolic Constitution.  And remember - the Ordinariate will have an Ordinary, a real live person who has the pastoral responsibility for those who are attached (or who desire to be attached) to this spiritual patrimony.  Surely he, in his pastoral role, will assist any Catholic who has a sincere desire to be part of this, no matter where they've been baptized.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything to worry about.  God's in control, and this is really going to work.

Posting from Rome...

Here are a few brief thoughts, while perched on a stool in a hotel lobby, using free internet access.  Even though I'm far away from home, it's like being in a 'second home,' and with phone and internet connections, I'm managing to keep up with the marvellous and historic events of these days.

Questions are being asked by many, 'How do I do this?  How do I get involved in the process of becoming part of an Ordinariate?'  Actually, a plain reading of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus makes it pretty clear. In section IX it states, Both the lay faithful as well as members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, originally part of the Anglican Communion, who wish to enter the Personal Ordinariate, must manifest this desire in writing.  To whom should this be made manifest?  Again, it's made clear, this time in Article 1 of the Complementary Norms for the Apostolic Constitution: Each Ordinariate is subject to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It maintains close relations with the other Roman Dicasteries in accordance with their competence. 

There is no mention of the Pastoral Provision or the Pastoral Provision Office in the Constitution or in the Complementary Norms.  It seem apparent to me that this new and generous act by the Holy Father not only extends what we have been doing in the parishes for the past twenty-six years, but it clearly designates the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as the point of contact, and the decisive Office for the establishment and nurture of the Ordinariates.

These are my initial observations, and I'll have more to come.  Meanwhile, know that I'm praying for all of us who are, or who will be, part of the Ordinariates.  Mass today was in the Chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle in Siena, and the speedy implementation of the Constitution was at the top of my list of intercessions.

God bless you all -- I'll be posting more soon.

On pilgrimage...

Please pray for our safe travel as I take a group of our Upper School students on pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi, Florence, Orvieto and Siena.  We'll be gone from November 4th, returning November 13th.

My first visit to Rome was when I was part of the small group working on the Book of Divine Worship.  Now, having lost count of how many times I've been, there's a new excitement with the possibility of the Apostolic Constitution being made public at any time... maybe while we're there...?  That would certainly make this pilgrimage stand out!

Whether or not that happens, I always love taking our students there.  It's almost like experiencing it for the first time all over again, seeing things through their eyes. 

I'm looking forward to a time of spiritual refreshment, and to spending some time with these wonderful students.

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve all those who travel; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey's end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For your contemplation...

Here's something to ponder on All Souls Day.  It's the great Doom Painting over the chancel arch in St. Thomas, Salisbury, England.  Painted in 1475, it was whitewashed at the time of the Anglican break with Rome, and then rediscovered and restored in the 19th century.  This is the largest such painting in England, and is in the parish church I often visited during my time as a student in Salisbury.

In your charity, pray for the departed.

Requiem Masses at 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

Solemn Evensong at 7:00 p.m., followed by Requiem in D minor, opus 48, by Gabriel Urbain Fauré.

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of thy Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as thy children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for All Saints Day

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that, through their intercession, we may come to those ineffable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

That certainly clears things up...

I'm grateful that the clarification has come from the Holy See, concerning the issue of celibate clergy in the Anglican Ordinariates.  Lots of ink and energy were being taken up by this, and it has caused unneccessary confusion among Catholics and Anglicans alike.  In fact, this one issue (a rather minor one, when considering the whole matter of the Ordinariates) was threatening to become the only thing concerning the Apostolic Constitution being talked about.

I think a great deal of the confusion came because of statements made by John Hepworth, the archbishop for the Traditional Anglican Communion, when he was being interviewed by "The Australian," a newspaper in his native country.  Here's the first mention:

Inquirer: How do the Pope's proposals mesh the Latin celibate discipline for all clergy with Anglicanism's longstanding acceptance of married priests and bishops?

JH: Bishops in the new Anglican structure will be unmarried. This is out of respect for the tradition of Eastern and Western Christianity. But priests who come from Anglicanism will be able to serve as priests in the new structure, whether married or not, after satisfying certain requirements. The truly radical element is that married men will be able to be ordained priests in the Anglican structure indefinitely into the future. It is anticipated that Anglican bishops who are married when they joined the new structure will still be able to serve as priestly ordinaries, exercising some of the responsibilities of bishops.

Then the issue is brought up a second time:

Inquirer: Critics who insist on seeing the Pope as God's rottweiler will be hard pressed to explain the fact that he is prepared to create a parallel jurisdiction with married Catholic priests. Even more surprisingly, the option won't just extend to the present crop of married men in Anglican orders, which most observers expected, but to future generations of clergy.

JH: The Anglican tradition has had married clergy for 500 years. It has a long experience of having a clerical family at the heart of the parish. Apart from Ireland, it was only with the expansion of the British Empire that the situation arose where married Anglican clergy worked in the same place as celibate Catholic clergy. The two traditions will continue to live side by side. Indeed, it would be hard to imagine how an Anglican tradition within Catholicism could sustain itself in the long term without married clergy. Permitting it is not in any way intended as a challenge to the rule of celibacy, but it is allowing the vision of a family at the heart of the parish to flourish at a time when the family is under great stress. On the other hand, Anglican Catholics are going to have to relearn the value of the celibate vocation. The TAC already has a number of celibate bishops and celibate communities of priests and nuns, so perhaps the lesson has begun to be learned.

When I first read this interview on October 24th, it seemed odd to me.  I didn't think there had been any indication that the Holy See was considering a change in the discipline that presently governs the Pastoral Provision; namely, those Anglican clerics already married would be considered for a dispensation from celibacy, and those who are unmarried would take a vow of celibacy.  Additionally, any future candidates for priestly ministry would be celibate men, and if a married man is widowed, he may not remarry.  This always seemed to us to be a reasonable and pastoral solution.  But when I read the interview with John Hepworth, I was very surprised at his understanding of what was now being offered by Rome.  I commented to several people that it didn't sound accurate, but perhaps he knew something we didn't know. 

As it turns out, he was indeed mistaken.  I can't imagine where he got the idea that future candidates for the priesthood could be married men.  If he thought the Apostolic Constitution was going to apply the discipline of the Eastern Rites to Anglicans, that was a very large and imaginative leap indeed.  We're not from an Eastern heritage; we're Latin Rite Catholics.  Canterbury traces its roots to Rome, not Constantinople.

Anyway, I'm glad it's cleared up.  Now we can get on with more productive discussions about the upcoming Apostolic Constitution.

Clarification on the Apostolic Constitution

This important clarification has been issued:

CLARIFICATION BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE, FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI, S.I., ON SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE CELIBACY ISSUE IN THE ANNOUNCED APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION REGARDING PERSONAL ORDINARIATES FOR ANGLICAN ENTERING INTO FULL COMMUNION WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

There has been widespread speculation, based on supposedly knowledgeable remarks by an Italian correspondent Andrea Tornielli, that the delay in publication of the Apostolic Constitution regarding Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, announced on October 20, 2009, by Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is due to more than "technical" reasons. According to this speculation, there is a serious substantial issue at the basis of the delay, namely, disagreement about whether celibacy will be the norm for the future clergy of the Provision.

Cardinal Levada offered the following comments on this speculation: "Had I been asked I would happily have clarified any doubt about my remarks at the press conference. There is no substance to such speculation. No one at the Vatican has mentioned any such issue to me. The delay is purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references. The translation issues are secondary; the decision not to delay publication in order to wait for the ‘official’ Latin text to be published in Acta Apostolicae Sedis was made some time ago.

The drafts prepared by the working group, and submitted for study and approval through the usual process followed by the Congregation, have all included the following statement, currently Article VI of the Constitution:

§1 Those who ministered as Anglican deacons, priests, or bishops, and who fulfill the requisites established by canon law and are not impeded by irregularities or other impediments may be accepted by the Ordinary as candidates for Holy Orders in the Catholic Church. In the case of married ministers, the norms established in the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI Sacerdotalis coelibatus, n. 42 and in the Statement "In June" are to be observed. Unmarried ministers must submit to the norm of clerical celibacy of CIC can. 277, §1.

§2. The Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy in the Latin Church, as a rule (pro regula) will admit only celibate men to the order of presbyter. He may also petition the Roman Pontiff, as a derogation from can. 277, §1, for the admission of married men to the order of presbyter on a case by case basis, according to objective criteria approved by the Holy See.

This article is to be understood as consistent with the current practice of the Church, in which married former Anglican ministers may be admitted to priestly ministry in the Catholic Church on a case by case basis. With regard to future seminarians, it was considered purely speculative whether there might be some cases in which a dispensation from the celibacy rule might be petitioned. For this reason, objective criteria about any such possibilities (e.g. married seminarians already in preparation) are to be developed jointly by the Personal Ordinariate and the Episcopal Conference, and submitted for approval of the Holy See."

Cardinal Levada said he anticipates the technical work on the Constitution and Norms will be completed by the end of the first week of November.

Coming and going...

The newspaper headline screams, "Episcopal bishop opens door to Catholics" and it gets your attention. The Episcopal bishop of Maryland gives the reminder that "the door swings both ways." Yes, the All Saints Sisters of the Poor just entered the Catholic Church, but the bishop proudly claims that he's taken in three Catholic priests over the past months. Tit for tat, you win a few you lose a few.

What the bishop neglects to mention is that the vast majority, if not virtually every case of a Catholic deciding to become Episcopalian is because of the search for a church that will make fewer demands or give approval to something that is unacceptable for Catholics. I've never met an Episcopal priest who was formerly a Catholic priest who hadn't made the switch because he got married (usually after an illicit relationship with someone before actually leaving the active Catholic priesthood). Certainly the married state is an honorable one -- unless that person is already bound by the vow of celibacy. Most of the Episcopal laity I've known, who tell me "I used to be Catholic," are divorced and remarried -- even multiple times.

It comes down to this: most of the traffic into the Catholic Church is because consciences have been sharpened; most of the traffic out of the Catholic Church is because consciences have been dulled.

Nurturing an ethos...

Read Br. Stephen's entry on his excellent blog, Sub Tuum.  I love his description of Evensong at All Saints, Margaret Street, but more especially I am moved by his very helpful thoughts about the patrimony Anglicans can bring to the Ordinariates.  A brief quote:

These decisions are not so much about the loss of bricks and mortar or a diminishment of smells and bells as they are about the fear of losing an ethos. It is not about singing "For He hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden" instead of "For he has shown me such favor--me, his lowly handmaiden" as it is about knowing how many people around you are smiling and the sense of tranquility you are sharing together at that moment. It is not the arrangement of notes and words in Vaughn Williams' "For All the Saints" so much as it is the lack of self-consciousness with which the congregation lets its hearts and minds soar along. Yes, sometimes people get blown off course as they soar, but that reaching up in joy seems to be a particular Anglican gift. This is what is at the heart of the "distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony" mentioned in the CDF note on the apostolic constitution. And it is the fear of trying to sing the Lord's song in a land that is at the same time strange and home that gives many pause.

Do yourself a favor, and read the whole thing.

Anticipated by a hundred years...

With all the talk about Anglican conversions -- who? how many? where? -- let's not forget a very important conversion anniversary which took place on 30 October 1909.  On that day Fr. Paul Wattson, Mother Lurana White, and fifteen others (including friars, sisters and laity) were received corporately into the Catholic Church.  Originally founded as a Franciscan community within the Episcopal Church, the Graymoor Friars and Sisters were, as Fr. Paul said, "the first-fruits of our prayer for unity."  The previous year they had begun what was then called the Church Unity Octave, afterwards renamed the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. 

The Graymoor story is a fascinating one, and is especially precious to us in this parish.  The patronal title we took, Our Lady of the Atonement, is a title of the Blessed Mother with its origin at Graymoor.  During their lifetime, Fr. Paul and Mother Lurana could not have imagined that the day would come when the Holy Father would open the doors so generously to Anglicans.  But surely the coming of this day was assisted by their heavenly prayers, and we should all be grateful for their pioneering example.

So, to the Graymor Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement: Happy Anniversary!

All in God's time...

As various prominent Anglican clerics continue to react to the announcement by the Holy See about the Apostolic Constitution which will outline the establishment of Ordinariates, it's apparent that paths will not be beaten to be part of it.  At first, anyway.  I've lost count of the number of people who have spoken or written to me asking what it might mean if there aren't lots of conversions.

"Don't worry about it, just pray for them," I keep telling everybody who asks.  Of course, for the sake of souls and out of sincere love for others, I hope there are overwhelming numbers.  But if that doesn't happen, it's no cause for worry about the future of the offer.  It's an open offer, and the Holy Father knows what he's doing.  He's a patient man and a generous man.  He is, above all, a real shepherd of souls.  He's been working with Anglicans for many, many years.  He's fully aware that there will be hesitation by many, if not most.  He knows, too, the power of the Holy Spirit to move hearts and form open minds. 

This wasn't some kooky idea he had when he woke up one morning.  Pope Benedict has thought this through, and he's committing the Church to this for the long haul.  So don't worry.  Just pray.

"This is not the case."

The newspapers and email in-boxes were filled yesterday with the news that the Anglican Bishop of Chichester had decided to become a Catholic, and would accept the Holy Father's offer which will be outlined in the upcoming Apostolic Constitution.

I had listened to the recording of Bishop Hind speaking at the Forward in Faith Assembly, and I didn't hear him say that.  But then I thought, "Maybe I missed it."  So I listened again.  No luck the second time, either.

He has posted this statement on his diocesan website:

October 25, 2009

An article has been published today in the Sunday Telegraph asserting that I have announced that I am about to become a Roman Catholic.

This is not the case.

The report appears to come from a misunderstanding of an answer I gave to questions from the floor at the recent ‘Forward in Faith’ assembly, at which I spoke.

A questioner had asked about the Papal condemnation of Anglican Orders. I responded by speaking about the subtlety of the position. I referred to the moment when it seemed as if the issue of how the Roman Catholic Church sees Anglican orders might be reopened but how the ordination of women to the priesthood and other developments have now made that impossible.

In the light of that I stated that in the event of union with the Roman Catholic Church I would be willing to receive re-ordination into the Roman Catholic priesthood but that I would not be willing to deny the priesthood I have exercised hitherto.

This is clearly a contentious and complex issue and one where it is easy to misunderstand the nuances of the debate. I think I made my position clear in my address at the Forward in Faith assembly. The text is available below and a podcast may be found on the Forward in Faith website.

+ John Cicestr:

25.10.2009

Text of the Bishop's talk.

It would be a marvellous example if a bishop like John Hind, respected by those who consider themselves Anglo-catholics, took this important step.  For now, it's not happening.  And that's all right.  Better for him and others like him to take time to consider this prayerfully.  Just as it's not good for a person to get married in order to escape from an unhappy home, so it's not good to make this kind of important decision simply because things are falling apart where he is at the present time.  The Holy Father's offer is an open offer.  There's no time limit.  And the Holy Spirit -- the Spirit of Truth -- is always active in open hearts and minds.

Home to Rome: Our San Antonio Story.

This is the text of the talk I gave at the 2008 Anglican Use Conference, which was held at Our Lady of the Atonement Parish.  The Conference coincided with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the parish and of my ordination to the Catholic priesthood.  It tells a little bit of the story of my conversion and the founding of the parish.  There is a glimpse at the process of the compiling of our liturgy.  I even expressed the hope that the Church might, in her wisdom, give us some kind of jurisdiction.  That has happened now, with the announcement of the Apostolic Constitution.  Some of you -- especially those who are still Anglicans --  might find this helpful:

TWENTY-FIVE years as a time frame takes a little perspective. As a young Anglican cleric I was serving in the Church of England as the assistant curate of St. Stephen’s Southmead, Bristol. After having lived abroad for five years, we decided it was time to return to America. But where to go? I contacted Bishop Belden in Rhode Island, where we had lived before moving to England. He told me about a parish which he thought would be a good match for me. They were looking for a curate. The rector, he told me, was one of the great old priests of the diocese who, other than a brief curacy in another parish, had served his whole ministry in this one parish. I got the feeling that I was going to meet someone approaching the age of Methuselah, who had been rector since the age of the Great Flood! And when I met Fr. Olsen, indeed he did seem to be a fairly old man, and he had been at St. Barnabas for a very long time. It didn’t dawn on me until he died a few years ago, that when I went to be his curate, Fr. Olsen was the very same age as I am now, and he had been at St. Barnabas for twenty-five years, the same amount of time I have been here.

It’s amazing, isn’t it, that when you’re on the starting side of twenty-five years, it seems so long; but when that quarter of a century has passed, it’s flown by. And that’s what we’re marking this year: twenty-five years of the Anglican Usage in the Roman Rite, which started when Our Lady of the Atonement was established as a Catholic parish. But what took place twenty-five years ago didn’t happen in a vacuum. We were fortunate here in San Antonio that the rescript arrived from the Holy See, allowing for my ordination, and the archbishop was ready to proceed immediately. But he didn’t wake up one morning and think, “I guess I’ll start an Anglican Use parish.” No, there were many who had done yeoman work for many years before, preparing the way for the formal beginning of the work – people now departed, like Canon Albert Dubois and Fr. W.T. St. John Brown; people like Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Seper and Pope John Paul II. Others who were amongst those had this vision are still with us, some of whom are even here at this gathering, probably wondering as I am: “How did the time pass so quickly?” And, of course, we mustn’t forget the interest and encouragement shown by a certain Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, now our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. It was during his time and under his authority as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, that the Book of Divine Worship was approved. I’ll speak more about that later.

So, looking back over this past quarter of a century, perhaps the first question is, “Why? Why did several of us make the journey into the Catholic Church?” It would be nice if I could point only to the noblest motivations; that we were happily going along as Episcopalians, but then saw the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church, and through pure attraction, just had to make the journey. Maybe it was that way for a few, but for most of us it wasn’t like that.

Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone, but my own experience was probably generic enough. For me, the answer to the question, “Why?” was because I knew I couldn’t stay where I was. Now, I didn’t like the idea of moving away from my ministry as an Episcopalian. If fact, where I was wasn’t all that bad—’28 Prayer Book with Anglican Missal additions, very nice people with a fairly catholic understanding of the Faith—but with the crisis of authority which was becoming more and more evident in the Episcopal Church, with decisions being made by General Convention which represented dramatic changes in doctrine and in the ministry of the church, it was evident that whatever claim to catholicity I thought there was, was quickly disappearing. So, for many of us, the initial thought of moving was for negative reasons—the need to escape from a disintegrating situation. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Let’s face it: imperfect contrition can develop into perfect contrition, and sometimes it takes a kick in the backside to get us moving.

As long ago as the mid-1970s it had become evident to me that with the crisis of authority in Anglicanism, there would be a gradual crumbling of what had been a venerable (although incomplete) expression of the Christian faith. Of course, the Church has always been free to change her discipline. But the idea of changing doctrine at the whim of a simple majority vote is antithetical to the will of Christ. When a very small majority of a very small part of the Anglican Communion could make a decision, for instance, about ordination—an issue which strikes at the very foundation of sacramental life, or when a justification for abortion and all sorts of other immoralities was able to be cobbled together, I realized that the Episcopal Church wasn’t a safe place to be. For me, it wasn’t just the issue of the ordination of women (as impossible as that is, in a Catholic understanding of Holy Orders), nor was it that some were able to wander off into a moral wasteland; rather, it was that the authority to make such decisions was claimed by whichever majority could push its agenda the hardest. “What next?” was all I could think. And indeed, we’ve seen what has come next—a series of decisions which makes many people question whether the Episcopal Church is even a Christian denomination any more.

Of course, there are still many good people there, and I can’t help but wonder how they’re able to continue. When I see otherwise faithful people remaining where they are, while their religion falls apart around them, I can’t help but think that maybe some of them have what might be called “The Vicar of Bray Syndrome.” You know the story of the Vicar of Bray. There was a clergyman who managed to hold his position as parish priest in the village of Bray for more than fifty years, from the days of Charles II until the time of George I. He was perfectly comfortable becoming Catholic or protestant according to the religion of the reigning monarch. When he was reproached for his constant changing back and forth, his classic statement was, “Even if I changed my religion, I am sure I have kept true to my principle; and that is, to live and die as the vicar of Bray!’” It’s sad when holding a position becomes more important than holding the truth.

I think I can speak for most of us when I say that the reason for leaving the Episcopal Church was because each of us arrived at the point of saying “This far, and no further.” That point may differ from person to person. It might be the matter of women’s ordination; it might be Prayer Book issues; it might be some aspect of moral teaching. There can be any number of “trigger issues,” and some people seem to have a greater tolerance for those sorts of things. But I think all of these issues reduce down to one: the matter of authority. It became evident that there is but one place where we would find stable, trustworthy and godly authority, and that was in the Church which was undoubtedly founded by Christ, exercising the authority which He gave to St. Peter and his successors. So, the short answer to “Why?” is that we were looking for a home that didn’t have a constantly shifting foundation. And what a joy it is to wake up every day knowing that what was true yesterday is still true today, and will be true tomorrow.

And thanks be to God, the Church to which we were led opened her arms with the approval of the Pastoral Provision. With that, there was no excuse to remain outside, and so personal, hard, practical decisions had to be made. And as I was faced with making this decision, I remember reading something from C. S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity: “We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be and if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. We have all seen this when we do arithmetic. When I have started a sum the wrong way, the sooner I admit this and go back and start over again, the faster I shall get on. There is nothing progressive about being pigheaded and refusing to admit a mistake.”

Of course, it’s hard to admit that we’ve got to turn and go in another direction. And that kind of decision most often involves some pretty heavy sacrifices. I know, for each one of us here who has made that decision, there were tough times. My story is only one of many, and it isn’t any more remarkable than the stories many of you could tell.

For my family, it was on January 17th in 1982 that we arrived in San Antonio from Rhode Island. We had driven for almost five days, having left New England in the midst of a near-blizzard. I had taken our rather decrepit Volkswagen to a mechanic before we left, and when I asked him if we’d make it to Texas his reply was, “Hell, Mister, I don’t think you’ll make it out of town!” We did, though. We arrived with our (then) three very young children, our dog and a hamster, along with whatever supplies we could pack in around them.

On the day we left Rhode Island, I was removed from the clerical ranks of the Episcopal diocese. I was officially deposed by the bishop. My salary had, of course, been terminated. We had lived in parish-owned housing, which we were required to leave immediately. We had been stricken from all diocesan insurance policies, and even my small pension plan had been confiscated. As we approached San Antonio, I have to say, it didn’t feel like much of a triumphal entry. Of course, God had a plan. It would have been nice at the time to have known what it was, but I suppose He wanted us to learn to walk in faith, which we did.

Looking back, those were some tough days. We had virtually no money. There was only a handful of people even interested in what we were doing. But as difficult as those times were, they were exciting, too. We were doing something worthy, something that hadn’t been done before. Big challenges led to little victories, as we worked and waited for our entrance into the Catholic Church.

Every one of our parishes and communities in the Anglican Use has an interesting story. I know each one of us has experienced struggles and triumphs, and we each have inspiring stories of God’s loving care for us. The things I’m sharing about our own experiences here will, I hope, strike a chord in those of you who have been through similar experiences, and even more importantly, I hope these stories will encourage those of you who are at the beginning of your journey within the Catholic faith. Ours is a “common history,” and we need to keep our stories alive for the sake of those who will come after us.

After the parish was canonically erected on the 15th August 1983, I began to search for a permanent location for us to worship and to grow from the original eighteen people who made up the parish when we were established. We were, at that time, meeting at San Francesco di Paola Church, in downtown San Antonio. It’s a beautiful little place, built by Italian immigrants, but the location wasn’t very well-suited for us. Everyone had to travel quite a distance, and it was difficult to build up a communal life in a place which was fairly remote for all of us. Subsequently we moved to a convent chapel on the north side of town, but of course, that was temporary, too. So I began to look for some land.

It seemed to me that the future growth of San Antonio would be taking place on the northwest side of the city. Everything pointed to it, and that’s what has happened. Several years before, the archdiocese had purchased a small plot of land for the possibility that a territorial parish might be needed. When I inquired about locating our parish there, the answer was, “Yes, that would be fine. There’s not much happening out there anyway, and we probably won’t need it for a territorial parish.” The short-sightedness of that statement aside, it worked out well for us. To get the property, we were required to pay a rather hefty sum to the archdiocese, which eventually we did.

The first time I saw this land, I knew this was the spot. I had visited it before making the request. I had to crawl through the underbrush, literally on my belly, to make any kind of exploration. I had a small medal of Our Lady of the Atonement with me, and I buried it in the earth as I was making my slow progress through the woods and brush, claiming it for our Lady and her parish. Shortly after burying the medal, I came into a small clearing, allowing me to stand up. With the thick undergrowth surrounding me, I saw in the middle of the clearing a wooden cross stuck into the ground, and fastened to the rough cross was a small crucifix—and I took it as a sign from God. This was the place. This was where our Lord and His Blessed Mother wanted us to be. But I need to tell you why such a sign was necessary.

At the same time as I had requested the possibility of our getting the land, some Dominican priests had approached the archbishop about staffing a chaplaincy for the University of Texas, which is a short distance away. Even though we had asked first, the archbishop thought perhaps a better use for the land would be to give it to the Dominicans. I told the archbishop, “You can’t! I’ve already claimed it for Our Lady of the Atonement.” He expressed his regret, but told me his mind was set. I warned him that we’d begin praying. And so we did.

For nine evenings we gathered to pray the Novena to the Holy Ghost. By the fourth evening, the archbishop contacted me. “I don’t know what kind of prayer you’ve been saying,” he said, “but the situation with the Dominicans has fallen through. You can build there.” We finished the novena as an act of thanksgiving. We were intensely grateful to God, but not surprised at what He had done. Mind you, I have nothing against the Dominicans, but the Blessed Mother had other plans for the land.

I saved that little crucifix. We built a simple wooden shrine to Our Lady of the Atonement on the property where the crucifix had been found, and fastened it onto the peak of the shrine’s roof. In time we made plans to celebrate a Mass there, and to break ground for the church.

Today there stands the newly-completed shrine, a copy of the original wooden one, but now in stone. Within the altar is the simple wood altar which stood there originally, now protected by a permanent stone altar. And the little crucifix is there, incorporated into the shrine.

So it reminds us of our beginnings, and of how God guided and protected us as new converts to the Catholic faith. And God continues to do these sorts of things. He has in your own parishes, and He’ll continue to do things like this in future parishes and communities of the Anglican Use. For those of you at the beginning of your adventure, take heart; for those of you who might wonder if you should begin a work like this in your own area, by all means, do. If God can do it here, He can do it anyplace.

Now, a look at these twenty-five years calls for a few words about the Book of Divine Worship. The initial request made to Rome included the desire for the Catholic ordination of Anglican clergy, which was granted. It included the request for some sort of parish structure to which the lay converts could belong, which was granted. And it included a request for elements of our Anglican liturgical heritage. And this, too, was granted. What form this would take was anybody’s guess, at the beginning. There were some who wanted a restored Sarum rite. Some wanted one of the traditional Anglo-catholic Missals. Some wanted the 1928 Book of Common Prayer with a few Catholic additions. There were others who thought that the most we could hope for would be a couple of traditional prayers thrown into the Mass of Paul VI.

In 1983 a special commission was established by the Sacred Congregation for Sacraments and Divine Worship, in conjunction with the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The task of the commission was to propose a liturgical book to be used by the parishes and congregations being established under the Pastoral Provision. I was privileged to serve on that commission. We met in Rome, in the Curial Offices looking out on St. Peter’s Square. The membership of the commission was very much a “mixed bag.” Archbishop (now Cardinal) Virgilio Noe served was chairman, and there were various liturgists and theologians taking part. It was evident from the beginning that not everyone had the same agenda. Some of us were working hard to include as much as possible; others wanted to include as little as possible. Some were willing to use the 1928 Prayer Book as the foundational document; others insisted that it had to be the 1979 Prayer Book. There were those who said that if something was not in an approved Episcopalian Prayer Book, then it shouldn’t be included. This was of particular importance when it came to the Canon of the Mass—the Eucharistic Prayer. Using the 1928 Eucharistic Prayer was never in the cards; however, the Gregorian Canon was included in various Anglo-catholic missals, and it was my request that we be allowed to use that traditional translation, or something close to it, rather than following the general consensus of the commission that we should simply use the ICEL translation. It was pretty sobering, and not a little frightening, to be the sole voice defending the inclusion of the Gregorian Canon in traditional English, and I was nearly hooted out of the conference room by the professional liturgists there—one of whom you may know from the news—Piero Marini, until recently the papal Master of Ceremonies. But I was given a chance to make the case, in which I had to speak before the whole commission, which turned out to be a successful attempt.

I know there are Anglo-Catholics still in the Episcopal Church or in the Continuing Anglican Movement who look at the Book of Divine Worship, and find great fault with it. And their criticisms are, in some respects, quite legitimate. It isn’t a perfect book. There are lots of things about it that I find dissatisfying. In some ways, it’s incomplete. There is a jarring intrusion of ICEL language at the Offertory. It’s entirely too much “1979 Prayer Book.” But there’ll be opportunities to improve it in the future, and the bottom line is this: it may not be as much as we wanted, but it’s a whole lot more than we expected. I think we sometimes forget just how astonishing it is, that the Catholic Church should add a whole new liturgy—not just the Mass, but also the Daily Offices, Baptism, Marriage, Burial of the Dead, and everything else which has been given to us. When we read of the recent debates by the Bishops’ Conference about simple words like “ineffable” and “gibbet”—to think that we have a whole book full of that kind of language is quite astonishing! And it’s our own living liturgy. There’s no reason to think that it will necessarily remain frozen as it is, and as we see room for improvement, so I think there will be opportunities to develop it and refine it. But for now, I think it’s quite magnificent, and it’s nurturing a new generation of Catholics—a generation born and raised in the Anglican Use, a generation of Catholics who know no other kind of liturgical life.

Which brings me to an important point. And that is, the future of the parishes of the Anglican Use. We all know our numbers, for now, are small. After twenty-five years, we would be right in thinking that there should be more of us. And there would be, except for a few factors. One is that all but a few Anglican clergy have converted individually, and have not brought their people with them. Of course, not every one can bring others with them, and very often it’s because the local Catholic bishop isn’t open to having a parish of the Anglican Use in his diocese. And that brings us to an even more serious problem. It’s difficult to convince Catholic bishops in many places that such a parish would be a great addition, rather than a financial drag. They’re not accustomed to having such small parishes. When parishes of a couple of thousand families is normal, to establish a parish which begins with only forty or fifty people is simply beyond their experience. Of course, we know it can be done. As I said earlier, this parish began with only eighteen people, including the children.

What’s the solution? In the short term, presenting our case more clearly to our bishops is important. Of course, we can’t do that by ourselves. We need the Office of the Ecclesiastical Delegate to be willing to help educate the bishops about the Pastoral Provision and the Liturgy of the Anglican Use. The Pastoral Provision isn’t just about getting more priests for the Church, as important as that is. It’s also about restoring that unity for which Christ prayed. It’s about “gathering up the fragments, that nothing be lost.” For every Episcopal priest who enters the Catholic Church, there may be twenty-five or fifty or a hundred or more laity who could be brought into the Church.

At some point in the future there may well be the possibility of some sort of juridical structure which would facilitate the establishment of parishes. This possibility was recognized even in the original document which outlined the Pastoral Provision. When speaking of the structure of this Common Identity, the document states, “The preference expressed by the majority of the Episcopal Conference for the insertion of these reconciled Episcopalians into the diocesan structures under the jurisdiction of the local Ordinaries is recognized. Nevertheless, the possibility of some other type of structure as provided for by canonical dispositions, and as suited to the needs of the group, is not excluded.”

But what about the parishes and communities we do have? It’s important that we continue to make them as strong as possible. The decision we made here was to have as one of our major apostolates that of having a Catholic school—one of the most rewarding and yet demanding decisions we ever made. Fourteen years ago we began with Kindergarten through Third grade with only sixty-six students, and after adding grades over the years, we now offer a classical and Catholic education from Pre-Kindergarten all the way through High School, with a student body of almost five hundred. Not only does this institution impart a solid and excellent education, but it is also a tremendous evangelistic tool, as families who perhaps have been lukewarm are, through their children, returning to the practice of their faith. And it has done more to spread the experience and knowledge of the Anglican Use liturgy than perhaps any other means. All the students and faculty attend Mass every single day, so even the youngest children are learning and experiencing our traditional prayers and devotional practices. Five hundred children praying the Prayer of Humble Access and singing the Healey Willan setting of the Mass every day is a pretty encouraging thing for the future of the Anglican Use!

I know there are great and inspiring things going on in all our parishes and communities. You all have stories of great faith, changed hearts, conversions and growth. But we need more parishes, which means we need willing bishops and a supportive structure within the Church to help that happen. We all know there are people scattered throughout the country who are looking for guidance and help in forming the nucleus of an Anglican Use community. We know from the Gospels that Christ isn’t pleased when His sheep are left to scatter, and we know that He thinks it’s pretty important to “gather up the fragments that nothing be lost.” Twenty-five years isn’t a very long time in the big scheme of things. And if this can happen over the course of twenty-five years here, we know it can happen in many places. I take great encouragement from this gathering here, and from what we’re reading in the news even today. We’ve got a lot of praying to do for those Anglicans who are finally coming to realize that they can’t stay where they are. So let’s be an example to them of what it’s like to come home to Rome.

Collect for Sunday, 25 October

From the Book of Divine Worship:

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


ICEL version:

Almighty and ever-living God,. strengthen our faith, hope, and love. May we do with loving hearts what you ask of us and come to share the life you promise. Grant this through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Forward in Faith? Forward to Rome.

The National Assembly of Forward in Faith is meeting in London.  This group is comprised mostly of those who would consider themselves Anglo-catholic, and it's a presence in several provinces in the Anglican Communion.  The galvanizing issue for them is the ordination of women.  Obviously, they're against it.  Of course, there are other issues that concern them, and they tend to be fairly traditional on things like the liturgy, their understanding of sacraments and ecclesiology.  It was formed in 1992 and is really an amalgamation of several different catholic-minded groups within Anglicanism.  Many, of not most of the members would have reunion with Rome fairly high on their agenda.  Knowing that about them, I thought it would be really interesting to listen to the speakers, and they have the audio presentations available.  You can listen to them at their website. 

Frankly, I was disappointed.  Yes, they called the news from Rome "historic."  They acknowledged that some people might be interested in the Personal Ordinariates.  But most of their talk was about derailing the push towards having women bishops in the Church of England, and protecting their place as Anglo-catholics.  They wanted to see what Rome was really offering, to see if it would be a better deal than they could get in the Church of England.  They were disappointed because they want "corporate reunion" between Anglicans and Rome -- although how they think there could be anything like that when they can't even get along among themselves, I do not know.  I mean, the Holy Father did everything except somersaults, and these people are still shopping around for the best deal?  I think some of them were surprised that in order to be part of an Ordinariate, they'd actually be expected to become Roman Catholics.

I don't mean to sound negative.  I have no doubt that there is a goodly number of serious-minded Anglicans who will prayerfully and gratefully grasp the Holy Father's outstretched hand.  I think the Ordinariates will be built slowly, which is no doubt the best way.  I liken it to the very gentle snowstorms I remember from my childhood in New England, which would start with a slight dusting of flakes on the ground and then slowly, slowly building up until everything was completely covered and sparkling white.  The Ordinariates will be provided as they're needed, until they spread out wider and wider, and I believe more and more people will come to the realization that their real spiritual home is to be found in full communion with the See of Peter.  That, along with the inevitable and natural growth of our existing parishes, means that the future of our beautiful patrimony is secure. 

England, and by extension, all of Anglicanism is Mary's dowry.  Since we belong to our Lady in a special way, we know her deepest wish is to have her whole dowry back in the Catholic Church as it was established by her Divine Son.  At the end of the 14th century, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel, wrote to his bishops, "The contemplation of the great mystery of the Incarnation has drawn all Christian nations to venerate her from whom came the first beginnings of our redemption. But we English, being the servants of her special inheritance and her own dowry, as we are commonly called, ought to surpass others in the fervour of our praises and devotions."  And now, finally, at the beginning of the 21st century, Pope Benedict XVI is helping to bring that very thing to pass.

More thoughts...

To expand just a little more on my previous posts, here, here and here, I've been thinking a lot about the renewed hope for the expansion of what is now the Anglican Use within the Pastoral Provision.

Article after article, blogger after blogger, wonder how many Anglicans will actually avail themselves of this generous offer the Pope is making.  But with the speculation over how many Anglicans will come into the Catholic Church, the larger effect is ignored. What the Apostolic Constitution establishes is a permanent thing, and will reach the point that it will not require converts for its existence. If the Holy Father had done this only for the conversions it might enable, he would not be giving it its permanent nature. No, what he has done is to say that the Anglican Patrimony (everything consonant with the Catholic faith that forms its ethos) is worthy not only of preservation, but of growth. It won’t take long for the strength of the Personal Ordinariates to depend not so much on converts as on its own organic growth. Children will be raised up in this form of Catholic spirituality, and they will grow up to have children; seekers after truth will be attracted to the spiritual life of the Ordinariates, just as people used to be attracted to Anglicanism; clergy will be trained and educated for work in the Ordinariates, and they will in turn become missionaries throughout society, planting new parishes and forming new Religious communities.

The Holy Father is taking the best and most worthy elements of Anglicanism, which are now wilting and near death, and he’s giving them a new place in which to grow and thrive. Certainly, this is a most welcome open door to those Anglicans wanting to come into full communion with the See of Peter; but more importantly, Pope Benedict is giving a new beginning to all that is lovely and true in Anglicanism, so it can continue into the future as a legitimate and worthy expression of the fullness of Catholic Faith.