Cardinal Levada’s letter read at Westminster Cathedral

My Dear Brothers
and Sisters in Christ,

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The Ordination to the Priesthood of our three friends,
Andrew Burnham, John Broadhurst and Keith Newton, is an occasion of great joy
both for them and for the wider Church. I had very much wished to be present
with you in Westminster Cathedral today in order to demonstrate my own personal
support for them as they make this important step. Unfortunately, however, a
long standing commitment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to
meet with the Bishops and theologians of India in Bangalore has meant that I am
unable to be in London today. I am very happy, therefore, to have the
opportunity of sending this message and am grateful to Archbishop Nichols for
agreeing to represent me and for his willingness to deliver my best wishes.

Continue reading Cardinal Levada’s letter read at Westminster Cathedral

Keith Newton, priest, statement


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I am humbled to
have been appointed by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, as the first
Ordinary for the Personal Ordinariate to be erected in Great Britain under the
provisions set out in the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus. This is
not an honour I have sought or expected but I pray that God will give me the
wisdom and grace to live up to the trust the Holy Father has placed in me.

My
wife and family have been a great support to me throughout my ministry and I
know they will continue to do so. I am delighted that Gill was received with me
into the full communion of the Catholic Church at Westminster Cathedral on 1
January 2011.

Continue reading Keith Newton, priest, statement

Benedict creates new Ordinariate for Anglicans in the UK

With the priestly ordination of John Broadhurst, Andrew Burnham and Keith Newton, the Pope has created the official structure to welcome Anglicans who want to be Catholic. The Mass and Rites of Ordination today in Westminster Cathedral was very well attended as the historic moment was formally announced by Archbishop Vincent Nichols reading the CDF letter inaugurating the Ordinariate was greeted with great enthusiasm. The whole work was placed under the patronage of the newly beatified Blessed John Henry Newman.

The newly ordained Father Keith Newton, 59, is the first Ordinary for Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales. Newton will be assisted by the Broadhurst and Burnham for catechetical matters. Others will be ordained to the Order of Deacon at Eastertide and then priested at Pentecost.

Faith matters; the true faith revealed by the Trinity and lived in the fullness of the Catholic Church. People point to the displeasure of some over the leadership of gay clergy and women’s ordination as the point of departure for these Anglicans but there are far more serious issues that would make me “jump ship” like the voting on theological facts, the objectivity of truth and faith, life issues, and principles of communion which are both vertical and horizontal.
Here is Anna Arco’s story in the Catholic Herald: “Priests ordained to the world’s first ordinariate.”

The Holy See’s statement on the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and Wales

Saint Ita


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Lord God, it was through the power of your Spirit that Saint
Ita was tireless in caring for the afflicted, and in guiding the young toward
holiness, and so we pray: prepare in our hearts, as you prepared in hers, a
home where you will dwell.

Problems with the NeoCats? Are changes in the Neocatechumenal Way coming, too???

Neocatechumenal Way Bishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi SVD_CNA_World_Catholic_News_1_14_11.jpegProblems with the Neocatechumenal Way? There seems to be problems with the NeoCats with some of the bishops in Japan to the point that mediator is being appointed. You will recall that the Holy See asked the NeoCats to conform their liturgical ceremonies –Mass included– to what the Church teaches and expects. They did an odd ceremonial for Mass and claimed some sort of historical precedence. In a church with 2000 years of history, there’s precedent for everything. Plus, they’ve been accused of setting parallel church structures in the parishes where they have a following. I have to say, I think the Church ought to listen to the Japanese bishops. Some of the problems with the NeoCats sound similar to those with the Regnum Christi when talk like “cult like” sensibilities. Also, with lots in the high placed churchmen supporting the work and life of the NeoCats it will difficult to unravel some facts from fiction. This was also true of the Legionaries of Christ.

The story…

Trappist monks donate coffin to bury little Christina Green in Arizona

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A beautiful of gesture of charity and hope was given to us as a witness of gospel virtue by the monks of a Trappist monastery in Iowa this week when they gave the Green family the casket in which to bury 9 year old Christina, a victim of the shootings last week. The CNN story is here.

Special thanks to Dom Brendan and the monks of New Melleray Abbey!

Nelson Baker, priest, Apostle of Charity recognized as heroically virtuous

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Among the 9 causes of sainthood possibilities was the American priest of Buffalo, Father Nelson Baker, known by the locals as the Apostle of Charity. His history spanned 16 February 1842 to 29 July 1936. Baker is one step closer to sainthood but there’s a long way to go. He’s now recognized as living a life of Heroic Virtue. We now address the priest as the Venerable Servant of God Father Nelson Baker.

Prophet Malachi, saint


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Commemoratio
sancti Malachiae, prophetae, qui, post transmigrationem Babylone diem magnum
Domini eiusque adventum in templum nuntiavit semperque et ubique mundam
oblationem nomini eius offerendam. (Roman Martyrology)

The commemoration of
Saint Malachi, the prophet, who, after the Babylonian Exile, announced the
great Day of the Lord, his coming into the Temple, and that an immaculate
offering be made to His Name, always and everywhere.

Non-discrimination admission policy for schools issued by Boston Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Boston, under the direction of His Eminence, Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap., issued a new educational policy for its schools which includes a non-discrimination policy and reiterates that Catholic teaching will be taught in the curricula. There’s an openness to the real life situations people face and live each day but there is no compromise in the passing on the Truth to others: care for the whole person and concern for the eternal destiny of souls.