Anglicanorum coetibus – Page 2

Pope moving forward with Anglican Union

The Roman See is moving ahead with welcoming Anglicans who want to swim the Tiber. People are talking of an announcement of a structure around January 15. Recent ceremonies of welcome and communion signal the serious of many who want to be in communion with the Lord but also with the Lord’s Church. In coming weeks some are being ordained priests. Benedict’s providing space for those who want to be in full communion with the Catholic Church while keeping cherished patrimony alive –but fixing some theological and liturgical infelicities.

London’s online news, The Daily Mail has not new news but some noteworthy things. Their headline is a bit misleading and aims to be contentious….

The Catholic News Agency also has a story on the forthcoming Ordinariate.

Wuerl answers questions regarding Anglicans becoming Catholic

A recent interview with Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, concerning various issues relating to Anglicans seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church was published the other day. Wuerl fills in some gaps in the process and hope that has been generated by Pope Benedict’s motu proprio Anglicanorum Coetibus. Recall that the Pope named Wuerl and 2 other bishops to head a task force that would evaluate and offer guidance to interested Anglicans. Those Anglicans seeking communion with the Roman Church, and live in the USA, ought to write to Cardinal Wuerl. The cardinal is aided by Father Hurd, himself a former Anglican minister now an ordained Catholic priest.

The interview was published by the Catholic Standard on December 17, 2010.

On another front, an Australian newspaper believes that about 1000 members of the Church of Australia will swim the Tiber. The article really offers no new information, but it is interesting to note how focussed the liberal media is on issue of women’s ordination as being the central issue for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church.

Prayer for Anglicans seeking full communion with the Catholic Church

Eternal Father, we place before you the project of forming
the Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans seeking full communion with the
Catholic Church. We thank you for this initiative of Pope Benedict XVI, and we
ask that, through the Holy Spirit, the Ordinariates may become:

families of charity, peace and the service of the poor,
centres for Christian unity and reconciliation, communities that welcome and
evangelize, teaching the Faith in all its fullness, celebrating the liturgy and
sacraments with prayerful reverence and maintaining a distinctive patrimony of
Christian faith and culture.

Drawing on that heritage we pray:

Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most
gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works,
begun, continued and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally
by thy mercy obtain everlasting life; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

V. Our Lady of Walsingham.

R. Pray for us
as we claim your motherly care.

V. Saint
Therese of the Infant Jesus.

R. Pray for us as we place this work under your patronage.

V. Blessed John
Henry Newman

R. Pray that Christ’s Heart may speak unto our hearts.

V. Saints and
Martyrs of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and North America.

R. Pray for us and accompany us on our pilgrim way.

Vincent Nichols says there’s positive Anglican-Catholic cooperation

Increased attention is growing in the days that lead up to the anticipated creation of an Anglican Ordinariate in England. It’s hoped that the Ordinariate will be announced in early 2011. As you are aware, following the beatification of John Henry Newman 5 Anglican bishops declared that they’re resigning their positions in the Church of England in favor of entering into full communion with the Church of Rome. Andrew Burnham one of the bishops seeking communion with Rome set aside his mitre and crosier at the Mary altar, saying: “It is because it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, abiding in his Church, that I believe I must accept it and invite others to come with me on the journey.”

Continue reading Vincent Nichols says there’s positive Anglican-Catholic cooperation

UK Bishops speak on new Anglican Ordinariate

The events in Rome these past days have distracted some from mentioning the Bishops of England and Wales’ statement on the apostolic constitution of November 4, 2009, “Anglicanorum coetibus.” To date, this is the clearest statement of the UK Bishops’ intention to positively respond to the Pope’s generous gesture of working with Anglicans who themselves desire to respond more generously to Christ’s call to discipleship and mission.

A few points from the statement:

1. “Anglicanorum coetibus” is a response of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict, to the repeated and insistent requests of Anglicans requesting to be in full communion with the Catholic Church while retaining some of the Anglican patrimony;

2. In conjunction with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the UK Conference of Bishops, an ecclesial circumscription called an Ordinariate in early January 2011 will be established in Great Britain;

3. In resigning their office in the Anglican Communion on December 31, 2010, the 5 bishops will be received into the Church, and prior to Lent will be ordained to the Order of Deacon and then to the Holy Priesthood so as to assist in the services of Holy Week when other Anglicans will be received into the Church after a period of preparation;

4. At Pentecost those Anglican ministers who petitioned to be ordained Catholic priests will be ordained.

The full statement is noted here: UK Bishops statement on Anglican Ordinariate.pdf

Benedict and Rowan

The Archbishop of Canterbury visits Pope Benedict XVI today.

His Grace’s meeting with His Holiness was previously scheduled to but certainly follows the extraordinary announcement of the 5 Anglican bishops desire for entering into full communion with the Church of Rome. Ostensibly Williams was in Rome to participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity but exact details of the discussion with the Pope are not public (yet?).

The Vatican Radio report carries more information.

Possible parishes in a proposed Ordinariate for Anglicans in the US & Canada

You gotta love Google Maps … proposed parishes of the Anglican Ordinariate

Shane Schaetzel put together a map of proposed parishes that may be in a ecclesiastical jurisdiction for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. A lot of work went into developing this fine resource and we’re grateful.

Cardinals to pray & discuss about Dominus Iesus, sex abuse, Ordinariate for Anglicans wishing to be Catholic

Anna Arco’s article online at the Catholic Herald (of the UK fame) reports that before the consistory of cardinals on November 20, during which the Pope will create 24 new cardinals there will be prayer, reflection and conversation about a number of things but three key topics will be the 10th anniversary of Dominus Iesus, sex abuse crisis and the Ordinariate for Anglicans who desire to enter into full communion the Catholic Church. Other issues to be discussed, but no less crucial to the life of the Church, are religious liberty and the sacred Liturgy.

Read Arco’s article, “Cardinals to discuss Church reactions to sexual abuse and the Ordinariate.” Don’t make the connection between the two issues. There’s no connection.

5 “distressed” bishops moving to full communion with Rome

The Boston Globe ran a story today, “UK Catholics say 5 Anglican bishops converting,” emphasing these 5 as disaffected, distressed, defectors for political reasons: homosexually inclined and female clergy. It could be, however, that these 5 desire to follow Christ in the true Church he founded, and the bishops acknowledge this fact. Of course, one never knows what the exact back story really is because the information is filtered through many layers before the print media goes to print. The statement of the five bishops can be read here and if you are interested in the Forward in Faith groups, see their website.

The bishops, and for any baptized Christian “moving” to become Catholic are said to be coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. They are not converting. This point is made briefly in the article but it seems to obscured by the author because of the particular situation. The Anglicans are Christian; they have converted to Christ; they pray the Lord’s Prayer; Anglicans have a spiritual life. What they are doing by becoming Catholic is following the promptings of the Holy Spirit to live in the truth of unity with the Bishop of Rome.

The 5 Anglican bishops are: Bishops Andrew Burnham, Keith Newton, John Broadhurst, Edwin Barnes and David Silk.

My hope is that the 5 bishops “pope” but that they do so for the right reason and not because of they truly are disgruntled with Anglicanism. Rome doesn’t need more disgruntled Catholics. Are they following Christ and the guided companionship of the Church or their own moral compass?

Wuerl named delegate for Anglicans entering full communion with the Catholic Church by CDF

The Archbishop of Washington, Donald W. Wuerl, STD, 70, has been delegated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to be the principal guide for those Anglican/Episcopalian clergyman seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, and ordination as a priest.

The USCCB announcement is posted here.

The committee headed by Archbishop Wuerl will include their Excellencies, The Most Reverends Kevin Vann, JCD (Fort Worth, TX) and Robert McManus, STD (Worcester, MA). They will be assisted by Father Scott Hurd, himself a convert to Catholicism. The committee will facilitate the implementation of Anglicanorum coetibus in the USA and assess the need for an ordinariate in the USA.

The Pope’s Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus can be read here.

Anglicanorum coetibus and the Complementary Norms