As soon as the press release about Archbishop Wuerl's appointment was made public, I contacted Fr. Scott Hurd, who is assisting the archbishop in his position as the CDF delegate for the United States. Part of my purpose in contacting Fr. Hurd was to reaffirm our parish's desire to become part of the Ordinariate when it is erected. But I also wanted to ascertain exactly what the process is for Anglicans who want to make the archbishop aware of their desire to be included. Here's the relevant portion of his response to me:
I would encourage you to please have representatives of the various Anglican groups with whom you've been working to contact Archbishop Wuerl in writing. We will respond to inquiries from groups by sending a "community profile"- a questionnaire which will help us determine who, at this point in time, is interested in joining an Ordinariate. Interested persons are welcome to contact me, but it's good to have a "paper trail" for record keeping purposes. Here is Archbishop Wuerl's address:
Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, S.T.D.
Archbishop of Washington
P.O. Box 29260
Washington, DC 20017
Fr. Hurd gave his assurance that he is there to give whatever assistance is needed, but reiterated the importance of making the requests in writing.
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"…have representatives of the various Anglican groups with whom you've been working to contact Archbishop Wuerl in writing."
Am I to understand that congregations are considered "groups" and thus can contact the archbishop directly as The Cathedral of the Incarnation has? Are ACA/TAC congregations to do so via the proper ecclesiastical channels? We are soon to have our first Friends of the Ordinariate meeting. When ready, can the group contact the archbishop directly? Want to place the, 'foot to the peddle', but do so correctly.
I was contacted by priest in Australia regarding the Friends of the Ordinariate. I am interested in joining any group here in the US. Will you contact me with names(s) , addresses, e-mails,? so I can get involved? Thanks,
Donald True, Sr. +
270-804-8046
Did he happen to mention individuals without a parish? Such as in my case where
I will be coming by myself sans parish. The REC will not be interested, though individual priest and laity will.
Thanks for the information.
Fr. Brown,
I echo your sentiment but am sans priest and parish at the moment! I have been contemplating trying to promote a new parish as a layman in San Antonio for Anglicans with the intention of becoming a "church plant" within the ordinariate (if such a thing is even possible). I have visited with who would be the diocesian Bishop of the ACA in San Antonio – if they had a presence in San Antonio – to feel them out as a possible aspiring priest; but alas, they have no desire to enter the ordinariate. Would you please include me on what if any response you might receive?
Thank you and blessings – Hayden. (hayden.e.s.colby@gmail.com)
Since I too am an individual, and I am not sure if we will have a parish within the Ordinariate, I would like to write to the Archbishop. I was wondering what would be the proper salutation in greeting him be?
Do I explain my situation or how should I approach my request to be part of the Ordinariate?
Thanks for a response.
Hayden, I will keep you in the loop.
Have you thought about talking to Fr. Phillips. His parish is in San Antonio. He would be a great help and resource. He has contact with many various Anglicans. I am sure he could help.
Mark+
I would welcome a discussion of the church planting issue. Will the Ordinariate be a going concern, or a sort of ethnic cul de sac?
This has bothered me for some time. How does evangelization work in the Ordinariate? When a friend expresses an interest in Christianity, we invite them to our church, right? And, God willing, they would eventually become Christians and join our Ordinariate parish family?
I've always been left with the distinct impression that the Holy Father expects for the Ordinariates to grow and establish themselves as a legitimate "strain" of Apostolic Christianity in their own right. As such, I don't believe that it's expected only former Anglicans and their descendants should populate the Ordinariates like some kind of ethnic conclave within the Catholic Church. Anyone wishing to enter into full communion would be allowed to enter through "the Anglican door", as it were, and certainly those within the Ordinariates should probably evangelize with that intention. Or so I think.
For as much as Benedict XVI is made out to be a rigid "conservative", I think he actually has a very progressive understanding of how legitimate forms of Christianity should be allowed to express themselves within the confines of the Church. His understanding of the Universal Primacy of the Pope is restricted, I think, more to the idea of the Pope having veto power over heterodox ideas and practices, as well as defining authority on dogma, but I'm not left with the impression that he feels the Pope should or can lay claim to imposing uniformity and dictating from the chair of Peter. That may seem somewhat irrelevant to your question, but I think it's the heart of why the Ordinariates are being created: to give legitimacy to a different "brand" of Christianity that may then flourish and continue to develop its own identity within the broader communion that is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
One of the areas which I have thought to be of great importance, and have spoken personally to Fr. Christopher Phillips about, is the necessity of creating some sort of manner to connect interested parties. Given the nature of establishing an Ordinariate it seems reasonable that there will be three various “groups.” The first is a parish, loosely defined. This may be a full parish which already exists or it may be a portion of a current parish. The second is a group of parishioners that desire to enter the Ordinariate sans priest. The third is the priest who wishes to enter the Ordinariate sans parishioners.
Surely trying to connect the latter two would be of great help to establishing the Ordinariate. I would suggest that some sort of “clearing house” or “ecclesial internet dating site” be created to help facilitate the creation of groups who may write to the Archbishop. It could also be used to see where real interest exists to begin communities right now. This is a project of paramount importance I should think, and it cannot begin too soon. It will be made difficult by the fact that confidentiality will need to be kept in many cases, therefore registration would seem to be required to be able to even see the gathering of groups.
Does anyone have any suggestions beyond the sketchy idea that I've given? I am one who desires to see the Ordinariate established with as much strength and vitality as possible as it will be a witness that is desperately needed in our time.
As I understand both the Apostolic Constitution and Norms, and the subsequent commentaries by both Fr. Girlanda from last November and Bishop Arrieta in June, the likely order of setting up an ordinariate is:
A) Initial consultations between the Catholic Bishops' conferences (via liasons such as Archbishop Wuerl), CDF and interested Anglican groups
B) Appointment of an ordinary by the Holy Father through CDF
C) (Likely simultaneous with B) Erection of the ordinariate for the territory
D) Reception of communities
E) Reception of individuals (not necessarily later than D).
As illustrations, when Anglican Use parishes were set up (as I understand from Fr. Phillips in San Antonio and Fr. Bradford in Boston), individuals were received into full communion and the parishes were canonically erected simultaneously, even if these are logically distinct actions. Bishop Arrieta noted that a person is received (whether through baptism or a profession of faith) into a Particular Church (i.e., a diocese or apostolic adminstration), but that the Ordinariates, while similar to dioceses in many ways, are not Particular Churches. So that individuals join the Ordinariate by manifesting their intention in writing, and thus have a sort of dual citizenship, in both the territorial diocese and the Ordinariate.
While this kind of dual citizenship (despite the many devotional and other societies that have long been common among Anglicans) is a bit of a new idea, it is really old hat for Catholics, who often have such dual citizenship, first in their Diocese (via their parish) and second in a Third Order or Secular Institute.
I think that it is likely that individuals should not be writing the Archbishop directly, but rather wait for the appointment of the Ordinary. But more learned and in-the-know heads can comment further.
Steve, I don’t agree that individuals should not write the Archbishop. In as much as the second purpose of Archbishop Wuerl's appointment is: “2. To assess the level of interest in such an ordinariate in the United States,” it seems that it ought not to be only groups who make contact but individuals as well in as much as there are some individuals who are isolated and yet are interested (as some of the comments in this post shows).
It seems to me that, unless one is part of a group who will be making its interest known, then one should write. At least this is how I read the post.
I very much agree with you, Father. The principle of "vote early, vote often" will probably help to get things moving quicker.
We don't want this prophetic venture to run aground on the rocks of that classic clerical canard: "There's just no demand for it!"
The number of hoops that have to be jumped through concerns me a little. Each stage in the process provides opportunities for obstruction and obfuscation by those who oppose the Holy Father's plans.
I hope that his successor is committed to continue with the Ordinariates, because this is all going to take some time and the longer it takes, the more collateral damage will be sustained by the TAC.
Does anybody know a good prayer to the Holy Ghost for perseverance in patience?
I went ahead and wrote a letter to the Archbishop as follows:
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is with great joy that I read today of your appointment as Pastoral Delegate for the "Groups of Anglicans" which are forming here in the United States for the purpose of entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. Since, per the USCCB letter dated September 23, 2010, the ad hoc committee is to "assess the level of interest in such an ordinariate in the United States"; I am writing to express my family's interest. I also know of others who remain in the Episcopal Church who have shown interest in coming into full communion with the Catholic Church while retaining their beloved liturgical patrimony. It is my fervent wish that the Holy Father's intentions are achieved and this step towards true Christian unity serves as an example for all our separated brethren. Please know that you, Bishop Vann, Bishop McManus, and Father Hurd are and will remain in our prayers.
My letter is written and will be posted this morning.
I think those who write to the archbishop on behalf of a family or group should mention in their letter how many individuals are interested since it seems numbers will facilitate his work.
Advice emailed to me:
Overnight FedEx, certified, notarized, s.s. number, drop of blood ?
;`)
As the theological society called Pink said, "Let's get this party started."
and
. . .show your return address as:
Henry VIII
1534 Lambeth Road
London
Opening Sentence: "I'm baaa-aaaccck !"
That ought'a catch their eye.
I'm considering the first bit, but the second one is up for grabs.