I arrived back in San Antonio last night (Saturday) just after 10 p.m., after the Anglicanorum coetibus Canadian Conference in Toronto. The folks in the archdiocese had everything organized beautifully, and the 150 or so of us who gathered at the Queen of Apostles Retreat Center had a great time together. This was my first time to visit Canada, and I was delighted to meet so many with whom I have corresponded and talked to by phone, and it was wonderful to make many new friends, too. I want to get some of my initial impressions and thoughts posted before I get taken up with my Sunday duties here at the parish.
Archbishop Thomas Collins is a very gracious and attentive host, and he’s really the perfect choice for getting Anglicanorum coetibus implemented in Canada. It’s apparent that he understands the historic and pastoral importance of this, and he stated many times that he wants to do everything necessary to help establish a solid foundation for the Canadian Ordinariate – and he wants this to be as soon as possible. As he said in some of his remarks, “We don’t want to dither over this!”
Obviously, there are some practical things to be done in preparation, and those things necessarily take a bit of time, but there won’t be any time wasted. He has set May 31st as the date when he would like to have the information about how many want to enter the Ordinariate, and he will immediately get that information to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, so things can be set in motion for the formal establishment of the Ordinariate.
The largest number of those at the Conference were from the (TAC) Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, but there was a good number from the Anglican Church of Canada, too. I had the opportunity to make a couple of presentations, using our experience in the Pastoral Provision as a starting-point to speak about many of the practical and spiritual challenges and opportunities there will be when the Ordinariate is erected. Fr. Aidan Nichols’ presentations on the theological and liturgical foundation were truly inspired and inspiring, as he helped us look at the vision of Pope Benedict XVI.
A bit of history was made, too. On Friday evening, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, we celebrated an Anglican Use Mass. This was a “first” for Canada, and they really pulled out all the stops for the occasion – fabulous music, a beautiful church in which to celebrate, followed by a lovely reception where the wine flowed freely… Anglican patrimony at its best!
All the presentations will be available on video very soon, since Salt + Light recorded it.
Here are a few pictures, stolen shamelessly from Deborah Gyapong. Since I was busy as a participant, I wasn’t able to take pictures, so I’m following that tried-and-true principle of asking for forgiveness rather than permission.
Archbishop Thomas Collins
Anglican Use Mass at St. Joseph's, Streetsville
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The hospitality was profound, and many thanks are due to the archdiocese of Toronto for hosting the conference. I do have one small concern, however, regarding what one might refer to as "etiquette" or common courtesy: During the entire conference, there was no public acknowledgment of the presence of the TAC Primate or our Canadian Diocesan Bishop, nor were they invited to speak, however briefly, or to even greet the attendees. In fact no Anglican clergy were permitted to present an address at all in the program that I am aware of (and I listened attentively to each and every session).
So if the process of dialogue in working toward an Ordinariate is to be consistently one-sided I can only pray that the Holy Ghost will somehow mystically carry our thoughts and suggestions into the CCCB meetings and elsewhere as our fate is decided… as we , like children, are to be seen and not heard.
One small courtesy was the permission for an early morning Anglican Mass to be offered in the chapel for attendees on Fri and Sat, though not included in the official program. That, and daily Mattins and Evensong, provided a refreshing liturgical and sacramental backdrop to an otherwise turgid and tiring few days. Aside from that, I think the jury is still out on whether we are technically any further ahead or enlightened on this pathway to erecting an Ordinariate…
When digging a tunnel, one must sooner or later stop surveying and grab the shovel and dig…only then will you really know for certain what may lie in your chosen path, and must be dealt with. As far as I can see the shovels are still rusting on their pegs in the toolshed.
The ACCC diocesan did lead the opening Evensong, which was on the official programme. Also, the ACCC bishops were in procession at the Anglican Use Mass, which was nice. You're right, though, it would have been so greatly encouraging for the ACCC faithful if one of our bishops had been able to bring official greetings to the conference, or to say some words of thanks.
The Anglicanorum coetibus conference was a gathering of Canadian Anglicans, all looking to follow the same path together into the Ordinariate. Our hosts, the Archdiocese of Toronto and Archbishop Thomas Collins, were fantastic.
Fr. Aidan Nichols was brilliant and provided us with a theological understanding of Anglicanorum coetibus. Fr. Christopher Phillips, who celebrated the first Anglican use Mass in Canada on Friday evening, provided us with a practical understanding of just how an Ordinariate parish would function. I believe that this was the purpose of the conference and the first step in the establishment.
I found Archbishop Collins to be fully supportive and involved in the establishment of the Ordinariate in Canada. As Father Phillips noted at the conference, "we are in good hands". It was an incredibly historic three days.
For me, it was far from turgid and tiring, and I think many, if not most, of the 150 or so attendees would agree. I personally experienced fellowship with folks from the Anglican Church of Canada and Catholics who came from the Anglican tradition. Continuing clergy mingled with like-minded Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy. Unless they were hiding their discontent, I saw mostly joy, and to be quite honest, relief on the faces of people who found other people who shared a common vision of the Church.
What I learned from the conference is that the Ordinariate in Canada is going to happen and it will be soon. I sensed a positive energy from those attending and I do believe that the opportunity to grab that shovel and dig is nigh. It’s time to show that pioneer spirit!
I too experienced the fellowship, along with the "good" vibes of those present. My point is that the Conference itself, while facilitating some networking and so forth, all well and good, presented no clearer picture, no concrete roadmap, no projected timeline. I spent the entire time at the venue, and still have no clue when something of substance – to specifically work toward – will be forthcoming. It has been a year and a half now. Those who are interested have sent in their intentions. There will be few others. We'll have to work with the numbers already known. Another 2 months of dallying will not see a significant influx of ordinariate-bound Anglicans. wysiwyg.
My experience was overall positive. So don't jump all over me for offering criticism. The Conference was necessary, valuable, and will serve as a landmark event in the minds of all who were there.
I should have used the term "crammed" or "jam-packed" rather than "turgid". I was frankly exhausted and overwhelmed at the end of the three days. I found the days very full and it left me extremely tired mentally and physically, coupled with poor sleep. Each person's experience will differ, no doubt. It was three days of vague generalities, positive sentiments, well-wishes, and endless references to "patrimony". No specifics. I for one had simply hoped that a year and a half in there might be some specifics presented. That is all.
I look forward to getting out the shovels for a ground breaking sometime soon.
Dom,
I apologize if it appeared I was dumping on you. Look, I lacked sleep and had a terrible chest cold. (If you heard someone hacking, that was me). I was sick as a dog and my flights back east were delayed by a total of 5 1/2 hours. My wife picked me up at the airport and I finally made it home by 1 am. I had been up since 4:30 the previous morning. I averaged maybe about 5 hours sleep a night, coughing the whole time. Sorry neighbours!
But, I still enjoyed meeting others and left hopeful for the future Ordinariate. I did my best to garner all that was positive out of the event.
In your first comment, made up of four rather large paragraphs, you devoted very little to anything positive and presented a great deal negative commentary. Now you have a right to your opinion, as it is my right to have a counter view, but at the conference, I certainly did not feel patronized or treated like a child, seen and not heard, which you seem to imply. That's simply not the way we were treated! So I felt I had to reply. Could it have been better? Of course, most things can be improved.
I also cannot see how you can say, "My experience was overall positive… The Conference was necessary, valuable, and will serve as a landmark event in the minds of all (I assume you include yourself) who were there." and then say “It was three days of vague generalities, positive sentiments, well-wishes, and endless references to "patrimony". These views are just too contradictory. You cannot believe both.
It's March 28th, and we were asked to report, by May 31st, our interest in the Ordinariate, as communities. This would give Archbishop Collins a general indication of interest which he pass on to the CDF. By June 1st, the process would then move on.
I believe that the Archbishop wishes to take deliberate approach to the establishment of the Ordinariate. He promised that the first wave of groups will begin final preparation for reception soon. All signs point to this fall. I tend to believe that.
But, do you want the Delegate for the CDF in Canada to provide various groups of Anglicans a firm establishment date, say for Advent 1, on March 26th and then discover that only a tiny number wish to join. Now, we know that the numbers will most likely be sufficient, and I would guess Archbishop Collins knows this as well, but let us do him the courtesy of allowing the process to flow naturally.
Look at where we were only a few short years ago and look at us now. We are further ahead after this conference, and as promised, it will be soon.
Again, I'm sorry if it appeared that I was dumping on you. And I'm glad that, like myself, you look forward to getting out the shovels for the ground breaking.
Father, we're on the same page.
My criticism was simply that none of our bishops were able to be heard by the general attendance. I was expecting them to speak, and sharing their insights. I for one have never had the privelege of hearing Bishop Wilkinson or Bishop Botterill speak publicly or preach.
With regard to the May 31 deadline for more applicants: I feel that the past few years has been a time of sifting-out. The analogy that comes to mind is Gideon's Army. The hardened soldiers who are left are going to have to serve as the advance guard to establish the first Ordinariate parishes. If the Archbishop is hoping for several thousand soft and malleable inquirers to rush forward in the next month or so…. I hope he's not waiting with bated breath.
We may be a bit rag tag and battle-worn, but having been through the fires and been scarred has weeded out the pretenders. God does not require massive armies when He is on their side and the forces of Heaven are fighting for their cause. I think most of us who are left under the somewhat scorched and tattered banner of Canadian Anglican Catholicism were ready for this a long time ago, and have been patient. Further delay is undesirable. But God will lead the way forward when the time is right.
Dom, I do believe we are on the same page.
It's funny, as you know Archbishop Collins said he reads the blogs regarding Anglicanorum coetibus, and observed our battle-torn wearieness and pain. Based on that, I would think he knows he's not about to get passive sheep. If anything, my guess is that he praying that we can become the vanguard of a new evangelization for the Church; hardly the work of sheep.
The gist of your criticism is valid and perhaps a few words from Bishop Wilkinson and the recoginition of the presence of Archbishop Hepworth would have been the gracious thing to do.
And indeed, God will lead the way when the time is right.
At an ecumenical gathering I am sure Abp Collins would have accorded TAC bishops greater status. But in the context of preparation for reception into the Catholic Church, these people are laymen (with the exception of +Hepworth, of course). To accuse him of lacking "common courtesy" is quite unfair.
Dom,
You wrote: With regard to the May 31 deadline for more applicants…
My understanding is that the deadline of 31 May is primarily for clergy to submit their dossiers so that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will have time to review them before September.
I hear your frustration about further delay, but the announced timetable seems to be the best option for at least a couple reasons.
>> 1. The deadline of 31 May for clergy to submit their dossiers and for groups to commit will allow ample time for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to review the dossiers before September. Bear in mind that the Vatican dicasteries grind to a halt during the month of August, with only skelatal staff to handle urgent matters, due to the extreme heat of the Roman summer. Thus, this review must be substantially completed by the end of July.
>> 2. This deadline for definitive commitment also will give Archbishop Collins three months to coordinate formation of the various groups with the various Catholic dioceses and archdioceses that will provide the formation and receive the groups on behalf of the ordinariate.
>> 3. The deadline also will permit early reception and ordination of the clergy who will become leaders of the ordinariate in August or early September so that those individuals can assist in the coordination of formation and reception of the rest of the clergy and the laity coming to the ordinariate, if Archbishop Collins deems this to be desirable.
>> 4. Delay of the formation until the end of the summer vacation period will greatly diminish the need to work around vacations and other potential conflicts in the schedules of the participants. It's rather difficult to run a cohesive program of formation when a different ten percent or so of the participants are away each week of the program, as typically would be the case during the summer vacation period.
I realize that the wait is frustrating, but this schedule does appears to be well considered.
And just as a further thought, this schedule could allow the clergy coming to the ordinariate to complete much of their preparatory reading program during the summer, while most of their parishes have a reduced schedule of activities that demand their attention. This might permit reception of the clergy sufficiently ahead of their parishonners to permit Catholic ordination of the clergy by the time of reception of the laity, permitting the ordinariate to canonical erect its parishes canonically upon reception of the laity.
Norm.
Norm, Where was this memo handed out? I heard none of this….? Are you proposing a theoretical schedule, or was this information conveyed to you personally by someone with accurate data? I strained my ears at each talk to try and work out where this would go over the next twelvemonth…and came up no further ahead than when I arrived.
Something by the autumn would be great!
The 31 May date is not an absolute deadline. It is the date by which Archbishop Collins would like to have an indication of the initial numbers of those intending to enter the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate, so that he can report to the Holy See and request the establishment of an Ordinariate in Canada. For those who want to take more time, the doors will remain open. There is no deadline for entering the Ordinariate.
Dom,
The schedule probably appeared in one or another of the reports of the meeting in Toronto on the "English Catholic" blog. IIRC, it stated that communities that want to be part of the first wave are to indicate firm commitment by 31 May and that clergy are to submit their dossiers by that date, and that the formation process would occur in the fall (which I take to mean starting in September). Beyond that information, I'm "reading between the lines."
But Phoenix is right: those who are not ready to be part of the initial wave can join the ordinariate at any time in the future.
Norm.
Since I assisted Archbishop Collins in arriving at the May 31st date, I can say with some knowledge of his intention, that he would like general numbers of all the individuals who will comprise the groups of Anglicans. Those who were at the Conference will recall that he spoke of these numbers being gathered on the parish level. Those individuals who are not part of an ACC or ACCC parish, should send a letter directly to the archbishop. Also, I would urge those who have already entered into full communion with the Holy See, but who are from an Anglican background, to notify the archbishop of your desire to be part of the Ordinariate when it is erected. This will give him more accurate numbers to send to the CDF.
Archbishop Collins made an incredibly perceptive statement about the groups of Anglicans he's been meeting in this process. He said (and I hope someone who attended can help me recall his exact words!) there is a sensitivity and prickliness to many of them – coming out of sometimes painful experiences – and that the coming-over process should be one where they can just relax (he implied it in the sense of being "becalmed", not as in "chill out") and experience peace. He then described the feeling of liberation knowing there is clear authority in the Church and how that allows one to focus all of his or her energies in proclaiming the Good News.
He is a very good pastor for noticing and being sensitive to that tension in many Anglicans.
AC Explorer,
You wrote: Archbishop Collins made an incredibly perceptive statement about the groups of Anglicans he's been meeting in this process. He said (and I hope someone who attended can help me recall his exact words!) there is a sensitivity and prickliness to many of them – coming out of sometimes painful experiences – and that the coming-over process should be one where they can just relax (he implied it in the sense of being "becalmed", not as in "chill out") and experience peace.
That's a very interesting point that I had not previously considered. Much of the "formation" for the groups who are joining the ordinariates probably will turn out to be about pulling out the daggers with which they have been stabbed, and that others have been assiduously twisting, so that the wounds from those daggers can begin to heal. A situation in which many of those coming into the ordinariates are walking emotional bombs waiting for some fuse to set them off and blow the respective ordinariates apart would not be constructive toward the success of the ordinariates.
Norm.