Tag Archives: Anglicanorum Coetibus

More Ordinariate Disappointment

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This statement has been approved by the Personal Ordinariate and posted on the St. Thomas More Parish web site.

It's a pity — a solid, private boys' school with spirituality rooted in the Traditional Latin Mass, but with an appreciation of the Anglican Patrimony.  This seems like it would have been a marriage made in heaven.

When I met him in Orlando some months ago, Monsignor Steenson held nothing back in the expression of his enmity towards Catholic Traditionalism and the so-called Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.  He said the Ordinariate should have nothing to do with those people (a paraphrase, but an accurate assessment of his attitude which was made quite clear).  He even suggested that, simply because I had an affinity for the TLM that I should consider myself "out of communion" with the local Ordinary, Bishop Noonan of Orlando.  Quite taken aback, I assured the Anglican Ordinary that I was quite Catholic, despite my intense dislike (and often horror) of the institutionalized liturgical abuses found in Latin Rite parishes almost everywhere (and unfortunately in my home diocese) and my attachment to Catholic Tradition.

The Ordinary should at least be reminded that, according to Anglicanorum coetibus and Summorum Pontificum, his priests have the unrestricted right to celebrate the Sacraments according to the liturgical books in force in 1962.  And it is my fervent belief that both the Anglican Catholic and Catholic Traditionalist communities would both greatly benefit by their collaboration — if only we had a visionary leadership.

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Archbishop Falk Will Not Be Joining Ordinariate

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From Fr. Chori Seraiah's blog (h/t Fr. Smuts):

I have been fairly silent lately. Yes, I have been busy, but there is more to it than that. It has been difficult for me to hold my tongue, but it was necessary. New events have occurred and I am able to answer the questions that many have been asking. My former parish St. Aidan's here in Des Moines has made its final decision and chosen not to join the Ordinariate after all. They will remain Anglican and Bp. Louis Falk is remaining with them (any questions about the parish itself should be directed to them and not to me). It has been a very difficult time for them, as they had come to realize that the Ordinariate was not what they wanted (at the same time that I was in the process for ordination–not an easy task for any parish). I am happy to say that there is no strife between the parish and I (or my family either). Each of us realized that we were not on the same path, and yet there is peace between us. I ask everyone to pray for them at this time.

I, on the other hand, am happily serving as a substitute hospital chaplain (a very rewarding ministry!) for the next few months, and in the meantime I am seeking to begin an Ordinariate community here in Des Moines. Anyone interested in being a part of this, please let me know by contacting me at my email address listed to the left side of this page. I am especially seeking any Anglicans/Episcopalians who are interested in what the Ordinariate has to offer; Lutherans may also find something of interest in this venture.

It is sad news to see Archbishop Louis Falk is not joining the Ordinariate and that St. Aidan's has decided not to join either.  I have never met him, but I know he was a staunch advocate of Christian unity when he was Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC).  He was one of the three Anglican Church in America (ACA) bishops who welcomed Anglicanorum coetibus.

Fr. Anthony Chadwick, my former blogging partner at the now defunct The English Catholic,  posted some rather trenchant observations about the price the Traditional Anglican Communion paid for its bid for unity.

He writes:

We in the TAC got well and truly burned. The captain at the helm looked at only one thing – his compass bearing, and to hell with the rocks, fog and other ships. The ship was wrecked. Rome said to us “Yes, but as dismantled spare parts“. They would filter, screen and sift us, have every single priest send in his application and have his vocation re-evaluated from zero all over again. The rest – all that doesn’t matter just as long as they don’t tell anyone that they are institutionally dead. And by the way, forget it if you’ve already read the book, seen the film and been there! Some shipwrecked sailors are now picking through the bits of broken mast, pieces of companionways, barrels of preserved food and shreds of torn sails – looking at what they can salvage, and then rebuild. Those courageous men and women have my esteem and prayers, and they do not have to listen to the voices of those who have become Roman Catholics “Come in, the water’s warm“. “Just be patient and wait. Rome thinks in centuries“. Forget it. Either go over or stay and rebuild, or go somewhere else.

It’s in the nature of things: the small entity approaches the big entity because it is unable to compete. Big entity considers only one thing – what is useful to it and how it can get bigger and richer. There is no idea of helping the small entity in some way.

The whole exercise has left behind such pain and bitterness.  The TAC did ask for some form of corporate reunion but the only corporate reunion that ended up on offer was parish by parish, reconstituted after individuals had converted.  I do not blame Archbishop Hepworth for his overly expansive interpretation of Anglicanorum coetibus.  As fine a mind as Fr. Aidan Nichols' told me he didn't see why the document could not cover the corporate reunion of a diocese or even a province.

For many the unfolding of the Ordinariates' character might seem too much like absorption, too much like a loss of identity for those hoping for corporate reunion of some kind.

Thankfully for us we have not experienced our coming into the Catholic Church as a loss of identity at all.  Our celebrations of the Eucharist on Sundays and everything else we do is not much different from what we did before we became Catholic.  We have guest priests now, but they love our patrimony and are doing their best to help us maintain it as we wait for our own clergy to be ordained as Catholic priests.

But this was not an easy journey.  For some it has proved impossible, at least for now.

Let's keep our comments respectful and measured, seeing as I trust most of us do hope for the Ordinariates to be successful and that eventually those who are unsure now might find them truly places where Anglican identity and patrimony are flourishing within the Catholic Church.

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Archbishop J. Michael Miller Receives Anglican Catholics in Vancouver

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Hurrah for Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller for receiving a group of former members of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) led by (Fr) Michael Shier on July 12 and hurrah! for the B.C. Catholic Newspaper for covering the story!  Here's an excerpt.  Follow the link to read the whole thing. There's a picture, too!

Group of 11 with 'Anglican distinctiveness' enter Catholic Church at Holy Rosary
By Alistair Burns
The B.C. Catholic
VANCOUVER

Eleven former members of the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada came into the Roman Catholic Church June 30 during a Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said the Mass, with Father Bruce McAllister, Father Glenn Dion, and Father William Ashley concelebrating.

"This has been a long, sometimes trying journey, but one filled with hope," the archbishop said in his homily. "We are celebrating, as these nine adult members are confirmed and two children come into full communion, a joyous, historic occasion."

Archbishop Miller explained the unification process had been set in motion in 2007, when the bishops of the Anglican communion formally expressed their desire "to enter into full unity with the Holy See, without losing their Anglican distinctiveness."

Two years later Pope Benedict XVI signed an apostolic constitution, a formal document which enabled groups of Anglicans to join the Catholic Church.

"Physical union with the Church does not mean absorption into a monolith; the union is better compared with an orchestral ensemble: the result is symphonic," the archbishop enthused.

After the Mass, the new Catholics congregated on the cathedral steps with the archbishop and his concelebrants.

"We were drawn in by the Pope's declaration; that's what really motivated us," said the Rev. Michael Shier, an Anglican clergyman on his way to ordination as a Catholic priest. "He understood our predicament."

The Rev. Shier also thanked the archbishop for kindly spending a few hours in a question-and-answer session with the converts at Westminster Abbey.

"This group enriches the Church by their presence, and it takes considerable humility for them to do this. It's not what they have chosen; Christ has chosen them," pointed out Father Ashley.

And I got word from someone from Edmonton that the group there, led by (Fr.) David Skelton has been on a Eucharistic fast for several months and they will be received Tuesday, July 24, next week!

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A Sad But Inevitable End

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It's hard to believe that we sprang from this. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say we were sprung out of this mess by the Holy Spirit. The following article appeared in the Wall Street Journal, and as I read it from a thirty-year distance, it's like coming across an old acquaintance, once an important and dear friend, who's now laying drunk in a gutter.

How could such a thing happen to what seemed to be such a solid and venerable institution? It's probably more reasonable to ask, "How could it not happen?" When a tree is uprooted, it cannot live for long. A body cannot live without a head. When there is no legitimate authority to guide, chaos will take over. Even what seems to be beautiful, when separated from discipline, eventually grows ugly.

As you read the article, you might be tempted to shake your head in disbelief. Rather, we should give thanks to God that nearly thirty years ago, with the establishment of the Anglican Use parishes of the Pastoral Provision, He allowed us to begin to preserve what was true and beautiful and holy in Anglicanism by bringing it back to its birthplace; namely, Christ's Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church. May God bless and multiply the Ordinariates in continuing the work begun.

OB TT016 howaka G 20120712174831 A Sad But Inevitable End

What Ails the Episcopalians

By Jay Akasie

Indianapolis

Episcopalians from around the country gathered here this week for their church's 77th triennial General Convention, which ended Thursday. Although other Protestant denominations have national governing councils, the Episcopal Church's triennial gathering stands apart. For starters, it's one of the world's largest such legislative entities, with more than 1,000 members.

General Convention is also notable for its sheer ostentation and carnival atmosphere. For seven straight nights, lavish cocktail parties spilled into pricey steakhouses, where bishops could use their diocesan funds to order bottles of the finest wines.

During the day, legislators in the lower chamber, the House of Deputies, and the upper chamber, the House of Bishops, discussed such weighty topics as whether to develop funeral rites for dogs and cats, and whether to ratify resolutions condemning genetically modified foods. Both were approved by a vote, along with a resolution to "dismantle the effects of the doctrine of discovery," in effect an apology to Native Americans for exposing them to Christianity.

But the party may be over for the Episcopal Church, and so, probably, its experiment with democratic governance. Among the pieces of legislation that came before their convention was a resolution calling for a task force to study transforming the event into a unicameral—that is, a one-house—body. On Wednesday, a resolution to "re-imagine" the church's governing body passed unanimously.

Formally changing the structure of General Convention will most likely formalize the reality that many Episcopalians already know: a church in the grip of executive committees under the direct supervision of the church's secretive and authoritarian presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori. They now set the agenda and decide well in advance what kind of legislation comes before the two houses.

Bishop Schori is known for brazenly carrying a metropolitan cross during church processions. With its double horizontal bars, the metropolitan cross is a liturgical accouterment that's typically reserved for Old World bishops. And her reign as presiding bishop has been characterized by actions more akin to a potentate than a clergywoman watching over a flock.

In recent years she's sued breakaway, traditionalist dioceses which find the mother church increasingly radical. Church legislators have asked publicly how much the legal crusades have cost, to no avail. In the week before this summer's convention, Bishop Schori sent shock waves through the church by putting forth her own national budget without consulting the convention's budget committee—consisting partly of laymen—which until now has traditionally drafted the document.

Whatever its cost, the litigation against breakaway dioceses—generally, demanding that they return church buildings and other assets—has added to the national church's financial problems. Many dioceses are no longer willing or able to cough up money to support the national organization, and its bank accounts are running dry. On Monday, for example, the church announced that its headquarters at 815 2nd Avenue in midtown Manhattan—which includes a presiding bishop's full-floor penthouse with wraparound terrace—is up for sale.

In the past, General Convention, for all its excesses, at least gave ordinary laymen a sense that they had a democratic voice in governing the church. But many Episcopal leaders have chosen to focus more on secular politics than on religion over the years. Donald Hook, author of "The Plight of the Church Traditionalist: A Last Apology," estimates that church membership has declined to fewer than one million today from three million in 1970. This is another reason, along with financial woes, to save money with a slimmed-down legislature.

And yet there are important issues at stake if laymen are further squeezed out of what was once a transparent legislative process. A long-standing quest by laymen to celebrate the Eucharist—even taking on functions of ordained ministers to consecrate bread and wine for Holy Communion, which is a favorite cause of the church's left wing—would likely be snuffed out in a unicameral convention in which senior clergy held sway.

Also in jeopardy would be the ability of ordinary laymen to stop the rewriting, in blunt modern language and with politically correct intent, of the church's historic Book of Common Prayer. The revisionist bishops who would hold sway over a unicameral convention in the future haven't hid their desire to do away with all connections to Thomas Cranmer, who was appointed archbishop of Canterbury by Henry VIII. He was a classic figure in the English Reformation. But today the man and his prayer book are deemed too traditional by some church bishops.

For some, the writing on the wall is already clear. On Wednesday, the entire delegation from the diocese of South Carolina—among the very last of the traditionalist holdouts—stormed out of the convention.

Mr. Akasie, a journalist and Episcopalian, lives in New York City.

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The Ordinations Begin in Canada!

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Great news from Calgary!

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ORDINATIONS NEXT WEEK

Lee Kenyon and John Wright will be ordained Deacon on Thursday 28th June at 10.00 a.m. at St John the Evangelist, Calgary.

They will be ordained Priest on Saturday 30th June at 11.00 a.m. at St Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary.

The Bishop of Calgary, The Most Revd Frederick Henry will ordain Lee and John for service in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter.

Fr Kenyon’s First Mass will be on Dominion Day Sunday 1st July at 10.00 a.m.

Your presence and prayers are requested at all these Masses.

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Is Becoming Catholic for Anglicans Only About Ecclesiology?

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This is an excerpt of a long piece by Joel Hodge, a lecturer in theology at the Australian Catholic University.  He writes:

In the midst of these issues, the first Anglican “ordinariate” in Australia has been viewed as meaning many “traditionalists” will seek admittance to avoid recent Anglican Church decisions.

But by no means will this be the intention of everyone who joins. Moreover, we should be equally clear that to become part of the ordinariate is not and should not be about signing up to a political agenda – about women or homosexuality or another issue – or affirming unreasonable discontent.

These issues are important, but first and foremost the ordinariate is about affirming the ‘catholic’ nature of the church. The Anglican Church itself has always valued this catholic nature. This catholic nature has traditionally been defined as a universality of local churches guided by God, visibly signified by unity around the office of St Peter.

"Moreover, we should be equally clear that to become part of the ordinariate is not and should not be about signing up to a political agenda – about women or homosexuality or another issue – or affirming unreasonable discontent."

Political agenda?

Huh?

I know there was a lot of concern out there in Catholic circles that we from the Traditional Anglican Communion would be bringing our horrid Branch Theory ecclesiology with us.  We have been framed as anti-women and anti-gay as if the Catholic Church's teachings on Holy Orders and human sexuality (the whole shebang, including teachings on artificial contraception) are political issues rather than the teachings of the Catholic Church from the beginning.

These principles are not political; they are foundational to the common good.  Period.  They are not optional beliefs, any more than our understanding of ecclesiology.  But hey, you can talk about ecclesiology and since most people don't have a clue what the word means their eyes glaze over, unless you wake them up by saying "outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation" or quote Dominus Iesus about other churches being deficient.

I've been thinking these days that not only are we Catholics sometimes ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ — you know that sin part– let's skip over that because people don't want to hear they are sinners — but also we are ashamed of our teachings on human sexuality.

People see how pro-life folks are framed and say, eww, I think I'll find something warm and fuzzy and non-controversial to say so I won't be a lightning rod for the intense animosity these people experience.

This is of great concern for me.  There is a kind of unity that puts unity and ecclesiology above all else.  You could see attempts in the Canterbury Communion to maintain communion irrespective of huge theological differences on everything from the Eucharist to the role of actively homosexual clergy and differences over the sacrament of marriage, or of sacraments and Apostolic succession altogether.

Unity for the sake of unity — unity that is not led by the Holy Spirit and wedded to the whole of the faith as handed down by the Apostles is something to be concerned about.  And if unity means shutting up about abortion or defending a male-only priesthood, well, too late, I'm Catholic now and I will not keep silent.

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In Search of the Facts Regarding the Ordinariate

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As most readers know, I am a journalist by trade and I write primarily for Catholic newspapers.  I wish I had time to do the in depth, fair, balanced story the fledgling ordinariates deserve — you know, the kind of magazine piece that allows me to travel to do my interviews and attend events to capture the color, the smells, and the taste of things. I would love the time to pore over documents and weigh the credibility of every account.

But I don't have that luxury and I don't have the time right now to even write much of a blog post.  In the interest of getting at some of the facts of what is going on in the United States concerning the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter here is what I would like to know and maybe some readers can help with factual accounts.

How many Anglican Use parishes are joining the Ordinariate?  How many are staying out?  Why have their priests/leaders decided to move in one direction or another?  Be great to hear directly from them if possible.

Has there been a consistent policy in transferring membership from an Anglican Use parish (i.e. those on the parish rolls for baptisms, confirmations etc.) into the Ordinariate?  If so, what is that policy?  Have some parishes had concerns they would be forced to split, leaving many behind if they entered the Ordinariate?

At Our Lady of Walsingham, was the priest forced into retirement?  Or did he voluntarily retire?  Are the members of this parish members of the Ordinariate?  Or does some official paperwork or something need to be done?

How concerned are priests of Anglican Use parishes that are remaining outside that they might be forced into retirement or moved elsewhere in the vast Ordinariate territory once they are incardinated into the Ordinariate?

How concerned are Anglican Use communities that someone who is a recent convert with no understanding of the history or sacrifices made by that community will be parachuted in as their priest?

Here in Canada, back in 2010 there was concern, at least on my part, that this might happen here because Cardinal Collins mused about putting some Anglican Church of Canada priests who wished to become Catholic — but had no communities coming with them — in charge of our parishes because he wasn't sure most of our priests would qualify as Catholic priests.  The thought rankled me — that someone would get a soft landing in one of our parishes simply because he had the right credentials from a possibly heretical Anglican seminary but had not made any of the sacrifices our shepherds had made to serve us.

Fast forward to 2012 and the Canadian situation seems very hopeful lately and even more so after several visits by Msgr. Steenson to Victoria, Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa over the past several months.  From what I gather, our former clergy were greatly encouraged and none of the fears that plagued us over the past couple of years have come to pass.  In fact, we have been meeting with extraordinary generosity from our local Roman Catholic bishops and from Msgr. Steenson.

Several things that might have helped us.  We went through an awful time in the lead up to our entering the Catholic Church.  Parishes split, some twice.  Those of us who remained steadfast had nowhere else to turn but to the Cross for consolation.  It changed us, made us more patient, more faithful and less quick to get riled up when the trials start up again.   It unified those who remained so we are much more closely bonded and able to pray and act in one accord.

I think there is a tremendous amount of spiritual warfare involved in this Ordinariate project.  The turbulence on every level we experience from time to time as they develop is likely a result of malicious spiritual forces playing on our all-too-human frailties.  If this were not such a powerful and good move on the Holy Father's part to further the Kingdom of Heaven, the enemy of our souls would not be so active on every front!

I am not privy to the information that our Moderator has about what has been going on in the United States and I would prefer specifics with the "who, what, why, when, where".  My questions above come from parsing the various blog posts and comments.  But what I hope to do is see whether a calm investigation of the facts can produce some supportive and helpful suggestions because whatever our differences here on The Anglo-Catholic –and we do not all agree by any means — nor do we have "board meetings" or conference calls and most contributors I have never even had an email conversation with — we all hope Pope Benedict's vision in Anglicanorum coetibus will become a flourishing reality.

So, if you have some facts or can shed some light on what specific problems have arisen and how they may be overcome, please have at it in the comments section.

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Giving Up on the Ordinariate?

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In so many words, a couple of weeks ago I expressed my grave concern for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, and my conviction that God was not leading me to participate in this voluntary juridical structure at this time.  I can not do so without violating my conscience.  I believe that both the spirit and the letter of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum cœtibus are being twisted or ignored and that the Holy Father's express will is being openly flouted.  The Ordinariate in the United States has (slowly) gotten off on the wrong foot and is doomed to failure unless very significant course adjustments are made.

I remain loyal to the Catholic Faith, to the Anglican Patrimony which is in accord with that Faith, and to the Holy Father's spectacular vision for Christian Unity.  I may not be able to enter the Ordinariate at this time, but I continue to pray for the experiments in reconciliation which we have come to call Personal Ordinariates, and that, perhaps one day, when the Ordinariate ship is righted, I will be able to fully and joyfully consent to membership.

I also am privileged to continue my work with the Contributors here on The Anglo-Catholic.  Some of them share my concerns; others hold to a different view.  That has always been the case.  This blog is not the tool of any diocese or jurisdiction; its existence and import do not depend on the success of any endeavour which springs from the Pastoral Provision, the Anglican Use, or the Personal Ordinariates.  Its mission is very simple: to draw into the communion of the Holy Roman Church as many Anglicans and as much of their unique and beautiful Patrimony as possible.  We have always seen this work as a mission, and one to be pursued with fervour!

And regardless of our varying positions on individual issues or what we are permitted to express in public, all of us here know that with God nothing is impossible.  What might look like an impending failure now, may quickly turn around to be a glorious success!

I write the above by way of a preface for the article below.  Mr. Vincent Uher was a long-time member of Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston and has recently posted this piece on his personal blog.  He has asked that we give it the largest possible circulation, and, as it raises grave concerns over the future of the Ordinariate project in North America, it is something we should all consider carefully.

Ed. — Everything from the title to the bottom of the post was written by Mr. Uher and the emphases are his.

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Giving Up on the Ordinariate?

When a friend learned that I was withdrawing my application for membership in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter and its Ordination process, she asked if I were giving up on the Ordinariate.  Quite to the contrary, I shall pray for the Lord God to prosper everything that is of Him that is within it.  The Church will be enriched by those entering in the USA and Canada, and many will find the real home for which they have been longing.The Lord has given me a different vision and course to take for now, but I can envision a future where I am a member of one of the Personal Ordinariates.  There are many places in the Catholic Church where I am very welcome, but the new US Ordinariate is not where I need to be.

As a former Angican priest and a member of some years in an Anglican Use Parish in Texas, I have seen the best and the worst of the Pastoral Provision.  I remain enthusiastic about Anglicanorum coetibus.  However, I was given a very different vision from the Lord of what He requires and expects from Catholics of Anglican heritage than what one finds in the advent and development of the US Ordinariate in its organisation.

One wag has suggested that the Ordinariate will be that perfect marriage of the worst of Catholic secrecy and Anglican navel-gazing.  The central and fundamental problem is the lack of any expression of a clear vision or a willingness to embrace all Anglicans desiring to enter and all previous Anglican Use Catholics.  Also, there has been a great dishonouring of some of the faithful and some of the clergy who have built up the Anglican Use parishes.  All of this will stunt the growth of the US Ordinariate and set its new DNA at odds with the vision of Pope Benedict XVI expressed in Anglicanorum coetibus and subsequent norms.

One could say 'vision' is the main issue but it is not simply generating a mission statement or vision statement and congratulating each other over having done so.  No, vision is far broader and more significant.  There is no expressed vision for the US Ordinariate beyond a vague "living out" of Anglicanorum coetibus, and that is not enough.  Without a vision one is left with the satisfying of the personal tastes of those in charge, and that is a recipe for catastrophe to be avoided at all costs.

Some would say, as they always do, that it is too soon.  But on the contrary, the vision and missionary objectives should have been set before the whole thing was inaugurated.  Why didn't it happen that way?  None of the men involved seem to have ever planted a new church, and apparently none of them have been in charge of a new business start-up.  Naturally, they will only replicate the DNA of their own experience and values, and those values are certainly Christian but they are not missionary, "missional", or that of the New Evangelisation enunciated by Blessed Pope John Paul II.

The US Ordinariate is clearly not set up to lead but to follow.  Though it could make rapid strides in the New Evangelisation, its leadership prefers to take baby steps.  If one bears that in mind, then a big hurdle can be overcome for those who may be disappointed in what they are encountering.  But let us be clear, those baby steps are important and need to be celebrated when taken.  For those for whom those baby steps are enough then the US Ordinariate is a good fit.

The Ordinary is a historian and scholar and not a missionary.  (The grace of office and the grace of state do not make one a missionary.)  The gifts and skill-sets are different, and one must pray that the very special gifts possessed by the Ordinary will provide what the new clergy and new people need at this time.

Without a vision the people perish, and to simply say you are "living out Anglicanorum coetibus" is completely meaningless.  Without a missional orientation and a clear expression of comprehension of the Anglican patrimony … who are its people and clergy first and foremost — all included, no exceptions … then there can only be a very limited embodiment of what Pope Benedict XVI had hoped to provide to the Church and the world through his extraordinary gift.

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Without a clear vision, one is usually left with reactionary responses to problems.   Time for some folks to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest Christifidelis laici among other things… and learn to embrace the gifts and talents being brought forward by the laity with an eager desire to serve.  Any leader who says to such willing people, No thanks for we've got that covered, has profoundly missed the mark.  Learn to make use of such people.  You will be held accountable by the Lord for those driven away from the bosom of the Church otherwise.

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Ralph Johnston, R.I.P.

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60 nd scholars 1compressed1 Ralph Johnston, R.I.P.Many of the readers of this blog knew Ralph Johnston from his involvement in past Anglican Use Conferences, and also as an occasional contributor to The Anglo-Catholic. Ralph died on June 11th, St. Barnabas' Day, as the result of a stroke he suffered several months ago. He has been unresponsive for these past months, and it is now our privilege to commend him to God's eternal keeping.

Ralph was a tireless supporter of the Anglican Use, and when Anglicanorum coetibus was made public we were in Rome on pilgrimage with a group of our students. So excited was he about this vision outlined by the Holy Father, that Ralph found stationery and pen in the hotel, and wrote his request (that very day) to be admitted as a member of the Ordinariate as soon as it could be established in the United States. In fact, he took delight in telling people that his was the very first request received by the CDF! Of course, he already was deep in a coma this past January 1st, and so was unaware of the historic establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.

He served with distinction as Headmaster of The Atonement Academy, and his dedication to Catholic education was absolute. We have missed his steady hand and inspiring presence at Our Lady of the Atonement Church and The Atonement Academy.

It seems especially appropriate that Ralph died on the Commemoration of St. Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement." There was no greater encourager of the Anglican Use and the principles of Anglicanorum coetibus than this dedicated son of the Church.

Into thy hand, O Merciful Savior, we commend thy servant, Ralph. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech thee, a sheep of thine own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of thy mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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The People

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I heard an absolutely wonderful statement today (thank you Margaret) and it struck me with its beautiful simplicity. To quote:

"What if the Anglican Patrimony is people?"

This is not to deny all the practices and perspectives that make up the "culture" of the Anglican Patrimony; certainly not. Yet it is trying to point out something that is often forgotten in all the hustle and bustle of theological blatheration that does more to cloud the issues than to clear them up. The practices only exist if there are people who are doing them, and the perspectives only exist if there are people who are holding them. These things, like love, only exist in the performance of them, and we often forget that it is the people who are the "flesh and blood" of what we are discussing (pun intended).

It is not as though we can discuss a structure of a vestry or parish council and imagine that structure without it being filled by people. Hence, it is those very people's souls which are what we are supposed to be preserving when we seek to obey the Holy Father's wishes in Anglicanorum Coetibus. The academic side of things only exists because there are academicians who are "academizing". To get all caught up in a heated torrent of debate over any detail of the faith will usually mean that we have come to believe that we are discussing Plato's forms rather than the behaviors of men and women who are loved by Christ.

When I see the behaviors of many Christians today, it seems as though they want us to believe that they love their brother enough to kill him. Oddly, I recall the command being more along the lines of loving our brother enough to die for him. Sometimes this dying for our brother means dying to self. There are many ways that you can live out that "dying to self", but if nothing in you changes, then you have not died to self. One can die to self by just shutting his mouth (or putting Chinese handcuffs on your typing fingers); one can die to self by apologizing to a brother (publicly if the offense was public); or one can die to self by saying "yessir" when the Ordinary tells you to do something you do not want to do.

To preserve the human part of the patrimony means that we are to be "our brother's keeper". This is so because these beautiful practices and ideas will become ugly and unholy if we use them as swords against the tender heart of a confused Christian brother. There are some who pride themselves in defending a cause or system as though they were the last defender of the faith, and yet all they are accomplishing is the alienation of one that they should be seeking to help to grow in faith. Better to let the cause go and save the man, than to let the man go and save the cause.

Many of us find great joy in the Anglican Patrimony. Yet, every one of those aspects that you enjoy are mere words on paper (or the screen) if you do not treat the people as more important. To turn a phrase: God made the patrimony for man, and not man for the patrimony. Sometimes we forget this, and it shows when we least expect it.

There are many, many souls out there who have been dragged out to sea by the undertow of either the liberalism in the Episcopal Churches or the cantankerousness of the "continuing" Anglican denominations. Others have merely wandered into the waves because they got confused by much that has happened recently in the Catholic Church. A new ship is setting sail now in the American Ordinariate and the sailors who board her need to do more than keep the deck clean. They need to be going out seeking those who are floating in the sea of modern relativism and immorality; those who have fallen away and yet not found (or forgotten) their true home in the barque of Peter. They have been treading dangerous waters for quite some time and have not found safe harbor; let us seek and find them with all the passion of the Chief Shepherd looking for His lost sheep. This is what it means to preserve the patrimony more than anything else: to seek and save that which was lost.

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