Archbishop Terrence Prendergast came to our little Sodality of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary today to celebrate Mass for Ascension Day.
It was such a joyous occasion for us and such a gesture of kindness and generosity from him. How welcome he makes us feel and goes out of his way to make us feel.
If we are Catholic now, it is because of his fatherly graciousness towards us, his solidarity with us when we were suffering and uncertain, his gift to us of Fr. Francis Donnelly to accompany us on our catechesis and look after us now as we wait in hope that our own former clergy will be accepted for ordination. Archbishop Prendergast showed us a face of a true shepherd and spiritual father in the Catholic Church that made it easier to trust that She is the Church of Christ.
While we have been staying to positive stories here on The Anglo-Catholic in hopes that we don't do anything to undermine the Ordinariates, I know there are people out there who are still suffering in uncertainty or facing impediments to their dreams for unity or who have abandoned hope altogether because the price seemed unreasonably high or it seems the one exacting the price perhaps did so in a heavy-handed way that discouraged rather than encouraged.
Be sure to follow our Moderator at Eccentric Bliss, his personal blog!