Friday, February 05, 2010

Ordinariates: In Communion but not Absorbed

Rorate Caeli has this fascinating excerpt from a speech by Bishop Peter Elliot, who is in charge of setting up the Anglican Ordinariate in Australia, he is a former Anglican and a former Vatican "insider".

The Pastor of the nations is reaching out to give you a special place within the Catholic Church. United in communion, but not absorbed – that sums up the unique and privileged status former Anglicans will enjoy in their Ordinariates.


Catholics in full communion with the Successor of St Peter, you will be gathered in distinctive communities that preserve elements of Anglican worship, spirituality and culture that are compatible with Catholic faith and morals. Each Ordinariate will be an autonomous structure, like a diocese, but something between a Personal Prelature (as in Opus Dei, purely spiritual jurisdiction), or a Military Ordinariate (for the Armed Forces). In some ways, the Ordinariate will even be similar to a Rite (the Eastern Catholic Churches). You will enjoy your own liturgical “use” as Catholics of the Roman Rite. At the same time your Ordinaries, bishops or priests, will work alongside diocesan bishops of the Roman Rite and find their place within the Episcopal Conference in each nation or region.

2 comments:

Crux Fidelis said...

So, come on in! The water's lovely!

JARay said...

I see this as a model for other groups to follow. Bishop Peter Elliott, a distinguished Liturgical expert, has made the situation quite clear. I cannot think that any genuine Anglicans, who consider themselves Catholic, can possibly hold back from the offer.
But,
As Yorkshire people used to say, "There's nowt so queer as fowk"
JARay

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