THE ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER

  

THE ORDINARIATE OF THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER
Yes, it really is Catholic!

What is an Ordinariate?

The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter is equivalent to a diocese for Roman Catholics who were nurtured in the Anglican tradition or whose faith has been renewed by the Ordinariate's liturgy and evangelizing mission.  The Ordinariate in the U.S. was created by Pope Benedict XVI on January 1, 2012 and has its Chancery in Houston, Texas.

Are Ordinariate Members Still Anglican?

No, we are not.  The term "Anglican" refers to those who are not members of the Roman Catholic Church.  "Anglicans" are a part of those congregations that separated from Rome many years ago.  Catholics, on the other hand, who are part of an Ordinariate parish are full Latin Rite Catholics and are in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope.  Having unique traditions within the Catholic Church, we will sometimes refer to ourselves as Catholics of the Anglican, or English, Catholic tradition, but we are fully Catholic.

Is the Ordinariate Part of the Local Diocese?

No, the Ordinariate and its members are a separate jurisdiction within the Church (kind of like a monastic religious order, but with parishes).  Ordinariate communities answer to a separate (but fully Catholic) bishop who is a member of the Bishop's Council in the USA.  Ordinariate communities and clergy do, however, maintain close relationships with the dioceses in which they are located and most Ordinariate priests receive faculties to assist in or even pastor diocesan parishes.

Is the Ordinariate a Separate Rite Within the Church?

No.  The Ordinariate exists entirely within the context of the Roman Catholic Church.  Its worship, while distinctive, is a form of the Roman Rite in the same way that the Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo are.  There are actually nine forms of the Mass in the Catholic Church, and the Ordinariate form is just one of those!

Why the Ordinariate?

The establishment of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter was Rome's pastoral response to repeated and persistent inquiries made by Anglican individuals and groups who have come to identify the Catholic Church as their home.  Those joining the Ordinariate have discerned they are truly Catholic in what they believe and desire full membership in the Catholic Church, and the Ordinariate is a place where those traditions of ancient English Catholic spirituality can be easily maintained.

What is the Source?

In the Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio), the Catholic Church expressed a desire to restore all Christians to communion with the Church.  The Council said Christian groups could bring their own distinctive traditions to the Catholic Church; they would not necessarily be suppressed or absorbed.  The Pope's generous expression of care in establishing the Ordinariates affirms the Catholic Church's vision for Christian unity, in which diverse expressions of one faith are joined together in the Church.

How are Clergy Formed?

The Ordinariate's priests and deacons are clergy who were ordained after an extensive formation process in the Catholic Church.  This process requires: a background check; the approval of the Ordinariate and the Holy See; the completion of an approved formation program; and an examination.  Celibacy is the norm for Ordinariate clergy.  Permission has been given on a case-by-case basis by the Pope for former Anglican priests who are married to be ordained Catholic priests for the Ordinariate.  If widowed, they may not remarry.

How Can One Join the Ordinariate?

Those who are not yet Catholic and who wish to join an Ordinariate parish are required to undergo a period of preparation, be baptized (if they were not before) and confirmed.  Those who are already Catholic can join an Ordinariate parish any time they wish to (since we are all Catholic).  Those who join the Ordinariate desire full communion with the Catholic Church because of their belief in Her teachings and authority just like those who join the Catholic Church through other types of parishes.

Who is Our Leader?

Members of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter are united with the entire Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope.  As of Nov. 24, 2015, the Ordinariate is led by his excellency, Bishop Steven J. Lopes, who serves under the direct authority of the Holy Father to build up the Catholic Church through mutual mission and ministry.

What is Mass Like in the Ordinariate?

Ordinariate parishes celebrate a Mass called "Divine Worship," which has for its roots the Sarum Mass of 1000 years ago!  The language for this Mass in in Old English (derived largely from the classic books of the Anglican liturgical tradition) which is fully Catholic in content and expression.  The mission of the Ordinariate is particularly experienced in the reverence and beauty of our forms of worship, which features many Anglican traditions for the liturgy while conforming to Catholic doctrinal, sacramental and liturgical standards.

What are the Traditions of the Ordinariate?

Although not all Ordinariate parishes have the exact same traditions, there is a general consensus throughout the Ordinariate of what we often call our "Anglican heritage" that goes back to the way our Catholic forefathers did things in England long before the time of the protestant separation from Rome.  This often includes: an emphasis on strong preaching, community interaction, deep reverence in the Mass and other liturgies, and a close involvement of priest with people.  There are various ways that this can look, but the best means of understanding it, is merely to experience it.  Many people who come to an Ordinariate parish for the first time say, "I didn't know that the Catholic faith could be practiced like that."  It can, and it is: in the Ordinariate.

Find Ordinariate Communities and Groups of Ordinariate Members and Friends Around the World.

 

 

______

For the complete contents of the Butter Rum Cartoon, click HERE.