Thursday 13 January 2011

More Ordinariate

There is an interesting post here about the three (formerly) Anglican bishops who will on Saturday be ordained as Catholic priests.

I am particularly interested in the suggestion that part of the Anglican patrimony that they will bring to the Catholic Church is a particular pastoral approach:
They bring with them a particularly Anglo-Catholic approach to pastoral care that can only enrich the wider Church. That approach combines a very gentle touch with a full consideration of the Church’s teaching on relevant issues. While always striving never to crush the bruised reed  their pastoral approach neither ignores, downplays or over-emphasizes orthodox teaching but at the same time accepts that some people will take more time and accompaniment to integrate it into their lives fully and honestly. It seems eminently sensible.
This makes an interesting addition to my previous observations, with regard to what constitutes the patrimony that the Ordinariate will bring to the Catholic Church, about married priesthood and a more synodical style of governance. Fr Hugh's description of the pastoral sensitivity of Keith Newton, John Broadhurst and Andrew Burnham entirely accords with the impression that I gained of Keith Newton when I had a brief opportunity to meet him "two stones throw" from where I type.

UPDATE: An account of the diaconate ordinations of Keith Newton, John Broadhurst and Andrew Burnham can be found here. It is interesting to see an emerging number of Anglican parishes where a programme of preparation for joining the Ordinariate - the Evangelium programme - is being followed, and the details of the sessions for this programme are readily accessible on the internet.

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