Ordinariate to be established on or before January 15th

Fr Marcus Stock, General Secretary, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has published some background information on the forthcoming establishment of the Personal Ordinariate for groups of faithful and their clergy from the Anglican Communion entering into full Communion with the Catholic Church.

On or before 15 January 2011, it is expected that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will publish a Decree which will formally establish a ‘Personal Ordinariate’ in England and Wales ... for groups of Anglican faithful and their clergy who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

There is very detailed and helpful information to assist all the faithful understand better what the Ordinariate is about and how it will function. Fr Stock writes:

The Ordinariate will then bring a mutual enrichment and exchange of gifts, in an authentic and visible form of full communion, between those baptised and nurtured in Anglicanism and the Catholic Church.

A question that many may ask is why priests for the Ordinariate are being ordained so quickly without the normal length of preparation being observed:

A key aspect of the establishment of the Ordinariate by Pope Benedict is that it enables groups of former Anglicans and their clergy to stay together. This is quite new as previously former Anglican clergy seeking ordination in the Catholic Church were separated from their communities, even if some members of those communities also became Catholics. A different timetable is required if this new aspect is to be achieved. For this reason, the ordinations of the first priests for the Ordinariate will take place while their formation is still in process so as to enable them to minister to their communities within the full communion of the Catholic Church. The ordinations of the former Anglican bishops are taking place at this time with the expressed permission of the Holy Father so that they can play a role in the very first stages of the development of the Ordinariate.

The three former Anglican bishops who were received into full communion on New Year's Day are to be ordained deacon tomorrow and priest on 15th. History is being made...