THE
P RTAL
June 2012
Page 3
Portal News
by Will Burton
New Deacons
Seventeen men
were ordained to
the Ordinariate in Westminster Cathedral in
London on Saturday 26th May 2012. The largest
single ordination in the UK for many years, the
men - all former Anglican clergy - were ordained
as deacons at the request of Monsignor Keith
Newton, our Ordinary, by Bishop Alan Hopes.
The celebration marks the second year of
ordinations for the Ordinariate. After the service
Mgr Newton reflected on the day, “It is wonderful
to see these men ordained as deacons for service
in the Catholic Church, within the Ordinariate.
As we continue to grow and begin our work of
faithful witness to the Gospel, it is important for us
all to be reminded of the charism of the Deacon:
proclamation, service, and Christian charity.”
The homily was given by Mgr Andrew Burnham,
an Assistant to the Ordinary, in which he made
reference to the candidates’ many years of service
and the energy, experience and wisdom which they
were bringing to the Catholic Church, asking them
to reflect on the mystery of servanthood, which is the
focus of the diaconate and of all Christian ministry.
The ordination brings the total number of clergy
in the Personal Ordinariate to nearly 80. A further
group of diaconal ordinations is expected in the next
few weeks and over the summer all these men will
be ordained to the Priesthood, usually in their local
Dioceses.
Royal Jubliee
As you will have seen from the picture on our
cover, we celebrate the Royal Jubilee this month.
We are fortunate indeed to have a Monarch who
makes no secret of her deep Christian Faith. Our
cover also recalls those wonderful days when Pope
Benedict XVI visited these shores. His Holiness and
Her Majesty obviously “got on” well, an example of
good relations between the Catholic Church and the
Church of England. The Ordinariate in this country is
an expression of those good relations.
Receptive Ecumenism
Last month Mgr Keith Newton gave one of the
Anniversary Lectures at Saint Mary Magdalene
Brighton. This series is celebrating one hundred and
fifty years for the Brighton Church. Our Ordinary’s
title was “The Future of Ecumenism”. He gave a
thoughtful address, rehearsing the history of relations
between the Catholic Church and the Church of
England including ARCIC and the setting up of
Ordinariates in the UK, USA and Australia.
Mgr Keith Newton made the point that so many
schemes have failed, until that is, His Holiness cut
the knot and set up Ordinariates. The Ordinary
highlighted “Receptive Ecumenism” where, in
contrast to schemes where each group of Christians
tell the others what they bring to the Unity Table; it
is the Catholic Church that has received the riches of
Anglicans and welcomed them into full communion
with the See of Peter. “United, not absorbed” being
the key phrase.
Fr Newton addressed the question of “Anglican
Patrimony” by drawing attention to this aspect of
the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.
He quoted the Holy Father, “This should be seen as
a prophetic gesture that can contribute positively
to the developing relations between Anglicans and
Catholics.”