THE
P RTAL
May 2016
Page 8
holy place to be. God had done something that eight taking over a Parish in terms of what the Ordinariate
years ago no one could have imagined. Sometimes you has brought to the Catholic Church and what we are
can see that in The Portal reports, at the presentations doing for human souls.”
and in your own circumstances.
We asked if the Deans are a link in a chain in
“For example, the Coventry group has loads to communication between the Co-ordinators and the
shout about. We have to keep alive in all the groups Ordinary.
the excitement that was there in 2011. When there is
Fr David replied, “Yes, but also not simply to do
natural excitement that’s brilliant, but a group that is
small, has its own Mass from time to time but has no with communication. The Ordinary has immense
strong identity, needs to see itself as part of the bigger responsibilities in setting up of a new institution. A
retired Bishop said to me that although we’ve set up
picture.
new dioceses before, they were carved out of existing
exciting things happening
ones. How do you start this from nothing? We’re all
“The exciting things happening in Eastbourne watching in amazement.
are aided by the prayers of two old ladies and a dog
somewhere else. Even if all the excitement isn’t on not Vicars General or Archdeacons
one’s own doorstep, we’re part of the Ordinariate.
We said, “But the Deans are not Vicars General or
Archdeacons?”
“There has to be some flexibility but we also need
priests to be earning money as well. Groups may not
Fr David said, “No. Those are grand people that have
always be able to worship at 10am on Sunday morning. jurisdiction. The Deans don’t work like that.
Some of the most successful groups have adapted,
found new slots and new ways of doing things.
“For example, we enjoy visits to Groups and clergy.
We’d like to go back to build relationships. The
“It seems there are two understandings of the Ordinary produces a schedule of visits, but if there’s
Ordinariate. One way is a convenient bridge to get a problem, there needs to be someone else who can
people quickly and safely across the Tiber and then be sent to provide support. If the Co-ordinators are
its job is done. Now that’s not what Pope Benedict going through a difficult period with pastoral needs or
intended but there is a completion in that model.
the death of one of their priests, support is sometimes
needed.
“The other model is that it’s something permanent,
which is clearly what was intended, but five years is
“Sometimes I’m asked to preside at Mass when I
too soon to have built it. It is a long term project. visit a group, but I do that as a friend, not as a great
What Mgr Keith Newton was given in 2011 was not an dignitary. It is good to be able to thank groups for what
Ordinariate but planning permission! We do need to they are doing and reflect on what’s happening, much
build confidence.
as groups feel better when they read about themselves
in The Portal.
“In one sense, the Ordinariate is like a Diocese, a
“Certainly we recognise how important The Portal
canonical structure, but the Apostolic Constitution is
also about the mutual gifts to be shared and that’s not is in the groups. Your readership is significantly higher
the language of a new Diocese, it’s more the language than the statistics show because people are printing
of a new movement in the Church. We contribute to out hard copies.”
the life of the wider Church in many ways. Sometimes
it’s not so much what we’ve done, but what would have
happened if we hadn’t been there.
things that I didn’t know
“Month by month I’m finding things that I didn’t
know as an Anglican. For example, one of the things in
the Church of England was that one had few penitents.
So maybe we’re less concerned that fifty years ago
there would have been one hundred in the queue
and more concerned with the ones we have, and with
encouraging others. Fr Len in Scotland now hears a lot
of confessions and this must be as significant as a group
contents page
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If we insist on being