THE P RTAL
October 2013
Page 9
The question of
Anglican Patrimony
by David Murphy of Ordinariate Expats
Last month we introduced the project to share examples of the Anglican Patrimony that is being maintained
and promoted in the Ordinariate. Today we consider the ecumenical significance of Pope Benedict’s decision
to encourage us to preserve our distinctiveness.
I
n the
1990s, after the decision to ordain
women to the C of E priesthood, over 500 Anglican
priests left the Church of England with groups of
laity and were received into the Catholic Church and
subsequently ordained Catholic priests. At the time
the feasibility of setting up Anglican Use parishes in
the UK similar to the admittedly very small number
of Pastoral Provision communities in the United
States was discussed but not approved.
So all of these Anglican priests and
people were absorbed into Catholic
parishes and gradually lost their
former Anglican identity. Today, if
you are not in the know, you would
not be able to tell the difference
between these and other Catholics.
The Catholic Church itself has not
been changed by their reception.
and perhaps more importantly, where the Anglican
Patrimony could be brought into the Catholic Church
as a gift and an enrichment.
Catholic Church changed overnight
Through this enormously generous and prophetic
decision the Roman Catholic Church changed
overnight. For the first time in its history the Church
opened itself to a church of the Reformation and
welcomed elements of liturgical,
musical, pastoral and spiritual
patrimony, some of which originate
from Protestants who even suffered
execution at the hands of the Catholic
Church.
missionary and
evangelising
It should thus be clear to everyone
that the Ordinariates are not merely
full communion with
“decompression chambers” facilitating
the See of Peter
the move from the Anglican Church
After the turn of the millennium it
to the Catholic Church and they are
became clear that developments in
certainly not seen as dispensable once
the Anglican Church were such that it
those newly received have become
was likely that once again there was going to be a large accustomed to being Catholic. That would be completely
number of Anglicans and Continuing Anglicans who to misunderstand Pope Benedict’s ecclesiological
would seek full communion with the See of Peter.
and ecumenical vision. The Ordinariates are by their
nature missionary and evangelising, with the primary
elements of the Anglican Patrimony
task of building a visible bridge between Anglicanism
This time two concepts dominated the petitions and the Catholic Church. Ordinariate members have
made and the discussions which took place in the not ceased being Anglo-Catholics. On the contrary,
ensuing years: corporate reunion and the retention of they are Anglo-Catholics reunited with Rome.
elements of the Anglican Patrimony. It soon became
clear that Rome could not and would not recognise unity in diversity
the petitioners as a “sister church” distinct from
The establishment of the Personal Ordinariates thus
Canterbury and just enter into communion with it, demonstrates clearly the new approach to Church
much like the model of the Eastern Catholic churches. Unity since Vatican II. Those seeking reunion with
Rome must no longer abandon their faith history
the Ordinariates
in favour of uniformity. Instead the vision is one of
But Rome did the next best thing and established the unity in diversity, where each tradition treasures its
Ordinariates, canonical entities like dioceses within distinctiveness as an integral part and an enrichment
the Roman Rite, where former Anglicans could remain of the whole Catholic and Apostolic Church. This is
together with their pastors and their own Ordinary the task Pope Benedict XVI has given us.